How to Join Pokémon Go Max Finale and Get Eternatus in Max Battle

by Jerry Cook Updated on 2025-09-30 15:47:37 / Update for Pokemon iOS

Gear up, Trainers! Pokémon Go Max Finale is shaping up to be the biggest event yet in the entire history of the Pokémon Go universe. Not only are all Dynamax and Gigantamax Pokémons making a comeback, but the highly coveted Eternatus is also making its official debut in the AR game. In this article, we tell you everything you need to know about Go Fest Max Finale, including how to get Eternatus in Pokémon Go. Let’s get started!

Pokemon GO Max Finale

Part 1: What to Expect from Pokémon GO Max Finale Events

1Eternatus Debuts in Max Battles

How to Get Eternatus (Aug 18–23)

During the Dark Skies event from August 18 to 23, trainers will get a guaranteed one-time chance to catch Eternatus in Max Battles using the GO Pass: Max Finale. — the key step in how to get Eternatus in Pokémon GO. Don’t miss this opportunity, as it is the only catch window for base Eternatus.

Power Up with Eternamax Eternatus (Aug 23–24)

From August 23, 2025, at 10.00 a.m. to August 24, 2025, at 6:00 p.m. local time, Eternamax Eternatus will make its global debut in Max Battles during the Go Fest Max Finale. It won’t be catchable, but you’ll earn lots of Eternatus Candy and Candy XL to power up the base Eternatus.

2Legendary Raids Return

From August 18 to 24, Zacian (Crowned Sword) and Zamazenta (Crowned Shield) will feature in 5-star legendary raids. Trainers can battle and catch them with boosted power when using the GO Pass: Max Finale. Remote Raids are allowed and there is no daily limit on Aug 23–24.

zacian and zamazenta

Zacian Weakness & Counters (Crowned Sword)

Weaknesses: Ground‑type and Fire‑type moves deal super-effective damage.

Zacian Top 3 Counters:

  • Primal Groudon with Mud Shot & Precipice Blades
  • Mega Charizard Y or Mega Blaziken with Fire Spin & Blast Burn
  • Effective Mega Steel and Poison attackers like Mega Gengar, Mega Beedrill, and Mega Aggron also work well.

Zamazenta Weakness & Counters (Crowned Shield)

Weaknesses: Vulnerable to Fighting‑type, Ground‑type, and Fire‑type moves.

Zamazenta Top 3 Counters:

  • Mega Lucario (Fighting)
  • Primal Groudon (Ground)
  • Mega Charizard Y and Mega Blaziken (Fire)
  • Others like Garchomp also perform well in rain-boosted scenarios.

3Hourly-Rotating Gigantamax Pokémon (Aug 23–24)

All previously released Gigantamax Pokémon will also return during Max Finale — rotating hourly at Power Spots across the map during Aug 23–24 local time. Trainers can engage in Max Battles to catch them with boosted stats and special effects.

  • Pokémon
  • Image
  • Value Highlights
  • Trainer Focus
  • Lapras
  • Lapras
  • Shiny available, strong in PvP
  • Rare + Shiny obtainable, top choice in Ultra League
  • Snorlax
  • Snorlax
  • Classic tank, top Gym defender
  • Iconic bulky pick, useful in PvE/PvP, higher spawn during events
  • Gengar
  • Gengar
  • High DPS glass cannon, collectible value
  • Top DPS “glass cannon,” Shiny available, strong collector’s value
  • Inteleon
  • Inteleon
  • Latest G-Max release, unique moveset
  • Newest G-Max, high rarity, unique skillset
  • Venusaur
  • Venusaur
  • PvP staple with exclusive move support
  • Popular in both Mega + G-Max, strong Grass-type attacker
  • Machamp
  • Machamp
  • Top Fighting attacker, cost-efficient
  • High-attack Fighting type, essential anti-Steel raid counter
  • Toxtricity
  • Toxtricity
  • Popular collector’s pick, PvP niche
  • Electric/Poison typing, fan favorite with unique playstyle
  • Rillaboom
  • Rillaboom
  • Grass-type PvP core
  • Limited availability, strong Grass PvP value
  • Charizard
  • Charizard
  • Mega + G-Max double value, fan-favorite
  • One of the most popular G-Max Pokémon, Shiny highly desired
  • Butterfree
  • Butterfree
  • Event-limited, collector’s priority
  • Event-exclusive, rare collectible, less battle-focused
  • Kingler
  • Kingler
  • Strong Water-type DPS, raid utility
  • High water DPS, useful in raids, Shiny is quite rare
  • Blastoise
  • Blastoise
  • Mega-viable, reliable PvP option
  • Mega available, solid Water attacker, Shiny obtainable
  • Cinderace
  • Cinderace
  • Rare G-Max return, collector’s appeal
  • First large-scale G-Max return, strong collector’s value

4More Power Spots and Max Particle Bonuses

All week long, from August 18 – 24, the following bonuses will be applied:

  • Power Spots will refresh more frequently and appear in greater numbers.
  • The Max Particle collection limit will be increased.
  • Pokémon caught during this time will earn 2x Candy and 2x Candy XL.
  • From August 23–24, there will be no limit on Remote Raids.

