How To Get Zapdos in Pokemon Go? Raid boss, stats, and more

Part of the legendary bird trio with Moltres and Articuno, Zapdos is an important Pokemon for both Raids and PvP. It is ranked 22nd in the list of best attackers with a whopping stat of 253. In this guide, we will explore the various methods to obtain the Zapdos in Pokemon Go and its multiple forms.

Kantonian version of Zapdos is a dual electric/flying Pokemon type. Due to the introduction of its Galarian form in Pokemon: Sword and Shield, the renowned thunderbird has undergone a few changes since its Pokemon Go debut in 2018. Galarian Zapdos is a fighting-and-flying type Pokemon whose multiple strengths are matched by its weaknesses.

Trainers can obtain three versions of Zapdos in Pokemon Go: Normal, Galarian, and Shadow Zapdos. The latter can be obtained via Raids and purified to make it a strong electric/flying type. Meanwhile, Galarian Zapdos is notoriously elusive.

zapdos pokemon go
Image via Gameinstants

Zapdos Pokemon Go: How to obtain Kanto’s thunderbird?

Currently, the only way to obtain the characteristic electric-type legendary in Pokemon Go is by defeating the Raid Boss Zapdos. Capture it during the special encounter. Zapdos cannot be obtained in the wild, hatch from eggs, or spawn as a catchable Pokemon during Special Research reward encounters.

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Zapdos in Pokemon Go can be caught in the 5-star Raid Battles, which will begin on Thursday, July 6, at 10:00 AM Local Time and end on July 13. The mascot of Team Instinct will be subject to Raid rotation along with its legendary bird counterparts – Moltres and Articuno. A special Raid Hour featuring Zapdos is also scheduled from 6 PM onwards on July 13.

Zapdos Raid Boss in Pokemon Go: Stats and Weaknesses

Tier 5 Legendary Raid Bosses usually have a CP of above 40,000. Boss Zapdos in Pokemon Go previously had a CP of 46418. Defeating it will lead to an encounter with the spiky yellow bird, whose CP will be affected by its IV and weather conditions.

  • Level 20 with no weather boost: 1930 – 2015 CP catch range
  • Level 20, boosted by Windy or Rainy weather: 2413 – 2519 CP catch range

While its strengths lie against Fighting, Ground, and Steel-type Pokemon, Zapdos is weak to Ice and Rock. It can be easily countered by the likes of Rhyperior, Terrakion, Glaceon, Blastoise, and more. Make sure to have strong Ice or Rock moves in the Charged Moves section.

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Strategy to catch Zapdos after a successful Raid Battle

A minimum of three Golden Razz Berries is recommended for the special encounter. Wait for the bird to calm down before attempting a throw to avoid mistakes. Subsequently, aim for a curveball throw with the Premier Pokeball to maximise the chances of a catch.

A Zapdos with IV in the range of 90-95, let alone a perfect 15/15/15, will be difficult to obtain. Make sure to stock Golden Razz Berries and Silver Pinap Berries before attempting the 5-star Raid. Trainers could also encounter a Shiny Zapdos while at it.

How to get Galarian Zapdos in Pokemon Go?

Zapdos’ fighting/flying version has a fierce orange and dark appearance. It does put up a fight when it comes to Pokemon encounters, with a surreal base catch rate of 0.3% and flee rate of 90 percent.

Pokemon Go players worldwide have encountered a wild Galarian Zapdos after using a Daily Adventure Incense. Although a rare find, it has a better spawn rate than Galarian Moltres and Galarian Articuno. Trainers get a D.A. Incense every day that lasts 15 minutes and attracts non-seasonal Pokemon.

Techniques to catch Galarian Zapdos in the wild

More than 95% of the time, a wild Galarian Zapdos will flee after the first throw. Trainers will then have to wait till the next day to get the Daily Adventure Incense and resume. Encountering two Galarian versions in a single day is extremely rare.

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For the best chances of catching a Galarian Zapdos, feed it a Golden Razz Berry before attempting an excellent curveball throw with an Ultra Ball. Additional factors affecting the encounter will be the legendary bird’s level and the trainer’s catch medals. It is recommended to get a Platinum Collector Medal and a Platinum Medal in catching Fighting-type and Flying-type Pokemon.

Zapdos and Galarian Zapdos: A comparison

Galarian Zapdos in Pokemon Go is a double-edged sword. It has a better Defense stat (189 DEF) than the thunderbird version (185 DEF). Also, the Counter-Brave Bird combo deals 16.05 DPS with a Total Damage Output of about 720, making it ideal for Master League trainers. The only fault in Galarian Zapdos is its type weaknesses.

While Zapdos is weak to only Ice and Rock, its Galarian version takes super effective hits when subjected to Electric, Fairy, Flying, Ice, and Psychic moves. This makes it vulnerable to even the most basic opponents like Sylveon, Tyranitar, Alakazam, and even Articuno.

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