Quick facts
Species: Metagross (Mega)
Types: Steel / Psychic
Primary weaknesses: Fire, Ghost, Ground, Dark
Recommended lobby: 3–7 trainers
Mega Metagross is a powerful Steel/Psychic-type Mega Raid boss in Pokémon GO. Its dual typing gives it a long list of resistances, but also specific weaknesses that allow experienced trainers to take it down effectively. With the right counter team and strategy, Mega Metagross can be defeated quickly. This guide breaks down its weaknesses, best counters, team recommendations, weather boosts, battle tips, catch info, and more.
Table of Contents
Weakness Best Pokemon Regular Counters Shadow Counters Mega Counters Moveset Weather Effects Size Rewards FAQsOverview
Mega Metagross is one of the most intimidating Mega Pokémon in Pokémon GO, featuring a sleek design and fierce Steel / Psychic typing. Known as the “Iron Leg Pokémon,” Metagross already has a reputation as a fast but fragile attacker. With Mega Evolution, its power skyrockets, making it a glass cannon that can shred opponents quickly but also falls just as fast.
This guide will cover everything you need to know about defeating Mega Metagross in raids: weaknesses, best counters, ideal team setups, weather boosts, duo/trio possibilities, and even tips for maximizing rewards.
Weaknesses & resistances
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Weak to |
 Fire •
 Ghost •
 Ground •
 Dark
|
| Resists to |
 Normal •
 Flying •
 Poison •
 Rock •
 Steel •
 Grass •
 Psychic •
 Ice •
 Dragon •
 Fairy
|
| Notes | Bringing Fire, Dark, or Ground-type Pokémon ensures maximum DPS and takes advantage of Mega Metagross’ weaknesses. |
Best Mega Metagross Counters
Mega-type Counters
- Garchomp: (Mud Shot / Earth Power)
- Charizard Y: (Fire Spin / Blast Burn)
- Tyranitar: (Bite / Brutal Swing)
- Blaziken: (Fire Spin / Blast Burn)
Shadow-type Counters
- Hydreigon: (Bite / Brutal Swing)
Regular-type Counters
- Groudon: (Mud Shot / Precipice Blades)
- Dawn Wings Necrozma: (Shadow Claw / Moongeist Beam)
Best Mega Evolutions
Recommended Megas to use against Mega Metagross:
- Charizard X , Y, Blaziken, Salamence – Fire boost
- Gengar – Ghost boost
- Garchomp, Swampert – Ground boost
- Houndoom, Tyranitar, Absol, Salamence, Gyarados – Dark boost
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Primal Groudon | Mud Shot / Dragon Tail | Earthquake / Fire Blast / Solar Beam | Precipice Blades / Fire Punch | Dragon Tail (14) and Solar Beam (180) |
| Dawn Wings Necrozma | Shadow Claw / Metal Claw / Psycho Cut | Dark Pulse / Iron Head / Future Sight / Outrage / Moongeist Beam | - | Shadow Claw / Metal Claw (6) and Moongeist Beam (230) |
| Landorus | Mud Shot / Extrasensory | Superpower / Earthquake / Bulldoze / Stone Edge | Sandsear Storm | Extrasensory (11) and Sandsear Storm (150) |
| Reshiram | Fire Fang / Dragon Breath | Stone Edge / Overheat / Draco Meteor / Crunch | Fusion Flare | Fire Fang (13) and Overheat (160) |
| Lunala | Air Slash / Shadow Claw / Confusion | Shadow Ball / Psychic / Future Sight / Moonblast | - | Confusion (19) and Moonblast (130) |
| Blacephalon | Astonish / Incinerate | Shadow Ball / Mystical Fire / Overheat | - | Incinerate (32) and Overheat (160) |
| Hydreigon | Dragon Breath / Bite | Fly / Flash Cannon / Dragon Pulse / Dark Pulse | Brutal Swing | Dragon Breath / Bite (6) and Flash Cannon (100) |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shadow Salamence | Fire Fang / Dragon Tail / Bite | Fly / Fire Blast / Hydro Pump / Draco Meteor / Brutal Swing / Crunch | Outrage | Dragon Tail (14) and Draco Meteor (150) |
| Shadow Hydreigon | Dragon Breath / Bite | Fly / Flash Cannon / Dragon Pulse / Dark Pulse | Brutal Swing | Dragon Breath / Bite (6) and Flash Cannon (100) |
