Introduction
The Mega Evolution of Houndoom, Mega Houndoom is one of the most aggressive Fire-type Mega Pokémon in Pokémon GO raids. With extremely high offensive power, it can quickly knock out unprepared raid teams using strong moves like Fire Fang, Foul Play, and Flamethrower.
Because Mega Houndoom is a dual Fire and Dark-type Pokémon, it has several important weaknesses that players can exploit during raids. Strong Rock, Water, Ground, and Fighting-type attackers can deal significant damage and help trainers defeat this Mega Raid Boss quickly.
This guide will help you prepare for the Mega Houndoom raid by explaining its weaknesses, the best Pokémon counters to use, catch CP ranges, weather effects, and recommended raid strategies. Whether you are raiding with a large group or a small team of experienced trainers, understanding these mechanics will make the battle much easier.
Mega Houndoom Stats
| Type | Dark / Fire |
| Max CP | 4565 |
| Weather Boost | Sunny, Foggy |
| Shiny | Yes |
| Base Attack | 289 |
| Base Defence | 194 |
| Base Stamina | 181 |
🧬 About Mega Houndoom in Pokémon GO
Mega Houndoom has high offensive power but relatively lower defensive bulk compared to some other Mega raid bosses. Because of this, coordinated teams using strong counters can defeat Mega Houndoom fairly quickly.
Mega Houndoom is useful because:
- It is one of the fastest Fire-type Mega Pokémon
- It deals excellent damage against Grass, Bug, Ice, and Psychic-type bosses
- It boosts Fire and Dark-type attackers in raids
⚠️ Mega Houndoom Weaknesses
Mega Houndoom is a Dark and Fire-type Pokémon. This typing combination creates multiple weaknesses that trainers can exploit in raids.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| ❌ Double Weak To: |
 Fighting •
 Water •
|
| ❌ Weak To: |
 Ground •
 Rock
|
| ✅ Resistant / Immune To: |
 Ghost •
 Steel •
 Fire •
 Grass •
 Psychic •
 Ice •
 Dark
|
Notes: Always lead with Water or Rock-type Pokémon to exploit dual weaknesses.
Why Rock-Type Counters Are Superior
Many players assume Water or Fighting types are best. While they are effective, Rock-type Pokémon outperform them because of the stacked Fire weakness.
A properly powered Rock attacker can reduce raid time by 20–30% compared to average Fighting counters.
🗡️ Best Counters for Mega Houndoom
The best way to defeat Mega Houndoom is to use strong Rock-type, Water-type, Ground-type and Fighting-type Pokémon.
💧 Water-type Counters
- Primal Kyogre (Waterfall + Origin Pulse)
- Swampert (Water Gun + Hydro Cannon)
- Gyarados (Waterfall + Hydro Pump)
Water-types work well, especially in Rainy weather.
Water-types are effective against Fire typing, but may take neutral damage from Dark moves.
🥊 Fighting-type Counters
- Mega Lucario (Counter + Aura Sphere)
- Machamp (Counter + Dynamic Punch)
- Conkeldurr (Counter + Dynamic Punch)
- Hariyama (Counter + Dynamic Punch)
Lucario performs very well in this raid due to its powerful Fighting-type moves. Counter and Aura Sphere allow Lucario to deal consistent super-effective damage.
Conkeldurr is another excellent Fighting-type attacker. Its high attack stat and access to Counter and Dynamic Punch make it a reliable raid counter.
Fighting-types deal strong super-effective damage and are not weak to Dark moves, making them the safest primary counter.
🌍 Ground-Type Counters
- Mud Shot + Earthquake
- Mud Shot + High Horsepower
- Garchomp (Mud Shot + Earth Power)
Garchomp’s Ground-type moves such as Mud Shot and Earth Power make it an effective counter against Mega Houndoom.
Ground-types deal consistent damage and resist Fire-type attacks.
