Xerneas is a Fairy-type Legendary Pokémon originally discovered in the Kalos region. Legends say this Pokémon slept for a thousand years in the form of a tree before its revival and can share eternal life. Learn which Pokémon will be most effective in Raid Battles against Xerneas, how to catch Xerneas after winning a Raid Battle, and how best to use the Life Pokémon after you’ve caught it.

Which Pokémon to Use in an Xerneas Raid in Pokémon GO

As a Fairy-type Pokémon, Xerneas is vulnerable to Poison- and Steel-type attacks. When selecting Pokémon for your Xerneas 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 maximum damage as quickly as possible. It’s not necessary to choose only Poison or Steel-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 Poison- or Steel-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 Xerneas as quickly as you can.

• Beedrill / Mega Beedrill (Bug/Poison)

  • Fast Attack: Poison Jab (Poison)

  • Charged Attack: Sludge Bomb (Poison)

• Vileplume / Shadow Vileplume (Grass/Poison)

  • Fast Attack: Acid (Poison)

  • Charged Attack: Sludge Bomb (Poison)

• Victreebel / Shadow Victreebel (Grass/Poison)

  • Fast Attack: Acid (Poison)

  • Charged Attack: Acid Spray (Poison), Sludge Bomb (Poison)

• Gengar / Mega Gengar (Ghost/Poison)

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

  • Charged Attack: Sludge Bomb (Poison), Sludge Wave (Poison)*

• Roserade (Grass/Poison)

  • Fast Attack: Poison Jab (Poison)

  • Charged Attack: Sludge Bomb (Poison)

• Nihilego (Rock/Poison)

  • Fast Attack: Acid (Poison), Poison Jab (Poison)

  • Charged Attack: Gunk Shot (Poison), Sludge Bomb (Poison)

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

  • Fast Attack: Bullet Punch (Steel)

  • Charged Attack: Iron Head (Steel)

• Mega Aggron (Steel)

  • Fast Attack: Iron Tail (Steel)

  • Charged Attack: Heavy Slam (Steel)

• Metagross / Shadow Metagross (Steel/Psychic)

  • Fast Attack: Bullet Punch (Steel)

  • Charged Attack: Flash Cannon (Steel), Meteor Mash (Steel)*

• Dialga (Steel/Dragon)

  • Fast Attack: Metal Claw (Steel)

  • Charged Attack: Iron Head (Steel)

• Excadrill (Ground/Steel)

  • Fast Attack: Metal Claw (Steel)

  • Charged Attack: Iron Head (Steel)

• Genesect (Bug/Steel)

  • Fast Attack: Metal Claw (Steel)

  • Charged Attack: Magnet Bomb (Steel)

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

In an encounter with Xerneas, your chance of catching it is greatest when the target ring is small enough for you 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.

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

As a Fairy-type Pokémon, Xerneas is resistant to Fighting-, Bug-, Dragon-, and Dark-type attacks. It boasts a high max CP, especially for a Fairy-type Pokémon. Despite this advantage, Xerneas’s lack of a Fairy-type Fast Attack limits its utility in raids and the GO Battle League. It can still be worthwhile to include Xerneas in a raid lineup against Fighting, Dragon-, and Dark-type Pokémon—just note that its Fast Attack won’t deal supereffective damage against your target. Of course, if you decide to send Xerneas into the ring against a Fighting-type opponent, having a Psychic-type Fast Attack and a Fairy-type Charged Attack may give you the knockout you’re looking for.

Xerneas’s initial CP is over 1,500, which is too high for it to compete in the Great League. You can take it to the Ultra League and Master League, but Xerneas’s lack of a Fairy-type Fast Attack could prove challenging. However, it might still find a place in the GO Battle League with the right attacks. The Fast Attack Tackle generates slightly more energy per second than Zen Headbutt, making it a popular Fast Attack for Xerneas.

When choosing a Charged Attack for Xerneas, it’s best to go into the GO Battle League with two options. The Fighting-type Close Combat and Fairy-type Moonblast are popular choices because they provide coverage against many Pokémon that dominate the Master League, including Dragonite, Togekiss, Dialga, and Zacian. If you plan on adding Xerneas to your Master League lineup, you’re going to need a lot of Candy to help power it up—Trainers in the Master League often max out the CP of their Pokémon. This will require a significant amount of Xerneas Candy and Stardust, so try to catch as many Xerneas as possible to get you there faster.

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.