Pokemon Go Kartana Raid Guide: Weaknesses & best counters
NIANTICKartana is one of the many Ultra Beasts coming back to Pokemon Go, and if you want to defeat it in a 5-Star Raid battle, you’ll need to know details of its weaknesses and the best counters to use.
Ultra Beasts are powerful creatures that first appeared in Pokemon Sun & Moon’s Alola region. While they belong to their own category, they’re on par with Legendaries when it comes to power and rarity.
One of them is Kartana, the tiny Grass/Steel-type Pokemon that looks like an origami human.
This Ultra Beast is coming back for the Inbound from Ultra Space event. So to help you take down Kartana, we’ve got details of its weaknesses, the best counters to use on your team, and its Shiny availability in the game.
Kartana weaknesses in Pokemon Go
Kartana is a dual Grass/Steel-type Pokemon, which means it’s weak against Fighting and Fire-type attacks. It’s extremely vulnerable to Fire-type moves, so we recommend focusing on those.
Kartana also has loads of resistances that you need to be aware of. Avoid using Dragon, Electric, Fairy, Grass, Normal, Poison, Psychic, Rock, Steel, and Water-type moves as they won’t do much damage.
Kartana counters in Pokemon Go
Here are some of the best counters you can use to defeat Kartana in the game:
| POKEMON | BEST MOVESET | |
|---|---|---|
| Mega Charizard Y |  | Fire Spin & Blast Burn |
| Mega Blaziken |  | Fire Spin & Blast Burn |
| Mega Charizard X |  | Fire Spin & Blast Burn |
| Shadow Darmanitan |  | Fire Fang & Overheat |
| Shadow Moltres |  | Fire Spin & Overheat |
| Shadow Ho-Oh |  | Incinerate & Sacred Fire |
| Heatran |  | Fire Spin & Magma Storm |
| Blacephalon |  | Incinerate & Mystical Fire |
| Volcarona |  | Fire Spin & Overheat |
| Emboar |  | Ember & Blast Burn |
| Charizard |  | Fire Spin & Blast Burn |
| Chandelure |  | Fire Spin & Overheat |
| Incineroar |  | Fire Fang & Blast Burn |
All of the recommended counters above are Fire-type Pokemon with Fire-type attacks. They should make light work of Kartana, as this Ultra Beast has a double weakness to Fire-type damage.
If you haven’t got any of those, simply focus on your most powerful Fire-type Pokemon. You can use Fighting-type Pokemon, but be aware of their weakness to Flying-type attacks which Kartana could use.
How to get Kartana in Pokemon Go
Similar to Legendary Pokemon, the only way to get an Ultra Beast in Pokemon Go is by challenging it to battle, so to capture Kartana, you must defeat it in a 5-Star Raid and then capture it with Premier Balls. However, keep in mind that you won’t always find the Ultra Beasts in Raids, as they appear for a limited time.
Luckily, Kartana is returning to Raid battles along with Xurkitree, Nihilego, and Guzzlord for the Pokemon Go Fest 2024: Sendai and Madrid, and will return for the New York and Global events, too. That means it will be available on the following dates:
- From July 5, 2024, until July 7, 2024 (New York)
- From July 13, 2024, until July 14, 2024 (Global)
The Pokemon CompanyAdditionally, Kartana will become available on July 10, 2024, in 5-Star Raids that take place in the Northern Hemishpere during the Inbound from Ultra Space event.
Can Kartana be Shiny in Pokemon Go?
Yes, Kartana can be Shiny in Pokemon Go, as this special version was recently added to the game during the Sizeable Surprises event in April 2024.
Those challenging Kartana during the Pokemon Go Fest 2024 will have the chance to find its Shiny variation but keep your eyes peeled as the differences between one and the other are very subtle, with part of Shiny Kartana’s body turning deep blue.
That’s all you need to know to beat Kartana in Pokemon Go. You can also check our list of All the Ultra Beasts available in the game, as well as How to get Remote Raid Passes and some very useful catching tips if you plan on challenging some alien-like creatures.