Quick summary
Species: Melmetal (Gigantamax)
Type: Steel
Primary weaknesses: Fighting, Ground, Fire
Recommended lobby: 15-20 trainers
Gigantamax Melmetal is the steel colossus of raids, packing both massive defense and heavy-hitting moves. Its Steel typing makes it durable against many attacks, but careful strategy and the right counters can topple this metallic giant.
Table of Contents
Weakness Best Pokemon Best Gigantamax Counters Dynamax & Support Picks Moveset Weather Effects Size Rewards FAQsOverview
Weakness & Typing
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Weak to |
 Fighting •
 Ground •
 Fire
|
| Resists |
 Normal •
 Flying •
 Rock •
 Bug •
 Steel •
 Grass •
 Ice •
 Dragon •
 Fairy •
 Poison
|
| Notes | Gigantamax bosses often use Max Moves — these can be powerful, sometimes buffing or changing battlefield conditions. Expect higher HP and potentially team-wide effects. |
Pro tip: Bring Fire, Fighting, or Ground-type Pokémon to maximize damage. Avoid Steel-types—they’ll barely dent Melmetal.
Best Pokemon
Gigantamax-type Counters
- Cinderace (Tackle / G-Max Fireball)
- Charizard (Wing Attack / G-Max Wildfire)
- Machamp (Karate Chop/ G-Max Chi Strike)
Dynamax-type Counters
- Darmanitan (Incinerate / Max Flare)
- Excadrill (Mud-Slap / Max Quake)
- Flareon (Fire Spin / Max Flare)
- Moltres (Fire Spin / Max Flare)
Best Gigantamax Counters
Gigantamax Pokémon that amplify the right types give you a powerful edge. Below are top Gigantamax counters with short notes on why they excel vs G-Max Melmetal.
| Pokémon | Fast Moves | Gigantamax Moves | Charged Moves | Elite Moves | Best Moves |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gigantamax Cinderace | Tackle, Fire Spin | G-Max Fireball | Flamethrower, Flame Charge, Focus Blast | - | Fire Spin(13) and G-Max Fireball(350) |
| Gigantamax Machamp | Bullet Punch, Counter | G-Max Chi Strike | Cross Chop, Rock Slide, Close Combat, Dynamic Punch, Heavy Slam | Payback, Submission, Stone Edge, Karate Chop | Counter(13) and G-Max Chi Strike(350) |
| Gigantamax Charizard | Air Slash, Fire Spin | G-Max Wildfire | Overheat, Fire Blast, Dragon Claw | Dragon Breath, Ember, Wing Attack, Flamethrower, Blast Burn | Fire Spin(13) and G-Max Wildfire(350) |
| Gigantamax Centiskorch | Bug Bite, Ember | G-Max Centiferno | Crunch, Lunge, Heat Wave, Bug Buzz | - | Ember(10) and G-Max Centiferno(350) |
| Gigantamax Gengar | Sucker Punch, Shadow Claw, Hex | G-Max Terror | Shadow Ball, Sludge Bomb, Focus Blast, Drain Punch | Lick, Dark Pulse, Shadow Punch, Sludge Wave, Psychic | Hex(8) and G-Max Terror(350) |
| Gigantamax Inteleon | Pound, Water Gun | G-Max Hydrosnipe | Shadow Ball, Water Pulse, Surf | - | Pound(6) and G-Max Hydrosnipe(350) |
| Gigantamax Grimmsnarl | Bite, Sucker Punch, Low Kick | G-Max Snooze | Dark Pulse, Play Rough, Foul Play, Power Up Punch | - | Bite(6) and G-Max Snooze(350) |
| Gigantamax Kingler | Metal Claw, Bubble | G-Max Foam Burst | Vise Grip, X-Scissor, Water Pulse, Crabhammer, Razor Shell | Mud Shot | Bubble(10) and G-Max Foam Burst(350) |
| Gigantamax Toxtricity | Spark, Poison Jab, Acid | G-Max Stun Shock | Discharge, Wild Charge, Acid Spray, Power Up Punch | - | Poison Jab(13) and G-Max Stun Shock(350) |
| Gigantamax Drednaw | Bite, Waterfall | G-Max Stonesurge | Body Slam, Rock Blast, Crunch, Surf | - | Waterfall(13) and G-Max Stonesurge(350) |
Dynamax & Support Picks
Not every raid group will have multiple Gigantamax picks. Dynamax Pokémon make excellent support, either by adding burst damage or soaking time during G-Max residual windows.
