Pokemon Go is all about exploring your local area, catching Pokemon, and earning items that you can collect as you move around. Many items in your inventory come from PokeStops, and when you spin enough of them, they provide you with bonus XP.
This won’t happen with every PokeStop, though. It all comes down to the unique PokeStops you visit, and Niantic created a hidden mechanic behind it to reward you with additional XP and items. However, the mechanic is not fully explained, and it is not very clear. Especially if you’ve already visited a PokeStop before. Here’s what you need to know about how to get unique PokeStop XP and items in Pokemon Go.
How Unique PokeStops Work in Pokemon Go
A unique PokeStop is a location you have never visited before while playing Pokemon Go. After your character spins this location once, it counts toward any PokeStop-related medals account.
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You can identify a unique PokeStop based on the white ring around any of them. I have several of them on the top part of my image, indicating that I have never spun them with my character, but the one I am standing next to has been spun before. For anyone trying to complete the Sightseer medal in Pokemon Go, try to explore locations where you can find the PokeStops with the white symbol around them, giving you the chance to collect more PokeStops. It doesn’t hurt to take your buddy with you, too.
How to Get More PokeStop XP & Items in Pokemon Go
Although unique PokeStops can only happen once for any you visit in Pokemon Go, there are ways for you to collect more PokeStop XP and items. For example, for every 10th unique PokeStop you visit in Pokemon Go, that 10th will drop from six to 10 items, and reward you 100 XP rather than 50. The type of items you receive does vary, but it’s a good way to earn additional items while playing Pokemon Go.
The trouble with this mechanic is trying to track down those unique PokeStops, especially when you don’t travel too much or live in a small town. My recommendation would be to try driving around to local places or playing Pokemon Go when you’re traveling with friends or family. Again, you only have to spin a PokeStop once for it to count as a unique PokeStop, so long as it has a white ring around it. The more you see, the more items and XP you can earn while playing Pokemon Go.