🪨 Best Rock-type Counters
- Tyranitar (Smack Down + Stone Edge)
- Rampardos (Smack Down + Rock Slide)
- Rhyperior (Smack Down + Rock Wrecker)
Mega Tyranitar is the strongest overall counter. It benefits from Rock STAB and boosts other Rock-types in your party.
Rampardos is a glass cannon. It delivers extremely high damage but faints quickly. Best used in coordinated duos.
Rhyperior provides balanced bulk and strong Rock damage.
Rock Pokémon provide solid damage and good durability in this raid.
Best Regular Counters
Regular Pokémon that exploit the correct type weaknesses give you a powerful edge. Below are top Regular counters with short notes on why they excel.
| Pokémon | 🗡️ Fast Moves | 💥 Charged Moves | 🔄 Elite Moves | 🏆 Best Moves | 🧪 Why This Counter Works |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Primal Kyogre | Waterfall | Hydro Pump / Surf / Thunder / Blizzard / Avalanche | Origin Pulse | Waterfall and Hydro Pump | As a pure Water-type attacker, it hits Mega Houndoom’s Fire typing for super-effective damage, and its extremely high Attack stat allows it to deal massive DPS throughout the raid. |
| Blaziken | Ember / Counter / Fire Spin | Focus Blast / Brave Bird / Overheat / Blaze Kick / Aura Sphere | Blast Burn / Stone Edge | Counter / Fire Spin and Overheat | Counter provides strong super-effective Fighting damage against Dark typing, while Overheat adds Fire coverage with high burst damage. |
| Terrakion | Double Kick / Smack Down / Zen Headbutt | Close Combat / Earthquake / Rock Slide | Sacred Sword | Smack Down and Earthquake | Its Fighting and Rock coverage both hit Mega Houndoom’s weaknesses, and Terrakion’s high Attack stat ensures fast clear times. |
| Keldeo(Resolute) | Low Kick / Poison Jab | Close Combat / Sacred Sword / X-Scissor / Aqua Jet / Hydro Pump | None | Poison Jab and Hydro Pump | Water and Fighting-type moves both exploit Mega Houndoom’s weaknesses, making it a flexible dual-coverage attacker. |
| Primal Groudon | Mud Shot / Dragon Tail | Earthquake / Fire Blast / Solar Beam | Precipice Blades / Fire Punch | Dragon Tail and Solar Beam | Ground-type moves hit Fire typing for super-effective damage, and Primal boost increases overall team Ground damage. |
| Landorus | Mud Shot / Extrasensory | Superpower / Earthquake / Bulldoze / Stone Edge | Sandsear Storm | Extrasensory and Sandsear Storm | Its powerful Ground-type attacks deal consistent super-effective damage against Mega Houndoom’s Fire typing. |
| Keldeo(Original) | Low Kick / Poison Jab | Close Combat / Sacred Sword / X-Scissor / Aqua Jet / Hydro Pump | None | Poison Jab and Hydro Pump | Fighting-type coverage provides strong damage against Dark typing, helping reduce raid time efficiently. |
Best Shadow Counters
Shadow pokemon that amplify the right types give you a powerful edge. Below are top Shadow counters with short notes on why they excel.
