Zacian Raid Pokémon GO 2025: Top Counters, Moveset & How to Get It
by Jerry Cook Updated on 2025-09-30 15:47:37 / Update for Pokemon iOS
Being a powerful and well-known Pokémon from the Galar region, Zacian is all set to return to Pokémon Go raids in 2025. This fairy-type Pokémon is also very popular as the hero of many battles due to its strong performance and amazing aesthetic appeal.
Whether you want a shiny Zacian Pokémon Go version or are prepared to face its toughest moves, it's a raid not to be missed. The same is why, in this guide, we will discuss everything from how to get Zaician to its best movesets and weaknesses to secure your victory.
Part 1. How to Catch Zacian? When Is Zacian in Raids?
Zacian is appearing in Pokémon GO Fest 2025: Max Finale. You will only have a short time to battle and catch it, so prepare your best team.
When Is Crowned Zacian in Raids?
Zacian Sword is expected to get featured in 5-star raids during the Pokémon Go Fest 2025 Max finale, which is a special event packed with exciting rewards. It is one of the rarest limited-time appearances, which is your best chance to catch Zacian with opportunities for Bonus XP, Raid items, and Shiny Zacian Pokémon Go form.
- Zacian Raid Availability: August 18–21, 2025, 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. local time
- Crowned Zacian Raid Availability: August 23–24, 2025, 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. local time
How to Get Zacian in Pokémon GO 2025
Zacian is one of the rarest Pokémon in the game. However, with the right strategy like the one discussed below, you can get it easily in 2025.
- Check the event schedule: Zacian appears in 5-Star Raids only during the Max Finale raid hours. Note the exact zacian raid Pokémon Go windows for your time zone. Plan which hours you can join in.
- Assemble into teams: Join a raid group or invite friends. Bigger groups make the fight easier and faster.
- Get Ready: Prepare strong counters that match Zacian’s weaknesses. Pick Pokémon that deal super effective damage.
- Play & Survive: Enter the raid and focus on dodging charged moves. Stay alive so your team can finish Zacian.
- Use Golden Razz: Use a Golden Razz Berry after the raid for the best catch chance. It boosts your odds a lot.
- Try the Silver Pinap: Use a Silver Pinap Berry if you want extra candies. It gives candies and still helps you catch them.
- Trade with Friends: If you fail to catch Zacian, trade with friends later. Trades can fill gaps from missed raids.
- Check CP: Zacian’s CP after a raid is about 2100 in normal conditions. In Cloudy weather, it can reach about 2600.
- Keep Trying: Shiny Zacian is available. Look for the blue-and-pink color during the capture screen. Keep raiding during event hours to raise your chances. Good planning and repeats will help you catch a strong Zacian.
Can Zacian be Shiny in Pokémon GO?
Can Zacian be shiny in Pokémon GO? Yes, Zacian can be shiny in Pokémon GO. There are two main variants of Zacian in the game: Hero of Many Battles and Crowned Sword, which both have shiny versions available. Can you get Zacian shiny in Pokémon GO?
To Get Shiny Hero of Many Battles Zacian
You can obtain this shiny form by defeating Zacian in 5-star raids. It is quite rare, requiring multiple successful raid wins to encounter its shiny version.
- Shiny Hero of Many Battles Zacian can be obtained by defeating it in 5-star raids.
- Winning these raids gives a chance to encounter the shiny form, although it is very rare.
- Due to its high strength, players are advised to team up rather than attempt solo battles.
To Get Shiny Crowned Sword Zacian
This form was introduced at Pokémon GO Fest 2025. You can get the shiny Crowned Sword Zacian in three main ways:
- It can be obtained by transforming a Shiny Hero of Many Battles Zacian using 1,000 Crowned Sword Energy, which players can earn during the event.
- Catch it directly in 5-star raids during the event, with shiny odds of roughly 1 in 20 (5%).
- Trade with other players who have the shiny form.
Part 2. Is Zacian good in Pokémon GO? High attack & Moveset
Zacian is a very strong Fairy-type Pokémon. It offers an unmatched performance on the battlefield. This Pokémon obtain two variants, with each having its own strengths and role:
Zacian (Hero of Many Battles) – Fairy Type
Max CP and Base Stats
- Max CP: The maximum CP of Zacian is around 4,000+
- Attack: High, allowing for strong damage output
- Defense: Balanced, making it durable in long fights
- Stamina: Good, letting it survive multiple charged attacks.
