Pokémon Go: Encounter Spinda #6 when you ’Make a Great Curveball Throw’

Spindas #1, #3, #7, and #8 are gone but you can get Spinda #6 all December with the right Field Research Task!

Spinda is a walking panda-rabbit of a Normal-type Pokémon original encountered as part of Gen 3 in the Hoenn region. While in the main games, every Spinda had a unique pattern — 4 billion possible, apparently — in Pokémon Go the number has been imploded down to just eight.

Here's how to get them all!

December 1, 2018: Encounter Spinda #6 when you 'Make a Great Curveball Throw'

A new month means a new Spinda to catch and for December, that's Spinda #6. The task:

• Make a Great Curveball Throw

November 1, 2018: Get Spinda #7 if your 'Make 3 Nice Curveball Throws in a Row'

November's Field Research Tasks are buggy — that is, related to Bug types — but Spinda is still still Spinda, and that means a new task and a new number to add to your Pokédex. This month it's Spinda #7, and here's the task:

• Make 3 Nice Curveball Throws in a Row

October 1, 2018: Spinda #1 is here if you 'Make 2 Curveball Throws in a Row"

October'a Field Research Tasks are here and with it the very first Spinda. Not, not in terms of introduction but in terms of number: Spinda #1. And here's the task that you need to get it:

• Make 2 Curveball Throws in a Row

September 1, 2018: Spinda #3 available as 'Make a Great Curveball Throw' Field Research Reward

September's Field Research Tasks are supposed to be all about the Gen 2 Legendary Fire Beast, Entei. But, that hasn't slowed down the Spinda train. #8 is gone and, in its place, #3 is here for the month. (If you didn't claim any #8 rewards, looks like they'll be #3 now as well — d'oh!). You can get it now by completing the Field Research task:

• Make a Great Curveball Throw.

October 1, 2018: Spinda #1 available as 'Make Two Great Throw' Field Research Reward

October Field Research Tasks have begun and, with them, a new Spinda has arrived. This one is Spinda #1, all rosy-cheeked and ready to be caught. All you have to do is find and complete the following Field Research:

• Make 2 Great Throws.

No word yet on whether this task is as rare as Spinda #8 or as easy to find as Spinda #3, but we'll update as soon as we find out.

How do you find Spinda in Pokémon Go?

Spinda was released into Pokémon Go on August 1, 2018. More specifically, Spinda #8. You got it through the Field Research task — Make 3 Curveball Throws in a Row. That Spinda, however, is gone now. Spinda #3 was next, on September 1, 2018. For that, you needed to Make a Great Curveball Throw.

Now, for October 2018, it's Spinda #1 and you need to find Make Two Great Throws to get it.

Spinda #1... Spinda #3... Spinda #8? How many Spinda are there and where are the rest of them?

Image via Reddit.

In the original Pokémon games each Spinda had a unique pattern, with potential variations in the billions. In Pokémon Go, at least so far, each Spinda isn't unique — there are "only" 8 patterns for everyone.

The Spinda currently found in Field Research is the eighth pattern, which kinda looks like it has a hipster goatee going on.

And you can't catch Spinda in the wild or hatch it from an egg?

Nope. Currently, you can only get Spinda, and only Spinda #8, from Field Research.

Ok, how do you find the Spinda Field Research?

This is where the grind comes in: You get Field Research from spinning Poké Stops.

Each stop generates one Field Research task a day. So, you have to go out and spin as many Poké Stops as you can until you get the one that'll reward you with Spinda.

Since you can only have 3 active Field Research tasks at a time, you'll also have to either delete or complete all the non-Spinda tasks to leave room for more spins-and-checks. (If you spin a Poké Stop when you already have 3 active Field Research tasks, you won't get that stop's task, so you won't be able to check it until you delete or complete one of the active tasks and re-spin the stop once it becomes active again after the usual 5-minute cooldown window.)

The Field Research task for Spinda seems to be exceedingly rare, though.

Um, is there an easier way to find the Spinda Field Research?

Slightly: If you belong to a Messenger, Discord, Facebook, WhatsApp, iMessage, or other Pokémon Go group — for Raiding, Trading, or anything — in your area, encourage anyone who finds a Spinda Field Research task to report it back to the group.

Crowdsourcing is the most efficient option for everyone.

How do you get previous Spindas? If you missed Spinda #8, how do you get it now?

If you missed a previous Spinda the only way to get it, for now, is to find someone willing to trade it to you. That means finding someone who has several of them and offering something they want in return.

Again, check your local Messenger, Discord, Facebook, WhatsApp, iMessage, or other Pokémon Go group and see who's up for a trade.

How do you catch Spinda?

Once you complete the Field Research Task, you'll get a Spinda encounter as a reward. Since reward encounters can't flee, it's just a matter of how much time it takes you to complete the catch.

If you're in a rush, use a Golden Razz, Ultra Ball, and shoot a Curve Ball for maximum bonus.

Should you use a Pinap for Spinda?

Since Field Research reward encounters can't flee, many people like to use a Pinap Berry on them to get extra candy. Spinda doesn't evolve and isn't meta-relevant (isn't amoung the best attackers or defenders in the game), it's not worth powering up unless you have a special fondness for it.

So, you can save your Pinap.

Is there a Shiny Spinda?

Not in the game, at least not yet. Shiny Spinda does exist in the code but hasn't been released yet.

What's a perfect 100% IV Spinda?

466 is the magic number you want.

What are the best movesets for Spinda?

Spinda isn't a great attacker or defender, so you shouldn't invest your TMs on it unless you really love, love, love it. That said:

• Attack: Psycho Cut + Dig

• Defense: Sucker Punch + Dig or Icy WInd

Wait, what is Spinda?

A panda-bunny that always seems to change its spots!

From Pokémon:

All the Spinda that exist in the world are said to have utterly unique spot patterns. The shaky, tottering steps of this Pokémon give it the appearance of dancing.

From Bulbapedia:

Spinda is a bipedal, panda Pokémon with rabbit-like features. Its eyes are made of two black spirals, which point in the opposite direction to each other. There is a similar swirling pattern on its ears. It has a small body with short stumpy arms and legs, and its coat is primarily cream-colored. Its arms are red and it has a red stripe bordering along the bottom of its belly, as well as two small spots on the soles of its feet. It has four spots, which can appear anywhere on its face and ears, with a fifth on the back of its head. These spot patterns are different for each and every Spinda.

It has dizzying, confusing, and scattering dance-like movements, which can be used for its former signature move, Teeter Dance, though it thinks it is walking in a straight line. These movements confuse its opponents and make it difficult for them to aim at it. It lives in the mountains.

Any Spinda in Pokémon Go questions?

If you have any questions or tips of your own on finding and catching a Spinda, drop them in the comments below!