Mega Heracross is a Bug- and Fighting-type Pokémon originally discovered in the Johto region. While Heracross has Herculean strength and is capable of easily throwing an object 100 times its own weight, Mega Heracross can grip things with its two horns and lift 500 times its own body weight. Learn which Pokémon will be most effective in Raid Battles against Mega Heracross, how to catch Heracross after winning a Raid Battle, and how best to utilize the Single Horn Pokémon after you’ve caught it.

Which Pokémon to Use in a Mega Heracross Raid in Pokémon GO

As a Bug- and Fighting-type Pokémon, Mega Heracross is vulnerable to Flying-, Fairy-, Fire-, and Psychic-type attacks. When selecting six Pokémon for your Mega Heracross Raid Battle lineup, it helps to choose Pokémon that have a Fast Attack and Charged Attack of one of these types if you want to deal as much damage as possible. Mega Heracross is doubly vulnerable to Flying-type attacks, and the most effective method of dealing damage quickly is using a team of Flying-type Pokémon equipped with Flying-type Fast Attacks and Charged Attacks. 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 Flying-, Fairy-, Fire-, and Psychic-type Pokémon, choose Pokémon with the highest CP and best overall stats. Remember that speed of victory affects how many Premier Balls you will receive after a successful Raid Battle, so bring your strongest Pokémon and defeat Mega Heracross as quickly as possible.

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 receive a damage boost while that Mega-Evolved Pokémon is battling the Raid Boss. With their substantial CP, Mega-Evolved Pokémon are already an excellent resource for raids, and 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 Mega Heracross raid, you’ll have a limited number of Premier Balls you can use to catch Heracross, so make each one count. You can earn extra Premier Balls by battling with friends and defeating Mega Heracross more quickly.

In an encounter with Heracross, 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.

Heracross 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 Heracross to get a feel for its cycle of movement and the pauses in between this 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 Heracross. A Razz Berry will make Heracross 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 Heracross, making its movements less erratic and allowing you to make precise throws more easily. If you need extra Heracross Candy, using a Silver Pinap Berry will make Heracross 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 deflects a Poké Ball, your buddy might bounce it back for a second catch opportunity!

Like all Pokémon, Heracross 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 Heracross Once You’ve Caught It

After a Mega Heracross raid, Mega Heracross will revert back to Heracross. As a Bug- and Fighting-type Pokémon, Heracross is resistant to Bug-, Dark-, Fighting-, Grass-, and Ground-type attacks.

Heracross is typically only available in specific regions, which makes these Mega Heracross raids an excellent—and, in many regions, rare—opportunity to acquire Heracross Candy. This makes it well worth participating in as many Mega Heracross raids as possible to earn enough Candy and Candy XL to power up your Heracross. Because Heracross boasts a wide range of Charged Attacks, it’s worth teaching Heracross a second Charged Attack to maximize its effectiveness in Raid Battles. When it comes to choosing these attacks, consider if you intend to use it in raids as a Fighting- or Bug-type attacker. It might be worth powering up two Heracross—one to use as a Fighting-type attacker and another to use as a Bug-type attacker.

Heracross is not considered a major threat in the GO Battle League. In the Great League, the abundance of Flying-type Pokémon poses too great a risk. In the Ultra League it tends to perform a little better, particularly in conjunction with a team that provides cover against Flying-type Pokémon. In the Master League, Heracross suffers from a somewhat limited maximum CP, which caps well before 4,000.

Because Mega Heracross is new to Pokémon GO, its popularity in Raid Battle lineups is unknown. There are other solid Bug-type and Fighting-type choices that can Mega Evolve, such as Beedrill, Scizor, Blaziken, Medicham, Lopunny, and Lucario. While Mega Heracross might not be the most powerful Bug- or Fighting-type Mega Pokémon, it’s still a solid addition to the Pokémon GO’s lineup of powerhouses.

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.