Palkia Raid Guide: A Comprehensive Strategy (Pokémon GO ー November 28, 2025)
Today, November 28, 2025, trainers face Palkia! This comprehensive guide details strategies for success, focusing on exploiting its weaknesses with Dragon and Fairy-type Pokémon.
Understanding Palkia’s Strengths and Weaknesses
Palkia, a powerful Water/Dragon-type Legendary Pokémon, presents a unique challenge in Pokémon GO raids. Its strengths lie in its potent Dragon-type attacks and respectable bulk, allowing it to withstand considerable damage. However, its dual typing also reveals key weaknesses that strategic trainers can exploit.
Specifically, Palkia is notably vulnerable to Dragon and Fairy-type moves. These types deal super-effective damage, significantly reducing its HP. Understanding this is crucial for assembling an effective raid team. While resistant to Fire, Water, and Ice, Palkia struggles against focused attacks from its weaknesses.
Successfully navigating a Palkia raid requires recognizing its offensive capabilities and capitalizing on its type disadvantages. Ignoring these factors will lead to prolonged battles and potentially wasted resources.
Palkia’s Typing and Key Vulnerabilities
Palkia is classified as a Water/Dragon-type Pokémon, a combination that dictates its resistances and, more importantly, its vulnerabilities. This dual typing is central to formulating a winning raid strategy. While it boasts resistance to common types like Fire, Water, and Ice, trainers must focus on exploiting its weaknesses for efficient damage output.
The most significant vulnerabilities lie in Palkia’s susceptibility to Dragon and Fairy-type attacks. These moves deal 2x damage, making them essential for any successful raid team composition. Ignoring these type matchups will drastically increase raid duration and resource consumption.
Understanding these vulnerabilities isn’t merely about choosing the right attack types; it’s about maximizing damage per second (DPS) and minimizing time spent in battle.
Optimal Counter Types: Dragon and Fairy
Given Palkia’s Water/Dragon typing, Dragon and Fairy-type Pokémon emerge as the optimal counters; These types exploit Palkia’s double weakness, delivering super-effective damage. Prioritizing Pokémon of these types is crucial for swift raid completions and conserving valuable resources like Premier Balls.
Dragon-type attackers, while effective, must be chosen carefully, avoiding those with secondary typings that grant Palkia resistance. Fairy-types, conversely, offer a more consistent advantage, lacking common weaknesses against Palkia’s moveset.
However, simply selecting a Dragon or Fairy Pokémon isn’t enough. Move selection and individual Pokémon stats (IVs) significantly impact performance. Focusing on Pokémon with high Attack stats and optimal movesets will maximize damage output during the raid.
Building Your Raid Team
Assembling a potent team is vital for Palkia raids! Prioritize Mega Rayquaza and Mega Gardevoir, alongside strong Dragon and Fairy-type attackers.
Top Tier Raid Counters: Mega Rayquaza
Mega Rayquaza reigns supreme as the ultimate Palkia counter in Pokémon GO raids. Its Dragon and Flying typing grants exceptional resistance to Palkia’s attacks, while its phenomenal Attack stat delivers devastating damage.
Equipping Dragon Tail as a Fast Attack maximizes damage output, and pairing it with a powerful Charged Attack like Outrage ensures consistent, high-DPS performance.
However, Mega Rayquaza requires significant resources to Mega Evolve, making it an investment. Trainers without access to Mega Rayquaza should focus on alternative counters, but understand that no other Pokémon quite matches its raw power against Palkia.
Its ability to quickly deplete Palkia’s HP makes it invaluable for faster raid completions and conserving valuable resources like Potions and Revives.
High-Performing Counters: Mega Gardevoir
Mega Gardevoir emerges as a stellar alternative, particularly excelling due to its Fairy and Psychic typing, directly countering Palkia’s Dragon-type attacks. While not surpassing Mega Rayquaza, it offers substantial damage and a more accessible Mega Evolution for many trainers.
