Galarian Articuno has now made its debut in Pokémon Go, along with the Galarian form of counterpart legendary birds Moltres and Zapdos. All three birds were first discovered in the Crown Tundra DLC for Pokémon Sword and Shield, but this is the first time they have been available in Pokémon Go.
Galarian Articuno offers a purple, evil counterpart to the classic bird that has been a fan-favorite since the beginning of the Pokémon franchise. The Galarian form changes the bird’s icy wings into an ornate, purple-faded design and adds additional swooping black feathers around its eyes.
Compared to Kantonian Articuno, the Galarian form is much more intimidating, and is described in the official dex as “cruel and arrogant.”
Catching this unique Pokémon is not an easy task, since it only appears using one of the new Incense items in Pokémon Go. The Daily Adventure Incense is a type of incense that will increase the chance of encountering several rare Pokémon as you play the game.
Currently, the only way to catch Galarian Articuno is with the Daily Adventure Incense.
In order to unlock the Daily Adventure Incense, players must complete a set of Special Research missions that are now available with the update. Once obtained, this Incense can be activated for only 15 minutes daily, and cannot be stacked with any other Incense. The Incense refreshes every day, so if you didn’t catch Galarian Articuno today, you can try again tomorrow.
Related: How does Daily Adventure Incense work in Pokémon Go?
Once the Daily Adventure Incense is activated, make sure to keep an eye out for Galarian Articuno spawning near you. These 15 minutes will be the only time when the bird may appear, so keeping a close eye on your spawns is key.
If Galarian Articuno does show up, players still face the challenge of actually catching it. Unfortunately for players hoping to catch the bird quickly, Galarian Articuno has a 90-percent chance of fleeing if you miss the first Poké Ball you throw at it. This is similar to Suicune, Entei, and Raikou’s catching difficulty.
Using a ball with a greater catch rate for Galarian Articuno for your first throw is definitely recommended. Be prepared for the bird to fly away after the first ball.
They did warn us that Galarian Articuno is cruel, after all.
