5 rare Pokemon to catch in Pokemon GO Raging Battles

The Pokemon GO Raging Battles event brings various Fighting-type creatures into focus, including a few rare finds. The main highlight is Annihilape, the Rage Pokemon introduced in the Gen IX main series games. The event also features the Therian forms of Thundurus and Landorus in five-star raids, as well as Gyarados and Primeape in three-star raids.

In Raging Battles, players can obtain Pocket Monsters from wild encounters, Pokemon eggs, raids, Field Research tasks, and collection challenges. This article looks at five rare creatures to capture in the event.

Note: This article is subjective and solely reflects the writer's views.

Catch rare Pokemon like Landorus, Thundurus, and Gyarados in Pokemon GO Raging Battles

1) Primeape and Annihilape

Rare Primeape and Annihilape (Image via The Pokemon Company)

Primeape and Annihilape are the highlights of this Pokemon GO event. The latter is a debutant, but the former is needed to trigger its evolution.

Players can challenge Primeape in three-star raid battles. The creature is a Fighting-type species, which means it is weak to Fairy, Flying, and Psychic-type moves. Raiders can build their battle counters revolving around these weaknesses and defeat the Pocket Monster.

Here are the best counters for Primeape raids:

Mega Rayquaza with Air Slash and Dragon Ascent
Shadow Mewtwo with Confusion and Psystrike
Mega Alakazam with Confusion and Psychic
Mega Gardevoir with Confusion and Psychic
Mega Latios with Confusion and Psystrike

After getting a Primeape, players must defeat 30 Ghost or Psychic-type Pokemon. This is the evolution requirement to get an Annihilape. Furthermore, the evolving process may also require 100 Candies.

It’s worth stating that the Pig Monkey is barely featured in raids, making it a rare Pokemon. So, trainers should make sure to catch it during Raging Battle. Its shiny form is also available, but players will need to be lucky to find it.

2) Gyarados

Rare Gyarados in Raging Battles (Image via The Pokemon Company)

Gyarados appears as a three-star raid boss in Pokemon GO's Raging Battles event. Like Primeape, this creature is rarely introduced in raids. The reason is that the Pocket Monster’s pre-evolved form, Magikarp, demands 400 Candy to trigger evolution. So, it makes sense not to feature it often to make it a rare encounter. Additionally, collecting such a high number of Candies is very difficult.

Now, let’s move on to how to get Gyarados. The Pokemon is a dual Flying and Water-type critter vulnerable to Electric (2x) and Rock-type attacks. Players can take it down by focusing on its weaknesses.

Here are the 10 ideal counters to win Pokemon GO Gyarados raids:

Shadow Raikou with Volt Switch and Volt Charge
Mega Manectric with Mega Fang and Wild Charge
Xurkitree with Thunder Shock and Discharge
Shadow Maneczone with Spark and Wild Charge
Shadow Electrivire with Thunder Shock and Wild Charge
Thundurus Therian with Volt Switch and Wildbolt Storm
Shadow Zapdos with Thunder Shock and Thunderbolt
Zekrom with Charge Beam and Fusion Bolt
Shadow Luxray with Spark and Wild Charge
Mega Ampharos with Volt Switch and Zapcannon

After defeating the creature, trainers can use Poke Balls to catch it. Its shiny variant is also available. Check out this detailed Gyarados raid guide to know more.

3) Mega Medicham

Medicham is rare in Raging Battles (Image via The Pokemon Company)

Mega Medicham appears as a Mega raid boss during this Pokemon GO event. Players can defeat it to get its regular form, Medicham. It’s important to note that they will only get Medicham and not its Mega form from raids.

Here is a list of 10 counters for Mega Medicham:

Mega Gengar with Lick and Shadow Ball.
Mega Gardevoir with Charm and Dazzling Gleam.
Mega Banette with Shadow Claw and Shadow Ball.
Shadow Moltres with Wing Attack and Sky Attack
Chandelure with Hex and Shadow Ball
Origin Giritina and Shadow Claw and Shadow Force
Mega Blaziken with Fire Spin and Brave Bird
Lunala with Air Slash and Shadow Ball
Moltres with Wing Attack and Sky Attack
Mega Pidgeot with Gust and Brave Bird

Once players win the Mega Raids, they will receive Medicham and its Mega Energy.

4) Throh and Sawk

Rare Thorh and Sawk in GO Raging Battles (Image via The Pokemon Company)

Throh and Sawk are both Fighting-type region-exclusive creatures in Pokemon GO. Due to this fact, they are both rare Pocket Monsters. Their appearance is uncommon, and they cannot normally be encountered in the wild.

Fortunately, the Raging Battles event brings the pair back as wild encounters. These creatures are super effective against Normal, Rock, Steel, Ice, and Dark-type Pokemon.

The best strategy that players can follow to catch wild Pocket Monsters in this event is to make use of Pokemon GO's Lure Modules and Incense. This will lure multiple creatures, including rare ones, to their location.

Throh and Sawk might also appear near the trainers’ Map View, thanks to this strategy. When they do, players can use Poke Ball to catch them.

5) Landorus and Thundurus (Therian forms)

Rare Landorus and Thundurus (Image via The Pokemon Company)

The Therian forms of Landorus and Thundurus in Pokemon GO are members of the Forces of Nature. Both are rare Legendary Pokemon in Pokemon GO and the mainline games. The Raging Battles event will organize their five-star raids. Players can partake in the raids and defeat them. Upon doing so, they can trigger their encounters.

Here are five raid counters for Landorus (Therian):

Mamoswine with Powder Snow and Avalanche
Glaceon with Frost Breath and Avalanche
Mega Abomasnow with Powder Snow and Weather Ball
Galarian Darmanitan with Ice Fang and Avalanche
Articuno with Frost Breath and Ice Beam

Here are five raid counters for Thundurus (Therian):

Rhyperior with Smack Down and Rock Wrecker
Mamoswine with Powder Snow and Avalanche
Gigalith with Smack Down and Meteor Beam
Tyrantrum with Rock Throw and Meteor Beam
Kyurem with Dragon Breath and Glaciate

These are the five rare capturable Pocket Monsters in Pokemon GO Raging Battles. Players can also get Mega Steelix from Mega Raids and other uncommon critters from low-tier raids and in the wild.