Pokemon Go Giratina (Altered Forme) Raid guide: Counters & weaknesses

Daniel Megarry
Giratina Altered Forme in Pokemon Go

The Legendary Giratina (Altered Forme) is returning to 5-Star Raids in Pokemon Go, and we’ve got the best counters to help you take advantage of its weaknesses and defeat it.

As the Season of Mischief rumbles on, the 5-Star Raid Bosses are being switched up once again. Following in the footsteps of Genesect holding a Douse Drive is the Sinnoh-region’s Legendary Ghost-Dragon-type Giratina in its Altered Forme.

While Giratina’s Origin Forme is a PvE champion, its Altered Forme is a top-tier PvP fighter in both the Ultra League and the Master League. It’s a must-have for Trainers who want to dominate the Go Battle League, and now’s the perfect chance to catch one.


Counters


Giratina Altered Forme in Pokemon Go Raids
Trainers have another chance to add Giratina to their collection.

Giratina Altered Forme weaknesses in Pokemon Go

Giratina (Altered Forme) is a unique Dragon/Ghost-type, which means it’s weak against Dark, Dragon, Fairy, Ghost, and Ice. There’s plenty to play with here, but be careful when using Dragons as they have a weakness to their own typing.

As for Giratina’s strengths, there’s a lot to be aware of, as it’s resistant to Bug, Electric, Fire, Grass, Poison, and Water-types, and double resistant to Fighting and Normal-types. Avoid using Pokemon of these types wherever possible.

You can find a list of some of the best counters to take into battle against Giratina (Altered Forme) below, but if you don’t have any of those, focus on your strongest Pokemon that match its weaknesses.

Giratina Altered Forme counters in Pokemon Go

Counter Fast Move Charged Move
Mega Gengar Shadow Claw Shadow Ball
Mega Houndoom Snarl Foul Play
Rayquaza Dragon Tail Outrage
Palkia Dragon Tail Draco Meteor
Garchomp Dragon Tail Outrage
Dragonite Dragon Tail Outrage
Galarian Darmanitan Ice Fang Avalanche
Chandelure Hex Shadow Ball
Weavile Snarl Avalanche
Gengar Lick Shadow Ball

Giratina Altered Forme moveset in Pokemon Go

Giratina’s Altered Forme has two potential Fast Moves and three potential Charged Moves. These are mostly Dragon or Ghost, but there’s one Rock-type move that could throw a spanner in the works.

Here are all of Giratina (Altered Forme)’s potential moves in Pokemon Go:

  • Dragon Breath (Dragon)
  • Shadow Claw (Ghost)
  • Dragon Claw (Dragon)
  • Ancient Power (Rock)
  • Shadow Sneak (Ghost)

There aren’t any majorly threatening moves to watch out for here, but remember that Dragons – who make up plenty of Giratina’s counters – are weak against Dragon-type moves, so Dragon Breath and Dragon Claw will be a pain to deal with.

If you’re using an Ice-type counter like Galarian Darmanitan or Weavile, you’ll also need to watch out for the Rock-type Charged Move Ancient Power, which will make light work of them.

Giratina Altered Forme
Giratina (Altered Forme) is one of the best Legendaries you can catch.

How to catch Giratina Altered Forme in Pokemon Go

The only way to add Giratina (Altered Forme) to your Pokedex in Pokemon Go is to first defeat it in a 5-Star Raid Battle, after which you’ll be given a set amount of Premier Balls so you can attempt to catch it.

The number of Premier Balls you get depends on a variety of factors. You can increase this by dealing high amounts of damage, participating in Raids with friends, or by raiding a Gym that’s occupied by your team.

Giratina (Altered Forme) will appear in 5-Star Raid Battles from Tuesday, October 12, at 10AM until Friday, October 22, at 10AM local time, meaning you’ll have just over a week to catch one.

Can Giratina Altered Forme be Shiny in Pokemon Go?

The good news is that Shiny Giratina (Altered Forme) is available in Pokemon Go. It made its debut when it appeared in 5-Star Raids in September 2019, and will be available to catch during this return.

As always, the chances of getting a Shiny variation are extremely low, and there aren’t any special methods to increase the odds. You’ll simply have to take part in as many Raids as possible and hope for the best.


That’s everything you need to know about defeating Giratina (Altered Forme) in 5-Star Raids! For more tips to become the ultimate Trainer, check out the rest of our Pokemon Go guides below:

Best attackers and defenders in Go | Pokemon Go type chart | How to catch Ditto | Best Eeveelutions | Field research rewards and tasks | Promo Codes | How to get Pinap Berries | Spotlight Hour schedule | Pokemon Go current Raid bosses