Pokemon Go Lugia Counters - How to beat the Lugia raid

Pokemon go Lugia counters
(Image credit: Niantic)

You'll need some good Pokemon Go Lugia counters for this raid. The box Legendary from Generation 2, has returned to Pokemon Go and lets trainers have another Pokemon Go Raids opportunity to add this powerful creature to their team. The Psychic and Flying-type has always been a fan favorite and, for a limited time, it will be available to battle and catch in Level 5 Raids.

Wednesday, September 1 marks the beginning of the Season of Mischief and Lugia will appear in Raids at that time for two weeks. So Pokemon Go trainers will have 14 days to battle and catch as many Lugia as possible, but in order to do that efficiently they’ll need the best Pokemon to take into battle.

This guide will run down the best Lugia counters in Pokemon Go and which moves the Legendary could bring into battle.

Pokemon go Lugia counters

(Image credit: Niantic)

Pokemon Go Lugia Counters

Lugia is a Psychic and Flying-type Pokemon, which makes it weak to Electric, Ice, Rock, Dark and Ghost-type moves. It’s been almost a year since Mega Evolution was introduced in Pokemon Go and there are plenty of these powerful ‘mon that were added to the game since that will help in taking down Lugia.

Mega Manectric and Mega Ampharos are great options to take advantage of Lugia’s Flying typing as well as take any Flying-type moves it may use. Mega Gyarados, Mega Gengar and Mega Houndoom are great for exploiting Lugia’s weakness to Ghost and Dark moves, but the latter two could find it difficult to last long enough in battle depending on which attacks the Legendary uses (more on that below). 

Mega Abomasnow is a great option if you want to use a lot of Ice types in battle. Trainers who don’t want to use Megas could bring Legendaries like Zekrom or powerful Rock types like Tyranitar and Rampardos. Here are some great options to take into battle against Lugia. 

Swipe to scroll horizontally
Lugia Counters
PokemonMoveset
Mega ManectricSnarl and Wild Charge
Mega GengarShadow Claw and Shadow Ball or Shadow Punch
Mega HoundoomSnarl and Foul Play
Mega AmpharosVolt Switch and Zap Cannon
Mega AbomasnowPowder Snow and Weather Ball
Mega GyaradosBite and Crunch
ZekromCharge Beam and Wild Charge
RampardosSmack Doown and Rock Slide
TyranitarSmack Down and Stone Edge
MagnezoneSpark and Wild Charge

Pokemon Go Lugia Moveset

Being a Flying and Psychic-type, Lugia has the option to use both moves in battle. Interesting enough, Lugia doesn’t have a Flying-type Fast attack so Pokemon that are weak to those moves like Mega Abomasnow could see some sustainability in battles against the Legendary.

However, Lugia will have two Flying-type Charged attack options including the new Aeroblast move. Sky Attack and Aeroblast will punish any Pokemon that are weak to Flying-type attacks so it’s a risk to bring a Pokemon like Mega Abomasnow.

Steel types like Magnezone will excel against Lugia. Both of Lugia’s Fast attacks are resisted by Steel types as well as three of the four Charged moves, the one outlier being Hydro Pump. While there isn’t a Steel-type Mega, yet, there are some great options like the aforementioned Magnezone as well as Bisharp. 

Here is every move Lugia can have in Pokemon Go: 

Swipe to scroll horizontally
Lugia Moveset
Fast AttackCharged Attack
ExtrasensoryFuturesight
Dragon TailSky Attack
Row 2 - Cell 0 Hydro Pump
Row 3 - Cell 0 Hydro Pump

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Phillip Martinez

I'm currently a GamesRadar guide contributor with a specialty in everything Pokemon GO. If you've wanted to know the best way to take down a Rayquaza, there's a good chance you read one of my guides. I previously have written for IBT Media, Newsweek and Screen Rant. I'm a huge fighting game fan and everything Pokemon, but I've grown to love RPGs.