Zamazenta in its Hero of Many Battles form is a Fighting-type Legendary Pokémon originally discovered in the Galar region. This Pokémon slept for aeons while in the form of a statue—it was asleep for so long, people forgot that it ever existed. You don’t want to sleep on the chance to take it on in raids, so learn which Pokémon will be most effective in Raid Battles against Zamazenta, how to catch Zamazenta after winning a Raid Battle, and how best to use the Warrior Pokémon after you’ve caught it.

Which Pokémon to Use in a Zamazenta Raid in Pokémon GO

As a Fighting-type Pokémon, Zamazenta is vulnerable to Flying-, Psychic-, and Fairy-type attacks. When selecting Pokémon for your Zamazenta 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. Remember that you’ll be battling Zamazenta’s Hero of Many Battles form, which is exclusively a Fighting type, unlike its Fighting- and Steel-type Crowned Shield form.

If you have multiple Pokémon that know Flying-, Psychic-, 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 Zamazenta 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 Zamazenta raid, you’ll have a limited number of Premier Balls you can use to catch Zamazenta, so make each one count. You can earn extra Premier Balls by battling with friends and defeating Zamazenta more quickly.

In an encounter with Zamazenta, 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.

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

As a Fighting-type Legendary Pokémon, Zamazenta is resistant to Bug-, Rock-, and Dark-type attacks. This means Zamazenta may be a good pick against many Raid Bosses, including Mega Gyarados, Snorlax, Mega Houndoom, Tyranitar, Aggron, Metagross, Regirock, Mega Abomasnow, Regigigas, Darkrai, and Yveltal. Despite this, Zamazenta isn’t considered a powerhouse in raids, and it doesn’t help that it can’t learn a Fighting-type Fast Attack. Ultimately, there are other Fighting-type Pokémon better equipped to quickly deal out Fighting-type damage in raids.

Zamazenta performs moderately better in the GO Battle League, though it isn’t considered a top pick. Zamazenta’s CP is too high for it to participate in the Great League, and while there’s certainly a place for Fighting-type Pokémon in the Ultra League, Zamazenta lacks the necessary bulk to outperform other Fighting-type Pokémon like Primeape, Machamp, and Pangoro.

The Master League is Zamazenta’s best chance to shine in the GO Battle League. While Zamazenta’s inability to learn a Fighting-type Fast Attack is still a hindrance, it can fire off Close Combat quickly with assistance from Snarl’s healthy energy generation. In the Master League with its unlimited CP cap, Zamazenta is considered reasonably bulky. Within the Master League, Zamazenta lines up favorably against popular picks like Dialga, Origin Forme Giratina, Excadrill, and Melmetal. However, it has an unfavorable matchup against other Master League stars, including Dragonite, Mewtwo, and Zygarde.

When it comes to Charged Attacks, Zamazenta can learn four different types. Plus, none of these attacks require an Elite Fast TM or an Elite Charged TM, so you can save those items for another Pokémon. Out of the available attacks, the Fighting-type Charged Attack Close Combat benefits from a same-type attack bonus and is therefore a strong option. As always in the GO Battle League, you should teach your Pokémon a second Charged Attack to maximize its effectiveness. Which attack you choose will depend on the rest of your lineup and strategy, but you’ll want to choose a Charged Attack that provides type coverage you don’t already have.

Raising Zamazenta’s CP to its maximum requires a lot of Zamazenta Candy and Stardust—as does teaching it a second Charged Attack—so try to catch as many Zamazenta as possible to get you there faster.

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.