How to best prepare for Xerneas Raid Hour in Pokemon GO (August 16)

Pokemon GO's latest pair of Raid Hour events turn to the Kalos region and its Legendary Pokemon Xerneas and Yveltal. The former will receive the first honors of having a Raid Hour this month, with its event taking place on August 16, 2023, from 6:00 to 7:00 pm local time. This presents an excellent opportunity to battle and capture the legendary Fairy-type Xerneas if trainers haven't done so already.

Although Xerneas' Raid Hour is certainly worth looking forward to for many Pokemon GO players, there are still some preparations that should be done ahead of time. Time is of the essence, and even though this Raid Hour event is imminent, trainers still have a short window to get ready before things kick off.

If Pokemon GO fans need a few tips for preparing for Xerneas' Raid Hour, it doesn't hurt to review them.

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Tips to prepare for Xerneas Raid Hour in Pokemon GO

Due to the nature of this Pokemon GO event, players will want to prepare for a long hour full of raid battles. Since Xerneas will be appearing at nearly every available Pokestop, trainers will want to rack up as many raid passes as they can ahead of time so they don't run out in the middle of the Raid Hour.

Furthermore, players will want to assemble their team to defeat Xerneas, and this team will ideally be constructed for repeated raid success. As a Fairy-type species, Xerneas is susceptible to damage from Poison and Steel-type sources. With that in mind, trainers will want to use moves of those types and utilize Pokemon of the same type to trigger STAB.

Although plenty of Steel and Poison-type creatures exist in Pokemon GO, it's best to use those that can have high CP and IVs in order to deal maximum damage and shrug off the attacks that Xerneas throws out. Some recommended options include:

• Metagross
• Nihilego
• Dialga
• Melmetal
• Zacian
• Genesect
• Excadrill
• Roserade
• Gengar
• Overqwil
• Bisharp
• Toxicroak
• Aggron

As a measure of insurance, it isn't a bad idea to bring along healing items just to be safe. To that end, Pokemon GO players may want to stock up on Revives and Potions (ideally Max Revives and Max Potions) to pick up their raiding creatures in the event that they faint. Xerneas shouldn't be too difficult to overcome when the right counters are used, but it doesn't hurt to play it safe.

Although Xerneas can be beaten solo by some players, it's recommended to invite a few trainers to assist with the raids if at all possible. While taking down Xerneas solo certainly works, bringing in fellow players can help expedite the process and allow the group to repeat Xerneas raids more often during the event.

All in all, with the right items, counters, and backup, Pokemon GO trainers should be able to take full advantage of Xerneas' Raid Hour. They may not have a lot of time to battle and catch this legendary creature, but they can maximize their opportunities by taking care of business ahead of time and being ready when the Raid Hour begins in earnest.