How to beat Raikou in Pokemon Go: strategy & best counters

Raikou is returning to five-star raid battles as Pokemon Go celebrates the Johto region. Here are the best counters for your team to beat it fast.

As we count down the days until the Pokemon Go Tour: Kanto event, which celebrates the franchise’s 25th anniversary, Niantic are revisiting several regions from past generations with features such as Collection Challenges and Legendary raid battles.

Trainers will be able to take on the Legendary beast Raikou, which will be appearing in five-star raids from Sunday, January 31, 2021, at 10 AM to Thursday, February 4, 2021, at 10 AM local time.

It’s not the first time the sabretooth tiger-inspired Pokemon has appeared in the game, but players can take advantage of its return by looking for a higher CP version or attempting to find a rare Shiny variation.

How to defeat Raikou in Pokemon Go raid battle

Raikou first appeared alongside fellow Legendary beasts Entei and Suicune in Pokemon Gold and Silver on the Game Boy Color in 1999, and has gone on to become a favorite among longtime fans of the franchise.

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Being a five-star raid, this won’t be an easy fight, so trainers should come prepared. Raikou has a Boss CP of around 45,435 and it’s boosted by Rainy weather, so keep that in mind when attempting to take it down.

The pure Electric-type Pokemon only has one weakness, making it an even more formidable foe than Entei or Suicune. Still, if you bring a lineup of Ground-types to the battle, you should have a good shot at winning.

Best counters for Raikou in Pokemon Go

• Garchomp: Being resistant to Electric moves, the Ground-and-Dragon-type Garchomp is the perfect Pokemon to take down Raikou with Mud Shot and Earthquake.
• Groudon: A fan-favorite Legendary from Gen 3, the dinosaur Groudon is a strong fighter that can utilize Ground-type moves Mud Shot and Earthquake.
• Rhyperior: First introduced in the Sinnoh region, Rhyhorn’s final evolution Rhyperior is a good choice to take on Raikou with Mud-Slap and Earthquake.
• Excadrill: This mole-inspired Gen 5 Pokemon has a number of resistances including Electric. Use Mud-Slap and Drill Run to help you defeat Raikou.
• Landorus: Another Legendary Pokemon that will aid you well in this fight is the Unova region’s Landorus, with the moves Mud Shot and Earth Power performing best.

Garchomp is arguably the best when battling Raikou, but any of the above Pokemon will work. If you don’t have any of them in your roster, some more common alternatives that should also be effective include Mamoswine, Donphan, and Golem.

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Veteran players could probably take down Raikou in a duo, but we’d recommend having at least four trainers to give you a good chance at success.

While fellow Legendary beast Entei has already been and gone this year, trainers have still got Suicune to look forward to. The Water-type will return to the game in five-star raids from February 4 to February 9.