Pheromosa Raid Guide – Best Counters, Weakness, CP & Strategy

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Raid Boss: Pheromosa

Type:
Bug Fighting

Raid Tier: Legendary Raid

Recommended Trainers: 3-5

Raid Boss CP: 37954

Shiny Available: Yes

Major Weakness: Flying, Fire, Psychic, Fairy

Pheromosa raid boss Pokémon GO weakness counters guide

Images are used for informational and educational purposes only. All rights belong to their respective owners.


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Raid Boss Overview – Pheromosa

Pheromosa is a Ultra Beast raid boss in Pokémon GO, known for its extreme speed and very high Attack stat, but extremely low defense. This makes it a high-risk, high-reward raid boss.

Why Pheromosa Matters

Ultra Beast Powerhouse

  • Massive Attack stat → very high DPS potential
  • Great for PvE damage roles (Raids & Gym attacking)
  • Useful as a niche counter against:
    • Dark types
    • Psychic types
    • Normal types
    • Grass types

Meta Importance

  • It matters because:
    • It is part of the Ultra Beast family, which are often top-tier attackers
    • It fills a rare Bug/Fighting DPS niche
    • It is useful when you need pure damage output over survivability

Raid Value

  • Not a tank
  • Not a support
  • Pure glass cannon attacker

Difficulty Level

Raid Difficulty: Medium → High (depending on players)

Solo

Not possible

  • Pheromosa is too strong offensively
  • You will faint repeatedly before finishing

Duo

Very difficult

  • Only possible with:
    • High-level Fire/Flying/Psychic counters
    • Weather boost (Windy or Sunny helps counters)
  • Requires excellent coordination

Trio

Possible but still challenging

  • Recommended minimum for experienced players
  • Needs strong counters like:
    • Fire-types
    • Flying-types
    • Psychic-types

4–6 Players

Comfortable range

  • Most raids are easy here
  • Faster clear time with proper counters

7+ Players

Easy mode

  • Very safe
  • Minimal coordination required

Why It Can Feel Hard

Even though it is fragile, it hits extremely hard:

  • Fast Attack pressure
  • High DPS moves
  • Forces frequent fainting cycles

Best Strategy Insight

Best Counters

  • Fire types
  • Flying types
  • Psychic types

Avoid

  • Dark types (take Fighting damage)
  • Grass types (get destroyed by Bug/Fighting)

Pheromosa – Moveset & Raid Boss Analysis

Pheromosa is a very glassy but extremely high-attack Ultra Beast, meaning:

  • It hits HARD
  • But it also goes down quickly
  • Its danger depends more on moveset pressure than bulk

Fast Moves

Move Type Pressure Level Notes
Bug Bite Bug Medium Fast energy + chip damage
Poison Jab Poison High Very dangerous vs Fairy/Fighting counters
Low Kick Fighting Medium Strong vs Steel/Rock counters

Key Insight

  • Poison Jab = most threatening fast move
  • It punishes Fairy & Fighting counters heavily
  • Bug Bite is more balanced but still fast pressure

Charged Moves

Move Type Damage Danger Level Notes
Bug Buzz Bug High High Strong STAB, big neutral damage
Focus Blast Fighting Very High Extreme Can one-shot many counters
Lunge Bug Medium Medium Lowers attacker attack
Poison Jab Poison High High Anti-Fairy coverage

Key Charged Move Threats

Focus Blast

  • MOST DANGEROUS MOVE
  • Deletes:
    • Rock types
    • Steel types
    • Dark counters

Bug Buzz

  • Strong spam pressure
  • Good neutral damage across most teams

Lunge

  • Not just damage → also lowers your Attack
  • Makes long raids harder

Elite / Legacy Moves

Move Type Status Notes
Low Kick Fighting Standard Sometimes legacy in some rotations
Lunge Bug Event-based Often limited availability
Focus Blast Fighting Standard charged Core coverage move

Raid Boss “Danger Combinations”

Set 1: Poison Pressure

  • Fast: Poison Jab
  • Charged: Focus Blast + Bug Buzz

Destroys:

  • Fairy teams
  • Fighting teams

Set 2: Anti-Steel Nuker

  • Fast: Low Kick
  • Charged: Focus Blast

Destroys:

  • MetagrossMetagross
  • Dialga
  • Rock types

Set 3: Balanced Pressure

  • Fast: Bug Bite
  • Charged: Bug Buzz + Lunge

Move Danger Ranking

Rank Move Why
S+ Focus Blast One-shot potential
S Poison Jab Anti-meta fast move
S Bug Buzz Reliable heavy damage
A Lunge Debuff pressure
B Bug Bite Basic fast chip
B Low Kick Situational

Pheromosa Performance Guide

Pheromosa is one of the most extreme “glass cannon” style attackers in Pokémon GO and mainline-inspired metas: insanely high Attack, but very low bulk. That single trait defines how it performs everywhere.

