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Pokémon Go Palkia raid guide: Best moveset and counters

A great dragon-type attacker to add to your arsenal

A photo of Palkia from Pokémon Go on an iPhone Photo: James Bareham/Polygon
Julia Lee (she/her) is a guides producer, writing guides for games like The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom and Genshin Impact. She helped launch the Rift Herald in 2016.

Palkia is one of Pokémon Go’s strongest dragon-types, making it a worthwhile raid target. In our Pokémon Go Palkia guide, we’ll explain Palkia’s best moveset, the best counters to use against it, and its weaknesses.

Palkia best counters and weaknesses

Palkia’s water- and dragon-typing give it only two weaknesses: dragon- and fairy-types. Use any of these Palkia best counters and weaknesses to take it down:

  • Rayquaza with Dragon Tail and Outrage
  • Salamence with Dragon Tail and Outrage
  • Dragonite with Dragon Tail and Outrage or Draco Meteor
  • Gardevoir with Charm and Dazzling Gleam

Palkia is tricky because if the one you’re raiding against has Draco Meteor, your dragon-types will die quickly. Pay attention to the recommended team that the game gives you. If you see fairy- and steel-types in your recommended party, consider putting the bulk of your dragons on the bench this time.

Remember that Cloudy weather boosts fairy-type moves and windy weather boosts dragon-type moves.

Palkia best moveset

Palkia’s best moveset is Dragon Tail with Draco Meteor, plain and simple.

Can Palkia be Shiny?

Shiny Palkia with its normal version. On Shiny Palkia, the grey parts of it are a light pink instead. Graphic: Julia Lee/Polygon | Image source: Niantic/The Pokémon Company

Lucky players may encounter a Shiny Palkia. If you do see a Shiny, you’ll catch it on the first ball you hit it with, so use a Pinap Berry to score some extra candy.