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

Lugia is a Psychic- and Flying-type Legendary Pokémon originally discovered in the Johto region. Lugia is said to be the guardian of the seas and is rumored to be seen on the night of a storm. Learn which Pokémon will be most effective in Raid Battles against Lugia, how to catch Lugia after winning a Raid Battle, and how best to use the Diving Pokémon after you’ve caught it.

As a Psychic- and Flying-type Pokémon, Lugia is vulnerable to Electric-, Ice-, Rock-, Ghost-, and Dark-type attacks. When selecting Pokémon for your Lugia 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 Pokémon with those types, but Pokémon that share 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 Electric-, Ice-, Rock-, Ghost-, and 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 Lugia as quickly as you can.

• Zapdos / Shadow Zapdos (Electric/Flying)

  • Fast Attack: Charge Beam (Electric), Thunder Shock (Electric)*

  • Charged Attack: Ancient Power (Rock), Thunder (Electric), Thunderbolt (Electric), Zap Cannon (Electric)

• Raikou / Shadow Raikou (Electric)

  • Fast Attack: Thunder Shock (Electric), Volt Switch (Electric)

  • Charged Attack: Thunder (Electric), Thunderbolt (Electric), Wild Charge (Electric)

• Manectric / Mega Manectric (Electric)

  • Fast Attack: Charge Beam (Electric), Snarl (Dark), Thunder Fang (Electric)

  • Charged Attack: Thunder (Electric), Wild Charge (Electric)

• Magnezone / Shadow Magnezone (Electric/Steel)

  • Fast Attack: Charge Beam (Electric), Spark (Electric)

  • Charged Attack: Wild Charge (Electric), Zap Cannon (Electric)

• Electivire / Shadow Electivire (Electric)

  • Fast Attack: Thunder Shock (Electric)

  • Charged Attack: Ice Punch (Ice), Thunder (Electric), Thunder Punch (Electric), Wild Charge (Electric)

• Xurkitree (Electric)

  • Fast Attack: Spark (Electric), Thunder Shock (Electric)

  • Charged Attack: Discharge (Electric), Thunder (Electric)

• Mamoswine / Shadow Mamoswine (Ice/Ground)

  • Fast Attack: Powder Snow (Ice)

  • Charged Attack: Ancient Power (Rock)*, Avalanche (Ice), Stone Edge (Rock)

• Galarian Darmanitan (Ice)

  • Fast Attack: Ice Fang (Ice)

  • Charged Attack: Avalanche (Ice), Ice Punch (Ice)

• Aerodactyl / Mega Aerodactyl (Rock/Flying)

  • Fast Attack: Bite (Dark), Rock Throw (Rock)

  • Charged Attack: Ancient Power (Rock), Rock Slide (Rock)

• Tyranitar / Shadow Tyranitar (Rock/Dark)

  • Fast Attack: Bite (Dark), Smack Down (Rock)

  • Charged Attack: Crunch (Dark), Stone Edge (Rock)

• Gengar / Mega Gengar (Ghost/Poison)

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

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

• Banette / Mega Banette (Ghost)

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

  • Charged Attack: Shadow Ball (Ghost)

• Houndoom / Mega Houndoom (Dark/Fire)

  • Fast Attack: Snarl (Dark)

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

• Weavile / Shadow Weavile (Dark/Ice)

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

  • Charged Attack: Avalanche (Ice), Foul Play (Dark)

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

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

In an encounter with Lugia, your chance of catching it is greatest when the target ring is small enough for you 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.

Lugia 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 Lugia 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 Lugia. A Razz Berry will make Lugia 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 Lugia, making its movements less erratic and allowing you to make precise throws more easily. If you need extra Lugia Candy, using a Silver Pinap Berry will make Lugia 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, Lugia 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 Psychic- and Flying-type Pokémon, Lugia is resistant to Grass-, Fighting-, Ground-, and Psychic-type attacks. Lugia can help round out your team when you take on Raid Battles, but it might not be your most powerful pick. It’s stronger defensively than offensively, which lessens its effectiveness in raids. However, its ability to learn both Psychic- and Flying-type attacks makes it a solid counter to Fighting-type Raid Bosses.

The GO Battle League is where Lugia really shines. Its high CP and diverse range of Charged Attacks give it a well-earned reputation as one of the most powerful Pokémon in the Master League, making it a great choice when you’re deciding how to spend your Stardust and Raid Passes.

When deciding on a Fast Attack for Lugia, keep in mind that Dragon Tail deals slightly more damage, but Extrasensory generates a bit more energy. Generally, Dragon Tail is the more popular Fast Attack when using Lugia in the GO Battle League.

Teaching a second Charged Attack to Lugia will help it soar to its full potential. When choosing two Charged Attacks for Lugia, consider Lugia’s role within your overall team. Flying- and Psychic-type attacks will benefit from a same-type attack bonus, but Hydro Pump can wash away the Rock-type opponents Lugia is vulnerable to. Sky Attack and Aeroblast are Lugia’s most popular Charged Attacks in the GO Battle League.

If you have an Apex Shadow Lugia that knows Aeroblast+ or purified Apex Shadow Lugia that knows Aeroblast++, these powerful Pokémon may give you the best results for your Lugia Candy. Shadow Apex Lugia and its purified form, which Trainers first encountered during Pokémon GO Tour: Johto, are incredibly strong, and Aeroblast+ and Aeroblast++ are more powerful versions of Aeroblast. Trainers lucky enough to have caught one of these Pokémon can power them up by picking up as much Lugia Candy as possible when this Raid Boss flies in.

In addition to teaching Lugia a second Charged Attack, battling competitively in the Master League also requires powering up your Pokémon as much as possible. To earn the necessary Stardust and Candy, try to catch as many Lugia as you can. 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.