Tomorrow, on October 30, 2021, a Raid Weekend will start in Pokémon GO. We at MeinMMO have looked into what this event is about and will show you which counters work best against the Raid Bosses.
What is this event? As part of the currently ongoing Halloween event, there will be a special Raid Weekend starting tomorrow. During this, you will encounter Level 5 Raids and Mega Raids more frequently in the arenas.
Thus, during the event, you will encounter Darkrai in Level 5 Raids and Mega-Absol in Mega Raids.
Raid Weekend with Darkrai and Mega-Absol – Start and Counters
When does the Raid Weekend take place? The Raid Weekend starts on Saturday, October 30, 2021, at 10:00 AM local time and runs until Sunday, October 31, 2021, at 8:00 PM local time.
As you are used to in Pokémon GO, the eggs will again show you over the arenas where a raid will start. The dark eggs represent a Level 5 Raid and the light eggs with colored decorations indicate a Mega Raid.
The best counters against Darkrai
In the Level 5 Raids, Darkrai will stand against you as a Raid Boss during the Raid Weekend. This legendary Pokémon of the Dark type comes from Generation 4. Due to its type, it is weak against Fighting, Bug, and Fairy type moves.
You should utilize this weakness and set the appropriate counters. We have compiled the best monsters against Darkrai with the help of Pokebattler (via pokebattler.com):
| Pokémon | Moveset |
| (Crypto-) Machamp | Counter and Dynamic Punch |
| (Crypto-) Hariyama | Counter and Dynamic Punch |
| Conkeldurr | Counter and Dynamic Punch |
| Lucario | Counter and Aura Sphere |
| (Crypto-) Granbull | Charm and Play Rough |
| (Crypto-) Pinsir | Bug Bite and X-Scissor |
| Zacian | Quick Attack and Play Rough |
| (Crypto-) Gardevoir | Charm and Dazzling Gleam |
| (Crypto-) Scizor | Fury Cutter and X-Scissor |
| Scyther | Counter and Night Slash |
Mega Evolutions: Alternatively, you can rely on the following Mega Evolutions:
- Mega Beedrill with Bug Bite and X-Scissor
- Mega Lopunny with High Jump Kick and Focus Blast
- Mega Charizard Y with Flame Burst and Fire Blast
Further effective counters can also be found in our counter guide to Darkrai:
The best counters against Mega-Absol
In the Mega Raids, you will encounter the Dark-type Pokémon Mega-Absol. This is the temporary Mega Evolution of Absol. By defeating this Raid Boss, you will earn Mega Energy to trigger your own Mega Evolution.
Due to its type, Mega-Absol is also vulnerable to Fighting, Bug, and Fairy type moves. So again, use the appropriate attackers. Preferably, utilize the following counters (via pokebattler.com):
| Pokémon | Moveset |
| (Crypto-) Machamp | Counter and Dynamic Punch |
| (Crypto-) Hariyama | Counter and Dynamic Punch |
| Lucario | Counter and Aura Sphere |
| Conkeldurr | Counter and Dynamic Punch |
| (Crypto-) Gardevoir | Charm and Dazzling Gleam |
| (Crypto-) Granbull | Charm and Play Rough |
| (Crypto-) Pinsir | Bug Bite and X-Scissor |
| (Crypto-) Kapilz | Counter and Dynamic Punch |
| Zacian | Quick Attack and Play Rough |
| (Crypto-) Scizor | Fury Cutter and X-Scissor |
If you do not have these counters, the following Pokémon are also suitable against Mega-Absol:
- Scyther with Counter and Night Slash
- (Crypto-) Ursaring with Counter and Play Rough
- Torterra with Counter and Focus Blast
- Togekiss with Charm and Dazzling Gleam
Mega Evolutions: You can also resort to your Mega Evolutions against Mega-Absol. The following are also the best options:
- Mega Beedrill with Bug Bite and X-Scissor
- Mega Lopunny with High Jump Kick and Focus Blast
- Mega Charizard Y with Flame Burst and Fire Blast
Is the Raid Weekend worth it?
Are there Shiny Darkrai and Mega-Absol? Yes, with a bit of luck, you might encounter a shiny Darkrai or Absol after the raid. You can recognize Darkrai by its purple body. The shiny Absol, on the other hand, differs from its normal variant by its orange body.
A shiny Mega-Absol can only be developed from a shiny Absol with the collected Mega Energy. This is because after the raid, you can only encounter an Absol. The Mega Evolution is not available for catching.
How strong are the two Raid Bosses?
Darkrai can impress with high stats in attack and stamina. It is among the best attackers in Pokémon GO.
According to PvPoke, Darkrai is less interesting in the PvP league (via pvpoke.com). Only in the Master League can it shine. But even here there are other candidates who are better.
Absol can also score less in the PvP league. Its stats show that it is mainly strong in attack. Its stamina and defense, on the other hand, are only average.
However, its temporary Mega Evolution, Mega-Absol, is somewhat better. This monster can primarily score by increasing its attack value. But it is also slightly stronger in defense than Absol.
Who should take advantage of the Raid Weekend?
If you are looking for a strong Dark-type attacker, you should definitely take advantage of the Raid Weekend. Darkrai should be interesting for most players. For trainers who still lack Darkrai in their Dex, it is also another chance to obtain a specimen.
But you should also participate in the Mega Raids. Even though Absol has somewhat weaker stats, you should secure a sufficient amount of Mega Energy for Absol’s Mega Evolution. After all, there is also a dedicated Pokédex entry for it.
Particularly worthwhile is the current candy bonus that is available during the Halloween event. You will receive double candy for catching and sending your Pokémon. Especially to level up Darkrai, a lot of candy is needed. This is your opportunity to farm some candy for the legendary Pokémon.
And shiny hunters will also benefit from both raids. Both Darkrai and Absol are available in their shiny form in the game.
What do you think of the upcoming Raid Weekend? Will you participate? Or are raids not your thing and would you prefer to skip this event? Feel free to let us know your opinion in the comments here and exchange ideas with other trainers on MeinMMO.
In the coming weeks, there will be a lot happening in Pokémon GO. We will show you which events are waiting for you in October and which you should not miss.
