April 2026 packs one of the most loaded raid calendars Pokémon GO has seen in recent months. The Memories in Motion season keeps momentum going strong, delivering a rotation of Legendary guardians, fan-favorite Mega Evolutions, and a growing Shadow Raid pool that veteran trainers won’t want to miss. Whether you’re hunting Shiny encounters or stacking Mega Energy, this is a month that rewards active players.
Complete Pokémon GO Raid Boss Schedule April 2026
Tier 1 Raid Bosses
Tier 1 raids spawn at standard Gyms and require no team coordination, any solo trainer can clear them. These are ideal for newcomers farming Candy or chasing Shiny odds.
| Pokémon | Dates | Type | CP Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cubone* | April 22 – April 28 | Ground | 536 – 582 |
| Dratini* | April 22 – April 28 | Dragon | 529 – 574 |
| Hisuian Qwilfish* | April 22 – April 28 | Dark / Poison | 1,155 – 1,220 |
| Meditite* | April 22 – April 28 | Fighting / Psychic | 359 – 396 |
Who to prioritize: Dratini remains one of the most valuable Tier 1 targets in the game. Every Shiny Dratini encounter is a future Shiny Dragonite, and Dragonite still holds relevance in both PvE and Master League.
Note: Pokémon marked with an asterisk (*) have a chance to appear in their Shiny form after a successful raid.
Tier 3 Raid Bosses
Tier 3 raids push difficulty up a notch. Seasoned trainers can solo these with the right counters, but bringing a second trainer speeds things up considerably.
| Pokémon | Dates | Type | CP Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nidoking* | April 22 – April 28 | Poison / Ground | 1,395 – 1,466 |
| Skarmory* | April 22 – April 28 | Steel / Flying | 1,139 – 1,204 |
| Drampa* | April 22 – April 28 | Normal / Dragon | 1,588 – 1,665 |
Who to prioritize: Skarmory with a Shiny check is always worth the stop, it’s a notoriously rare Shiny in the wild, and raids offer the cleanest odds.
Tier 5 Legendary Raid Bosses
Legendary raids demand coordinated groups of at least three to five trainers. The current and upcoming 5-Star lineup features Alola’s Guardian Deities, which deliver strong competitive value in multiple formats.
| Pokémon | Dates | Type | CP Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tapu Koko* | April 22 – April 28 | Electric / Fairy | 1,730 – 1,810 |
| Tapu Lele* | April 29 – May 5 | Psychic / Fairy | 1,860 – 1,941 |
Tapu Koko is a top-tier Electric attacker and serves as one of the best Fairy-type options in Ultra League. Its Shiny form a deep blue and black palette swap is genuinely striking.
Tapu Lele follows immediately after and brings Psychic / Fairy coverage that makes it dangerous in both raids and PvP. Prioritize building a strong lobby before April 29.
Mega Raid Bosses
Mega Raids drop Mega Energy for the featured Pokémon, plus a standard encounter with the base form. These require a solid team and ideally four or more trainers in the lobby.
| Pokémon | Dates | Type | CP Range (Level 20) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mega Sharpedo* | April 22 – April 28 | Water / Dark | 1,550 – 1,626 |
| Mega Banette* | April 29 – May 5 | Ghost | 1,907 – 1,985 |
Mega Sharpedo ranks as a strong Water attacker with Dark-type coverage useful for trainers who haven’t built out their Mega Water roster yet. Mega Banette is a Ghost-type powerhouse and one of the better Mega options for raid DPS against Psychic and Ghost-weak bosses.
Shadow Raid Bosses
Shadow Raids take place at Gyms under Team GO Rocket control. Shadow Pokémon hit harder and take more damage, so these fights play differently from standard raids. Purified Gems temporarily remove the Shadow boost during battle bring them.
