The Ultimate 7-Step Guide To Masterwork Research: A Dazzling Aria (Shiny Meloetta)

The highly anticipated Masterwork Research: A Dazzling Aria is the ultimate test of dedication for dedicated Pokémon GO Trainers, offering the chance to secure one of the most coveted Mythical Pokémon: Shiny Meloetta. As of December 14, 2025, this non-expiring Special Research quest is the grand reward for those who participated in the Pokémon GO Tour: Unova event, presenting a series of incredibly challenging, long-term objectives that will push your collecting and leveling skills to the absolute limit. This guide breaks down every known step, task, and reward, providing the essential strategies you need to finally add the dazzling, alternate-colored Meloetta to your collection.

Masterwork Research is distinct from standard Special Research, requiring monumental effort and patience, often taking months to complete. Unlike its predecessor, "Wish Granted" (which featured Shiny Jirachi), "A Dazzling Aria" focuses heavily on regional Pokedex completion and major Trainer milestones. Whether you're a veteran grinding for XP or a newer player looking to tackle a long-term goal, understanding the full scope of this 7-step journey is crucial for success.

The Complete Masterwork Research: A Dazzling Aria Task List & Rewards

This Masterwork Research is comprised of seven stages, with the first six presenting difficult tasks and the final stage dedicated to claiming your rewards. The primary goal is a guaranteed encounter with Shiny Meloetta.

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Stage 1 of 7: The Kanto & Johto Prelude

• Catch 151 Pokémon originally discovered in the Kanto region (Gen 1): 648 XP
• Catch 100 Pokémon originally discovered in the Johto region (Gen 2): 648 XP
• Catch 50 Pokémon originally discovered in the Hoenn region (Gen 3): 648 XP

Stage Completion Rewards: 1x Poffin, 10x Reshiram Candy, 10x Zekrom Candy

Stage 2 of 7: Sinnoh, Unova, and Beyond

• Catch 50 Pokémon originally discovered in the Sinnoh region (Gen 4): 648 XP
• Catch 50 Pokémon originally discovered in the Unova region (Gen 5): 648 XP
• Catch 50 Pokémon originally discovered in the Kalos region (Gen 6): 648 XP

Stage Completion Rewards: 1x Incense, 10x Rare Candy, 10x Rare Candy XL

Stage 3 of 7: The Elite Trainer Challenge

• Obtain 5 Lucky Pokémon in trades: 1x Unova Stone
• Win 5 five-star raids or higher: 1x Unova Stone
• Catch a Pokémon 5 days in a row: 1x Unova Stone

Stage Completion Rewards: 1x Star Piece, 10x Reshiram Candy, 10x Zekrom Candy

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Stage 4 of 7: The Unova Specialist

• Make 10 Great Throws in a row: 1x Lucky Egg
• Make 10 Excellent Throws in a row: 1x Lucky Egg
• Complete 100 Field Research tasks: 1x Rare Candy

Stage Completion Rewards: 1x Premium Battle Pass, 4920 XP, 4920 Stardust

Stage 5 of 7: The Ultimate Milestones

This stage contains the most time-consuming and difficult tasks, which are often already completed by long-term players.

• Earn the Gold Unova Medal (Register 156 Unova Pokémon in your Pokedex): 1x Rare Candy
• Reach Level 40: 1x Rare Candy
• Spin 100 PokéStops or Gyms: 1x Rare Candy

Stage Completion Rewards: Darmanitan Encounter, 10x Darumaka Candy, 10x Darumaka Candy XL

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Stage 6 of 7: The Final Grind

The tasks in this stage are often simple "claim rewards" steps, but they serve as a final gate before the grand prize.

• Send 5 Gifts to Friends: 10x Rare Candy
• Catch a Pokémon 5 days in a row: 10x Rare Candy
• Transfer 10 Pokémon: 10x Rare Candy

Stage Completion Rewards: 4920 XP, 4920 Stardust, 1x Super Incubator

Stage 7 of 7: The Dazzling Aria

This final stage is simply a reward claim and the encounter with the Mythical Pokémon.

