Field Research and Special Research Explained

Alongside catching and battling, Pokémon GO layers in two structured quest systems: Field Research and Special Research. Both hand out tasks in exchange for rewards, but they work quite differently. Here's how each one works and where it fits into a normal play routine.

Field Research

Field Research tasks come from spinning PokéStops. Each PokéStop hands out one task a day, on your first spin of it, as a card with a specific objective, such as catching a certain number of Pokémon or using a certain type of move in battle. Completing the task from your journal rewards you with items, Stardust, or occasionally a Pokémon encounter.

Field Research tasks refresh regularly and are meant to be picked up casually over the course of normal play rather than sought out specifically, though spinning several different PokéStops in one outing is a common way to gather a handful of tasks to work through.

Research stamps and Breakthrough rewards

Completing a Field Research task earns you a stamp for that day (one per day, however many tasks you finish), and filling the stamp card unlocks a Research Breakthrough: a bonus encounter, often with a Pokémon that doesn't normally appear as a reward elsewhere. The card has held seven stamps for a long time, but the Breakthrough Pokémon rotates regularly, so the in-game research journal is the place to check what's currently on offer.

Special Research

Special Research is different: rather than a rotating pool of small tasks, it's a fixed storyline of steps, often built around a specific character or Pokémon, that unlocks progressively as you complete each step. Special Research is usually free to start, though some storylines have been offered as paid content in the past, and steps can include tasks like catching specific types, completing raids, or reaching certain milestones with your buddy.

Special Research storylines often conclude with a notable encounter, sometimes a Mythical Pokémon that isn't available through normal wild spawns or raids at all. Because storyline availability and content change over time, checking your in-game research journal is the reliable way to see what's currently offered.

How they fit into everyday play

A practical approach many players use: spin PokéStops as part of your normal walking or commuting route to naturally accumulate Field Research tasks, then check in on Special Research storylines when you have a specific goal in mind, such as working toward a storyline's featured encounter. Neither system requires dramatically changing how you play — they mostly reward doing things you'd likely be doing anyway, like catching and spinning stops.

Research and your collection

Both research systems tie closely into collecting goals. Field Research encounters sometimes include species that are otherwise uncommon near you, and Special Research storylines can be the only realistic way to obtain certain Mythical Pokémon. If Pokédex completion is a goal of yours, our collecting guide covers how research fits alongside trading, eggs, and events more broadly.

Managing multiple storylines at once

It's common to have several Special Research storylines active at the same time, alongside a running list of Field Research tasks. Since progress on each is saved independently, there's generally no harm in working on more than one at a time, and many players simply chip away at whichever tasks line up naturally with what they're already doing rather than tackling storylines in a strict order.

Timed Research

A related but distinct format is Timed Research: a short storyline tied to a specific window, usually an event, that expires if not completed in time, unlike standard Special Research which generally has no deadline once started. Because Timed Research carries a deadline, it's worth checking your research journal promptly when an event begins if you want to complete one, rather than assuming it will still be available later.

Sharing research progress with friends

Some Special Research storylines have historically included a step that benefits from playing near a friend, such as trading or battling together, though this isn't true of every storyline. If you notice a step that seems to need another player, checking whether a friend nearby can help is worth doing before assuming the step is stuck.

A note on timing

Field Research tasks and Special Research storylines are refreshed and rotated by the game's developer on their own schedule, and specific tasks, rewards, and storylines available "at the time of writing" won't necessarily be the same ones live when you read this. For what's currently active, your in-game research journal and official announcements are always the accurate source.

For more on how community events tie into research, our events hub covers how the events calendar generally works. Research is one system among several; the rest are explained across Trainer Hub.