Pokemon Go Field Research tasks & rewards for December 2024

Daniel Megarry
pokemon go audino header

If you’re looking for a roundup of all the Pokemon Go Field Research tasks in December 2024, we’ve broken them down into categories, alongside details of the Research Breakthrough rewards you can earn.

Field Research is a long-running feature in Pokemon Go that gives Trainers a variety of tasks to complete to earn rewards. Completing seven tasks over seven days will result in a Research Breakthrough, which is a guaranteed encounter with a desirable Pokemon.

These Field Research tasks incorporate various elements of gameplay. Some will ask you to catch different types of Pokemon, others require you to take part in Raid Battles, and a few will task you with earning Candies or Hearts with your Buddy.

For November 2024, Trainers can earn an encounter with Alolan Raichu, Hisuian Avalugg, Pancham, Frigibax, Jangmo-o, and Furfrou. These are quite rare creatures in Pokemon Go, so it’s worth catching as many as possible during the Dual Destiny season festivities.

Pokemon Go Field Research tasks & rewards for December 2024

Pokemon Go Field Research

Completing the following tasks will get you one of the rewards listed in the right column. If there are multiple potential rewards, you’ll be given one of them at random.

Catching Field Research Tasks

Field Research Task Rewards
Catch 5 Pokemon Sentret / Hoothoot / Tailow
Catch 7 Pokemon Magikarp / Stufful / Wimpod
Catch a Dragon-type Pokemon Dratini / Bagon / Axew
Catch 5 Water or Ground-type Pokemon Mareanie
Catch 5 Electric or Flying-type Pokemon Paras / Roselia / Bounsweet
Catch 15 different species of Pokemon Feebas
Catch 10 Grass-type Pokemon 10 Venusaur Mega Energy / 10 Sceptile Mega Energy
Catch 10 Fire-type Pokemon 10 Charizard Mega Energy / 10 Blaziken Mega Energy
Catch 10 Water-type Pokemon 10 Blastoise Mega Energy / 10 Swampert Mega Energy
Catch 10 Normal-type Pokemon 10 Pidgeot Mega Energy
Catch 5 Pokemon with Weather Boost Vulpix / Poliwag / Wingull / Hippopotas/ Snover / Roggenrola / Vanillite
Catch 7 different species of Pokemon Wooper / Paldean Wooper
Use 5 Pinap Berries to help catch Pokemon Swablu / Wailmer

Throwing Field Research Tasks

Field Research Task Rewards
Make 5 Nice Throws  Diglett / Alolan Diglett / Sudowoodo
Make 5 Great Curveball Throws Cranidos / Sheildon
Make 10 Nice Throws Gothita / Solosis
Make 3 Great Throws Omanyte / Kabuto / Clamperl / Binacle / Elgyem
Make 3 Great Throws in a row Anorith / Lileep
Make 5 Great Throws Numel / Carvanha
Make 5 Great Curveball Throws in a row Spinda
Make 2 Excellent Throws Gible
Make 3 Excellent Throws in a row Beldum / Gible / Larvitar

Battling Field Research Tasks

Field Research Task Rewards
Win in the Go Battle League Gligar / Slakoth / Grubbin
Win a Raid Sneasel
Win 2 Raids Hisuian Sneasel
Win 5 Raids Aerodactyl / Alolan Exeggutor / Alolan Marowak
Win a Level 3 or higher Raid Archen / Tirtouga
Defeat 3 Team Go Rocket Grunts Sneasel

Buddy Field Research Tasks

Field Research Task Rewards
Earn 2 Candies walking with your Buddy Bunnelby / Buneary / Dedenne / Glameow / Jigglypuff / Litleo
Earn 3 Candies walking with your Buddy Galarian Stunfisk / Stunfisk

Friendship Field Research Tasks

Field Research Task Rewards
Send 5 Gifts and add a Sticker to each Emolga / Dedenee
Trade a Pokemon Machop / Timburr

Egg Field Research Tasks

Field Research Task Rewards
Hatch an Egg Scyther / Nincada / Scyther / Sudowoodo / Trubbish
Hatch 2 Eggs Galarian Meowth /  Feebas / Mawile / Sneasel

