Pokémon GO Zacian Raid Guide: Best Counters, Weaknesses & Moveset

Zacian is one of those Legendary Pokémon that can be a little tricky if you walk into the raid without checking its typing first. The right counters can make the battle much easier, while bringing the wrong team can leave you burning through Revives for no good reason.

If you’re getting ready for Zacian raids, this guide covers everything you need to know, including Zacian’s weaknesses, best counters, moveset, CP range, raid strategy, and tips for catching it afterward.

And if you’re looking for more Pokémon GO tools, updates, and gameplay guides, you can also check our PGSharp download resources from the homepage.

Zacian in Pokémon GO: Quick Facts

Before getting into the counters, let’s clear up one important thing: Zacian has more than one form.

The Hero of Many Battles form is a pure Fairy-type Pokémon, while Crowned Sword Zacian has a different typing and therefore different weaknesses.

That means your raid team shouldn’t be built until you’ve checked which Zacian you’re actually fighting.

Zacian Form	Type	Main Weaknesses
Hero of Many Battles	Fairy	Steel, Poison
Crowned Sword	Steel/Fairy	Fire, Ground, Fighting

For most of this guide, we’ll focus on the standard Hero of Many Battles Zacian, unless mentioned otherwise.

What Is Zacian Weak Against?

Hero of Many Battles Zacian

Hero of Many Battles Zacian is a Fairy-type Pokémon.

It’s weak to:

• Steel
• Poison

This makes strong Steel-type Pokémon especially useful in raids.

If you have powerful Pokémon such as Mega Metagross, Necrozma Dusk Mane, or Metagross, they’re worth considering for your team.

Poison attackers can also work well, particularly if you have strong options available.

Crowned Sword Zacian

Crowned Sword Zacian is different because of its Steel/Fairy typing.

Against this form, you should focus on:

• Fire
• Ground
• Fighting

So don’t simply copy your Hero Zacian team if the Crowned Sword form is appearing. The change in typing makes a big difference.

Best Zacian Counters in Pokémon GO

If you’re facing Hero of Many Battles Zacian, Steel Pokémon are generally the easiest place to start.

Here are some of the strongest options to consider.

1. Mega Metagross

Mega Metagross is one of the first Pokémon I’d look at for a Hero Zacian raid.

It has excellent Attack and access to powerful Steel-type attacks, which hit Zacian for super-effective damage.

If you’ve already invested in a good Metagross, this is a great time to put it to work.

2. Necrozma Dusk Mane

Necrozma Dusk Mane is another excellent Steel-type counter.

It’s strong, bulky enough to stay in the fight, and can put out serious damage against Fairy-type Zacian.

If you have one powered up, definitely consider adding it to your raid party.

3. Metagross

You don’t necessarily need a team full of Mega and Legendary Pokémon.

A strong regular Metagross can still be very useful against Hero Zacian.

If you’ve got an older Metagross sitting in your collection with a good Steel moveset, don’t overlook it.

4. Dialga

Dialga is another solid Steel option.

Its combination of good stats and useful typing makes it a dependable choice when you’re building a Zacian raid team.

5. Roserade

Roserade gives you a good Poison option.

It doesn’t have the same overall bulk as some of the top Steel attackers, but it can deal respectable super-effective damage and is easier for many Trainers to obtain.

6. Mega Gengar

Mega Gengar can also be used as a powerful Poison attacker.

Its offensive power is impressive, although you’ll need to be a little more careful about its survivability.

If you have a strong Mega Gengar already powered up, it can definitely earn a place on your team.

Best Counters for Crowned Sword Zacian

Crowned Sword Zacian changes the matchup completely.

Because of its Steel/Fairy typing, you’ll want to bring strong Fire, Ground, or Fighting-type attackers.

Some options worth considering include:

• Primal Groudon
• Mega Charizard Y
• Mega Garchomp
• Shadow Heatran
• Shadow Reshiram
• Other powerful Fire attackers
• Strong Ground-type Pokémon
• Strong Fighting-type Pokémon

Your best six will depend on what you’ve already powered up, so don’t feel like you need to build an entirely new team just for one raid.

Zacian Moveset in Pokémon GO

Zacian has several possible Fast and Charged Attacks, so you won’t always be fighting the exact same moveset.

Hero of Many Battles Zacian can have Fast Attacks such as:

• Snarl
• Metal Claw
• Quick Attack
• Fire Fang

Its Charged Attacks can include:

• Play Rough
• Close Combat
• Wild Charge
• Iron Head

This is another reason not to rely blindly on an automatic recommended party.

If Zacian has a move that hits your current team particularly hard, you may want to adjust your lineup.

Is Zacian Good in Pokémon GO?

Yes, Zacian can be useful, but whether you should invest heavily in one depends on how you play the game.

For many Trainers, Zacian is attractive because it’s a Legendary Pokémon with strong potential in PvP and a place in a serious Pokémon collection.

But here’s the thing: don’t spend all your Stardust just because you caught one.

Check its IVs first. Look at its moves. Think about whether you’ll actually use it.

If you get a great IV Zacian, that’s a different story.

How Many Players Do You Need to Beat Zacian?

There isn’t one magic number because raid difficulty depends on the level and quality of your Pokémon.

Your results will change depending on:

• Pokémon levels
• IVs
• Movesets
• Mega Evolutions
• Shadow Pokémon
• Friendship bonuses
• Weather
• How efficiently everyone attacks

For an average group, having around 4–5 prepared Trainers is a comfortable target.

Experienced players with highly optimized counters may be able to do it with fewer.

The important part is that five Trainers with strong counters can be much more useful than five Trainers bringing random Pokémon.

