Virizion is a Legendary Grass- and Fighting-type Pokémon originally discovered in the Unova region. Known for its speed, Virizion is said to confound opponents with its swift movements. Learn which Pokémon will be most effective in Raid Battles against Virizion, how to catch Virizion after winning a Raid Battle, and how best to utilize the Grassland Pokémon after you’ve caught it.

Which Pokémon to Use in a Virizion Raid in Pokémon GO

As a Grass- and Fighting-type Pokémon, Virizion is vulnerable to Fire-, Ice-, Poison-, Flying-, Psychic-, and Fairy-type attacks. Because both Grass- and Fighting-type Pokémon are vulnerable to Flying-type attacks, Virizion’s dual typing means it receives four times the normal damage from Flying-type attacks. When choosing six Pokémon for your Virizion Raid Battle lineup, you’ll definitely want to choose Pokémon with a Flying-type Fast Attack and Charged Attack to deal maximum damage as quickly as possible, but Pokémon with Fire-, Ice-, Poison-, Psychic-, or Fairy-type attacks are also effective. 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 Fire-, Ice-, Poison-, Flying-, Psychic-, or Fairy-type Pokémon, choose the Pokémon with the highest CP and best overall stats. Remember that speed of victory affects how many Premier Balls you’ll receive after a successful Raid Battle, so bring your strongest Pokémon and defeat Virizion as quickly as possible.

• Charizard / Mega Charizard Y (Fire/Flying)

  • Fast Attack: Ember (Elite TM) (Fire), Fire Spin (Fire)

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

• Moltres / Shadow Moltres (Fire/Flying)

  • Fast Attack: Fire Spin (Fire), Wing Attack (Flying)

  • Charged Attack: Fire Blast (Fire), Heat Wave (Fire), Overheat (Fire), Sky Attack (Flying) (Elite TM)

• Ho-Oh / Shadow Ho-Oh (Fire/Flying)

  • Fast Attack: Incinerate (Fire)

  • Charged Attack: Fire Blast (Fire), Brave Bird (Flying)

• Pidgeot / Mega Pidgeot (Normal/Flying)

  • Fast Attack: Air Slash (Flying), Gust (Flying) (Elite TM), Wing Attack (Flying) (Elite TM)

  • Charged Attack: Aerial Ace (Flying), Air Cutter (Flying) (Elite TM), Brave Bird (Flying), Feather Dance (Flying), Hurricane (Flying)

• Zapdos / Shadow Zapdos (Electric/Flying)

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

  • Charged Attack: Drill Peck (Flying)

• Rayquaza (Dragon/Flying)

  • Fast Attack: Air Slash (Flying)

  • Charged Attack: Aerial Ace (Flying), Hurricane (Flying) (Elite TM)

• Staraptor / Shadow Staraptor (Normal/Flying)

  • Fast Attack: Wing Attack (Flying)

  • Charged Attack: Heat Wave (Fire), Brave Bird (Flying)

• Honchkrow / Shadow Honchkrow (Dark/Flying)

  • Fast Attack: Peck (Flying)

  • Charged Attack: Brave Bird (Flying), Sky Attack (Flying)

• Unfezant (Normal/Flying)

  • Fast Attack: Air Slash (Flying)

  • Charged Attack: Heat Wave (Fire), Sky Attack (Flying)

• Braviary (Normal/Flying)

  • Fast Attack: Air Slash (Flying)

  • Charged Attack: Heat Wave (Fire), Brave Bird (Flying)

• Tornadus Incarnate Forme (Flying)

  • Fast Attack: Air Slash (Flying)

  • Charged Attack: Hurricane (Flying)

• Tornadus Therian Forme (Flying)

  • Fast Attack: Air Slash (Flying) (Legacy), Gust (Flying)

  • Charged Attack: Heat Wave (Fire), Hurricane (Flying)

• Yveltal (Dark/Flying)

  • Fast Attack: Gust (Flying)

  • Charged Attack: Hurricane (Flying)

• Mewtwo / Shadow Mewtwo (Psychic)

  • Fast Attack: Confusion (Psychic), Psycho Cut (Psychic)

  • Charged Attack: Ice Beam (Ice), Psychic (Psychic), Psystrike (Psychic)

• Lugia (Psychic/Flying)

  • Fast Attack: Extrasensory (Psychic)

  • Charged Attack: Aeroblast (Flying) (Elite TM), Sky Attack (Flying), Future Sight (Psychic)

Make the Most of Premier Balls and Berries

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

In an encounter with Virizion, 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.

Virizion 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 Virizion to get a feel for its cycle of movement and the pauses in between that cycle. 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 Virizion. A Razz Berry will make Virizion 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 Virizion, making its movements less erratic and allowing you to make precise throws more easily. If you need extra Virizion Candy, using a Silver Pinap Berry will make Virizion easier to catch and grant you extra Candy when you catch it.

Like all Legendary Pokémon, Virizion 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 Virizion Once You’ve Caught It

As a Grass- and Fighting-type Pokémon, Virizion is resistant to Water-, Grass-, Electric-, Ground-, Rock-, and Dark-type attacks. Virizion’s unusual dual typing, along with its access to a diverse range of attacks, makes it a decent choice to include in your GO Battle League lineup at the Ultra League level. It can act as a counter for popular Water-type Pokémon like Poliwrath and Swampert, as and its Fighting-type attacks also put pressure on Steel-type Pokémon. With the right support to cover its weaknesses, Virizion can be a strong member of your GO Battle League team.

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