Pokémon Go: Choose Your Path Timed Research Rewards and Bonuses
The next week-long Pokémon Go event – the Spring Marathon – doesn’t start until May 12th; however, in the meantime, there’s a new Timed Research to complete. The Choose Your Path Timed Research is currently available until May 11th and offers some enticing rewards – including a special bonus that remains active for the rest of the week.
The bonus you unlock depends on which “path” you choose at the start of the research. To help you decide, here’s the complete list of tasks and rewards for the Pokémon GO Choose Your Path Timed Research. And to see what else is happening in the game this month, check out our overview of events for May 2026.
Pokémon Go: Choose Your Path Timed Research
Ends on May 11th at 8 PM local time.
- Claim your reward – 500 Stardust
Rewards: 5 Poké Balls
After receiving your first Pokémon Go reward, Timed Research will begin. Following a short message from Professor Willow, you’ll be asked to choose one of three paths: Explore, Catch, or Battle. You can only choose one, so consider your decision carefully.
Most rewards are the same regardless of the chosen path, but the tasks vary. Of particular note is the bonus you unlock after completing all tasks, which could influence your decision. You can find all rewards and bonuses below.
Choose Your Path: Explore
- Explore 5 km – 10 great balls
- Spin 50 PokéStops – 10 Ultra Balls
Rewards: 3 Golden Razz Berries, 5 Rare Candies
Bonus: 5x XP for spinning PokéStops
Choose Your Path: Catch
- 15 excellent throws – 10 great balls
- Perform 50 curveball throws – 10 ultraballs
Rewards: 3 Golden Razz Berries, 5 Rare Candies
Bonus: 1.5x XP for catching Pokémon with good throws or better
Choose Your Path: Battle
- Win 5 raids – 10 great balls
- Use 25 super-effective Charged Attacks – 10 Ultra Balls
Rewards: 3 Golden Razz Berries, 5 Rare Candies
Bonus: An additional 5,000 XP for completing raids
Which path is the best?
Ultimately, the path you choose depends on your playstyle. If you enjoy being outdoors and traveling on foot, you’ll benefit most from the Exploration path. However, if you frequently participate in raids, the Combat path is more worthwhile, as it offers a significant experience point bonus for completing raids.
Before choosing a path, keep in mind that the Lechonk Community Day takes place on May 9th, before the Pokémon Go Timed Research ends. If you plan to participate in this event, the Catch Path is likely the best option, as it will reward you with even more XP for catching Pokémon with good throws or better.
The Choose Your Path Timed Research ends on May 11th at 8:00 PM local time. However, many more events await you this month, including a Deino Community Day (classic) and a Mega Falinks Raid Day.
