Pokemon Go Zacian Raid guide: Counters, weaknesses & how to beat

Daniel Megarry
Pokemon Go Zacian

Galar-region Legendary Zacian is finally making its long-awaited return to Pokemon Go in 5-Star Raids, and with the right counters, you’ll be able to beat and catch one for yourself.

A whole year after they debuted during the 2021 Ultra Unlock celebrations, Sword & Shield Legendaries Zacian and Zamazenta are returning to Pokemon Go to give trainers another chance to add them to their collection.

Below, you’ll find everything you need to know about Zacian, including its weaknesses and a roundup of the best counters you can take into battle to defeat this powerful Pokemon and (hopefully!) catch it.


Contents


Pokemon Go Zacian Zamazenta

Zacian counters in Pokemon Go

Pokemon Fast Move Charge Move
Metagross Bullet Punch Meteor Mash
Dialga Metal Claw Iron Head
Gengar Lick Sludge Bomb
Mega Beedril Poison Jab Sludge Bomb
Genesect Metal Claw Magnet Bomb
Excadrill Metal Claw Iron Head
Scizor Bullet Punch Iron Head
Roserade Poison Jab Sludge Bomb
Vileplume Acid Sludge Bomb
Aggron Iron Tail Heavy Slam

Pokemon Go Zacian weaknesses

Zacian is a pure Fairy-type, which means it’s only weak against Poison and Steel-type attacks. As a result, Trainers should focus on bringing their strongest Pokemon of these types with matching moves.

As for Zacian’s strengths, it will absolutely destroy Dark, Dragon, and Fighting-types, so it’s definitely best to avoid those wherever possible. You’ll find the best counters in the table above.

Zacian moveset in Pokemon Go

Zacian has four potential Fast Moves and four potential Charged Moves in its arsenal. Depending on which ones the 5-Star Raid Boss uses, this could turn out to be quite a difficult battle.

Here are all of Zacian’s potential moves in Pokemon Go:

  • Metal Claw (Steel)
  • Snarl (Dark)
  • Fire Fang (Fire)
  • Quick Attack (Normal)
  • Iron Head (Steel)
  • Play Rough (Fairy)
  • Close Combat (Fighting)
  • Wild Charge (Electric)

The real dangers here are Fire Fang and Close Combat, as many of the best Steel-type counters are weak against both Fire-type and Fighting-type moves. You’ll be facing plenty of KOs if Zacian has either of these.

Despite being a Fairy-type, there’s only one Fairy-type move that Zacian will potentially use, and that’s Play Rough. Both Steel and Poison-type counters are able to resist this easily.

Zacian best Fairy Pokemon
Zacian takes the cake when it comes to the most powerful fairy Pokemon.

How to catch Zacian in Pokemon Go

As with all Legendaries, the only way to catch Zacian in Pokemon Go is to first defeat it in a 5-Star Raid Battle. You’ll then be given the chance to catch it with a limited amount of Premier Balls to throw.

Zacian will be available in 5-Star Raid Battles from Thursday, August 18, 2022, at 10AM until Wednesday, August 31, 2022, at 10AM local time, when it will be replaced by another Raid Boss.

Can Zacian be Shiny in Pokemon Go?

Shiny Zacian Pokemon Go

Unfortunately, Shiny Zacian is currently unavailable in Pokemon Go. It will likely debut during a future event, so for now, regular Zacian will have to do.

We do already know what Shiny Zacian looks like, though, as it appeared in Sword and Shield on the Nintendo Switch. You can see it in the image above.

When is Zacian Crowned form coming to Pokemon Go?

Things will really heat up when Zacian’s powered-up Crowned form makes its debut in Pokemon Go. As a dual Fairy/Steel-type, it could potentially end up being the best Dragon-slayer in the game.

There’s no release date for Zacian Crowned form yet, but we’re expecting to see it debut in the not-so-distant future. Fingers crossed there won’t be too long to wait!


That’s everything you need to know about defeating Zacian in 5-Star Raids! For more tips and guides to becoming the ultimate Trainer, check out the rest of our Pokemon Go guides below:

Best attackers and defenders | Pokemon Go type chartHow 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

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About The Author

Daniel graduated from university with a degree in Journalism and English Language, before spending five years at GAY TIMES covering LGBTQ+ news and entertainment. He then made the switch to video game journalism where he produces news, features, and guides for Pokemon, Fortnite, Nintendo, and PlayStation games. Daniel also has a passion for any games with queer representation.