Origin Forme Giratina is a Ghost- and Dragon-type Legendary Pokémon originally discovered in the Sinnoh region. Giratina has two distinct forms: Altered Forme and Origin Forme. The Giratina featured in these Raid Battles will be appearing in Origin Forme and will remain in this form after being caught.

This Pokémon is said to live in a world on the reverse side of ours, where common knowledge is distorted and strange. Learn which Pokémon will be most effective in Raid Battles against Giratina, how to catch Giratina after winning a Raid Battle, and how best to use the Renegade Pokémon after you’ve caught it.

Which Pokémon to Use in a Giratina Raid in Pokémon GO

As a Ghost- and Dragon-type Pokémon, Giratina is vulnerable to Ice-, Ghost-, Dragon-, Dark-, and Fairy-type attacks. When choosing six Pokémon for your Giratina Raid Battle lineup, it helps to choose Pokémon that have a Fast Attack and a Charged Attack of one of these types if you want to deal as much damage as possible. 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 Ice-, Ghost-, Dragon-, Dark-, or Fairy-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 Giratina as quickly as you can.

When you challenge a Raid Boss while you’re in a party, Party Power can give your Charged Attacks a boost. When you have more party members in a raid, your Party Power charges more quickly—when you activate it, your next Charged Attack will deal even more damage! To get the most out of Party Power, it’s a great idea to take on Raid Battles with friends.

It’s also worth noting that when you include a Mega-Evolved Pokémon in your raid lineup, all Pokémon of the same type participating in the raid receive a damage boost while that Mega-Evolved Pokémon is battling the Raid Boss. With their substantial CP, Mega-Evolved Pokémon are already a terrific asset in raids, but this added damage boost for other Trainers’ Pokémon can also be significant in Raid Battles where you’re up against the clock.

Make the Most of Premier Balls and Berries

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

In an encounter with Giratina, 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.

Giratina 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 Giratina 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 Giratina. A Razz Berry will make it 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 Giratina, making its movements less erratic and allowing you to make precise throws more easily. If you need extra Giratina Candy, using a Silver Pinap Berry will make Giratina 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 Legendary Pokémon, Giratina 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 Giratina Once You’ve Caught It

As a Ghost- and Dragon-type Pokémon, Giratina is resistant to Normal-, Fire-, Water-, Grass-, Electric-, Fighting-, Poison-, and Bug-type attacks. With its interesting typing and lengthy list of resistances, Giratina is a powerhouse with many possible uses in both raids and in the GO Battle League. After catching the Renegade Pokémon, it’s important to understand how and when to best utilize it within its niche.

With the 2022 addition of Origin Forme Giratina’s signature Ghost-type Charged Attack—Shadow Force—Giratina received a substantial boost to its viability as an attacker in raids. While Origin Forme Giratina isn’t the strongest Ghost- or Dragon-type attacker in raids, it is certainly capable of dealing substantial damage and has the necessary attacks to function effectively in either role. As a Ghost-type attacker in raids, Origin Forme Giratina is often equipped with Shadow Claw as its Fast Attack and either Shadow Ball or Shadow Force as its Charged Attack, though Shadow Force does more damage. It’s worth noting that Giratina requires an Elite Charged TM to learn Shadow Force outside of special events. Dragon Tail and Dragon Pulse are the best and only attack options if you plan on using Origin Forme Giratina as a Dragon-type attacker.

In the GO Battle League, Origin Forme Giratina is highly competitive across the Great League, Ultra League, and Master League. Because it’s difficult to acquire a Giratina that squeaks in under the 1,500 CP cap for the Great League, it’s unlikely that you’ll encounter Giratina in Great League battles—meaning that many Trainers don’t build a team that can defend against it. With the broad assortment of Water-, Ground-, Grass-, Fire-, and Electric-type Pokémon seen in these formats, Origin Forme Giratina can get plenty of play, although Trainers should keep an eye out for popular Pokémon that often boast a Dark-type attack, such as Feraligatr, Mandibuzz, or Guzzlord.

In the Ultra League, Origin Forme Giratina benefits from many of the same strengths it enjoys in the Great League, performing well against “elemental” types like Fire, Water, Grass, Ground, and Electric. However, prominent Dark-type Pokémon in the GO Battle League like Mandibuzz and Obstagoon can prove challenging for Giratina to overcome. Despite its success in the Great League and Ultra League, the Master League is arguably Origin Forme Giratina’s strongest format. Despite Giratina’s vulnerability to Pokémon often found in the Master League—specifically Dragon-, Dark-, and Fairy-type Pokémon—it pairs well against many Pokémon that are popular in the GO Battle League, including Mewtwo, Metagross, Kyogre, and Excadrill. The key to successfully utilizing Origin Forme Giratina in the Master League is building a strong team that can help account for Giratina’s vulnerabilities.

If you plan on using Origin Forme Giratina for raids or the Master League, it’s important to power up Giratina as much as possible and equip it with two Charged Attacks. This is going to require a substantial investment of Candy and Stardust, so try to catch as many Giratina as possible to help you get there faster—and don’t forget the Pinap Berries!

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.