All Shadow Lugia weaknesses and counters in Pokémon Go

Do you have what it takes to challenge Shadow Lugia?

Image of Lugia over a blue and gray background.
Image via the Pokemon Company. Remix by Dot Esports

Shadow Lugia is a formidable opponent in Pokémon Go, and now it’s making its way to Shadow Raids. You and a group of friends need to work together if you want to defeat Shadow Lugia, which lets you catch the great beast.

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Shadow Raids are among the toughest content in Pokémon Go because of how durable these shadow Pokémon are during the raid. There are a few items you can grab before the battle begins to give your side the upper hand, but everyone needs to contribute to this. In addition to a few items, you also want to focus on hitting Shadow Lugia’s weaknesses and bringing the best Pokémon to counter them.

All Shadow Lugia weaknesses in Pokémon Go

Shadow Lugia and Regigigas coming towards the camera.
Shadow Lugia features in Shadow Raids for a short time. Image via Niantic

Shadow Lugia has the same typings as its standard form in Pokémon Go. It is a Psychic and Flying type, making it weak to Dark, Electric, Ghost, Ice, and Rock-type moves. It is resistant against Grass, Ground, Fighting, and Psychic-type attacks, so stay away from these Pokémon during the Shadow Raid.

It also helps to know what attacks Shadow Lugia can use against you and your team. These are all the moves that Shadow Lugia can use during the battle in Pokémon Go.

  • Aeroblast (Flying-type)
  • Dragon Tail (Dragon-type)
  • Extrasensory (Psychic-type)
  • Future Sight (Psychic-type)
  • Hydro Pump (Water-type)
  • Sky Attack (Flying-type)

Thankfully, none of these attacks should be too terrible for many of the preferred choices to use against Shadow Lucia. During the Shadow Raid, focus on Dark, Electric, and Ice-type Pokémon to do the most damage against them.

Because this is a Shadow Raid, it’s important to bring with you plenty of Purified Gems. You can acquire these Pokémon Go items by battling Team Rocket Grunts or any of the three leaders: Arlo, Cliff, and Sierra. After you defeat them, you get a Shadow Shard. You need to collect four of them to create a Purified Gem.

You can hold 10 Purified Gems, and having all 10 goes a long way against Shadow Lugia. Any player you bring with you should also bring 10 Purified Gems, as these make it easier to damage Shadow Lugia and prevent it from overwhelming your side. Without Purified Gems, this Shadow Raid will prove too much for many Pokémon Go players.

Best Pokémon to counter Shadow Lugia in Pokémon Go

When fighting Shadow Lugia, Dawn Wings Necrozma, Tyranitar, and Rampardos are some of the best Pokémon to use against it.

Dawn Wings Necrozma is an exceptionally powerful Pokémon. It’s a fusion of Lunala and Necrozma that released in Pokémon Go Fest 2024. As a formidable Psychic and Ghost-type, it’s an ideal choice to bring down Shadow Lugia. The best moveset to teach it is the fast move Shadow Claw and the charged moves Moongeist Beam and Future Sight.

Next, we have Tyranitar, a far more common Pokémon. Tyranitar is an excellent opponent against Shadow Lugia, although it will be exceptionally weak to Hydro Pump. If you have spare Mega Tyranitar Energy, you can benefit your entire team during this fight by transforming it into Mega Tyranitar. The best moveset to teach Tyranitar for the battle is the fast move Bite and the charged moves Brutal Swing and Crunch.

The final Pokémon you could use is Rampardos, a Rock-type Pokémon. Much like Tyranitar, it’s weak against Hydro Pump. Rampardos has a rather low defense but excellent attack power, making it ideal for dealing heavy damage to Shadow Lugia. The best moveset to teach it is the fast move Smack Down and the charged moves Rock Slide and Outrage.

To face Shadow Lugia, you need to bring a full team. You can consider using these great choices to fill out the rest of your team in Pokémon Go:

  • Aerodactyl
  • Banette
  • Chandelure
  • Diancie
  • Electivire
  • Gengar
  • Hydreigon
  • Magnezone
  • Mamoswine
  • Raikou
  • Rayquaza
  • Rhyperior
  • Xurkitree
  • Zapdos

After defeating Shadow Lugia and bringing it down, you can catch it. You’ll encounter a Shadow Lugia, and there’s a chance you find its Shiny version.

Author
Image of Zack Palm
Zack Palm
Zack Palm has been writing about video games for the past five years. He spends his free time trying to learn about a new board, reading high-fantasy series, or working on his latest DnD character.