Pokemon GO Nidoking raid guide: Best counters, weaknesses, and more

With a new event in Pokemon GO comes a new wave of Raid Bosses for players to challenge. In the current rotation, players can challenge one of the franchise's original Poison-types, Nidoking. With players having the chance to obtain a creature that has become harder to catch as time goes on, newer players may be tempted to test their mettle and try to fill Nidoking's page in the Pokedex.

When it comes to the many different Raid Bosses that cycle through live servers in Niantic's mobile game, there are always going to be players who make it their objective to challenge them. As such, this sentiment can be passed down to newer players whose main focus may be the lower-tier raids as they continue to build up their arsenal of powerful Pokemon.

So, what should players know before they take on the powerful Nidoking Raid Boss in Pokemon GO? With every Raid Boss comes a wave of creatures that are better suited for the job in comparison to others. The key to succeeding in these battles is knowing what these counters are and how to use them efficiently.

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Nidoking Raid Boss in Pokemon GO: Everything to know

Nidoking as he appears in the anime (Image via The Pokemon Company)

The first aspect that players must know about any Raid Boss in Pokemon GO before they prepare to challenge it is its elemental typing. Nidoking is a Ground and Poison-type Pokemon which means that it's weak to Water, Psychic, Ice, and other Ground-type attacks. Some players may already have a solid catalog of powerful counters to use for this Raid Battle.

Nidoking is the more offensive Pokemon of the 'Nido Duo' in Pokemon GO, which means that its defensive stats will tend to lack in exchange for additional offensive prowess. As such, players should have a decent time dealing the required damage to take down Nidoking, but they'll have to be cautious as to what creatures they use, considering that glass cannons will easily get bursted down.

Some of the best counters players can bring are those that can deal a good amount of advantageous damage while being able to resist Nidoking's attacks as well. Since Nidoking has a fairly diverse movepool, it can be difficult to prepare as there's no way to tell what moves it will have until the battle actually begins.

Bulky Water-types like Milotic, Gyarados, and Vaporeon are excellent choices for this fight as they have the necessary stats spread to withstand heavy damage while dishing out super effective attacks. In that sense, powerful Ground-types like Garchomp, Groudon, and Gliscor are strong choices as well.

Since Ground-types are inherently bulky, they are also the best choice for defensive options. On paper, Skarmory would be the best defensive anchor as its type combination allows it to tank both Nidoking's Poison and Ground-type attacks. As such, players with access to one should take it along just in case.

In terms of optimal team size, Nidoking, being a Three-Star Raid Boss in Pokemon GO, sets it at the middle ground for difficulty. As such, players with access to the best counters can take this Raid Boss on by themselves without other players, although it would be much safer to challenge it in a group of three.