Raid Battles are an interesting feature in Pokemon Go, but there is a lot of practising before even thinking about joining a Raid Battle.
While it shares some parts with Gym Battles, the difficulty of the Raid Battles is nowhere near that of a Gym Battle. Here you need a solid team, many friends, time and a Gym near you (where Raid Battles appear). It is you six (or whichever the maximum number is) against a big and scary Pokemon. Most of the time, a Raid Battle features a rare Pokemon (like the Five-Star Raids) and special items that will be given to you at the end, if you are the winning party.
To have a good strategy for a Raid Battle, you need to find an active Raid Battle first. These are noticeable by the huge egg that appears at the top of a gym. After you spotted a Raid Battle, make sure you are level 5 or above.
If you are joining a One-Star Raid, you and a powerful Pokemon will be enough to take down the Raid Boss, but if you are joining a Four-Star or a Five-Star Raid, then you need as many people as you can gather to take down a Raid Boss. Research its Pokemon type, and choose a Pokemon (your own) that the Raid Boss is weakest to so that your Pokemon can deal more damage and defeat it faster. If you happen to own a Mega Pokemon, include it in your battle team so that you can use the bonuses the Mega Pokemon will bring.
Work on your dodging skills. This is something that a Raid Battle shares with a Gym Battle, so if you want to save your Pokemon’s CP, swipe left or right to avoid getting hurt in a Raid Battle. This, however, can take some time away from the Raid clock, so beware.
Use Charged Moves! The Charged moves are proven to be the most effective ones against a Raid Boss, while the Fast moves are the fastest (duh). Movesets are crucial in Raid Battles, so it is best to build a team with good movesets. Do not forget about the Weather Boost, as it can be of great help in a Raid Battle against that big, buffed Raid Beast.
What do you do to win a Raid Battle? Will you share it with us?
