Requires specific high level counters or weather boost
| HP | 15,000 | ATK | 245.78 | DEF | 150.94 |
|---|
| CP Range | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Lvl 20 | 2197 - 2289 | Lvl 25 | 2746 - 2862 |
Notable Weather
Fast Move Difficulty
Charge Move Difficulty
| Move | Difficulty |
|---|---|
| Shadow Ball | Intermediate |
| Dark Pulse | Intermediate |
| Psychic | Challenging |
Overview
Hoopa - Unbound comes to us as the first Elite Raid, a format that falls between the Tier Five 15,000 HP and the rare yet not-named-in-game Tier 6 22,500 HP with a grand total of 20,000 HP. This Mythical Pokemon packs a potentially devastating punch with tis stupid-high Attack stat and potentially powerful moves, but it also packs a 2x weakness to Bug Type attacks. And while Bug is notoriously weak, the literal only other option here is Fairy, which can't hold a candle to the plethora of bugs that want to infest poor Hoopa.
So why is this raid listed as "hard" despite a 2x weakness? Because Bug has traditionally been a type that players have been advised to not invest in, meaning most players are woefully unprepared to deal optimal damage. When joining a random team, chances are that most players will be packing sub-optimal/under-leveled bugs and/or a set of generalists. Worst-case, many may even pack types that one of Hoopa - Unbound's types is weak to, such as Ghost or Fighting, while forgetting that its other type neutralizes the weakness. For these reasons, an easy 3-person run may end up taking 6 or more normal players to actually clear.
Approach
Team composition
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Focus on Bug Types first and foremost.
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Fairy is the only other weakness here, and the Fairy Types available in the game right now are leagues below even the mediocre bugs
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Pheromosa is the top-bug by way of DPS, and not many Pokemon do a great job at tanking Hoopa's attacks on average.
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Other bugs can easily act as stop-gaps, as even some "weaker" options can work well here.
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It's generally best to use Mega Beedrill as your main Mega, with Mega Scizor if your raid team has trouble staying alive.
Battling strategy
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Re-entering is almost inevitable.
-
Dodging is recommended.
Best Raid Boss Counters
Mega Evolution Counters
Mega Beedrill
| Fast Move | Charge Move | Rating |
|---|
| Infestation | X-Scissor | Good |
Mega Beedrill packs a major punch, and can take a fair chunk off of Hoopa-Unbound while boosting the entire team, making it a very attractive choice. However, it also sports a Poison Sub-Typing, meaning Psychic Type attacks will tend to mutilate it, with Confusion in particular potentially dropping it into KO range of Hoopa's first Charged Move. It's high-risk, high-reward, but worth it.
Mega Scizor
| Fast Move | Charge Move | Rating |
|---|
| Fury Cutter | X-Scissor | Best |
Mega Scizor has a noticeable loss in DPS when compared to Mega Beedrill, but its DPS is titanic by comparison, in part thanks to its Steel Sub-Typing. If you've got DPS on-lock but need some longevity, or just want to spread the Bug Type Mega Boost around for the team for as long as possible, then Mega Scizor is your 'mon.
Supreme Counters
Pheromosa
| Fast Move | Charge Move | Rating |
|---|
Pheromosa has the highest DPS in this raid by a wide margin, standing head-and-shoulders above the competition without breaking a sweat. It also has stellar performance against Dark Pulse thanks to a resistance, but that's where the praise ends. Pheromosa is very frail, and weak to Psychic Type attacks, so it's going to burn hot and bright while on the field, but not for very long.
Shadow Pinsir
| Fast Move | Charge Move | Rating |
|---|
The shadow version of the OG Bug, Shadow Pinsir is an all-around great choice here. It's got a solid mix of DPS and TDO, and no disadvantages to speak of.
Shadow Scizor
| Fast Move | Charge Move | Rating |
|---|
| Fury Cutter | X-Scissor | Best |
A bit lower on the DPS side when compared to Shadow Pinsir, but Shadow Scizor has better natural bulk and a Steel Sub-Typing to protect it from Psychic Type movesets.
Good Counters
Genesect
| Fast Move | Charge Move | Rating |
|---|
| Fury Cutter | X-Scissor | Best |
Basically Shadow Scizor but weaker. It's worth noting that every variant of Genesect applies here.
Shadow Venomoth
| Fast Move | Charge Move | Rating |
|---|
Weak to Psychic Type attacks, so it's definitely a risky play. Its DPS is decent, but not worth the risk most of the time.
Escavalier
| Fast Move | Charge Move | Rating |
|---|
Escavalier shares a lot in common with Scizor, with the two sharing very similar performance.
Scizor
| Fast Move | Charge Move | Rating |
|---|
| Fury Cutter | X-Scissor | Best |
Scizor shares a lot in common with Escavalier, with the two sharing very similar performance.
Heracross
| Fast Move | Charge Move | Rating |
|---|
| Struggle Bug | Megahorn | Best |
A solid choice, especially against Dark Pulse. But beware its weakness to Psychic Type moves.
