Horsea Raid Counters
Best counters and strategies to beat Horsea in Pokemon GO raids.
How to Beat Horsea
Horsea is a 5 raid boss in Pokemon GO with Water typing. The best counter is Shadow Thundurus (Therian) (Shadow) with Volt Switch and Wildbolt Storm, dealing 71.100 DPS.
Horsea 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: Horsea is weak to Electric, Grass -type attacks. Avoid using Fire, Ice, Steel-type moves as Horsea 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 Horsea is Shadow Thundurus (Therian) (71.100 DPS), Regieleki (63.882 DPS), and Thundurus (Therian) (59.300 DPS). Shadow variants deal 20% more damage but take 20% more — worth it for short-man attempts.
Catching Horsea: After defeating Horsea, the catch encounter will have a CP between 572 and 618 at level 20. With weather boost, the range is 711-769 at level 25. A perfect 100% IV Horsea from raids will have exactly 618 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 Horsea?
The best counter for Horsea is Shadow Thundurus (Therian) with Volt Switch and Wildbolt Storm, dealing 71.100 DPS. Other top options include Regieleki (63.882 DPS) and Thundurus (Therian) (59.300 DPS).
How many trainers to beat Horsea?
Horsea 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 Horsea weak to?
Horsea is weak to Electric, Grass-type attacks. It resists Fire, Ice, Steel, Water-type moves, so avoid those.
Can Horsea be shiny in Pokemon GO?
No, Horsea's shiny form is not currently available in Pokemon GO. It may be released in a future event.
What CP is a 100% IV Horsea from raids?
A 100% IV (15/15/15) Horsea from raids will have 618 CP at level 20, or 769 CP at level 25 with weather boost. The minimum CP (10/10/10 IVs) is 572. If you see 618 CP in the catch screen, it's a perfect — use a Golden Razz Berry!
Is Horsea worth raiding in Pokemon GO?
Horsea 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 Horsea?
For the best moveset for Horsea itself (when using it as an attacker), check the full Horsea 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 Horsea without Shadow or Mega Pokemon?
Yes! While Shadow and Mega Pokemon are the top DPS options, Horsea can be defeated using regular (non-Shadow, non-Mega) counters. The best budget options are Regieleki (63.882 DPS) and Thundurus (Therian) (59.300 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 Horsea in raids?
Weather boost information for Horsea is not currently available. Water-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.