Another new raid boss has arrived in Pokemon Go. Lunala, the mascot of Pokemon Moon for the Nintendo 3DS, is now appearing in the mobile game as a five-star raid boss, but it’ll only be around for a limited time.
Like Solgaleo a little earlier this month, this is the first time Lunala is available in raids. Until now, the only way to obtain one in Pokemon Go was by evolving the rare Cosmoem, so this a great opportunity to add one to your collection (especially if you missed your chance to get a Cosmog).
Lunala is one of the most formidable legendary Pokemon in the game, so you’ll need the right Pokemon and strategy if you’re hoping to capture one. Here are some tips to help you defeat and catch Lunala before it leaves raids.
Lunala Raid Schedule
Lunala will appear as a five-star raid boss from July 22 to 28, giving you less than a week to catch the legendary Pokemon before the next raid boss, Virizion, arrives.
Lunala raids will occur periodically throughout this time, but you’ll have the most chances to find one on July 23 during Lunala Raid Hour. From 6-7 PM local time, Lunala raids will take over most nearby gyms, giving you more opportunities to battle and catch the legendary Pokemon.
Lunala Weaknesses
Unlike Solgaleo, Lunala is a psychic and ghost type. This unique type combination means Lunala is only vulnerable to dark and other ghost Pokemon, both of which deal quadruple damage to the legendary.
Best Lunala Counters
Any Pokemon with a type advantage will be helpful when battling Lunala, but here are some specific recommendations to use against the legendary:
Dark
| Pokemon | Type | Recommended Fast Attack | Recommended Charged Attack |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mega Tyranitar | Rock/Dark | Bite | Brutal Swing |
| Mega Absol | Dark | Snarl | Brutal Swing |
| Mega Houndoom | Dark/Fire | Snarl | Foul Play |
| Hydreigon | Dragon/Dark | Bite | Brutal Swing |
| Mega Gyarados | Water/Dark | Bite | Crunch |
Ghost
| Pokemon | Type | Recommended Fast Attack | Recommended Charged Attack |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mega Banette | Ghost | Shadow Claw | Shadow Ball |
| Hisuian Zoroark | Normal/Ghost | Shadow Claw | Shadow Ball |
| Dragapult | Dragon/Ghost | Astonish | Shadow Ball |
| Gholdengo | Steel/Ghost | Hex | Shadow Ball |
| Mega Sableye | Ghost/Dark | Shadow Claw | Foul Play |
Ghost is one of two types that’s super-effective against itself, so most ghost Pokemon will likewise take extra damage from Lunala. Some of the ones we’ve recommended above have a secondary type that offsets this weakness, which should help them last longer when battling against the legendary.
Types To Avoid
As a psychic and ghost type, Lunala has an advantage against poison and fighting Pokemon, so you’ll want to steer clear of those when challenging the legendary. Normal types also won’t do much damage, so avoid having any of those on your team when joining a Lunala raid.
Can Lunala Be Shiny?
As was the case with Solgaleo, Lunala’s shiny form is not yet available in Pokemon Go, so you’ll only encounter the standard variant in raids this time around.
If you play other Pokemon games, it’s possible to get a shiny Lunala in titles like Pokemon Scarlet and Violet for Nintendo Switch, but you’ll need to wait a little longer before you can catch one in Go.
How To Fuse With Necrozma
Lunala and Solgaleo are unique among legendaries in that they’re both able to fuse with the legendary Pokemon Necrozma into an even more powerful form.
Once you’ve amassed enough Lunar Fusion Energy, you can fuse Lunala with Necrozma to form Dawn Wings Necrozma. The fusion process costs 1,000 Fusion Energy, 30 Necrozma Candy, and 30 Cosmog Candy, and the two legendary Pokemon will remain fused until you manually separate them.
Thanks to its incredibly high attack stat, Dawn Wings Necrozma is one of the best attackers in Pokemon Go. It’ll dish out the most damage if you teach it the Fast Attack Psycho Cut and the Charged Attack Moongeist Beam.
As mentioned, Lunala is leaving raids on July 28, but there are still plenty of events in store before August rolls around. Be sure to check out our Pokemon Go July events guide for a look at everything happening in the game this month.
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