The Aquatic Paradise event is one of those limited-time windows in Pokémon GO where Water-types completely take over the spawn pool, research tab, and raid rotation, and if you blink, you risk missing permanent progress. This event isn’t just about shiny checking on the way to work; it’s built around a tightly scoped Research and Collection Challenge that rewards players who understand spawn mechanics, weather boosts, and efficient routing. If you care about platinum medals, seasonal research completion, or just maximizing Stardust per hour, this is not an event to ignore.
Event Dates and Time Pressure
Aquatic Paradise runs for a short, fixed window, beginning at 10:00 a.m. local time on the first day and ending at 8:00 p.m. local time on the final day. Once that timer hits zero, all associated Field Research, Timed Research, and the Collection Challenge disappear permanently. Any unfinished tasks are lost, which is why planning your catches early instead of relying on last-day RNG is critical.
Active Bonuses That Change How You Play
During the event, Water-type Pokémon dominate wild spawns, with a noticeable increase near water biomes, rainy weather, and active Lure Modules. Incense is significantly more valuable here, pulling from the event-specific spawn table rather than the standard seasonal pool. You’ll also see event-themed Field Research at PokéStops, often rewarding encounters with Collection Challenge targets or bonus items like Rare Candy and Stardust that stack well with Star Pieces.
Aquatic Paradise Research and Collection Challenge Breakdown
The core of the event is the Aquatic Paradise Collection Challenge, which requires catching a curated list of Water-type Pokémon tied directly to event spawns and research encounters. These usually include common wild spawns, at least one research-exclusive Pokémon, and occasionally a slightly rarer evolution or biome-dependent catch. Completing the full set rewards a large XP payout, bonus Stardust, and an encounter with a featured event Pokémon that often carries shiny potential.
Timed Research runs alongside the Collection Challenge, pushing players to catch Water-types, power up Pokémon, or complete Field Research tasks. These steps are straightforward but time-gated, meaning skipping a day can put completion at risk if you don’t stack tasks efficiently. The final rewards are typically a premium item bundle and an encounter you can’t get from the wild during the event.
Why This Research Actually Matters
Beyond the obvious rewards, this research contributes to long-term progression that casual play doesn’t always cover. Collection Challenges count toward medal progress, which directly impacts XP gains at higher levels. Many of the featured Pokémon are also relevant for PvP cups or future evolutions, making high-IV or shiny rolls more than just cosmetic wins.
This event rewards players who understand spawn density, leverage weather boosts, and prioritize research encounters over blind grinding. Treat Aquatic Paradise as a checklist-driven sprint rather than a passive event, and you’ll walk away with permanent account value instead of regrets when the event banner disappears.
Timed Research Breakdown: Full Task List and Step-by-Step Rewards
With the Collection Challenge setting the catch checklist, the Aquatic Paradise Timed Research is where players lock in guaranteed progress and premium rewards. This research is split into sequential pages, meaning you can’t cherry-pick tasks. Everything must be cleared in order before the event timer expires, so efficiency matters more here than raw playtime.
Timed Research Step 1: Establishing Momentum
The opening page is designed to get players interacting with event spawns immediately rather than hoarding tasks. Expect objectives like catching a small number of Water-type Pokémon, spinning PokéStops, and completing a single Field Research task. These can all be done passively during normal play, especially near water biomes or during Rainy weather boosts.
Rewards here are intentionally light but useful. You’ll typically see items like Poké Balls, Pinap Berries, and a low-tier Stardust payout, alongside an encounter with a common Aquatic Paradise spawn. Use Pinaps on this encounter to double Candy, especially if it evolves into something PvP-relevant later.
Timed Research Step 2: Resource Investment and Targeted Catching
Step two raises the commitment slightly by asking players to power up Pokémon and catch specific quantities of Water-types. Power-up tasks are best handled with low-cost Pokémon to minimize Stardust drain. Avoid powering up anything you plan to transfer or that already sits near your PvP CP caps.
This page often rewards better items, including Great Balls, extra Stardust, and a featured event Pokémon encounter that may not spawn frequently in the wild. These encounters pull directly from the Aquatic Paradise pool, making them ideal for checking IVs or hunting shinies without relying on RNG-heavy wild spawns.
