Zacian is one of the strongest Legendary Pokemon in Pokemon GO, and its Tier 5 raid appearances give trainers a rare shot at adding a top-tier Fairy-type attacker to their roster. Whether you are targeting the Hero of Many Battles form or the dominant Crowned Sword version, knowing the right counters and strategy makes a real difference. This guide covers everything you need: weaknesses, best counters, CP values, movesets, shiny availability, and how to unlock Crowned Sword Zacian.
Zacian Weaknesses in Pokemon GO
Understanding Zacian’s typing is the foundation of any successful raid run. Hero of Many Battles Zacian is a pure Fairy-type, which keeps its weakness list short but predictable.
Hero of Many Battles Weaknesses:
- Poison
- Steel
Hero of Many Battles Resistances:
- Dragon
- Dark
- Bug
- Fighting
Crowned Sword Zacian gains the Steel secondary typing, and that completely changes the matchup.
Crowned Sword Weaknesses:
- Fire
- Ground
Crowned Sword Resistances: Dark, Fairy, Flying, Grass, Ice, Normal, Poison, Psychic, Rock, Bug, and Dragon
The moment Zacian shifts to its Crowned Sword form, your Poison and Steel counters lose effectiveness. Fire and Ground attackers take over as the primary picks for that matchup.
Zacian Best Counters (Hero of Many Battles)
Zacian’s pure Fairy typing means two attack types dominate this raid: Steel and Poison. Everything else falls significantly behind. Under ideal conditions with high-level players, this raid can be cleared by a trio. For a safe, stress-free run, 4 to 5 trainers at a reasonable level will handle it comfortably. Cloudy weather boosts Zacian, which is worth noting because it increases how hard the boss hits even as it gives your Poison counters a minor damage bonus.
The counter pool breaks cleanly into three groups based on what you have available.
Premium Steel-Type Counters
These are the strongest options in the raid. If you have any of them powered up, they belong in your lineup.
| Pokemon | Best Moveset | Why It Works |
|---|---|---|
| Crowned Sword Zacian | Metal Claw + Behemoth Blade | Highest DPS in the entire counter pool at 32.36. Essentially fights itself. |
| Crowned Shield Zamazenta | Metal Claw + Behemoth Bash | Exceptional performance with the lowest faint count in the top tier (14 faints). |
| Dusk Mane Necrozma | Metal Claw + Sunsteel Strike | Rounds out the top three with 31.13 DPS and strong staying power. |
| Shadow Metagross | Bullet Punch + Meteor Mash | First non-Legendary option and still clears at 27.45 DPS. The Shadow boost makes a real difference here. |
| Mega Metagross | Bullet Punch + Meteor Mash | Slightly less DPS than its Shadow counterpart but faints far less often (15 vs 22). Better for longer raids. |
| Mega Lucario | Bullet Punch + Meteor Mash | Competes closely with Mega Metagross. High faint count is the tradeoff for its damage output. |
Strong Poison-Type Counters
Once the elite Steel options run out, Poison attackers fill the remaining slots effectively. Cloudy weather gives all of these a passive boost.
| Pokemon | Best Moveset | DPS |
|---|---|---|
| Mega Gengar | Lick + Sludge Bomb | 24.81 |
| Mega Beedrill | Poison Jab + Sludge Bomb | 24.80 |
| Eternatus | Poison Jab + Sludge Bomb | 23.62 |
| Shadow Overqwil | Poison Jab + Sludge Bomb | 22.32 |
| Shadow Gengar | Lick + Sludge Bomb | 22.24 |
| Naganadel | Poison Jab + Sludge Bomb | 21.81 |
| Nihilego | Poison Jab + Sludge Bomb | 21.24 |
| Mega Victreebel | Acid + Sludge Bomb | 21.38 |
| Roserade | Poison Jab + Sludge Bomb | 20.24 |
Mega Gengar sits at the top of this group and remains one of the most accessible high-output Poison attackers in the game. Shadow Overqwil and Shadow Gengar push high faint counts (40 and 39 respectively) but keep pace on DPS, so bring revives if you run them.
