Shadow Articuno is available from Tier 5 legendary Shadow Raids. Shadow Raids can only be done using in-person raid passes. Shadow Articuno can be shiny from Shadow raids!
Shadow Articuno can be caught with the following CP values, with an IV floor of 6/6/6:
- 1604 – 1743 CP (no weather boost, 100% Articuno at Level 20)
- 2005 – 2179 CP (windy weather, 100% IV Articuno at Level 25)
Shadow Articuno is an Ice and type and is 2 weak to Rock, and also weak to Electric Fire and Steel type attacks. Shadow Articuno is an immensely difficult tier 5 raid due to the Shadow Raid mechanism. You will need to be well prepared with top counters, correct movesets, powered up Pokémon, and most importantly, Purified Gems.
Communication will be key for this raid! You will want to plan not only your Mega Pokémon team positions, and counters, but also your used of Purified Gems, so be sure you communicating with your fellow trainers.
We would suggest groups of 4+ for trainers with top counters that are maxed out, armed with Purified Gems, or 8-10+ for lower level trainers and those without ideal counters. Purified Gems are a must!
Related reading
- Pokémon GO Shadow Raids: Comprehensive Guide is an overall guide to all things Shadow Raids
Shadow Raid Information & Advice
As a shadow raid, Articuno will hit harder than ever before, so make sure your counters are powered up, have the right moveset, and aren’t weak to the raid bosses moves. These raids are a tricky group task for even the most prepared trainers, and you will need Purified Gems to defeat them. Shadow Raid Bosses will grow enraged as you battle them, boosting their attack and defence.
You will need to subdue Shadow Articuno using Purified Gems, a new item that can be assembled from Shadow Shards.
Shadow Shards are mysterious gem pieces that may be dropped by Team GO Rocket grunts, leaders, and from Shadow Raids. You will need to gather enough shards to use Professor Willow’s newly invented Shard Refiner, and in return you’ll be rewarded with a Purified Gem. Be sure to have collected as many as you can before you attempt a Shadow Articuno raid, as without them you won’t be able to return it to its normal, non-enraged state.
There are multiple ways Purified Gems can assist your battle against enraged Shadow Raid Bosses:
- When you use a Purified Gem during a Shadow Raid, the enraged Shadow Raid Boss’s attack and defence will be lowered temporarily. This can give you the opening you need to take them down.
- You and your fellow Trainers can use more than one Purified Gem during a Shadow Raid. If used at the same time, their effects will stack.
- If enough Purified Gems are used, the enraged Shadow Raid Boss will be subdued—returned to its non-enraged state—which might give you the edge you need to defeat it!
Purified Gems will show in the bottom left corner of the raid battle when you are able to use them, so be sure to communicate with your raid group to stack their effects!
Notes 💡
Raid lasts 300 seconds. You get 3 guaranteed XL candy. It counts towards Battle Legend medal. It does not count towards the Ultra Hero medal. Shiny shadow Articuno has been enabled. IV floor appears to be 6. It appears it is 8 gems needed to subdue Articuno, like the T3 shadow raids.
Best Shadow Articuno Counters – Mega Pokémon
Shadow Articuno
We would highly recommend the use of Mega Pokémon in Shadow Articuno raids. They provide not only greater damage output, but also boost Pokémon of the same typing in the raid. We would suggest discussing your counter choices with your fellow trainers, and plan Mega Pokémon, and their position in your team accordingly.
If you have a group of 6 for example, one person have their mega in slot 1, the next slot 2, the next slot 3 etc, so you can try to keep the mega boost going throughout the raid.
| # | Pokémon | Fast Move | Charge Move |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. |
Mega Tyranitar
|
Smack Down Rock |
Stone Edge Rock |
| 2. |
Mega Aerodactyl
|
Rock Throw Rock |
Rock Slide Rock |
| 3. |
Mega Blaziken
|
Fire Spin Fire |
Blast Burn Fire |
| 4. |
Mega Y Charizard
|
Fire Spin Fire |
Blast Burn Fire |
| 5. |
Mega Aggron
|
Smack Down Rock |
Meteor Beam Rock |
| 6. |
Mega X Charizard
|
Fire Spin Fire |
Blast Burn Fire |
| 7. |
Mega Manectric
|
Thunder Fang Electric |
Wild Charge Electric |
| 8. |
Mega Houndoom
|
Fire Fang Fire |
Fire Blast Fire |
| 9. |
Mega Ampharos
|
Volt Switch Electric |
Power Gem Rock |
| 10. |
Mega Scizor
|
Bullet Punch Steel |
Iron Head Steel |
| 11. |
Mega Gengar
|
Shadow Claw Ghost |
Shadow Ball Ghost |
Best Shadow Articuno Counters – Shadow Pokémon
While Shadow Pokémon are extremely expensive to power up, these are the top Shadow Pokémon you can use against Shadow Articuno. Ensure you no longer have Frustration on these Pokémon before considering adding them to your team. If you have any of these as an option, while they make take more damage than non-shadow Pokémon, they will also deal more.
