Lucario is a Fighting- and Steel-type Pokémon originally discovered in the Sinnoh region. Mega Lucario is bathed in explosive energy and shows its enemies no mercy. Learn which Pokémon will be most effective in Raid Battles against Mega Lucario, how to catch Lucario after winning a Raid Battle, and how best to use the Aura Pokémon after you’ve caught it.

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

As a Fighting- and Steel-type Pokémon, Mega Lucario is vulnerable to Fire-, Fighting-, and Ground-type attacks. When choosing six Pokémon for your Mega Lucario 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. 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 will receive at the conclusion of a successful Raid Battle, so bring your strongest Pokémon and defeat Mega Lucario 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 an excellent resource for 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 Mega Lucario raid, Mega Lucario will revert to Lucario and you’ll have a limited number of Premier Balls you can use to catch it, so make each one count. You can earn extra Premier Balls by battling with friends and defeating Mega Lucario more quickly.

In an encounter with Lucario, 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.

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

First and foremost, this Raid Day marks the debut of Lucario’s signature move, Force Palm. After Raid Day ends, this Fighting-type Fast Attack will only be available to learn via Elite Fast TM, so be sure to make use of this new and rare opportunity to catch a Lucario that already knows Force Palm.

As a Fighting- and Steel-type Pokémon, Lucario is resistant to a whopping nine attack types: Normal, Grass, Ice, Poison, Bug, Rock, Dragon, Dark, and Steel. Even without the addition of its Mega Evolution, Lucario is a powerful Fighting-type attacker in raids. With its Fighting-type Charged Attack Aura Sphere, it’s one of the strongest Fighting-type attackers in Pokémon GO. The option for Lucario to Mega Evolve just makes this an even more incredible Pokémon to have in your corner for raids.

While Lucario is a solid choice in raids, it hasn’t made a huge impact in the GO Battle League. It’s most viable in the Ultra League where its status as a Fighting-type Pokémon that can learn a Ghost-type attack is undeniably beneficial. It’s a solid matchup against popular Ultra League Pokémon such as Walrein, Registeel, Greninja, and Obstagoon but struggles against other prominent Pokémon including Poliwrath, Giratina, and Cresselia. You can certainly build a team around Lucario, but Machamp and Annihilape are more popular Fighting-type Pokémon, and Registeel and Cobalion are more popular Steel-type Pokémon.

However you’re planning to use Lucario—and especially if you’d like to work with Mega Lucario—it’s worth taking on as many Mega Lucario raids as possible to earn Mega Energy. If you plan on using Lucario or Mega Lucario in raids, you’ll want to choose the best move set to meet your goals. As a Fighting-type attacker, Counter is a solid Fast Attack and deals pretty significant damage. The Charged Attack Aura Sphere is incredibly powerful and makes for the perfect attack for raids when Fighting-type damage is beneficial. As a Steel-type attacker, Bullet Punch is the preferred Fast Attack, while Flash Cannon is your only available Steel-type Charged Attack.

If you’re considering using Lucario in the GO Battle League, choose attacks that will complement your overall team and strategy. Lucario impressive array of available attacks means there are plenty of options, including some attacks that many competitors won’t expect from Lucario. For the GO Battle League, any Pokémon you utilize should be equipped with a second Charged Attack. And if you’re looking to save some Stardust, note that teaching Riolu a second Charged Attack costs 10,000 Stardust and 25 Lucario Candy, whereas teaching Lucario a second Charged Attack costs 75,000 Stardust and 75 Lucario Candy.

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