Pokémon Masters EX updates to Version 2.44.0 - Dev update previews new Story Event for Rika's debut, plus upcoming Costume and High Score events

A new version of Pokémon Masters EX, version 2.44.0, is now available to download. Together with this update, the monthly message from the producers of Pokémon Masters EX has teased several upcoming events that will run in game over the next few weeks, including a brand new Story Event featuring the debut of Rika & Clodsire. The next letter from the producers is slated to be released in late-May.

App Update Summary
The full changelog from the Version 2.44.0 update can be read here. Below, we've summarized the more notable changes with this update.

Ticket Scout Revamp
5★-Guaranteed Sync Pair Scouts will be updated to allow players to perform ×5 and ×10 scouts. The end date/time for each 5★-Guaranteed Sync Pair Scout will also be displayed.

Trainer Lodge Update
From at 11:00pm (PDT), players who have teamed up with Rika & Clodsire from their featured Poké Fair Scout will also be able to invite them to the Trainer Lodge.

The Paldean Elite Four member Rika will be available to be invited to the Trainer Lodge from April 30th, at 11:00pm (PDT), at the same time as their Sync Pair debut. To invite Rika, players will need to have teamed up with Rika & Clodsire from her featured Poké Fair Scout.

Device Change Requirements
With the release of Version 2.44.0, the minimum device requirements for players on both Android and iOS will change.

The minimum requirement for Android will increase from Android 5.0 to Android 7.0. Given how old these versions of Android are, with Android 7.0 (Nougat) having released all the way back in 2016, it's likely that any players still on Android 5.x or 6.x will be unable to update their devices to the newer compatible version, in which case they will either need to download the app on a device with a newer, compatible operating system.

The minimum requirement for iOS meanwhile will increase from iOS 11.0 to iOS 12.0. iOS 12.0 was released in 2018, and is supported by the iPad Air 1 or later, iPad mini 2 or later, iPhone 5s or later, and sixth-generation iPod touchs, meaning most players should have no problem maintaining compatibility unless they're using a truly old device.

Rika & Clodsire debut alongside a brand new Story Event
As reported earlier today, Rika & Clodsire will make their debut later this week. A brand new Story Event, Good Ol'Rika, will launch alongside Rika, on April 25th, at 11:00pm (PDT). Rika's debut will feature a special Log-in Bonus and gem special, with more details to follow on their debut.

An additional Special Battle Event featuring Rika will also run starting April 26th. Players completing missions assigned by Rika will be able to earn a variety of rewards, including an exclusive Title, Passed Rika's Elite Test. An additional reward of Trainer Lodge artwork of Rika & Clodsire will also be distributed to all players depending on the cumulative total of Missions completed by all players.

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Rika & Clodsire are a Ground-type Support role Sync Pair with a Field EX Role. Their Poké Fair Scout will begin on April 25th, at 11:00pm (PDT), running through to May 15th, at 10:59pm (PDT). Pairing up with Rika & Clodsire will also give players a Clodsire photo frame that can be used in the Photo Creator.

Rika & Clodsire's have a range of moves and abilities allowing them to act as a sturdy tank while simultaneously buffing the party and debuffing the opposition. One of their Passive Skills will restore all allies' HP any time they get hit by an attack move, while another lowers one of an opponent's Attack, Defense, Sp. Atk, Sp. Def, or Speed at random by two stat ranks when they hit Rika & Clodsire with an attack. In addition, Rika & Clodsire's Think Fast! Trainer move increases all allies' Attack and Sp. Atk by two stat ranks when used, while their Rampant Mud Slap Buddy Move will allow them to lower all opponents accuracy by two stat ranks and leave them all poisoned, as well as creating a Ground Zone, and increasing the Physical Moves ↑ Next and Special Moves ↑ Next effects for all allies by two ranks each.

New content for the Mysterious Stones Chapter
A brand new story area for the Mysterious Stones Chapter, Fateful Reunion, will be available in-game from April 30th, and will feature the first face-to-face meeting of Rei and Volo on Pasio. To access this area, players will need to have acquired a minimum of 600 Mysterious Stones. These can be obtained as completion rewards from Daily Region Rotation battles, as well as rarely from Trainer Lodge expeditions, and from some area info in the Training Areas.

Mysterious Stones that are exchanged in Monthly Exchanges will still count for unlocking this and other areas for the Mysterious Stones Chapter, as these unlocks are based on stones acquired rather than stones on hand.

Upcoming Triple Feature Poké Fair Scouts and Updates to Sync Pairs
Three separate Triple Feature Poké Fair Scouts will launch later this week on April 26th, featuring a wide variety of past Fair-exclusive Sync Pairs, including Anniversary Sync Pairs. With the exception of Palmer & Regigigas, who already has an EX Role, all of the Sync Pairs featured in these scouts will be receiving EX Roles for the first time alongside these scouts.

The Sync Pairs featured in these scouts include:

• Scout A
  • Sygna Suit Hilbert & Genesect
  • Sygna Suit Hau & Tapu Koko
  • Skyla (Anniversary 2022) & Tornadus
• Scout B
  • Blue (Classic) & Aerodactyl
  • Sygna Suit Lysandre & Volcanion
  • Palmer & Regigigas
• Scout C
  • Emmet & Archeops
  • Gloria (Dojo Uniform) & Urshifu
  • Sygna Suit Giovanni & Nidoking

As typical for these kinds of Scouts, paid-gems-only scouts will run alongside each of these, featuring Roll Cake Presents that can be used to unlock their newly added EX Roles.

Other upcoming Updates and Events
New Costume Event
A sequel to the ongoing Costume Event New Heroes Are Born will begin on April 29th, featuring two characters appearing before Barry and Selene as Villains. It is expected that additional Costume Scouts featuring these characters will launch alongside this event.

New High Score Event
As announced back in March, the game's next High Score event, with two recommended types will be launching on May 6th. This High Score Event will focus on Trainers weak to Water- and Fairy-type Sync Pairs.

Due to a reduced expected difficulty of this event with the broader amount of Sync Pairs available, the maximum number of points needed to obtain the featured reward for this event will be increased to 200,000 from 180,000. Future High Score Events may see similar adjustments to point totals based on difficulty.

New Trainer Files Event
A new Trainer Files event will run sometime during May. As of writing, no details have been given about which Trainer or Trainers this event will focus on.

New Ultimate Battle
Players can expect another new battle to be added to Challenge the Strong sometime during May. As of writing, no information has been given about the opponent for this challenge.

Returning Golden events
A selection of classic events will be returning sometime in the near future, including Solo Event Pasio Gold Rush, Daily Battle The Golden Magikarp, and Story Event A Golden Future. Though the scheduled dates for these event reruns have not yet been officially revealed, players can likely expect these to co-incide with Japan's Golden Week holiday period, which runs from April 29th through to May 5th.