5Limited-Time Capture Backgrounds

Pokémon caught during Max Battles in both Pokémon Go Dark Skies (Aug 18–23) and Pokémon Go Max Finale (Aug 23–24) events will have a chance of receiving new Special Backgrounds after making a successful catch.

Pokemon GO Max Finale Background
   

Part 2: How to Join Pokémon Go Max Finale? Is it Free for Everyone?

Is It Free to Join Pokémon Go Max Finale?

To join Pokémon GO Max Finale, you’ll need a GO Pass. The good news is that the GO Pass: Max Finale is free for all trainers above level 13 starting August 18 — no separate ticket is required.

However, as many Reddit players have pointed out, “free entry” doesn’t mean effortless. You’ll still need to earn points through Raids and Max Battles in order to unlock Eternatus.

How do you earn points in Pokémon GO Max Finale?

To catch Eternatus during the Pokémon GO Max Finale, trainers need to collect event points. Not every activity counts—only Raids and Max Battles will reward you. The higher the battle tier, the more points you’ll receive. Here’s the full breakdown of how many points each battle type gives:

pokemon go max finale points
  • 25 points – Win a Gigantamax Battle or a four-/five-star Dynamax Battle
  • 25 points – Win a five-star Raid
  • 15 points – Win a two-/three-star Dynamax Battle or a three-star Raid
  • 10 points – Win a one-star Dynamax Battle or a one-star Raid

Free vs Deluxe GO Pass: What’s the Difference?

Starting August 18, all trainers above level 13 will get the free GO Pass: Max Finale, which will be upgradeable to the Deluxe version for a fee.

Free GO Pass

free go pass

Deluxe GO Pass

deluxe go pass

Free GO Pass

free go pass
  • Guaranteed Eternatus encounter during the event window
  • Dynamax and Gigantamax battle access
  • Standard Candy and Max Particle rewards
  • Available to trainers level 13 and above starting August 18

Deluxe GO Pass

deluxe go pass
  • Includes everything in the Free GO Pass
  • Faster progress and increased overall rewards
  • Extra Candy and higher shiny odds for Dynamax battles
  • Exclusive avatar item: Eternatus Helmet

Steps To Join Pokémon Go Max Finale

Simple Steps to Join Max Finale:

  • Open Pokémon GO on August 18, 2025.
  • Receive the free GO Pass: Max Finale automatically
  •  GO Pass Max Finale
  • Tap the GO Fest icon or Special Research tab to view your GO Pass progress.
  • Complete Max Battles, Raids and Catches to earn GO Points.
  • Use GO Points to rank up and unlock rewards. You can upgrade to the Deluxe Pass anytime.
 

Part 3: How Many Battles Can You Join and Which Pokémon Are Worth Catching?

During the Pokémon Go Max Finale, you can truly go all out as there’s no limit to the number of Max Battles you can join. From August 23–24, Remote Raids are also unlimited, and there’s no daily GO Points cap either, meaning you can grind as much as you like.

Battle types include Dynamax and Gigantamax showdowns, legendary 5-star raids with Zacian and Zamazenta, and special Eternamax Eternatus Max Battles. You’ll have plenty of chances to target your favorites and here are our top picks:

Top Legendary and Raid Pokémons to Catch

  • Eternatus — Poison/Dragon type; strong in Master League and raids
  • Zacian (Crowned) — Top-tier Fairy attacker; PvP and raid powerhouse
  • Zamazenta (Crowned) — Great Fighting-type; versatile in PvP

Top Dynamax and Gigantamax Pokémons to Catch

  • Charizard, Blastoise, Venusaur — Classic starters with boosted Max Moves
  • Toxtricity — Unique Electric/Poison typing
  • Gengar, Snorlax, Machamp — Fan favourites with strong raid utility
  • Lapras — Bulky Water/Ice-type; great in PvP
  • Cinderace — Powerful Fire-type attacker

Top Wild Pokémons to Catch

Wild spawns worth tapping (evolve value & meta picks):

  • Gastly — Evolves into Gengar; great for raids and PvP
  • Falinks — Unique Fighting-type; decent in Ultra League
  • Charmander — Evolves into Charizard; strong Fire-type with Mega option
  • Darumaka — Evolves into Darmanitan; top Fire-type attacker
  • Beldum — Evolves into Metagross; top Steel-type attacker
  • Sableye — PvP staple in Great League
  • Chansey — High HP; useful for gym defense
 

Part 4: How to Get More Candies on Pokémon Go Max Finale

Candy Costs for Powering Up Eternatus

Learning how to get Eternatus in Pokémon Go is one thing, and learning how to get more candies on Pokémon Go for Eternatus is another. This is because powering up Eternatus in the Pokémon Go Max Finale will not be a walk in the park; it will be a fully-fledged candy marathon.