Solid Alternatives and Deeper Bench Options
If your primary counters are not maxed or you need to fill slots in a larger lobby, these picks hold their own without embarrassing themselves.
| Pokemon | Best Moveset | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Shadow Excadrill | Metal Claw + Iron Head | 22.61 DPS. Faints often (31) but punches above its rarity level. |
| Shadow Dialga | Metal Claw + Iron Head | 24.22 DPS with the staying power you expect from Dialga. |
| Metagross | Bullet Punch + Meteor Mash | The non-Shadow, non-Mega version still performs at 22.93 DPS. Reliable budget pick. |
| Dawn Wings Necrozma | Metal Claw + Moongeist Beam | 21.90 DPS. Decent option if you have it built. |
| Dialga / Origin Dialga | Metal Claw + Iron Head | Both land around 20 DPS. Useful for filling out larger groups. |
| White Kyurem | Steel Wing + Ice Burn | 20.77 DPS. Situational but functional if other slots are covered. |
| Tinkaton | Fairy Wind + Gigaton Hammer | 20.58 DPS. Budget-friendly Steel/Fairy pick that does not require rare candy investment. |
| All Genesect variants | Metal Claw + Magnet Bomb | Shock, Normal, Douse, Chill, and Burn Genesect all land identically at 20.04 DPS and 786s TTW. Use whichever you have powered up. |
| Shadow Regigigas | Zen Headbutt + Crush Grip | 20.38 DPS. Works in a pinch but faints frequently (36). |
Crowned Sword Zacian Best Counters
Crowned Sword Zacian requires a completely different team. Its Fairy/Steel dual typing removes the Poison resistance issue but adds Fire and Ground as the core exploitable weaknesses. Your Steel and Poison counters will underperform here.
| Pokemon | Fast Move | Charge Move |
|---|---|---|
| Primal Groudon | Mud Shot | Precipice Blades |
| Mega Charizard Y | Fire Spin | Blast Burn |
| Reshiram | Fire Fang | Fusion Flare |
| Shadow Entei | Fire Fang | Overheat |
| Mega Blaziken | Fire Spin | Blast Burn |
Stack your strongest Fire and Ground attackers and avoid running Poison types in this matchup.
Zacian Stats
Both forms carry competitive stat lines, but Crowned Sword Zacian takes a massive offensive leap with its 332 Attack, placing it among the highest Attack stats in the entire game.
| Form | Attack | Defense | Stamina | Max CP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hero of Many Battles | 254 | 236 | 192 | 4329 |
| Crowned Sword | 332 | 240 | 192 | 5629 |
That 78-point Attack jump between forms explains why Crowned Sword Zacian ranks so high as a Steel-type attacker and a dominant Master League threat.
Zacian CP Values
The CP displayed during the raid battle will not match the CP you receive on catch. Weather conditions also affect the encounter CP range.
| Form | Raid Boss CP | Catch CP Range | Cloudy Boost CP | Max CP (Level 50) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hero of Many Battles | 52,195 | 2100 to 2188 | 2625 to 2735 | 4329 |
| Crowned Sword | 67,864 | 2742 to 2845 | 3428 to 3556 | 5629 |
A perfect 100% IV Hero of Many Battles Zacian lands at 2188 CP under normal conditions, or 2735 CP during Cloudy weather. Crowned Sword Zacian tops out at 5629 CP at Level 50.
Zacian Movesets
Knowing Zacian’s full movepool helps you build the right offensive set after catching it and tells you what attacks to watch for during the raid.
Hero of Many Battles Movepool:
| Move Slot | Move | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Fast | Quick Attack | Normal |
| Fast | Metal Claw | Steel |
| Fast | Fire Fang | Fire |
| Fast | Snarl | Dark |
| Charge | Iron Head | Steel |
| Charge | Play Rough | Fairy |
| Charge | Close Combat | Fighting |
| Charge | Wild Charge | Electric |
Crowned Sword Movepool:
| Move Slot | Move | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Fast | Metal Claw | Steel |
| Fast | Air Slash | Flying |
| Charge | Play Rough | Fairy |
| Charge | Close Combat | Fighting |
| Charge | Giga Impact | Normal |
| Charge | Behemoth Blade | Steel |
For Master League PvP on Hero of Many Battles Zacian, Snarl with Play Rough and Close Combat gives the best combination of fast energy generation, STAB damage, and wide coverage. On Crowned Sword Zacian, Behemoth Blade adds strong Steel-type pressure and represents the form’s signature charged move.
