The Legendary Virizion is appearing in Pokemon Go’s 5-star Raids once again, and if you’re looking to catch one, we’ve got the best counters to help you do just that.
The Swords of Justice are returning to the battlefield, with Cobalion, Terrakion, and Virizion all available to encounter in 5-star Raids with the exclusive move Sacred Sword.
Virizion will appear first in 5-star Raids, with Cobalion and Terrakion following closely behind it.
Below, we’ve rounded up the best counters you can take into battle against Virizion, as well as details of its weaknesses and potential movesets so you can be fully prepared to take on this Legendary Pokemon.
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Virizion counters in Pokemon Go
These are some of the best counters you can use to defeat Virizion in Pokemon Go:
| Pokemon | Fast Move | Charged Move |
| Mega Pidgeot | Gust | Brave Bird |
| Shadow Moltres | Wing Attack | Sky Attack |
| Mega Charizard X/Y | Fire Spin | Blast Burn |
| Lugia | Extrasensory | Aeroblast |
| Honchkrow | Peck | Sky Attack |
| Ho-Oh | Hidden Power | Brave Bird |
| Braviary | Air Slash | Brave Bird |
| Mega Rayquaza | Air Slash | Dragon Ascent |
| Shadow Staraptor | Wing Attack | Brave Bird |
| Unfezant | Air Slash | Sky Attack |
| Tornadus | Air Slash | Hurricane |
| Togekiss | Air Slash | Aerial Ace |
Virizion weaknesses in Pokemon Go
Virizion is a dual Grass/Fighting-type, which means it’s weak against Fairy, Fire, Flying, Ice, Poison, and Psychic-type attacks. It has a double weakness to Flying-types, so you should try and use those.
It’s also important to know Virizion’s strengths and resistances when heading into battle. Avoid Dark, Electric, Grass, Ground, Rock, and Water-type Pokemon if possible, as they won’t be much use here.
Any strong Flying-types with matching movesets should be effective at taking Virizion down, but the counters we’ve listed in the table above are the best of the best.
Virizion moveset in Pokemon Go
As a Raid Boss, Virizion has access to three potential Fast Moves and three potential Charged Moves, which we’ve listed below:
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- Quick Attack (Normal)
- Double Kick (Fighting)
- Zen Headbutt (Psychic)
- Leaf Blade (Grass)
- Close Combat (Fighting)
- Stone Edge (Rock)
The only move you really need to watch out for here is the Charged Move Stone Edge, as all of Virizion’s best Flying-type counters are weak against Rock-type moves.
If Virizion has Stone Edge in its move pool when you’re fighting it in Raid Battles, it might be best to focus on strong Psychic-types such as Mewtwo or Hoopa instead.
How to catch Virizion in Pokemon Go
In order to catch Virizion in Pokemon Go, you’ll first need to defeat it in a 5-Star Raid Battle. If you’re successful, you’ll be given a limited amount of Premier Balls so you can try to catch it.
Virizion will be appearing in 5-Star Raids from November 9, 2023, at 10 am, until November 16, 2023, at 10 am local time.
Can Virizion be Shiny in Pokemon Go?
The good news is that Shiny Virizion is currently available in Pokemon Go. This rare variation made its debut back in May 2020 and remains available in the game’s 5-Star Raid Battles to this day.
If you’re hoping to find a Shiny Virizion, be prepared for a long search. There’s no method to increase your chances, you’ll simply need to battle as many Virizions as you can until you encounter one.
Now you know how to defeat (and catch!) Virizion in 5-Star Raids, check out some of our other Pokemon Go tips and guides below:
Pokemon Go Spotlight Hour guide | Current Raid Bosses in Pokemon Go | Best Pokemon in Pokemon Go | Arlo counters guide | Cliff counters guide | Giovanni counters | Grunt counters guide | How to get Remote Raid Passes | Sierra counters guide | How to catch a Ditto in Pokemon Go | Pokemon Go shop: Items list, prices, box changes | Pokemon Go promo codes