Deoxys Pokémon GO Raid Battle Strategy

Deoxys is a Psychic-type
Mythical Pokémon originally discovered in the Hoenn region. Deoxys was created when the DNA of a space virus underwent a
sudden mutation upon exposure to a laser beam. Learn which Pokémon will be most
effective in Raid Battles against Deoxys, how to catch Deoxys after winning a
Raid Battle, and how best to use the DNA Pokémon after you’ve caught it.

Deoxys’s Formes

Deoxys is unique in
that it has four different formes: Normal Forme, Attack Forme, Defense
Forme, and
Speed Forme. While all Deoxys’s formes are Psychic-type, each has unique moves and stats that
emphasize a different quality. For example, Defense Forme Deoxys has incredibly high
Defense while its Attack is lower than other formes. Meanwhile, Attack
Forme Deoxys has a tremendously powerful Attack at the expense of its Defense. Normal
Forme Deoxys
has
more balance between Attack and Defense, while Speed Forme Deoxys slightly favors offense over defense.

Despite their
similarities, each forme performs with differing effectiveness in the GO Battle
League. Learn more in the “What to Do with Deoxys Once You’ve Caught It”
section.

Which Pokémon to Use in a Deoxys Raid in Pokémon GO

As a Psychic-type Pokémon, Deoxys is
vulnerable to Bug-, Ghost-, and Dark-type attacks. When choosing six Pokémon
for your Deoxys Raid Battle lineup, it helps to choose Pokémon that have a Fast
Attack and Charged Attack of one of these types if you want to deal as much damage
as possible. It’s not necessary to choose only Bug-, Ghost-, or Dark-type
Pokémon, but a Pokémon that shares a type with these attacks will benefit from
a same-type attack bonus, which will allow these attacks to deal an additional
20% damage.

If you have multiple Pokémon that know
Bug-, Ghost-, or Dark-type attacks, choose the Pokémon with the highest CP and
best overall stats. Remember that speed of victory affects how many Premier
Balls you will receive at the conclusion of a successful Raid Battle, so bring
your strongest Pokémon and defeat Deoxys as quickly as possible.

• Beedrill / Mega Beedrill (Bug/Poison)

  • Fast Attack: Bug Bite (Bug), Infestation (Bug)

  • Charged Attack: Fell Stinger (Bug), X-Scissor (Bug)

• Pinsir / Shadow Pinsir (Bug)

  • Fast Attack: Bug Bite (Bug), Fury Cutter (Bug), Rock Smash (Fighting)

  • Charged Attack: Close Combat (Fighting), Submission (Fighting), Superpower (Fighting), X-Scissor (Bug)

• Scizor / Shadow Scizor (Bug/Steel)

• Gengar / Mega Gengar (Ghost/Poison)

  • Fast Attack: Hex (Ghost), Lick (Ghost), Shadow Claw (Ghost)

  • Charged Attack: Shadow Ball (Ghost), Shadow Punch (Ghost)

• Banette / Shadow Banette (Ghost)

  • Fast Attack: Hex (Ghost), Shadow Claw (Ghost)

  • Charged Attack: Shadow Ball (Ghost)

• Mismagius / Shadow Mismagius (Ghost)

• Giratina (Ghost/Dragon)

  • Fast Attack: Shadow Claw (Ghost)

  • Charged Attack: Ominous Wind (Ghost), Shadow Ball (Ghost)

• Chandelure (Ghost/Fire)

• Mega Gyarados (Water/Dark)

• Houndoom / Mega Houndoom / Shadow Houndoom (Dark/Fire)

  • Fast Attack: Snarl (Dark)

  • Charged Attack: Crunch (Dark), Foul Play (Dark)

• Tyranitar / Shadow Tyranitar (Rock/Dark)

• Absol / Shadow Absol (Dark)

  • Fast Attack: Snarl (Dark)

  • Charged Attack: Dark Pulse (Dark), Megahorn (Bug), Payback (Dark)

• Honchkrow / Shadow Honchkrow (Dark/Flying)

• Weavile / Shadow Weavile (Dark/Ice)

  • Fast Attack: Feint Attack (Dark), Snarl (Dark)

  • Charged Attack: Foul Play (Dark)

• Darkrai (Dark)

  • Fast Attack: Feint Attack (Dark), Snarl (Dark)

  • Charged Attack: Dark Pulse (Dark), Shadow Ball (Ghost)

• Yveltal (Dark/Flying)

  • Fast Attack: Snarl (Dark), Sucker Punch (Dark)

  • Charged Attack: Dark Pulse (Dark)

Make the Most of Premier Balls and Berries

After a successful Deoxys raid, you’ll
have a limited number of Premier Balls you can use to catch Deoxys, so make
each one count. You can earn extra Premier Balls by battling with friends and
defeating Deoxys more quickly.

