Pokémon Go: Terrakion Guide

From May 19 through May 26, 2020, Terrakion will be returning to Legendary Raids, with a special Legendary Raid Hour on May 20 at 6 PM local time. The second of the Swords of Justice, Terrakion is a Rock, and Fighting-type Pokémon and players can challenge it for one week only. While Terrakion is weak to seven different types, there are definitely some real contenders in this fight and other Pokémon who just won't make the cut. We're here to walk you through building the perfect team for taking on this Legendary Pokémon!

Who is Terrakion, and what are the Swords of Justice?

Like most Legendary Pokémon, Terrakion is one of a set. This particular set is known as the Swords of Justice, and they are loosely based on The Three Musketeers. Cobalion represents Athos, the oldest and de facto leader of the group, Terrakion represents Porthos, the strongest member of the group, Virizion represents Aramis, the feminine and romantic member of the group, and Keldeo represents d'Artagnan, the young new addition to the group.

While these four form a quartet in both the core games and their own Pokémon movie, only the three original members have been introduced so far. Given that Keldeo is a Mythical Pokémon, not a Legendary like the other Swords of Justice, it will probably be introduced in a different way later.

For the time being, Terrakion is not all that impressive. Despite being a Legendary Pokémon, its stats aren't remarkable. What really puts Terrakion at a disadvantage, however, is its plethora of weaknesses, especially to Psychic types. Most players will have an easy time taking out Terrakion. However, not all hope is lost. Pokémon Go could eventually introduce the move Sacred Sword, and, if implemented well, Terrakion could become much more useful in the future. Either way, it's an easy addition to your Pokédex, so don't miss out on your chance to catch one!

What are the best counters?

With seven different types of weaknesses, there are plenty of good counters for Terrakion. With Psychic being one of those weaknesses and Mewtwo being one of the strongest Pokémon in the game, a team of Mewtwos with Psystrike is ideal. However, most players don't have a team of Psystrike Mewtwo. Terrakion's other weaknesses include Fighting, Ground, Steel, Water, Grass, and Fairy. All of these types do double damage and so priority should be given based on your individual Pokémon, weather conditions, and Terrakion's move set. Terrakion's current movepool includes Rock, Ground, Psychic, and Fighting type moves, specifically Smack Down, Zen Headbutt, Rock Slide, Earthquake, and Close Combat.

Mewtwo

The best of the best, if you can manage a team of Mewtwo, you can beat Terrakion with two high-level players. The best move set for this Raid is Confusion and Psystrike. Psystrike is a Legacy move, so if you don't already have it, you may want to invest an Elite TM to get it; however, the charged move Psychic also works well.

Metagross

Another excellent counter for Terrakion, Metagross is much more readily available. Many players have at least one, if not a few, thanks to the Beldum Community Day. Bullet Punch and Meteor Mash are the move set you want to bring into this fight. Meteor Mash is also a Legacy move. So, if you don't have it, you can opt for Psychic as well though it won't be nearly as effective. Metagross is weak to ground type attacks, so you'll want to be careful if Terrakion has Earthquake.

Conkeldurr

The Gen V Fighting type, Conkeldurr performs well in this raid. It's resistant to the Rock type moves Smack Down and Rock Slide, while weak against the Psychic type Zen Headbutt. Counter and Dynamic Punch is the move set you want your Conkeldurr to know.

Espeon

An Espeon is a good alternative for those who don't have the various Legacy moves of the other great counters, and it's even resistant to Fighting and Psychic type moves. Given the abundance of Eevee and the ease of controlling its evolution, it's easy to have an entire team of Espeon for this raid. Confusion and Psychic are the moves you'll want your Espeon to know.

Kyogre

The Water type mascot of Pokémon Sapphire, Kyogre performs well against Terrakion. Although it is a Legendary Pokémon, it has been available multiple times in a few different ways so you probably have at least one to add to your team. You'll want your Kyogre to know Waterfall, and either Surf or Hydro Pump.

Latios

Another Legendary Pokémon with limited availability, Latios is resistant to Ground, Fighting, and Psychic type moves. It's not as good as Mewtwo, but if you already have one powered up, it's still an excellent counter. You'll want your Latios to know Zen Headbutt and Psychic.

