Mega Malamar is a Dark and Psychic-type Mega Raid Boss in Pokémon GO with strong offensive capabilities and a unique typing that gives it a combination of weaknesses and resistances. Its dual typing makes it resistant to many common attacking types, which can make the raid more challenging than it first appears. Trainers facing Mega Malamar are best served by understanding both which counters are effective and how battle mechanics like weather and move timing affect the outcome.
Because Dark and Psychic types intersect in unusual ways, you’ll want to choose your counters thoughtfully rather than just relying on your highest CP attackers. Critical weaknesses like Fairy and Bug can be exploited effectively if used properly, while Psychic-resistant types can improve your team’s survivability. This guide highlights not just the best counters, but real battle strategy — so you can defeat Mega Malamar efficiently whether you’re raiding solo or with a group.
Below, you’ll find a full breakdown of Mega Malamar’s weaknesses, recommended Pokémon counters, weather effects, and tactical advice that will help you clear this raid faster and with fewer wasted resources.
Stats & Basic Info
| Type | Dark / Psychic |
| Max CP | 3554 |
| Weather Boost | Foggy, Windy |
| Shiny | Yes |
🧬 About Mega Malamar in Pokémon GO
Mega Malamar is a Dark/Psychic-type Mega Raid Boss in Pokémon GO. Its unique dual typing creates an unusual weakness profile, making it one of the most strategically interesting Mega raids.
Mega Malamar is useful because:
- It boosts Dark and Psychic-type attackers
- It is relatively easy to defeat compared to other Mega Pokémon
Weaknesses & resistances
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| ❌ Weak To: |
 Bug •
 Fairy
|
| ✅ Resistant To: |
 Psychic
|
Notes: Mega Malamar’s most important weakness is its double weakness to Bug-type moves. This makes strong Bug attackers the most efficient and fastest counters available.
🗡️ Best Counters for Mega Malamar
The best way to defeat Mega Malamar is to use strong Bug-type Pokémon because of its double weakness to Bug.
🐞 Bug-Type Counters (Best Overall Choice)
Because of its double weakness to Bug, Bug-type Pokémon deal massive super-effective damage and are the top priority in this raid.
- Fury Cutter + X-Scissor
- Bug Bite + Bug Buzz
- Mega Bug Pokémon provide strong team-wide boosts
- Scyther: (Fury Cutter / Bug Buzz)
- Scolipede: (Bug Bite / X-Scissor)
- Frosmoth: (Bug Bite / Bug Buzz)
🧚 Fairy-Type Counters
Fairy-types deal super-effective damage to Dark typing and are a solid secondary option. They also resist Dark-type moves.
- Charm + Dazzling Gleam
- Fairy Wind + Play Rough
Battle Strategy & Tactical Advice
Mega Malamar’s dual Dark and Psychic typing gives it vulnerabilities primarily to Bug, Fairy, and Ghost-type attacks. Pokémon like Togekiss, Gardevoir, and Chandelure can exploit these weaknesses effectively when they have strong charged moves like Dazzling Gleam or Shadow Ball. Prioritizing counters that hit multiple weaknesses at once will speed up the raid clear time significantly.
Weather conditions have a meaningful impact on this raid. In Partly Cloudy or Foggy weather, Dark and Ghost moves get a boost, making them even more effective against Mega Malamar. Trainers should adapt their team choices accordingly — bringing Bug- or Fairy-type counters when weather boosts are favorable. If weather conditions are neutral, focusing on balanced teams that include at least one Fairy, one Bug, and one Ghost counter ensures you’re ready for most raid conditions.
Dodging charged attacks like Psychic and Dark Pulse can improve your team’s survivability, especially in smaller raid groups. While not every attack needs to be dodged, focusing on avoiding high-damage charged moves buys your counters more time to deal damage. When battling with multiple trainers, coordinate your Mega Evolutions and strongest counters first — this helps apply pressure early and reduces the chance of fainting before the boss goes down.
Lastly, balance your team so that your strongest DPS counters are supported by bulkier Pokémon who can survive longer. This helps maintain DPS output even when some counters faint mid-battle. With proper weather consideration, tactical dodging, and smart counter selection, Mega Malamar can be defeated with speed and efficiency.