Timed Research Step 3: Completion Push and Premium Rewards
The final page is where Niantic usually asks players to engage with the event systems more deliberately. Tasks commonly include completing multiple Field Research tasks, making curveball throws, or catching a higher total number of Water-type Pokémon. This is where stacking Field Research from dense PokéStop areas saves massive time.
Rewards at this stage are the real payoff. Expect a sizable XP drop, bonus Stardust, and at least one premium item such as a Lure Module, Incense, or Rare Candy. The final encounter is often exclusive to the research during the event window, making this step mandatory for completionists and shiny hunters alike.
Deadlines, Efficiency Tips, and Failure Points to Avoid
Timed Research expires the moment Aquatic Paradise ends, regardless of progress. Unclaimed rewards vanish, and incomplete pages cannot be carried over. If you’re short on time, prioritize catching Water-types and Field Research completion over everything else, as those tasks gate the later pages.
To finish safely, complete at least one full research page per day of the event. Play during boosted spawn hours, drop Incense while walking, and clear bag space early so item rewards don’t block progress. Treat the Timed Research like a raid rotation rather than casual grinding, and you’ll clear it cleanly without last-minute panic.
Collection Challenge Requirements: All Pokémon Needed and Where to Find Them
Once you’ve cleared the Timed Research momentum, the Aquatic Paradise Collection Challenge becomes the real checklist content. This challenge is purely catch-based, but it’s gated by spawn sources, not difficulty. Knowing where each Pokémon comes from matters far more than raw playtime.
Unlike Timed Research, Collection Challenges do not reward progress until every required Pokémon is caught. Missing a single spawn source can stall completion, so treat this like a controlled hunt rather than passive grinding.
Full Aquatic Paradise Collection Challenge Pokémon List
The Aquatic Paradise Collection Challenge pulls exclusively from the event’s featured Water-type pool. While exact lineups can vary slightly by region, the core required Pokémon consistently include common, evolution-line Water-types tied to the event theme.
You should expect the Collection Challenge to require catching the following Pokémon:
– Magikarp
– Marill
– Wooper
– Finneon
– Clauncher
– Tympole
– Buizel
– Horsea
Each of these must be caught directly. Evolutions do not count, trades do not count, and previously caught Pokémon before the event went live do not retroactively apply.
Where to Find Each Required Pokémon Efficiently
Most of the Collection Challenge Pokémon spawn in the wild during Aquatic Paradise, but spawn density varies heavily. Magikarp, Marill, Wooper, and Buizel are the backbone spawns. These appear frequently near water biomes, rivers, lakes, and during rainy weather, making them effectively free catches for active players.
Finneon and Tympole are mid-tier spawns. They appear regularly during the event but often cluster around Incense usage or weather-boosted periods. If one of these is missing from your checklist, pop Incense while walking rather than stationary play to maximize spawn rolls.
Horsea and Clauncher are the friction points. These typically have lower wild spawn rates and are more commonly tied to Field Research tasks or Incense. Spin every PokéStop you pass and prioritize event-tagged Field Research, as encounter rewards pull directly from the Aquatic Paradise pool.
Field Research and Incense: Your Safety Net
If wild spawns fail you, Field Research is the fastest correction tool. Tasks like “Catch 5 Water-type Pokémon” or “Make Nice Throws” frequently reward event Pokémon encounters. Stack these tasks before claiming to avoid wasting time walking between stops.
Incense is especially valuable for rural players or those without water biomes nearby. During Aquatic Paradise, Incense heavily favors Water-types and can surface low-frequency Pokémon like Horsea or Clauncher without relying on PokéStop density.
Collection Challenge Rewards and Deadline Pressure
Completing the Collection Challenge typically rewards a large XP drop, bonus Stardust, and a featured Water-type encounter. That encounter is often shiny-eligible and may not appear as frequently in the wild, making completion worthwhile even for non-completionists.
The Collection Challenge expires the moment Aquatic Paradise ends. There is no grace period, no carryover, and no partial credit. If you’re missing even one Pokémon in the final hours, shift entirely to Incense and Field Research until the checklist is complete.
Best Ways to Catch Each Required Pokémon (Wild Spawns, Lures, Raids, Eggs)
With the clock ticking on Aquatic Paradise, efficiency matters more than perfection. This breakdown focuses on minimizing RNG and maximizing encounter rolls, using every available system Pokémon GO gives you during the event. If you’re missing even one entry, treat this as a targeted checklist rather than casual grinding.
