Pokemon GO: Misdreavus weaknesses and best counters

Misdreavus is a Ghost-type Pokemon that is currently available to battle as a 1-star raid boss in Pokemon GO.

Outside of the occasional raid battle or limited PvP fight, Pokemon GO trainers aren't likely to battle Misdreavus often. Its evolution, Mismagius, tends to be more prevalent in the game's combat meta due to its improved CP cap and maximum stats.

If trainers do take on Misdreavus in a raid or PvP, countering the Pokemon should be much simpler than taking on higher-quality opponents.

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Countering Misdreavus in Pokemon GO

Dark-type Pokemon like Honchkrow can quickly defeat Misdreavus (Image via The Pokemon Company)

In both Pokemon and Pokemon GO, Misdreavus is weak to Dark and Ghost-type moves. By extension, this makes Ghost and Dark-type Pokemon its best counters, as they receive a Same Type Attack Bonus (STAB) by using moves that match their type. With the right battle party and moves in place, Misdreavus should drop quickly and easily, allowing trainers to focus elsewhere.

Since Misdreavus is quite weak in terms of CP and stats, players can typically get away without using counters against it as long as they avoid Normal-type moves and Pokemon. However, in raid situations specifically, defeating the boss quickly can lead to increased rewards. Countering Misdreavus is also a good way of practicing for battles against other Ghost-type Pokemon.

Below, Pokemon GO trainers can find a list of moves and Pokemon that perform exceptionally well when countering Misdreavus:

Fast Moves

• Shadow Claw (Ghost-type)
• Snarl (Dark-type)
• Bite (Dark-type)
• Astonish (Ghost-type)
• Hex (Ghost-type)

Charge Moves

• Shadow Ball (Ghost-type)
• Foul Play (Dark-type)
• Dark Pulse (Dark-type)
• Crunch (Dark-type)
• Payback (Dark-type)

Pokemon

• Darkrai
• Hoopa
• Yveltal
• Giratina
• Weavile
• Chandelure
• Gengar
• Hydreigon
• Zarude
• Tyranitar
• Absol
• Houndoom
• Honchkrow
• Bisharp

Many Ghost and Dark-type Pokemon are well-suited to counter Misdreavus as long as they have decent CP and stats. However, it's worth noting that mono Ghost-type Pokemon are still weak to Ghost-type attacks in Pokemon GO. This means that if trainers do counter Misdreavus with a Ghost-type Pokemon, they should ensure that their counter Pokemon has enough durability. This is because Misdreavus tends to utilize a Ghost-type moveset itself.

Overall, Dark-type Pokemon don't have this issue and can hammer away at Misdreavus with impunity. Misdreavus should be defeated in a few moments, and players can move on.