PvE (Raids & PvE Attacking)

Performance

  • Pheromosa is one of the highest DPS Pokémon in the game when used correctly.

Best role:

  • Bug-type attacker vs Psychic / Dark raids
  • Fighting-type attacker vs Normal / Rock / Steel raids

Why it’s strong:

  • Extremely high Attack stat
  • Fast moves + strong charged moves
  • Great for speed clearing raids

Weakness in PvE:

  • Dies very quickly to raid boss charged moves
  • Needs revive/heal rotation often
  • Not beginner-friendly

Verdict:

  • Top-tier glass cannon attacker
  • Often out-DPSes bulkier alternatives if not fainting too early

Gyms (Attacking & Defending)

Gym Attacking

  • Very strong for fast gym clears
  • Deletes defenders quickly like Blissey / Snorlax (if not resisted)
  • Best used in “hit-and-switch” style

Gym Defense

  • Absolutely terrible

Why?

  • Too fragile
  • Gets KO’d instantly
  • No defensive pressure

PvP (Trainer Battles)

This is where things get interesting.

Core Issue

Pheromosa’s bulk is so low that:

  • It loses most neutral matchups
  • Even resisted hits hurt a lot
  • Shield dependency is extremely high

Great League (1500 CP)

Not usable

  • CP too high naturally
  • Too frail even if it could enter

Ultra League (2500 CP)

Viability: Niche / Glass Cannon Pick

  • Can win shielded scenarios
  • Very strong pressure with Fighting/Bug damage
  • Threatens Dark, Psychic, and Normal types hard

Wins:

  • Cresselia (situational)
  • Registeel (if played carefully)
  • Dark-types like Giratina-Origin pressure matchups

Loses hard to:

  • Flyers (Talonflame-style threats)
  • Charm users
  • Anything that outbulks it

Master League

Viability: Very low

  • Gets outclassed by bulky legendaries
  • Cannot survive fast-charged moves
  • Even shield advantage often not enough

Example threats:

  • Mewtwodestroys it with Psychic damage
  • Dragons and Steel-types tank it easily

PvP Cups

Pheromosa behaves differently depending on restrictions:

Bug Cup

  • Strong contender
  • One of the fastest offensive threats
  • Still fragile, but less punished due to limited typings

Fighting Cup

  • Strong but risky
  • Competes with bulkier Fighters like Medicham -style tanks
  • Wins fast matchups, loses long fights

Psychic Cup

  • Niche anti-meta pick
  • Can punish Psychic-heavy teams quickly
  • But still dies if not shielded

Remix Cups

  • Sometimes usable as a “closer”
  • Works best when opponents don’t expect it

Pheromosa Raid Strategy Guide

Pheromosa is one of the most extreme Ultra Beasts in Pokémon GO:

  • Extremely high Attack
  • Extremely low Defense
  • Very fast raid battle pace

Solo Strategy

Is Solo Possible?

  • YES — for high-level trainers
Requirement Recommended
Trainer Level 40+
Best Friend Bonus Helpful
Weather Boost Windy
Mega Pokémon Highly recommended
Revives Needed Medium

Best Solo Counters

  • Mega Rayquaza
  • Mega Pidgeot
  • Rayquaza
  • Yveltal
  • Moltres
  • Honchkrow
  • Staraptor

Solo Tips

  • Dodge charged moves if possible
  • Rejoin quickly after fainting
  • Focus on maximum Flying DPS
  • Avoid bulky low-damage Pokémon

Duo Strategy

Difficulty

  • Easy for experienced players

Best Duo Setup

  • Player 1: Mega Rayquaza / Mega Pidgeot
  • Player 2: Full Flying DPS team

Duo Tips

  • Coordinate Mega boosts
  • Use Best Friend bonus
  • Avoid relobby delays

Trio Strategy

Difficulty

  • Very easy

Recommended for

  • Casual groups
  • Mid-level players
  • Players without maxed Pokémon

Trio Tips

  • At least one Mega Flying Pokémon helps a lot
  • Use revived Flying teams instead of random counters
  • Avoid using Fighting/Dark attackers

