Mega Heracross Raid Day Guide

Mega Heracross, the Single Horn Pokemon, has at last risen! With powerful Bug and Fighting Type performance, this is a strong Mega Evolution that has some genuine utility, and we've got an outstanding opportunity to add this herculean Pokemon to our teams thanks to its very own Raid Day! Get your Flying Types ready, as this is set to be a fun time!

If you've got the top Flying Types, then this shouldn't be a big issue. And even if you lack the top counters, it's not a horribly difficult raid for small groups. That's not to say this raid is overtly easy, but it definitely could be a lot worse!

What Exactly Is a Raid Day?

A Raid Day is a limited-time event where a given Raid Boss will take over all available gyms, allowing players to raid for it en-masse. However, gyms that already have raids when the event starts will not shift and will be virtually excused from the event. During this time, players are able to spin any Gym to obtain additional daily raid passes. This means that it's possible to complete up to 7 raids free-of-charge over the course of the event via the following tactics:

1. Save your free raid pass from the day before
2. Pick up your normal daily free raid pass during the event
3. Pick up the five free daily passes during the event

Note that these raid passes will not stack, meaning you'll need to use one before obtaining another.

Remote Raids will also have their limitations lifted a bit, giving players the opportunity to use up to 10 for the day.

Finding a Team

While it is possible to solo Mega Heracross given an ideal team and situation, connecting with a raid group is going to be important for the vast majority of players. In this case, you will want at least 1 other good raider, or even more if your group is not as devoted to raiding. Finding a group can be done in many ways, but here are a few suggestions:

• Contact your personal friend group and get any decent raiders onboard
• Connect with Niantic's Campfire to find local raid groups
• Check your Social Media of preference for raid groups by searching "Pokemon Go (your area)" to see if you can join in with them
• Go to an area with a high concentration of gyms and look out for people on their phones/check Gyms for active raids

Getting Ready

here's a quick check-list for ensuring that you're ready for the raids that are to come:

In-Game Checklist

• Determine Your Goals! 
  • A High-IV Raid Boss or two? a good Shiny? Mega Energy? Candy/XL Candy? We all have our own reasons for hitting up this event, so make sure that you have a goal in mind so that you know your stopping-point, if applicable. 
• Stock up on Revives and Potions
• Make sure that you're ready with a full team of six appropriate raiders (more on that later)
• Figure out which Pokemon to Mega Evolve (Mega Rayquaza) in order to maximize damage-output and rewards
• Consider using a Lucky Egg/Star Piece. This may not be the best event for these items, but they may be worthwhile for some trainers.

Real-Life Checklist

• Dress appropriately and comfortably for your local weather
• Ensure that your phone is charged and ready for the event
• Remember all game-related accessories that you may utilize (Pokemon Go Plus, external battery, etc.) 
• Determine approximately how many raids you want to participate in
  • Purchase raid passes/boxes/ticket(s) in advance for however many raids you may want to hit beyond the free 5-7
• Determine a location that has enough gyms to suit your goals
  • Make an attack-plan for the most efficient order in which to hit these gyms
• Ensure that you're set to work with your raid group, or be ready to arrive early and scout other raid groups that you may be able to join.

So just how hard is Mega Heracross to take down? In general, it's not going to be that hard. The top counters to this raid generally counter it extremely hard, making quick work of Mega Heracross despite its power.

So now let's say that you've got your team together and you're at your chosen location, waiting on the first raids to pop. At this point, it might be a good idea to look at the teams that your fellow raiders will be using. This will allow you to pick your own Mega Evolution and use it at a time when it will be most useful to the team, even if you don't all work together to sync up your counters. Why is this important? Because this is a Mega raid, and players will be able to score more Mega Energy depending on how quickly you manage to clear it.

If Mega Energy is your goal, then it's definitely recommended that you go the extra mile and try to finish off the raid boss ASAP. And keep in mind that you will need at least 200 Mega Energy in order to actually Mega Evolve your own Heracross, so the more the better!

And what if you don't have an appropriate Mega Evolution for this raid? Well, then Mega Evolve whatever you may have and leave it out of the raid, as just having a Mega Evolved Pokemon means that you'll gain +1 candy from all of your catches, including all Heracross catches!

Is Mega Heracross Worth Raiding?

Mega Heracross is a very good Pokemon to raid for multiple reasons. First is the fact that it's pretty much the best Bug Type in the game right now, second is the fact that it's a good Fighting Type as well, and finally there's the fact that Heracross is a regional Pokemon, meaning it's entirely possible that many players won't see reliable chances to catch it outside of these raids and rare events. So yes; it's very much worth hitting these raids, and very much worth attempting to score at least one high-IV individual while possible, and maybe even a few extras for future trades!

We're getting closer and closer to the end of the Mega Evolution list, and this is one of the last Mega Evolutions that basically rules a type. And while Bug isn't a great type, even under the sheer weight of this monstrous insect, it's still very much worth taking the time to score it while it's available. Best of luck out there, and may the Shundo bug be in your near future!