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Pokemon Go Lugia raid tips: Best counters, weaknesses and movesets

Here are some tips to help you catch Lugia before it leaves raid battles again.

Kevin Knezevic Former staff writer
Kevin has been covering video games and tech since 2010, with a particular focus on Nintendo and Pokemon. Squirtle is the best starter and nothing will convince him otherwise.
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Kevin Knezevic
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Lugia is appearing in five-star raids again until Sept. 14

 Niantic

Lugia is available in Pokemon Go again for a limited time. The legendary Pokemon is appearing in five-star raid battles until Sept. 14, making this your first opportunity to get one since July's Pokemon Go Fest event. Time is running out to catch the legendary, however, so here are some tips to help you beat and capture Lugia before it leaves the game again.

Lugia weaknesses

Lugia is a psychic and flying Pokemon, which means it's vulnerable to a handful of common types. Electric, ice, rock, dark and ghost Pokemon all deal super-effective damage to the legendary, making those the best types to use when challenging it.

Any Pokemon that has a type advantage over Lugia will be helpful against it, but some will fare better in battle than others. Dark Pokemon such as Darkrai are a great choice, as they won't take as much damage from Lugia's psychic-type attacks, while rock Pokemon like Rhyperior will resist Aeroblast -- a powerful flying-type attack that every Lugia you encounter will know.

Best Lugia counters

Here are some recommended Pokemon and moves to use when battling Lugia:

Electric

  • Zapdos: Thunder Shock, Thunderbolt
  • Raikou: Thunder Shock, Wild Charge
  • Electivire: Thunder Shock, Wild Charge
  • Therian Forme Thundurus: Volt Switch, Thunderbolt
  • Zekrom: Charge Beam, Wild Charge

Ice

  • Mamoswine: Powder Snow, Avalanche
  • Galarian Darmanitan: Ice Fang, Avalanche

Rock

  • Rhyperior: Smack Down, Rock Wrecker
  • Rampardos: Smack Down, Rock Slide
  • Terrakion: Smack Down, Rock Slide

Dark

  • Houndoom: Snarl, Crunch
  • Tyranitar: Bite, Crunch
  • Absol: Snarl, Dark Pulse
  • Weavile: Snarl, Avalanche
  • Darkrai: Snarl, Dark Pulse
  • Zoroark: Snarl, Foul Play

Ghost

  • Gengar: Lick, Shadow Ball
  • Origin Forme Giratina: Shadow Claw, Shadow Ball
  • Chandelure: Hex, Shadow Ball

Best moves for Lugia

Lugia's psychic/flying typing gives it an advantage over grass, bug, fighting and poison, making the legendary a good counter to those types of Pokemon. As previously mentioned, each Lugia you encounter in raids this time around knows Aeroblast -- a powerful flying-type Charged Attack and the legendary's signature move. Complement Aeroblast by teaching Lugia the psychic-type Fast Attack Extrasensory to make the most of the legendary's typing. Keep these tips in mind and you should have no trouble adding Lugia to your collection!