Pokemon Go December Field Research Guide - Legendary Birds & Legendary Beasts

For the entire month of December, Pokemon GO players will have the opportunity to catch one of 6 Pokemon as their Field Research breakthrough rewards - Articuno, Zapdos, Moltres, Entei, Raikou, and Suicune. The first three are the legendary birds from the Generation 1 games Red, Blue, and Yellow. The second set are the legendary beasts, who first appeared in Gold, Silver, and Crystal. Each trio has their most superior options - and their stinkers. Here's who you're looking for this month. 

Best Options - Raikou, Moltres, & Zapdos

Raikou and Moltres are the two best-case scenarios as rewards. Raikou is the best Electric-type attacker in the game with its Thundershock/Wild Charge moveset, and Moltres is a top-3 Fire-type attacker with Fire Spin and Overheat. Moltres' usability skyrockets if its Moltres Day-exclusive move, Sky Attack, is available. There's been no word yet on if the "Day" moves will be included. Similarly, if Zapdos is equipped with Thundershock, its Zapdos Day-exclusive move, its use skyrockets to near-Raikou levels. If not, it sort of falls in between the Best and Good options.

Good Options - Entei, Articuno

Entei is a very strong Fire-type attacker. It will have lesser DPS than its contemporaries, but it is bulkier than pretty much every Fire-type Pokemon until Heatran is released. Like Moltres, Fire Spin & Overheat do the most damage. If Articuno has Hurricane, its Articuno Day-exclusive move, it becomes a Good option. If not, it lies somewhere between good and....Suicune.

Worst Option - Suicune 

The Pokemon Crystal mascot is far and away the worst result of this event. Pray to whichever Poke-deity is out there that you don't see a Suicune appear after a long, hard week's worth of Field Research. Suicune just doesn't translate well to Pokemon Go - its moves stink, its stats stink, and there aren't many Fire-type raid bosses at this point. Even so Rock-type attackers like Tyranitar and Rhyperior will out-DPS Suicune in spades. Make the best of the bad situation if it appears and maybe offer it as trade bait to a player who love Suicune, but that's about all it's worth. 

May all your Field Research Breaktroughs be viable Pokemon, Trainers! Unless you like Suicune, then maybe you can get one. As you catch your legendary beasts and birds, you may come across a Cresselia raid or two. Here's how to defeat it, but be ready to leave your shiny (not Shiny!) new Pokemon on the bench.