Best Mega Evolutions
Recommended Megas to use against Mega Malamar:
- Pinsir, Heracross, Scizor, Beedrill – Bug boost
Best Moveset
- Fast: Peck, Psycho Cut, Psywave
- Charged: Hyper Beam, Psybeam, Foul Play, Superpower
Best Regular Counters
Regular pokemon that amplify the right types 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scyther | Air Slash / Fury Cutter | Aerial Ace / Trailblaze / X-Scissor / Night Slash | Steel Wing / Bug Buzz | Fury Cutter and Bug Buzz | Fury Cutter and Bug Buzz deal double super-effective Bug-type damage, making Scyther extremely efficient against Mega Malamar’s 4× Bug weakness. |
| Frosmoth | Bug Bite / Powder Snow | Ice Beam / Bug Buzz / Icy Wind / Hurricane | None | Bug Bite and Bug Buzz | Bug Bite and Bug Buzz exploit Mega Malamar’s double weakness to Bug, dealing massive super-effective damage. |
| Escavalier | Counter / Bug Bite | Aerial Ace / Acid Spray / Drill Run / Megahorn | Razor Shell | Bug Bite and Megahorn | Bug Bite and Megahorn deliver heavy Bug-type damage, fully exploiting the 4× weakness. |
| Centiskorch | Bug Bite / Ember | Bug Buzz / Lunge / Heat Wave / Crunch | None | Bug Bite and Bug Buzz | Bug Bite and Bug Buzz apply strong super-effective damage while maintaining solid DPS output. |
| Pinsir | Rock Smash / Bug Bite / Fury Cutter | Vise Grip / Close Combat / Superpower / X-Scissor | Submission | Bug Bite and X-Scissor | Bug Bite and X-Scissor rapidly apply double super-effective Bug damage for fast raid clears. |
| Yanmega | Wing Attack / Bug Bite | Aerial Ace / Ancient Power / Bug Buzz | None | Bug Bite and Bug Buzz | Bug Bite and Bug Buzz fully exploit Mega Malamar’s double Bug weakness for high sustained DPS. |
| Scizor | Fury Cutter / Bullet Punch | Iron Head / Trailblaze / X-Scissor / Night Slash | None | Fury Cutter and X-Scissor | Fury Cutter and X-Scissor deal consistent double super-effective Bug damage while Scizor resists Psychic moves. |
| Kleavor | Quick Attack / Air Slash / Fury Cutter | Rock Slide / Stone Edge / X-Scissor / Trailblaze | None | Fury Cutter and X-Scissor | Fury Cutter and X-Scissor take advantage of the 4× Bug weakness for strong offensive pressure. |
| Vikavolt | Mud Slap / Bug Bite / Spark | Fly / X-Scissor / Discharge / Crunch | Volt Switch | Bug Bite and X-Scissor | Bug Bite and X-Scissor provide powerful Bug-type damage, hitting Mega Malamar for double super-effective damage. |
| Pheromosa | Low Kick / Bug Bite | Focus Blast / Close Combat / Bug Buzz / Lunge | None | Bug Bite and Bug Buzz | With extremely high Attack, Pheromosa’s Bug Bite and Bug Buzz produce some of the highest Bug-type DPS in the game. |
| Kartana | Air Slash / Fury Cutter / Razor Leaf | Aerial Ace / Sacred Sword / X-Scissor / Leaf Blade / Night Slash | None | Razor Leaf and Leaf Blade | Provides team-wide type boost while contributing moderate neutral damage. |
| Genesect | Fury Cutter / Metal Claw | Hyper Beam / X-Scissor / Magnet Bomb | Techno Blast | Fury Cutter and X-Scissor | Fury Cutter and X-Scissor deliver strong Bug-type damage while benefiting from Genesect’s high offensive stats. |
| Volcarona | Bug Bite / Fire Spin | Hurricane / Bug Buzz / Overheat / Solar Beam | None | Bug Bite and Bug Buzz | Bug Bite and Bug Buzz deal double super-effective damage, making Volcarona one of the strongest Bug attackers. |
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 Vikavolt | Mud Slap / Bug Bite / Spark | Fly / X-Scissor / Discharge / Crunch | Volt Switch | Mud Slap and Fly | Shadow boost increases Bug-type damage by 20%, making this one of the highest DPS counters against Mega Malamar. |