| Pokémon | 🗡️ Fast Moves | 💥 Charged Moves | 🔄 Elite Moves | 🏆 Best Moves | 🧪 Why This Counter Works |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shadow Tyranitar | Iron Tail / Dragon Breath / Bite | Stone Edge / Fire Blast / Crunch / Brutal Swing | Smack Down | Smack Down and Stone Edge | The Shadow damage bonus increases its Rock-type DPS, allowing it to hit Mega Houndoom’s Fire typing for strong super-effective damage. |
| Shadow Groudon | Mud Shot / Dragon Tail | Earthquake / Fire Blast / Solar Beam | Precipice Blades / Fire Punch | Dragon Tail and Solar Beam | Shadow boost combined with powerful Ground-type attacks delivers extremely high super-effective damage. |
| Shadow Blaziken | Counter / Fire Spin / Ember | Focus Blast / Aura Sphere / Brave Bird / Overheat / Blaze Kick | Stone Edge / Blast Burn | Counter / Fire Spin and Overheat | Counter deals super-effective Fighting damage, and the Shadow boost significantly increases total DPS output. |
| Shadow Kyogre | Waterfall | Hydro Pump / Surf / Thunder / Blizzard / Avalanche | Origin Pulse | Waterfall and Hydro Pump | Waterfall and Hydro Pump hit Fire typing hard, and the Shadow boost makes it one of the highest Water-type DPS options. |
| Shadow Rhyperior | Mud Slap / Smack Down | Skull Bash / Superpower / Earthquake / Stone Edge / Surf / Breaking Swipe | Rock Wrecker | Mud Slap and Earthquake | Ground and Rock coverage exploit Fire weakness, while the Shadow boost increases burst damage significantly. |
| Shadow Garchomp | Mud Shot / Dragon Tail | Earthquake / Sand Tomb / Fire Blast / Outrage / Breaking Swipe | Earth Power | Dragon Tail and Fire Blast / Earthquake | Its Ground-type moves hit Fire typing effectively, and the Shadow multiplier increases total damage dealt. |
| Shadow Conkeldurr | Counter / Poison Jab | Dynamic Punch / Focus Blast / Stone Edge | Brutal Swing | Counter / Poison Jab and Focus Blast | Counter and Fighting-type moves deal strong super-effective damage against Dark typing, amplified by the Shadow boost. |
| Shadow Rampardos | Smack Down / Zen Headbutt | Rock Slide / Flamethrower / Outrage | None | Smack Down and Outrage | Rock-type attacks hit Fire typing for super-effective damage, and Shadow boost makes it an extremely high DPS option. |
| Shadow Tyrantrum | Rock Throw / Dragon Tail / Charm | Earthquake / Stone Edge / Meteor Beam / Rock Tomb / Crunch / Outrage | None | Charm and Earthquake / Meteor Beam | Rock-type coverage hits Fire typing effectively, and the Shadow damage boost increases overall performance. |
| Shadow Swampert | Mud Shot / Water Gun | Sludge / Sludge Wave / Earthquake / Surf / Muddy Water | Hydro Cannon | Water Gun and Earthquake | Water and Ground coverage both exploit Fire typing, while the Shadow boost increases consistent damage output. |
| Shadow Kingler | Metal Claw / Bubble | Vise Grip / X-Scissor / Water Pulse / Crabhammer / Razor Shell | Mud Shot | Bubble and Crabhammer | Crabhammer deals heavy Water-type damage against Fire typing, and Shadow boost increases its burst potential. |
Best Mega Counters
Mega pokemon that amplify the right types give you a powerful edge. Below are top Mega counters with short notes on why they excel.
