Deoxys is a Psychic-type Mythical Pokémon originally discovered in the Hoenn region. Deoxys was created when the DNA of a space virus underwent a sudden mutation upon exposure to a laser beam. Learn which Pokémon will be most effective in Raid Battles against Deoxys, how to catch Deoxys after winning a Raid Battle, and how best to use the DNA Pokémon after you’ve caught it.

Deoxys’s Formes

Deoxys is in that it has four different “formes”: Normal Forme, Attack Forme, Defense Forme, and Speed Forme. While all Deoxys’s formes are Psychic type, each has unique moves and stats that emphasize a different quality. For example, Defense Forme Deoxys has incredibly high Defense while its Attack is lower than other formes. Meanwhile, Attack Forme Deoxys has a tremendously powerful Attack at the expense of its Defense. Normal Forme Deoxys has more balance between Attack and Defense, while Speed Forme Deoxys slightly favors offense over defense.

Despite their similarities, each forme performs with differing effectiveness in the GO Battle League. Learn more in the “What to Do with Deoxys Once You’ve Caught It” section.

Which Pokémon to Use in a Deoxys Raid in Pokémon GO

As a Psychic-type Pokémon, Deoxys is vulnerable to Bug-, Ghost-, and Dark-type attacks. When choosing six Pokémon for your Deoxys Raid Battle lineup, it helps to choose Pokémon that have a Fast Attack and Charged Attack of one of these types if you want to deal as much damage as possible. It’s not necessary to choose only Bug-, Ghost-, or Dark-type Pokémon, but a Pokémon that shares a type with these attacks will benefit from a same-type attack bonus, which will allow these attacks to deal an additional 20% damage.

If you have multiple Pokémon that know Bug-, Ghost-, or Dark-type attacks, choose the Pokémon with the highest CP and best overall stats. Remember that speed of victory affects how many Premier Balls you will receive at the conclusion of a successful Raid Battle, so bring your strongest Pokémon and defeat Deoxys as quickly as possible.

• Beedrill / Mega Beedrill (Bug/Poison)

  • Fast Attack: Bug Bite (Bug)*, Infestation (Bug)

  • Charged Attack: Fell Stinger (Bug), X-Scissor (Bug)

• Pinsir / Shadow Pinsir (Bug)

  • Fast Attack: Bug Bite (Bug), Fury Cutter (Bug), Rock Smash (Fighting)

  • Charged Attack: Close Combat (Fighting), Submission (Fighting), Superpower (Fighting), X-Scissor (Bug)

• Scizor / Shadow Scizor / Mega Scizor (Bug/Steel)

  • Fast Attack: Fury Cutter (Bug)

  • Charged Attack: X-Scissor (Bug)

• Gengar / Mega Gengar (Ghost/Poison)

  • Fast Attack: Hex (Ghost), Lick (Ghost)*, Shadow Claw (Ghost)

  • Charged Attack: Shadow Ball (Ghost), Shadow Punch (Ghost)*

• Banette / Shadow Banette / Mega Banette (Ghost)

  • Fast Attack: Hex (Ghost), Shadow Claw (Ghost)

  • Charged Attack: Shadow Ball (Ghost)

• Mismagius / Shadow Mismagius (Ghost)

  • Fast Attack: Hex (Ghost)

  • Charged Attack: Dark Pulse (Dark), Shadow Ball (Ghost)

• Origin Forme Giratina (Ghost/Dragon)

  • Fast Attack: Shadow Claw (Ghost)

  • Charged Attack: Ominous Wind (Ghost), Shadow Ball (Ghost), Shadow Force (Ghost)*

• Chandelure (Ghost/Fire)

  • Fast Attack: Hex (Ghost)

  • Charged Attack: Poltergeist (Ghost)*, Shadow Ball (Ghost)

• Mega Gyarados (Water/Dark)

  • Fast Attack: Bite (Dark)

  • Charged Attack: Crunch (Dark)

• Houndoom / Mega Houndoom / Shadow Houndoom (Dark/Fire)

  • Fast Attack: Snarl (Dark)

  • Charged Attack: Crunch (Dark), Foul Play (Dark)

• Tyranitar / Shadow Tyranitar (Rock/Dark)

  • Fast Attack: Bite (Dark)

  • Charged Attack: Crunch (Dark)

• Absol / Shadow Absol / Mega Absol (Dark)

  • Fast Attack: Snarl (Dark)

