Ultimate Guide to Battling Dynamax Moltres in Pokémon GO on Max Mondays

Get ready, Trainers! Dynamax Moltres is set to make its grand entrance as a formidable Max Battle boss in Pokémon GO, starting with Max Monday. To emerge victorious and add this avian powerhouse to your roster, you’ll need to leverage its weaknesses by selecting optimal counters. Following the challenges brought on by legendary Pokémon such as Articuno and Zapdos, Moltres, the Flame Pokémon, is ready to test your skills at the 5-Star level. While it may not be as daunting as its 6-Star counterpart, Gigantamax Lapras, Moltres can still scorch through teams that are unprepared.

During the Legendary Flight event, players can engage in Max Battles against Moltres in two distinct phases. Initially, this fiery bird will dominate Power Spots as the Max Battle boss for a concise hour. Afterward, while you can continue to encounter Moltres in Max Battles, be prepared to search more extensively as it shares the spotlight with other bosses throughout the month.

Understanding Dynamax Moltres: Weaknesses & Resistance

Key Weaknesses: Rock, Water, and Electric

Rock-type is a key weakness for Dynamax Moltres. Image by Ben Williams

Dynamax Moltres has a significant weakness to Rock-type attacks, taking 256% damage, followed closely by Ice- and Electric-type moves, each inflicting 160% super-effective damage. These weaknesses align with those found in the main series games, underscoring the importance of targeting the right attack types in Pokémon GO, especially considering the high stakes of its 5-Star ranking. Also, remember to factor in the STAB (Same Type Attack Bonus) mechanic, which adds a 20% bonus when using moves corresponding to your Pokémon’s type.

On the flip side, Moltres exhibits several resistances that players should be aware of: it takes only 63% damage from Ground-, Steel-, Fighting-, Fire-, and Fairy-type attacks, while Bug- and Grass-type moves are reduced to 39% damage. Though you can deploy Pokémon that deal neutral damage, it’s crucial to ensure that the rest of your team is equipped with strong counters to support the raid effectively. Avoid using Pokémon that leverage Moltres’s resistances; doing so may jeopardize your battle outcome.

Top Counter Strategies Against Dynamax Moltres

Exploring Effective Counter Options

To take down Dynamax Moltres, consider deploying Pokémon that excel with Rock-, Water-, and Electric-type moves, such as Zapdos, Blastoise, and Machamp. It’s important to note that only Dynamax- or Gigantamax-capable Pokémon can be utilized in these Max Battles, slightly narrowing your options. However, many effective strategies remain due to Moltres’s specific typing, as summarized in the table below:

Pokémon	Type	Fast Attack	Charged Attack
Blastoise	Water	Water Gun	Hydro Cannon
Kingler	Water	Bubble	Razor Shell
Lapras	Water Ice	Water Gun	Surf
Toxtricity	Electric Poison	Spark	Wild Charge
Zapdos	Electric Flying	Thundershock	Ancient Power
Machamp	Fighting	Karate Chop	Rock Slide
Inteleon	Water	Water Gun	Surf
Drizzile	Water	Water Gun	Surf
Wartortle	Water	Water Gun	Hydro Pump
Moltres	Flying Fire	Wing Attack	Ancient Power
Dubwool	Normal	Tackle	Wild Charge

If you haven’t yet secured your victory against Dynamax Moltres, consider leading with Machamp and Zapdos. Both can harness the power of Rock-type moves—Rock Slide for Machamp and Ancient Power for Zapdos—offering significant damage. Although there are currently no Rock-type Pokémon that bring STAB damage to this battle, the impressive stats of Zapdos and Machamp should suffice to bring down Moltres.

Schedule for Moltres’ Max Battles

Event Timing: Early February 2025

Zapdos, Articuno, and Moltres in Pokemon GO key art for the Legendary Flight event

The Max Battles featuring Dynamax Moltres will commence on Monday, February 3, 2025, from 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM local time, across all regions. During this hour, Moltres will be the primary Max Battle boss at each Power Spot on your map. After this event, players can still find Dynamax Moltres as a Max Battle boss until February 10, 2025, but it will be joined by other bosses like Krabby, Squirtle, and Sobble.

Should you be in a distant location, remember that you might need to explore to locate the Fire-type Legendary. Nevertheless, the likelihood of encountering Moltres during this week-long event is high. Plan your strategy carefully by focusing on its weaknesses using Rock-, Water-, and Electric-type moves to ensure a successful raid in Pokémon GO.

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