Zacian Raid Strategy

You don’t need an overly complicated strategy for Zacian. A little preparation goes a long way.

Check the Zacian Form First

This is the biggest thing to remember.

Hero of Many Battles Zacian calls for Steel and Poison attackers.

Crowned Sword Zacian requires a different approach, with Fire, Ground and Fighting counters becoming much more important.

Don’t Ignore Your Movesets

Having the right Pokémon isn’t enough.

Make sure your attackers actually have useful moves for the matchup.

A strong Pokémon with the wrong moves can perform much worse than expected.

Use Mega Pokémon

If you have an appropriate Mega Pokémon available, using it can give your raid team a useful damage boost.

It can also help the rest of the group if you’re coordinating your raid properly.

Don’t Over-Dodge

Dodging can keep your Pokémon alive longer, but there’s a point where excessive dodging simply costs you damage.

If your team is surviving comfortably, concentrate on dealing damage.

Zacian Raid CP

After you defeat Zacian, you’ll get a limited number of Premier Balls to try to catch it.

For Hero of Many Battles Zacian, the commonly reported catch CP range is around:

• 2,100–2,188 CP at Level 20
• 2,625–2,735 CP at Level 25 with Cloudy weather

Remember that CP isn’t everything.

A lower-CP Zacian can have better IVs than a higher-CP one, so check the appraisal before deciding what to keep.

How to Get a 100% IV Zacian

A perfect Zacian has:

15 Attack / 15 Defense / 15 HP

The easiest way to check is through Pokémon GO’s appraisal system.

If you’re doing several Zacian raids, make a habit of checking every catch.

Don’t transfer something simply because the CP looks low. You could accidentally throw away a useful IV spread.

Can Zacian Be Shiny?

Yes, Shiny Zacian is available in Pokémon GO.

This is one of the biggest reasons collectors continue raiding when Zacian returns.

The Shiny version has a different color scheme and is immediately noticeable once you know what you’re looking for.

However, there’s no guaranteed number of raids that will give you a Shiny.

You might get lucky on your first raid, or you might have to do many more.

That’s just how Shiny hunting works.

Tips for Catching Zacian

Getting the raid win feels good, but don’t get careless once the catch screen appears.

You still have to land the catch.

Use Golden Razz Berries

If you really want to secure the Zacian, Golden Razz Berries are your friend.

There’s little reason to save them for a Pokémon you don’t care about while you’re trying to catch a Legendary you’ve just spent a Raid Pass fighting.

Learn Zacian’s Attack Animation

Don’t rush your throws.

Wait for Zacian to finish its attack animation, then throw your Curveball while the circle is at a comfortable size.

Go for Excellent Throws

Excellent throws give you a better chance of catching the Pokémon.

If you’re comfortable with the timing, combine:

Golden Razz Berry + Curveball + Excellent Throw

That’s one of the best approaches you can use.

Is Zacian Worth Raiding?

For most Trainers, yes.

Zacian is worth considering if you want:

• A Legendary Pokémon
• Shiny Zacian
• Good IVs
• Candy and XL Candy
• PvP options
• A strong addition to your collection

But you don’t have to raid endlessly.

If you’ve already got a strong Zacian with good IVs, you might be better off saving your remaining Raid Passes for another Pokémon.

Best Zacian Raid Team

For Hero of Many Battles Zacian, a strong team could include:

1. Mega Metagross
2. Necrozma Dusk Mane
3. Metagross
4. Dialga
5. Roserade
6. Mega Gengar

For Crowned Sword Zacian, look toward:

1. Primal Groudon
2. Mega Charizard Y
3. Mega Garchomp
4. Shadow Heatran
5. Shadow Reshiram
6. Another strong Fire, Ground, or Fighting attacker

Don’t worry if you don’t have exactly these six.

The Pokémon you’ve already powered up are often the best starting point.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Zacian weak against in Pokémon GO?

Hero of Many Battles Zacian is weak to Steel and Poison-type attacks. Crowned Sword Zacian has different weaknesses, including Fire, Ground and Fighting.

What is the best counter for Zacian?

For Hero Zacian, Mega Metagross, Necrozma Dusk Mane and Metagross are among the strongest choices. For Crowned Sword Zacian, use powerful Fire, Ground and Fighting attackers.

Can Zacian be Shiny in Pokémon GO?

Yes. Shiny Zacian is available in Pokémon GO.

How many players are needed to defeat Zacian?

Around 4–5 reasonably prepared Trainers is a comfortable target for many groups. Stronger players with optimized counters may need fewer.

What type is Zacian?

Hero of Many Battles Zacian is Fairy-type, while Crowned Sword Zacian is Steel/Fairy-type.

What moves can Zacian learn?

Zacian can have several Fast and Charged Attacks, including Snarl, Metal Claw, Quick Attack, Fire Fang, Play Rough, Close Combat, Wild Charge and Iron Head.

Is Zacian good in Pokémon GO?

Zacian can be useful, particularly for PvP and collection purposes. Whether it’s worth powering up depends on its IVs, moveset and your own team needs.

Final Thoughts

Zacian isn’t a raid boss you need to overthink, but you do need to bring the right counters.

For Hero of Many Battles Zacian, Steel and Poison attackers are the way to go. If you’re dealing with Crowned Sword Zacian, switch things up and bring strong Fire, Ground or Fighting Pokémon instead.

Before every raid, take a few seconds to check the form, build your team around its weaknesses, and make sure your best attackers have the right moves.

And once you catch Zacian, don’t immediately spend your Stardust. Check the IVs first. A good Legendary is worth investing in, but a mediocre one isn’t necessarily worth powering up.

For more Pokémon GO guides, updates, tools and gameplay resources, keep checking PGSharpPokemon.com.