Shadow Articuno will appear in Shadow Raids throughout February in Pokemon Go, but defeating it won’t be easy. Here are details of its weaknesses and some of the best counters you can use to defeat Shadow Articuno.
Articuno is one of the three Legendary Birds from the Kanto region and has been a favorite among Pokemon fans for years.
This rare bird is not the easiest to catch in Pokemon Go, but it will become much more obtainable thanks to Shadow Raids appearing in the mobile game during the month of February.
With Shadow Articuno coming soon, here are some tips to help you defeat the Ice/Flying-type bird, including Pokemon that can serve as valuable counters.
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How to defeat Shadow Articuno in Pokemon Go
Shadow Articuno will appear in limited-time Shadow Raids in Pokemon Go beginning on Saturday, February 3, 2024. These Shadow Raids will run every weekend throughout the month of February.
The most important thing we will point out here is that Shadow Articuno will likely be harder to defeat than a regular Articuno. This is because Shadow Raid Bosses see their attack and defense attributes jump up when becoming enraged.
In order to take down Shadow Articuno, users will need a strong party of Pokemon, and a few Purified Gems to successfully take down Shadow Articuno wouldn’t hurt, either.
What are Purified Gems, exactly? Purified Gems are special items that can be used to subdue Shadow Raid Bosses, which will reduce their strength. If enough Purified Gems are used on a Shadow Pokemon, it will return it to a normal state and make it much easier to defeat.
Pokemon Go players must collect four Shadow Shards to get a Purified Gem. These Shadow Shards can be obtained by defeating members of Team Go Rocket or conquering Shadow Raid Battles. Those who’ve collected enough will then receive a Purified Gem.
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We should also mention that Remote Raid Passes cannot be used for Shadow Raid Battles. Thus, you’ll need to head to a Gym that’s hosting an in-person Shadow Articuno Raid and use a regular Raid Pass to take part.
Shadow Articuno weaknesses in Pokemon Go
Shadow Articuno is an Ice/Flying-type Pokemon, which means it’s weak against Rock, Fire, Steel, and Electric-type attacks. Articuno does have enhanced weakness to Rock-type moves, so try to use a Pokemon that fits that bill in Raids.
On the other hand, Shadow Articuno is resistant to Ground, Grass, and Bug-type attacks. Avoid using Pokemon with those moves.
Shadow Articuno counters
Here are some of the best counters you can use to defeat Shadow Articuno in Pokemon Go:
| POKEMON | BEST MOVESET |
|---|---|
| Mega Aerodactyl | Rock Throw and Rock Slide |
| Mega Diancie | Rock Throw and Rock Slide |
| Mega X & Y Charizard | Fire Spin and Blast Burn |
| Mega Manectric | Thunder Fang and Wild Charge |
| Terrakion | Smack Down and Rock Slide |
| Shadow Rhyperior | Smack Down and Rock Wrecker |
| Gigalith | Smack Down and Meteor Beam |
| Shadow Aggron | Smack Down and Meteor Beam |
| Shadow Omastar | Rock Throw and Rock Slide |
| Shadow Rampardos | Smack Down and Rock Slide |
| Dark Lycanroc | Rock Throw and Stone Edge |
| Tyrantrum | Rock Throw and Meteor Beam |
| Mega Tyranitar | Smack Down and Stone Edge |
This list includes a few Megas – which are undeniably the best options for Shadow Raids – as well as some regular Pokemon, so hopefully, there’s something you can use there.
However, keep in mind that it’s critical to just have strong Pokemon and allies for these Raids. Granted, it helps to have Megas or type advantage. Still, one should be able to take down Articuno so long the Pokemon that’s taking it down doesn’t have significant weaknesses to the Legendary bird.
Also, having Purified Gems on hand will be critical. Battle low-level Shadow Raid Bosses or members of Team Go Rocket to stock up on those first, as they’ll definitely help you take down Shadow Articuno.
That’s everything you need to know about defeating Shadow Articuno! While you’re here, check out some more Pokemon Go guides below:
Best Pokemon in Pokemon Go | All upcoming Spotlight Hours | Current Raid bosses | Arlo counters guide | Cliff counters guide | Giovanni counters guide | Sierra counters guide | Grunt counters guide | How to catch a Ditto | What are Strange Eggs? | How to get Remote Raid Passes | Fastest way to get Best Buddy status | Pokemon Go catching tips