Local EX Raid (Above and Beyond), 12/29/2018

And just because it's near the end of the year, it doesn't mean that Pokémon things let up. Today, I had an EX Raid scheduled in Pokémon Go, and this one has some neat things about it. For starters, this EX Raid took place at the Gym that, as I've mentioned in the previous EX Raid, could become an EX Raid host again. This is the first time I've been able to participate by having obtained the EX Raid Pass for this Gym. Like last time, the other Gym also hosted an EX Raid on the same day, but at different times; this one took place at 11:30 AM, while the other one took place at 6 PM.

Secondly, this is the first EX Raid to have a different form for Deoxys: the Attack Form. The turnover to the Attack Form occurred last week on Thursday, but the turnover only applied to EX Raid invitations and passes that were distributed after the occurrence. Previously distributed passes were still for the Normal Form, as can be attested by an EX Raid last week, which I didn't participate in. That would have been the last chance for me to obtain a Normal Form Deoxys, but I didn't take it, so it was the previous week instead. Perhaps there will be other opportunities.

The "above and beyond" tag certainly concerns these: the last EX Raid of the year, in a new EX Raid location, with a new Form for the raid boss. The only thing that probably wasn't was coordination; like last time, it was impromptu and minimal, so we did the best we could with who came, but that was just good enough. All the same, no one tried to take down Deoxys as partners or in a solo raid, though it could theoretically be done. No one also captured one with the maximum CP at this time. If these were to happen, that would have contributed further to the tag.

I wanted to focus on capture, so I took this candid group photo instead.

Further, now that a different Form of Deoxys has been unleashed, we may know what to expect. Deoxys started to appear about two months ago with its Normal Form. With the Attack Form now available, it may be another couple of months before the next Form appears, and so on and so forth. There may even be a couple of full rotations through all the Forms. But this is only a prediction at this point; past predictions have been known to miss, including for Community Day, and anything can happen. Right now, though, it seems convincing that the other two Forms will be unleashed somehow and at some point.

The Deoxys that I caught.

This EX Raid was in some respects indeed "above and beyond", though not completely, and it could have been more so. The good thing is that the opportunities for achieving something in that manner may already be evident. The next few EX Raids may provide even more opportunities to go "above and beyond", and I suppose it's up to us how far out we want to take things with them.

One year ago: In Lieu of a Book