Raid Battles are an essential part of thePokémon GOexperience, and in August 2024, there are some excellent Raid Bosses that you can battle and catch. Whether you’re looking to add a Legendary Pokémon like Xerneas to your collection, or stock up on Mega Energy for the likes of Mega Aerodactyl and Mega Kangaskhan, there’s something for you in this month’s schedule.

InPokémon GO, Raid Bosses are rotated on a regular basis, so it’s important to keep track of the current Raid schedule and plan ahead for which Pokémon you want to battle. While One-Star and Three-Star Raid Bosses are fairly easy to defeat, 5-Star Raid Bosses andMega Raid Bossesrequire careful strategy to defeat. You’ll also need to team up with several other Trainers to win.

Pikachu in a hat in front of the Pokémon GO logo.

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Pokémon GO 5-Star Raid Bosses In August 2024

A Kanto-Region Classic Returns

During the month of August, Trainers will be able to take onIncarnate Forme Thundurus, Moltres, Incarnate Forme Thundurus, and Xerneasin 5-Star Raid Battles inPokémon GO. You can see the dates these Legendary Pokémon will be appearing in Raids, as well as their weaknesses, in the table below.

Xerneas

The first three Raid Bosses of the month are all weak to Rock-type attacks, which is handy as you can just focus on powering up Pokémon of that type. Some of the best Rock-type Pokémon include Terrakion, Rampardos, Rhyperior, Diancie, and Tyranitar.

As for Xerneas, its weaknesses are Poison-type and Steel-type attacks. Some of the best Pokémon you can use here are Nihilego, Naganadel, Roserade, and Vileplume for Poison-type damage, or Dialga, Metagross, Excadrill, and Scizor for Steel-type damage.

Moltres flying through the sky in Pokemon Go

All of the Legendary Pokémon appearing in 5-Star Raids this month have a chance of being shiny (if you’re lucky), so even if you’ve already caught these Pokémon before, you can still take part to try andfind a rare shiny variant.

Pokémon GO Mega Raid Boss Schedule In August 2024

Catch A Region Exclusive Pokémon

There are four Mega Raid Bosses to take on throughout August inPokémon GO. First up is Mega Aggron, which is rolling over fromlast month’s Raid schedule, followed byMega Aerodactyl, Mega Kangaskhan, and Mega Salamence. You can see the dates each Mega Raid Boss is appearing in the game, as well as their weaknesses, in the table below.

Mega Salamence

Mega Aggron and Mega Kangaskhan can both be countered by strong Fighting-type Pokémon such as Terrakion, Conkeldurr, and Machamp. This would also be the perfect opportunity to show off your Mega Lucario, if you managed to take part in the recent Raid Day event and earn enough Mega Energy to Mega-Evolve one for your team.

Kangaskhan is usually region-locked inPokémon GO, so if you’ve not added one to your Pokedex yet, this is the perfect time to do so, as defeating a Mega Kangaskhan will reward you with a chance to catch a regular Kangaskhan.

A Trainer watching Mega Aerodactyl fly through the sky in Pokemon GO

Some of the best counters for Mega Aerodactyl are Xurkitree, Kyogre, Zekrom, Metagross, Rhyperior, and Greninja. Finally, if you want to take on Mega Salamence, avoid Dragon-type Pokémon and focus on Ice-types like Baxcalibur, Mamoswine, Galarian Darmanitan, and Weavile.

Pokémon GO Shadow Raid Bosses In August 2024

The Aurora Pokémon Gets A Shadowy Makeover

Every weekend during August,Pokémon GOplayers will be able totake on Shadow Suicune in Shadow Raids. These are more difficult than regular Raid Bosses, so you’ll need to team up with several other Trainers for a chance at victory. Suicune is vulnerable to Electric and Grass-type attacks, so focus on Pokémon like Kartana, Zekrom, Xurkitree, Zarude, and Electivire.

It’s also important touse Purified Gems when taking on Shadow Raid Bosses. These rare items help take them out of their enraged state, making them easier to defeat. You can piece together a Purified Gem once you’ve collected four Shadow Shards, which are earned as rewards for successfully beatingmembers of Team GO RocketinPokémon GO.

Suicune leaping onto a cliff in Pokemon GO

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