The Choose Your Path: Venom and Vines is another installment of the Choose Your Path Timed Research that happens in Pokémon GO whenever there is no major event planned for Tuesday of a particular week. The time is here again to dive into your choosen path throughout the week.
The Choose Your Path: Venom and Vines runs from Tuesday, August 11, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. to Monday, August 17, 2026, at 8:00 p.m. local time. You will be able to choose your preferred progression tailored to your individual playstyle.
Whether you love exploring, catching, or battling, this Choose Your Path: Venom and Vines week has something for you. Let’s break down everything you need to know to make the most of this unique week.
READ ALSO: The Complete List of August 2026 Pokémon GO Events
How the Choose Your Path: Venom and Vines Works
During this special week, you won’t just follow a linear set of tasks like traditional events. Instead, you get to select one of three main paths:
Explore: Focuses on distance walking, hatching, and spinning.
Catch: Emphasizes precision throwing and item bonuses.
Battle: Rewards raiding and combating Team GO Rocket.
Important Note: Once you select your path, your choice cannot be changed for the duration of the event (though daily rotation options may vary depending on your version). Your selection dictates both your active gameplay bonuses and the specific Timed Research tasks assigned to you.
Choose Your Path: Venom and Vines Bonuses and Path Breakdown
Depending on how you choose to play, you can leverage some powerful in-game advantages. There are two primary variations of the event rollout: some players choose once for the entire week, while others enjoy daily flexibility across six potential bonuses.
The Explore Path
If you love getting outdoors and tracking your steps, the Explore route of the Choose Your Path: Venom and Vines is your best bet.
Weekly/Daily Bonuses: Enjoy either a 1/2 Egg Hatch Distance bonus if you choose Explore (Hatch) or 5× XP for spinning PokéStops if you choose Explore (PokéStops).
Timed Research Tasks:
- Task: Explore 3 km | Reward: Venonat
- Task: Spin 25 PokéStops or Gyms | Reward: Venonat
- Task: Hatch 2 Eggs | Reward: Venonat
- Task: Follow 2 Routes | Reward: Venonat
- Task: Explore 3 km | Reward: Fomantis
- Task: Spin 25 PokéStops or Gyms | Reward: Fomantis
- Task: Hatch 2 Eggs | Reward: Fomantis
- Task: Follow 2 Routes | Reward: Fomantis
- Reward for completing all these tasks: 3 Golden Razz Berry and 5 Rare Candy.
Daily Timed Research Tasks: Explore (Hatch)
- Task: Explore 1 km | Reward: Venonat
- Task: Hatch an Egg | Reward: Venonat
- Task: Follow a Route | Reward: Venonat
- Task: Explore 1 km | Reward: Fomantis
- Task: Hatch an Egg | Reward: Fomantis
- Task: Follow a Route | Reward: Fomantis
- Reward for completing all these tasks: 3 Golden Razz Berry and 5 Rare Candy.
Daily Timed Research Tasks: Explore (PokéStops)
- Task: Explore 1 km | Reward: Venonat
- Task: Spin 5 PokéStops or Gyms | Reward: Venonat
- Task: Follow a Route | Reward: Venonat
- Task: Explore 1 km | Reward: Fomantis
- Task: Hatch an Egg | Reward: Fomantis
- Task: Follow a Route | Reward: Fomantis
- Reward for completing all these tasks: 3 Golden Razz Berry and 5 Rare Candy.
The Catch Path
For Trainers who want to master their throwing mechanics and stock up on resources, the Catch path of the Choose Your Path: Venom and Vines delivers major rewards.
Weekly/Daily Bonuses: Benefit from 1.5× XP for catching Pokémon with Nice Throws or better if you choose Catch (XP) or additional Candy for precision catches if you choose Catch (Candy).
Timed Research Tasks:
- Task: Make 15 Nice Throws | Reward: Venonat
- Task: Make 15 Curveball Throws | Reward: Venonat
- Task: Make 3 Excellent Throws | Reward: Venonat
- Task: Make 15 Great Curveball Throws | Reward: Venonat
- Task: Make 15 Nice Throws | Reward: Fomantis
- Task: Make 15 Curveball Throws | Reward: Fomantis
- Task: Make 3 Excellent Throws | Reward: Fomantis
- Task: Make 15 Great Curveball Throws | Reward: Fomantis
- Reward for completing all these tasks: 3 Golden Razz Berry and 5 Rare Candy.