Magikarp
Magikarp is the easiest checkbox on the entire Collection Challenge. It spawns aggressively in the wild during Aquatic Paradise, especially near water biomes and in rainy weather. Even urban players should see multiple per hour without Incense.
If you’re somehow dry, Rainy Lures on PokéStops dramatically increase Magikarp rolls. It can also appear as a Field Research encounter, making it nearly impossible to miss unless you stop playing entirely.
Marill
Marill benefits from both high wild spawn rates and flexible encounter sources. It appears frequently during the event and is weather-boosted in rainy or cloudy conditions, which increases both CP and catch efficiency.
Field Research tasks are a reliable fallback, and Marill occasionally shows up in one-star raids during Water-focused events. Raids are overkill here, but useful if you’re stationary and racing the deadline.
Wooper
Wooper thrives in Aquatic Paradise thanks to boosted wild spawns and Incense weighting. It’s one of the most Incense-friendly Pokémon in the event pool, especially while walking.
Rainy Lures also pull Wooper at a solid rate. If you’re stacking Field Research, encounter rewards can include Wooper, making it one of the safest Pokémon to clear late.
Buizel
Buizel is a common wild spawn but tends to appear in clusters rather than steady trickles. If you see one, slow down and check surrounding spawns, as the game often seeds multiples nearby.
Incense helps smooth out the variance, and Buizel is a frequent reward from basic event Field Research tasks. Eggs are unnecessary here unless you’re already incubating passively.
Finneon
Finneon sits in the middle of the difficulty curve. It spawns in the wild during Aquatic Paradise but at a noticeably lower rate than Magikarp or Marill.
Incense while walking is the most consistent method. Finneon also appears in Field Research encounter rewards, so prioritize any task that grants a Pokémon encounter rather than items.
Tympole
Tympole is similar to Finneon but slightly more RNG-heavy. Wild spawns exist, but they’re inconsistent unless weather-boosted by rain.
Your best play is Incense combined with active movement. Tympole can also hatch from event-themed 2 km Eggs, making passive progress viable if you’re already cycling incubators.
Horsea
Horsea is one of the primary friction points in the Collection Challenge. Wild spawns are limited and often clustered around Incense ticks rather than ambient spawns.
Field Research is the most reliable source, especially tasks tied to Water-type catches or throws. During some rotations, Horsea may appear in one-star raids, which can be a guaranteed catch if you’re short on time and passes aren’t an issue.
Clauncher
Clauncher is the hardest requirement for many players due to its low wild spawn rate. It rarely appears without Incense and is heavily weighted toward event Field Research encounters.
Spin every PokéStop you pass and delete non-encounter tasks aggressively until you see event-tagged research. Incense while walking gives you additional rolls, and in some regions Clauncher may appear in limited raid rotations or event eggs, though research remains the fastest path.
Lures, Raids, and Eggs: When to Use Them
Rainy Lures are excellent for padding Water-type density but won’t magically spawn Horsea or Clauncher on demand. Use them when playing stationary or when clearing common Pokémon quickly.
Raids should be treated as a last-resort guarantee, not a primary strategy. Eggs provide passive progress but are too slow to rely on if you’re missing specific Pokémon late. Incense plus Field Research remains the optimal combo when the deadline is looming.
Event Optimization Tips: Spawns, Items, and Time-Saving Strategies
Once you understand where each required Pokémon comes from, the real challenge becomes execution. The Aquatic Paradise event isn’t hard because of difficulty, it’s hard because of inefficiency traps that waste Incense time, research slots, and movement windows. This section is about eliminating that waste and finishing the Collection Challenge with breathing room instead of panic.
Control Your Spawn Pool, Don’t Fight It
During Aquatic Paradise, the wild spawn pool is heavily diluted. Chasing specific Pokémon through random overworld spawns is a losing DPS check against RNG. Your goal is to force spawns through mechanics you can control: Incense ticks, Field Research encounters, and targeted raids if necessary.
Always move while Incense is active. Incense spawns are on a tighter timer when walking, giving you more rolls per hour for low-rate Pokémon like Horsea and Clauncher. Standing still dramatically lowers your effective spawn output and should only be done when stacking Lures in dense PokéStop areas.
