Most people won’t have too many issues with the average Max Raid battle, especially if they’re going in with friends. But, they can pose challenges in some cases. If you’re looking to take down that Dynamax Pokémon, you’ll want to make sure you’re following certain tips and strategies to ensure success.
Preparation for a Max Raid begins even earlier than finding a filled den. You’ll want to make sure your Pokémon are prepared (as well as being the right choice for the job). Of course, some raids are easier or harder than others, but here are some general tips for Max Raid battles.
10 Bring Eternatus
Sure, you might want to bring something that you like or a ‘mon that has a type advantage against the raid boss, but a general counter to almost anything is Eternatus.
This Poison/Dragon-type is amazing in raids. Not only does it have really good stats across the board, but its signature move, Dynamax Cannon, does double damage against Dynamaxed Pokémon. At a base power of 100 already, that’s insanely powerful, regardless of type matchup. Just keep in mind that it’s a Dragon-type move, so Fairy-types are immune to it.
9 Balance Healing Carefully
It’s tempting to heal your Pokémon when it’s health starts to get into the orange and red zones. And of course, typically, you should. But, in a Max Raid Battle, you have to choose carefully when to heal and when not to.
If four Pokémon faint, the raid will end. However, you’ll only have a few turns to defeat the opponent. You’ll have to choose wisely when to heal and when not to — it’ll cost you a turn, but could save you from being kicked out of the den.
8 Use Dynamax Candies
As a reward for completing raids, you’ll often receive some Dynamax Candies. These are essential for taking on ‘maxed opponents. A Dynamax Candy will increase a Pokémon’s overall Dynamax level, giving it more HP in a battle when ‘maxed. The boost amounts to about 5% more health in battle.
You’ll definitely want to use these to your advantage. It’s basically free extra max HP. You can see your Pokémon’s Dynamax level in its stat page.
7 Ignore Status Moves
For the most part, you should completely avoid trying to inflict any type of status infliction. There are a couple of reasons for this.
First, Max Raid bosses are able to completely clear all status conditions, meaning you’ll have wasted a move for nothing. The second is that you want to inflict large amounts of damage at once, so a status move is too slow (if it’s damaging, like a burn or poison).
Raid bosses are also able to eliminate the effects of stat changes and Abilities, so don’t rely on these to win, either.
6 Make Note of Unusable Moves
There are a few moves that are completely unusable in a Max Raid, probably due to the immense size of the bosses. It’d be wise to keep track of which moves are not legal in a Max Raid battle so you don’t accidentally try to use one of them and waste a valuable turn.
The following moves are just some of those that do not work in Max Raids: Super Fang, Self-Destruct, Pluck, Bug Bite, Curse, Explosion, Destiny Bond, Incinerate, Knock Off, and Perish Song. The effects of some other moves are decreased or eliminated, as well.
5 Always Try For Real People
You can invite other, real humans to join you in a Max Raid (up to three, plus yourself). If this is an option for you (either through local play or online), you should always try for it.
Many of the NPCs are totally fine and can help immensely, but they are still AI and inefficient. Real people (typically) do a bit better and employ more useful strategies. It’s usually better to get some real people to help out.
4 Dynamax
When you have the option to Dynamax your Pokémon, you typically always should. Dynamaxing gives a boost to your Pokémon’s stats, and change its moves to powerful ones with varying effects.
At the beginning of a Max Raid Battle, the first trainer to start the lobby will be able to Dynamax. The opportunity then passes to the next trainer, and so on. Note that NPC trainers will never Dynamax their Pokémon.
3 Remember Type Matchups
Even though Eternatus is a great choice to bring into a Max Raid Battle, it’s still important to remember type matchups, should you decide to bring someone else. Inflicting as much damage as possible is extremely important, so you’ll want every bonus you can get.
The most obvious and easy bonus is a type weakness. Ensure you’re using something that causes super-effective damage, preferably by a Pokémon with Same-Type Attack Bonus.
2 Focus on Defense and Stamina
While you’re trying to inflict major damage, you can’t forget a good defense. If four Pokémon are knocked out, the raid will end without any chance to capture the Pokémon or earn any item rewards.
This is why it’s vital to keep an eye on your Pokémon’s HP, as well as making sure you’re using something with a decent defense or special defense stat. The last thing you need is a glass cannon fainting three times and letting your team down.
1 Ball Choice
In the end, if you successfully complete the raid, you’ll be granted a chance to catch the Pokémon that you took down. If you’re interested in the Pokémon, you’ll definitely want to make sure you choose the right Poké Ball.
You only get one chance to catch the Pokémon, so you’ll want to use the best Ball you have available. Whether it’s an Ultra Ball or a specialty Ball for an appropriate Pokémon, make sure you’re making the right choice.
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