| Shadow Scizor | Fury Cutter / Bullet Punch | Iron Head / Trailblaze / X-Scissor / Night Slash | None | Fury Cutter and X-Scissor | Shadow boost increases Bug-type DPS significantly while Scizor resists Psychic-type moves. |
| Shadow Pinsir | Rock Smash / Bug Bite / Fury Cutter | Vise Grip / Close Combat / Superpower / X-Scissor | Submission | Rock Smash and Close Combat | Shadow boost increases Bug-type damage by 20%, making this one of the highest DPS counters against Mega Malamar. |
| Shadow Escavalier | Counter / Bug Bite | Aerial Ace / Acid Spray / Drill Run / Megahorn | Razor Shell | Counter and Megahorn | Shadow boost increases Bug-type damage by 20%, making this one of the highest DPS counters against Mega Malamar. |
| Shadow Scyther | Air Slash / Fury Cutter | Aerial Ace / Trailblaze / X-Scissor / Night Slash | Steel Wing / Bug Buzz | Steel Wing and Bug Buzz | Shadow boost increases Bug-type damage by 20%, making this one of the highest DPS counters against Mega Malamar. |
| Shadow Accelgor | Acid / Water Shuriken / Infestation | Focus Blast / Acid Spray / Bug Buzz / Signal Beam | Energy Ball | Acid and Focus Blast | Shadow boost increases Bug-type damage by 20%, making this one of the highest DPS counters against Mega Malamar. |
| Shadow Crustle | Smack Down / Fury Cutter | Rock Blast / Rock Slide / Rock Wrecker / X-Scissor | None | Smack Down and Rock Wrecker | Shadow boost increases Bug-type damage by 20%, making this one of the highest DPS counters against Mega Malamar. |
| Shadow Galvantula | Fury Cutter / Volt Switch | Cross Poison / Bug Buzz / Lunge / Energy Ball / Discharge | None | Volt Switch and Bug Buzz | Shadow boost increases Bug-type damage by 20%, making this one of the highest DPS counters against Mega Malamar. |
| Shadow Scolipede | Poison Jab / Poison Sting / Bug Bite | Megahorn / Sludge Bomb / X-Scissor / Gyro Ball | None | Poison Jab and Megahorn | Shadow boost increases Bug-type damage by 20%, making this one of the highest DPS counters against Mega Malamar. |
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 Scizor | Fury Cutter / Bullet Punch | Night Slash / Iron Head / X-Scissor / Trailblaze | None | Fury Cutter and X-Scissor | Mega Scizor boosts all Bug-type teammates while dealing double super-effective Bug damage itself. |
| Mega Beedrill | Poison Jab / Poison Sting / Infestation | Aerial Ace / Sludge Bomb / X-Scissor / Fell Stinger | Bug Bite / Drill Run | Bug Bite and X-Scissor | Mega Beedrill provides one of the strongest Bug-type Mega boosts while dealing extremely high DPS. |
| Mega Pinsir | Fury Cutter / Bug Bite / Rock Smash | Vise Grip / X-Scissor / Close Combat / Superpower | Submission | Bug Bite and X-Scissor | Mega Pinsir delivers massive Bug-type DPS and boosts Bug-type allies during the raid. |
| Mega Heracross | Counter / Struggle Bug | Close Combat / Upper Hand / Earthquake / Rock Blast / Megahorn | None | Struggle Bug and Megahorn | Mega Heracross combines strong Bug-type damage with team-wide Bug boosts for faster raid clears. |
CP Ranges
After defeating Mega Malamar, you will catch a normal Malamar.
- Perfect (L20): 1,717-1,796 CP
- Weather Boost (L25): 2,146-2,245 CP
- Boosted by: Fog or Windy
🌦️ Weather Boost
Mega Malamar gets a weather boost in:
| Weather | Effect |
|---|---|
| Foggy | Boosts Dark-type moves (very helpful) |
| Windy | Boosts Psychic-type moves (very helpful) |
| Rainy | Boosts Bug-type moves (excellent condition) |
| Cloudy | Boosts Fairy moves |
Rainy weather is ideal because it strengthens Bug-type counters, maximizing damage output.