In an encounter with Deoxys, your
chance of catching it is greatest when the target ring is small enough for you
to score Excellent Throws. Throwing Curveballs can
improve your chances even more. But work within your abilities—if you don’t
think you can reliably make Excellent Curveball Throws, aim for Nice Throws or
Great Throws rather than risk missing the target ring completely.

Deoxys isn’t going to make it easy on you
by sitting still while you’re trying to catch it. Don’t waste your Premier
Balls by throwing while it’s moving around. Watch Deoxys to get a
feel for its cycle of movement and the pauses in between the cycles. During one
of these pauses, wait for the target ring to reappear, and then throw as it
starts to grow smaller to increase your odds of making a Great Throw or an
Excellent Throw.

Berries can help you catch Deoxys. A Razz
Berry will make Deoxys easier to catch, and a Golden Razz Berry will make it
much easier to catch. If you find yourself failing to land any throws, a Nanab
Berry will calm Deoxys, making its movements less erratic and allowing you to
make precise throws more easily. If you need extra Deoxys Candy, using a Silver
Pinap Berry will make Deoxys easier to catch and grant you extra Candy when you
catch it.

Buddy
Pokémon with a Buddy Level of Great Buddy or higher have the Catch Assist Perk.
If a Pokémon—even a Legendary Pokémon—deflects a Poké Ball, your buddy might
bounce it back for a second catch opportunity!

Like all Mythical
Pokémon, Deoxys is tricky to catch, so don’t be discouraged if it
escapes. Get a second wind by stocking up on useful items—like Max Potions, Max
Revives, and Golden Razz Berries—and try again.

What to Do with Deoxys Once You’ve Caught It

As a
Psychic-type Pokémon, Deoxys is resistant against Fighting- and Psychic-type attacks.
Three of Deoxys’s formes—Normal, Attack, and Speed—have limited use in raids
and the GO Battle League, though their distinctive physical appearance makes
them worth catching. Defense Forme Deoxys is a GO Battle League powerhouse,
dominating in the Great League and the Ultra League. Its impressive bulk and
wide range of attack types make it a serious contender against a wide range of
Pokémon commonly used in the GO Battle League.

Defense Forme Deoxys’s Fighting-type
Fast Attack Counter is highly effective against Dark-type Pokémon, which Deoxys
is vulnerable to. This Pokémon also offers a reasonable range of Charged Attack
types, so it is wise to teach it a second Charged Attack. While the Charged
Attack Psycho Boost does benefit from a same-type attack bonus, it has the downside
of reducing Deoxys’s Attack stat. Both the Rock-type Charged Attack Rock Slide
and Electric-type Charged Attack Thunderbolt are popular choices, increasing
the range of types Defense Forme Deoxys can contend with. For example, a
Defense Forme Deoxys that knows the Fast Attack Counter, Charged Attack
Thunderbolt, and Charged Attack Rock Slide would be effective against Normal-,
Fire-, Water-, Ice-, Flying-, Bug-, Rock-, Dark-, and Steel-type Pokémon.

Given that
Defense Forme Deoxys is an excellent choice for the Great League and the Ultra
League, you’ll want to raise its CP to its maximum and teach it a second
Charged Attack. To do that, you’ll need a lot of Candy—including XL Candy—so
try to catch as many Deoxys as possible. It’s also worth noting that all Deoxys
Candy is the same regardless of forme, so catch Deoxys in every forme to earn
enough Candy to power up your favorite forme for battle!

Good luck with your next Raid Battle, and remember to check Pokemon.com/Strategy for more Pokémon GO, video game, and Pokémon TCG tips.

Source: Pokemon