Miscellaneous Field Research Tasks

Field Research Task Rewards
Explore 3km Growlithe / Hisuian Growlithe
Evolve a Pokemon Eevee
Power up Pokemon 3 times Bulbasaur / Charmander / Squirtle
Power up Pokemon 5 times Snivy / Tepig / Oshawott 10 Venusaur Mega Energy / 10 Blastoise Mega Energy / 10 Charizard Mega Energy / 10 Beedrill Mega Energy / 10 Pidgeot Mega Energy / 10 Manectric Mega Energy / 10 Aggron Mega Energy
Power up Pokemon 7 times Litten / Popplio / Rowlett
Power up Pokemon 10 times 25 Gyarados Mega Energy / 25 Steelix Mega Energy / 25 Houndoom Mega Energy
Purify 3 Shadow Pokemon Onix
Spin 3 Pokestops or Gyms Aron / Doduo / Ralts / Remoraid
Spin 5 Pokestops or Gyms Galarian Slowpoke / Growlithe / Hisuian Growlithe / Slowpoke
Take a snapshot of a wild Pokemon Cottonee / Croagunk / Trapinch
Take snapshots of 3 wild Water-type Pokemon Horsea / Ducklett
Take snapshots of 3 wild Fire-type Pokemon Growlithe / Litwick
Take snapshots of 3 wild Grass-type Pokemon Cherubi / Smoliv

Special shout-out to Go Hub for help with these details.

What is Field Research in Pokemon Go?

Field Research is a series of tasks that are obtained by spinning a PokeStop or Gym. Players looking to rack up rewards will have to travel as they are only able to complete one task a day for each location.

Each task contains an objective, and trainers are given a reward for achieving it. Rewards can range from items like Poke Balls to encounters with specific Pokemon, which you can see in the tables above.

How do I unlock a Research Breakthrough?

To unlock a Research Breakthrough and get an encounter with the current month’s Pokemon, you’ll need to complete one Field Research task every day for seven days. The good news is they don’t have to be consecutive days, so you could do this over the space of a month if you wanted to.

Once you’ve completed a task, make sure you claim the reward on the Field Research progress page to earn a stamp. You can only earn one stamp per day, but completed tasks can be saved up and claimed at a later date to earn a stamp.

Once seven stamps have been earned, you can claim your Research Breakthrough reward by opening the package that appears at the top of the Field Research progress page.

Pokemon Go Research Breakthrough

How to get a Research Breakthrough in Pokemon Go

The research breakthroughs for December have not yet been announced. They will be rewarded randomly, so you can’t predict which Pokemon you’ll get.

You’ll need to earn your seventh Field Research stamp and claim your big reward before the end of the season if you want to get one of these Pokemon, as a different set of rewards could take over then.

If you earn a stamp every day in November, you’ll be able to earn up to four Research Breakthroughs, meaning you’ll get the chance to catch four of these Pokemon, which is a great way to stock up on Candy.

Is there a Shiny Research Breakthrough in Pokemon Go?

According to the official season hub for Pokemon Go’s Max Out season, all of the Pokemon listed as Research Breakthrough rewards are available to get in Shiny forms, making them perfect targets for players who value rare and hard-to-get ‘mons.

All past Pokemon Go Research Breakthrough rewards

Screenshot of Legendary Bird trio Moltres in Pokemon Go.

Interested in seeing all of the past ‘mons made available through Research Breakthroughs in Pokemon Go’s history? Take a look at the full list below:

2018 Research Breakthrough Rewards

Month Research Breakthrough
April 2018 Moltres
May 2018 Zapdos
June 2018 Articuno
July 2018 Snorlax
August 2018 Raikou
September 2018 Entei
October 2018 Suicune
November 2018 Shedinja
December 2018 Articuno / Zapdos / Moltres / Raikou / Entei / Suicune

2019 Research Breakthrough Rewards

Month Research Breakthrough
January to February 2019 Articuno / Zapdos / Moltres / Entei / Raikou / Suicune / Ho-Oh / Lugia
March to April 2019 Entei / Raikou / Suicune / Ho-Oh / Lugia / Regirock / Regice / Registeel
May to June 2019 Ho-Oh / Lugia / Latios / Latias
July to August 2019 Latios / Latias / Kyogre / Groudon
September to October 2019 Flower Crown Eevee
November to December 2019 Articuno / Zapdos / Moltres / Kyogre / Groudon

