How to Catch Cresselia in a Pokémon GO Raid

Cresselia is back and ready to be caught in five-star raids.

Cresselia is back as a five-star Raid Boss in Pokémon GO, meaning players who missed out on catching it last time around have 22 days to get their own from May 27 at 1 pm PDT to June 18 at 1 pm PDT.

Following months of big updates and the Extraordinary Raid Week event, the legendary Psychic-type is making its return, but that means those players who have yet to catch one also need to prepare themselves properly.

What exactly is Cresselia?

Cresselia is a legendary Pokémon from the Sinnoh region that is known for its impressive defense and stalling tendencies when used in competitive play. Some of that transfers over to Pokémon GO, meaning you are more likely to get stalled out than wiped out if you prepare properly.

You aren’t going to be blown away by its offensive capabilities, but be careful when choosing your team, because Dark-types might seem like a good idea due to their super-effectiveness and resistance to Psychic moves. But watch out, because though Psycho Cut is the main move to watch out for, it also has Moonblast to hit Dark and Dragon-types hard.

Your best bet is some combination of Bug, Dark, Ghost, and Steel-types, and depending on how many other players are involved; the strategy can vasty change.

Gengar

Honestly, it doesn’t matter how fragile Gengar is normally, and it matters even less that yours will almost assuredly be knocked out during the raid. What matters is trying to take down the bulky legendary in that pesky 120 second time limit.

Gengar is the definition of a glass cannon, but his Shadow Ball/Shadow Claw combo is one of the best bets you have if you are playing with less than a full raid party, which is not advised.

Mewtwo

Mewtwo is a solid choice for any non-Bug or Dark type raid, Mewtwo is the middle ground between the top options for this matchup. His Shadow Ball is up there with Gengar in power, but without the drawback of having no bulk.

Save some potions with his higher defense, but avoid the dragging that a Tyranitar led assault could have on the timer.

Tyranitar

Bulky, strong, and dominant against all things Psychic, Tyranitar is the last line of defense for the top tier that most players have access to. The only downside here is that Tyranitar is slow and might risk some precious time.

Other, options include Weavile and Houndoom, two hard-hitting glass canons who can clean things up late. Scizor is also a solid choice, with some decent bulk, speed, and super effective attacks at the ready. Or you know. Basically, any competent Dark-type with Crunch, Dark Pulse, or that hits hard.

Origin Form Giratina

The last and best option is only this low on the list because it is hard to obtain for players who don’t have it yet. Giratina is bulky, strong, and has moves that will decimate a Cresselia if need be.

Origin Form packs a punch and can take a hit, which is all you can ask for when trying to capture another legend.

After battling and besting Cresselia, you will have a chance to catch it. You will have plenty of opportunities to try and catch yourself a shiny too, with the 1/19 odds, you can spend all 22 days grinding out shinies before moving on.