Cranidos Raid Counters
Best counters and strategies to beat Cranidos in Pokemon GO raids.
How to Beat Cranidos
Cranidos is a 5 raid boss in Pokemon GO with Rock typing. The best counter is Mega Blaziken (Mega) with Counter and Aura Sphere, dealing 99.250 DPS.
Cranidos 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: Cranidos is weak to Fighting, Grass, Ground, Steel, Water -type attacks. Avoid using Fire, Flying, Normal-type moves as Cranidos 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 Cranidos is Mega Blaziken (99.250 DPS), Mega Lucario (98.000 DPS), and Primal Kyogre (92.000 DPS).
Catching Cranidos: After defeating Cranidos, the catch encounter will have a CP between 998 and 1066 at level 20. With weather boost, the range is 1242-1326 at level 25. A perfect 100% IV Cranidos from raids will have exactly 1066 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 Cranidos?
The best counter for Cranidos is Mega Blaziken with Counter and Aura Sphere, dealing 99.250 DPS. Other top options include Mega Lucario (98.000 DPS) and Primal Kyogre (92.000 DPS).
How many trainers to beat Cranidos?
Cranidos 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 Cranidos weak to?
Cranidos is weak to Fighting, Grass, Ground, Steel, Water-type attacks. It resists Fire, Flying, Normal, Poison-type moves, so avoid those.
Can Cranidos be shiny in Pokemon GO?
No, Cranidos's shiny form is not currently available in Pokemon GO. It may be released in a future event.
What CP is a 100% IV Cranidos from raids?
A 100% IV (15/15/15) Cranidos from raids will have 1066 CP at level 20, or 1326 CP at level 25 with weather boost. The minimum CP (10/10/10 IVs) is 998. If you see 1066 CP in the catch screen, it's a perfect — use a Golden Razz Berry!
Is Cranidos worth raiding in Pokemon GO?
Cranidos 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 Cranidos?
For the best moveset for Cranidos itself (when using it as an attacker), check the full Cranidos 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 Cranidos without Shadow or Mega Pokemon?
Yes! While Shadow and Mega Pokemon are the top DPS options, Cranidos can be defeated using regular (non-Shadow, non-Mega) counters. The best budget options are Kartana (78.800 DPS) and Landorus (Therian) (78.091 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 Cranidos in raids?
Weather boost information for Cranidos 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.