Genesect is a Bug- and Steel-type Mythical Pokémon originally discovered in the Unova region. This ancient bug Pokémon existed 300 million years ago—Team Plasma altered it and attached a cannon to its back. Learn which Pokémon will be most effective in Raid Battles against Genesect, how to catch Genesect after winning a Raid Battle, and how best to use the Paleozoic Pokémon after you’ve caught it.

What Do Genesect’s Drives Do?

The Genesect appearing in May’s raids will have the Shock Drive. Genesect can have one of four different drives: the Burn Drive, the Douse Drive, the Shock Drive, or the Chill Drive. These drives determine Genesect’s form and the type of its Techno Blast Charged Attack. When Genesect has a Shock Drive, the light on Genesect’s back is yellow, and Techno Blast is an Electric-type move. A Douse Drive turns the light on the cannon blue and makes Techno Blast a Water-type move. With the Chill Drive, the cannon’s light is white, and Techno Blast is an Ice-type move. When Genesect is equipped with a Burn Drive, the cannon light is red and Techno Blast is a Fire-type attack.

Which Pokémon to Use in a Genesect Raid in Pokémon GO

As a Bug- and Steel-type Pokémon, Genesect is extremely vulnerable to Fire-type attacks. When choosing six Pokémon for your Genesect Raid Battle lineup, it helps to choose Pokémon that have a Fire-type Fast Attack and Charged Attack if you want to deal as much damage as possible. It’s not necessary to choose only Fire-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 Fire-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 Genesect as quickly as you can.

• Charizard / Mega Charizard Y(Fire/Flying)

  • Fast Attack: Ember (Fire)*, Fire Spin (Fire)

  • Charged Attack: Blast Burn (Fire)*, Fire Blast (Fire), Flamethrower (Fire)*, Overheat (Fire)

• Arcanine / Shadow Arcanine (Fire)

  • Fast Attack: Fire Fang (Fire)

  • Charged Attack: Fire Blast (Fire), Flamethrower (Fire)

• Moltres / Shadow Moltres (Fire/Flying)

  • Fast Attack: Fire Spin (Fire)

  • Charged Attack: Fire Blast (Fire), Heat Wave (Fire), Overheat (Fire)

• Typhlosion / Shadow Typhlosion (Fire)

  • Fast Attack: Ember (Fire), Incinerate (Fire)

  • Charged Attack: Blast Burn (Fire)*, Fire Blast (Fire), Overheat (Fire)

• Houndoom / Mega Houndoom(Dark/Fire)

  • Fast Attack: Fire Fang (Fire)

  • Charged Attack: Fire Blast (Fire), Flamethrower (Fire)

• Entei / Shadow Entei (Fire)

  • Fast Attack: Fire Fang (Fire), Fire Spin (Fire)

  • Charged Attack: Fire Blast (Fire), Flame Charge (Fire), Flamethrower (Fire), Overheat (Fire)

• Ho-Oh / Shadow Ho-Oh (Fire/Flying)

  • Fast Attack: Incinerate (Fire)

  • Charged Attack: Fire Blast (Fire), Sacred Fire (Fire)*

• Blaziken / Mega Blaziken / Shadow Blaziken (Fire/Fighting)

  • Fast Attack: Fire Spin (Fire)

  • Charged Attack: Blast Burn (Fire)*, Blaze Kick (Fire), Overheat (Fire)

• Magmortar / Shadow Magmortar (Fire)

  • Fast Attack: Fire Spin (Fire)

  • Charged Attack: Fire Blast (Fire), Fire Punch (Fire)

• Darmanitan (Fire)

  • Fast Attack: Fire Fang (Fire), Incinerate (Fire)

  • Charged Attack: Overheat (Fire)

• Chandelure (Ghost/Fire)

  • Fast Attack: Fire Spin (Fire), Incinerate (Fire)

  • Charged Attack: Flame Charge (Fire), Overheat (Fire)

• Reshiram (Dragon/Fire)

  • Fast Attack: Fire Fang (Fire)

  • Charged Attack: Fusion Flare (Fire)*, Overheat (Fire)

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

In an encounter with Genesect, 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.

Genesect 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 Genesect 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 Genesect. A Razz Berry will make Genesect 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 Genesect, making its movements less erratic and allowing you to make precise throws more easily. If you need extra Genesect Candy, using a Silver Pinap Berry will make Genesect 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, Genesect 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 Genesect (Shock Drive) Once You’ve Caught It

As a Bug- and Steel-type Pokémon, Genesect is resistant to Grass-, Ice-, Psychic-, Dark-, and Fairy-type attacks. These multiple type advantages make Genesect particularly powerful against many Raid Bosses, including Mewtwo, Deoxys, Mega Abomasnow, Darkrai, Yveltal, and Zacian, among other Grass- or Fairy-type Pokémon. Genesect’s greatest strength is as a Bug-type attacker, being one of the strongest Bug-type Pokémon in Pokémon GO with its moderately high maximum CP, although it’s also a respectable Steel-type attacker as well.

If you plan to use Genesect as a Bug-type attacker, it will be important to take advantage of Genesect’s Bug-type Fast Attack and Charged Attack. As always, it’s always helpful to arm your Pokémon with a second Charged Attack to maximize its efficiency—the attacks you choose will depend on how you plan to use your Genesect. While Genesect isn’t popular in the GO Battle League, it might be viable in the Master League with the right team and strategy. Fairy-type Pokémon often dominate the Master League, and Genesect’s Steel-type attacks are a solid counter. If Genesect’s interesting typing and available attacks complement your strategy, the first step is to participate in as many Genesect raids as possible. Teaching Genesect a second Charged Attack will require a significant amount of Genesect Candy, Genesect Candy XL, and Stardust, so try to catch as many Genesect as possible to get you there faster.

It may be difficult to choose two Charged Attacks. The Bug-type Fury Cutter is effective against Mewtwo, which is a dominant Pokémon within the Master League. If you need to counter Water-type opponents like Kyogre, Techno Blast is a good choice. Meanwhile, the Steel-type Charged Attack Magnet Bomb is perfect against Fairy-type Pokémon. Choose the attack that complements your overall strategy and team. If you already have a Pokémon with a strong Steel-type attack, for example, you might want to prioritize a Charged Attack with a different type.

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.