Pokemon GO: Stantler's weaknesses and best counters

Usually not all that tough in a fight, Stantler has emerged as a Pokemon GO 3-star raid boss this December, significantly increasing its battle capability compared to its ordinary version.

Stantler has a very small weakness and resistance chart compared to most other Pokemon due to it being a Normal-type. With no added elements alongside its Normal typing, Stantler retains one weakness and one resistance in Pokemon GO.

This narrows down what trainers can expect to use in order to take Stantler down quickly,. Therefore, battle teams of Pokemon will be affected in the event trainers need to counter pick against the Big Horn Pokemon.

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Pokemon GO: Top counters to defeat Stantler

As part of the Holiday event, Stantler's reindeer-themed costume has returned (Image via Niantic)

As a Normal-type Pokemon, Stantler is only weak to Fighting-type moves in Pokemon and Pokemon GO. Trainers will want to orient their battle teams around this type in order to take on Stantler in raids, though battling its non-raid version with Fighting-type moves will help as well.

However, being a Normal-type, Stantler receives neutral damage from nearly any Pokemon in Pokemon GO. The one exception is that it is resistant to Ghost-type moves.

Though neutral damage is nice, using Fighting-type moves will help trainers defeat Stantler much more quickly, which is key in raids to achieve maximum rewards.

Below, Pokemon GO trainers can find some great moves and Pokemon to use to hard counter Stantler in battle. This list includes Mega Evolutions in the event trainers are taking it on in a gym raid:

• Mega Lopunny (Low Kick/Focus Blast)
• Lucario (Counter/Aura Sphere)
• Conkeldurr (Counter/Dynamic Punch)
• Machamp (Counter/Dynamic Punch)
• Pirouette Meloetta (Low Kick/Close Combat)
• Hariyama (Counter/Dynamic Punch)
• Blaziken (Counter/Focus Blast)
• Terrakion (Smack Down/Sacred Sword)
• Breloom (Counter/Dynamic Punch)
• Sawk (Low Kick/Focus Blast)
• Heracross (Counter/Close Combat)
• Sirfetch'd (Counter/Close Combat)
• Emboar (Low Kick/Focus Blast)
• Toxicroak (Counter/Dynamic Punch)
• Zamazenta (Metal Claw/Close Combat)
• Cobalion (Metal Claw/Sacred Sword)

Trainers should also keep in mind that there are more Pokemon and moves capable of dealing significant damage to Stantler in Pokemon GO. It is also worth noting that matching a Fighting-type move to a Fighting-type Pokemon will also increase the move's damage due to Same Type Attack Bonus (STAB) triggering.

This applies to any Pokemon and move combination that matches types, but for the sake of defeating Stantler, Fighting-type STAB damage is the way to go.