To power up Eternatus, you’ll need a lot of Eternatus Candy and Candy XL. Datamined info from Reddit suggests its Max Moves will have steep costs, such as:

  • Max Attack: Up to 800 MP + 1200 Candy + 320 XL
  • Max Guard Max Spirit: Up to 800 MP + 1200 Candy + 320 XL each

The best way to farm these is by defeating Eternamax Eternatus in Max Battles during the Go Fest Max Finale. Each win will grant large amounts of Eternatus Candy and Candy XL. However, you’ll only have just two days (Aug 23–24) to farm these candies, and travelling to Power Spots for battles will eat up valuable time.

how to get more candies in pokemon go

Best Ways to Farm Eternatus Candy

To save that precious time, we recommend using a reliable location spoofer like PoGoskill. It lets you create custom travel routes and visit all Power Spots naturally using its joystick mode, and that, too, right from your home! Even better, if you catch Eternatus early during the Dark Skies, you can set it as your buddy and walk virtually to earn Candy and XL Candy.

Key Features of PoGoskill:

  • Raid Scan – Find up to 2000 nearby raids along with details like raid boss and raid tier
  • Joystick Mode – Walk naturally in your spoofed spot, minimising detection risk
  • D-Max Mode – See all nearby Dynamax and Gigantamax Pokémon instantly

How to Use PoGoskill to Earn Candy & Candy XL Faster :

Free Download
secure download Secure Download
Free Download
secure download Secure Download
  • Step 1Click the download button above and install PoGoskill on your computer.

    pogoskill lunch
  • Step 2Connect your device to the computer and choose “Game Mode”.

    choose game mode
  • Step 3Find Raids and Power Spots on the PoGo map. Teleport to your chosen spot and begin participating in battles!

    find raids near me

Now you can get Candy in Pokémon GO without walking by using PoGoskill’s auto-walk or joystick mode, making Buddy Candy farming effortless. It’s the easiest way to keep your Pokémon powered up while you focus on other in-game goals.

 

Part 5: Best Time to Play Max Finale (Daily Plan & Tips)

Which Day Offers Better Opportunities: Saturday vs Sunday

  • Saturday usually has more active raids and lobbies: easier to fill groups and join more Legendary raids.
  • Sunday is calmer—good for focused Candy farming: less competition for Eternatus spawns and Power Spots.

Understanding Gmax Rotation Timing

  • Gmax Pokémon rotate every hour at Power Spots: check the schedule if you’re chasing a specific one.
  • Plan your playtime around rotations: focus on your target like Charizard or Gengar.

What to Do If There Are Too Many Eternatus Raids

  • If Eternatus raids dominate the map: use PoGoskill’s raid-finding tool to balance with other Pokémon.
  • Helps diversify your battles: farm Candy and still catch rare bosses like Zacian.

Best Time of Day to Join Raids

  • Late morning usually has the highest activity: better chance to find full raid lobbies.
  • Early afternoon also works well: maximize time for Zacian and Zamazenta raids.

Extra Tips to Maximize Candy Gains

  • Use Pinap Berries on Eternatus: boosts Candy and XL Candy gain.
  • Set Eternatus as your buddy: earn bonus Candy faster.
  • With PoGoskill you can raid-chain: travel between Power Spots without delay.

FAQs about Pokémon Go Max Finale

Is Eternamax Eternatus the Strongest Pokémon?

Eternamax Eternatus is the franchise’s most powerful Pokémon, with a record 1125 base stat total—far above any other Legendary or Mythical. In Pokémon GO’s Max Finale, it won’t be catchable; instead, trainers battle it to earn Candy for powering up regular Eternatus, essential for high-level raids and PvP.

Do GO Pass points reset daily during the Max Finale?

Daily tasks reset each day, but the extra 50 bonus points from Max Finale battles may refresh on a separate timer. If you reach the 50/50 cap, you might need to wait until the next reset window before earning more.

Where to catch Eternatus in Pokémon GO?

Eternatus is only available during the Max Finale 2025. From Aug 18–23 (Dark Skies), trainers get one guaranteed encounter with the GO Pass: Max Finale. On Aug 23–24, only Eternamax Eternatus appears in Max Battles, but it isn’t catchable—defeats just reward Candy.

Conclusion

As seen above, the Pokémon Go Max Finale is all set to be an unforgettable weekend packed with Legendary Raids, Dynamax/Gigantamax battles, and the long-awaited Eternatus debut. With only a week to maximize your rewards, smart planning is key. Tools like PoGoskill can help you raid more, travel faster, and collect the Candy you need, without wasting a single moment!

pogoskill location changer PoGoskill

Best Pokemon Go Spoofer

  • Play Pokemon GO safely with the Original App
  • Enjoy Game Mode for PoGo spoofing
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  • Compatible with latest iOS 18 & Android 15
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