The optimal moveset for Mega Gardevoir includes Dragon Tail as a Fast Attack, capitalizing on Palkia’s weakness. Complement this with the Charged Attack Moonblast, delivering significant Fairy-type damage.
Mega Gardevoir’s bulk allows it to withstand Palkia’s attacks for a reasonable duration, contributing consistently to raid damage.
Investing in a high IV Mega Gardevoir will further amplify its effectiveness, making it a reliable asset in Palkia raid battles.
Strong Alternatives: Dragonite, Salamence
When Mega Rayquaza isn’t available, Dragonite and Salamence present powerful Dragon-type alternatives for tackling Palkia raids. Both Pokémon boast high Attack stats, enabling them to inflict considerable damage, though they lack the same defensive resilience as Mega Evolutions.
For Dragonite, utilize Dragon Tail as the Fast Attack, consistently hitting Palkia for super-effective damage. Pair this with the Charged Attack Outrage for maximum DPS. Salamence benefits from a similar strategy, employing Dragon Claw and Outrage.
Prioritize powering up these Pokémon and securing favorable IVs to optimize their performance. While requiring more strategic dodging, they remain viable options for coordinated raid teams.
Effective Fairy-Type Options: Xerneas, Gardevoir
Xerneas and Gardevoir stand out as premier Fairy-type counters against Palkia, capitalizing on its significant weakness to this typing. Xerneas, a Mythical Pokémon, possesses exceptional stats, making it a top-tier choice when available. Utilize Charm as its Fast Attack, consistently generating energy and dealing damage.
Complement Charm with the Charged Attack Dazzling Gleam for broad, super-effective coverage. Gardevoir, while less statistically imposing than Xerneas, remains a strong contender. Employ Charm or Dragon Breath as the Fast Attack, followed by Dazzling Gleam.
Investing in high IVs and maximizing power-ups will significantly enhance their raid effectiveness. These Fairy-types offer crucial balance to raid teams.
Raid Mechanics and Strategy
Palkia’s attacks are varied, demanding strategic dodging! Understanding its movepool and charged moves is vital for maximizing damage and ensuring team survival during raids.
Palkia’s Movepool: Anticipating Attacks
Palkia boasts a diverse movepool, requiring trainers to anticipate its attacks for optimal raid performance. Its Fast Moves include Dragon Tail, a powerful Dragon-type attack, and Aqua Tail, a Water-type option. Recognizing these initial moves is crucial for setting up your counters.
However, the real challenge lies in predicting its Charged Moves. Palkia can unleash devastating attacks like Draco Meteor (Dragon-type), dealing significant damage, and Hydro Pump (Water-type), offering broad coverage. Less frequently, it may utilize Spacial Rend (Space-type), a unique and potent move.
Successfully dodging these Charged Moves is paramount to survival. Paying attention to Palkia’s attack animations and energy build-up will allow for timely dodging, minimizing damage taken and maximizing your team’s longevity throughout the raid battle. Preparation is key!
Understanding Palkia’s Charged Moves
Palkia’s Charged Moves are central to understanding its offensive capabilities. Draco Meteor, a Dragon-type attack, is its most potent, dealing massive damage but leaving it vulnerable. Hydro Pump, a Water-type move, provides excellent coverage and consistent damage output, posing a threat to various Pokémon.
A less common, yet dangerous, option is Spacial Rend. This Space-type attack is unique to Palkia and can catch unprepared teams off guard. Mastering the timing of dodges is crucial when facing any of these moves.
Recognizing the visual cues for each attack – the charging animation and energy build-up – is vital. Prioritize dodging Draco Meteor due to its high damage, while consistently dodging Hydro Pump to maintain team health; Strategic dodging significantly increases raid success!
Dodging Mechanics: Maximizing Survival
Dodging is paramount in Palkia raids, significantly increasing your Pokémon’s longevity and damage output. Mastering the timing – a quick swipe left or right when the attack glows red – is essential. Prioritize dodging Palkia’s powerful Charged Moves like Draco Meteor and Hydro Pump, as these inflict substantial damage.