| Shadow Charizard | Air Slash / Fire Spin | Air Cutter / Fire Blast / Overheat / Dragon Claw | Wing Attack / Ember / Dragon Breath / Blast Burn / Flamethrower | Fire Spin (13) and Overheat (160) |
| Shadow Groudon | Mud Shot / Dragon Tail | Earthquake / Fire Blast / Solar Beam | Precipice Blades / Fire Punch | Dragon Tail (14) and Solar Beam (180) |
| Shadow Ho-Oh | Hidden Power / Steel Wing / Incinerate / Extrasensory | Brave Bird / Fire Blast / Solar Beam | Earthquake / Sacred Fire | Incinerate (32) and Solar Beam (180) |
| Shadow Moltres | Wing Attack / Fire Spin | Ancient Power / Fire Blast / Heat Wave / Overheat | Sky Attack | Fire Spin (13) and Overheat (160) |
| Shadow Darkrai | Snarl / Feint Attack | Focus Blast / Shadow Ball / Dark Pulse | Sludge Bomb | Snarl / Feint Attack (11) and Focus Blast (140) |
| Shadow Heatran | Bug Bite / Fire Spin | Earth Power / Stone Edge / Iron Head / Fire Blast / Flamethrower | Magma Storm | Fire Spin (13) and Fire Blast (140) |
| Shadow Garchomp | Mud Shot / Dragon Tail | Earthquake / Sand Tomb / Fire Blast / Outrage / Breaking Swipe | Earth Power | Dragon Tail (14) and Fire Blast / Earthquake(140) |
| Shadow Tyranitar | Iron Tail / Dragon Breath / Bite | Stone Edge / Fire Blast / Crunch / Brutal Swing | Smack Down | Iron Tail (14) and Fire Blast (140) |
| Shadow Chandelure | Hex / Fire Spin / Incinerate | Shadow Ball / Overheat / Flame Charge / Energy Ball | Poltergeist | Incinerate (32) and Overheat (160) |
| Shadow Excadrill | Mud Slap / Mud Shot / Metal Claw | Earthquake / Drill Run / Scorching Sands / Rock Slide / Iron Head | - | Mud Slap (19) and Earthquake (140) |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mega Swampert | Mud Shot / Water Gun | Sludge Wave / Sludge / Earthquake / Surf / Muddy Water | Hydro Cannon | Water Gun (5) and Earthquake (140) |
| Mega Gyarados | Waterfall / Dragon Breath / Bite | Hydro Pump / Outrage / Twister / Crunch | Dragon Tail / Aqua Tail / Dragon Pulse | Dragon Tail (14) and Hydro Pump (135) |
| Mega Absol | Psycho Cut / Snarl | Megahorn / Thunder / Dark Pulse / Payback | Brutal Swing | Snarl (11) and Megahorn (105) |
| Mega Gengar | Hex / Shadow Claw / Sucker Punch | Focus Blast / Drain Punch / Sludge Bomb / Shadow Ball | Lick / Sludge Wave / Shadow Punch / Psychic / Dark Pulse | Hex (8) and Focus Blast (140) |
| Mega Houndoom | Fire Fang / Snarl | Fire Blast / Flamethrower / Crunch / Foul Play | - | Fire Fang (13) and Fire Blast (140) |
| Mega Salamence | Fire Fang / Dragon Tail / Bite | Fly / Fire Blast / Hydro Pump / Draco Meteor / Brutal Swing / Crunch | Outrage | Dragon Tail (14) and Draco Meteor (150) |
| Mega Charizard X | Air Slash / Fire Spin | Dragon Claw / Fire Blast / Air Cutter / Overheat | Dragon Breath / Ember / Wing Attack / Flamethrower / Blast Burn | Fire Spin (13) and Overheat (160) |
| Mega Charizard Y | Air Slash / Fire Spin | Dragon Claw / Fire Blast / Air Cutter / Overheat | Dragon Breath / Ember / Wing Attack / Flamethrower / Blast Burn | Fire Spin (13) and Overheat (160) |
| Mega Blaziken | Counter / Fire Spin / Ember | Focus Blast / Aura Sphere / Brave Bird / Overheat / Blaze Kick | Stone Edge / Blast Burn | Counter / Fire Spin (13) and Overheat (160) |
| Mega Tyranitar | Iron Tail / Dragon Breath / Bite | Stone Edge / Fire Blast / Crunch / Brutal Swing | Smack Down | Iron Tail (14) and Fire Blast (140) |
| Mega Garchomp | Mud Shot / Dragon Tail | Earthquake / Sand Tomb / Fire Blast / Outrage / Breaking Swipe | Earth Power | Dragon Tail (14) and Fire Blast / Earthquake(140) |
Moves & Threats
Metagross common fast moves are Fury Cutter or Bullet Punch or Zen Headbutt. Charged moves include Earthquake or Flash Cannon and Psychic. Elite moves include Meteor Mash.
