Pokemon GO Stantler raid (December 2022): Best counters, weaknesses, and more

With Pokemon GO's Winter Holiday Part I event underway, trainers everywhere are taking advantage of the opportunity to catch all the creatures that have received a boosted spawn rate. This event also comes with its own batch of Raid Bosses for players to take on for a chance to catch some stronger Pokemon.

One of the many foes that trainers may find themselves going up against is the Stantler. First appearing in the Johto region, the Big Horn Pokemon recently showed up in Pokemon Legends: Arceus. Here, it also received a new evolution, Wyrdeer.

Though its new evolution is yet to make an appearance in Pokemon GO, players may still want to add Stantler to their collection. However, to take down this Raid Boss, trainers will need to develop a solid strategy. So, what should one keep in mind when attempting this new challenge?

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Stantler is weak to Fighting-type moves in Pokemon GO

Stantler (pictured right) as it appears in the anime (Image via The Pokemon Company)

The first thing to know about any Raid Boss before challenging it in Pokemon GO is its typing. Stantler possesses a pure Normal typing. Though not an exceptionally strong offensive typing, it has amazing defensive potential. The Pocket Monster only has a weakness to one element: the Fighting typing.

Overall, Stantler is not a terribly strong Pokemon and is used more as a thematic fit for the Christmas holiday. With no stats over 200 and a terrible defense stat of 131, the creature can easily be taken down by an onslaught of supercharged attacks from some of the most potent Fighting-type opponents.

Some of the best counters to use for this battle are those that can constantly spam Fighting-type charged attacks. Picks like Lucario, Cobalion, Machamp, and other fully-evolved Fighting-type creatures are great. However, trainers should be wary of Stantler's potential to have Zen Headbutt, a Psychic-type move.

Fighting-type Pokemon are weak to Psychic-type attacks. As a result, players may benefit from bringing a creature of the Dark typing into this battle. Umbreon is a solid choice, thanks to its notoriously high defense, which makes it a staple anchor pick for players looking to partake in Raid Battles.

In terms of optimal creatures every player should aim to bring, Scrafty and Pangoro have the best type combination for this Raid Battle. Since both possess high Stamina stats and a Fighting and Dark type combination, they are a perfect balance of offense and defense. However, they might be a bit hard to come by for newer players.

In terms of the appropriate size of a potential raid party, Pokemon GO trainers should aim to bring at least one other person with them before starting the battle. While most Three-Star Raid Battles recommend three to four other players, Stantler's low stats make it less threatening.

Players can challenge Stantler in a Raid Battle in Pokemon GO from December 15, 2022, to December 23, 2022.

Pokemon GO's Winter Holiday Part 1 began on Thursday, December 15, 2022, at 10:00 am local time. It will end on Friday, December 23, 2022, at 10:00 am local time.