Local EX Raid (Double or Quits), 12/14/2018

In this edition of the local EX Raid, numbers are the game. To start, this is the third week in a row that I've participated in an EX Raid, which is unprecedented; typically, I'd take part in one, wait some number of days or more before I have the chance to raid an EX Raid Gym (possibly missing one in the meantime), get the invitation for the next one, wait until the day for that to come, and repeat the process. However, sometimes I'm fortunate enough to be able to raid the Gyms and be able to directly participate in the next one, and this is exactly what has happened over the course of this and the previous two EX Raids. Two EX Raid Gyms also help in this regard.

Actually, make that three Gyms. Today, a Gym that in the past hosted only one EX Raid and seemingly never again, hosted one for the first time since then. And it hosted the EX Raid alongside this EX Raid, which takes place at the first Gym in my area that hosted EX Raids, only at different times; that one took place at 11:30 AM, while this one took place at 1 PM. That becomes the "double" part of the tag for today. In fact, some of my raid fellows took advantage of the situation to have a double EX Raid, to be invited to the other one they didn't get, much like how things were when EX Raids restarted back in October.

The other part of the tag, the "quits" part, relies on another numbers game... or the lack of numbers thereof. This EX Raid was quite different, as usually the participants were counted and coordinated, but this time no effort occurred in this regard; when I came, there was only one person, though eventually there were more as the EX Raid progressed. Even without rain (and only indications that it might rain at that point), those who came, which only numbered to a couple of handfuls, were interested in just "getting it done", and so we formed our battle flights in an impromptu manner. This still seemed to work well; my battle flight, with only six Trainers, took down Deoxys without too much effort, confirming its relative ease. Still, today's EX Raid can be considered to serve as an indicator.

Deoxys-on-the-Green™

It seems the number of Trainers interested in Deoxys is dwindling, perhaps because of its relative ease to raid and its current existence as only one of four forms. As well, it's a Pokémon that cannot be traded, which means the only two options are to keep any that are captured, or to transfer them to the Professor. It does somehow appear less impressive than when the EX Raids were with Mewtwo and there was quite a demand. Its other three forms are likely the key: release the other forms, and demand might just increase.

Surely when Deoxys "doubles up", many might just "double down" to capture one, or at least a few - it's "double or nothing". After today's "numbers game" with the EX Raids, it might seem that only a few numbers are the key success with them as they are. At least I've augmented my contribution for today, and I'm still interested to augment in later EX Raids, no matter what numbers or figures result.

One year ago: Tears of Life... and Being Moved to Tears