Shiny Sinistcha & Poltchageist Debut in Pokémon Go: Catch, Evolve & Shine!

Part 1. When Will Poltchageist and Sinistcha Debut in Pokémon Go?

Pokémon Go Halloween Cup: Dates & Times

The Pokémon Go Halloween 2025 event runs for two parts:

• Part I ： October 21, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. local time until October 27, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. This is when Poltchageist and Sinistcha make their debut in the game.
• Part II ：October 27, 2025, to November 2, 2025

Halloween Cup Event Bonuses

The Pokémon GO Halloween Cup 2025 event offers several exciting bonuses to enhance gameplay and reward trainers. Key event bonuses include:

• 2x Catch Candy (3x for Deluxe Pass users)
• Trainers level 31+ receive Candy XL when catching Pokemon with Nice, Great, and Excellent throws
• 2x Candy for transferring Pokémon, plus increased chances for XL candy for Trainers level 31+
• Special event Pokemon spawns include the debut of Sinistea and Sinistcha, both available in shiny form for the first time
• Themed Field Research with exclusive encounters and bonuses
• Exclusive avatar items, Halloween-themed stickers, and limited-time background music enhance the spooky atmosphere

Where to Find Poltchageist & Sinistcha?

In Pokémon Go, neither Poltchageist nor Sinistcha will appear in the wild or be available as reward encounters from current Field Research tasks, and they are also excluded from the boosted Dark and Ghost-type spawn pool during the Halloween 2025 event.

Poltchageist is mainly encountered as a 1-Star Raid boss, while Sinistcha can be obtained by evolving Poltchageist—and both of these Pokémon made their debut during the Halloween 2025 Part I event

Part 2. What Is the Difference Between Poltchageist and Sinistcha?

Poltchageist Vs Sinistcha, Which Is Better?

Poltchageist in Pokémon Go is the base form of Sinistcha, so naturally, Sinistcha (the Poltchageist evolution) has higher stats for attack, stamina, defense, and is better overall.

Here is a detailed overview:

How to Evolve Poltchageist into Sinistcha?

To evolve Poltchageist into Sinistcha in Pokémon Go, you need 50 Poltchageist Candy. But before you can even perform the Poltchageist evolution, you need to catch Poltchageist first in 1-star raids during the Pokémon Go Halloween 2025 event.

Poltchageist and Sinistcha Can be Shiny?

Yes, they can be shiny, but not in Pokémon Go, as their shiny forms are not being debuted during the upcoming Halloween event.

In other Pokémon games, such as Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, Poltchageist shiny and Sinistcha shiny are indeed available to catch.

To check if they are shiny or not, just look at their appearances. The shiny versions of these Pokémons are more green-toned compared to their normal, darker versions.

Part 3. What Are the Two Forms of Poltchageist? How To Check?

In the broader Pokémon universe, Poltchageist, the pre-evolution of Sinistcha, has two distinct forms: Counterfeit and Artisan.

In Pokémon Go, however, there is no confirmation yet on whether these two forms of Poltchageist will appear or not. Only the regular Poltchageist in Pokémon Go is set to appear during the upcoming Halloween event.

Poltchageist Counterfeit vs Artisan: What Is the Difference?

Max CP and Stats Differences

• There is no difference in CP or Stats between Poltchageist forms.

Evolution Outcome

• If your Poltchageist is Counterfeit, evolving it results in an Unremarkable Sinistcha. You need the Unremarkable Teacup item to evolve your Counterfeit Poltchageist into the Unremarkable Form Sinistcha.
• If your Poltchageist is Artisan, evolving it results in a Masterpiece Sinistcha. You need the Masterpiece Teacup item to evolve your Artisan Poltchageist into the Masterpiece Form Sinistcha.

Checking in Pokémon Go

• You just need to check for a tiny “stamp of authenticity” on the bottom of the Artisan form’s teacup base. The Counterfeit form lacks this stamp.

That’s how to tell the difference between Poltchageist forms. Other than this, both these forms look exactly the same; however, the Artisan form is rarer.

How to Check the Difference Between Poltchageist?

Inspect the Bottom

Zoom in on the Pokémon to check for a small stamp or mark on the bottom of its caddy; a mark indicates the rare Artisan Form, while no mark means the common Counterfeit Form.

Check the Summary Screen

You can tell Poltchageist's form by checking the summary screen after catching it; the Artisan Form has a small stamp on the base of its caddy, while the Counterfeit Form does not

Appraise the Pokémon

When you have a Poltchageist, have your team leader appraise it. They will tell you its form, say it's "Counterfeit" or "Artisan".

Check the Pokédex

You can tell Poltchageist's form via its Pokédex entry—updated upon first encounter but not showing the form directly until caught, which then updates it to display the correct summary screen—and a more reliable way is to check the bottom of its teacup for a small authenticity stamp: the Artisan Form has it, while the Counterfeit Form doesn’t.

