Hey guys! Are you ready to battle and catch Virizion in Pokémon GO? This comprehensive guide will walk you through everything you need to know to successfully defeat and add this legendary Pokémon to your collection. We'll cover Virizion's weaknesses, the best counters, optimal raid strategies, and tips for catching it. So, let's get started and dive into the details of Virizion raids!
What is Virizion?
Virizion, the Grassland Pokémon, is a Legendary Grass and Fighting-type Pokémon originally discovered in the Unova region (Generation V). As a member of the Swords of Justice, alongside Cobalion, Terrakion, and Keldeo, Virizion is known for its swift movements and graceful attacks. Its dual typing presents a unique set of strengths and weaknesses that trainers need to understand to effectively battle and catch it.
Virizion's Role in Pokémon Lore
In Pokémon lore, Virizion is revered for its ability to protect other Pokémon and its strong sense of justice. It’s said to have fought humans to protect Pokémon in the past, showcasing its dedication to the well-being of its fellow creatures. This noble background adds to Virizion’s appeal, making it a sought-after Pokémon for both its battle prowess and its symbolic value.
Key Characteristics of Virizion
- Type: Grass/Fighting
- Category: Grassland Pokémon
- Weaknesses: Fire, Flying, Poison, Psychic, Fairy (2x weakness to Flying)
- Resistances: Ground, Rock, Water, Grass, Dark, Electric
- Fast Moves: Quick Attack, Air Slash
- Charged Moves: Leaf Blade, Close Combat, Stone Edge, Sacred Sword
Understanding these characteristics is crucial for preparing your raid team and maximizing your chances of success against Virizion. Knowing its weaknesses, resistances, and move pool allows you to select the best counters and develop an effective battle strategy.
Virizion Raid Guide: Preparing for the Battle
Before you jump into a Virizion raid, preparation is key. A well-prepared team and a solid battle plan can significantly increase your chances of victory. Here’s what you need to consider:
Understanding Virizion's Weaknesses and Resistances
As mentioned earlier, Virizion has a dual Grass and Fighting-type, making it weak to Fire, Flying, Poison, Psychic, and Fairy-type moves. However, it is especially vulnerable to Flying-type attacks, taking double damage due to its dual typing. On the other hand, Virizion resists Ground, Rock, Water, Grass, Dark, and Electric-type moves, so you'll want to avoid using Pokémon with these attack types.
Assembling Your Raid Team: Best Pokémon Counters
To effectively counter Virizion, you'll need a team of Pokémon that can exploit its weaknesses. Here are some of the best Pokémon to use against Virizion:
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Mega Pidgeot: As a Flying-type, Mega Pidgeot deals significant damage with moves like Gust and Brave Bird, making it an excellent choice for this raid. Its powerful Flying-type attacks capitalize on Virizion's double weakness, ensuring maximum damage output. Mega Pidgeot's presence can dramatically shift the battle in your favor, making it a top-tier pick for this raid.
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Rayquaza: Another top-tier Flying-type, Rayquaza, is known for its incredible attack power. With moves like Air Slash and Hurricane, it can quickly whittle down Virizion’s health. Rayquaza’s raw power and Flying-type attacks make it an indispensable asset in any Virizion raid team. Its ability to deal massive damage quickly can help your team secure a swift victory, making it a highly sought-after counter.
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Moltres: This Fire and Flying-type Pokémon can deal significant damage with moves like Fire Spin and Sky Attack. Moltres’s dual typing allows it to exploit both of Virizion's weaknesses, making it a versatile choice for your team. Its Fire-type attacks can also provide coverage against other potential threats in the raid, adding to its overall utility.
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Ho-Oh: A Fire and Flying-type, Ho-Oh can utilize moves like Incinerate and Brave Bird to great effect. Its high stats and powerful moveset make it a reliable choice for the raid. Ho-Oh’s balanced stats and access to both Fire and Flying-type moves make it a well-rounded choice for countering Virizion.
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Mega Alakazam: As a Psychic-type, Mega Alakazam can deal considerable damage with moves like Confusion and Psychic. Its high Special Attack stat makes it an excellent choice for this raid. Mega Alakazam's Psychic-type moves exploit Virizion's weakness, and its exceptional Special Attack stat ensures substantial damage output.
