Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsChoose Dark for the Mighty Obstagoon encounter and Dark Detective Medal, or Fairy for Mighty Gardevoir and the Fairy Fanatic Medal. The type-specific tasks are mostly parallel, so the encounter and medal you want are the clearest reasons to pick one. “A Grim Beginning” was a ticket-holder Special Research for Pokémon GO Wild Area: Global 2025, available from November 15, 2025, at 10 a.m. local time during the November 15–16 event. It is a historical, time-limited quest, not a currently active event quest as of October 8, 2026.
How to choose between Dark and Fairy
| What differs | Dark path | Fairy path |
|---|---|---|
| Step 2 snapshot encounter | Cacnea | Dedenne |
| Type-specific tasks | Dark-type catches, evolutions, buddy actions, power-ups, and Charged Attacks | Fairy-type equivalents |
| Branch encounter | Mighty Obstagoon | Mighty Gardevoir |
| Medal | Dark Detective Medal | Fairy Fanatic Medal |
Both choices continue into the same Gigantamax Battle, Shadow Raid, and Max Move tasks, and both award the GO Wild Area 2025 pose, Gigantamax Grimmsnarl, and 3 Rare Candy XL for overall completion. The type-matched Mighty Pokémon catch bonuses were tied to earning the medal and expired at the end of the November 16, 2025 event; they are not a reason to choose a path now.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
Pokemon TCG #80906 Battle Academy 2022 Deck Set - (3 Decks) 180 Total Cards | $30.38 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
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Pokémon TCG: Pokémon Day 2026 Collection | $55.50 | Buy on Amazon |
Shared Step 1
Both paths begin with the same tasks and rewards:
- Catch 10 Pokémon — 2,000 XP.
- Spin 5 PokéStops or Gyms — 1 Poffin.
- Take snapshots of 3 different wild Pokémon — Dynamax Ralts encounter.
Claim the step for an Impidimp encounter, 1 Lucky Egg, and 1 Incense.
Dark path quest steps
Step 2
- Catch 30 Pokémon — 1,000 Stardust.
- Make 5 Nice Throws — 10 Ultra Balls.
- Use Incense — 10 Impidimp Candy.
- Take snapshots of 3 different wild Pokémon — Cacnea encounter.
Step completion rewards: 1 Star Piece, 1 Poffin, and 1 Lucky Egg.
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Step 3
- Evolve 3 Dark-type Pokémon — 3 Pinap Berries.
- Earn a Candy by exploring with a Dark-type buddy — 10 Ultra Balls.
- Earn 3 hearts with a Dark-type buddy — 1 Fast TM.
Step completion rewards: 1,000 Stardust, 3 Rare Candy, and 3 Nanab Berries.
Step 4
- Catch 6 different Dark-type species — 1,000 XP.
- Power up Dark-type Pokémon 15 times — 1 Rare Candy XL.
- Use a Dark-type Charged Attack in 3 battles — 1 Charged TM.
Step completion rewards: Dark Detective Medal, Mighty Obstagoon, and 1 Premium Battle Pass.
Steps 5–6
- Win a Gigantamax Battle — 3 Silver Pinap Berries.
- Win 2 Shadow Raids — 3 Golden Razz Berries.
- Level up a Max Move — 800 Max Particles.
Step 6 consists of three reward claims. The overall completion rewards are the GO Wild Area 2025 pose, Gigantamax Grimmsnarl, and 3 Rare Candy XL. The available event table does not establish a separate Step 5 completion-reward bundle.
Fairy path quest steps
Step 2
- Catch 30 Pokémon — 1,000 Stardust.
- Make 5 Nice Throws — 10 Ultra Balls.
- Use Incense — 10 Impidimp Candy.
- Take snapshots of 3 different wild Pokémon — Dedenne encounter.
Step completion rewards: 1 Star Piece, 1 Poffin, and 1 Lucky Egg.
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Rank #2
- The Pokémon TCG: Pokémon Day 2026 Collection includes 1 foil promo card featuring Pikachu with a Pokémon Day stamp.
- This also comes with 1 Pokémon coin.
- You will also receive 3 Pokémon TCG booster packs.
- Booster Packs May Vary from those pictured.
Step 3
- Evolve 3 Fairy-type Pokémon — 3 Pinap Berries.
- Earn a Candy by exploring with a Fairy-type buddy — 10 Ultra Balls.
- Earn 3 hearts with a Fairy-type buddy — 1 Fast TM.
Step completion rewards: 1,000 Stardust, 3 Rare Candy, and 3 Nanab Berries.
Step 4
- Catch 6 different Fairy-type species — 3 Pinap Berries.
- Power up Fairy-type Pokémon 15 times — 10 Ultra Balls.
- Use a Fairy-type Charged Attack in 3 battles — 1 Charged TM.
The branch completion rewards include the Fairy Fanatic Medal and Mighty Gardevoir.
Steps 5–6
- Win a Gigantamax Battle.
- Win a Shadow Raid.
- Level up Max Moves.
Step 6 consists of three reward claims. The overall completion rewards are the GO Wild Area 2025 pose, Gigantamax Grimmsnarl, and 3 Rare Candy XL.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Do not confuse this with “Choose Your Path”
Pokémon GO later used a separate “Choose Your Path” Timed Research format with Explore, Catch, or Battle options during specified non-event weeks. Those options are unrelated to the Dark/Fairy choice in “A Grim Beginning.”
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