Pheromosa Raid Counters
Best counters and strategies to beat Pheromosa in Pokemon GO raids.
How to Beat Pheromosa
Pheromosa is a 5-Star Raids raid boss in Pokemon GO with bug/fighting typing. The best counter is Mega Rayquaza (Mega) with Air Slash and Hurricane, dealing 114.968 DPS. Pheromosa's shiny form is available from raid encounters.
Pheromosa 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: Pheromosa is weak to Flying (double weak!), Fairy, Fire, Psychic -type attacks. Avoid using Bug, Dark, Fighting-type moves as Pheromosa 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 Pheromosa is Mega Rayquaza (114.968 DPS), Shadow Tornadus (Therian) (114.000 DPS), and Shadow Toucannon (112.933 DPS). Shadow variants deal 20% more damage but take 20% more — worth it for short-man attempts.
Catching Pheromosa: After defeating Pheromosa, the catch encounter will have a CP between 1576 and 1664 at level 20. With weather boost, the range is 1961-2070 at level 25. A perfect 100% IV Pheromosa from raids will have exactly 1664 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 Pheromosa?
The best counter for Pheromosa is Mega Rayquaza with Air Slash and Hurricane, dealing 114.968 DPS. Other top options include Shadow Tornadus (Therian) (114.000 DPS) and Shadow Toucannon (112.933 DPS).
How many trainers to beat Pheromosa?
Pheromosa 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 Pheromosa weak to?
Pheromosa is weak to Flying (double weak), Fairy, Fire, Psychic-type attacks. It resists Bug, Dark, Fighting, Grass, Ground-type moves, so avoid those.
Can Pheromosa be shiny in Pokemon GO?
Yes! Pheromosa'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 Pheromosa from raids?
A 100% IV (15/15/15) Pheromosa from raids will have 1664 CP at level 20, or 2070 CP at level 25 with weather boost. The minimum CP (10/10/10 IVs) is 1576. If you see 1664 CP in the catch screen, it's a perfect — use a Golden Razz Berry!
Is Pheromosa worth raiding in Pokemon GO?
Pheromosa 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 Pheromosa?
For the best moveset for Pheromosa itself (when using it as an attacker), check the full Pheromosa 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 Pheromosa without Shadow or Mega Pokemon?
Yes! While Shadow and Mega Pokemon are the top DPS options, Pheromosa can be defeated using regular (non-Shadow, non-Mega) counters. The best budget options are Enamorus (Incarnate) (95.667 DPS) and Tornadus (Therian) (94.880 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 Pheromosa in raids?
Pheromosa is weather boosted during rainy,cloudy weather. When boosted, Pheromosa 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 (1961-2070 CP) with potentially better IVs. Weather boost is a double-edged sword — harder raid, better reward.