Forget X — the Y form is the one you NEED. Pokémon GO Mega Raichu Y is one of Raichu’s two Mega Evolutions that are available in the game. 4While Mega Raichu X is formidable in its own right, it’s the Y Mega Evolution that is arguably the superior Electric-type overall. 4Not only is it great in PvE battles, like those in raids and Gyms, once Mega Evolution becomes a part of PvP it is poised to excel there as well.
With a massive 339 Attack stat that dwarfs Mega Raichu X’s 277, the Y form hits like a freight train. But first, you need to beat it as a raid boss — and that’s where this guide comes in.
Table of Contents
Pokémon GO Mega Raichu Y — Raid Overview
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Boss | Mega Raichu Y |
| Typing | Pure Electric |
| Raid Tier | Mega Raid / Super Mega Raid |
| Weakness | Ground ONLY |
| Resistances | Electric, Flying, Steel |
| Shiny Available? | ✅ Yes |
| Shiny Odds | ~1 in 64 (standard Mega rate) |
| Attack Stat | 339 (highest of the two Mega forms) |
| Defense Stat | 157 (lower than X — glass cannon) |
| Key Challenge | Mega Raichu Y knows Surf — super effective against your Ground counters! |
1 Being a pure electric type, Mega Raichu Y is only weak to ground. 1 However, Mega Raichu Y knows Surf, which will be super effective on ground types. This makes the raid trickier than it looks — your best counters are also the most vulnerable to the boss’s charge move.
100% IV CP Values — What to Watch For
5 You cannot catch Raichu in its Mega evolved form from the Raid. The Mega Raid Boss is always catchable in its base form and as such, the CP ranges are for a regular Raichu.
| Condition | 100% IV CP |
|---|---|
| ☀️ Normal Weather | 1,681 CP |
| 🌧️ Weather Boosted (Rainy) | 2,101 CP |
If you see these exact CP numbers on the catch screen — use a Golden Razz and aim for an Excellent throw. That’s a perfect Raichu.
Best Counters — Top 10 Attackers
4 As an Electric-type Pokemon, Mega Raichu Y is only weak to Ground-type moves. 2 The best counters for Mega Raichu Y are Primal Groudon, Mega Garchomp, Shadow Groudon.
| Rank | Pokémon | Fast Move | Charged Move | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🥇 1 | Primal Groudon | Mud Shot | Precipice Blades | ⚠️ Cannot break shields in Super Mega Raids |
| 🥈 2 | Mega Garchomp | Mud Shot | Earth Power | Best for Super Mega Raids (breaks shields) |
| 🥉 3 | Shadow Groudon | Mud Shot | Precipice Blades | Massive DPS — fragile |
| 4 | Garchomp | Mud Shot | Earth Power | Budget king — accessible |
| 5 | Excadrill | Mud-Slap | Drill Run | Strong + easy to obtain |
| 6 | Landorus (Therian) | Mud Shot | Earth Power | Legendary Ground powerhouse |
| 7 | Rhyperior | Mud-Slap | Earthquake | Tanky — survives Surf better |
| 8 | Mamoswine | Mud-Slap | High Horsepower | Dual Ice/Ground utility |
| 9 | Shadow Garchomp | Mud Shot | Earth Power | Glass cannon variant |
| 10 | Groudon | Mud Shot | Precipice Blades | Reliable non-shadow option |
⚠️ Super Mega Raid Warning — Primal Restriction!
5 Primal Pokémon cannot be used to break shields in Super Mega Raids, so we do not recommend using them as counters. This specifically means do not bring a Primal Groudon to these Raids.
If you’re facing Mega Raichu Y in a Super Mega Raid (the harder format), use Mega Garchomp as your lead instead of Primal Groudon.
Mega Raichu Y vs. Mega Raichu X — Key Differences
8 Mega Raichu X is the bulkier form with better defenses, while Mega Raichu Y focuses on high Attack and deals much more damage.
| Stat | Mega Raichu X | Mega Raichu Y | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Attack | 277 | 339 | 🏆 Y by a landslide |
| Defense | 203 | 157 | 🏆 X — much bulkier |
| Max CP | 3,969 | 4,271 | 🏆 Y — higher ceiling |
| DPS (Thunder Shock/Wild Charge) | 15.86 | 18.64 | 🏆 Y — 17% more DPS |
| Typing | Electric/Fighting | Pure Electric | Different weaknesses |
| Weaknesses | Ground, Psychic, Fairy | Ground only | Y is simpler to counter |
| Raid Difficulty | Moderate | Higher (more damage output) | Y hits harder |
| Best For | Balanced raids/PvP | Maximum PvE damage | Y for raids, X for PvP |
8 Compared to other Electric-type Pokémon, Mega Raichu Y ranks among the very best, while Mega Raichu X remains a solid but less dominant option.
The Surf Problem — Why Your Ground Counters Keep Fainting
Here’s the trap: Mega Raichu Y’s charge move Surf (Water-type) is super effective against every Ground-type counter you bring. This means your best attackers are also the most vulnerable.
| Counter | Survives Surf? | Strategy |
|---|---|---|
| Rhyperior | ❌ Double weak to Water | Use — but dodge Surf or it’s instant KO |
| Garchomp | 🟡 Neutral to Water | Best balance of DPS + Surf survival |
| Excadrill | 🟡 Neutral to Water | Solid survival rate |
| Groudon | 🟡 Neutral to Water | Tanky enough to absorb one Surf |
| Mamoswine | 🟡 Neutral to Water | Decent bulk |
| Landorus | 🟡 Neutral to Water | Good DPS + reasonable bulk |
Pro Tip: Dodge Surf whenever possible. The charge move indicator gives you enough warning to swipe — and dodging even one Surf can double your counter’s effective lifespan.