Beginner Strategy

Recommended Group Size

  • 4–6 trainers

Good Easy Counters

  • Honchkrow
  • Staraptor
  • Unfezant
  • Togekiss
  • Braviary

Beginner Tips

  • Focus on Flying moves
  • Don’t use auto-select teams blindly
  • Revive quickly
  • Stay in lobby together

Intermediate Strategy

Recommended Group Size

  • 2–4 trainers

Best Approach

  • Build dedicated Flying teams
  • Use Mega evolutions
  • Time charged move dodges

Intermediate Tips

  • Save strongest attackers for first half
  • Use party power if available
  • Weather boosts help massively

Advanced Strategy

Recommended Group Size

  • Solo or Duo

Advanced Techniques

  • Full Flying shadow teams
  • Pre-made battle parties
  • Fast relobby methods

Advanced Tips

  • Restart bad raid
  • Avoid wasted dodge animations
  • Optimize friendship bonuses

Expert Strategy

Pheromosa becomes a “speedrun raid” for experts.

Experts can:

  • Solo consistently
  • Win with time remaining comfortably
  • Use glass-cannon Flying teams

Expert Team Concepts

Use:

  • Mega Rayquaza
  • Shadow Moltres
  • Shadow Honchkrow
  • Rayquaza
  • Yveltal

Expert Tips

  • Dodge only lethal charged moves
  • Maintain continuous damage
  • Use XL-powered Flying attackers
  • Optimize move timing

Common Raid Mistakes

Mistake Why It Hurts
Using Fighting-types Pheromosa resists them
Using bulky tanks Low DPS wastes time
Ignoring Flying weakness Flying deals massive damage
Auto-selected teams Often gives poor counters
Slow relobbying Loses valuable seconds

Weather Strategy

Weather Effect
Windy Boosts Flying moves (best)
Cloudy Boosts Pheromosa Fighting moves
Rainy Neutral

Pheromosa Raid Counters Guide

Why Pheromosa Is Unique

Pheromosa is one of the most extreme raid bosses in Pokémon GO:

  • Very high Attack
  • Extremely low Defense
  • Functions like a “glass cannon”

Top Counters (Best Overall)

Best Overall Counters

Pokémon Why It’s Amazing
Mega Rayquaza Highest Flying DPS in game
Mega Salamence Massive Flying damage
Rayquaza Dragon Ascent destroys Pheromosa
Yveltal Strong Flying + Dark bulk
Moltres Excellent Flying attacker
Staraptor Budget Flying monster
Honchkrow High Flying DPS
Braviary Strong accessible option

Mega Rayquaza

Why It’s #1

  • Dragon Ascent is insanely powerful
  • Mega boost helps entire team
  • Pheromosa’s low defense melts instantly

Best Moveset

  • Air Slash
  • Dragon Ascent

Mega Salamence

Why It’s Strong

  • Huge Flying damage
  • Excellent DPS
  • Easier alternative to Mega Rayquaza

Weakness

  • Less bulky

Moltres

Why It’s Reliable

  • Strong Flying attacks
  • Fire typing resists Bug damage

Best Use

  • Safe consistent damage dealer

Staraptor

Why Budget Players Love It

  • Easy to obtain
  • Very high Flying DPS
  • Excellent raid value

Counters By Type Strength

Flying Counters

Why Flying Is Dominant

  • 4× SUPER EFFECTIVE DAMAGE

Best Flying Attackers

Pokémon Rating
Mega Rayquaza ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rayquaza ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Mega Salamence ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Moltres ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Yveltal ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Staraptor ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Fire Counters

Why Fire Works

  • Fire beats Bug typing
  • Many Fire Pokémon are strong attackers

Best Fire Counters

Pokémon Notes
Mega Charizard Y Strong Fire + Flying utility
Reshiram Excellent Fire DPS
Heatran Very tanky

Psychic Counters

Why Psychic Helps

  • Fighting typing is weak to Psychic.

Best Psychic Counters

Pokémon Notes
Mewtwo Massive neutral/super-effective pressure
Mega Alakazam Huge Psychic damage
Unbound Hoopa Very high attack

Fairy Counters

Why Fairy Works

  • Fairy beats Fighting types.