Field Research Routing Is the Real Endgame
Event Field Research is the single most important system to master for this Collection Challenge. Many Aquatic Paradise requirements are weighted far more heavily toward research encounters than wild spawns. If a Pokémon feels invisible in the overworld, assume it’s meant to be farmed through tasks.
Spin every PokéStop you pass, immediately check the task, and delete anything that doesn’t reward a Pokémon encounter. Item rewards are a trap during limited-time research. This aggressive pruning keeps your task slots cycling until you hit the event-tagged encounters that matter.
Incense, Lures, and Weather: Stack Multipliers Intelligently
Incense should be treated as mandatory, not optional, especially if you’re missing even one Collection Challenge entry. Pop it only when you know you can walk consistently for at least 30 minutes. Half-using Incense while idle is one of the fastest ways to fall behind the event clock.
Rainy weather is a massive force multiplier. Water-type spawn rates spike, and fringe Pokémon like Tympole and Finneon become noticeably more common. If rain is in the forecast, that’s your signal to schedule your grind session and burn your premium resources efficiently.
Inventory Management Saves More Time Than You Think
Bag space directly impacts event completion speed. If your item storage is constantly full, you’re forced into micro-management that breaks your grind rhythm. Clear out excess Potions, standard Revives, and low-tier Berries before you start your session.
Prioritize Poké Balls, especially Great and Ultra Balls. Many Water-types have annoying catch circles and movement patterns, and failed throws slow everything down. Faster catches mean more spawns cleared, more research progress, and more chances at rare requirements.
Raids as a Guaranteed Failsafe
Raids should never be your primary plan, but they are the cleanest emergency button if the event timer is running out. One-star raids tied to Collection Challenge Pokémon are effectively guaranteed progress with zero RNG after the raid lobby fills.
If you’re down to your final missing Pokémon with less than a day left, spending a Raid Pass is almost always worth it. The time saved versus gambling on Incense or research rerolls is significant, especially for Clauncher or Horsea-heavy requirements.
Daily Play Windows and Deadline Awareness
Aquatic Paradise research and the Collection Challenge are strictly time-limited. Always check the in-game Today tab to confirm the exact end time in your local timezone. Niantic events often end earlier than players expect, and assuming you have “one more night” is how challenges fail.
Plan at least one focused grind session early in the event. Completing 70 to 80 percent of the requirements upfront gives you flexibility later, turning the final days into cleanup instead of a full sprint. In Pokémon GO, pressure multiplies mistakes, and mistakes cost spawns.
Efficiency Mindset: Play Like a Completionist, Even If You’re Casual
You don’t need to no-life the event, but you do need to play deliberately. Every Incense should have a purpose, every research slot should be meaningful, and every walk should double as spawn farming. Aquatic Paradise rewards players who respect its systems, not those who brute-force RNG.
Treat the Collection Challenge like a checklist, not a hope-and-pray hunt. Control your inputs, minimize wasted actions, and the event becomes smooth, predictable, and far less stressful than it first appears.
Common Pitfalls and Missable Requirements to Avoid Before the Deadline
Even with a clean efficiency mindset, Aquatic Paradise has several hidden failure points that quietly brick runs. Most unfinished Collection Challenges don’t fail because of bad RNG, but because players misunderstand how specific requirements actually register. This is where disciplined planning saves hours.
Catching vs. Evolving: The Most Common Misread Requirement
The Aquatic Paradise Collection Challenge is catch-only unless explicitly stated otherwise. Evolving a Horsea into Seadra or a Clauncher into Clawitzer will not retroactively count if the base Pokémon wasn’t caught during the event window. This trips up veteran players who instinctively evolve from storage instead of checking the challenge text.
Always tap each Collection Challenge icon and confirm the wording before acting. If it doesn’t say “Evolve,” then storage Pokémon, trades, and pre-event catches are dead inputs that waste time.
Incense Spawns Are Not Equal to Wild Spawns
Some required Pokémon appear far more frequently from Incense than from map spawns, but the inverse is also true. During Aquatic Paradise, species like Clauncher and Horsea are heavily Incense-weighted, while common Water-types such as Magikarp and Tentacool flood the overworld.
The pitfall is assuming Incense alone can finish everything. If you’re missing a Pokémon that normally nests or spawns near water biomes, walking near rivers, lakes, or coastal map cells often outperforms Incense stacking.