2020 Research Breakthrough Rewards

Month Research Breakthrough
January 2020 Lapras
February 2020 Woobat
March 2020 Ferroseed
April 2020 Alolan Exeggutor
May 2020 Shinx
June 2020 Trapinch
July 2020 Larvitar
August 2020 Scraggy
September 2020 Alolan Raichu
October 2020 Shedinja
November 2020 Togetic
December 2020 Lapras and Darumaka

2021 Research Breakthrough Rewards

Month Research Breakthrough
January 2021 Chansey
February 2021 Snorlax
March 2021 Gible
April 2021 Frillish
May 2021 Galarian Ponyta
June 2021 Clamperl
July 2021 Rufflet
August 2021 Chimecho
September 2021 Ditto
October 2021 Yamask
November 2021 Vullaby
December 2021 Deino

2022 Research Breakthrough Rewards

Month Research Breakthrough
January 2022 Onix
February 2022 Espurr
March 2022 Alolan Vulpix
April 2022 Alolan Marowak
May 2022 Alolan Grimer
June 2022 Klink
July 2022 Lickitung
August 2022 Galarian Stunfisk
September 2022 Medicham
October 2022 Shedinja
November 2022 Starmie
December 2022 Bagon / Deino / Delibird / Furfrou / Galarian Mr Mime / Goomy

2023 Research Breakthrough Rewards

Month Research Breakthrough
January 2023 Bagon / Deino / Delibird / Furfrou / Galarian Mr Mime / Goomy
February 2023 Bagon / Deino / Delibird / Furfrou / Galarian Mr Mime / Goomy
March 2023 Furfrou / Gible / Goomy / Parasect / Pinsir / Snorlax
April 2023 Furfrou / Gible / Goomy / Parasect / Pinsir / Snorlax
May 2023 Furfrou / Gible / Goomy / Parasect / Pinsir / Snorlax
June 2023 Audino / Beldum / Furfrou / Goomy / Noibat / Sableye
July 2023 Audino / Beldum / Furfrou / Goomy / Noibat / Sableye
August 2023 Audino / Beldum / Furfrou / Goomy / Noibat / Sableye
September 2023  Sableye / Bagon / Galarian Farfetch’d / Furfrou / Goomy / Larvitar
October 2023  Sableye / Bagon / Galarian Farfetch’d / Furfrou / Goomy / Larvitar
November 2023  Sableye / Bagon / Galarian Farfetch’d / Furfrou / Goomy / Larvitar
December 2023  Lapras / Galarian Weezing / Galarian Mr. Mime / Furfrou / Goomy

2024 Research Breakthrough Rewards

Month Research Breakthrough
January 2024 Lapras /Galarian Weezing / Galarian Mr. Mime, Furfrou / Goomy / Jangmo-o
February 2024 Lapras /Galarian Weezing / Galarian Mr. Mime, Furfrou / Goomy / Jangmo-o
March 2024 Goomy / Hisuian Sneasel / Furfrou / Sandygast /  Jangmo-o / Dubwool
April 2024 Goomy / Hisuian Sneasel / Furfrou / Sandygast /  Jangmo-o / Dubwool
May 2024 Goomy / Hisuian Sneasel / Furfrou / Sandygast / Jangmo-o / Dubwool
June 2024 Hisuian Growlithe / Larvitar / Audino / Axew / Furfrou / Jangmo-o
July 2024 Hisuian Growlithe / Larvitar / Audino / Axew / Furfrou / Jangmo-o
August 2024 Hisuian Growlithe / Larvitar / Audino / Axew, Furfrou / and Jangmo-o
September 2024 Hisuian Growlithe / Larvitar / Audino / Axew, Furfrou / and Jangmo-o

Field Research Breakthrough Shiny rates

Just like most species, Pokemon encounters from Field Research and Breakthrough rewards have a Shiny rate of around 1 in 450. While not the best odds, it’s still better than most of the mainline RPGs.

If you want to increase your chances of finding a Shiny variation, make sure you don’t miss a single day of Field Research, as you’ll be able to get up to four Research Breakthrough encounters this way.

If you would like to stay updated with more stuff going on this month, check out the current Shadow Raid schedule and all the upcoming events.