Venom and Vines is the current Choose Your Path Timed Research in Pokémon Go, a branching quest that runs during quiet, non-event weeks. You pick one of three paths — Explore, Catch, or Battle — and that choice sets both the tasks you complete and the bonus you unlock. Every step rewards an encounter with Venonat or Fomantis.
Quick answer: The event runs until Monday, August 17 at 8:00 PM local time. If you only get one bonus for the whole event, take Explore for the halved egg hatch distance. If you can pick a new bonus each day, take Catch (XP) for the 1.5× catch XP. Your path choice can not be changed once made.
Venom and Vines dates and the two versions
Venom and Vines is live from Tuesday, August 11 at 10:00 AM until Monday, August 17 at 8:00 PM, local time. Because the Choose Your Path format is still being tested, the quest ships in two forms and the one you get is assigned at random.
- Single bonus: You choose one path once, and that bonus stays active for the whole event.
- Daily bonus: You choose a new bonus each day from six options, and each daily choice grants its own Timed Research that expires at the end of that day.
Open Pokémon Go to see which version you received. Both are branching quests, and in both cases a path choice is locked in the moment you confirm it.
The first step is identical for everyone. Claim a reward of 500 Stardust, and you receive five Poké Balls for completing the step.
Single-bonus paths: tasks and bonuses
If your version locks one bonus for the full event, the three paths carry longer task lists. Each path completes with three Golden Razz Berries and five Rare Candies.
| Path (bonus) | Tasks |
|---|---|
| Explore 1/2 egg hatch distance | Explore 3km, Spin 25 PokéStops or Gyms, Hatch 2 Eggs, Follow 2 Routes (Venonat each); then repeat all four for Fomantis |
| Catch Extra Candy for Nice Throws or better | Make 15 Nice Throws, 15 Curveball Throws, 3 Excellent Throws, 15 Great Curveball Throws (Venonat each); then repeat all four for Fomantis |
| Battle Extra Mysterious Component from Grunts | Win a raid, Win 2 raids, Defeat 8 Team GO Rocket Grunts, Use 10 supereffective Charged Attacks (Venonat each); then repeat all four for Fomantis |
Daily-bonus paths: six options
If your version lets you pick a fresh bonus every day, you choose from six shorter task sets. Each daily set also rewards three Golden Razz Berries and five Rare Candies, and each expires when the day ends, so claim it before midnight local time.
| Daily path (bonus) | Tasks |
|---|---|
| Explore (Hatch) 1/2 egg hatch distance | Explore 1km, Hatch an Egg, Follow a Route (Venonat); then repeat for Fomantis |
| Explore (PokéStops) 5× XP for spinning PokéStops | Explore 1km, Spin 5 PokéStops or Gyms, Follow a Route (Venonat); then repeat for Fomantis |
| Catch (XP) 1.5× XP for Nice Throws or better | Make 20 Curveball Throws, 3 Excellent Throws, 20 Great Curveball Throws (Venonat); then repeat for Fomantis |
| Catch (Candy) Extra Candy for Nice Throws or better | Make 20 Curveball Throws, 3 Excellent Throws, 20 Great Curveball Throws (Venonat); then repeat for Fomantis |
| Battle (Raids) +5,000 XP for completing raids | Win a raid, Power up Pokémon 3 times, Use 3 supereffective Charged Attacks (Venonat); then repeat for Fomantis |
| Battle (Team GO Rocket) Extra Mysterious Components from Grunts | Power up Pokémon 3 times, Defeat 1 Team GO Rocket Grunt, Use 3 supereffective Charged Attacks (Venonat); then repeat for Fomantis |
Best path to choose
Because the two versions work differently, the right pick depends on which one you get.
Single-bonus version: pick Explore
With one bonus locked for the entire week, the halved hatch distance from the Explore path pays off the most. It lets you burn through an egg backlog quickly, and every hatch delivers XP and hatch Candy along the way. Since the bonus stays active the whole time, you have days to make use of it.
Daily-bonus version: pick Catch (XP)
When you can swap bonuses daily, Catch (XP) is the strongest default. Catching is the core activity in Pokémon Go, so 1.5× catch XP rewards you constantly, and pairing it with a Lucky Egg pushes the totals higher. If you know a given day is built around one activity, such as raiding, it is worth tailoring your choice that day, but Catch XP is the reliable pick otherwise.
Venom and Vines field research
Alongside the Timed Research, the event adds three exclusive Field Research tasks from PokéStops.
| Task | Reward |
|---|---|
| Explore 1km | Venonat or Fomantis encounter |
| Make 5 Nice Throws | Impidimp or Morelull encounter |
| Defeat a Team GO Rocket Grunt | Impidimp or Morelull encounter |
How to confirm your choice worked
After you tap a path, the game applies the matching bonus and loads that path’s Timed Research into your quest list. You will see the new tasks and the active bonus reflected in the app. Remember that the choice is permanent for that period, so a single-bonus pick lasts the full event and a daily pick lasts until the day resets.
Timed Research expires when the event closes, so finish every task and claim all rewards before Monday, August 17 at 8:00 PM local time. Any unclaimed steps are lost once the window ends.
