Deoxys (Defense Form) Raid Guide

Deoxys (Defense)

Defense Form Deoxys is a Tier 5 raid boss in Pokémon GO and is a monster to take down due to its gargantuan DEF stat. It is a high-value Pokémon for the Great League and is the most coveted among the various Deoxys formes. Being a pure Psychic type, its weaknesses include strong Bug, Dark and Ghost types.

Minimum players – the minimum number of players to defeat a Defense Deoxys is around 4 Trainers. 4 Trainers is the minimum number of players we’d attempt it at, and anything above that should be pretty safe.

This guide lists the best counters, forme stats, and which moves Defense Form Deoxys can have in Pokémon GO. For more information about Defense Deoxys’ role in the Pokémon GO metagame, read our A PvP Analysis on Defense Form Deoxys article.

Defense Form Deoxys Counters

Since Shadow Pokémon are extremely expensive to power up and require specific events to remove Frustration with a Charge TM, they will NOT be listed as raid counters in this article. That being said, if you have the shadow form of a listed raid counter Pokémon powered up and TMed, use it.

The best counters for Defense Form Deoxys are the following:

#	Pokémon	Fast Move	Charge Move	Time to win	Deaths
1.	Gengar (Mega)	Lick Ghost	Shadow Ball Ghost	577.42s	17.17
2.	Banette (Mega)	Shadow Claw Ghost	Shadow Ball Ghost	636.33s	18.50
3.	Houndoom (Mega)	Snarl Dark	Foul Play Dark	721.97s	17.67
4.	Absol (Mega)	Snarl Dark	Dark Pulse Dark	713.25s	22.00
5.	Gyarados (Mega)	Bite Dark	Crunch Dark	811.18s	13.50
6.	Scizor (Mega)	Fury Cutter Bug	X-Scissor Bug	831.98s	15.17
7.	Beedrill (Mega)	Bug Bite Bug	X-Scissor Bug	775.62s	32.17
8.	Alakazam (Mega)	Psycho Cut Psychic	Shadow Ball Ghost	880.52s	21.00
9.	Sceptile (Mega)	Fury Cutter Bug	Frenzy Plant Grass	897.30s	19.67
10.	Gardevoir (Mega)	Charm Fairy	Shadow Ball Ghost	930.30s	17.67
11.	Giratina (Origin)	Shadow Claw Ghost	Shadow Force Ghost	972.83s	14.00
12.	Hydreigon	Bite Dark	Brutal Swing Dark	979.10s	15.83
13.	Ampharos (Mega)	Volt Switch Electric	Brutal Swing Dark	982.01s	17.17
14.	Swampert (Mega)	Water Gun Water	Hydro Cannon Water	1006.80s	14.83
15.	Darkrai	Snarl Dark	Shadow Ball Ghost	979.15s	20.67
16.	Blaziken (Mega)	Fire Spin Fire	Blast Burn Fire	942.59s	29.17
17.	Pheromosa	Bug Bite Bug	Bug Buzz Bug	869.75s	44.33
18.	Charizard (Mega Y)	Wing Attack Flying	Blast Burn Fire	949.31s	30.17
19.	Salamence (Mega)	Dragon Tail Dragon	Draco Meteor Dragon	1008.94s	19.00
20.	Blastoise (Mega)	Bite Dark	Hydro Cannon Water	1010.02s	22.83
21.	Hoopa (Unbound)	Astonish Ghost	Shadow Ball Ghost	1045.12s	19.50
22.	Hoopa (Confined)	Astonish Ghost	Shadow Ball Ghost	1037.60s	21.83
23.	Latios (Mega)	Dragon Breath Dragon	Dragon Claw Dragon	1077.26s	15.33
24.	Manectric (Mega)	Snarl Dark	Wild Charge Electric	1027.96s	24.50
25.	Chandelure	Hex Ghost	Shadow Ball Ghost	1003.77s	31.83
26.	Latias (Mega)	Dragon Breath Dragon	Outrage Dragon	1105.24s	13.17
27.	Gengar	Lick Ghost	Shadow Ball Ghost	989.46s	36.60
28.	Weavile	Snarl Dark	Foul Play Dark	1096.89s	21.67
29.	Giratina (Altered)	Shadow Claw Ghost	Shadow Force Ghost	1143.48s	13.67
30.	Zoroark	Snarl Dark	Foul Play Dark	1087.40s	20.00
31.	Yveltal	Snarl Dark	Dark Pulse Dark	1149.51s	9.50
32.	Giratina	Shadow Claw Ghost	Shadow Force Ghost	1146.27s	13.83
33.	Zarude	Bite Dark	Dark Pulse Dark	1154.14s	15.00
34.	Charizard (Mega X)	Fire Spin Fire	Blast Burn Fire	1098.62s	25.67
35.	Venusaur (Mega)	Vine Whip Grass	Frenzy Plant Grass	1148.19s	20.00

*denotes a legacy move

Notes from other players:

• This raid is incredibly, incredibly difficult. Because of how T5 raid boss stats are calculated (keeps the mon’s defense, has a set HP), Deo-D is a tank. Please prepare a team in advance. Please don’t use recommended counters. Please don’t let anyone you’re raiding with use recommended counters. If you’re not raiding with a group of 6 people, you’re actually risking your ability to clear.
• Defense Deoxys moves are rather lacklustre, and will not do serious immediate damage to your Pokémon. Mainly, be on the lookout for Psycho Boost, as that will destroy any Gengar you have on the scene. This is a battle against time, not against DDeoxys itself, because the bulk of this forme is what makes it difficult.

Defense Forme Deoxys

Defense Forme Deoxys is a GO Battle League powerhouse, dominating in the Great League and the Ultra League. Its impressive bulk and wide range of attack types make it a serious contender against a wide range of Pokémon commonly used in the GO Battle League.

• Initial CP Range: 1,228–1,299
• Initial CP Range with Weather Boost: 1,535–1,624
• Available Fast Attacks: Counter (Fighting), Zen Headbutt (Psychic)
• Available Charged Attacks: Psycho Boost (Psychic), Rock Slide (Rock), Thunderbolt (Electric)

Available moves overview

Defense Forme Deoxys’s Fighting-type Fast Attack Counter is highly effective against Dark-type Pokémon, which Deoxys is vulnerable to. This Pokémon also offers a reasonable range of Charged Attack types, so it is wise to teach it a second Charged Attack.

While the Charged Attack Psycho Boost does benefit from a same-type attack bonus, it has the downside of reducing Deoxys’s Attack stat.

Both the Rock-type Charged Attack Rock Slide and Electric-type Charged Attack Thunderbolt are popular choices, increasing the range of types Defense Forme Deoxys can contend with.

For example, a Defense Forme Deoxys that knows the Fast Attack Counter, Charged Attack Thunderbolt, and Charged Attack Rock Slide would be effective against Normal-, Fire-, Water-, Ice-, Flying-, Bug-, Rock-, Dark-, and Steel-type Pokémon.

Weather Effects

All the best, trainers!