Revive & Potion Cost
- Average revives used: 8–14
- Average potions used: 10–18
- Dodging significantly reduces resource usage
- Using Mega Pokémon reduces total relobbies
Because Mega Malamar has a double weakness to Bug-type attacks, stacking Bug-type damage is the fastest and most efficient strategy. Below are optimized team setups based on player level and raid size.
🔥 Optimal DPS Team (Fastest Clear – 2 to 3 Trainers)
- Volcarona
- Pheromosa
- Genesect
- Scizor (Fury Cutter + X-Scissor)
- Yanmega
- Heracross
✔ All Pokémon deal double super-effective damage ✔ Ideal for Rainy weather (Bug boost) ✔ Fastest possible raid clear time
🛡 Balanced Team (3 to 5 Trainers – Safer Clear)
- Volcarona
- Genesect
- Scizor (Fury Cutter + X-Scissor)
- Xerneas (Geomancy + Moonblast)
- Togekiss (Charm + Dazzling Gleam)
- Heracross
✔ Combines Bug DPS with Fairy bulk ✔ More forgiving against Dark-type charged moves ✔ Recommended for mixed-skill lobbies
💰 Budget / Accessible Team
- Scizor (Fury Cutter + X-Scissor)
- Yanmega
- Heracross
- Pinsir
- Vikavolt
- Beedrill
✔ No Mythicals required ✔ Still benefits from double weakness ✔ Ideal for newer trainers
Recommended Group Size
- 2 Trainers: Easy with strong Bug counters
- 3 Trainers: Very safe clear
- 4+ Trainers: Extremely comfortable
Thanks to its double weakness, Mega Malamar is not among the hardest Mega raids. Proper Bug-type teams can clear it quickly.
Raid Strategy
Focus on Bug-Type Damage
Build your team around high-DPS Bug attackers to take full advantage of the double weakness.
Avoid Psychic Attackers
Mega Malamar double resists Psychic moves, making them extremely inefficient.
Coordinate Mega Evolution Boosts
Activating a Mega Bug Pokémon early increases team-wide Bug damage and speeds up the raid significantly.
Evolution, Mega Details & Buddy Distance
| Evolution Line | Base(Inkay) → Final(Malamar) → Mega(Malamar) |
| Mega Energy (First) | 300 |
| Subsequent Cost | 60 |
| Buddy Distance | 5 km |
| Mega Energy via Buddy | Yes |
| Mega Boost Bonus(Walking) | Extra Candy |
| Mega Boost Bonus(Catch) | Extra Dark/Psychic-type Candy |
Types to Avoid
- Psychic-type attackers (double resisted)
- Ghost-type attackers (resisted)
- Dark-type attackers (resisted)
Using resisted types significantly slows down raid completion and may cause unnecessary relobbies.
Buddy Distance
5 km (per Pokémon GO buddy distance)
Shadow & Mega Comparison
Rewards
- Mega Energy for Malamar
- Chance to catch Malamar (with boosted IVs)
- Rare Candy & XL Candy
📌 Is Mega Malamar Worth Raiding?
Mega Malamar provides Mega Energy and has niche PvE utility. While not a top-tier Mega attacker, it can be valuable for collection and specific battle formats. Trainers focused on Mega collections should consider raiding it.
Trainer Tips
- Prepare a preset Fairy-focused battle party before entering the raid.
- Coordinate Mega Evolutions to boost Fairy-type damage for teammates.
- Revive quickly if your primary counters faint to avoid time loss.
FAQ
Can Mega Malamar be shiny in Pokémon GO?
Shiny Malamar has been released in raids or events.
Is Mega Malamar difficult?
Not if you use strong Bug-type counters. Without Bug-types, it becomes much harder.
Can it be duoed?
Yes, experienced trainers with optimized Bug teams can defeat it with two players.
Best Mega boost?
A Mega Bug-type Pokémon boosts team-wide Bug damage significantly.
Does Mega Malamar 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 Malamar is a manageable Mega Raid boss with a major double weakness to Bug-type moves. Focus on strong Bug attackers for the fastest clear, use Fairy types as backup, and avoid resisted types to ensure efficient battles.