Zekrom Pokémon GO Raid Battle Tips: Which Pokémon to use in a Zekrom Raid, how to make the most of Premier Balls and Berries, and what to do with Zekrom once you’ve caught it

Zekrom is a Dragon- and Electric-type Legendary Pokémon originally discovered in the Unova region. It creates electricity in its tail and conceals itself in lightning clouds. Learn which Pokémon will be most effective in Raid Battles against Zekrom, how to catch Zekrom after winning a Raid Battle, and how best to use the Deep Black Pokémon after you’ve caught it.

As a Dragon- and Electric-type Pokémon, Zekrom is vulnerable to Ice-, Ground-, Dragon-, and Fairy-type attacks. When selecting Pokémon for your Zekrom Raid Battle lineup, it helps to choose Pokémon that have a Fast Attack and a Charged Attack of one of these types if you want to deal as much damage as possible. It’s not necessary to choose only Ice-, Ground-, Dragon-, or Fairy-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. You may not want to choose a Dragon-type Pokémon, however—they will be vulnerable to Zekrom’s Dragon-type attacks.

If you have multiple Pokémon that know Ice-, Ground-, Dragon-, or Fairy-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 after a successful Raid Battle, so bring your strongest Pokémon and defeat Zekrom as quickly as possible.

• Mamoswine / Shadow Mamoswine (Ice/Ground)

  • Fast Attack: Mud-Slap (Ground), Powder Snow (Ice)

  • Charged Attack: Avalanche (Ice), Bulldoze (Ground)

• Groudon (Ground)

  • Fast Attack: Dragon Tail (Dragon), Mud Shot (Ground)

  • Charged Attack: Earthquake (Ground)

• Garchomp (Dragon/Ground)

  • Fast Attack: Dragon Tail (Dragon), Mud Shot (Ground)

  • Charged Attack: Earth Power (Ground)*, Earthquake (Ground), Outrage (Dragon), Sand Tomb (Ground)

• Excadrill (Ground/Steel)

  • Fast Attack: Mud Shot (Ground), Mud-Slap (Ground)

  • Charged Attack: Drill Run (Ground), Earthquake (Ground)

• Therian Forme Landorus (Ground/Flying)

  • Fast Attack: Mud Shot (Ground)

  • Charged Attack: Bulldoze (Ground), Earth Power (Ground)*, Earthquake (Ground)

• Mega Charizard X (Fire/Dragon)

  • Fast Attack: Dragon Breath (Dragon)*

  • Charged Attack: Dragon Claw (Dragon)

• Dragonite / Shadow Dragonite (Dragon/Flying)

  • Fast Attack: Dragon Breath (Dragon), Dragon Tail (Dragon)

  • Charged Attack: Draco Meteor (Dragon)*, Dragon Claw (Dragon), Dragon Pulse (Dragon)*, Outrage (Dragon)

• Salamence / Shadow Salamence (Dragon/Flying)

  • Fast Attack: Dragon Tail (Dragon)

  • Charged Attack: Draco Meteor (Dragon), Outrage (Dragon)*

• Latios / Mega Latios (Dragon/Psychic)

  • Fast Attack: Dragon Breath (Dragon)

  • Charged Attack: Dragon Claw (Dragon)

• Rayquaza (Dragon/Flying)

  • Fast Attack: Dragon Tail (Dragon)

  • Charged Attack: Outrage (Dragon)

• Dialga (Steel/Dragon)

  • Fast Attack: Dragon Breath (Dragon)

  • Charged Attack: Draco Meteor (Dragon)

• Palkia (Water/Dragon)

  • Fast Attack: Dragon Breath (Dragon), Dragon Tail (Dragon)

  • Charged Attack: Draco Meteor (Dragon)

• Reshiram (Dragon/Fire)

  • Fast Attack: Dragon Breath (Dragon)

  • Charged Attack: Draco Meteor (Dragon)

• Zekrom (Dragon/Electric)

  • Fast Attack: Dragon Breath (Dragon)

  • Charged Attack: Outrage (Dragon)

• Gardevoir / Shadow Gardevoir (Psychic/Fairy)

  • Fast Attack: Charm (Fairy)

  • Charged Attack: Dazzling Gleam (Fairy)

• Mewtwo / Shadow Mewtwo (Psychic)

  • Fast Attack: Confusion (Psychic), Psycho Cut (Psychic)

  • Charged Attack: Ice Beam (Ice)

*An Elite Fast TM or an Elite Charged TM is typically required to teach this Pokémon this attack.

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

In an encounter with Zekrom, 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.

Zekrom 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 Zekrom 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 Zekrom. A Razz Berry will make Zekrom 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 Zekrom, making its movements less erratic and allowing you to make precise throws more easily. If you need extra Zekrom Candy, using a Silver Pinap Berry will make Zekrom 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 Legendary Pokémon, Zekrom 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 Dragon- and Electric-type Pokémon, Zekrom is resistant to Fire-, Water-, Grass-, Electric-, Flying-, and Steel-type attacks. Boasting a high max CP and uncommon dual typing, Zekrom is powerful in both Raid Battles and the GO Battle League’s Master League. Zekrom is useful against many powerful Raid Bosses, including Mega Charizard, Mega Blastoise, Suicune, Ho-Oh, Kyogre, and Palkia.

Take Zekrom to the Master League to counter several commonly used Pokémon, including Mewtwo, Metagross, Kyogre, and Giratina. And while Zekrom is vulnerable to Fairy-type Pokémon, its Electric-type attacks help its matchup against the popular Togekiss. Zekrom is considered an especially powerful closer when an opponent’s Protect Shields are down since it can knock out powerful Pokémon with its Charged Attacks.

Choosing the correct moveset for Zekrom is essential. Select your attacks based on your overall team composition and the role you want Zekrom to play. Though it boasts an impressive array of options, remember that its Electric- and Dragon-type attacks benefit from a same-type attack bonus. When selecting a Fast Attack, keep in mind that Dragon Breath deals more damage than Charge Beam, but Charge Beam generates energy more quickly. Between the two, Dragon Breath is generally the more popular option.

As always, having two Charged Attacks is necessary for your Pokémon to reach its full potential in battle. Consider your strategy and the strengths of the other Pokémon on your team when you select these attacks. Wild Charge is a popular choice because it benefits from a same-type attack bonus. Crunch doesn’t benefit from this bonus, but it’s a strong attack that can help round out your offense if you find yourself light on Dark-type attacks.

Whether you choose to use Zekrom in Raid Battles or the GO Battle League, you’re going to need a lot of Candy to power it up. Participate in as many Zekrom Raid Battles as possible to earn the Zekrom Candy you need—and don’t forget those Pinap Berries!

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.