Articuno Raid Guide

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Articuno

Articuno is a Legendary Level 5 Raid Boss in Pokemon GO. Best Articuno counters are strong Rock type attackers, but Steel, Electric and Fire type attackers can also help you take down the Team Mystic bird. Articuno is an Ice and Flying type Pokemon, with 40165 Boss CP and it can be caught with following perfect CPs:

  • 1665 – 1743 CP (raid catch with no weather boost, level 20)
  • 2082 – 2179 CP (raid catch with Snow or Windy weather boost, level 25)

A minimum of 2-3 Trainers is required to defeat Articuno when using the most optimal counters, with 4-6 being an ideal group for lower-level raiders. Shiny Articuno is available in Pokémon GO.


Articuno Counters

Articuno is double weak to Rock-type attacks, so this type will dominate the majority of the counters list. However, some other counters also do show up. The table below shows the best Articuno counters (last updated on July 2022):

# Pokemon Fast Move Charge Move Time to win Deaths
1. Aerodactyl (Mega) Rock Throw Rock Rock Slide Rock 332.07s 14.88
2. Rampardos Smack Down Rock Rock Slide Rock 432.65s 19.13
3. Charizard (Mega Y) Fire Spin Fire Blast Burn Fire 452.62s 17.38
4. Rhyperior Smack Down Rock Rock Wrecker Rock 476.98s 16.13
5. Terrakion Smack Down Rock Rock Slide Rock 505.05s 14.38
6. Manectric (Mega) Thunder Fang Electric Wild Charge Electric 509.31s 18.00
7. Charizard (Mega X) Fire Spin Fire Blast Burn Fire 514.44s 17.13
8. Tyranitar Smack Down Rock Stone Edge Rock 526.33s 13.38
9. Houndoom (Mega) Fire Fang Fire Flamethrower Fire 532.47s 13.88
10. Ampharos (Mega) Charge Beam Electric Power Gem Rock 528.07s 20.50
11. Gigalith Smack Down Rock Rock Slide Rock 573.63s 16.88
12. Lycanroc (Dusk) Rock Throw Rock Stone Edge Rock 558.22s 23.75
13. Lycanroc Rock Throw Rock Stone Edge Rock 561.17s 23.63
14. Lycanroc (Midday) Rock Throw Rock Stone Edge Rock 561.90s 23.50
15. Omastar Rock Throw Rock Rock Slide Rock 600.67s 14.25
16. Lycanroc (Midnight) Rock Throw Rock Stone Edge Rock 582.13s 20.38
17. Aerodactyl Rock Throw Rock Rock Slide Rock 566.16s 31.13
18. Tyrantrum Rock Throw Rock Stone Edge Rock 583.28s 25.50
19. Golem (Alola) Rock Throw Rock Stone Edge Rock 617.34s 19.00
20. Darmanitan Fire Fang Fire Rock Slide Rock 615.89s 20.00
21. Darmanitan (Standard) Fire Fang Fire Rock Slide Rock 618.52s 19.75
22. Landorus Rock Throw Rock Rock Slide Rock 578.00s 34.38
23. Landorus (Incarnate) Rock Throw Rock Rock Slide Rock 578.70s 34.25
24. Excadrill Metal Claw Steel Rock Slide Rock 632.60s 19.13
25. Nihilego Acid Poison Rock Slide Rock 648.91s 15.00
26. Golem Rock Throw Rock Stone Edge Rock 618.47s 25.13
27. Reshiram Fire Fang Fire Stone Edge Rock 646.68s 19.38
28. Aggron Smack Down Rock Stone Edge Rock 674.03s 11.63
29. Archeops Steel Wing Steel Ancient Power Rock 600.89s 35.14
30. Xurkitree Thunder Shock Electric Discharge Electric 642.27s 23.88
31. Gengar (Mega) Shadow Claw Ghost Shadow Ball Ghost 653.64s 22.50
32. Metagross Bullet Punch Steel Meteor Mash Steel 692.39s 12.00
33. Regirock Rock Throw Rock Stone Edge Rock 698.23s 14.38
34. Heatran Fire Spin Fire Stone Edge Rock 715.54s 9.75
35. Solrock Rock Throw Rock Rock Slide Rock 672.86s 22.88


Articuno Movesets

Articuno is easy to predict, as it mostly has Ice type moves available, and the time to win is relatively the same for each moveset. Although most Rock type counters don’t resist ice type attacks, their damage output thanks to Articuno’s double weakness to rock type moves makes them amazing counters in these raids.

Fast move Charge move
  • Ice Shard Ice
  • Frost Breath Ice
  • Blizzard Ice
  • Ice Beam Ice
  • Icy Wind Ice
  • Ancient Power Rock

Articuno Raid Counters in-depth

We already explained these counters above, but let’s recap once again. Articuno’s type chart reveals a glaring weakness to Rock (196% damage taken from it) and we use that to defeat it easily. Smack Down / Rock Slide Rampardos is the best non-mega counter under every weather, no exceptions. Should you not have a Rampardos yet though, Rock Wrecker Rhyperior makes for an excellent alternative, and Smack Down Tyranitar can also do the trick despite falling a bit behind in terms of performance. If your Smack Down Tyranitar is shadow though, that changes things a bit. As a rock type attacker, shadow Smack Down Tyranitar is almost as good if not slightly better than Rampardos.

If you do have a Mega Aerodactyl powered up, I have good news for you. Mega Aerodactyl is gonna have a blast this month, as it will probably be the best (or one of the best) counters against all the legendary birds.

All in all, a team of solid Rock attackers are a great option to counter Articuno in every weather, hands down, being boosted by Partly Cloudy weather. We really encourage you to use the following Pokémon: Mega-Aerodactyl, Rampardos, Rock Wrecker Rhyperior, (shadow) Smack Down Tyranitar and Terrakion. All of them with their optimal rock type movesets.

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