Pokemon GO Thundurus PvP and PvE guide: Best moveset, counters, and more

Modified Aug 15, 2024 01:21 GMT

Pokemon GO Thundurus PvP and PvE guide (Image via The Pokemon Company/TPC)

Thundurus, the Electric-type member of the Forces of Nature group, has two forms, both available in Pokemon GO. The Incarnate Forme was released in March 2020, while the Therian Forme arrived in March 2021. Both Pocket Monsters can often be encountered through 5-star raids and GO Battle League rewards.

Once you have either form of Thundurus in Pokemon GO, you might want to use it in battle. This article will explore everything about the best situations and ideal movesets for these critters.

What moves can Thundurus learn in Pokemon GO?

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Incarnate Forme

Fast Attacks

Astonish
Thunder Shock

Charged Attacks

Brick Break
Crunch
Thunder
Thunder Punch

Base Stats

Attack: 266
Defense: 164
Stamina: 188

Therian Forme

Fast Attacks

Bite
Volt Switch

Charged Attacks

Focus Blast
Sludge Wave
Thunder
Thunderbolt
Wildbolt Storm

Base Stats

Attack: 295
Defense: 161
Stamina: 188

Both forms of Thundurus are Electric and Flying-type Pocket Monsters, meaning they get the benefit of same-type-attack-bonus (STAB) when using moves of these types. Incarnate Forme Thundurus has a maximum CP of 3,782, while the Therian Forme maxes out at 4,127 CP.

Since the two forms can be captured at a minimum of 1,828 CP and 2,002 CP, respectively, they are only eligible for the Ultra and Master League formats of PvP battles in Pokemon GO.

Best PvP moveset for Thundurus in Pokemon GO

Neither of Thundurus' forms are very good in the PvP scene, owing to their poor defense stats. That said, the Incarnate Forme has a better move pool, and if you must use one in battle, this is the variant you should go with.

Here are the best movesets for the two forms of Thundurus in Pokemon GO:

Incarnate Forme

Fast Attack: Thunder Shock
Charged Attacks: Crunch and Thunder

Thunder Shock is a good Electric-type Fast Attack. It deals 1.8 damage (STAB included) and generates 4.5 energy

For Incarnate Thundurus, Crunch is the bait move. This Dark-type attack deals 40 damage at 45 energy cost and has a 30% chance of lowering the target's defense by one stage. Thunder deals 120 base damage (STAB included) at 60 cost. This is great for situations where you have an energy and/or shield advantage.

Therian Forme

Fast Attack: Volt Switch
Charged Attack: Wildbolt Storm and Focus Blast

Volt Switch is one of the best Electric-type Fast Attacks. It deals 3.6 damage (STAB included) and generates 4 energy.

Wildbolt Storm and Focus Blast cost 45 and 75 energy, respectively. The former deals 72 damage (and is guaranteed to lower the target's Attack by 1 stage) and the latter 150.

Best PvE moveset for Thundurus in Pokemon GO

Both forms of Thundurus are good as raid and Gym attackers in Niantic's mobile game. The Therian Forme is slightly better because of the higher base Attack stat. Its go-to moveset for this purpose — Volt Switch and Wildbolt Storm— deals 18.83 damage per second.

If you have an Incarnate Thundurus instead, it's not too far behind. The combination of Thunder Shock and Thunder deals 14.94 damage per second.

Best counters to Thundurus in Pokemon GO

The hardest counters to Thundurus in the Ultra League are more or less the same for the Incarnate and the Therian Forme. Most notably, they include meta picks from the format such as: