Pokémon Go: Misunderstood Mischief guide

The Season of Mischief has arrived in Pokémon Go and with it comes a new Season specific Special Research line: Misunderstood Mischief. Players who complete this Special Research will have the opportunity to capture the Mythical Pokémon, Hoopa! This is a long research line that may take the whole season to complete, but we here at iMore have everything you need to know to complete it and add Hoopa to your collection. Also, be sure to check out our best Pokémon Go accessories so you can be fully equipped on your Pokémon Journey!

Hoopa in Pokémon Go?

Source: The Pokémon Company

Players around the globe were treated to quite the surprise during Pokémon Go Fest 2021 and the Ultra Unlock part three, when the Mythical Pokémon Hoopa brought back every Legendary Raid and then Sword and Shield mascots Zacian and Zamazenta, a whole generation ahead of schedule. Now players have the chance to encounter and capture their very own Hoopa.

In the core games, Hoopa is a Mythical Pokémon with two formes. The first forme, Confined Hoopa is the one we're encountering now, but it's only a matter of time before the Unbound forme is introduced. For the most part, Pokémon Go has treated different formes as almost completely separate Pokémon. Take Giratina for example: both use the same Candy to power up, but they have access to different moves and you cannot swap from one forme to the other. However, with the introduction of Furfrou, some Pokémon can now change formes, so we expect Hoopa will be able to soon as well.

Confined Hoopa is a Psychic and Ghost type, while Unbound Hoopa is Psychic and Dark. While most players will want to add Hoopa to their rosters, if only for the Pokédex entry, Unbound Hoopa's typing makes it the more useful of the two. Regardless, both Confined and Unbound Hoopa are glass cannons, and unless players have the chance to catch more than one, its Mythical status means you'll have to rely on luck to get good IVs.

Over the course of the Season of Mischief, pages for the Special Research line, Misunderstood Mischief will be added, concluding with the opportunity to capture Hoopa. In total, this Special Research is 16 pages long and meant to take a considerable amount of time to complete.

Step One

• Make ten Nice Throws for an Incense
• Use an Incense for ten PokéBalls
• Take three Snapshots of wild Psychic type Pokémon for ten Nanab Berries

Completion Rewards: Gothita encounter, 1,000 XP, 500 Stardust

Step Two

• Autocompleted for 720 Stardust

Completion Rewards: 720 XP

Step Three

• Make five Great Curveball Throws for 15 PokéBalls
• Catch ten different species of Pokémon for five Great Balls
• Earn 5,000 Stardust for three Max Revives

Completion Rewards: Hoopa encounter, 1,000 XP, 500 Stardust

Step Four

• Autocompleted for 720 Stardust

Completion Rewards: 720 XP

Step Five

• Power up ten Pokémon for 15 PokéBalls
• Catch 20 Psychic type Pokémon for an Abra encounter
• Evolve three Psychic type Pokémon for three Max Revives

Completion Rewards: Wobbuffet encounter, ten Hyper Potions, ten Inkay Candy

Step Six

• Autocompleted for 720 Stardust

Completion Rewards: 720 XP

Step Seven

• Take a Snapshot of your Buddy Pokémon for a Furfrou encounter
• Catch a Furfrou for a Fast TM
• Earn a Heart with your Buddy Pokémon for a Charged TM

Completion Rewards: Minccino encounter, Unova Stone, 15 Furfrou Candy

Step Eight

• Autocompleted for 720 Stardust

Completion Rewards: 720 XP

Step Nine

• Make three Nice Curveball Throws for 20 Slowpoke Candy
• Transfer 30 Pokémon for a Galarian Slowpoke encounter
• Evolve a Slowpoke for 1990 XP

Completion Rewards: Shedinja encounter, five Max Potions, 40 Mega Slowbro Energy

Step Ten

• Autocompleted for 720 Stardust

Completion Rewards: 720 XP

Step Eleven

• Earn three Candy walking with your Buddy Pokémon for ten Yamask Candy
• Catch 30 Ghost type Pokémon for ten Phantump Candy
• Catch 30 Dark type Pokémon for ten Pumpkaboo Candy

Completion Rewards: Costumed Pikachu encounter, 15 Ultra Balls, 40 Mega Gengar Energy

Step Twelve

• Autocompleted for 720 Stardust

Completion Rewards: 720 XP

Step Thirteen

• Make a new friend for a Meditite encounter
• Send ten gifts to friends for a Chinchou encounter
• Use 20 Berries to help catch Pokémon for two Silver Pinap Berries

Completion Rewards: Blitzle encounter, two Poffin, ten Dedenne Candy

Step Fourteen

• Autocompleted for 720 Stardust

Completion Rewards: 720 XP

Step Fifteen

• Defeat five Team GO Rocket Grunts for a Rocket Radar
• Defeat a Team GO Rocket Executive for a Super Rocket Radar
• Defeat the Team GO Rocket Boss for a Lucky Egg

Completion Rewards: Absol encounter, two Golden Razz Berries, 40 Mega Houndoom Energy

Step Sixteen

• Autocompleted for 2,000 XP
• Autocompleted for 2,000 XP
• Autocompleted for 2,000 XP

Completion Rewards: Dusknoir encounter, 20 Hoopa Candy, Star Piece

To help players get a jump start, Hoopa's Arrival was a special event from 11AM to 5PM local time on Sunday, September 5, 2021. Each hour featured either Psychic type Pokémon or Dark and Ghost types both in the wild and lured by Incense.

• 11AM: Psychic type Pokémon
• Noon: Dark and Ghost type Pokémon
• 1PM: Psychic type Pokémon
• 2PM: Dark and Ghost type Pokémon
• 3PM: Psychic type Pokémon
• 4PM: Dark and Ghost type Pokémon

The Psychic type Pokémon you can encounter during this event include:

• Galarian Ponyta*
• Exeggcute*
• Jynx*
• Natu*
• Espeon*
• Girafarig
• Spoink*
• Beldum*
• Munna

The Dark and Ghost type Pokémon you can encounter during this event include:

• Alolan Rattata*
• Poochyena*
• Sableye*
• Carvanha*
• Duskull*
• Drifloon*
• Purloin
• Scraggy
• Litwick

Pokémon with the potential to be Shiny are indicated with an asterisk.

Questions about Misunderstood Mischief and Hoopa in Pokémon Go?

Do you have any questions about completing Misunderstood Mischief and catching Hoopa in Pokémon Go? Let us know in the comments below and check back soon as more pages are revealed!