Therian Forme Tornadus is a Flying-type Legendary Pokémon originally discovered in the Unova region. This strange avian guise is suspected to be Tornadus’s true form, and Tornadus has been sighted crossing the ocean while in this form. Learn which Pokémon will be most effective in Raid Battles against Therian Forme Tornadus, how to catch it after winning a Raid Battle, and how best to use the Cyclone Pokémon after you’ve caught it.

Which Pokémon to Use in a Therian Forme Tornadus Raid in Pokémon GO

As a Flying-type Pokémon, Therian Forme Tornadus is vulnerable to Electric-, Ice-, and Rock-type attacks. When choosing six Pokémon for your 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. It’s not necessary to choose only Electric-, Ice-, or Rock-type Pokémon, but a Pokémon that shares a type with these attacks will benefit from the same-type attack bonus, which will allow these attacks to deal an additional 20% damage.

If you have multiple Pokémon that know Electric-, Ice-, or Rock-type attacks, choose 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 Therian Forme Tornadus as quickly as possible.

It’s also worth noting that if you join a raid with members of your party in Party Play, you can boost your Charged Attacks with Party Power.

• Raikou / Shadow Raikou (Electric)

  • Fast Attack: Thunder Shock (Electric), Volt Switch (Electric)

  • Charged Attack: Thunder (Electric), Thunderbolt (Electric), Wild Charge (Electric)

• Manectric / Mega Manectric (Electric)

  • Fast Attack: Charge Beam (Electric), Thunder Fang (Electric)

  • Charged Attack: Thunder (Electric), Wild Charge (Electric)

• Zapdos / Shadow Zapdos (Electric/Flying)

  • Fast Attack: Charge Beam (Electric), Thunder Shock (Electric)*

  • Charged Attack: Ancient Power (Rock), Thunder (Electric), Thunderbolt (Electric), Zap Cannon (Electric)

• Xurkitree (Electric)

  • Fast Attack: Spark (Electric), Thunder Shock (Electric)

  • Charged Attack: Discharge (Electric), Thunder (Electric)

• Magnezone / Shadow Magnezone (Electric/Steel)

  • Fast Attack: Charge Beam (Electric), Spark (Electric)

  • Charged Attack: Wild Charge (Electric), Zap Cannon (Electric)

• Mamoswine / Shadow Mamoswine (Ice/Ground)

  • Fast Attack: Powder Snow (Ice)

  • Charged Attack: Avalanche (Ice)

• Baxcalibur (Dragon/Ice)

  • Fast Attack: Ice Fang (Ice)

  • Charged Attack: Avalanche (Ice), Blizzard (Ice)

• Weavile / Shadow Weavile (Dark/Ice)

  • Fast Attack: Ice Shard (Ice)

  • Charged Attack: Avalanche (Ice)

• Galarian Darmanitan (Ice)

  • Fast Attack: Ice Fang (Ice)

  • Charged Attack: Avalanche (Ice), Ice Punch (Ice)

• Rhyperior / Shadow Rhyperior (Ground/Rock)

  • Fast Attack: Smack Down (Rock)

  • Charged Attack: Rock Wrecker (Rock)*, Stone Edge (Rock)

• Tyranitar / Shadow Tyranitar / Mega Tyranitar (Rock/Dark)

  • Fast Attack: Smack Down (Rock)*

  • Charged Attack: Stone Edge (Rock)

• Aerodactyl / Mega Aerodactyl (Rock/Flying)

  • Fast Attack: Rock Throw (Rock)

  • Charged Attack: Ancient Power (Rock), Rock Slide (Rock)

• Alolan Golem / Shadow Alolan Golem (Rock/Electric)

  • Fast Attack: Rock Throw (Rock), Rollout (Rock)*, Volt Switch (Electric)

  • Charged Attack: Rock Blast (Rock), Stone Edge (Rock), Wild Charge (Electric)

*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 Therian Forme Tornadus raid, 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 Therian Forme Tornadus more quickly.

In an encounter with Therian Forme Tornadus, 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.

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

As a Flying-type Pokémon, Therian Forme Tornadus is resistant to Grass-, Fighting-, Ground-, and Bug-type attacks. With a reasonably high maximum CP and several attacks that benefit from the same-type attack bonus, Therian Forme Tornadus can help in Raid Battles against Mythical and Legendary Pokémon like Virizion and Zamazenta in its Hero of Many Battles form. There are more effective Pokémon than Tornadus, however, so while it’s worth catching this Pokémon to add to your Pokédex, it may not be worth a substantial investment of Stardust, Candy, time, and energy to power up.

Due to Therian Forme Tornadus’s initial CP range, this Legendary Pokémon does not meet the requirements for the Great League, as only Pokémon under 1,500 CP are allowed entry. While you can bring Therian Forme Tornadus to the Ultra League or the Master League, it may be difficult to find an effective role for it.

Gust is a solid Flying-type Fast Attack that benefits from the same-type attack bonus. Therian Forme Tornadus can also learn Charged Attacks of several different types, including some that offset its weaknesses. Focus Blast and Heat Wave are powerful counters to Ice-type Pokémon, and Focus Blast is useful against Rock-type Pokémon too. In addition, Therian Forme Tornadus has a new Charged Attack to play with: the Flying-type Bleakwind Storm. But despite these advantages and its decent Defense, Therian Forme Tornadus is not a Pokémon that is frequently seen in the GO Battle League.

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