Field Research Slot Lockouts
Aquatic Paradise Field Research tasks are essential for filling rare gaps, but many players unknowingly block themselves. Holding three non-event research tasks prevents new event tasks from dropping at PokéStops, drastically reducing your odds of rolling the Pokémon you need.
Before grinding stops, clear all existing research unless it’s directly tied to Aquatic Paradise rewards. Research rerolling is one of the few ways to bypass spawn RNG, but only if your slots are open.
Timed Research Expiration Is Absolute
Timed Research does not carry over, pause, or forgive partial progress. If the Aquatic Paradise Timed Research expires, unfinished pages vanish along with their encounters and item rewards. This includes potential Collection Challenge fillers often hidden behind later steps.
Prioritize completing every page as soon as it unlocks. Waiting to batch tasks at the end is risky, especially if steps require catches that rotate out of boosted spawn pools mid-event.
Assuming Weather Boosts Will Save You
Rainy weather boosts Water-type spawns, but it does not override event spawn tables. Players often delay play expecting weather to spike missing Pokémon, only to find the spawn pool unchanged. Event weighting always wins over weather bonuses.
Treat weather as a bonus, not a strategy. If a Pokémon is event-locked to Incense, raids, or research, no amount of rain will fix that oversight.
Raid Availability Shrinks Faster Than You Think
One-star raids tied to Aquatic Paradise are plentiful early and sparse late. As the event winds down, raid eggs increasingly roll into non-event bosses, especially during overlapping events or raid rotations.
If a raid-exclusive Pokémon is part of your Collection Challenge, do at least one raid early. Waiting until the final 24 hours often means staring at empty gyms and burning time instead of passes.
Misjudging the Final-Day Spawn Dilution
On the last day, spawn density often feels worse due to player perception and rotating bonuses ending. In reality, players are just competing with the clock and thinning remaining requirements. The pitfall is assuming the final day will be “easier” because you have fewer Pokémon left.
The final stretch is the hardest because every missed spawn matters. If a required Pokémon hasn’t appeared by the midpoint of the event, treat it as a priority target, not a future problem.
Overlooking Rewards That Enable Completion
Several Aquatic Paradise research rewards include encounters with Collection Challenge Pokémon. Players who skip claiming rewards immediately often forget these encounters exist and continue grinding unnecessarily.
Claim every research reward as soon as it unlocks. Those guaranteed encounters are designed as safety nets, and ignoring them turns a structured event into a pure RNG gamble.
Avoiding these pitfalls doesn’t require more playtime, just cleaner execution. Aquatic Paradise is forgiving if you respect its mechanics, but brutally punishing if you assume Pokémon GO will meet you halfway once the clock starts running out.
Is It Worth Finishing? Total Rewards, XP, Stardust, and Exclusive Encounters
After navigating spawn dilution, raid timing, and research missteps, the real question becomes whether finishing Aquatic Paradise research and its Collection Challenge is actually worth the effort. For most players, the answer hinges on efficiency rather than difficulty. This event is less about raw grind and more about converting guaranteed rewards into saved time and cleaner completion.
Total XP and Stardust Breakdown
Aquatic Paradise research chains are front-loaded with value. Completing the full timed research typically awards a solid chunk of XP, often totaling 15,000 to 25,000 depending on bonuses, alongside 10,000 or more Stardust spread across multiple steps. That’s before factoring in catch bonuses, weather boosts, or Star Piece optimization.
For players running a Star Piece during mass reward claiming, the Stardust return punches well above its weight. Claiming everything in one session minimizes downtime and turns routine tasks into a meaningful resource injection, especially for players prepping for PvP builds or raid teams.
Exclusive and Semi-Exclusive Encounter Value
The real incentive is the encounters baked into the research and Collection Challenge. Aquatic Paradise research commonly rewards Pokémon that are either spawn-diluted or semi-locked during the event, such as Clauncher, Horsea, Staryu, and occasionally Lapras. These are not filler encounters; they directly overlap with Collection Challenge requirements.
These guaranteed encounters act as RNG insurance. If a required Pokémon refuses to spawn naturally or hides behind Incense or raids, research encounters bypass that friction entirely. Skipping or delaying these claims often forces unnecessary grinding that the event is explicitly designed to prevent.
