If you bought the $14.99 ticket for Pokémon Go Fest 2025, you’ll have access to the “A Hero’s Journey” Special Research, which sets you up with resources one of the two Legendary dogs, Zacian and Zamazenta, including enough Crowned Energy to power one of them up.
This research will only be available to you if you both buy the aforementioned ticket and you login during the event period on June 28 or 29 from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. in your local time. After you start the research, you can complete it at any time with no time constraints, though keep in mind that the bonuses available during Go Fest will likely make it easier to complete it, so it’s best to play during the event.
Below, we list all the steps for the Pokémon Go “A Hero’s Journey” Special Research quest, along with some insight on which choice you should pick between Zacian or Zamazenta.
‘A Hero’s Journey’ Special Research quest
‘A Hero’s Journey’ step 1 of 6
- Power up Pokémon 10 times (1 Fast TM)
- Use a Fast TM (1 Charged TM)
- Use a Charged TM (3 Potions)
Rewards: 2,025 Stardust, 3 Super Potions, 2,025 XP
At this point, you’ll be tasked between choosing between two steps: “Crowned Sword Journey” or “Crowned Shield Journey.” The steps will mostly be the same (with some type swapping depending on your choice), but the rewards will be different:
- Selecting “Crowned Sword Journey” will give you Zacian Candy, alongside enough Crowned Sword Energy to upgrade it to its Crowned form.
- Selecting “Crowned Shield Journey” will give you Zamazenta Candy, alongside enough Crowned Shield Energy to upgrade it to its Crowned form.
Neither of the choices actually give you the Legendary Pokémon.
Just pick whichever one you want the energy for! You can still raid the other option, so it’s not like picking one will permanently lock you out of the other option or prevent you from getting it.
‘A Hero’s Journey’ step 2 of 6
- Make 5 nice throws (5 Zacian/Zamazenta Candy)
- Power up fairy-/fighting-type moves five times (1,000 Stardust)
- Earn 5,000 Stardust (3 Pinap Berries)
Rewards: 2 Premium Battle Passes, Frigibax encounter, 3 Silver Pinap Berries
‘A Hero’s Journey’ step 3 of 6
- Catch 3 steel-type Pokémon (3 Hyper Potions)
- Battle in 2 raids (3 Max Revives)
- Earn 10,000 XP (1,000 Stardust)
Rewards: 25 Zacian/Zamazenta Candy, 5 Zacian/Zamazenta Candy XL, 2 Premium Battle Passes
‘A Hero’s Journey’ step 4 of 6
- Win 2 raids (3 Rare Candy)
- Power up steel-type Pokémon 10 times (3 Max Potions)
- Use 5 superefffective charged attacks (3 Razz Berries)
Rewards: 500 Crowned Sword/Shield Energy, Skiddo encounter, 1 Max Mushroom
‘A Hero’s Journey’ step 5 of 6
- Earn 2 candies exploring with a fairy-/fighting-type Pokémon as your buddy (500 Crowned Sword/Shield Energy)
- Change Zacian/Zamazenta’s form (1 Max Particle Pack)
- Win 2 Max Battles (1,000 Stardust)
Rewards: 2,025 Stardust, 5 Zacian/Zamazenta Stickers, 2,025 XP
‘A Hero’s Journey’ step 6 of 6
- Claim reward! (2,025 XP)
- Claim reward! (2,025 Stardust)
- Claim reward! (2,025 XP)
Rewards: 5 Zacian/Zamazenta Candy XL, Go Fest 2025 pose, 25 Zacian/Zamazenta Candy
Thanks Leek Duck for providing details on the above.
‘A Hero’s Journey’ choose a path outcome: Should you pick Zacian or Zamazenta?
So, yes, you will be tasked with choosing between Zacian and Zamazenta for this research, but as mentioned above, it doesn’t lock you out of getting the other dog. You will still be able to raid, catch, and upgrade the other Legendary. The research will just give you candy for the Legendary you pick, as well as enough energy to upgrade it right off the bat.
That being said, if you can only prioritize one, should you pick Zacian or Zamazenta?
Based on meta, Crowned Sword Zacian seems to be the all-rounder choice. According to PvPoke, it’s the best candidate in Master League PvP (with Crowned Shield Zamazenta coming second), and it’s the #7 top raid attacker according to the Pokémon Go Database (with Zamazenta at #14 — which is still pretty good).
When you look a bit closer, Crowned Sword Zacian is the #2 attacker in both its types (fairy and steel) and Crowned Shield Zamazenta is the #1 steel-type attacker. However, Crowned Shield Zamazenta gets outclassed as a fighting-type attacker by many other things, making it not a worthwhile investment as that specific type.
Each of them also has their own Adventure Effect:
- Crowned Sword Zacian knows Behemoth Blade, which strengthens your Pokémon’s attacks in raids and Max Battles for six minutes.
- Crowned Shield Zamazenta knows Behemoth Bash, which strengthens your Pokémon’s defense in raids and Max Battles for six minutes.
These buffs are a bit expensive to use (5,000 Stardust and five Zacian or Zamazenta Candy per six minutes), but Zacian can help make the difference if you come up close on soloing certain raids.
That being said, Zacian is more of an all-rounder and mayhaps the “better” pick among the two, but even so, you should pick with your heart. Do you think Zamazenta is the cuter dog of the two? Then pick that one! Did you play Pokémon Sword so you have an allegiance to Zacian? That’s a good enough reason for me! Pick with your heart.
As usual, don’t stress too much about your choice. Just pick the one you want.
Did you finish that already? There’s still more to do for Pokémon Go Fest 2025. Check out our rotating habitat schedule guide to see when you can find certain critters.
We also have tons of guides for everything Zacian and Zamazenta, including raid guides for the both of them, an explainer on how their Crowned forms work, and a list of free codes to score extra Crown Energy. We also have an explainer for the Volcanion Special Research, which you’ll have if you bought the Go Fest 2025 ticket.
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