Gastly Spotlight Hour (October 2026): Info and Tips

Are you ready to make the most of the Gastly Spotlight Hour in Pokémon GO? Mark your calendars, because this Ghost and Poison-type Pokémon is taking over the spotlight! Whether you’re hunting for its shiny form or stacking up XP by evolving Haunter into Gengar, this hour offers the perfect opportunity to boost your progression.

On Thursday, October 29, 2026, Gastly will appear more frequently in the wild. Trainers participating in the Spotlight Hour will get 2× Evolution XP.

Here is everything you need to know about Gastly Spotlight Hour, maximize your 2x Evolution XP bonus, and prepare for the October 29 event!

What is Gastly Spotlight Hour?

The Pokémon GO Spotlight Hour takes place weekly, turning the spotlight on a specific Pokémon. For one full hour, the featured Pokémon spawns drastically more frequently in the wild.

• Date & Time: Thursday, October 29, 2026, from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. local time.
• Active Bonus for the hour: 2× Evolution XP

For a broader look at what else is happening this month, be sure to check out The Complete List of October 2026 Pokémon GO Events.

Gastly Spotlight Hour & Evolution Costs

This is a Ghost and Poison-type Pokémon from Generation 1 known as the Gas Pokémon. It requires 25 Gastly Candy to evolve into Haunter, and an additional 100 Gastly Candy (or a trade) to evolve Haunter into Gengar.

Can Gastly be Shiny?

Yes! Gastly has its Shiny form unlocked in Pokémon GO. Its Shiny version swaps its standard purple gaseous body for a noticeably darker, more blue-tinged hue, and its tongue changes from blue to a vibrant purple.

Note: Spotlight Hour does not increase shiny odds. However, because Gastly will appear much more frequently, you’ll have many more opportunities to encounter a shiny.

Gastly’s Best Moveset for PvP and PvE

If you are wondering whether to use Gengar (Gastly’s final evolution) in raids or battles, it is a formidable glass cannon for PvE content.

• Fast Attack: Shadow Claw, Lick (Legacy), Hex, Sucker Punch
• Charged Attacks: Shadow Ball, Sludge Bomb, Focus Blast, Drain Punch, Sludge Wave, Shadow Punch, Psychic, Dark Pulse.

Shadow Claw or Lick combined with Shadow Ball gives Gengar one of the highest Ghost-type DPS outputs in the game, making it a stellar raid attacker.

For players looking into Great League or Ultra League, low-attack with high defense and stamina IV combinations for Gengar are ideal, though its glass-cannon nature means it shines brightest in raids.

Is Gastly Worth Catching?

Yes, it is definitely worth catching, especially during its Spotlight Hour:

• Mass Evolution XP Grinds: Because the active event bonus is 2× Evolution XP, mass-evolving stored Pokémon (including Gastly lines) while Lucky Egg is active multiplies your XP gains immensely—reaching up to 4x normal values.

• Candy Farming: You will need plenty of candy to power up shadow or regular Gengars for raids, or to secure trades.

• Type Medal Progression: Catching ghost and poison types boosts your respective catching medals, granting permanent catch bonuses.

Tips to Prepare for Gastly Spotlight Hour

• Stock Up on Poké Balls: Spawns will be relentless for 60 minutes, so load up ahead of time.

• Clear Your Pokémon Storage: Ensure you have plenty of space before 6:00 p.m. to handle mass catches and fast evolution cleanup.

• Prepare Pokémon for Evolution: Tag and ready up a stack of Evolutions (Gastly or any other species you want to evolve) before the hour begins to completely leverage the 2x Evolution XP bonus.

• Use Lucky Eggs: Pop Lucky Eggs right before the hour starts to stack a multiplier on top of the event’s 2x Evolution XP bonus for massive leveling potential.

• Use Pinap Berries: Use Pinap Berries during the first portion of the hour if you need to quickly maximize your candy reserves for evolving Gengar.

• Play in High-Spawn Locations: Parks and urban hubs generally provide high concentrations of wild spawns.

For official event announcements and updates, check out the Pokémon GO official website .