Super Mega Raid Format — What’s Different
6 Super Mega Raids are a new type of raid battle that introduces mechanics not found in standard Mega Raids. Trainers must coordinate with one another and use Mega-Evolved Pokémon to defeat these powerful bosses. At a certain point during the battle, the raid boss deploys multiple shields. While the shields are active, the boss gains 2× Attack and 4× Defense, making it nearly impossible to defeat through raw damage alone. Instead, players must work together to break the shields before continuing the battle.
| Super Mega Raid Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Minimum Trainers | 8 (each must have a Mega Pokémon) |
| Shield Mechanic | Boss deploys shields mid-fight — 2× ATK, 4× DEF while active |
| Shield Breaking | Only Mega-Evolved Pokémon can break shields |
| Limit | Each Trainer can break only ONE shield per raid |
| Primal Pokémon | ❌ Cannot break shields — don’t bring Primal Groudon |
| Best Lead | Mega Garchomp — breaks shields + deals Ground DPS |
Budget Counters — F2P-Friendly Options
2 The best budget counters for Mega Raichu Y are Garchomp, Excadrill, Mamoswine. These are strong, accessible options that don’t require Mega Energy, Shadow Pokémon, or rare Legendary, Mythical, or Ultra Beast raids.
| Pokémon | Fast Move | Charged Move | How to Get |
|---|---|---|---|
| Garchomp | Mud Shot | Earth Power | Gible Community Day evolution |
| Excadrill | Mud-Slap | Drill Run | Drilbur evolution — fairly common |
| Mamoswine | Mud-Slap | High Horsepower | Swinub evolution — very common |
| Rhyperior | Mud-Slap | Earthquake | Rhyhorn Community Day — careful of Surf! |
| Donphan | Mud-Slap | Earthquake | Phanpy evolution |
| Golem | Mud-Slap | Earthquake | Geodude evolution — everywhere |
A full team of six Garchomp with Mud Shot/Earth Power is the best budget option — accessible, strong, and tanky enough to survive Surf hits.
Shiny Raichu — Is It Worth Hunting?
4 Since Mega Raichu Y has had its shiny form released, there’s a 1/64 chance for players to encounter the shiny version of this Pokemon after defeating it in a raid. However, during special events, this can be as low as 1/10.
| Shiny Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Shiny Available | ✅ Yes |
| Standard Rate | ~1 in 64 raids |
| Event Rate | As low as ~1 in 10 during special events |
| Shiny Guaranteed Catch? | ❌ No — but raid bosses have higher catch rates |
| Visible On | Encounter screen after the raid |
If a special Super Mega Raid event is active, the boosted 1/10 shiny rate makes dedicated hunting extremely worthwhile — you could realistically encounter a shiny in just 5–10 raids.
Best Moveset After Catching — Maximize Your Mega Raichu Y
Once caught and Mega Evolved, here’s how to use your own Mega Raichu Y:
| Role | Fast Move | Charged Move | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| ⚡ Electric Attacker (PvE) | Thunder Shock | Wild Charge | Raids vs. Water/Flying — top-tier Electric DPS |
| 🌊 Coverage Option | Thunder Shock | Wild Charge + Surf | Raid versatility |
| 🏆 Team Boost | Any | Any | Mega Raichu Y boosts ALL Electric allies’ damage |
8 Its Attack stat is 339, which is much higher than Mega Raichu X’s 277. It also has the better DPS with Thunder Shock + Wild Charge at 18.64 DPS, while X reaches 15.86 DPS with the same moveset.
As your own raider, Mega Raichu Y is one of the best Electric-type attackers in the game — especially when its Mega boost amplifies your entire team’s Electric damage.
Raid Battle Tips — How to Win Efficiently
| Tip | Why It Helps |
|---|---|
| Ground-types ONLY | The single weakness — nothing else is effective |
| Dodge Surf | Your Ground counters are vulnerable to this Water charge move |
| Mega Garchomp as lead | Best for Super Mega Raids — breaks shields + top DPS |
| Don’t bring Primal Groudon to Super Mega Raids | Can’t break shields — use regular Mega Garchomp instead |
| Coordinate 8+ trainers | Super Mega Raids require minimum 8 with Mega Pokémon |
| Use Golden Razz + Excellent throws | Maximize catch rate — especially on perfect IVs |
| Check for 100% CP | 1,681 (normal) or 2,101 (boosted) = perfect |
| Raid during events | Shiny rate can improve from 1/64 to 1/10 |
For a complete overview of Raichu’s evolution line and Mega Evolution mechanics, visit the official Raichu Wikipedia page.
👉 Also Read: Latest Gaming News & Guides on TechnoSports
👉 Also Read: Trending Tech & Gaming Stories This Week
FAQs
Q: What are the best counters for Mega Raichu Y in Pokémon GO?
The best counters for Mega Raichu Y are Primal Groudon, Mega Garchomp, Shadow Groudon. Primal Groudon leads with Mud Shot and Precipice Blades. However, for Super Mega Raids specifically, 5 Primal Pokémon cannot be used to break shields in Super Mega Raids, so we do not recommend using them as counters. Use Mega Garchomp as your lead in that format.
