Solgaleo Raid Guide Strategy How To Defeat With 4-5 Trainers
Solgaleo, the powerful Sunne Pokémon, presents a formidable challenge in Pokémon GO Raids. This Psychic/Steel-type Legendary Pokémon boasts high Attack and Defense stats, making it a tough opponent to take down. However, with the right strategy and team composition, defeating Solgaleo with just 4-5 trainers is definitely achievable. This guide provides a detailed strategy, including optimal counters, move sets, and battle tactics, to help you successfully conquer Solgaleo raids.
Understanding Solgaleo's Strengths and Weaknesses
Before diving into the battle strategy, it's crucial to understand Solgaleo's type matchups. Being a Psychic/Steel-type, Solgaleo is strong against Normal, Poison, Steel, Psychic, Dragon, and Fairy-type Pokémon. This means your usual attackers from these types will be less effective. On the flip side, Solgaleo is vulnerable to Fire, Ground, Ghost, and Dark-type moves. Therefore, your team should primarily consist of Pokémon with these move types to exploit Solgaleo's weaknesses.
Solgaleo's significant Attack stat means it can deal substantial damage, while its high Defense stat makes it resistant to many attacks. This combination necessitates a strategic approach, focusing on maximizing damage output while minimizing the damage your team receives. Effective dodging and strategic use of Charged Moves are key components of a successful raid. Furthermore, understanding Solgaleo's potential move sets is essential for predicting its attacks and planning your counters accordingly. Solgaleo can have a variety of Fast and Charged Moves, each with different damage outputs and type effectiveness, making it a versatile and challenging opponent. For instance, a Solgaleo with Metal Claw (Steel) as its Fast Move and Iron Head (Steel) as its Charged Move will pose a significant threat to Fairy-type Pokémon, whereas one with Confusion (Psychic) as its Fast Move and Psychic (Psychic) as its Charged Move will be more dangerous to Fighting and Poison-type Pokémon. Therefore, scouting the specific moveset of the Solgaleo you're facing is crucial for selecting the most effective counters and dodging strategies. In addition to its offensive capabilities, Solgaleo's Psychic typing also grants it access to moves that can inflict status conditions, such as confusion, which can further hinder your team's performance. This underscores the importance of having a well-rounded team that can withstand both the direct damage and the status effects inflicted by Solgaleo. Finally, the weather conditions in the game can also play a significant role in the outcome of the raid. For example, Sunny weather will boost Fire-type moves, making Fire-type attackers even more effective against Solgaleo. Conversely, Windy weather will boost Psychic-type moves, potentially making Solgaleo's Psychic-type attacks more potent. Therefore, it's essential to consider the weather conditions and adjust your team composition accordingly to maximize your chances of success.
Optimal Counters for Solgaleo
Choosing the right Pokémon is crucial for a successful raid. Here are some of the best counters for Solgaleo, categorized by type:
- Fire-types: Fire-type Pokémon are highly effective against Solgaleo due to its Steel typing. Shadow Moltres, Mega Charizard Y, and Reshiram are top-tier choices. These Pokémon boast high Attack stats and powerful Fire-type moves, allowing them to deal significant damage to Solgaleo quickly. For instance, Shadow Moltres, with its Fire Spin and Overheat moveset, is capable of dealing massive damage in a short amount of time, making it an excellent choice for raids where speed is crucial. Mega Charizard Y, on the other hand, offers both high damage output and the added benefit of boosting other Fire-type Pokémon in the raid, making it a valuable asset for group raids. Reshiram, with its Fire Fang and Overheat combination, is another formidable Fire-type attacker that can consistently deal high damage throughout the battle. However, it's important to note that Fire-type Pokémon are vulnerable to Solgaleo's Steel-type moves, so strategic dodging is essential to keep them in the battle. In addition to the top-tier options, there are several other viable Fire-type counters, such as Mega Houndoom, which provides Dark-type coverage as well, and regular Moltres, which is still a strong attacker despite being less powerful than its Shadow counterpart. The key to maximizing the effectiveness of Fire-type attackers is to ensure that they have Fire-type Fast Moves and Charged Moves, such as Fire Spin and Overheat, or Fire Fang and Overheat.
