Pokemon GO comprises multiple legendary Pocket Monsters as raid bosses. Among the several legendaries is Nihilego, a powerhouse in PvP and PvE battles. Nihilego is returning as a 5-Star raid boss, and players require proper counters to defeat it.
The Alola region’s (Gen 7) Nihilego feeds on other Pokemon and people. The gore that comes with it indicates the prowess it possesses in Pokemon GO. Nihilego’s power gets further boosted as a 5-Star raid boss, and winning against it requires proper meta-knowledge. The legendary has weaknesses and resistances that make a roadmap to powerful counters.
Pokemon GO: Nihilego Raid Hour, Weaknesses, and Resistances
Nihilego is a legendary that can go toe-to-toe with some of the most powerful monsters in Pokemon GO. The Nihilego raid starts on June 15 at 10 AM Local Time and ends on June 29 at 10 AM Local Time. A solo trainer shouldn’t attempt to participate since clearing the 5-Star raid requires a group of trainers with powerful counters.
The dual Rock and Poison-type of Nihilego make it weak to Ground, Psychic, Steel, and Water-type attacks. Pokemon GO players should use the monster's weaknesses to inflict maximum damage. That said, it can resist moves of Poison, Bug, Fairy, Fire, Normal, and Flying-type attributes. One must carefully select counters that align with Nihilego’s weaknesses and avoid using the ones it can resist.
Trainers can use the Same Type of Attack Damage (STAB) effect to deal extra damage. When a Pokemon uses a move type identical to its innate type, the move can inflict bonus damage on the opponent. This STAB effect can turn tides, and pro players have always used it in battles.
Best Nihilego Raid Counters and Shiny Nihilego in Pokemon GO
One should carefully study the weaknesses and resistances of Nihilego before participating in the Pokemon GO raid. The counters should use moves it is weak against, and here are some of the best ones to use.
Pokemon | Fast Attack | Charge Attack |
|---|---|---|
Groudon | Mud Shot | Precipice Blades |
Excadrill | Mud-Slap | Earthquake |
Therian Landorus | Mud Shot | Earthquake |
Garchomp | Mud Shot | Earth Power |
Mamoswine | Mud-Slap | High Horsepower |
Rhyperior | Mud-Slap | Earthquake |
Landorus | Mud Shot | Earth Power |
Primal Kyogre | Waterfall | Origin Pulse |
Rhydon | Mud-Slap | Earthquake |
Golurk | Mud-Slap | Earth Power |
Shiny Nihilego is available to catch but is a rare encounter in Pokemon GO. Players need to participate in multiple raids to have a chance of encountering the Shiny variant. But there is no guarantee of a Shiny Nihilego encounter, even after successfully clearing the raid.
Pokemon GO is available for Android and iOS.