What are the best ways to earn Stardust in Pokemon Go and how can it be used effectively?
If you are familiar with Pokemon Go, you likely are aware of Stardust. Stardust is an in-game consumable that you cannot purchase more of. This resource is something that people often stock up on due to the vast number of uses it has within the game. In this article, we are going to talk about the uses of Stardust and how to gain more Stardust so that you can continue your Pokemon Go Adventure.
What is Stardust?
Stardust is a resource represented by a purple vial. It's similar to XP in how you gain it, but has Pokemon-specific uses within the game.What is Stardust used for?
Stardust is used for a number of things; you need Stardust (along with Pokemon Candy) to Power Up your Pokemon, which changes their Combat Power. Powering up your Pokemon is essential if you have a Pokemon that you want to use to fight, put in gyms, or just be stronger in general. Lucky Pokemon, obtained from Lucky Trades, take half the amount of Star Dust to power up.
Stardust is also used (along with Pokemon Candy) to change your Pokemon's attack. This is specifically important when it comes to the Battle League, as you will want Pokemon with the absolute best attack for their type, which will need changing. If you have a Shadow Pokemon, you will need to use Stardust to get rid of Frustration, which is an attack that does basically nothing.
Speaking of Shadow Pokemon, if you'd like to Purify your Shadow Pokemon, you will also need to use Stardust. Sprinkling Stardust purifies the Pokemon, raising their IV's by two in each stat.
You also need large amounts of Stardust to trade Pokemon with other trainers in the game. This amount depends on a lot of factors like your friendship level, if you have had the Pokemon previously, and if the Pokemon is special.
How can I gain Stardust quickly?
At the time of writing this, I have four million Stardust. There are a lot of ways to actually boost the Stardust that you are gaining, but most of this is making small changes day to day so that you are constantly getting a bunch of Stardust. You will gain 50 to 200 Stardust per gift you open from your friends. Each day, you should aim to open the maximum number of gifts, as you will get Stardust even if your bag is full.
Catching Pokemon will gain Stardust, which is dependent on the Pokemon currently out. Pokemon that are in the wild evolved from their base from, generally, give more Stardust per catch than in their base form. Weather-boosted Pokemon also give an extra 25 Stardust per catch. You can easily find guides on the best Pokemon to catch that are currently out, but the lowest rate is 100 Stardust per catch.
Your first Pokemon Catch of the Day will also give an increased amount of Stardust, so catching each day can give you a bit of a boost! This can give you an entire 7-day streak, which can give a huge boost day to day.
PVP is another way to gain Stardust, but you'll need to check the rewards you are currently being offered to play in the Go Battle League. Sometimes, you will find one reward that gives a set amount of Stardust; other times, all five awards can give Stardust. At the start of each Battle League Cycle, there is a free pass in the Pokemon Go Shop, which gives you more Stardust rewards for set amounts of wins.
Even if you don't plan on battling much, picking up this pass is well worth it if you win a few! If you aren't the best at PVP, you can always battle the League Team Leader, where you can get up to 600 in the Great League and up to 1000 in the Master League. Battling against a friend (and winning) each day can give you the same amount.
When you are ready to start grinding for Stardust, you should consider putting on a Starpiece, which will give you double the amount of Stardust. Often, people do save up rewards from the Battle League, tasks, and gifts to put on a Starpiece and claim it all at once.
There are also Spotlight Hours each month, from 6 pm to 7 pm Local Time on Tuesdays. Once a month, one of these time slots will be a double Stardust per catch hour, giving you a good time to grind.
Hopefully, you can grind some Stardust and end up with plenty to max out your Pokemon and give them the best movesets!
