Pokemon Go Tentacruel raid guide (November 2022): Best counters, weaknesses, and more

With the Astral Eclipse event coming to Pokemon GO, trainers can expect a new rotation of Raid Bosses to hit the maps. One of the new bosses that players will encounter during their adventures is the Jellyfish Pokemon from the Kanto region, Tentacruel.

Tentacruel has made appearances in almost every main series title. It has become so iconic that it has even received a new divergent evolution (Toedscruel) in the latest entries, Pokemon Scarlet and Violet.

The arrival of a new Raid Boss in Pokemon GO almost always results in trainers scrambling for strategies on how to defeat it. Whether they want to know the optimal strategy to beat the raid or just want something to do, having a bit of knowledge about their opponent will significantly increase their chances of victory.

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Tentacruel is a Poison and Water-type Pokemon in Pokemon GO

Tentacruel, as it appears in the anime (Image via The Pokemon Company)

The first thing to know about Tentacruel in Pokemon GO is its typing. The Raid Boss is a Poison and Water-type Pokemon. This combination cancels out any weakness to Grass-type attacks. However, all the weaknesses of the Poison typing remain, with the addition of Electric-type attacks.

When it comes to stats, Tentacruel was created to tank all kinds of damage. With a defense stat of 209 and a stamina stat of 190, neutral damage will barely affect the creature. However, this is evened out by its average attack stat of 166, which, while being far from a powerhouse, can still deal a fair amount of damage.

The only true counters for Tentacruel are those who can overpower it with sheer force. Psychic-type Pokemon like Mewtwo, Unbound Hoopa, and Deoxys are the first to come to mind, but not every trainer has access to these picks in Pokemon GO. So what are the other options?

When used alongside a group of other Raid players, fragile Psychic-type Pokemon like Espeon and Alakazam can carry this battle by themselves. However, this may not be the best idea for daring trainers looking to take on Tentacruel alone. This is because their fragility can leave trainers wasting time with healing.

Reuniclus and Gallade are not too rare and incredibly bulky. This makes them the everyman's pick for this raid. When it comes to defensive options, creatures with the Grass and Poison type combination work great for stalling as they can resist almost all of Tentacruel's attacks. Venusaur, Vileplume, and Victreebel are great examples.

In terms of team size, groups of three or four are normally recommended for three-star Raid Battles. However, given Tentacruel's status as a defensive Pokemon, a group of five may be the most optimal choice.

In what is bad news for shiny hunters, Niantic has confirmed that trainers will not be able to find Shiny Tentacruel in Pokemon GO through these Raid Battles.

The Astral Eclipse event will begin on Wednesday, November 23, 2022, at 10:00 am local time. It will run until Monday, November 28, 2022, at 8:00 pm local time.