| Pokémon | 🗡️ Fast Moves | 💥 Charged Moves | 🔄 Elite Moves | 🏆 Best Moves | 🧪 Why This Counter Works |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mega Tyranitar | Iron Tail / Dragon Breath / Bite | Stone Edge / Fire Blast / Crunch / Brutal Swing | Smack Down | Smack Down and Stone Edge | Provides strong Rock-type damage against Fire typing while boosting Rock-type teammates in the raid. |
| Mega Latios | Zen Headbutt / Dragon Breath | Aura Sphere / Solar Beam / Psychic / Dragon Claw | Luster Purge | Zen Headbutt and Solar Beam | High Attack stat allows strong neutral Dragon damage, while providing team-wide Dragon boost. |
| Mega Aerodactyl | Rock Throw / Steel Wing / Dragon Breath / Bite | Hyper Beam / Earth Power / Ancient Power / Rock Slide / Iron Head | None | Steel Wing and Hyper Beam | Rock Throw and Rock Slide hit Fire typing super-effectively and boost Rock-type teammates. |
| Mega Gyarados | Waterfall / Dragon Breath / Bite | Hydro Pump / Outrage / Twister / Crunch | Dragon Tail / Aqua Tail / Dragon Pulse | Dragon Tail and Hydro Pump | Water-type moves deal super-effective damage against Fire typing and boost Water-type attackers. |
| Mega Heracross | Counter / Struggle Bug | Close Combat / Upper Hand / Earthquake / Rock Blast / Megahorn | None | Struggle Bug and Earthquake | Fighting-type attacks deal strong super-effective damage against Dark typing while boosting Fighting teammates. |
| Mega Rayquaza | Air Slash / Dragon Tail | Aerial Ace / Dragon Ascent / Ancient Power / Outrage | Hurricane / Breaking Swipe | Dragon Tail and Dragon Ascent | Extremely high base stats allow strong neutral damage output while boosting Dragon-type attackers. |
| Mega Blastoise | Rollout / Water Gun / Bite | Skull Bash / Flash Cannon / Hydro Pump / Ice Beam | Hydro Cannon | Rollout and Hydro Pump | Hydro-type attacks hit Fire typing super-effectively and boost Water-type teammates. |
| Mega Diancie | Tackle / Rock Throw | Rock Slide / Power Gem / Moonblast | None | Rock Throw and Moonblast | Rock-type attacks deal super-effective damage against Fire typing while boosting Rock-type allies. |
| Mega Swampert | Mud Shot / Water Gun | Sludge / Sludge Wave / Earthquake / Surf / Muddy Water | Hydro Cannon | Water Gun and Earthquake | Water and Ground coverage both hit Fire typing for super-effective damage and boost team Water output. |
| Mega Garchomp | Mud Shot / Dragon Tail | Earthquake / Sand Tomb / Fire Blast / Outrage / Breaking Swipe | Earth Power | Dragon Tail and Fire Blast / Earthquake | Ground-type attacks exploit Fire weakness while boosting Ground-type teammates. |
| Mega Lucario | Counter / Bullet Punch | Close Combat / Power-Up Punch / Aura Sphere / Shadow Ball / Flash Cannon / Meteor Mash / Blaze Kick / Thunder Punch | Force Palm | Counter and Close Combat | Counter and Close Combat deal powerful super-effective Fighting damage and boost Fighting-type teammates. |
| Mega Blaziken | Counter / Fire Spin | Focus Blast / Brave Bird / Overheat / Blaze Kick | Stone Edge / Blast Burn | Counter / Fire Spin and Overheat | Counter provides strong Fighting-type pressure against Dark typing while boosting Fire and Fighting teammates. |
What Makes Mega Houndoom Tough?
Mega Houndoom deals considerable damage with its powerful Fire- and Dark-type moves such as Fire Blast, Flamethrower, Crunch, and Foul Play. Trainers who ignore type advantages may struggle against its high attack stat.
🌀 Mega Houndoom Moveset
🗡️ Fast Moves
- Fire Fang
- Snarl
💥 Charged Moves
- Fire Blast
- Flamethrower
- Crunch
- Foul Play
Pro tip: Mega Houndoom hits extremely hard with Flamethrower—avoid using fragile Fire-types. Multi-bar Water and Fighting moves deal consistent damage safely.
Most threatening combos: Fire Fang + Fire Blast / Flamethrower — Fire moves can quickly deplete weak counters. Dodging charged moves where possible increases survivability.
🎯 Catch CP & 100% IV
After defeating Mega Houndoom, you will catch a normal Houndoom.
CP Range:
- No Weather Boost: 2,106-2,195 CP
- Weather Boost: 2,633-2,744 CP
100% IV:
- 2195 (Normal)
- 2744 (Weather Boosted)
Use:
- Golden Razz Berry
- Curveball Excellent Throws
Higher CP values indicate stronger potential Pokémon with better IVs.