Threat: Mega Metagross hits fast with Bullet Punch and Meteor Mash, so shields are critical.
Tip: Avoid weak Fire-types alone, as Meteor Mash will still hurt if unprepared.
Most dangerous moveset: Bullet Punch + Meteor Mash — Meteor Mash deals massive damage and is difficult to resist without proper counters.
Weather Effects
Sunny weather : boosts Fire type attackers. Windy weather : boosts Ghost and Dark attackers.
Mega Metagross’s Meteor Mash hits very hard. Prioritize bulky Fire- or Ground-types to absorb damage while dishing out super-effective hits.
Why These Counters Work
Mega Metagross’ Steel/Psychic typing gives it many resistances, but it takes increased damage from Fire, Ground, Ghost, and Dark moves. Water-types generally struggle because Metagross resists many of their attacks, so prioritizing counters with those specific typings is the key to a fast win.
Recommended Team Setups
Best 3–4 Trainer Team
- Mega Charizard Y
- Primal Groudon
- Dawn Wings Necrozma
- Mega Gengar
Budget Team (5–7 Trainers)
- Mega Blaziken
- Reshiram
- Shadow Tyranitar
- Excadrill
- Garchomp
Even if you lack the absolute top counters, combining Fire, Ground, Ghost, and Dark attackers will steadily chew through Mega Metagross’ health bar.
Battle Strategy Tips
- Lead with your strongest DPS such as Mega Charizard Y or Primal Groudon.
- Dodge powerful charged moves like Meteor Mash and Psychic when possible — dodging boosts survivability.
- If using Ghost counters, position them to avoid early fainting so they can deal sustained damage.
- Coordinate with teammates for Max Move timing if using Megas for boosted attacks.
- Rejoin the raid quickly if fainted — more damage over time means faster wins.
When to avoid
Avoid using Fairy or Psychic types, as they take heavy damage from Metagross’s Steel and Psychic moves. Fragile Bug or Ice types can also faint too quickly.
Duo & Trio Possibility
A duo is possible with maxed-out counters and coordination. A trio is comfortable for mid-level players. Casual groups should bring 4–5 trainers.
Rewards
- Mega Energy for Metagross
- Chance to catch Metagross (with boosted IVs)
- Rare Candy & XL Candy
Why Raid Mega Metagross?
Vital for Mega Metagross energy farming, Psychic/Steel Pokédex completion, and strengthening high-defense raid strategies.
PvP Relevance
While Metagross isn’t top tier in PvP, it’s a fun spice pick. Mega Metagross shines more in raids and PvE content.
FAQ
Can Mega Metagross be shiny in Pokémon GO?
Yes. Shiny Metagross has been released in raids or events.
What are best moveset of Metagross?
Best moveset of Metagross are Zen Headbutt which does damage of 11 under Fast Attack and Earthquake of 140 under Charged Attack.
Are Shadow Pokémon better?
Yes—Shadow forms have +20% attack, making them excellent choices if available.
What is the best weather to raid Mega Metagross?
Sunny weather to boosts Fire type counters. Windy weather to boosts Ghost and Dark type counters.
What makes Mega Metagross strong?
Its high attack, strong resistances, and Meteor Mash make it a top-tier raid and PvP option.
Conclusion
Mega Metagross is challenging due to its many resistances and strong moves, but by exploiting its weaknesses to Fire, Ground, Ghost, and Dark attacks you can defeat it efficiently. Use the recommended counters, time dodges carefully, and take advantage of weather boosts to maximize your raid success!
Related Guides
Looking for more counters? Check out our Mega Garchomp Raid Guide, Mega Tyranitar Raid Guide, Mega Charizard Y Raid Guide
Summary
- Lead with Fire, Ground, or Dark Pokémon
- Be ready to shield against Meteor Mash
- Avoid soloing with only weak counters; type advantage is key
- Check weather boosts for extra damage
- High-speed attackers maximize raid efficiency