- Ground-types: Ground-type Pokémon exploit Solgaleo's Steel typing as well. Groudon and Excadrill are excellent choices, with high Attack stats and powerful Ground-type moves. Groudon, in particular, stands out as one of the best Ground-type attackers in the game, thanks to its high Attack stat and powerful moves like Mud Shot and Earthquake. Excadrill, while not as powerful as Groudon, is still a strong contender, especially with its Mud-Slap and Drill Run moveset. Both of these Pokémon can deal significant damage to Solgaleo while also resisting its Psychic-type attacks, making them valuable assets in the raid. However, it's important to note that Ground-type Pokémon are vulnerable to Solgaleo's Fire-type moves, so strategic dodging is crucial to keep them in the battle. In addition to Groudon and Excadrill, there are several other viable Ground-type counters, such as Rhyperior and Landorus (Therian Forme), which can also contribute to the raid with their high damage output. The key to maximizing the effectiveness of Ground-type attackers is to ensure that they have Ground-type Fast Moves and Charged Moves, such as Mud Shot and Earthquake, or Mud-Slap and Drill Run. Furthermore, Ground-type Pokémon benefit from Cloudy weather, which boosts the damage of their Ground-type moves, making them even more effective against Solgaleo.
- Ghost and Dark-types: Ghost and Dark-type Pokémon are effective due to Solgaleo's Psychic typing. Shadow Ball Mewtwo, Shadow Tyranitar, and Hydreigon are solid choices. Shadow Ball Mewtwo, with its high Attack stat and powerful Shadow Ball Charged Move, is one of the best overall attackers in the game and is highly effective against Solgaleo. Shadow Tyranitar, with its Bite and Brutal Swing moveset, is another strong contender, dealing significant Dark-type damage. Hydreigon, while not as powerful as Shadow Tyranitar, is still a viable option, especially with its Bite and Dark Pulse moveset. These Pokémon can exploit Solgaleo's weakness to Ghost and Dark-type moves, making them valuable assets in the raid. However, it's important to note that Ghost and Dark-type Pokémon are vulnerable to Solgaleo's Psychic-type moves, so strategic dodging is crucial to keep them in the battle. In addition to the top-tier options, there are several other viable Ghost and Dark-type counters, such as Giratina (Origin Forme) and Darkrai, which can also contribute to the raid with their high damage output. The key to maximizing the effectiveness of Ghost and Dark-type attackers is to ensure that they have Ghost or Dark-type Fast Moves and Charged Moves, such as Shadow Claw and Shadow Ball, or Bite and Brutal Swing. Furthermore, Ghost and Dark-type Pokémon benefit from Foggy weather, which boosts the damage of their Ghost and Dark-type moves, making them even more effective against Solgaleo.
Recommended Move Sets for Your Counters
To maximize your damage output, ensure your Pokémon have the optimal move sets. Here are some recommended move sets for the counters mentioned above:
- Shadow Moltres: Fire Spin (Fast Move) and Overheat (Charged Move)
- Mega Charizard Y: Fire Spin (Fast Move) and Blast Burn (Charged Move)
- Reshiram: Fire Fang (Fast Move) and Overheat (Charged Move)
- Groudon: Mud Shot (Fast Move) and Earthquake (Charged Move)
- Excadrill: Mud-Slap (Fast Move) and Drill Run (Charged Move)
- Shadow Ball Mewtwo: Confusion (Fast Move) and Shadow Ball (Charged Move)
- Shadow Tyranitar: Bite (Fast Move) and Brutal Swing (Charged Move)
- Hydreigon: Bite (Fast Move) and Dark Pulse (Charged Move)
These move sets provide the highest Damage Per Second (DPS) against Solgaleo, allowing you to take it down more efficiently. It's also crucial to consider the Energy Per Second (EPS) of the Fast Move and the Energy cost of the Charged Move. A Fast Move with high EPS will allow you to charge your Charged Move more quickly, while a Charged Move with a lower Energy cost can be used more frequently. Balancing these factors is key to optimizing your Pokémon's performance in the raid.
Furthermore, it's worth noting that some Pokémon have Community Day exclusive moves that can significantly boost their performance. For example, Mega Charizard Y with Blast Burn, a Community Day exclusive move, is far more effective than Mega Charizard Y with other Charged Moves. Therefore, if you have Pokémon with these exclusive moves, be sure to include them in your team. In addition to the recommended move sets, it's also important to consider the weather conditions when selecting your Pokémon's moves. For example, if the weather is Sunny, Fire-type moves will be boosted, making Fire-type attackers even more effective. Conversely, if the weather is Windy, Psychic-type moves will be boosted, potentially making Solgaleo's Psychic-type attacks more potent. Therefore, it's essential to adjust your team composition and move sets accordingly to maximize your chances of success.
