Barbaracle Raid Counters
Best counters and strategies to beat Barbaracle in Pokemon GO raids.
How to Beat Barbaracle
Barbaracle is a 5 raid boss in Pokemon GO with Rock/Water typing. The best counter is Mega Sceptile (Mega) with Bullet Seed and Frenzy Plant, dealing 47.385 DPS.
Barbaracle can be defeated by a minimum of 2 trainers using optimal counters at level 40+. We recommend 4+ trainers for a comfortable win, especially if your team isn't fully powered up.
Type strategy: Barbaracle is weak to Grass (double weak!), Electric, Fighting, Ground -type attacks. Avoid using Fire, Flying, Ice-type moves as Barbaracle resists them. Focus your team on the highest DPS counters from the list below — even budget options without Shadow or Mega forms perform well in larger groups.
Top 3 counters: The strongest lineup against Barbaracle is Mega Sceptile (47.385 DPS), Kartana (44.000 DPS), and Shadow Sceptile (40.154 DPS).
Catching Barbaracle: After defeating Barbaracle, the catch encounter will have a CP between 1492 and 1567 at level 20. With weather boost, the range is 1856-1949 at level 25. A perfect 100% IV Barbaracle from raids will have exactly 1567 CP — look for that number! Use Golden Razz Berries and Excellent curveball throws to maximize your catch rate.
Quick Stats
Weak To
Best Counters
Budget Counters (No Shadow / No Mega)
Catch CP
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best counters for Barbaracle?
The best counter for Barbaracle is Mega Sceptile with Bullet Seed and Frenzy Plant, dealing 47.385 DPS. Other top options include Kartana (44.000 DPS) and Shadow Sceptile (40.154 DPS).
How many trainers to beat Barbaracle?
Barbaracle can be defeated by a minimum of 2 high-level trainers with optimal counters. We recommend 4+ trainers for a comfortable win. In public lobbies, 5-6 is a safe number.
What is Barbaracle weak to?
Barbaracle is weak to Grass (double weak), Electric, Fighting, Ground-type attacks. It resists Fire, Flying, Ice, Normal, Poison-type moves, so avoid those.
Can Barbaracle be shiny in Pokemon GO?
No, Barbaracle's shiny form is not currently available in Pokemon GO. It may be released in a future event.
What CP is a 100% IV Barbaracle from raids?
A 100% IV (15/15/15) Barbaracle from raids will have 1567 CP at level 20, or 1949 CP at level 25 with weather boost. The minimum CP (10/10/10 IVs) is 1492. If you see 1567 CP in the catch screen, it's a perfect — use a Golden Razz Berry!
Is Barbaracle worth raiding in Pokemon GO?
Barbaracle is a lower-tier raid boss that can be soloed or defeated easily with 1-2 trainers. It's useful for farming candy, earning XP, and potentially getting a high-IV specimen. Worth doing when convenient, but doesn't require spending Premium Passes.
What is the best moveset for Barbaracle?
For the best moveset for Barbaracle itself (when using it as an attacker), check the full Barbaracle stats page which includes optimal fast and charged move combinations for both PvE raids and PvP GO Battle League, along with DPS calculations and PvP rankings.
Can I beat Barbaracle without Shadow or Mega Pokemon?
Yes! While Shadow and Mega Pokemon are the top DPS options, Barbaracle can be defeated using regular (non-Shadow, non-Mega) counters. The best budget options are Kartana (44.000 DPS) and Shaymin (Sky) (39.857 DPS). You may need 5-6 trainers instead of the minimum 2 when using budget teams. Check the Budget Counters section above for the full F2P-friendly list.
What weather boosts Barbaracle in raids?
Weather boost information for Barbaracle is not currently available. Rock-type Pokemon are typically boosted in specific weather conditions. When weather boosted, the raid is harder but the catch encounter is level 25 with higher CP.