Best Fairy Counters

Pokémon Notes
Mega Gardevoir Great support Mega
Xerneas Strong Fairy attacker
Togekiss Bulky option

Dangerous Raid Boss Moves

Moves That Hurt Counters

Move Danger Level Why
Focus Blast ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Can nuke fragile Flying Pokémon
Bug Buzz ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Strong Bug damage
Lunge ⭐⭐⭐ Spam pressure
Low Kick ⭐⭐⭐ Fast Fighting damage

Counter Strategy Tips

Best Overall Strategy

Use:

  • Full Flying team
  • Mega Flying boost

For Beginners

Use:

  • Staraptor
  • Honchkrow
  • Unfezant
  • Moltres

For Experts

Use:

  • Mega Rayquaza lead
  • Full Flying DPS squad
  • Weather boost (Windy)

Best Counter Tier List

Tier Pokémon
S+ Mega Rayquaza
S Mega Salamence, Rayquaza
A+ Moltres, Yveltal
A Staraptor , Honchkrow
B Fire/Psychic/Fairy alternatives

Shiny Comparison – Pheromosa

Pheromosa is already a very striking Ultra Beast, but its shiny form is one of the more subtle visual changes in Pokémon GO, which makes it interesting for collectors.

Normal vs Shiny Appearance

Normal Pheromosa:

  • Body color: White / pale cream
  • Accents: Pink legs + yellow highlights
  • Overall feel: Clean, elegant, “bug-like ultrabeast design”

Shiny Pheromosa:

  • Body color: slightly deeper cream / off-white
  • Pink tones become more muted and slightly warmer
  • Yellow accents shift slightly toward golden tint

Visual Difference Summary

Feature Normal Shiny
Body Bright white Slightly darker cream
Legs Bright pink Softer, muted pink
Accents Yellow More golden tone
Overall look Crisp & clean Warm & subtle
Normal Pheromosa

Pheromosa

Images are used for informational and educational purposes only. All rights belong to their respective owners.

Shiny Pheromosa

Shiny Pheromosa

Images are used for informational and educational purposes only. All rights belong to their respective owners.


Evolution & Buddy Distance – Pheromosa

Evolution

No evolution available

  • Pheromosa is a Ultra Beast
  • It does NOT evolve into or from any Pokémon
  • It exists as a standalone final-form species

Buddy Distance

20 km per Candy

Best Ways to Get Candy Faster

Rare Candies:

  • From raids, PvP, events

Pinap Berries (during catches):

  • Doubles candy from catches
  • Works well in raids/events

Mega Bonus:

  • Mega Bug/Fighting-type boosts candy XL chance

Best Mega Evolutions vs Pheromosa

Raid Boss Typing

  • Bug / Fighting

This gives it key weaknesses to:

  • Flying (BEST)
  • Fire
  • Fairy
  • Psychic

Best Mega Counters

Mega Rayquaza

Mega Rayquaza

  • Insane Flying-type DPS
  • Double resistance pressure (Bug + Fighting)
  • Fast raid clears

Mega Charizard Y

Mega Charizard Y

  • Fire destroys Bug typing
  • High raw DPS
  • Easy to use in raids

Mega Pinsir

Mega Pinsir

  • Flying-type attacks
  • Strong neutral pressure

Mega Gardevoir

Mega Gardevoir

  • Resists Fighting
  • Strong Fairy damage
  • Boosts team Fairy DPS

Mega Alakazam

Mega Alakazam

  • Psychic hits Fighting super effectively
  • High glass cannon damage

Strategy Insight

Best Raid Team Setup

  • 1 Flying Mega (Rayquaza if possible)
  • Fire attackers (Charizard Y users)
  • Flying DPS backup (Staraptor, etc.)

Avoid Using

  • Bug Pokémon (they take neutral but are weak defensively)
  • Slow tanks (time pressure raid)

Boosted Candy & Catching Bonus – Pheromosa

When catching Pheromosa after raids or in special events, certain bonuses can increase the amount of Candy you get per catch and speed up your Pokémon progression.

What “Boosted Candy” Means

Normally, when you catch a Pokémon, you get:

  • 3 Candy (base reward)
  • Plus bonuses from items or effects

Pinap Berry Bonus

Effect:

  • Doubles Candy from a catch
Situation Candy Earned
Normal catch 3 Candy
With Pinap Berry 6 Candy
Silver Pinap Berry 7–8 Candy

Why it matters for Pheromosa

  • Pheromosa is an Ultra Beast
  • Harder to farm outside raids/events
  • Candy is needed for:
    • Powering up
    • Unlocking max CP potential
    • Building PvP or raid teams

Mega Evolution Candy Bonus

If you have a Mega Pokémon active (same type boost mechanic):

  • You get extra Candy chance per catch

If a Bug or Fighting Mega is active:

  • Higher chance of +1 extra Candy
  • Sometimes +2 Candy total bonus

XL Candy Boost

For high-level players:

  • Higher chance of +1 extra Candy
  • Used for:
    • Level 40–50 power-ups

Why it matters:

  • Raid DPS
  • PvP viability (Ultra League niche)

Best Candy Farming Strategy

Ideal Setup for Pheromosa

Method Result
Pinap Berry Double Candy
Mega Bug/Fighting Pokémon Bonus Candy chance
Excellent Curveball Higher catch success
Raid catches High base Candy reward

Weaknesses of Pheromosa

Pheromosa is a Bug / Fighting-type Ultra Beast, which makes it extremely powerful offensively—but also one of the glassiest Pokémon in the game.

Type Weaknesses

Fire (DOUBLE WEAK SPOT FEEL)

  • Bug is weak to Fire
  • Fighting is neutral to Fire

Example counters:

  • Fire attackers melt it quickly

Flying (BIGGEST WEAKNESS)

  • Fighting is weak to Flying
  • Bug is neutral to Flying

Why it’s dangerous:

  • Flying types often have high DPS
  • Pheromosa’s defense is very low

Psychic

  • Fighting is weak to Psychic

Important note:

  • Psychic attackers can KO it very fast due to low bulk

Rock

  • Bug is weak to Rock

Common in raids:

  • Rock Slide / Smack Down users can punish it hard

Fairy (Neutral but risky in PvP)

  • Not super effective, but:
    • Fairy moves hit Fighting neutrally and often come with high bulk Pokémon

Hidden Weakness

Extreme Glass Cannon Stats

Even more important than typing:

  • Very low Defense
  • Very low HP
  • Very high Attack + Speed

Weakness Summary Table

Type Effect
Fire Super Effective
Flying Super Effective (worst matchup)
Psychic Super Effective
Rock Super Effective

Raid & PvP Impact

In Raids (as attacker)

  • Hits extremely hard
  • But faints very quickly

In PvP

  • Can sweep teams if shielded properly
  • But loses instantly if countered

Resistances – Pheromosa

Resistance tells you which attack types deal reduced damage to a Pokémon. Pheromosa is a Bug / Fighting type, which creates a very unusual defensive profile: It has very few resistances and many weaknesses.

What Pheromosa Resists

Type Resistances

Type Damage Taken Why
Bug Reduced Bug resists Bug
Grass Reduced Bug resists Grass
Fighting Reduced Bug resists Fighting

Explanation of Key Resistances

Bug resistance

  • Bug-type attacks deal less damage
  • But Bug moves are rarely used for defense anyway

Grass resistance

  • Helps slightly vs Grass attackers
  • Not very impactful in raids

Fighting resistance

  • Very important in PvP situations
  • Reduces damage from Fighting-type counters

What Pheromosa is NOT resistant to

Even though it has resistances, it is still:

Weak to:

  • Fire
  • Ice
  • Flying
  • Psychic
  • Fairy

This means:

  • It takes super effective damage from many common raid types
  • It is extremely fragile in real battles

Defensive Reality

Pheromosa has:

  • Extremely high Attack
  • Very low Defense & HP

Practical Impact in Raids

When resistances help:

  • Slight reduction vs Fighting attackers
  • Slight survivability vs Bug/Grass moves

When they don’t matter:

  • Most raid bosses use Fire / Flying / Psychic moves
  • These hit Pheromosa very hard anyway

Conclusion – Pheromosa

Pheromosa is a glass cannon Ultra Beast—it delivers some of the highest raw DPS in Pokémon GO, but it pays for it with extremely low survivability.

What It’s Best At

PvE (Raids)

  • One of the top Fighting-type attackers
  • Also strong Bug-type attacker

Excels when:

  • You want fast raid damage
  • You dodge or use it in short fights

PvP (Limited Use)

  • Extremely niche
  • Too fragile for open leagues

Only usable in:

  • Special cups
  • Shield-heavy bait strategies (rare)

Gym Battles

  • Not ideal
  • Faints too quickly to be reliable

Biggest Weaknesst

Extreme Glass Cannon Design

  • Very low Defense
  • Very low bulk

Problems:

  • Gets one-shot by many charged moves
  • Poor consistency in long battles
  • Requires perfect timing to perform well

When You SHOULD Use It

Use Pheromosa if you:

  • Want top-tier raid DPS
  • Enjoy fast-clear raid teams
  • Have strong dodging skills

