Pokemon GO: How to Defeat and Catch Zapdos
By 0 08 March 2025
With Pokemon GO's battle for the legendary birds event in full swing, it is time to say goodbye to Moltres and hello to Zapdos. This enormous electric-type Pokemon is sure to be a tough competitor, so you'll need to set your line up strategically to take down the third legendary bird and snag a Zapdos for your Pokedex.
The logistics for catching this Pokemon GO Team Instinct bird will be no different than catching previous legendary birds in level five Battle Raids, but each player's roster strength should be maximized to face off against this flying- and electric-type.
The best types against Zapdos are ice- and rock-types, with ground-type combos having increased resistance to Zapdos' attacks. The go-to Pokemon for this battle will be Golem (rock/ground), Rhydon (rock/ground), and Piloswine (ice/ground). You can do a lot of damage with Tyranitar, but his defense isn't strong enough to last long against the electric attacks.
Remember that you don't want to use Blissey or Snorlax in these Battle Raids, because while these tanks can withstand the attacks, they don't deal enough damage to warrant giving them crucial spots in the squad. The more damage you deal, the more premier balls you will be awarded -- which translates into more chances to capture the Zapdos.
Zapdos can easily take down water types, so be sure to keep your Vaporeons out of the ring. With so few Pokemon who can stand strong against Zapdos, save your Raid Passes for a sufficiently large group. We recommend at least eight players until you get your personal strategy developed.
As you probably know by now, to catch the fierce Zapdos after he has been defeated, you'll want to use your Golden Berries before launching that premium ball. For particularly squirmy Pokemon, some players swear by starting with a Nanab Berry for its lasting calming effect on the legendary Pokemon, then using Golden Berries for subsequent catch attempts.
Grab your raid pass and head into battle between August 7 and August 14 to Take Down a Zapdos. Good luck, trainers!
Pokemon GO is available in select regions on Android and iOS devices.