| Pokémon | Dynamax Moves | Fast Moves | Charged Moves | Elite Moves |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dynamax Excadrill | Max Quake, Max Steelspike | Metal Claw, Mud Slap, Mud Shot | Rock Slide, Earthquake, Drill Run, Iron Head, Scorching Sands | - |
| Dynamax Urshifu | Max Geyser, Max Knuckle | Rock Smash, Counter, Waterfall | Brick Break, Dynamic Punch, Close Combat, Aqua Jet | - |
| Dynamax Darmanitan | Max Strike, Max Flare | Tackle, Fire Fang, Incinerate | Overheat, Focus Blast, Psychic, Rock Slide | - |
| Dynamax Entei | Max Flare | Fire Spin, Fire Fang | Flamethrower, Fire Blast, Overheat, Iron Head, Flame Charge, Scorching Sands | - |
| Dynamax Cinderace | Max Flare, Max Strike | Tackle, Fire Spin | Flame Charge, Flamethrower, Focus Blast | - |
| Dynamax Moltres | Max Mindstorm, Max Flutterby, Max Steelspike | Zen Headbutt, Bullet Punch, Fury Cutter | Flash Cannon, Psychic, Earthquake | Meteor Mash |
| Dynamax Machamp | Max Knuckle, Max Steelspike | Bullet Punch, Counter | Heavy Slam, Dynamic Punch, Close Combat, Rock Slide, Cross Chop | Karate Chop, Stone Edge, Submission, Payback |
| Dynamax Charizard | Max Flare, Max Airstream, Max Wyrmwind | Fire Spin, Air Slash | Dragon Claw, Fire Blast, Overheat, Air Cutter | Ember, Wing Attack, Dragon Breath, Blast Burn, Flamethrower |
| Dynamax Passimian | Max Knuckle, Max Strike | Counter, Rock Smash, Take Down | Brick Break, Close Combat, Superpower, Brutal Swing, Drain Punch | - |
| Dynamax Kingler | Max Geyser, Max Quake, Max Steelspike | Metal Claw, Bubble | Vise Grip, Water Pulse, X-Scissor, Crabhammer, Razor Shell | Mud Shot |
| Dynamax Falinks | Max Knuckle | Rock Smash, Counter | Superpower, Brick Break, Megahorn | - |
| Dynamax Kabutops | Max Knuckle, Max Quake, Max Geyser, Max Flutterby | Rock Smash, Mud Shot, Waterfall | Ancient Power, Stone Edge, Water Pulse | Fury Cutter |
| Dynamax Machoke | Max Knuckle | Karate Chop, Low Kick | Brick Break, Dynamic Punch, Submission, Cross Chop | - |
| Dynamax Raboot | Max Strike, Max Flare | Tackle, Ember | Flame Charge, Flamethrower | - |
| Dynamax Omastar | Max Quake, Max Geyser, Max Rockfall | Mud Shot, Water Gun | Ancient Power, Hydro Pump, Rock Blast | Rock Throw, Rock Slide |
| Dynamax Flareon | Max Flare | Ember, Fire Spin | Fire Blast, Flamethrower, Overheat | Last Resort, Superpower, Heat Wave |
| Dynamax Hitmonlee | Max Knuckle | Rock Smash, Low Kick, Double Kick | Low Sweep, Stone Edge, Close Combat, Blaze Kick | Stomp, Brick Break |
| Dynamax Hitmonchan | Max Steelspike | Counter , Bullet Puch | Close Combat, Power-Up Punch, Fire Punch, Thunder Punch, Ice Punch | Rock Smash, Brick Break |
| Dynamax Hitmontop | Max Knuckle | Counter , Rock Smash | Close Combat, Stone Edge, Gyro Ball, Triple Axel | - |
Moves & Threats
Melmetal common fast moves is Thunder Shock. Charged moves include Hyper Beam or Superpower or Thunderbolt or Rock Slide and Flash Cannon. Elite moves include Double Iron Bash. G-Max Meltdown not only delivers heavy damage but also leaves a damaging area for a short time — timing your swaps and using at least one bulky support reduces wipe risk.
Threat: Superpower – huge Fighting STAB damage. Heavy Slam – strong Steel move with damage proportional to weight. Rock Slide – moderate damage but can hit multiple Pokémon in raids.
Tip: Dodge Superpower to preserve your team. Heavy Slam hits hard but predictable, so timing is key.
Weather Effects
Cloudy weather : boosts Fighting moves. Sunny/Clear weather : boosts Ground and Fire attackers.
Battle Tips
- Lead with Fire-types to exploit Steel weakness
- Fighting-types are excellent against its Heavy Slam
- Ground-types handle Rock moves and add DPS
Size
Recommended: 15–20 trainers for comfortable clears with mixed player levels. With many Gigantamax / Dynamax counters, 10–14 can work. Under 8 trainers should be attempted only if all participants are high-level and coordinated with ideal counters and Dynamax/G-Max boosts.
Rewards
Reasons include Pokédex entry, strong Steel attacker, shiny chance, and XL Candy farming.
When To Avoid
Avoid normal, flying, rock, bug Pokémon — they take heavy damage from Melmetal moves.
Raid Strategy & Catch Tips
Gigantamax Melmetal’s bulk makes battles lengthy. Focus on DPS-heavy Fire and Fighting Pokémon. Avoid bringing Fairy, Ice, or Dragon Pokémon as they deal little damage. In smaller groups, prioritize top Fire attackers; in larger groups, mix in Ground and Fighting counters for coverage.
FAQ
What is Gigantamax Melmetal type and weakness?
Melmetal is a Steel type. It is weak to Fighting, Ground, Fire.
What are good counters for G-Max Meltdown?
Strong fighting and fire attackers such as Gigantamax Charizard, Gigantamax Machamp, Gigantamax Cinderace, Gigantamax Centiskorch, Dynamax Moltres, Dynamax Flareon.
Can Gigantamax Melmetal be shiny?
Yes, but in certain events.
Is Gigantamax Melmetal catchable after the raid?
Yes — standard raid catch mechanics apply.
Does weather change move sets?
Cloudy boosts Fighting type moves; Sunny boosts Ground and Fire counters.
Does Melmetal keep G-Max Meltdown?
No — it’s exclusive to Gigantamax raids.
Conclusion
Gigantamax Melmetal is a mechanically interesting raid boss: its Steel type is predictable, but the G-Max residual damage forces teams to plan for survivability, not just pure DPS. Prioritize Fire and Fighting Gigantamax picks, add Dynamax support for sustained windows, and include at least one high-TDO tank if your lobby is smaller. With the counters and tactics above, you’ll clear Melmetal efficiently and maximize your rewards.
Related Guides
Looking for more counters? Check out our Gigantamax Cinderace Raid Guide, Gigantamax Machamp Raid Guide, Gigantamax Charizard Raid Guide
Summary
- Lead with Fire, Fighting, or Ground-types
- Dodge Superpower for safety
- Avoid Steel-types—they resist most moves
- Use high DPS counters to finish the raid quickly