Tier 1 Shadow Raids
| Pokémon | Dates | Type | CP Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dratini* | January 23 – Unknown | Dragon | 529 – 574 |
| Gligar* | January 23 – Unknown | Ground / Flying | 1,000 – 1,061 |
| Cacnea* | January 23 – Unknown | Grass | 658 – 709 |
| Joltik | January 23 – Unknown | Electric / Bug | 674 – 730 |
Tier 3 Shadow Raids
| Pokémon | Dates | Type | CP Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alolan Marowak | January 23 – Unknown | Ghost / Fire | 988 – 1,048 |
| Lapras* | January 23 – Unknown | Ice / Water | 1,435 – 1,509 |
| Stantler* | January 23 – Unknown | Normal | 1,170 – 1,236 |
Who to prioritize: Shadow Dratini is a long-term investment, a Shadow Dragonite with the right moveset remains one of the hardest-hitting Dragon-type attackers in the game. Shadow Lapras is worth grabbing for Great and Ultra League play.
Tier 5 Legendary Shadow Raids
| Pokémon | Dates | Type | CP Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Latios* | March 4 – Unknown | Psychic / Dragon | 2,389 – 2,483 |
Shadow Latios is a serious endgame target. Its Shadow boost pushes its Dragon and Psychic DPS to elite levels, making it one of the strongest raid attackers currently available. Bring six trainers and stock up on Purified Gems, this fight hits back hard.
Max Monday Raid Schedule
Every Monday from 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM local time, a Dynamax Pokémon takes over a Power Spot. Spend Max Particles to challenge it, then earn a catch encounter after victory.
| Pokémon | Date | Type | CP Range (Level 20) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dynamax Shuckle | April 27 | Bug / Rock | 146 – 170 |
Shuckle isn’t a raid powerhouse, but its absurd defensive stat spread makes it a fun collector’s target. Max Monday rewards beyond the catch also make these worth attending regularly.
Raid Hours – April 2026
Every Wednesday from 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM local time, all active Gyms in your area switch to Tier 5 Raid Bosses for a full hour. This is the single best window to farm Legendaries each week catch rates see a slight bump, and the sheer volume of available raids makes it easy to burn through multiple Raid Passes.
Save your Premium and Remote Raid Passes for Wednesdays if you’re targeting specific Legendaries.
Key Events This Month
April 2026 extends well beyond raids. Here’s a quick look at the full event calendar to help you plan:
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Max Battle Day | April 25 |
| Steeled Resolve | April 28 – May 4 |
| Steeled Resolve: Taken Over | April 30 – May 4 |
The Steeled Resolve event at the end of the month deserves attention; Steel-type events historically surface strong meta Pokémon with boosted Shiny rates. Mark April 28 on your calendar now.
How Raid Passes Work in Pokémon GO (Free, Premium, Remote)
You need a Raid Pass to enter any Raid Battle. Here’s how to stay stocked:
- Free Raid Pass: Earn one per day by spinning the Photo Disc at any Gym. These do not stack; use your active pass before collecting the next.
- Premium Battle Pass: Available in the Shop via PokéCoins, or earned through Research Tasks. These stack freely.
- Remote Raid Pass: Lets you join raids remotely from the Nearby screen or Map View. You can hold a maximum of three by default, but you can stack up to five by holding two before purchasing a bundle of three.
Pro tip: Buy Remote Raid Passes in bundles of three — the per-pass cost drops compared to buying individually.
How to Maximize Premier Balls After a Raid
Catching a Legendary after a win isn’t guaranteed. You receive a set number of Premier Balls based on your performance, and burning through them without a catch is a real possibility. Here’s how to increase your odds:
- Deal a large share of total damage to the Raid Boss
- Raid with friends, friendship bonuses add extra balls
- Control the Gym where the Raid takes place
- Use Golden Razz Berries on every throw
- Land Excellent Curveball throws to stack catch rate multipliers
The shiny encounter rate for Raid Bosses sits at roughly 1 in 20, significantly better than wild encounters. If you’re hunting a specific Shiny Legendary, consistency is your best tool. Play Now!
