Niantic finally did it. After months of speculation and some honestly mediocre choices for featured spawns, the Pokemon Go June Community Day spotlighted Goomy, the "Soft Tissue" Pokémon. If you weren't out there in the heat or dodging rain showers on June 9th, you missed out on one of the most statistically significant events of the 2024 season.
It’s easy to look at a literal puddle of purple slime and think, "Whatever."
But Goomy isn’t just some random filler. It’s a pseudo-legendary. That puts it in the same elite tier as Dratini, Larvitar, and Beldum. In the hierarchy of Pokémon, being a pseudo-legendary means you’ve got a base stat total that makes most other monsters look like absolute jokes.
The Real Deal with Goodra’s Community Day Move
The big draw for any Community Day is the exclusive move. For June, evolving Sliggoo into Goodra—the final form—rewarded players with Thunder Punch.
Wait. Thunder Punch?
On a Dragon-type?
Actually, it makes more sense than you think. Historically, Goodra has been a bit of a "wall" in the GO Battle League. It’s tanky. It takes hits like a champ. But its move pool was always a little bit clunky, often relying on high-energy moves that took forever to charge. Thunder Punch changed the math. It’s a low-energy, "bait" move. Basically, it allows Goodra to pressure shields early in a match. If you’re facing an Azumarill or a Skarmory—two of the biggest pains in the Great League—having an Electric-type attack on a Dragon is a massive tactical shift.
I’ve seen players argue that Goodra didn't need another move, but those people probably aren't grinding to Legend rank. In the Ultra League, Goodra’s bulk is terrifying. With the addition of Thunder Punch, it can now bait out a shield and then land a devastating Power Whip or Draco Meteor. It’s about versatility. It’s about making your opponent sweat because they don't know which move is coming.
The Shiny Hunting Reality
Let’s be real: most of us are in it for the sparkles.
The shiny rate on Community Day is roughly 1 in 25. That’s significantly better than the standard 1 in 512 odds you face on a normal Tuesday. Shiny Goomy is a vibe. It swaps the soft purple for a pale yellow and peach hue. It looks like it’s spent too much time in the sun, but in a cute way.
If you were playing in a high-density area like Central Park or Santa Monica Pier, you likely walked away with 20 or 30 shinies. But for the rural players? The "Incense nerf" of years past still stings. Even in 2024, if you aren't moving, you aren't catching. Niantic has been very clear about their "get out and explore" philosophy, which is great if you live in a city and kind of sucks if you live in the middle of a cornfield.
Why June Always Feels Different
June Community Days hit differently because of the weather. In the northern hemisphere, we’re dealing with the start of summer heat. In the southern hemisphere, it’s the onset of winter.
Niantic usually tries to pick a Pokémon that feels "summery" or at least fits the season’s "Adventure Week" vibes. Goomy, being a rain-loving creature, was a bit of an ironic choice for a month known for heatwaves. To evolve Sliggoo into Goodra, you actually need it to be raining in-game or be standing next to a Rainy Lure Module.
This is a mechanic many people forget.
I saw dozens of trainers on Reddit and Discord panicked at 4:55 PM because they couldn't evolve their 100% IV Goomy. They forgot the lure! Thankfully, the event usually provides a few free Lure Modules through Timed Research, but you have to be paying attention.
Breaking Down the Bonuses
The bonuses for Pokemon Go June Community Day were the standard heavy hitters:
- 3× Stardust for catching Pokémon.
- 2× Candy for catching Pokémon.
- 2× chance for Trainers level 31 and up to receive Candy XL.
- Lure Modules and Incense lasted for three hours.
- One extra Special Trade could be made for a maximum of two for the day.
The 3x Stardust is the real hero here. Stardust is the most valuable currency in the game. Period. If you were running a Star Piece, you were pulling in massive amounts of dust per catch. For the hardcore grinders, June was less about the Dragon-type and more about the bank account. You could easily clear 200,000 Stardust in that three-hour window if you were fast-catching and hitting every spawn.
The Goodra "Power Creep" Problem
There is a segment of the community that feels "pseudo-legendary" Community Days are becoming too common. We had Gible, then Deino, then Axew. When everyone has a high-level Goodra, is it still special?
Maybe not for collectors. But for the health of the competitive scene, it’s vital.
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Pokemon Go is often criticized for being "pay to win" or "grind to win." By giving everyone access to a top-tier Dragon-type for a few hours in June, Niantic levels the playing field. It allows a kid who just started playing last month to compete with a veteran who has been playing since 2016. That accessibility is what keeps the game alive. Without it, the Master League becomes a playground only for the whales who can afford to max out legendary raids.
Tips for Future-Proofing Your Haul
So, the event is over. What do you do with those 400 Goomy candies and the five shinies sitting in your storage?
First, don't power everything up at once.
Goodra is excellent, but it requires a heavy investment of XL Candy to be viable in the Ultra League or Master League Premier. Focus on one with a high "Stat Product" (low attack, high defense, high HP) for the Great and Ultra Leagues. For Master League, you want the "Hundo"—the 15/15/15 IV spread.
Also, keep an eye on Hisuian Goodra. While June focused on the Kalosian version, the Hisuian variant (Dragon/Steel) is a completely different beast in the main series games and has slowly been making its presence felt in Pokémon GO. Having a stockpile of Goomy candy is essentially an insurance policy for when the Steel-type version becomes more widely available.
Looking Ahead
The Pokemon Go June Community Day proved that even "simple" designs like Goomy can carry an entire event if the bonuses and the move-set are right. The shift toward more tactical, low-energy moves like Thunder Punch shows that Niantic is paying attention to the meta, even if they don't always get the balance perfect on the first try.
If you missed out, don't stress too much. The December Community Day Weekend always serves as a "recap" event where the year's featured Pokémon return. You’ll get another shot at that yellow snail.
Actionable Next Steps
- Audit your storage: Tag your best Goomy and Sliggoo now. If you didn't evolve them during the window, wait for a special event (like the December recap) to get Thunder Punch without using an Elite Charged TM.
- Check your Stardust: If you’re low after powering up a Goodra, start prioritizing 10km eggs. They often feature "rarer" spawns that give more dust.
- Prep for July: Community Day usually moves to a different "type" or starter theme. Start clearing out at least 200 slots in your Pokémon storage now so you aren't frantically deleting things mid-event next month.
- Trade with friends: Use those extra Special Trades. A "Lucky Trade" for a Goomy can drastically reduce the amount of Stardust needed to max it out, making that level 50 Goodra much more attainable for the average player.