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Everything You Need to Know About Mega Raids in Pokémon Go

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Pokémon Go is a one-of-a-kind augmented reality video game that significantly rose to popularity in 2020. Two years later, the game still has a dedicated following. This is partly due to the extensive Pokémon fanbase and the game constantly releasing new features and modes. 

One such release is Mega Evolution. Mega Evolution allows players to upgrade their Pokémon to an ultimate, more powerful version. The only way to do this is to win Mega Raids, a whole new tier of Raid Battle that involves defeating Mega Bosses. 

Needless to say, Mega Raids are difficult and require a bit of practice when getting started. We’ll detail everything you need to know about Mega Raids in Pokémon Go so that you can get all the Mega Energy you need! We’ll also list out the top Mega Bosses and how to defeat them and make the most out of the Mega Evolution in Pokémon Go.

What is the Mega Evolution in Pokémon Go?

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Mega Evolution is essentially about evolving your Pokémon species to a more powerful one. Not all species can be Mega updated. The only way to get your species involved is to collect that monster’s Mega Energy. This involves participating in Mega Raids to defeat the Mega Boss and get their Mega Energy.

What are Mega Raids in Pokémon Go?

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Pokémon Go has always had in-game Raid Battles, and Mega Raids are a whole new tier. They take place in gyms, similar to other Raid Battles. If you’re wondering how tough these battles are, many players claim the Mega Raids are of a similar difficulty level to Legendary Raids or a Level 5 Boss. The key difference here is that you’ll be fighting against a Mega Boss of the Pokémon species you’re trying to get. 

Like any other Raid Battle, winning rewards and points depends on how fast you can defeat the boss. The Mega Boss is tougher to beat than most other battles, which is the entire point of the game mode. 

Each Mega Boss will require a different strategy to beat. It’s not common to defeat a Mega Boss on your first try going in blind, so it’s a good idea to practice with each boss to strategize and choose the right moves accordingly.

Why do you need Mega Energy in Pokémon Go?

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Any kind of Mega Evolution in Pokémon Go costs Mega Energy. There are two primary methods of gaining Mega Energy in Pokémon Go: Mega Raids and Special Research. Out of these two, Mega Raids is a much more reliable (albeit difficult) method of gaining Mega Energy. 

Mega Energy is similar to Pokémon Candy in Pokémon Go. After your Pokémon is Mega Evolved, their energy depletes over time.

Evolving a Pokémon species into Mega for the first time costs a lot of Mega Energy but gets much cheaper after the first time. Subsequent Mega Evolutions for the same Pokémon species consume drastically less Mega Energy each time you do it. That’s why Pokémon Go players struggle with Mega Evolutions the first time around. 

In later game updates, we can expect Mega Energy rewards for walking with your Buddy Pokémon, which can cut down the time spent in Mega Raids.

All Mega Bosses in Pokémon Go and How to Defeat Them

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There are six Mega Bosses in Pokémon Go. Each will require a different strategy. You’ll need to understand each Mega Boss type in order to bring the right counter Pokémon to the raid battle. Studying each Mega boss’s most powerful moves also helps you know which moves to make. Here’s everything you need to know to defeat all of them.

Mega Boss 1: Mega Venusaur

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Just like base Venusaur, Mega Venusaur is a Grass/Poison type. This automatically makes it vulnerable to the following: 

  • Fire
  • Ice
  • Psychic
  • Flying Pokémon

Monsters to bring along for the battle: 

  • Charizard
  • Heatran
  • Mewtwo
  • Metagross

Mega Boss 2: Mega Charizard X

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There are two types of Mega Charizard: X and Y. You’ll need to employ different strategies for both of them. 

Mega Charizard X is a Fire/Dragon-type, different from its base form. As a result, Mega Charizard X is weak to: 

  • Rock
  • Ground
  • Dragon Pokémon

The monsters to bring along are mostly dragon types: 

  • Dragonite
  • Salamence
  • Rayquaza

Mega Boss 3: Mega Charizard Y

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Mega Charizard Y is a much similar Mega Pokémon to its base Pokémon. Mega Charizard Y is also considered to be overall more powerful than Mega Charizard X. Just like the base species, Mega Charizard Y is also a Fire/Flying type, making it weak to: 

  • Rock 
  • Water
  • Electric Pokémon

You’ll want to bring these counter Pokémon with you to the Mega Battle: 

  • Kyogre
  • Suicune
  • Swampert
  • Raikou
  • Electivire

Mega Boss 4: Mega Blastoise

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Mega Blastoise is a pure water type with a special Mega Launcher ability. As a Water/Water type, it’s weak to: 

  • Grass
  • Electric Pokémon

Mega Blastoise is the ultimate version of the Generation I Pokémon and an already evolved version of Wartotle. If you’re trying to defeat the Mega Blastoise, these are the counter Pokémon monsters to take with you: 

  • Venusaur
  • Tangrowth
  • Raikou 
  • Electivire

Mega Boss 5: Mega Pidgeot

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This normal/flying Pokémon shouldn’t be underestimated. Mega Pidgeot was one of the first Mega Bosses to be introduced in Pokémon Go, and players have had enough time to figure out what moves to defeat it best. 

Mega Pidgeot is particularly weak to: 

  • Electric
  • Ice
  • Rock

Resisting Mega Pidgeot’s normal and flying moves will require counters like: 

  • Rhyperior
  • Golem
  • Tyranitar
  • Electivire

Most players have had the best success with electric-type counters when in a Mega Raid with Mega Pidgeot.  

Mega Boss 6: Mega Houndoom

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This Dark/Fire-type boss Mega Houndoom is notorious for being difficult to beat in Mega Raids. Mega Houndoom is naturally weak to: 

  • Rock
  • Ground
  • Water

The Mega Houndoom will use its strongest moves: Fire Fang and Foul Play, so you’ll need to come prepared. The obvious choice when bringing counter Pokémon along for battle are: 

  • Rhyperior
  • Golem 
  • Tyranitar
  • Machamp
  • Conkeldurr

Now you know how to defeat the most important Mega Bosses in Pokémon Go. The Mega Raids are known for being a challenging aspect of Pokémon Go. Still, they’re easier to win after a bit of practice, especially as you gain more Mega Energy for your Pokémon. Here’s how to invite friends to a Raid Battle so that you can defeat Mega Bosses in a team effort.

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Freelance Gaming Writer specializing in news and guides for various games. Apart from being passionate about writing and gaming, Kanishka is also a professional actor.