You’ve probably seen the name popping up in your local Discord or across your Twitter feed—Steeled Resolve Pokemon GO. It sounds intense. Like something out of a training montage. But honestly, it’s basically Niantic’s way of shoving us toward the GO Battle League (GBL) while finally throwing a bone to the Galar fans who’ve been waiting for a specific metal bird to show up.
Most people think it’s just another "Steel-type" week. It isn't. Not really.
While the theme is definitely metallic, this event is actually a massive crossover between a debut release and a "Rocket Takeover" style utility window. If you aren't paying attention, you're going to miss the most important part: the ability to wipe Frustration off your Shadow Pokemon. That alone makes it worth the grind, regardless of whether you care about the Pokedex.
The Debut We’ve Been Waiting For: Rookidee Arrives
Finally. Rookidee, Corvisquire, and Corviknight are in the game.
If you played Sword & Shield, you know Corviknight is a beast. In Pokemon GO, it’s looking to be a real contender in the Great and Ultra Leagues. It’s a Steel/Flying type, which is a fantastic defensive typing. It’s basically Skarmory’s bigger, meaner cousin.
To get the full evolution, you’re looking at 125 candies. 25 for the first jump, 100 for the second. Pro tip? Use those Pinap Berries. Spawns aren't always guaranteed to be everywhere, and you don’t want to be stuck walking a bird for 300 kilometers just because you were stingy with your berries in the first week.
Steeled Resolve Pokemon GO: Blanche vs. Cliff
The biggest point of confusion I've seen is the branching Timed Research.
Once you get past the first page—which is just standard "catch 15 Pokemon" and "walk 2km" stuff—you have to choose a path. You either "Train with Blanche" or "Train with Cliff."
Which path is better?
Honestly, it depends on what you need for your roster. Blanche’s path is the "safe" route. You get an encounter with a regular Marill and eventually a Steelix. If you need a Steelix for its Mega Evolution or just want a solid Great League tank, Blanche is your girl.
Cliff is for the grinders.
Choosing Cliff gets you an encounter with a Shadow Machop and a Marowak. Shadow Machamp is still one of the top Fighting-type attackers in the entire game for raids. If you don’t have a high-IV Shadow Machamp yet, choosing Cliff is a no-brainer. Plus, it’s just more fun to pretend you’re hanging out with the Team GO Rocket crew for a change.
Don't Forget the Move Legacy
Niantic is actually being pretty generous with the legacy moves this time around.
If you evolve certain Pokemon during the event window, they’ll learn moves that usually require an Elite TM. This is huge for budget players.
- Machamp: Evolve Machoke to get Karate Chop.
- Feraligatr: Evolve Croconaw to get Hydro Cannon (this is essential for PvP).
- Corviknight: Evolve Corvisquire to get Iron Head.
- Lickilicky: Evolve Lickitung to get Body Slam.
If you have a Lickitung with good PvP IVs sitting in your storage, do not evolve it until this event starts. Body Slam is what makes Lickilicky viable. Without it, it’s just a big pink paperweight.
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The Magnetic Lure "Trap"
Let’s talk about the Magnetic Lures. During the event, these lures attract specific stuff like Onix, Beldum, Shieldon, and Rookidee.
A lot of players complain that the spawn rate from lures is "broken." It’s not broken; it’s just math. You only get a certain number of event-specific spawns per lure, mixed in with the general pool. If you're sitting on three lures and expect 100 Beldum, you're going to be disappointed.
Use them if you're stationary at a cafe, but don't rely on them as your primary way to farm candy. Walking is still king.
Maximize Your Gains Before Sunday
The event usually wraps up on a Sunday night at 8:00 PM local time. That’s your hard deadline.
If you haven’t finished the Timed Research by then, it disappears. Gone. No rewards, no Corviknight encounters, nothing.
Actionable Checklist for Success:
- Clear your Shadow Roster: Go through your Pokemon storage and tag every Shadow Pokemon you want to use. Use your Charged TMs to remove Frustration. This is the #1 priority.
- Farm 2km Eggs: Shieldon and Carbink are in the egg pool for this event. If you play Great League, you know how expensive Carbink is to power up. This is your chance for XL candy.
- Check your Raids: Deoxys (Attack and Defense) and Dialga are usually floating around during this window. If you’re missing the shiny or need a better Dialga for Master League, save your passes for the second half of the week.
- The Evolution Window: Set a reminder for Sunday afternoon to evolve your Croconaws and Machokes. You don't want to realize at 8:01 PM that you missed out on Hydro Cannon.
This event is really about "steeling" your resolve for the competitive side of the game. It’s a lot of menus, a lot of TMing, and a lot of GBL sets. But if you put in the work now, your teams for the rest of the season will be significantly stronger.