Beginner Guide — Terms, Items & Throwing
Everything a new Pokémon GO player needs on one page: how the game works, a glossary of common terms, every item, throwing / curveballs / ball skip, and what to do first.
Just started Pokémon GO? This one page has you covered — the big picture, the words everyone uses, every item, and how to throw well, all explained for beginners.
How the game works
- 1
Catch Pokémon
Tap a wild Pokémon on the map and throw a Poké Ball. Pokémon keep appearing as you walk, and catching them fills your Pokédex.
- 2
Spin PokéStops
Spin the blue stops (PokéStops) to get free items like Poké Balls, Berries, and Eggs. Low on items? Keep spinning stops as you go.
- 3
Power Up & Evolve
Catching the same species earns its Candy. Spend Candy + Stardust to Power Up (raise CP), and gather enough Candy to Evolve into a stronger form.
- 4
Hatch Eggs
Put Eggs from PokéStops into an Incubator and walk 2/5/7/10 km to hatch them. Longer distances tend to hatch rarer Pokémon.
- 5
Raids & Battles
Once comfortable, team up in Gym Raids to beat powerful bosses, or battle other Trainers in the GO Battle League. Most Legendary Pokémon come from Raids.
Must-know glossary
Currencies
- Stardust
- The core resource earned from almost everything. Used to Power Up and trade Pokémon. Always in short supply — spend wisely.
- Candy
- A per-species resource for powering up, evolving, and changing moves. You gain it by catching or transferring that species.
- Rare Candy / Rare Candy XL
- Universal candy convertible to any species. Comes from Raids and Research — best saved for hard-to-farm Legendaries.
- PokéCoins
- The premium currency. Buy with cash, or earn up to 50/day by defending Gyms. Used to expand bag and storage.
Growth
- CP
- Combat Power — the number above a Pokémon. Rises when you Power Up. Higher is stronger, but species, IVs, and level all matter.
- IV (Individual Values)Guide
- Hidden Attack/Defense/HP stats (0–15). Same species can differ by IV. Appraise a Pokémon to see its star rating.
- Power Up
- Spending Candy + Stardust to raise CP. Higher Trainer Level lets you Power Up further.
- Bottle CapsGuide
- Use Bottle Caps to raise IVs up to 15 — for perfecting a favorite Pokémon.
Battles
- Fast Move / Charged Move
- A Pokémon's two moves. The Fast Move taps quickly to build energy; the Charged Move unleashes it as a big hit.
- RaidGuide
- A co-op battle where Trainers team up against a powerful boss at a Gym. Win to get a chance to catch it.
- Gym
- Team-controlled landmarks. Place a Pokémon in a friendly Gym to earn coins; battle to take enemy Gyms.
- GO Battle LeagueGuide
- Ranked real-time 3v3 PvP. Split into Great (CP1500), Ultra (2500), and Master (no cap) Leagues.
- Shadow PokémonGuide
- Pokémon rescued from Team GO Rocket. Higher attack makes them great raid attackers — purifying removes the Shadow bonus.
Catching & Field
- Shiny Pokémon
- A rare, differently-colored variant. Very low odds, so finding one is lucky. No stat difference — purely for collecting.
- Weather BoostGuide
- Pokémon matching the real-world weather appear stronger with higher CP. Sunny boosts Fire, Grass, and Ground types.
- Lucky PokémonGuide
- A sparkling Pokémon that can appear when trading with friends. Costs half the Stardust to Power Up — a big win.
- Community DayGuide
- A big monthly event. One Pokémon spawns en masse with boosted Shiny odds, and evolving during it learns an exclusive move.
Team & Friends
- Teams (Valor / Mystic / Instinct)
- At level 5 you pick one of three. It affects Gym/Raid teamwork but has no power difference — choose by preference.
- Friendship LevelGuide
- A bond that grows by sending gifts, trading, and raiding together daily. Higher levels give raid bonuses and trade discounts.
Items at a glance
Only the everyday ones — where several items do the same job, just one is shown.
Poké Balls
Poké Ball
The basic catching ball. Great Balls (Lv12) and Ultra Balls (Lv20) unlock later and catch better.
Berries
Razz Berry
Raises the catch rate. The upgraded Golden Razz Berry is for Legendaries.
Nanab Berry
Calms a Pokémon so it moves less — easier to aim at jumpy targets.
Pinap Berry
Doubles the Candy you get on catch — use it on species you need Candy for.
Healing
Potion
Restores a Pokémon's HP. Stronger Potions unlock as you level up.
Revive
Revives a fainted (0 HP) Pokémon — essential once you start raiding.
XP & Growth
Lucky Egg
Double XP for 30 min. Pop it before mass-evolving to level up fast.
Star Piece
+50% Stardust for 30 min. Best on high-catch days like Community Day.
Rare Candy
Universal candy — convert to any species. Best used on Legendary Candy.
Eggs & Hatching
Eggs
Walk 2/5/7/10 km to hatch. Longer distances tend to hatch rarer Pokémon.
Egg Incubator
Eggs only hatch once placed inside. You always have one unlimited-use Incubator.
Other Everyday Items
Lure Module
Draws Pokémon to a PokéStop for 30 min. Incense does the same but for you alone.
Raid Pass
Raid entry ticket — one free per day from a Gym. Use a Remote Raid Pass to join from afar.
Throwing & Ball Skip
| Throw | When | XP | Catch rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nice | Circle a bit smaller than the white ring | +10 | ×1.0–1.3 |
| Great | Circle about half the white ring | +50 | ×1.3–1.7 |
| Excellent | Circle at its smallest (~1/4 or less) | +100 | ×1.7–2.0 |
Catch-rate multipliers are community-datamined approximations. Smaller circle = higher multiplier.
Curveball
Spin the ball in a circle with your finger before throwing to make a Curveball. It raises catch rate ~1.7× and gives bonus XP — once you get used to it, throw curves almost every time.
What is Ball Skip?
Right after a throw, while the catch animation plays, you quickly tap through to the next encounter to move faster. During big spawns or Community Day it lets you get through far more Pokémon in the same time — a favorite of veterans. Rushing can cost you a catch, so practice slowly at first.
Practical combo
For tough catches, stack "Golden Razz + Curveball + Great/Excellent" to boost catch rate a lot. For jumpy Pokémon, calm them with a Nanab Berry first, then aim.
What to do first
- 1
Walk and catch a lot first
Early on, every catch gives XP, Candy, and Stardust. First-time Pokédex entries give big XP too — catch everything.
- 2
Leveling up comes first
Higher Trainer Level unlocks better items and higher Power-Up caps. Early on, save resources and prioritize leveling.
- 3
Add friends
Trading gifts gives items and XP, and friendship bonuses grow raid/trade perks. Swap friend codes in the community.
- 4
Don't miss Community Day
Shiny odds spike and evolving grants an exclusive move. Stack a Star Piece + Lucky Egg and grind for max value.
- 5
Earn coins from Gyms
Place a Pokémon in a friendly Gym to earn up to 50 coins/day — the only free way to gather PokéCoins.