Zacian (Hero of Many Battles) will be available in Five-Star Raids in Pokémon GO from Wednesday, September 9, at 6:00 a.m. to Tuesday, September 15, at 9:00 p.m. local time.
SEE: The Complete List of September 2026 Pokémon GO Events
Best Zacian (Hero of Many Battles) Recommended Counters
The following are the top Pokémon that deal super-effective damage to Zacian.
| POKÉMON | RECOMMENDED MOVESET |
| Mega Metagross | Bullet Punch as a Fast Attack and Meteor Mash as a Charged Attack |
| Necrozma (Dusk Mane) | Metal Claw as a Fast Attack and Sunsteel Strike as a Charged Attack |
| Zacian (Crowned Sword) | Metal Claw as a Fast Attack and Behemoth Blade as a Charged Attack |
| Zamazenta (Crowned Shield) | Metal Claw as a Fast Attack and Behemoth Bash as a Charged Attack |
| Shadow Metagross | Bullet Punch as a Fast Attack and Meteor Mash as a Charged Attack |
| Mega Lucario | Bullet Punch as a Fast Attack and Meteor Mash as a Charged Attack |
| Mega Gengar | Lick as a Fast Attack and Sludge Bomb as a Charged Attack |
| Nihilego | Poison Jab as a Fast Attack and Sludge Bomb as a Charged Attack |
| Naganadel | Poison Jab as a Fast Attack and Sludge Bomb as a Charged Attack |
| Shadow Excadrill | Metal Claw as a Fast Attack and Iron Head as a Charged Attack |
Note that Steel and Poison-type attackers play heavily into Zacian’s core weaknesses. Furthermore, you can only use one Mega/Primal Pokémon per raid lobby. If you are looking to earn extra candy for every Zacian caught as a raid encounter, use a matching Mega Level 3 Fairy-type Pokémon like Mega Diancie, Mega Gardevoir, or Mega Mawile.
Zacian (Hero of Many Battles) Raid Boss Moveset
When battling Zacian (Hero of Many Battles) in raids, it will utilize its own set of Fast and Charged attacks. Being aware of its moveset helps you anticipate incoming damage:
Fast Attacks: Metal Claw (Steel), Snarl (Dark), Quick Attack (Normal), and Fire Fang (Fire).
Charged Attacks: Play Rough (Fairy), Iron Head (Steel), Close Combat (Fighting), and Wild Charge (Electric).
Note: Watch out for Close Combat if you bring Steel-types, or Fire Fang/Wild Charge
Resistances: Avoid bringing Pokémon that rely on Bug, Dragon, Dark, or Fighting-type attacks, as Zacian resists these damage types.
Best Budget Zacian (Hero of Many Battles) Recommended Counters
Not everyone currently has access to high-tier Legendary or Shadow Steel options. Fortunately, Zacian’s vulnerabilities make it accessible with strong non-legendary choices. Excellent budget choices are as follows:
Metagross with Bullet Punch as a Fast Attack and Meteor Mash as a Charged Attack.
Excadrill with Metal Claw as a Fast Attack and Iron Head as a Charged Attack.
Roserade with Poison Jab as a Fast Attack and Sludge Bomb as a Charged Attack.
Gengar with Lick (or Shadow Claw) as a Fast Attack and Sludge Bomb as a Charged Attack.
Scizor with Bullet Punch as a Fast Attack and Iron Head as a Charged Attack.
Zacian Raid Tips
Having the best counters may not be enough. You also need a good strategy. The following tips will help you a great deal:
Lead with a Mega Steel or Poison Pokémon to boost teammates’ corresponding attacks.
Coordinate Mega Evolutions with your raid group for maximum efficiency.
Use Pokémon with matching Fast and Charged Moves (e.g., full Steel-type or Poison-type sets).
Revive and rejoin if necessary rather than using weaker backup teams.
If you can, battle Zacian (Hero of Many Battles) during Snowy (boosts Steel) or Cloudy (boosts Poison) weather conditions in-game for an extra damage edge.
How Many Trainers are Needed?
Due to Zacian’s vulnerabilities to Steel and Poison-type attacks, it can be tackled efficiently. In ideal conditions with top-tier counters like Shadow Metagross or Dusk Mane Necrozma, it can be defeated by 2 to 3 prepared players. However, for most trainers utilizing standard or budget counters, a group of 4 to 6 players will comfortably defeat Zacian (Hero of Many Battles).
Maximize Your Catch Chances
Once you successfully defeat Zacian (Hero of Many Battles), you will enter the bonus catch phase. Keep these tips in mind to secure your catch:
Golden Razz Berries: Always use a Golden Razz Berry combined with a Curveball Throw to maximize your capture rate. If it is Shiny Zacian, use a Silver Pinap Berry instead.
Great/Excellent Throws: Practice your timing to land consistent Great or Excellent throws, which drastically increase the catch multiplier.
Gym Control & Friend Bonuses: Raid with your Best or Ultra Friends and ensure your team controls the gym to earn extra Premier Balls.
Hundo CP for Zacian (Hero of Many Battles) from Raids
You will get rewards such as Rare Candies, other items, and an encounter with Zacian after completing the Raid successfully.
The hundo CP (i.e., the perfect IV CP) for Zacian caught from raids depends on the in-game weather condition when it was caught. If caught during Cloudy weather conditions, the weather-boosted hundo CP is 2,735 CP (Level 25). Otherwise, the standard hundo CP (Level 20) is 2188 CP.
For a complete overview of what to expect when catching Zacian post-raid, keep an eye out for these CP ranges:
Standard Catch CP (Level 20): 2100 – 2188 CP.
Weather Boosted Catch CP (Level 25): 26 25 – 2735 CP.
If you get a good one, teach it Metal Claw and Iron Head (or its signature move Behemoth Blade if available) for its premier Steel-type raid utility, or prepare it for Master League PvP dominance.
FUN FACT: Zacian (Hero of Many Battles) made its debut in Pokémon GO on Friday, August 20, 2021, at 10:00 a.m. local time. This was during the Ultra Unlock event—Part 3: Sword and Shield.
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