Don’t attempt to dodge Fast Moves consistently; focus your energy on avoiding the more devastating Charged Attacks. Utilizing the “circle lock” technique, where you attempt to maintain a lock on Palkia while dodging, can improve accuracy.
Effective dodging minimizes damage taken, allowing your Pokémon to stay in battle longer and contribute more effectively. Remember, a surviving Pokémon deals more damage overall!
Optimizing Your Battle Performance
Maximize your team’s potential by focusing on IVs, powering up key Pokémon, and selecting the best movesets for countering Palkia effectively.
IV Considerations for Raid Counters
Individual Values (IVs) significantly impact a Pokémon’s overall performance in raids, especially against challenging opponents like Palkia. While high-level Pokémon are crucial, their IVs determine how much damage they can inflict and withstand. Prioritize Pokémon with high Attack IVs for maximizing damage output during the raid.
However, don’t entirely neglect Defense and HP IVs, as survivability is also vital. A balanced approach is often best, particularly for Pokémon expected to stay in battle for extended periods.
For raid counters, aiming for Pokémon with at least 15 Attack and 15 HP IVs is a good benchmark. Tools are available online to assess a Pokémon’s IVs and determine its suitability for raids. Remember, even a slightly lower-level Pokémon with excellent IVs can outperform a higher-level one with poor IVs.
Powering Up Your Pokémon
Maximizing your Pokémon’s level is paramount for success in Palkia raids. Powering up increases their HP, Attack, and Defense stats, directly translating to increased raid performance. Prioritize powering up your top raid counters – Mega Rayquaza, Mega Gardevoir, Dragonite, and Xerneas – to their maximum potential.
Stardust and Candy are essential resources for powering up. Utilize Pinap Berries when catching Pokémon to double your Candy yield. Participate in events offering Stardust bonuses to accelerate the process. Consider using Rare Candies to power up Pokémon you don’t have enough Candy for.
Remember that powering up becomes increasingly expensive at higher levels. Strategically allocate your resources, focusing on Pokémon with favorable IVs and relevant movesets for optimal results against Palkia.
Best Movesets for Palkia Counters
Selecting the optimal moveset is crucial for maximizing damage output against Palkia. Mega Rayquaza excels with Dragon Tail (Fast Move) and Outrage (Charged Move), delivering consistent Dragon-type damage. Mega Gardevoir shines with Dragon Pulse as its Charged Move, paired with a Fast Move like Fairy Wind for STAB bonus.
Dragonite benefits from Dragon Tail and Outrage, mirroring Rayquaza’s effectiveness. Xerneas, a powerful Fairy-type, should utilize Fairy Wind and Moonblast. Salamence performs well with Dragon Tail and Outrage, offering a strong alternative.
Prioritize Charged Moves with high damage per second (DPS) and energy generation. Fast Moves should complement the Charged Move, providing consistent energy buildup for frequent attacks. Regularly check updated move rankings as Pokémon GO evolves.
Raid Logistics and Tips
Locate Palkia raids through the in-game map or community resources! Remote Raid participation expands access, while team coordination ensures swift victory.
Finding Palkia Raids
Locating Palkia raids requires a multi-faceted approach within Pokémon GO. The primary method is consistently checking the in-game map. Palkia raids will appear as pink raid eggs on Gyms, and once hatched, will display Palkia’s silhouette. Regularly scanning Gyms increases your chances of discovering a raid quickly.
However, relying solely on the in-game map can be limiting. Utilizing online communities, such as Discord servers and dedicated Pokémon GO subreddits, is highly recommended. Trainers frequently share raid locations and coordinate raid times. Websites and apps dedicated to raid tracking also provide real-time information on nearby Palkia raids.