Best Moveset for PvP (Master League)
- Fast Move: Snarl
- Charge Moves: Play Rough, Close Combat
- This set allows Zacian to charge energy quickly and strike back with powerful Fairy and Fighting attacks, making it a top choice against Dragon, Dark, and Fighting types.
Best Moveset for Raids
- Fast Move: Snarl
- Charge Moves: Play Rough, Wild Charge
- With high DPS and flexible coverage, this moveset works well for raiding, letting Zacian deal heavy Fairy-type damage while also threatening Water or Flying types with Wild Charge.
Zacian (Crowned Sword) – Fairy/Steel Type
Max CP and Base Stats
- Max CP: Around 4,200+
- Attack: Very High, allowing for massive damage potential
- Defense: Higher than the Hero form, giving it extra durability
- Stamina: Good, making it reliable in long battles.
Best PvP Moveset
- Fast Move: Metal Claw
- Charge Moves: Iron Head, Close Combat
- This setup takes full advantage of Zacian’s Steel typing, making it a solid counter against Fairy, Ice, and Rock Pokémon.
- Close Combat adds coverage for Steel-resistant types like Steelix or Registeel.
Best Raid Moveset
- Fast Move: Metal Claw
- Charge Moves: Play Rough, Iron Head
- This combination lets Crowned Zacian deal strong Steel and Fairy damage in raids, giving it great versatility.
- This is why this Pokémon can hit strong opponents like Fragon, Ice, Rock, and other Fairy types.
Is Zacian Worth Getting Pokémon Go?
Whether you are planning to enter a competitive battle or just want to add a strong Pokémon in your collection, Zacian is totally worth it due to all the following reasons:
- Strong typing advantage: Fairy type is a rare form of Pokémon community in Pokémon Go. These are rare in meta and highly effective to fight against the most popular Pokémon antagonist.
- High Attack Power: Zacian is one of the Pokémon that boasts impressive offensive stats. As a result, they allow you to deal effectively against heavy damage as well.
- Dual Form Potential: It is a crown sword form that adds street typing and improves your resistance and moveset variety.
- Reliable Raid Attacker: It is a great Pokémon for taking down Dragon-type raid bosses such as Rayquaza or Giratina.
- Fast and Flexible Moveset: With Zacian, enjoy access to quicker and more efficient movesets for both raids and PVP battles.
- Long-term Value: Zacians are long-term investments that remain strong in Pokémon Go for years.
Part 3. Battle Tips: Zacian Weaknesses & Best Counters
What is Zacian Weak to?
Zacian is a pure fairy-type Pokémon in its hero form in Pokémon Go. Hence, it possesses a notable strength against Dragon, Dark, and Fighting-types.
Best Zacian Counters (Hero Form)
It’s weak to Poison and Steel moves, so the best counters are Pokémon that hit hard with those types.
Metagross
- Type: Steel/Psychic
- Fast Move: Bullet Punch
- Charge Move: Meteor Mash
- Why it works: Exceptional Steel-type DPS, resists Fairy moves, and Meteor Mash is one of the hardest-hitting moves against Zacian.
Nihilego
- Type: Rock/Poison
- Fast Move: Poison Jab
- Charge Move: Sludge Bomb
- Why it works: Leverages Zacian’s Poison weakness while having decent resistance to Fairy moves.
Shadow Gengar
- Type: Ghost/Poison
- Fast Move: Lick or Shadow Claw
- Charge Move: Sludge Bomb
- Why it works: Shadow boost makes its Poison attacks deadly; however, it’s glassy, so dodge wisely.
Roserade
- Type: Grass/Poison
- Fast Move: Poison Jab
- Charge Move: Sludge Bomb
- Why it works: Quick Poison Jab buildup to Sludge Bomb, plus decent general utility.
Dialga
- Type: Steel/Dragon
- Fast Move: Metal Claw
- Charge Move: Iron Head
- Why it works: High bulk, Steel typing to resist Fairy, and good overall raid performance.
Mega Beedrill
- Type: Bug/Poison
- Fast Move: Poison Jab
- Charge Move: Sludge Bomb
- Why it works: Mega boost for Poison moves, making it one of the fastest ways to shred Zacian’s HP.
Top Counters for Crowned Sword Zacian
Crowned Sword Zacian is very strong, but it is not unbeatable. By using the right Pokémon and moves, you can defeat it faster and save healing items. Below are the six best Pokémon Go zacian counters to take down Zacian effectively.