Jirachi

On the plus side, Jirachi is a Mythical Pokémon obtained by completing the Special Research, A Thousand-Year Slumber, meaning every player can catch one without having to win a difficult raid or track it down in the wild. Unfortunately, this means you can only ever have one, and getting enough candies to power it up means either walking a lot or spending many Rare Candies on it. Still, a Jirachi with Confusion and Doom Desire makes a great addition to the team.

Machamp

The final evolution of the Gen I Machop, Machamp has been readily available since the start of the game. On top of that, with Trade Evolution, you'll have even more Candies for powering up your Machamps. It's weak against the Psychic move Zen Headbutt, and resistant to Terrakion's Rock type moves. You'll want Counter and Dynamic Punch for the moveset.

Gardevoir

A Psychic and Fairy type, Gardevoir is resistant to both Fighting and Psychic type moves. Ralts are fairly common, so you likely already have a powered up Gardevoir or two in your roster. You'll want its Psychic type moves, Confusion and Psychic for this raid.

Gallade

The male exclusive evolution of Ralts, Gallade is a Psychic and Fighting type with the same resistances as Gardevoir. You'll want the same moves, Confusion and Psychic for this raid.

Lucario

A Fighting and Steel type, Lucario is the strongest Fighting type in the game. However, it takes double damage from both Fighting and Ground type attacks, so it is likely a glass cannon against Terrakion. Still, if you have one with Counter and Aura Sphere, it will take a lot of Terrakion's HP before it faints.

Alakazam

Another glass cannon, the pure Psychic type Alakazam can do a lot of damage before Terrakion wipes the floor with him. Benefiting from a Community Day and Trade Evolution, you likely have at least a few strong Alakazams. If you happen to have one with the legacy move Psychic, he can be super effective. If not, you may want to opt for something a little less squishy.

Kingler

A pure water type with very high DPS, Kingler is another Gen I Pokémon that is easy to come by. It will do a lot of damage with Bubble and Crabhammer, but it doesn't last long in this fight. If you've got a small group, you may want to pass on this Pokémon.

Breloom

A Gen III Grass and Fighting type, Breloom can be a little squishy. It's weak to Psychic type moves, but resistant to Ground and Rock. It won't last very long, but with Counter, and either Grass Knot or Dynamic Punch, it can take a sizable bite out of Terrakion's health before it faints.

Lugia

Last, but certainly not least, is the Legendary Psychic and Flying type, Lugia. Lugia is weak to Rock type moves, but resistant to the rest of Terrakion's movepool. On top of that, Lugia boasts pretty massive HP. On top of that, it has been made available several times now so you likely have a few powered up already. If you are bringing Lugia to this raid, you'll want it to know Extrasensory and Future Sight.

Back ups

Because Terrakion has so many weaknesses, there are many other Pokémon that make for good backups:

• Azelf with Confusion and Future Sight
• Celebi with Confusion and Psychic
• Exeggutor with Confusion and Psychic or Solar Beam
• Swampert with Water Gun or Mud Shot and Hydro Cannon
• Garchomp with Mud Shot and Earthquake
• Togekiss with Charm and Dazzling Gleam
• Torterra with Razor Leaf and Frenzy Plant
• Gyarados with Waterfall and Hydro Pump
• Venusaur with Vine Whip and Frenzy Plant
• Victreebel with Razor Leaf and Leaf Blade

Shadow Pokémon

The rebalance of Shadow Pokémon rescued from Team GO Rocket make them excellent glass cannons. Not only are their stats boosted, but during special events, it's possible to change their moves with TMs. If you happen to have any of the following Pokémon with the right moveset, they will work very well in this Raid:

• Shadow Metagross
• Shadow Torterra
• Shadow Swampert
• Shadow Gallade
• Shadow Gardevoir
• Shadow Gyarados
• Shadow Venusaur
• Shadow Alakazam
• Shadow Victreebel

How many players does it take to beat Terrakion

While Terrakion is not going to be super useful as is for most players, this does mean it is an easy Raid to win. Despite being a Legendary Raid, it is possible to beat Terrakion with just two high-level players. Even lower-level players shouldn't need more than five or six if they have good counters. The weather is also not a huge factor when taking on this Raid. Because Terrakion has so many weaknesses, most weather will have no appreciable impact on the battle.

Questions about taking on Terrakion?

Do you have any questions about taking on Terrakion? Any tips for fellow Trainers? Drop us a comment below, and be sure to check out our Complete Pokédex, as well as our other Pokémon Go guides, so you too can become a Pokémon Master!