Daily Timed Research Tasks: Catch (XP)
- Task: Make 20 Curveball Throws | Reward: Venonat
- Task: Make 3 Excellent Throws | Reward: Venonat
- Task: Make 20 Great Curveball Throws | Reward: Venonat
- Task: Make 20 Curveball Throws | Reward: Fomantis
- Task: Make 3 Excellent Throws | Reward: Fomantis
- Task: Make 20 Great Curveball Throws | Reward: Fomantis
- Reward for completing all these tasks: 3 Golden Razz Berry and 5 Rare Candy.
Daily Timed Research Tasks: Catch (Candy)
- Task: Make 20 Curveball Throws | Reward: Venonat
- Task: Make 3 Excellent Throws | Reward: Venonat
- Task: Make 20 Great Curveball Throws | Reward: Venonat
- Task: Make 20 Curveball Throws | Reward: Fomantis
- Task: Make 3 Excellent Throws | Reward: Fomantus
- Task: Make 20 Great Curveball Throws | Reward: Fomantis
- Reward for completing all these tasks: 3 Golden Razz Berry and 5 Rare Candy.
The Battle Path
If battling is your primary focus, the Battle path turns up the heat against raiders and villains alike.
Weekly/Daily Bonuses: Earn an additional 5,000 XP for completing raids if you choose Battle (Raids) or get extra Mysterious Components from Team GO Rocket Grunts if you choose Battle (..).
Timed Research Tasks:
- Task: Win a Raid | Reward: Venonat
- Task: Win 2 Raids | Reward: Venonat
- Task: Defeat 8 Team GO Rocket Grunts | Reward: Venonat
- Task: Use 10 superffective Charged Attacks | Reward: Venonat
- Task: Win a Raid | Reward: Fomantis
- Task: Win 2 Raids | Reward: Fomantis
- Task: Defeat 8 Team GO Rocket Grunts | Reward: Fomantis
- Task: Use 10 supereffective Charged Attacks| Reward: Fomantis
- Reward for completing all these tasks: 3 Golden Razz Berry and 5 Rare Candy.
Daily Timed Research Tasks: Battle (Raids)
- Task: Win a Raid | Reward: Venonat
- Task: Power up Pokémon 3 times | Reward: Venonat
- Task: Use 3 Supereffective Charged Attacks | Reward: Venonat
- Task: Win a Raid | Reward: Fomantis
- Task: Power up Pokémon 3 times | Reward: Fomantis
- Task: Use 3 Supereffective Charged Attacks | Reward: Fomantis
- Reward for completing all these tasks: 3 Golden Razz Berry and 5 Rare Candy.
Daily Timed Research Tasks: Battle (Team GO Rocket)
- Task: Power up Pokémon 3 times | Reward: Venonat
- Task: Defeat 1 Team GO Rocket Grunt | Reward: Venonat
- Task: Use 3 Supereffective Charged Attacks | Reward: Venonat
- Task: Power up Pokémon 3 times | Reward: Fomantis
- Task: Defeat 1 Team GO Rocket Grunt | Reward: Fomantis
- Task: Use 3 Supereffective Charged Attacks | Reward: Fomantis
- Reward for completing all these tasks: 3 Golden Razz Berry and 5 Rare Candy.
Choose Your Path: Venom and Vines Field Research Tasks and Rewards
Make sure to check out event-specific Field Research tasks during the Choose Your Path: Venom and Vines by spinning PokéStops during the week:
Defeat a Team GO Rocket Grunt
Make 5 Nice Throws
Explore 1 km
These Field Research Tasks will reward encounters with either Venonat or Fomantis. A perfect (hundo) Venonat from Field Research has a Combat Power of 430 CP. A perfect (hundo) Fomantis from Field Research has a Combat Power of 317 CP.
If you are lucky to find a shiny with either of these CPs, that is a shundo.
Tips for Maximizing Your Choose Your Path: Venom and Vines
Plan Ahead: Decide which resource you need most. If you’re low on Candy, lean toward Catch. If you’re trying to level up fast, Explore (PokéStops) or Battle (Raids) might be your ticket to massive XP gains.
Clear Out Egg Space: If you choose an Explore path utilizing the half-hatch distance bonus, make sure your egg inventory has plenty of open slots before the event kicks off at 10:00 AM local time.
Watch the Clock: Timed Research expires when the event ends on August 3 at 8:00 PM local time. Double-check that you have claimed all your rewards and finished your tasks before time runs out!
Choose Your Path: Venom and Vines wisely.
Trainers, and happy exploring!