Collection Challenge Rewards and Completion Incentive
Finishing the Aquatic Paradise Collection Challenge usually grants a bonus XP payout, additional Stardust, and at least one featured encounter. While the raw numbers may look modest on paper, the real value is that completion rewards stack instantly and require zero additional catches.
From a time-to-reward ratio, Collection Challenges are some of the most efficient content Pokémon GO offers. You’re already catching these Pokémon for research and shiny checks, so completing the challenge is essentially free value if you respect the checklist and don’t miss a single requirement.
Time Investment Versus Opportunity Cost
Aquatic Paradise does not demand marathon sessions. Most players can finish both the research and Collection Challenge within a few focused play windows, especially if raids and Incense-exclusive Pokémon are handled early. The opportunity cost of ignoring it is higher than finishing it, particularly for players who value Stardust and limited-time encounters.
Even casual daily players benefit from completing it organically. Event spawns do most of the work, and the research steps guide you toward optimal play patterns without forcing excessive detours or premium item usage.
Deadlines and Why Waiting Hurts More Than It Helps
Everything tied to Aquatic Paradise is strictly time-limited. Once the event timer expires, unfinished research vanishes and Collection Challenges lock permanently. There is no late catch-up, no rollover, and no compensation for partial progress.
The smart play is to finish early and treat the remaining event time as bonus shiny hunting or Stardust farming. Completing late compresses decision-making under pressure, which is how players miss a single Pokémon and lose the entire reward track.
From a rewards-per-minute perspective, Aquatic Paradise is firmly in the “finish it” category. The event respects your time if you respect its structure, and the payoff is clean, efficient, and deliberately tuned to reward players who execute rather than procrastinate.
Final Completion Checklist: What to Do Before Aquatic Paradise Ends
With the clock ticking, this is where execution matters. If you’ve followed the structure up to this point, finishing Aquatic Paradise should feel procedural rather than stressful. Use the checklist below to hard-confirm every requirement so nothing slips through the cracks in the final hours.
Confirm All Timed Research Pages Are Fully Cleared
Open the Today View and scroll through every Aquatic Paradise research step to ensure nothing is left half-finished. Timed Research does not auto-complete, and even a single unclaimed page means forfeiting the entire reward chain.
Most steps revolve around Water-type catches, spin actions, and basic throw consistency, all of which are trivial during boosted spawns. The final page typically bundles the best payout, combining XP, Stardust, and a guaranteed event-themed encounter, so do not leave it unclaimed.
Finish the Aquatic Paradise Collection Challenge
The Collection Challenge is binary: either you caught every required Pokémon or you get nothing. Double-check the challenge card and verify each slot is filled, paying special attention to Pokémon that do not spawn naturally.
Incense-exclusive Pokémon, raid-only entries, or lure-dependent species are the usual failure points. If even one silhouette remains, prioritize that acquisition immediately rather than continuing general farming.
Secure Incense and Raid Requirements Early
If the Collection Challenge or research includes Incense spawns, activate Incense while moving to maximize checks per minute. Standing still throttles spawn efficiency and increases RNG risk as the deadline approaches.
For raid requirements, solo-tier raids are the safest play unless a higher-tier encounter is explicitly required. Do not wait for perfect IVs or weather boosts here; completion value outweighs optimization at this stage of the event.
Claim Every Reward Before the Timer Hits Zero
Unclaimed rewards are lost rewards. XP, Stardust, encounters, and item bundles must be manually collected before the event ends, even if the task itself is complete.
Encounters can be stacked briefly, but do not rely on that buffer unless absolutely necessary. Server hiccups, app restarts, or forced updates have ended many perfect event runs over a single unclaimed tap.
Convert Remaining Event Time Into Pure Value
Once research and collections are locked in, shift gears immediately. Aquatic Paradise spawns are optimized for Stardust gains, fast catch chains, and shiny checks, especially when paired with Star Pieces and weather boosts.
This is also the safest window to hunt event shinies without distraction. With zero mandatory objectives left, every encounter becomes optional upside rather than required labor.
Final Sanity Check Before Logging Off
Before closing the app, re-open the Today View one last time. Confirm the Timed Research tab is empty, the Collection Challenge shows complete, and all rewards have been claimed.
Aquatic Paradise is designed to reward players who finish decisively, not those who hover at 95 percent. Lock it in cleanly, take the free value, and roll into the next event with resources, momentum, and zero regrets.