• Claim Reward: 10x Meloetta Candy
• Claim Reward: 1x Elite Fast TM
• Claim Reward: 1x Elite Charged TM

Stage Completion Rewards: SHINY MELOETTA Encounter, 1x Master Ball, Meloetta T-Shirt Avatar Item

Pro Strategies for the Hardest A Dazzling Aria Tasks

Masterwork Research is designed to be a marathon, not a sprint. The sheer number of Pokémon catches and the Level 40 requirement are the biggest hurdles. Here are the best strategies to accelerate your progress.

1. Reaching Level 40: The XP Grind

For many Trainers, the Reach Level 40 task in Stage 5 is the ultimate bottleneck. Achieving this milestone requires a staggering 20,000,000 XP.

• Friendship XP is King: The single fastest way to earn massive XP is by leveling up friendships. Hitting the Best Friend status grants you 100,000 XP. Coordinate with 20-30 friends to open/send gifts daily and use a Lucky Egg just before you hit Best Friend status to double the reward to 200,000 XP.
• Mass Evolution: Save up a large number of common, low-cost evolution Pokémon (Pidgey, Caterpie, Weedle, Wurmple, etc.). Use a Lucky Egg and evolve them all back-to-back. Each evolution grants 1,000 XP, or 2,000 XP with the Lucky Egg active.
• Raid Battles: Winning Five-Star Raids is an excellent source of XP, especially during event-specific raid hours. The Win 5 five-star raids or higher task is a great way to double-dip on progress.

2. Earning the Gold Unova Medal

The Earn the Gold Unova Medal task requires you to register 156 different Pokémon from the Generation V Unova region in your Pokédex.

• Focus on Evolutions: The fastest way to register new Pokémon is through evolution. Use the in-game search filter "unova & evolve" to identify all the Gen 5 Pokémon you can evolve. This is often cheaper and faster than waiting for a new wild spawn.
• Trade for Missing Species: Trade with friends for any Unova-region Pokémon you are missing. This includes regional exclusives like Heatmor or Durant, or rare spawns like Axew or Rufflet.
• Event Focus: The Masterwork Research is tied to the Pokémon GO Tour: Unova event, which means Unova-region Pokémon will be spawning at a significantly higher rate. Maximize your catches during this period to complete the medal quickly.

3. Securing 5 Lucky Pokémon in Trades

The Obtain 5 Lucky Pokémon in trades is a task that relies heavily on luck, but you can influence the odds. Lucky Pokémon are guaranteed to have high IVs and cost 50% less Stardust to power up.

• Trade Old Pokémon: The older a Pokémon is (acquired in 2019 or prior), the higher the chance it will become a Lucky Pokémon when traded. Coordinate with friends to trade your oldest 'junk' Pokémon.
• Become Lucky Friends: If you reach Best Friend status with another Trainer, there is a small chance (about 1.1%) that your status will upgrade to Lucky Friends upon your first daily interaction. A Lucky Friend trade is a guaranteed Lucky Pokémon trade. Focus on sending and opening gifts daily with your Best Friends to trigger this status.
• Trade Volume: The base chance for any trade to be Lucky is about 5%. Trading with friends daily is the simplest, albeit slowest, way to complete this task.

Why Masterwork Research is Worth the Grind

The rewards for completing Masterwork Research: A Dazzling Aria go far beyond the Shiny Meloetta encounter. The quest is packed with high-value, exclusive items that are essential for high-level competitive play and collection.

Players are rewarded with multiple Rare Candy XL and Rare Candy throughout the stages, which are crucial for powering up Legendary and Mythical Pokémon past Level 40. The inclusion of Elite Fast TM and Elite Charged TM in the final stage is a massive bonus, allowing you to teach a Pokémon a legacy or exclusive attack, which is invaluable for both PvP and Raid teams.

Furthermore, the Master Ball reward in Stage 7 is one of the rarest items in the game, guaranteeing the capture of any wild Pokémon, a perfect safety net for a highly elusive or powerful spawn. This research is a true investment, transforming a player's inventory and providing a guaranteed Shiny Mythical Pokémon, making the long grind entirely worthwhile.