Discover the best Shadow Giratina (Altered Forme) counters, weaknesses, and raid guide for Pokémon GO. Learn top Pokémon, budget options, and hundo CP values.
Shadow Giratina (Altered Forme) is a Legendary Ghost- and Dragon-type Pokémon. It is weak to Pokémon with Dark-, Dragon-, Fairy-, Ghost-, and Ice-type attacks.
Shadow Giratina (Altered Forme) will be appearing in Five-Star Shadow Raids throughout August 2026, from Wednesday, August 5, 2026, to Tuesday, September 8, 2026.
Shadow Giratina (Altered Forme) Recommended Counters
The following are the generally recommended counters:
| Pokémon | Fast Attack | Charged Attack |
| Eternatus | Dragon Tail | Dynamax Cannon |
| Mega Rayquaza | Dragon Tail | Breaking Swipe |
| Kyurem (Black) | Dragon Tail | Freeze Shock |
| Mega Garchomp | Dragon Tail | Breaking Swipe |
| Shadow Haxorus | Dragon Tail | Breaking Swipe |
| Mega Gengar | Lick | Shadow Ball |
| Necrozma (Dawn Wings) | Psycho Cut | Moongeist Beam |
| Kyurem (White) | Ice Fang | Ice Burn |
| Shadow Garchomp | Dragon Tail | Breaking Swipe |
| Shadow Palkia | Dragon Tail | Draco Meteor |
| Shadow Salamence | Dragon Tail | Outrage |
| Shadow Tyranitar | Bite | Brutal Swing |
Top Shadow Giratina (Altered Forme) Counter Analysis
While the counter table provides a glance at the best options, certain Pokémon stand out due to their typing advantages and sheer damage output:
Eternatus: Currently sitting at the very top of the DPS charts against Shadow Giratina. With its Dragon Tail and Dynamax Cannon, it dishes out immense damage while leveraging resistances.
Mega Rayquaza: Unquestionably one of the best overall offensive choices to bring to this raid. Its unmatched damage-per-second (DPS) with Dragon Tail and Breaking Swipe will shred through Giratina’s health bar rapidly.
Kyurem (Black): A powerhouse option that utilizes its unique Ice/Dragon typing and massive attack stat to dish out punishing super-effective damage via Freeze Shock.
Remember, you can only use one Mega/Primal Pokémon per raid. It is recommended to lead with a high-level Mega option like Mega Rayquaza or Mega Garchomp to boost fellow raiders’ damage types. Any of these will also help with getting extra Giratina Candy. The higher their mega level, the better it is in rewarding extra Candy.
READ ALSO: Mega Pokémon Levels in Pokémon GO
Best Budget Counters for Casual Players
If you do not have a fully powered team of premium Legendary, Mega, or Shadow Pokémon, you can still contribute significantly using accessible alternatives:
Dragonite: One of the most common and accessible Dragon-types available. Utilizing Dragon Tail and Dragon Claw or Outrage provides reliable, high-tier DPS.
Garchomp: Highly durable and frequently featured in events. Equip it with Dragon Tail and Outrage for optimal output.
Mamoswine: A phenomenal non-Dragon counter that targets Giratina’s weakness to Ice using Powder Snow and Avalanche.
Togekiss: A premier budget Fairy-type anchor that resists Dragon-type incoming attacks and hits back firmly with Charm and Dazzling Gleam.
Hundo Shadow Giratina (Altered Forme) from Raids
Any Shadow Giratina (Altered Forme) caught from raids with the following CP values is a hundo (a perfect 100% IV) Shadow Pokémon:
2414 CP in Foggy or Windy weather in-game (Weather Boosted, Level 25).
1931 CP in other weather conditions in-game (Level 20).
If you manage to catch a strong one, its optimal PvE moveset features Shadow Claw as a Fast Attack and Shadow Force (or Dragon Claw if preferred for alternative uses) as a Charged Attack.
Is Shadow Giratina Worth the Grind?
While Altered Forme Giratina leans more defensively oriented compared to its Origin counterpart, Shadow Giratina is an absolute monster in Trainer Battles, particularly in the Master League, thanks to its immense bulk coupled with the attack boost from being a Shadow Pokémon.
For PvE/Raids, it functions decently as a Ghost-type attacker if equipped with Shadow Claw and Shadow Force (requires an Elite Charged TM), though specialized attackers still outperform it.
Shadow Giratina Weather Boost & Mechanics
Understanding how in-game weather influences the encounter helps maximize your rewards:
Weather Conditions: Shadow Giratina (Altered Forme) receives a Weather Boost during Foggy or Windy weather conditions.
Increased Difficulty: Fighting it during its weather-boosted states means its raid moves will hit harder, requiring more frequent dodging of Charged Attacks.
Higher Encounter Level: Catching a weather-boosted Shadow Giratina rewards you with a Level 25 encounter instead of the standard Level 20, saving substantial Stardust and Candy on upgrades.
Shadow Giratina Raid Strategy & Group Size
This is an exceptionally bulky Tier 5 Shadow Raid boss:
Group Size: A minimum of 2 to 4 high-level Trainers with optimized counters can pull off the win under ideal conditions. For general or casual groups, aim for 5 to 8+ Trainers to safely beat the clock.
Purified Gems: Like all Shadow raid bosses, Shadow Giratina will become enraged mid-battle, heavily boosting its stats. Your group must coordinate and use a combined total of 8 Purified Gems to subdue it.
Party Power: Always utilize the in-game Party feature. Activating Party Power doubles the damage of your next Charged Attack, drastically improving your clear times.
