Pokemon GO Sunkissed Shores: Dondozo Raid Guide 2026

Updated by Ankit Babal
August 25, 2025
Gaming

Pokemon GO is adding Generation 9 Water-type Pokemon through two major events in 2026 – the Water Festival 2025 featuring Tatsugiri and the upcoming Sunkissed Shores event introducing Dondozo from August 25-31, 2025.

As someone who’s been playing Pokemon GO since launch day and has participated in every major event, I can tell you that these Generation 9 Water-type debuts are among the most exciting additions we’ve seen this year. After catching all three Tatsugiri forms during the Water Festival 2025 (which wrapped up in July), I’m particularly thrilled about Dondozo’s arrival. The connection between these two Pokemon from the Paldea region adds a fascinating layer to the game that goes beyond simple collection.

Event Feature	Key Rewards	Event Duration
Dondozo Debut	New Gen 9 Water-type Pokemon	August 25-31, 2025
Event Bonuses	2x Raid Experience	Full event period
Special Research	Exclusive encounters & items	Paid option available

The Complete Generation 9 Water-Type Event Timeline

Let me walk you through the complete timeline of Generation 9 Water-type Pokemon arriving in Pokemon GO. Having tracked these releases closely since the initial Paldea announcements, I’ve noticed Niantic’s strategic approach to rolling out these beloved Pokemon.

Water Festival 2025: Tatsugiri’s Three Forms

The Water Festival 2025, which ran from July 12-18, 2025, marked the debut of Tatsugiri – the Mimicry Pokemon. During this event, I managed to catch all three regional forms (Curly, Droopy, and Stretchy), though it required some creative trading with international friends from my local Discord community. If you missed this event, check out my comprehensive Tatsugiri guide for tips on obtaining these forms through trading.

What made the Water Festival particularly interesting was the regional distribution strategy. Each form was exclusive to specific regions:

Curly Form (Orange): Americas and Greenland
Droopy Form (Pink): Europe, Middle East, Africa, and India
Stretchy Form (Yellow): Asia-Pacific region

Sunkissed Shores: Dondozo Makes a Splash

Now, the Sunkissed Shores event from August 25-31, 2025, brings us Dondozo – the Big Catfish Pokemon. What excites me most about this addition is the lore connection between Dondozo and Tatsugiri. In the main series games, these Pokemon share a unique relationship through Tatsugiri’s Commander ability, where it can enter Dondozo’s mouth during battle. While this mechanic likely won’t translate directly to Pokemon GO, the pairing adds narrative depth to our collections.

The event timing is perfect for Northern Hemisphere players enjoying summer vacations, and based on Niantic’s announcement, we’re getting some substantial bonuses alongside Dondozo’s debut.

Dondozo Raid Guide: Counters, Strategy, and Team Building

Having participated in countless raid battles and applying the raid counter strategies I’ve developed over the years, I’m confident Dondozo will appear as a 3-star raid boss during Sunkissed Shores. Based on its main series stats and typical Pokemon GO conversions, here’s my comprehensive raid preparation guide.

Predicted Dondozo Stats and Movepool

From analyzing previous Generation 9 debuts and cross-referencing with Pokemon GO Hub’s data mining predictions, Dondozo will likely have:

CP Range: 1,200-1,300 at Level 20 (non-boosted)
CP Range: 1,500-1,625 at Level 25 (weather-boosted in Rain)
Type: Pure Water-type
Predicted Fast Moves: Water Gun, Waterfall
Predicted Charged Moves: Body Slam, Liquidation, Earthquake

Best Counters for Dondozo Raids

Based on my experience with Water-type raid bosses and current meta considerations, here are the top counters I’m preparing:

Pokemon	Fast Move	Charged Move	Effectiveness
Kartana	Razor Leaf	Leaf Blade	Supreme DPS
Xurkitree	Thunder Shock	Discharge	Excellent Electric
Mega Sceptile	Bullet Seed	Frenzy Plant	Mega boost bonus
Zekrom	Charge Beam	Wild Charge	Legendary power
Shadow Electivire	Thunder Shock	Wild Charge	Shadow bonus
Roserade	Razor Leaf	Solar Beam	Accessible option

My personal go-to team consists of a Mega Sceptile for the damage boost, followed by my maxed-out Kartana and Xurkitree. If you’re newer to raiding, don’t worry – a team of high-level Roserade and Electivire can definitely get the job done, especially with a friend or two helping out.