| # | Pokémon | Fast Move | Charge Move |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. |
Shadow Rhyperior
|
Smack Down Rock |
Rock Wrecker Rock |
| 2. |
Shadow Tyranitar
|
Smack Down Rock |
Stone Edge Rock |
| 3. |
Shadow Aggron
|
Smack Down Rock |
Meteor Beam Rock |
| 4. |
Shadow Omastar
|
Rock Throw Rock |
Rock Slide Rock |
| 5. |
Shadow Aerodactyl
|
Rock Throw Rock |
Rock Slide Rock |
| 6. |
Shadow Golem
|
Rock Throw Rock |
Stone Edge Rock |
| 7. |
Shadow Metagross
|
Bullet Punch Steel |
Meteor Mash Steel |
| 8. |
Shadow Sudowoodo
|
Rock Throw Rock |
Meteor Beam Rock |
| 9. |
Shadow Blaziken
|
Fire Spin Fire |
Blast Burn Fire |
| 10. |
Shadow Entei
|
Fire Fang Fire |
Overheat Fire |
| 11. |
Shadow Machamp
|
Bullet Punch Steel |
Rock Slide Rock |
| 12. |
Shadow Hippowdon
|
Thunder Fang Electric |
Weather Ball Rock |
| 13. |
Shadow Electivire
|
Thunder Shock Electric |
Wild Charge Electric |
| 14. |
Shadow Moltres
|
Fire Spin Fire |
Overheat Fire |
| 15. |
Shadow Magnezone
|
Spark Electric |
Wild Charge Electric |
| 16. |
Shadow Raikou
|
Volt Switch Electric |
Wild Charge Electric |
| 17. |
Shadow Zapdos
|
Thunder Shock Electric |
Ancient Power Rock |
Best Shadow Articuno Counters – Non Mega Pokémon
Here are the best Pokémon to use against a Articuno raid boss that are not Mega Pokémon. Being weak to three different types, Articuno’s counters table is diverse, and shows the strongest Pokémon to use against the raid boss.Try to pick from the top end of this list, and ensure they have the necessary movesets, and are powered up.
| # | Pokémon | Fast Move | Charge Move |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. |
Rampardos
|
Smack Down Rock |
Rock Slide Rock |
| 2. |
Rhyperior
|
Smack Down Rock |
Rock Wrecker Rock |
| 3. |
Terrakion
|
Smack Down Rock |
Rock Slide Rock |
| 4. |
Gigalith
|
Smack Down Rock |
Meteor Beam Rock |
| 5. |
Tyrantrum
|
Rock Throw Rock |
Meteor Beam Rock |
| 6. |
Tyranitar
|
Smack Down Rock |
Stone Edge Rock |
| 7. |
Aggron
|
Smack Down Rock |
Meteor Beam Rock |
| 8. |
Aurorus
|
Rock Throw Rock |
Meteor Beam Rock |
| 9. |
Dusk Lycanroc
|
Rock Throw Rock |
Stone Edge Rock |
| 10. |
Lycanroc
|
Rock Throw Rock |
Stone Edge Rock |
| 11. |
Omastar
|
Rock Throw Rock |
Rock Slide Rock |
| 12. |
Midday Lycanroc
|
Rock Throw Rock |
Stone Edge Rock |
| 13. |
Aerodactyl
|
Rock Throw Rock |
Rock Slide Rock |
| 14. |
Midnight Lycanroc
|
Rock Throw Rock |
Stone Edge Rock |
| 15. |
Alola Golem
|
Rock Throw Rock |
Stone Edge Rock |
| 16. |
Incarnate Landorus
|
Rock Throw Rock |
Rock Slide Rock |
| 17. |
Landorus
|
Rock Throw Rock |
Rock Slide Rock |
| 18. |
Hisuian Arcanine
|
Fire Fang Fire |
Rock Slide Rock |
| 19. |
Darmanitan
|
Fire Fang Fire |
Rock Slide Rock |
| 20. |
Standard Darmanitan
|
Fire Fang Fire |
Rock Slide Rock |
| 21. |
Golem
|
Rock Throw Rock |
Stone Edge Rock |
| 22. |
Archeops
|
Steel Wing Steel |
Ancient Power Rock |
| 23. |
Nihilego
|
Pound Normal |
Rock Slide Rock |
| 24. |
Reshiram
|
Fire Fang Fire |
Fusion Flare Fire |
| 25. |
Kleavor
|
Quick Attack Normal |
Rock Slide Rock |
| 26. |
Excadrill
|
Metal Claw Steel |
Rock Slide Rock |
| 27. |
Sudowoodo
|
Rock Throw Rock |
Meteor Beam Rock |
| 28. |
Xurkitree
|
Spark Electric |
Discharge Electric |
| 29. |
Metagross
|
Bullet Punch Steel |
Meteor Mash Steel |
Articuno Move Sets
Articuno can have the following moves as a raid boss:
| Fast moves | Charged moves |
|---|---|
|
|
*Denotes a Legacy Move only available via Elite TM.