🌦️ Weather Boost
Weather conditions can affect both raid difficulty and capture CP values.
🌫️ Foggy Weather
- Boosts Houndoom Dark-type moves
☀️ Sunny Weather
- Boosts Houndoom Fire-type moves
- Makes raid harder
☁️ Cloudy Weather
- Boosts Fighting-type counters
⛅ Partly Cloudy Weather
- Boosts Rock-type counters
- Best condition for solo/duo
🌧️ Rainy Weather
- Boosts Water-type counters
During these weather conditions, Abomasnow will appear with higher CP after the raid. Weather boosts also increase the power of certain moves during battle.
These counters consistently rank among the best due to damage output and how well their moves exploit Mega Houndoom’s weaknesses.
Revive & Potion Cost
- Average revives used: 8–14
- Average potions used: 10–18
- Dodging significantly reduces resource usage
- Using Mega Pokémon reduces total relobbies
Relobby & Revive Optimization
In solo attempts, relobby time matters more than dodging every move. Revive quickly and re-enter immediately.
Team Building Theory
Optimal team structure:
- Mega Tyranitar (lead)
- Rampardos
- Rhyperior
- Terrakion
- Rampardos
- Rhyperior
Balance glass cannons with bulk attackers to prevent total wipes.
Recommended Team Setups
Strong Team (3–5 Trainers)
- Primal Kyogre — heavy Water DPS (Waterfall + Origin Pulse)
- Primal Groudon — strong Ground DPS (Mud Shot + Precipice Blades)
- Mega Lucario — high Fighting DPS
- Mega Swampert — Water support (Water Gun + Hydro Cannon)
- Terrakion — Fighting/Rock utility (Double Kick + Sacred Sword)
Alternate Team (Balanced)
- Primal Kyogre (Waterfall + Origin Pulse)
- Shadow Kyogre (Waterfall + Surf)
- Mega Garchomp
- Mega Blaziken
- Mega Diancie
Even with less optimal counters, having a mix of Water, Ground, Rock, and Fighting attacks will steadily take down Mega Houndoom.
🧠 Best Strategy to Defeat Mega Houndoom
Prioritize Fighting Damage
Focus on high-DPS Fighting Pokémon for the fastest clear time.
Avoid Psychic-Type Attackers
Mega Houndoom resists Psychic moves due to its Dark typing.
Coordinate Mega Evolutions
Using a Mega Fighting Pokémon increases team-wide damage and reduces total raid time significantly.
Solo Strategy Guide
Soloing Mega Houndoom is possible under optimal conditions.
Requirements
- Level 40+ trainer
- 6 maxed Rock attackers
- Weather advantage preferred (Partly Cloudy)
Lead with Mega Tyranitar to boost your Rock team. Minimize dodging except for Fire Blast. Fast relobbying is crucial.
Duo Strategy Guide
Duo is realistic for experienced trainers.
- Both trainers use Mega Rock attackers
- Coordinate Mega timing
- Use Party Power if available
In Partly Cloudy weather, duo becomes significantly easier.
Beginner Strategy Section
If you are new to raids:
- Use Rhyperior if available
- Avoid Grass or Psychic types
- Join raids with 4–6 players
- Focus on survival rather than dodging perfectly
Can Mega Houndoom Be Shiny in Pokémon GO?
Yes, trainers have a chance to encounter a Shiny Houndoom after defeating Mega Houndoom in a raid battle. Although the Mega form itself cannot be caught, the Pokémon encountered after the raid can be shiny.
Shiny Houndoom is easily recognizable because its body color changes from black to a deep blue shade. This unique appearance makes it a highly desired Pokémon for collectors and shiny hunters.
Mega Raids usually have better shiny odds compared to wild encounters, so participating in multiple Mega Houndoom raids can increase your chances of finding a shiny version.