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Mewtwo: Mewtwo, with its incredible stats and diverse movepool, can be a powerful asset with moves like Confusion and Psystrike. Its ability to learn various moves allows it to adapt to different raid scenarios, making it a versatile addition to your team. Mewtwo's legendary status and raw power make it a formidable counter against Virizion.
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Toxicroak: This Poison and Fighting-type Pokémon can utilize moves like Poison Jab and Sludge Bomb to exploit Virizion's Poison-type weakness. Toxicroak’s unique typing allows it to resist some of Virizion's moves while dealing significant damage, making it a strategic choice for your raid team. Its dual typing provides a tactical advantage, allowing it to withstand some of Virizion's attacks while dishing out powerful Poison-type damage.
Optimal Movesets for Your Counters
When selecting your Pokémon, it’s crucial to consider their movesets. Here are the best movesets for the recommended counters:
- Mega Pidgeot: Gust (Fast Move), Brave Bird (Charged Move)
- Rayquaza: Air Slash (Fast Move), Hurricane (Charged Move)
- Moltres: Fire Spin (Fast Move), Sky Attack (Charged Move)
- Ho-Oh: Incinerate (Fast Move), Brave Bird (Charged Move)
- Mega Alakazam: Confusion (Fast Move), Psychic (Charged Move)
- Mewtwo: Confusion (Fast Move), Psystrike (Charged Move)
- Toxicroak: Poison Jab (Fast Move), Sludge Bomb (Charged Move)
Equipping your Pokémon with the optimal movesets will maximize their damage output and effectiveness against Virizion. Be sure to use Charged TMs and Fast TMs if necessary to get the right moves.
Forming a Raid Group: How Many Trainers Do You Need?
Virizion is a challenging raid boss, so forming a strong raid group is essential. Ideally, you'll want at least 4-6 high-level trainers with well-prepared counters to take it down. However, with optimal counters and strategic play, a smaller group of experienced trainers may also be successful.
Essential Items for Raids: Potions, Revives, and More
Don't forget to stock up on essential items before the raid. Max Potions and Max Revives are crucial for keeping your Pokémon in the battle. Golden Razz Berries will significantly increase your chances of catching Virizion after the raid. Other useful items include regular Potions, Revives, and Pinap Berries (if you want extra Candy).
Virizion Raid Strategy: Battling the Legendary Pokémon
Once you've assembled your team and gathered your supplies, it's time to head into battle. Here’s a step-by-step strategy to help you defeat Virizion:
Initial Positioning and Team Lineup
Start by positioning your strongest counters at the front of your team. This ensures they'll be the first to engage Virizion and deal significant damage early in the battle. Pay attention to the weather conditions in the game, as weather boosts can affect the power of certain move types. For example, Flying-type moves are boosted in windy weather, making Rayquaza and Mega Pidgeot even more effective.
Dodging Virizion's Charged Moves
Dodging is crucial in raids to minimize damage taken and keep your Pokémon in the fight longer. Virizion has access to powerful Charged Moves like Leaf Blade, Close Combat, Stone Edge, and Sacred Sword. Pay close attention to the visual cues and audio cues that indicate an incoming Charged Move and swipe to dodge accordingly. Successfully dodging these moves can significantly prolong your Pokémon’s survival and increase your team’s overall damage output.
Maximizing Damage Output
To maximize your damage output, use your Charged Moves as often as possible. Pay attention to the energy bar and unleash your Charged Moves when they are fully charged. Coordinating with your raid group to use Charged Moves in sync can also help to stagger Virizion and prevent it from using its own Charged Moves, giving you a tactical advantage.
Reviving and Rejoining the Battle
If your Pokémon faint during the battle, quickly revive them using Max Revives or Revives and rejoin the fight. Don't hesitate to re-enter the battle with a fresh team if necessary. Every bit of damage counts, and keeping your team in the battle as much as possible will increase your chances of victory.