Remember that raid availability is influenced by time zones and player activity. Peak hours generally offer more raid opportunities. Don’t hesitate to join local Pokémon GO groups to connect with trainers in your area and participate in coordinated raid events!
Remote Raid Participation
Remote Raid Passes offer a convenient way to participate in Palkia raids from anywhere! These passes, obtainable through the Pokémon GO shop, allow you to join raids hosted by friends or appearing on the map without physical proximity to the Gym. However, remote raid participation has some limitations.
Currently, trainers can only participate in a limited number of remote raids each day. It’s crucial to manage your passes strategically. Remote raids also offer reduced Premier Ball rewards compared to in-person raids, impacting your chances of catching Palkia.
Ensure a stable internet connection for a seamless remote raid experience. Coordinate with your raid team via voice chat or messaging apps to synchronize attacks and maximize damage. Remote raiding is an excellent option for trainers with limited mobility or those seeking to participate in raids outside their immediate area.
Team Coordination for Success
Effective team coordination is paramount when tackling Palkia raids. Utilize a communication platform – Discord, WhatsApp, or even in-game messaging – to synchronize attacks. Designate roles: damage dealers focusing on consistent DPS, and players responsible for reviving fallen teammates.
Prioritize coordinating Charged Move usage to maximize damage windows. Avoid overlapping Charged Moves, as this reduces overall effectiveness; A pre-raid discussion about Pokémon types and movesets ensures a well-rounded team composition.
During the raid, call out Palkia’s attacks to help teammates dodge effectively. Revive fallen allies promptly to maintain consistent damage output. Remember, a coordinated team significantly increases your chances of defeating Palkia and securing valuable rewards!
Post-Raid Considerations
Following the raid, focus on catch rates, bonus rewards, and potential IVs. Shiny Palkia is available, though odds are low, so prepare Premier Balls!
Catch Rate and Bonus Rewards
Successfully defeating Palkia unlocks a chance to catch it, but the base catch rate for Legendary Pokémon in raids is notoriously low. Trainers should utilize Golden Razz Berries to significantly increase their odds of securing Palkia. The number of Premier Balls awarded post-raid depends on several factors, including damage dealt, gym control, and raid participation.
Higher damage contribution translates to more Premier Balls. Controlling the gym where the raid takes place also provides a bonus. Participating with a team and actively battling boosts your reward pool. Beyond Premier Balls, bonus rewards can include Rare Candies, TMs, and other valuable items. Remember that friendship level with your raid team members can also influence the quantity of rewards received, encouraging cooperative gameplay!
Palkia’s Potential IVs and Stats
Palkia, as a Legendary Pokémon, possesses a maximum CP of 4644 in Pokémon GO. Its base stats are Attack: 279, Defense: 204, and HP: 335. However, individual Pokémon will vary in their Individual Values (IVs) – Attack, Defense, and HP – ranging from 0 to 15 for each stat. These IVs significantly impact a Palkia’s overall combat potential.
Trainers aiming for a PvP or raid-ready Palkia should prioritize high IV combinations, particularly those with strong Attack and HP stats. A perfect Palkia (15/15/15) is highly sought after, but even near-perfect combinations can be incredibly effective. Utilizing appraisal tools and online resources can help determine a Palkia’s IVs before investing resources into powering it up. Understanding these stats is crucial for maximizing its performance.
Shiny Palkia: Availability and Odds
Shiny Palkia is a highly coveted prize for Pokémon GO trainers, distinguished by its unique pink coloration. It’s typically available during special raid events, often coinciding with its featured appearance, like the current event on November 28, 2025. However, availability isn’t guaranteed with every Palkia raid.
The base shiny rate for Legendary Pokémon in raids is approximately 1 in 20. This means, on average, trainers will encounter 20 Palkia before finding a shiny one. Increased shiny rates may occur during specific events or promotions, so staying informed through official Pokémon GO channels is vital. Persistence and participation in numerous raids are key to increasing your chances of adding this rare variant to your collection!