Solo Raid Feasibility

From my calculations and experience with similar 3-star raids, Dondozo should be soloable for trainers level 35+ with properly powered-up counters. I’m expecting it to be slightly easier than Lapras but harder than standard 3-star raids like Machamp. Weather boost (Sunny or Rainy for your counters) will make a significant difference.

Event Features and Bonuses During Sunkissed Shores

The Sunkissed Shores event offers more than just Dondozo’s debut. Based on the official announcement and patterns from previous events, here’s what I’m most excited about:

Double Raid Experience Bonus

The 2x Raid XP bonus is perfectly timed for grinding toward level 50. I’m planning to maximize this by:

Using Lucky Eggs during raid hours for 4x XP
Coordinating raid trains with my local community
Focusing on 5-star raids when possible for maximum XP gains
Remote raiding during downtime to maintain the XP momentum

Wild Spawns and Encounters

While the complete spawn pool hasn’t been revealed yet, previous Water-type events suggest we’ll see increased spawns of:

Starter Water-types (potentially including Quaxly)
Classic Water Pokemon like Magikarp, Psyduck, and Slowpoke
Seasonal Water-types aligned with summer themes
Potential surprise shiny releases

I always keep my Gotcha device charged during these events to passively catch while focusing on raids and special research tasks.

Event-Exclusive Research

Based on recent event patterns, expect both free and paid research options. The paid Sunkissed Shores ticket (likely $4.99 USD) typically includes:

Guaranteed Dondozo encounters
Premium items like Incubators and Star Pieces
Exclusive avatar items or poses
Additional event Pokemon encounters

In my experience, these tickets are worth it if you plan to play actively during the event. The guaranteed encounters alone often justify the cost, especially for new Pokemon debuts.

Shiny Hunting Strategies for Generation 9 Water-Types

While there’s no official confirmation of shiny Dondozo availability at launch, my experience with recent debuts suggests a possibility. Following patterns from previous Generation 9 releases and applying shiny hunting methods I’ve refined over the years, here’s my approach:

Maximizing Shiny Checks

If shiny Dondozo is available, raids will be your primary source. Based on typical debut shiny rates:

Raid shiny rate: Approximately 1/20 for new releases
Wild shiny rate: Standard 1/500 if spawning wild
Research encounters: Same as wild rates unless specified

My shiny hunting strategy for the event:

Prioritize Dondozo raids using free and premium passes
Coordinate with local groups for raid trains
Save coins beforehand for raid pass bundles
Use the catch screen trick to check for shinies before committing resources

The Tatsugiri-Dondozo Collection Goal

For collectors like myself, the ultimate goal is assembling a complete shiny living dex of both Tatsugiri forms and Dondozo. This creates an interesting challenge since Tatsugiri forms are regionally locked. I’ve been building my trade network specifically for this purpose, and I recommend joining international Pokemon GO Discord servers now if you’re planning similar collection goals.

Community Insights and Player Preparations

Monitoring Reddit’s r/pokemongo community and various Discord servers, I’ve noticed considerable excitement around Dondozo’s debut. The community sentiment is overwhelmingly positive, with many trainers specifically interested in the Pokemon’s potential meta relevance.

Common Community Questions Answered

Based on frequently asked questions I’ve seen across platforms:

Will Dondozo be meta-relevant?
While it won’t dethrone Kyogre or Shadow Swampert as top Water-type attackers, Dondozo could serve as a solid budget option for newer players. Its bulk might make it interesting for certain PvP formats.

Is the Commander ability coming to Pokemon GO?
Highly unlikely in the traditional sense. Pokemon GO doesn’t typically implement complex ability systems, though we might see some thematic connection in special research storylines.

Should I save raid passes for this event?
Absolutely. With the 2x Raid XP bonus and a new Pokemon debut, this is an ideal time to use accumulated passes. I’m sitting on 30+ premium passes specifically for this event.

Advanced Preparation Tips

Here’s my pre-event checklist that I recommend for maximizing your Sunkissed Shores experience:

Storage management: Clear at least 100 Pokemon storage slots
Item preparation: Stock up on Pinap Berries and Ultra Balls
Raid counters: Power up your Electric and Grass teams
Community coordination: Join local raid groups and plan raid routes
Resource allocation: Save 500-1000 coins for raid passes if needed

Event Optimization and Advanced Strategies

After participating in dozens of Pokemon GO events, I’ve developed a systematic approach to maximizing rewards while minimizing resource expenditure. Here’s my complete optimization guide for Sunkissed Shores:

Daily Play Schedule

My typical event day structure:

Morning (9 AM – 12 PM): Focus on field research and wild catches
Afternoon (12 PM – 3 PM): Raid hour coordination with local groups
Evening (6 PM – 8 PM): Community raid trains and trading
Night (8 PM – 10 PM): Remote raids with international friends

Resource Management Strategy

Efficient resource use is crucial for free-to-play trainers. My approach:

Use free daily pass on Dondozo raids exclusively
Save premium passes for raid train sessions
Pinap Berry every Dondozo for candy accumulation
Trade duplicate Dondozo for candy and lucky chances
Complete all free research before considering paid options

Collection Challenge Optimization

Based on previous events, expect a Sunkissed Shores Collection Challenge. Using strategies from my collection challenge optimization guide:

Screenshot the collection requirements immediately
Focus on rare spawns first
Use lures and incense during low-spawn periods
Coordinate with friends for nest locations

Platform-Specific Considerations

Having played Pokemon GO across iOS and Android devices, I’ve noticed some platform-specific optimizations worth considering:

iOS Optimization

Enable automatic iOS updates before the event to avoid mid-event interruptions
Use Screen Recording for raid battles to review performance
Set up Shortcuts app for quick friend gift sending

Android Optimization

Enable Developer Options for GPS accuracy improvements
Use split-screen for Discord coordination during raids
Configure Google Fit for Adventure Sync optimization

Looking Ahead: Future Generation 9 Pokemon

With Tatsugiri and Dondozo joining Pokemon GO, we’re seeing steady progress on Generation 9 integration. Based on release patterns and other Generation 9 Pokemon already in the game, I predict we’ll see more Paldean Pokemon before 2026 ends.

Potential upcoming Generation 9 additions:

The remaining starter evolutions
Paradox Pokemon (possibly in special raids)
Legendary Pokemon Koraidon and Miraidon (likely for Pokemon GO Fest 2026)

The strategic release of Tatsugiri and Dondozo as a pair shows Niantic’s awareness of Pokemon relationships and lore, which bodes well for future Generation 9 implementations.

Frequently Asked Questions

When exactly does the Sunkissed Shores event start and end?

The Sunkissed Shores event runs from August 25, 2025, at 10:00 AM to August 31, 2025, at 8:00 PM local time. I always set phone reminders for event start and end times to maximize participation.

Can Dondozo be found in the wild or only in raids?

Based on recent debut patterns, Dondozo will likely appear primarily in 3-star raids, with possible wild spawns during the event. Raids guarantee higher IV floors, so I recommend focusing on raids for your first catches.

Will shiny Dondozo be available at launch?

While not officially confirmed, recent Pokemon debuts have included shiny availability. I’m preparing for the possibility by saving raid passes, though I recommend tempering expectations until official confirmation.

What’s the connection between Tatsugiri and Dondozo?

In the main series games, Tatsugiri can use its Commander ability to enter Dondozo’s mouth during double battles, boosting Dondozo’s stats. While this specific mechanic won’t appear in Pokemon GO, the lore connection makes collecting both Pokemon more meaningful.

Is the paid Sunkissed Shores ticket worth purchasing?

Based on my experience with similar event tickets, it’s worth it if you plan to play actively during the event. The guaranteed encounters, premium items, and exclusive rewards typically provide value exceeding the $4.99 price point.

What CP should I look for in a good Dondozo?

For raid catches, aim for CP values above 1,250 (non-weather boosted) or 1,560+ (weather boosted). These typically indicate high IVs. Use appraisal immediately after catching to identify potential keepers.

Final Thoughts and Event Impact

The addition of Generation 9 Water-type Pokemon through these events represents more than just new Pokedex entries. Having witnessed Pokemon GO’s evolution since 2016, I can confidently say that Niantic’s approach to Generation 9 shows increased sophistication in event design and Pokemon implementation.

The Sunkissed Shores event, following closely after Water Festival 2025, creates a compelling narrative for Water-type enthusiasts and collectors alike. The 2x Raid XP bonus alone makes this event worthwhile for trainers pushing toward higher levels, while Dondozo’s debut adds collection value that will only appreciate over time.

My advice? Don’t sleep on this event. Even if Dondozo doesn’t immediately revolutionize the meta, being an early adopter of new Pokemon always pays dividends. Whether through future move updates, exclusive moves in Community Days, or simply having trade fodder for international players seeking Generation 9 Pokemon, actively participating in Sunkissed Shores is a smart long-term investment in your Pokemon GO journey.

Remember to pace yourself during the event – it runs for a full week, giving everyone ample opportunity to catch Dondozo without burning out. Focus on enjoying the social aspects of raiding with your community, and the rewards will follow naturally. See you out there, trainers!