Hippowdon Raid Counters
Best counters and strategies to beat Hippowdon in Pokemon GO raids.
How to Beat Hippowdon
Hippowdon is a 3-Star Raids raid boss in Pokemon GO with ground typing. The best counter is Primal Kyogre (Mega) with Waterfall and Origin Pulse, dealing 34.727 DPS. Hippowdon's shiny form is available from raid encounters.
Hippowdon 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: Hippowdon is weak to Grass, Ice, Water -type attacks. Avoid using Electric, Poison, Rock-type moves as Hippowdon 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 Hippowdon is Primal Kyogre (34.727 DPS), Mega Sceptile (32.154 DPS), and Shadow Kyogre (31.879 DPS).
Catching Hippowdon: After defeating Hippowdon, the catch encounter will have a CP between 1726 and 1807 at level 20. With weather boost, the range is 2148-2248 at level 25. A perfect 100% IV Hippowdon from raids will have exactly 1807 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 Hippowdon?
The best counter for Hippowdon is Primal Kyogre with Waterfall and Origin Pulse, dealing 34.727 DPS. Other top options include Mega Sceptile (32.154 DPS) and Shadow Kyogre (31.879 DPS).
How many trainers to beat Hippowdon?
Hippowdon 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 Hippowdon weak to?
Hippowdon is weak to Grass, Ice, Water-type attacks. It resists Electric, Poison, Rock-type moves, so avoid those.
Can Hippowdon be shiny in Pokemon GO?
Yes! Hippowdon's shiny form is available from raid encounters. The shiny rate for legendary raids is approximately 1 in 20 (5%). Use a Pinap Berry if you already have a shiny and want extra candy.
What CP is a 100% IV Hippowdon from raids?
A 100% IV (15/15/15) Hippowdon from raids will have 1807 CP at level 20, or 2248 CP at level 25 with weather boost. The minimum CP (10/10/10 IVs) is 1726. If you see 1807 CP in the catch screen, it's a perfect — use a Golden Razz Berry!
Is Hippowdon worth raiding in Pokemon GO?
Hippowdon 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 Hippowdon?
For the best moveset for Hippowdon itself (when using it as an attacker), check the full Hippowdon 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 Hippowdon without Shadow or Mega Pokemon?
Yes! While Shadow and Mega Pokemon are the top DPS options, Hippowdon can be defeated using regular (non-Shadow, non-Mega) counters. The best budget options are Kartana (29.867 DPS) and Kyurem (White) (28.381 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 Hippowdon in raids?
Hippowdon is weather boosted during sunny weather. When boosted, Hippowdon is harder to defeat (higher CP in the raid) but the catch encounter will be level 25 instead of 20, giving you a higher CP catch (2148-2248 CP) with potentially better IVs. Weather boost is a double-edged sword — harder raid, better reward.