Primal Groudon
- Best Moves: Mud Shot (Fast) + Precipice Blades (Charged)
- Its strong Ground-type attacks hit Zacian’s Steel typing hard.
Mega Charizard Y
- Best Moves: Fire Spin (Fast) + Blast Burn (Charged)
- Fire-type damage is significant against Zacian’s Steel type, and Charizard Y boosts Fire moves for the whole team.
Mega Blaziken
- Best Moves: Counter (Fast) + Blast Burn (Charged)
- Combining fighting and Fire damage, making it a double threat to Zacian.
Mega Garchomp
- Best Moves: Mud Shot (Fast) + Earth Power (Charged)
- High attack and Ground-type moves give it a big advantage.
Shadow Heatran
- Best Moves: Fire Spin (Fast) + Flamethrower (Charged)
- Shadow form gives it more attack power, and Fire moves work well here.
Chandelure
- Best Moves: Fire Spin (Fast) + Overheat (Charged)
- A strong Fire-type attacker that can deal big bursts of damage.
Extra Tip: Instantly Join Raids to Defeat Zacian Without Moving!
If you can not reach the raiders, it is smarter to join them from anywhere else. PoGoskill is a powerful location spoofing tool that makes it easy to participate in battles without traveling. Here is how you can use it:
- One-Tap Teleportation: Choose the raid location you want to join and instantly teleport to that raid gym.
- Raid Finder Map: Shows raids within a 5 km radius of your selected location. You can search, filter, and find active raids such as Zacian raids on this map.
- Remote Raid Participation: After teleporting, you can join the raid remotely without needing to physically travel.
Secure Download
Secure Download
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Step 1Download and Install PoGoskill on computer and connect your phone to PC.
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Step 2Select the Game Mode，then enter the coordinate or location and click modify to teleport to where you want to find the raid.
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Step 3Tap the Raid icon or the Poké Ball icon and then the raid battle scan option.
FAQs About Zacian Pokemon Go
Who is stronger, Zacian or Zamazenta in Pokémon Go?
- Crowned Sword Zacian is stronger offensively in Pokémon GO, boasting higher Attack stats and better performance in raids and quick PvP battles due to its powerful Fairy/Steel typing and moves.
- Crowned Shield Zamazenta excels defensively with higher Defense and bulk, making it better suited for tanking and prolonged battles, but it is generally outpaced by Zacian in raw damage output.
You Might Be Interested In:
How to get Zacian in Pokemon Go without Raid?
In Pokémon GO, Zacian can only be obtained through raids or trades, with the best method being participating in Zacian raids during special events or through special research. It will not spawn or appear outside of these methods, and using Remote Raid Passes to track raid times during events is the recommended way to catch it.
Is Zacian good for raids in Pokémon Go?
Zacian (specifically its Crowned Sword form) is one of the best raid attackers in Pokémon GO, especially when it comes to dealing massive damage quickly. It’s particularly useful in legendary raids and against Dragon- and Dark-type bosses. If you're looking to optimize your raid teams, Zacian should definitely be a part of your roster.
How many people to take down Zacian?
To take down Zacian in Pokémon GO raid battles, you generally need a minimum of 5 high-level trainers for a reliable clear. While it might be possible to defeat Zacian with a smaller team in ideal conditions and with very strong counters, the safe recommendation is around 4 to 6 trainers to ensure success, especially if some players are lower level or do not have ideal counters.
Using strong Fire and Ground-type Pokémon like Primal Groudon, Mega Charizard Y, and Shadow Heatran will make the raid more manageable.
Is Zacian the strongest Pokémon of all time?
Crowned Sword Zacian is one of the strongest legendary attackers in Pokémon GO, with the highest attack stat in its category and excellent movesets. It is highly regarded for its PvE raid and PvP offensive strategies.
While its power can vary depending on the situation, Zacian is not universally the strongest but is undeniably one of the top attackers in its domain.
What is super effective against Zacian?
Zacian in its Crowned Sword form in Pokémon GO is weak to Fire and Ground-type moves. These types of attacks will deal super effective damage against Zacian, making them the best choices when countering it in raids or battles.
Conclusion
Zacian is a very powerful and aesthetically appealing Pokémon in Pokémon Go, which is all set to return back in 2025. Being aware of Zacians' weaknesses is extremely crucial for victory in PVP battles. You can make yourself conscious of such important information as the guide above explores and explains everything required for an improved performance.
So, whether you are aiming to add a rare hero form to your collection or want to enter battles to win, it is a great choice to go with.
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