How to beat Terrakion in Pokémon Go

Starting November 26, 2019, Pokémon Go will introduce a new Legendary Raid Boss. The second of the Swords of Justice, Cobalion is a Rock, and Fighting-type Pokémon and players can challenge it for three weeks. While this means it 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, the announcement only referenced the three original members, suggesting that Keldeo will be introduced later on and perhaps in a different way. Given that Keldeo is a Mythical Pokémon, not a Legendary like the other Swords of Justice, it would be in keeping with how other Mythical Pokémon have been handled in Pokémon Go.

For the time being, Terrakion is not all that impressive. Despite being a Legendary Pokémon, its stats aren't particularly outstanding. What really puts Terrakion at a disadvantage, however, is its plethora of weaknesses, especially to Psychic types. Given that Mewtwo remains one of the strongest Pokémon in the game, 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 is Psychic-type, your best bet is a team of Mewtwos with Psystrike. Given that Psystrike is a Legacy move and Mewtwo's availability is limited, you might need to add a few additional Pokémon on your team.

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, no amount of TMs can change that; however, Psychic is super effective against Terrakion as well. If you don't have a Mewtwo with Psystrike but happen to have one with Shadow Ball, consider spending the Stardust and Candies to add a second move.

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 from October 2018. 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 as it would be coming from a Psychic-type Pokémon.

Alakazam

A glass cannon with another Legacy move, Alakazam can do a lot of damage before Terrakion wipes the floor with him. If you happen to have one with Psychic, he can be super effective. If not, you may want to opt for something a little less squishy.

Espeon

An Espeon with Confusion and Psychic is a good alternative for those who don't have the various Legacy moves of the other great counters. If you don't have a good Espeon, better get to walking your best Eevees. Remember that you can get your first Espeon by naming an Eevee Sakura before evolving. Still, all subsequent Espeons require walking 10 KM with Eevee as your buddy and changing it during the day while it is still your buddy.

Latios

Another Legendary Pokémon with limited availability, Latios with Zen Headbutt and Psychic makes for a good counter here. Latios hasn't seen much use as a Dragon-type and doesn't compare to Mewtwo, especially with Psystrike, but if you just don't have enough Mewtwo, Latios is a good alternative.

Azelf

Another limited legendary, Azelf, is one of the Lake Trio that rotated from one region of the world to the next for less than a month each. Still, if you happen to have a couple lying around, it makes for a good Psychic counter to Terrakion. The move set you want for Azelf is Confusion and Future Sight.

Jirachi

On the plus side, Jirachi is a Mythical Pokémon that can be 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.

Back ups

Because Terrakion has so many weaknesses, there are many other Pokémon that make for good backups if the Legendary heavy list above just isn't doable.

• Gallade with Confusion and Psychic
• Machamp with Counter and Dynamic Punch
• 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
• Lugia with Extrasensory and Future Sight
• Kingler with Bubble and Crabhammer

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?

If you have any questions about this Legendary Raid or tips for other players, drop us a comment below, and be sure to check out our other Pokémon Go guides. Best of luck Raiding, Trainers!