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Mega Rayquaza returns to Pokémon GO for a day of in-person Elite Raids. You can defeat it with these top Ice- or Dragon-type counters.
Posted in: Games, Mobile Games, Niantic, Pokémon GO | Tagged: pokemon, Shared Skies, Zapdos
Zapdos Raid Guide For Pokémon GO: Shared Skies
The Legendary Bird of Kanto, Zapdos, returns to Tier Five Raids in Pokémon GO and it can be Shiny. Defeat it using these top counters.
Article Summary
- Zapdos returns to Tier Five Raids in Pokémon GO during the Shared Skies season.
- Top counters include Shadow Rhyperior and Mega Diancie, with a total of twenty solid picks.
- A duo can take on Zapdos with maxed-out CP top counters, otherwise group with more trainers.
- Shiny Zapdos has a 1 in 20 rate, with 2015 CP indicating 100% IVs in normal weather.
The June, July, and August season of Pokémon GO, titled Shared Skies, has begun. It kicks off with a slate of Flying-type Legendaries in Tier Five Raids to match the Season's theme. We will see Zapdos, Landorus, Yveltal, and Ho-Oh in Tier Five Raids while Gyarados, Alakazam, Mega Charizard Y, and Tyranitar return to Mega Raids. In addition to that, we will see Shadow Raikou get its chance to shine in Shadow Raids during weekends. Today's raid guide for Pokémon GO players will help you assemble a team to take down Zapdos, who will have a stint as the Tier Five Raid Boss. Let's get into it.
Top Zapdos Counters
Pokebattler, which calculates all possible combinations of Pokémon and moves, lists the top ten Zapdos counters as such:
- Shadow Rhyperior: Smack Down, Rock Wrecker
- Mega Diancie: Rock Throw, Rock Slide
- Shadow Mamoswine: Powder Snow, Avalanche
- Shadow Rampardos: Smack Down, Rock Slide
- Mega Tyranitar: Smack Down, Stone Edge
- Rhyperior: Smack Down, Rock Wrecker
- Shadow Tyranitar: Smack Down, Stone Edge
- Baxcalibur: Ice Fang, Avalanche
- Shadow Mewtwo: Psycho Cut, Ice Beam
- Mamoswine: Powder Snow, Avalanche
It is recommended to power up your counters as much as possible, but creating that amount of strong Shadow Pokémon with their moves unlocked is a tall order for even the most practiced players. Here are ten additional non-Shadow and non-Mega counters that can help take down Zapdos with efficiency.
- Rampardos: Smack Down, Rock Slide
- Tyrantrum: Rock Throw, Meteor Beam
- Terrakion: Smack Down, Rock Slide
- Galarian Darmanitan: Ice Fang, Avalanche
- Gigalith: Smack Down, Meteor Beam
- Tyranitar: Smack Down, Stone Edge
- Kyuren: Dragon Breath, Glaciate
- Glaceon: Frost Breath, Avalanche
- Cetitan: Ice Shard, Avalanche
- Mewtwo: Psycho Cut, Ice Beam
How Many Trainers Are Needed?
Zapdos can be defeated with two trainers, but if you cannot guarantee the top counters with maxed-out CP and the best moves, your best bet is to make sure you have three or more players. As recently as September 2023, Zapdos could not be duoed… so keep that in mind when assessing your team, as you must have the most up-to-date counters to complete this as a pair. Using the Circle Lock Technique to guarantee Great or Excellent throws, along with Golden Razz Berries, is the best way to catch Pokémon. If you get a Shiny, though, it is a guaranteed catch so be sure to use a Pinap Berry.
Shiny Odds & 100% IVs
The Shiny rate for Legendary Pokémon is approximately one in 20. When looking for a Pokémon with the best stats, the 100% IV Zapdos will have a CP of 2015 in normal weather conditions and 2519 in boosted conditions.
Happy raiding, fellow trainers! Be sure to check back on Bleeding Cool for daily updates on all things Pokémon GO.
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