Moltres is a Fire- and Flying-type Legendary Pokémon originally discovered in the Kanto region. There are stories of this Pokémon using its radiant, flame-cloaked wings to light up paths for those lost in the mountains. Learn which Pokémon will be most effective in Raid Battles against Moltres, how to catch Moltres after winning a Raid Battle, and how best to use the Flame Pokémon after you’ve caught it.

Which Pokémon to Use in a Moltres Raid in Pokémon GO

As a Fire- and Flying-type Pokémon, Moltres is vulnerable to Water-, Electric-, and Rock-type attacks. When selecting Pokémon for your Moltres 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. Rock-type attacks are doubly effective against Moltres, so choosing Rock-type Pokémon with Rock-type attacks is the best way to deal damage quickly. It’s not necessary to choose only Water-, Electric-, or Rock-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 Water-, Electric-, or Rock-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 Moltres as quickly as you can.

• Blastoise / Mega Blastoise (Water)

  • Fast Attack: Water Gun (Water)

  • Charged Attack: Hydro Cannon (Water)*, Hydro Pump (Water)

• Swampert / Shadow Swampert / Mega Swampert (Water/Ground)

  • Fast Attack: Water Gun (Water)

  • Charged Attack: Hydro Cannon (Water)*, Muddy Water (Water), Surf (Water)

• Kyogre (Water)

  • Fast Attack: Waterfall (Water)

  • Charged Attack: Hydro Pump (Water), Origin Pulse (Water)*, Surf (Water), Thunder (Electric)

• Zapdos (Electric/Flying)

  • Fast Attack: Charge Beam (Electric), Thunder Shock (Electric)*

  • Charged Attack: Ancient Power (Rock), Thunder (Electric), Thunderbolt (Electric), Zap Cannon (Electric)

• Raikou / Shadow Raikou (Electric)

  • Fast Attack: Thunder Shock (Electric), Volt Switch (Electric)

  • Charged Attack: Thunder (Electric), Thunderbolt (Electric), Wild Charge (Electric)

• Manectric / Mega Manectric (Electric)

  • Fast Attack: Charge Beam (Electric), Thunder Fang (Electric)

  • Charged Attack: Thunder (Electric), Wild Charge (Electric)

• Omastar / Shadow Omastar (Rock/Water)

  • Fast Attack: Rock Throw (Rock)*

  • Charged Attack: Ancient Power (Rock), Rock Blast (Rock), Rock Slide (Rock)*

• Aerodactyl / Shadow Aerodactyl / Mega Aerodactyl (Rock/Flying)

  • Fast Attack: Rock Throw (Rock)

  • Charged Attack: Ancient Power (Rock), Rock Slide (Rock)

• Tyranitar / Shadow Tyranitar (Rock/Dark)

  • Fast Attack: Smack Down (Rock)*

  • Charged Attack: Stone Edge (Rock)

• Aggron / Shadow Aggron (Steel/Rock)

  • Fast Attack: Smack Down (Rock)

  • Charged Attack: Meteor Beam (Rock), Rock Tomb (Rock), Stone Edge (Rock)

• Rampardos (Rock)

  • Fast Attack: Smack Down (Rock)

  • Charged Attack: Rock Slide (Rock)

• Rhyperior (Ground/Rock)

  • Fast Attack: Smack Down (Rock)

  • Charged Attack: Rock Wrecker (Rock)*, Stone Edge (Rock)

• Gigalith (Rock)

  • Fast Attack: Smack Down (Rock)

  • Charged Attack: Meteor Beam (Rock)*, Rock Slide (Rock)

• Terrakion (Rock/Fighting)

  • Fast Attack: Smack Down (Rock)

  • Charged Attack: Rock Slide (Rock)

• Tyrantrum (Rock/Dragon)

  • Fast Attack: Rock Throw (Rock)

  • Charged Attack: Meteor Beam (Rock), Stone Edge (Rock)

• Midday Form Lycanroc (Rock)

  • Fast Attack: Rock Throw (Rock)

  • Charged Attack: Stone Edge (Rock)

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

In an encounter with Moltres, 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.

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

As a Fire- and Flying-type Pokémon, Moltres is resistant to Fire-, Grass-, Fighting-, Ground-, Bug-, Steel-, and Fairy-type attacks. Despite this extensive list of resistances, Moltres’s low bulk and vulnerability to Water-type attacks keep it from being a common sight in the GO Battle League. Water-type Pokémon like Swampert, Walrein, and Araquanid appear frequently in the Ultra League, and other Fire-type Pokémon are stronger contenders in the Master League.

However, Moltres is highly effective in Raid Battles as both a Flying- and Fire-type powerhouse. With a respectable max CP and access to both Flying- and Fire-type Fast Attacks and Charged Attacks, Moltres is a strong asset against Raid Bosses such as Mega Venusaur, Mega Beedrill, Mega Steelix, Metagross, Registeel, Mega Abomasnow, and Tapu Bulu.

To maximize Moltres’s ability in Raid Battles, it’s prudent to power it up as much as possible and teach it a second Charged Attack. Teaching Moltres a second Charged Attack is a fantastic way to diversify the types of Pokémon that Moltres can take on in raids, especially since its Fire- and Flying-type attacks both benefit from a same-type attack bonus. And while powering it up requires a significant investment of Stardust and Candy, Moltres’s utility makes the cost worthwhile. To get a head start, take on as many Moltres raids as possible to earn Moltres Candy and Moltres Candy XL. Plus, the more raids you win, the greater your chances of finding a Moltres with great stats to power up!

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.