Battle Strategy for 4-5 Trainers
Defeating Solgaleo with a smaller group requires a coordinated strategy. Here’s a step-by-step approach:
- Team Composition: Ensure each trainer has a team of 6 Pokémon consisting of the optimal counters mentioned above. Prioritize Pokémon with high DPS and strong type advantages against Solgaleo.
- Communication: Coordinate with your raid group using voice chat or messaging apps. This allows for real-time communication about Solgaleo's move sets and when to use Charged Moves.
- Dodging: Pay close attention to Solgaleo's attacks and dodge when necessary. Dodging reduces damage taken and keeps your Pokémon in the battle longer. Observing Solgaleo's attack animations and timing your dodges accordingly can significantly improve your team's survivability. Effective dodging not only reduces damage but also allows you to conserve Potions and Revives, which are crucial for subsequent raids. In addition to dodging, it's also important to be mindful of your Pokémon's health. If a Pokémon is about to faint, consider switching it out to avoid wasting a Revive. By strategically switching Pokémon, you can maximize your team's overall damage output and survivability.
- Charged Move Timing: Use Charged Moves strategically. Try to use them when Solgaleo is not attacking to maximize damage output. Coordinating with your team to unleash Charged Moves simultaneously can overwhelm Solgaleo and deal significant damage. Furthermore, consider the timing of your Charged Moves in relation to Solgaleo's shield usage. If Solgaleo has its shields up, your Charged Move will deal significantly less damage. Therefore, it may be beneficial to delay your Charged Move until Solgaleo's shields are down. Alternatively, if you know that Solgaleo is about to use a Charged Move, you can use your Charged Move as a shield, as it will interrupt Solgaleo's attack and prevent it from dealing damage. This strategy requires careful timing and coordination, but it can be highly effective in minimizing damage taken and maximizing damage dealt.
- Weather Boosts: Take advantage of weather boosts. Sunny weather boosts Fire and Ground-type moves, while Foggy weather boosts Ghost and Dark-type moves. Adjust your team accordingly to maximize damage output. For instance, if the weather is Sunny, prioritize Fire-type and Ground-type attackers, as their moves will deal 20% more damage. Conversely, if the weather is Foggy, prioritize Ghost and Dark-type attackers. In addition to the damage boost, weather conditions can also affect the frequency and potency of Solgaleo's attacks. For example, if the weather is Windy, Solgaleo's Psychic-type moves will be boosted, potentially making them more dangerous. Therefore, it's essential to consider the weather conditions and adjust your team composition and battle strategy accordingly.
- Re-lobbying: If your team faints, re-lobby quickly and rejoin the battle. This allows you to continue contributing damage and helps your team defeat Solgaleo faster. Before re-lobbying, ensure that your Pokémon are fully healed and revived. This will prevent you from wasting time and resources during the battle. Furthermore, consider switching your team composition if necessary. If your initial team was not effective against Solgaleo's moveset, try using different counters or adjusting your strategy. By being proactive and adaptable, you can maximize your chances of success.
Example Team Compositions for 4-5 Trainers
Here are a few example team compositions that can be effective against Solgaleo:
- Team 1: Shadow Moltres, Mega Charizard Y, Reshiram, Groudon, Excadrill, Shadow Ball Mewtwo
- Team 2: Shadow Tyranitar, Hydreigon, Shadow Moltres, Groudon, Excadrill, Reshiram
- Team 3: Mega Charizard Y, Groudon, Shadow Moltres, Shadow Tyranitar, Shadow Ball Mewtwo, Excadrill
These teams provide a good balance of Fire, Ground, Ghost, and Dark-type attackers, ensuring you can exploit Solgaleo's weaknesses effectively. Remember to adjust your team based on the availability of your Pokémon and their move sets. Having a diverse team composition also allows you to adapt to different weather conditions and Solgaleo's movesets. For example, if Solgaleo has a Steel-type Charged Move, you may want to prioritize Fire-type attackers, as they resist Steel-type moves. Conversely, if Solgaleo has a Psychic-type Charged Move, you may want to prioritize Ghost and Dark-type attackers, as they resist Psychic-type moves. By being flexible and adaptable, you can maximize your chances of success in the raid.
Conclusion
Defeating Solgaleo in Pokémon GO raids with 4-5 trainers is challenging but achievable with the right strategy and team. By understanding Solgaleo's strengths and weaknesses, choosing optimal counters, using recommended move sets, and implementing a coordinated battle strategy, you can successfully conquer this Legendary Pokémon. Remember to communicate with your team, dodge effectively, and time your Charged Moves strategically. With these tips, you'll be well-equipped to take on Solgaleo and add it to your collection.