Nidoking Raid Counters
Best counters and strategies to beat Nidoking in Pokemon GO raids.
How to Beat Nidoking
Nidoking is a 3-Star Raids raid boss in Pokemon GO with poison/ground typing. The best counter is Shadow Mewtwo (Shadow) with Confusion and Psystrike, dealing 45.059 DPS. Nidoking's shiny form is available from raid encounters.
Nidoking 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: Nidoking is weak to Ground, Ice, Psychic, Water -type attacks. Avoid using Electric, Poison, Bug-type moves as Nidoking 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 Nidoking is Shadow Mewtwo (45.059 DPS), Shadow Landorus (Therian) (43.091 DPS), and Mega Alakazam (43.000 DPS). Shadow variants deal 20% more damage but take 20% more — worth it for short-man attempts.
Catching Nidoking: After defeating Nidoking, the catch encounter will have a CP between 1429 and 1503 at level 20. With weather boost, the range is 1778-1870 at level 25. A perfect 100% IV Nidoking from raids will have exactly 1503 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 Nidoking?
The best counter for Nidoking is Shadow Mewtwo with Confusion and Psystrike, dealing 45.059 DPS. Other top options include Shadow Landorus (Therian) (43.091 DPS) and Mega Alakazam (43.000 DPS).
How many trainers to beat Nidoking?
Nidoking 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 Nidoking weak to?
Nidoking is weak to Ground, Ice, Psychic, Water-type attacks. It resists Electric, Poison, Bug, Fairy, Fighting, Rock-type moves, so avoid those.
Can Nidoking be shiny in Pokemon GO?
Yes! Nidoking'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 Nidoking from raids?
A 100% IV (15/15/15) Nidoking from raids will have 1503 CP at level 20, or 1870 CP at level 25 with weather boost. The minimum CP (10/10/10 IVs) is 1429. If you see 1503 CP in the catch screen, it's a perfect — use a Golden Razz Berry!
Is Nidoking worth raiding in Pokemon GO?
Nidoking 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 Nidoking?
For the best moveset for Nidoking itself (when using it as an attacker), check the full Nidoking 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 Nidoking without Shadow or Mega Pokemon?
Yes! While Shadow and Mega Pokemon are the top DPS options, Nidoking can be defeated using regular (non-Shadow, non-Mega) counters. The best budget options are Mewtwo (37.647 DPS) and Hoopa (Unbound) (36.667 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 Nidoking in raids?
Nidoking is weather boosted during cloudy,sunny weather. When boosted, Nidoking 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 (1778-1870 CP) with potentially better IVs. Weather boost is a double-edged sword — harder raid, better reward.