  • Charged Attack: Dark Pulse (Dark), Megahorn (Bug), Payback (Dark)

• Darkrai (Dark)

  • Fast Attack: Feint Attack (Dark), Snarl (Dark)

  • Charged Attack: Dark Pulse (Dark), Shadow Ball (Ghost)

• Hydreigon (Dark/Dragon)

  • Fast Attack: Bite (Dark)

  • Charged Attack: Brutal Swing (Dark)*, Dark Pulse (Dark)

• Yveltal (Dark/Flying)

  • Fast Attack: Snarl (Dark), Sucker Punch (Dark)

  • Charged Attack: Dark Pulse (Dark)

*An Elite Fast TM or an Elite Charged TM is typically required to teach this Pokémon this attack.

Make the Most of Premier Balls and Berries

After a successful Deoxys raid, you’ll have a limited number of Premier Balls you can use to catch Deoxys, so make each one count. You can earn extra Premier Balls by battling with friends and defeating Deoxys more quickly.

In an encounter with Deoxys, your chance of catching it is greatest when the target ring is small enough for you to score Excellent Throws. Throwing Curveballs can improve your chances even more. But work within your abilities—if you don’t think you can reliably make Excellent Curveball Throws, aim for Nice Throws or Great Throws rather than risk missing the target ring completely.

Deoxys isn’t going to make it easy on you by sitting still while you’re trying to catch it. Don’t waste your Premier Balls by throwing while it’s moving around. Watch Deoxys to get a feel for its cycle of movement and the pauses in between the cycles. During one of these pauses, wait for the target ring to reappear, and then throw as it starts to grow smaller to increase your odds of making a Great Throw or an Excellent Throw.

Berries can help you catch Deoxys. A Razz Berry will make Deoxys easier to catch, and a Golden Razz Berry will make it much easier to catch. If you find yourself failing to land any throws, a Nanab Berry will calm Deoxys, making its movements less erratic and allowing you to make precise throws more easily. If you need extra Deoxys Candy, using a Silver Pinap Berry will make Deoxys easier to catch and grant you extra Candy when you catch it.

Buddy Pokémon with a Buddy Level of Great Buddy or higher have the Catch Assist Perk. If a Pokémon—even a Legendary Pokémon—deflects a Poké Ball, your buddy might bounce it back for a second catch opportunity!

Like all Mythical Pokémon, Deoxys is tricky to catch, so don’t be discouraged if it escapes. Get a second wind by stocking up on useful items—like Max Potions, Max Revives, and Golden Razz Berries—and try again.

What to Do with Deoxys Once You’ve Caught It

As a Psychic-type Pokémon, Deoxys is resistant against Fighting- and Psychic-type attacks. Three of Deoxys’s formes—Normal, Attack, and Speed—have limited use in raids and the GO Battle League, though their distinctive physical appearance makes them worth catching. Defense Forme Deoxys is a GO Battle League powerhouse, dominating in the Great League and the Ultra League. Its impressive bulk and wide range of attack types make it a serious contender against a wide range of commonly used Pokémon.

Defense Forme Deoxys’s Fighting-type Fast Attack Counter is highly effective against Dark-type Pokémon, which Deoxys is vulnerable to. This Pokémon also offers a reasonable range of Charged Attack types, so it is wise to teach it a second Charged Attack. While the Charged Attack Psycho Boost does benefit from a same-type attack bonus, it has the downside of reducing Deoxys’s Attack stat. Both the Electric-type Charged Attack Thunderbolt and Rock-type Charged Attack Rock Slide are popular choices, increasing the range of types Defense Forme Deoxys can contend with. For example, a Defense Forme Deoxys that knows the Fast Attack Counter, Charged Attack Thunderbolt, and Charged Attack Rock Slide would be effective against Normal-, Fire-, Water-, Ice-, Flying-, Bug-, Rock-, Dark-, and Steel-type Pokémon.

Given that Defense Forme Deoxys is an excellent choice for the Great League and the Ultra League, you’ll want to raise its CP to its maximum and teach it a second Charged Attack. To do that, you’ll need a lot of Candy—including XL Candy—so try to catch as many Deoxys as possible. It’s also worth noting that all Deoxys Candy is the same regardless of forme, so catch Deoxys in every forme to earn enough Candy to power up your favorite forme for battle!

Good luck with your next Raid Battle, and remember to check Pokemon.co.uk/Strategy for more Pokémon GO, video game, and Pokémon TCG tips.