Tips to Catch Houndoom After Raid
- Use Golden Razz Berries for higher catch chance
- Aim for Excellent curveball throws
- Wait for the attack animation before throwing
Using curveballs combined with Golden Razz Berries significantly increases the chance of capturing Houndoom.
Evolution, Mega Details & Buddy Distance
| Evolution Line | Base(Houndour) → Final(Houndoom) → Mega(Houndoom) |
| Mega Energy (First) | 200 |
| Subsequent Cost | 40 |
| Buddy Distance | 5 km |
| Mega Energy via Buddy | Yes |
| Mega Boost Bonus(Walking) | Extra Candy |
| Mega Boost Bonus(Catch) | Extra Dark/Fire-type Candy |
| Mega Boost Bonus(Buddy^) | 25 Mega Energy per candy |
Buddy Distance
5 km (per Pokémon GO buddy distance)
Shadow & Mega Comparison
⚔️ Battle Tips
- Water-type attackers perform best overall.
- Ground-types are effective but can take heavy damage from Fire moves.
- Rainy weather boosts Water-type attacks.
- Coordinate with teammates to maximize Mega boost benefits.
👥 How Many Trainers Are Needed?
- 2–3 high-level trainers with Water or Fighting types → Possible
- 4–5 average trainers → Easy clear
- Lower-level groups → 6+ recommended
Best Mega Evolutions
Using Mega Evolution Pokémon during raids provides a damage boost to other trainers using Pokémon with the same attack type.
- Swampert, Blastoise, Gyarados – 💧 Water boost
- Garchomp – 🌍 Ground boost
- Blaziken, Lucario, Heracross – 🥊 Fighting boost
- Diancie, Tyranitar, Aerodactyl – 🪨 Rock boost
- Rayquaza, Latios - 🐉 Dragon boost
These Mega Pokémon increase the overall raid damage output when used alongside other strong counters.
🎁 Rewards
- Mega Energy for Houndoom
- Chance to catch Houndoom (with boosted IVs)
- Rare Candy & XL Candy
📌 Is Mega Houndoom Worth Raiding?
Pros:
- Strong Dark/Fire Mega boost
- Useful for Ghost and Psychic raids
- Shiny form available
Cons:
- Outclassed by some other Dark Megas
- Not dominant in PvP
Regular vs Shiny Mega Houndoom Forms
The shiny version features a darker blue coloration compared to the normal appearance. Shiny Pokémon are rare and can only be encountered after completing the raid.
Normal Houndour
Shiny Houndour
Normal Houndoom
Shiny Houndoom
Mega Houndoom
Shiny Mega Houndoom
FAQ
Can Mega Houndoom be shiny in Pokémon GO?
Shiny Houndoom has been released in raids or events.
What is the best moveset of Houndoom?
The best moveset of Houndoom are Fire Fang under Fast Attack and Fire Blast under Charged Attack.
How many trainers are needed to defeat Mega Houndoom?
2–3 trainers with strong Water or Fighting-type Pokémon can defeat it efficiently. Larger groups make the raid safer for lower-level players.
Is Mega Houndoom difficult to defeat?
Mega Houndoom has high attack but relatively low bulk, so proper type advantage makes the raid manageable.
Does Mega Houndoom keep its Mega form after the battle?
Mega Evolution lasts only during battles where Mega is enabled; it does not persist outside combat.
🏁 Conclusion
Mega Houndoom may hit hard with its Dark and Fire moves, but its clear weaknesses to Fighting, Ground, Rock, and Water allow you to build a team that quickly overwhelms it. Choose high-DPS counters, dodge charged attacks when possible, and make use of weather boosts for efficient raid clears and maximum rewards.
Summary
- Lead with strong Water or Rock Pokémon
- Use Fighting-types for Dark coverage
- Avoid Fire and Grass-types—they take heavy damage
- Save shields for multi-bar charged attacks
- Use weather boosts (Rainy for Water, Cloudy for Fighting) to gain an edge