Understanding Virizion's Move Sets
Virizion can have different Fast and Charged Moves, which can influence your battle strategy. Here’s a breakdown of its possible moves:
- Fast Moves:
- Quick Attack (Normal)
- Air Slash (Flying)
- Charged Moves:
- Leaf Blade (Grass)
- Close Combat (Fighting)
- Stone Edge (Rock)
- Sacred Sword (Fighting)
Knowing Virizion’s potential movesets allows you to anticipate its attacks and adjust your team and strategy accordingly. For example, if Virizion has Air Slash, using Pokémon resistant to Flying-type moves can be beneficial.
Catching Virizion: Tips and Tricks
After successfully defeating Virizion, you'll have the opportunity to catch it. This is a crucial part of the raid, and with the right techniques, you can increase your chances of adding this Legendary Pokémon to your collection. Here are some tips and tricks for catching Virizion:
Using Golden Razz Berries
Golden Razz Berries are your best friend when it comes to catching Legendary Pokémon. They significantly increase your chances of a successful catch. Always use a Golden Razz Berry before each throw to maximize your odds.
Throwing Techniques: Curveballs and Great/Excellent Throws
Mastering your throwing technique is essential for catching Virizion. Curveball throws have a higher catch rate than straight throws, so practice throwing curveballs consistently. Aim for Great or Excellent throws, as these also increase your chances of success. Patience and practice are key to mastering these techniques.
Understanding the Catch Circle
The catch circle indicates the difficulty of catching the Pokémon. A smaller circle means a higher catch rate. Time your throws to hit inside the circle when it’s at its smallest for the best chance of success. The color of the circle also indicates the difficulty, with green being the easiest and red being the most challenging.
Patience and Persistence
Catching a Legendary Pokémon can be challenging, so patience and persistence are key. Don’t get discouraged if you don’t catch Virizion on your first few throws. Keep using Golden Razz Berries, aim for Great or Excellent throws, and eventually, you’ll succeed. Remember, each attempt brings you closer to catching this powerful Pokémon.
Weather Boost and Catch Rate
The weather in the game can affect the catch rate of Pokémon. Virizion is boosted in Partly Cloudy weather (due to its Fighting-type) and Sunny/Clear weather (due to its Grass-type). If the weather is favorable, your chances of catching Virizion may be slightly higher. Pay attention to the weather conditions and take advantage of any boosts.
Post-Raid: What to Do After Catching Virizion
Congratulations on defeating and catching Virizion! But the journey doesn't end there. Here’s what you can do after adding Virizion to your collection:
IV Checking and Appraisal
Check Virizion’s IVs (Individual Values) using the in-game appraisal system or a third-party app. High IVs indicate a stronger Pokémon, which is more valuable for battles and raids. Look for Virizion with high Attack IVs, as this stat is crucial for its performance in battles.
Powering Up and Evolving
Virizion does not evolve, so your next step is powering it up. Use Stardust and Candy to increase Virizion’s CP (Combat Power) and make it a more formidable opponent. Prioritize powering up Virizion with high IVs to maximize your investment.
Using Virizion in Battles and Raids
Virizion can be a valuable asset in various battles and raids. Its Grass and Fighting-type moves make it effective against Rock, Steel, Water, Grass, Dark, and Electric-type Pokémon. Consider using Virizion in raids against Pokémon like Regirock, Cobalion, and Terrakion. Its diverse movepool and strong stats make it a versatile choice for many battles.
Trading and Sharing with Friends
If you have multiple Virizion, consider trading them with friends. Trading can help you obtain Pokémon with better IVs or fill gaps in your friend’s Pokédex. Sharing your raid experiences and catches with friends can also enhance the social aspect of Pokémon GO.
Conclusion: Mastering Virizion Raids
Virizion raids can be challenging, but with the right preparation, strategy, and techniques, you can successfully defeat and catch this Legendary Pokémon. Remember to assemble a strong team of counters, understand Virizion’s weaknesses and movesets, and master your throwing techniques. With these tips, you’ll be well on your way to adding Virizion to your collection and dominating future raids. Happy raiding, guys! And if you have any questions or tips of your own, feel free to share them in the comments below!