Note that once you transform Zacian into its Crowned Sword form, Iron Head converts to Behemoth Blade automatically. You cannot keep Iron Head on the Crowned Sword version.
How to Catch Zacian in Pokemon GO
Zacian only appears in Tier 5 Legendary Raid Battles and has no wild spawn. After defeating it, you receive Premier Balls based on your damage contribution, raid performance, and gym control. Those Premier Balls are your only throws at the catch encounter.
Tips to maximize your catch rate:
- Use Golden Razz Berries on every single throw
- Wait for the catch circle to shrink to its smallest size before throwing
- Land Excellent Curve Ball throws for the highest possible bonus
- Target Zacian during Cloudy weather to raise the CP floor and increase the chance of a higher IV roll
Because Zacian appears on a limited raid schedule, check the Pokémon GO Raid Boss Schedule to track its next active window and plan your raid days accordingly.
How to Get Crowned Sword Zacian
Crowned Sword Zacian is a form transformation rather than a separate catchable Pokemon. To trigger it, two conditions must be met: Zacian must know the Charged Attack Iron Head, and you must spend 1,000 Crowned Sword Energy.
Transformation Requirements:
| Requirement | Detail |
|---|---|
| Charged Move | Iron Head (must be learned before transforming) |
| Energy Cost | 1,000 Crowned Sword Energy |
| Result | Iron Head becomes Behemoth Blade |
How to collect Crowned Sword Energy:
- Battle Zacian in Tier 5 Raid Battles (each battle awards a set amount)
- Complete ticketed Special Research tied to relevant events
After the first transformation, you can toggle between Hero of Many Battles and Crowned Sword forms freely at no additional Energy cost. Even though Crowned Sword Zacian cannot Dynamax or Gigantamax, it qualifies for Max Battles once transformed.
Can Zacian Be Shiny in Pokemon GO?
Yes, Shiny Zacian is available in both forms. The standard shiny rate for Legendary raid encounters sits at approximately 1 in 20, which translates to roughly a 5% chance per raid. Shiny Zacian is a guaranteed catch on the encounter screen, so you will not lose it to a failed throw.
The visual difference between standard and Shiny Zacian is subtle. The body fur lightens noticeably and the typical pink details shift to a steel blue tone across both forms.
- Shiny Hero of Many Battles debuted in 2024 during the Legendary Heroes event
- Shiny Crowned Sword Zacian debuted during Go Fest 2025
Any Shiny Hero of Many Battles Zacian can be transformed into Shiny Crowned Sword Zacian using the standard 1,000 Crowned Sword Energy process. Running multiple raids during Zacian’s active window remains the only reliable way to increase your odds of a shiny encounter.
Is Zacian Worth Catching?
Zacian ranks among the strongest Pokemon in the entire game, and it earns that position across multiple formats.
Master League: Zacian consistently sits in the top 5 Master League picks. Its fast energy generation with Snarl, Fairy STAB through Play Rough, and Fighting coverage with Close Combat let it threaten nearly every top-tier threat in the format, including Dialga, Giratina, Kyogre, and Yveltal.
Fairy-type Raiding: As a Fairy-type raid attacker, Zacian performs at a high level in most content. Mega Gardevoir and Xerneas edge it out in specific scenarios, but Zacian still ranks among the best non-Mega Fairy-type attackers available and adds immediate value to Dragon, Dark, and Fighting-type raid matchups.
Gym Defense: Zacian cannot defend gyms as a Legendary Pokemon.
Great and Ultra League: Zacian’s CP is too high for Great League. In Ultra League, its appearance is limited to special formats and it generally loses out to bulkier meta picks.
If you run Master League battles or want a top-shelf Fairy-type attacker, Zacian is worth prioritizing every time it appears in raids. Play Now!
