Cobalion is a Steel- and Fighting-type Legendary Pokémon originally discovered in the Unova region. Cobalion has a body and heart of steel, and its glare is sufficient to make even an unruly Pokémon obey it. Learn which Pokémon will be most effective in Raid Battles against Cobalion, how to catch Cobalion after winning a Raid Battle, and how best to utilize the Iron Will Pokémon after you’ve caught it.

Which Pokémon to Use in a Cobalion Raid in Pokémon GO

As a Steel- and Fighting-type Pokémon, Cobalion is vulnerable to Fire-, Fighting-, and Ground-type attacks. When selecting Pokémon for your Cobalion 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 Fire-, Fighting-, or Ground-type attacks, 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 Cobalion as quickly as possible.

It’s also worth noting that some of the Pokémon recommended below, including Houndoom and Excadrill, are weak to Cobalion’s Fighting-type Charged Attack. These Pokémon are still effective against Cobalion, but they might not last as long in battle as some of the other Pokémon on this list.

• Mega Charizard X (Fire/Dragon)

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

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

• Mega Charizard Y (Fire/Flying)

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

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

• Arcanine / Shadow Arcanine (Fire)

• Fast Attack: Fire Fang (Fire)

• Charged Attack: Fire Blast (Fire), Flamethrower (Fire)

• Moltres / Shadow Moltres (Fire/Flying)

• Fast Attack: Fire Spin (Fire)

• Charged Attack: Fire Blast (Fire), Heat Wave (Fire), Overheat (Fire)

• Mega Houndoom (Dark/Fire)

• Fast Attack: Fire Fang (Fire)

• Charged Attack: Fire Blast (Fire), Flamethrower (Fire)

• Entei / Shadow Entei (Fire)

• Fast Attack: Fire Fang (Fire), Fire Spin (Fire)

• Charged Attack: Fire Blast (Fire), Flame Charge (Fire), Flamethrower (Fire), Overheat (Fire)

• Ho-Oh / Shadow Ho-Oh (Fire/Flying)

• Fast Attack: Incinerate (Fire)

• Charged Attack: Fire Blast (Fire)

• Blaziken (Fire/Fighting)

• Fast Attack: Fire Spin (Fire)

• Charged Attack: Blast Burn (Fire), Blaze Kick (Fire), Overheat (Fire)

• Magmortar / Shadow Magmortar (Fire)

• Fast Attack: Fire Spin (Fire)

• Charged Attack: Fire Blast (Fire), Fire Punch (Fire)

• Darmanitan (Fire)

• Fast Attack: Fire Fang (Fire), Incinerate (Fire)

• Charged Attack: Overheat (Fire)

• Chandelure (Fire/Ghost)

• Fast Attack: Fire Spin (Fire), Incinerate (Fire)

• Charged Attack: Flame Charge (Fire), Overheat (Fire)

• Reshiram (Dragon/Fire)

• Fast Attack: Fire Fang (Fire)

• Charged Attack: Overheat (Fire)

• Machamp / Shadow Machamp (Fighting)

• Fast Attack: Bullet Punch (Steel), Counter (Fighting), Karate Chop (Fighting)*

• Charged Attack: Close Combat (Fighting), Cross Chop (Fighting), Dynamic Punch (Fighting), Submission (Fighting)*

• Breloom (Grass/Fighting)

• Fast Attack: Counter (Fighting)

• Charged Attack: Dynamic Punch (Fighting)

• Hariyama / Shadow Hariyama (Fighting)

• Fast Attack: Counter (Fighting)

• Charged Attack: Close Combat (Fighting), Dynamic Punch (Fighting), Superpower (Fighting)

• Mega Lopunny (Normal/Fighting)

• Fast Attack: Low Kick (Fighting)

• Charged Attack: Focus Blast (Fighting)

• Lucario (Fighting/Steel)

• Fast Attack: Counter (Fighting)

• Charged Attack: Aura Sphere (Fighting), Close Combat (Fighting), Power-Up Punch (Fighting)

• Conkeldurr (Fighting)

• Fast Attack: Counter (Fighting)

• Charged Attack: Dynamic Punch (Fighting), Focus Blast (Fighting)

• Terrakion (Rock/Fighting)

• Fast Attack: Double Kick (Fighting)

• Charged Attack: Close Combat (Fighting), Sacred Sword (Fighting)*

• Excadrill (Ground/Steel)

• Fast Attack: Mud-Slap (Ground), Mud Shot (Ground)

• Charged Attack: Drill Run (Ground), Earthquake (Ground)

• Golurk / Shadow Golurk (Ground/Ghost)

• Fast Attack: Mud-Slap (Ground)

• Charged Attack: Earth Power (Ground)

• Therian Forme Landorus (Ground/Flying)

• Fast Attack: Mud Shot (Ground)

• Charged Attack: Bulldoze (Ground), Earthquake (Ground), Superpower (Fighting)

• Mega Alakazam (Psychic)

• Fast Attack: Counter (Fighting)*

• Charged Attack: Focus Blast (Fighting)

• Mewtwo / Shadow Mewtwo (Psychic)

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

• Charged Attack: Psychic (Psychic), Psystrike (Psychic)*

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

In an encounter with Cobalion, 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.

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

As a Steel- and Fighting-type Pokémon, Cobalion is resistant to Normal-, Grass-, Ice-, Poison-, Bug-, Rock-, Dragon-, Dark-, and Steel-type attacks. Recent shifts in Cobalion’s available attacks have made it an even more valuable addition to your Raid Battle lineups. It is especially helpful against Pokémon that are weak to Fighting-type attacks, like Dialga and Darkrai. Its Steel-type Fast Attack and Charged Attack also make it a threat to Ice-, Rock-, and Fairy-type Pokémon.

While Cobalion hasn’t dominated the Master League, it’s considered a solid choice in the Ultra League. With key advantageous matchups against popular Pokémon like Walrein, Galarian Stunfisk, Talonflame, and Obstagoon, Cobalion’s bulk and available moves make it a formidable opponent. As always, it is essential to arm Cobalion with the best possible attacks. With three available Fast Attacks, each with a different type, you should determine which role Cobalion will fill on your team before choosing attacks. If you’re looking for a counter to Fairy-type Pokémon, its Steel-type attacks are the best choice. If you’re looking to counter the Ultra League’s many Dark- and Steel-type Pokémon, Fighting-type attacks will serve you best.

Metal Claw deals the most damage per second, but Double Kick generates the most energy per second, which will ready your Charged Attacks more quickly. Again, determining the role Cobalion will play on your team will help you prioritize damage or energy. Double Kick is the most popular choice. The Fighting-type Sacred Sword is the most popular Charged Attack for Cobalion, but you will need an Elite TM in order to teach it this attack.

To take full advantage of this Legendary Pokémon’s strengths, teach Cobalion a second Charged Attack. This will require a significant amount of Cobalion Candy and Stardust, so try to catch as many Cobalion as possible to get you there faster. Choose a second Charged Attack that will complement your strategy and round out your team’s available attacks.

If you plan on using Cobalion in raids, you’ll want to power it up as much as possible. Participate in lots of raids to earn plenty of Cobalion Candy to power up your Pokémon and teach it that second Charged Attack!

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