How to defeat and catch Rayquaza in Pokemon GO

Rayquaza will make a return to Pokemon GO this weekend as the Weather Week event wraps up. Players will only have about two days to capture the Legendary, so players should get their teams ready now before the raids begin.

Like always, Legendary Pokemon like Rayquaza will only appear in five-star raids. Sometimes, Legendary Pokemon are part of encounters when players complete special research, but most of the time, raids are the only way to obtain one.

One of the hardest steps in defeating Rayquaza will simply be getting the team of players to take it down. Five-star Pokemon GO raids are some of the toughest, and at a minimum, they typically require at least five other players. The level of each person can change that, but five as a minimum is a safe bet. Having up to 10 players will make the raid much smoother.

It's not always easy to get that many players to take on something like Rayquaza, but there are a couple of options. The first one is to invite any friends who also need the raid, but that's not always a gurantee. A second option is to keep watch over when five-star raids are appearing. In more populated areas, as soon as a five-star raid like Rayquaza starts, a handful of players will join. The key is to join right when the raid starts.

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The best counters for Rayquaza in Pokemon GO

With a Pokemon GO team ready to raid, the next step is to have a useful set of Pokemon in the raid. Players are given six slots to fill before the raid starts. If all six Pokemon are knocked out, players can rejoin with a new team or the same revived one.

Rayquaza sits at 49,808 CP in raids, and it is a dual-type Dragon and Flying Pokemon. That means Ice-types will be the most effective. Fairy and Dragon-types follow up as second options. Then, Rock-type rounds out the list of effective counters.

Five great counters for Rayquaza in Pokemon GO raids

• Galarian Darmanitan with Ice Fang and Avalanche
• Mamoswine with Powder Snow and Avalanche
• Kyurem (white or black) with Dragon Tail and Blizzard
• Glaceon with Frost Breath and Avalanche
• Weavile with Ice Shard and Avalanche

In general, Pokemon GO players can pick any Pokemon with some good CP and Ice-type movesets. The type of the Pokemon won't matter as much as the moves that it has equipped.

Once Rayquaza is defeated in Pokemon GO, players will be rewarded with Premier Balls based on performance and if any friends were in the raid. Make sure to at least hit great throws and use as many berries as possible to increase the chance of a Rayquaza capture.