Mega Absol now available in Pokémon GO Mega Raids until February 22 at 10 a.m. local time, check out these official Mega Absol Pokémon GO Raid Battle tips

Mega Absol is a Dark-type Pokémon originally discovered in the Hoenn region. Mega Absol converts energy from Mega Evolution into an intimidating aura. Learn which Pokémon will be most effective in Raid Battles against Mega Absol, how to catch Mega Absol after winning a Raid Battle, and how best to use the Disaster Pokémon after you’ve caught it.

As a Dark-type Pokémon, Mega Absol is vulnerable to Fighting-, Bug-, and Fairy-type attacks. When choosing six Pokémon for your Mega Absol 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. 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 Fighting-, Bug-, or Fairy-type Pokémon, choose Pokémon with the highest CP and best overall stats. Remember that speed of victory affects how many Premier Balls you will receive after a successful Raid Battle, so bring your strongest Pokémon and defeat Mega Absol as quickly as possible.

When you challenge a Raid Boss while you’re in a party, Party Power can give your Charged Attacks a boost. When you have more party members in a raid, your Party Power charges more quickly—when you activate it, your next Charged Attack will deal even more damage! To get the most out of Party Power, it’s a great idea to take on Raid Battles with friends.

It’s also worth noting that when you include a Mega-Evolved Pokémon in your raid lineup, all Pokémon of the same type participating in the raid receive a damage boost while that Mega-Evolved Pokémon is battling the Raid Boss. With their substantial CP, Mega-Evolved Pokémon are already an excellent resource for raids, but this added damage boost for other Trainers’ Pokémon can also be significant in Raid Battles where you’re up against the clock.

After a Mega Absol raid, Mega Absol will revert to Absol. You’ll have a limited number of Premier Balls you can use to catch the Raid Boss, so make each one count. You can earn extra Premier Balls by battling with friends and defeating Mega Absol more quickly.

In an encounter with Absol, 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.

Absol 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 Absol 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, 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 Absol. A Razz Berry will make Absol 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 Absol, making its movements less erratic and allowing you to make precise throws more easily. If you need extra Absol Candy, using a Silver Pinap Berry will make Absol 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 deflects a Poké Ball, your buddy might bounce it back for a second catch opportunity!

Absol 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.

As a Dark-type Pokémon, Absol is resistant to Psychic-, Ghost-, and Dark-type attacks. While Absol and Shadow Absol are considered decent Dark-type attackers, Mega Absol is one of the strongest offensive Dark types in Pokémon GO raids. This makes Mega Absol mega useful in five-star raids especially. More specifically, Mega Absol is an incredible asset against Pokémon like Mega Gengar, Mewtwo, Lugia, Latias, Latios, Giratina, and Cresselia.

Absol isn’t a wildly popular Pokémon at any level in the GO Battle League—it shines most when it’s Mega Evolved and used in raids. This makes powering up a Mega Absol to use as a Dark-type attacker a worthwhile endeavor. To get the necessary Candy and Candy XL, you can participate in as many Mega Absol raids as possible to power up your Absol. If you’re using Mega Absol as a Dark-type attacker in raids, it isn’t necessary to teach it a second Charged Attack, but it is useful to ensure Mega Absol has a Dark-type Fast Attack and Charged Attack. It can only learn one Dark-type Fast Attack: Snarl. Dark Pulse is a strong choice for its Charged Attack.

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