Kabuto Raid Counters
Best counters and strategies to beat Kabuto in Pokemon GO raids.
How to Beat Kabuto
Kabuto 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 69.538 DPS.
Kabuto 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: Kabuto is weak to Grass (double weak!), Electric, Fighting, Ground -type attacks. Avoid using Fire, Flying, Ice-type moves as Kabuto 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 Kabuto is Mega Sceptile (69.538 DPS), Kartana (64.533 DPS), and Shadow Sceptile (58.154 DPS).
Catching Kabuto: After defeating Kabuto, the catch encounter will have a CP between 749 and 802 at level 20. With weather boost, the range is 931-998 at level 25. A perfect 100% IV Kabuto from raids will have exactly 802 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 Kabuto?
The best counter for Kabuto is Mega Sceptile with Bullet Seed and Frenzy Plant, dealing 69.538 DPS. Other top options include Kartana (64.533 DPS) and Shadow Sceptile (58.154 DPS).
How many trainers to beat Kabuto?
Kabuto 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 Kabuto weak to?
Kabuto is weak to Grass (double weak), Electric, Fighting, Ground-type attacks. It resists Fire, Flying, Ice, Normal, Poison-type moves, so avoid those.
Can Kabuto be shiny in Pokemon GO?
No, Kabuto's shiny form is not currently available in Pokemon GO. It may be released in a future event.
What CP is a 100% IV Kabuto from raids?
A 100% IV (15/15/15) Kabuto from raids will have 802 CP at level 20, or 998 CP at level 25 with weather boost. The minimum CP (10/10/10 IVs) is 749. If you see 802 CP in the catch screen, it's a perfect — use a Golden Razz Berry!
Is Kabuto worth raiding in Pokemon GO?
Kabuto 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 Kabuto?
For the best moveset for Kabuto itself (when using it as an attacker), check the full Kabuto 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 Kabuto without Shadow or Mega Pokemon?
Yes! While Shadow and Mega Pokemon are the top DPS options, Kabuto can be defeated using regular (non-Shadow, non-Mega) counters. The best budget options are Kartana (64.533 DPS) and Shaymin (Sky) (57.857 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 Kabuto in raids?
Weather boost information for Kabuto 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.