The mission Search for Zarude is now available in Pokemon GO

A new special research has arrived in Pokemon GO and this time Professor Willow will be taking all players on the hunt for Zarude. 

On the journey to catch Zarude, players must go through five stages of research tasks to get there. These missions will take a bit of time to play and have players work a bit to encounter the mythical Pokemon from generation 8.

Zarude was introduced in the Pokemon Sword & Shield games and has now finally made its way to Pokemon GO as a strong dark and grass-type Pokemon. 

How to get Zarude in Pokemon GO

To start the search for Zarude, players must log in to the game during the Secrets of the Jungle event. By doing this, players will unlock the questline and be able to begin the journey to find Zarude. 

The search for Zarude will have five steps, starting out with one of the easier ones where players have to catch seven different species of Pokemon and take some snapshots in the wild. Following that, players will be challenged to catch bug-type Pokemon, grass-type Pokemon, and catch a bunch of Pokemon by using berries. There will also be a quest to fight six Team Rocket Grunts, making this questline very varying. 

At last, players will get to the last step where free XP is given out and of course the encounter with Zarude. Players will also receive 10 free Zarude candy to start powering up the mythical monkey. 

Search for Zarude – Step 1

• Catch 7 different species of Pokemon (reward: 1 Sun Stone)
• Catch 7 Pokemon (reward: Diglett encounter)
• Take 3 snapshots of wild ground-type Pokemon (reward: 15 Poke Balls)

Rewards: 250 Stardust, 10 Nanab Berries, and a Drillbur encounter. 

Search for Zarude – Step 2

• Make 5 great throws in a row (reward: Pinap Berries)
• Catch 10 bug-type Pokemon (reward: Dwebble encounter)
• Take 3 snapshots of wild bug-type Pokemon (reward: 10 Great Balls)

Rewards: 250 Stardust, 10 Razz Berries, and a Combee encounter. 

Search for Zarude – Step 3

• Use 20 berries to help catch Pokemon (reward: Sunny Cherrim encounter)
• Catch 30 grass or bug-type Pokemon (reward: Vileplume encounter)
• Take 3 snapshots of wild grass-type Pokemon (reward: 10 Great Balls)

Rewards: 500 Stardust, 10 Pinap Berries, and a Nuzleaf encounter.

Search for Zarude – Step 4

• Defeat 6 Team Rocket Grunts (reward: Ariados encounter)
• Catch 15 Pokemon with weather boost (reward: Butterfree encounter)
• Take 3 snapshots of wild flying-type Pokemon (reward: 10 Ultra Balls)

Rewards: 500 Stardust, 1 Poffin, and a Rufflet encounter.

Search for Zarude – Step 5

• Claim 1000 XP
• Claim 1000 XP
• Claim 1000 XP

Rewards: 1000 Stardust, 10 Zarude candy, and a Zarude encounter. 

Is Zarude good in Pokemon GO?

By getting Zarude, players will unlock a very strong and different Pokemon compared to many others. As a Grass and Dark-type Pokemon, Zarude will be strong against ghost and psychic Pokemon which is something players will often run into in raids and gyms. 

Zarude will also have quite a few weaknesses due to its two natures. The worst to pair Zarude up against will be bug-type Pokemon, where Zarude will perform extremely poorly. Zarude will also be weak against Fairy, Fighting, Flying, and Ice-type Pokemon. 

All these weaknesses make Zarude a risky pick in PvP battle as a lot will be able to counter it. In raids or gym battles, on the other hand, Zarude can be a good Pokemon to fight with under the right circumstances.