Part 4. Sinistcha Masterpiece vs Unremarkable: What’s the Difference?

In the broader Pokémon universe, Sinistcha has two forms: Unremarkable and Masterpiece. Its final form depends on the form of Poltchageist it evolved from. For those thinking, “What is the difference between Masterpiece and Unremarkable Sinistcha?” there’s no difference. The change is purely cosmetic.

In Pokémon Go, however, there is no confirmation yet on whether these two forms of Sinistcha will appear or not. Only the regular Sinistcha in Pokémon Go is set to appear during the upcoming Halloween event.

1How to Tell Masterpiece and Unremarkable Sinistcha?

Look for the Fake Bottom

• The Masterpiece form has a small stamp of authenticity under its cup base. The Unremarkable form does not have this mark.

Appearance Identification

• Other than the small stamp of authenticity, the two forms of Sinistcha look identical in shape, color, and design. There is no other difference.

Evolution Items Required

• To get Unremarkable Sinistcha, use the Unremarkable Teacup on Counterfeit Poltchageist.
• To get Masterpiece Sinistcha, use the Masterpiece Teacup on Artisan Poltchageist.

2How to Get Masterpiece Sinistcha?

Catch Artisan Form Poltchageist

• Only the Artisan form of Poltchageist can evolve into Masterpiece Sinistcha.
• To check the form of your Poltchageist, look for the “stamp of authenticity” under its teacup base.

Obtain the Masterpiece Teacup

• This item is required for the Poltchageist evolution into Masterpiece Sinistcha

Evolve Poltchageist

• Use the Masterpiece Teacup on the Artisan Poltchageist to evolve it into Masterpiece Sinistcha.

3How Rare Is Masterpiece Sinistcha?

The Masterpiece Form Sinistcha is much rarer than the Unremarkable Form Sinistcha. Many players view it as a “collector” or premium variant.

Part 5. Sinistcha Raid Guide: Weaknesses & Top 5 Counter Pokémon

In this section, we highlight Sinistcha's weaknesses as well as the best counters for it.

1What Is Super Effective Against Sinistea?

Sinistcha in Pokémon Go is a Grass/Ghost-type. Because of that typing, it is weak to Dark, Fire, Flying, Ghost, and Ice moves.

These types deal super-effective damage to Sinistcha (60% increased damage), making them your best options in raid battles.

25 Best Counters for Sinistcha

Tips to Catch Sinistcha Quickly in Pokémon Go Halloween 2025

Sinistcha will appear in 1-star raids during the Pokémon Go Halloween 2025 event. But if you find yourself busy and can’t feasibly travel to raid locations, there’s no need to worry. You can use PoGoskill to quickly catch Sinistcha in Pokémon Go.

Speaking of which, PoGoskill is a top location spoofer app that allows you to spoof your GPS coordinates naturally and successfully trick Pokémon Go into thinking that you’re somewhere else. With just a tap, you can teleport to any location on the world map and even create custom routes there. Even better, you can use the on-screen joystick mode to simulate your virtual movement in 360-degree freedom!

Key FeaturesInclude of PoGoskill

• Raid Scan: Scans up to 2000 gyms and raids near your location, and provides useful insights, such as raid tier and gym boss.
• Auto-catch Pokémons: Tired of constantly swiping at your screen? Let PoGoskill catch Pokémons for you!
• Auto-spin PokeStops: While you’re chilling at home, PoGoskill will automatically spin nearby PokeStops, saving you time and effort.

How To Use PoGoskill

Free Download

Secure Download

Free Download

Secure Download

• Step 1Click on the Download button above and install PoGoskill

  

• Step 2Connect your device and choose “Game Mode”

  

• Step 3On the PoGo Map, find a good location with lots of raids

  

• Step 4Click Teleport and instantly spoof your GPS coordinates to that place

FAQs about Sinistcha Pokémon Go

What is the Halloween Cup in Pokémon Go?

The Halloween Cup is a special Go Battle League event that will be held during the Pokémon GO Halloween 2025 event. Only Poison, Bug, Ghost, Dark, and Fairy-type Pokémon will be allowed.

Is Poltchageist a Rare Pokémon?

Yes. Poltchageist in Pokémon Go is considered rare because it appears only during the Halloween 2025 event in 1-Star Raids. There’s no confirmation on its availability after the event.

Are Sinistcha and Sinistea Related?

Yes. Sinistea in Pokémon Go is the original teacup Pokémon from earlier generations, while Sinistcha is its convergent evolution line, introduced through Poltchageist in Pokémon Go.

What Is the Rarest Form of Sinistea?

The Masterpiece Sinistea is the rarest form. It’s the “authentic” version distinguished by a small authenticity mark under its cup.

Is Sinistcha good in the Great League or Ultra League?

Sinistcha in Pokémon Go performs decently in the Great League due to its Ghost/Grass typing and strong resistances. However, it struggles in Ultra League because of low bulk and limited durability.