A brand-new month means a brand-new Raid Boss schedule to look forward to in Pokémon GO, and during October 2024, things are getting spooky with the return of Origin Forme Giratina and Darkrai in 5-Star Raids Battles. Trainers will also be able to encounter Shiny Zamzaenta for the very first time, so it’s a great month for Shiny Legendary Pokémon hunters.
Aside from the Legendary 5-Star Raid Bosses, there will be four Mega Raid Bosses to battle throughout the month, as well as several new Max Raid Bosses including the Galar-region starter trio: Grookey, Scorbunny, and Sobble. With so much going on, it’s a good idea to plan ahead and study the schedule so you know which Pokémon you want to battle and catch.
5-Star Raid Bosses In October 2024
Encounter Three Powerful Legendaries & A Mythical Pokémon
During the month of October, you’ll be able to battle Zacian, Zamazenta, Origin Forme Giratina, and Darkrai in 5-Star Raid Battles. This is the first time the Sword & Shield Legendaries have appeared in Pokémon GO since 2022, so if you missed out last time, or you’re a new player, it’s a good idea to catch them while you can. Even better, Shiny Zamazenta will now be available for lucky Trainers to encounter.
You can see the dates that each of these 5-Star Raid Bosses will be appearing in Pokémon GO, as well as their weaknesses, in the table below:
|
Dates |
Pokémon |
Weaknesses |
|---|---|---|
|
October 1 – October 4 |
Zacian |
|
|
October 4 – October 14 |
Zamazenta |
|
|
October 14 – October 28 |
Origin Forme Giratina |
|
|
October 28 – November 4 |
Darkrai |
A set of strong Steel-type Pokémon like Dialga, Metagross, and Excadril will serve you well when battling Zacian in Pokémon GO. As for the other 5-Star Raid Bosses, all of them are vulnerable to Fairy-type attacks, so powering up a collection of Fairy-type Pokémon such as Enamorus, Xerneas, Gardevoir, Togekiss, Hatterene, and Sylveon is a good idea.
As a nice bonus, if you’re able to catch a Zacian at the start of the month, you can use that as an excellent counter for Zamazenta, Origin Forme Giratina, and Darkrai. Make sure all of your counters know attacks that complement their typing.
Mega Raid Bosses In October 2024
Darkness Reigns In This Month’s Mega Raid Battles
Throughout October, there will be four Mega Raid Bosses for you to take on. The first is Mega Gardevoir, a crossover from last month’s schedule, followed by Mega Blaziken, Mega Sableye, and Mega Banette. The latter two Mega Raid Bosses are symbolic of the Halloween celebrations that will be arriving in Pokémon GO towards the end of the month.
Here are the dates when you’ll be able to take on each Mega Raid Boss this month, as well as details of their weaknesses to help you defeat them:
|
Dates |
Pokémon |
Weaknesses |
|
October 1 – October 4 |
Mega Gardevoir |
|
|
October 4 – October 14 |
Mega Blaziken |
|
|
October 14 – October 28 |
Mega Sableye |
|
|
October 28 – November 4 |
Mega Banette |
Mega Sableye will likely be the trickiest Mega Raid Boss to take on this month, as it only has one weakness, and that’s Fairy-type attacks. There aren’t a huge number of strong Fairy-type attackers to choose from in Pokémon GO, but standouts include Enamorus, Xerneas, Gardevoir, Togekiss, Hatterene, and Sylveon. Make sure they have Fairy-type attacks and are powered up as high as you can get them.
Mega Raid Bosses are some of the strongest opponents you’ll ever face in
Pokémon GO
. It’s not going to be possible to defeat them by yourself, so you’ll need to team up with other Trainers if you want to win. I’d recommend having at least six high-level Trainers in your lobby before heading into these battles.
Be careful when taking on Mega Banette, too. Although it might be tempting to use strong Ghost-type Pokémon like Giratina, Gengar, and Chandelure, it’s important to remember that Ghost-type Pokémon are typically vulnerable to Ghost-type attacks. This means they won’t last too long on the battlefield if Mega Banette uses Ghost-type moves. Take strong Dark-type Pokémon into battle instead if possible.
Max Raid Bosses In October 2024
The Galar-Region Starter Trio Will Be Able To Dynamax
Following on from the Kanto-region starter trio, it’s time for the Galar-region starter trio to get their turn in the Dynamax spotlight. The following Pokémon will be appearing in Max Raid Battles throughout October 2024:
- Grookey
- Scorbunny
- Sobble
- Falinks
A fifth Max Raid Boss will also be appearing at some point in October, but their identity hasn’t been revealed yet. With the exciting two-part Halloween event taking place at the end of the month, it could be something spooky… but for now, we’ll just have to wait for Niantic to confirm which Pokémon is getting the Dynamax treatment next.
Haven’t competed in a Max Raid Battle yet? This is a new type of Raid Battle that takes place at Power Spots around the map. You’ll take on giant-sized, powerful Dynamax Pokémon with up to three other Trainers. Collect enough Max Energy and you’ll be able to Dynamax your Pokémon to unleash powerful Max Moves. You can check out this comprehensive Max Raid guide for more tips on how to take part.
Shadow Raid Bosses In October 2024
A Legendary Pokémon Becomes A Shadowy Raid Boss
During October, you’ll be able to take on Shadow Entei in Shadow Raid Battles. These special Shadow Raids will take place every weekend throughout the month, so make sure you’ve got some time set aside to battle this Legendary Shadow Pokémon if you’re looking to add it to your collection. Note that Remote Raid Passes cannot be used for Shadow Raids.
Just like its non-Shadow counterpart, Shadow Entei is a Fire-type Pokémon. This means it’s vulnerable to Ground, Rock, and Water-type attacks. Some of the best counters you can use to take on Shadow Entei in Pokémon GO are Primal Groudon, Primal Kyogre, Mega Swampert, Mega Blastoise, Landorus, Garchomp, Greninja, Rhyperior, and Terrakion.
Finally, if you’re planning on taking part in Shadow Raids, remember that you’ll need several Purified Gems to calm them down from their powerful enraged state. Purified Gems are formed automatically when you collect four Shadow Shards. These are dropped from Team GO Rocket members as well as Shadow Raid Bosses when defeated in Pokémon GO.