When You SHOULD NOT Use It

Avoid if you:

  • Want safe, tanky Pokémon
  • Prefer PvP consistency
  • Don’t want to dodge in raids

Catch CP for Pheromosa

Base Catch CP Range

Normal (No Weather Boost)

  • CP Range: ~ 1800 – 1900 CP
  • 100% IV CP: 1906 CP

Weather Boosted

  • CP Range: ~ 2250 – 2380 CP
  • 100% IV CP: ~ 2383 CP

What CP Means in Catch Screen

CP Value Meaning
~1800–1850 Low IV (0–30%)
~1850–1890 Medium IV (30–80%)
1906 100% IV (no boost)
~2383 100% IV (weather boosted)

Important Catch Insight

But feels difficult because:

  • Very high attack animation speed
  • Jumps and attacks often
  • Small timing window for throws

Catch Tips

To catch Pheromosa easily:

  • Use Golden Razz Berry
  • Always throw curveballs
  • Aim for Excellent throws
  • Wait for attack → throw immediately after

Weather Boost for Pheromosa

Weather boost affects how strong Pheromosa becomes in raids, PvP encounters, and wild encounters. Since Pheromosa is a Bug/Fighting-type Ultra Beast, it benefits from specific weather conditions—but it also becomes more dangerous to fight in those conditions.

Weather That Boosts Pheromosa

Rainy Weather (Bug boost)

  • Boosts Bug-type moves
  • Pheromosa becomes stronger with Bug fast/charged moves

Cloudy Weather (Fighting boost)

  • Boosts Fighting-type moves
  • Makes its Fighting attacks hit much harder

What Changes in Raids?

When Pheromosa is weather boosted:

  • Higher CP when you encounter it
  • Stronger fast moves (Bug/Fighting pressure increases)
  • Harder raid difficulty overall

Weather Boost Impact on Counters

Rainy Weather (Bug boosted)

  • Bug moves hit harder
  • Psychic counters are NOT useful anyway
  • Steel and Fire remain safest

Cloudy Weather (Fighting boosted)

  • Fighting moves become dangerous
  • Key threat to Ice, Rock, Dark counters

Best Counters in Weather Boost

Steel Types (BEST OVERALL)

  • Resist both Bug and Fighting
  • Stay consistent even in boosted weather

Fire Types (BEST vs Bug boost)

  • Strong vs Bug moves
  • High DPS option

Flying / Psychic (situational)

  • Good damage but riskier under Fighting boost

Why Weather Boost Makes Pheromosa Dangerous

Even though Pheromosa is already:

  • Very fast attacker
  • Very high DPS Pokémon

Weather boost makes it worse for raiders because:

  • It hits harder before fainting
  • Forces more dodging
  • Increases team faint rate

Is Pheromosa Worth Raiding?

PvE (Raids & Gyms Value)

Strengths

  • One of the highest Attack stats in the game
  • Extremely fast raid damage
  • Top-tier Bug + Fighting attacker

Best Use Cases

  • Psychic raids
  • Dark raids
  • Grass raids
  • Normal raids (Fighting DPS role)

Weaknesses

  • Extremely fragile (very low bulk)
  • Faints quickly in raids
  • Requires dodging or revives

PvP Value

PvP Performance

  • Very glassy
  • Gets easily one-shot
  • No reliable bulk for sustained fights

Not recommended in:

  • Great League
  • Ultra League
  • Master League

Raid Utility Role

  • No Mega evolution
  • No defensive utility
  • Pure attacker only

When You SHOULD Raid Pheromosa

You should raid it if:

  • You want top DPS Bug/Fighting attacker
  • You collect Ultra Beasts
  • You do high-level raid optimization

When You SHOULD NOT Raid It

Skip if:

  • You are a beginner
  • You want tanky Pokémon
  • You don’t like glass cannons
  • You already have strong Fighting attackers (like Terrakion / Lucario / Conkeldurr)

Personal Raid Experience – Pheromosa

First Impression

The moment the raid starts, Pheromosa feels different from most Ultra Beasts:

  • Extremely fast animation style
  • Very high attack pressure
  • Almost no “breathing room” in battle

Battle Experience

Phase 1: Early Battle

At the start:

  • It attacks quickly with Bug/Fighting pressure
  • Fast moves feel constant
  • You cannot relax even for a second

Phase 2: Mid Battle

This is where things become intense:

  • Charged moves come in rapidly
  • It punishes slow teams
  • Glass cannon attackers die fast

Phase 3: End Game Pressure

If your team is not optimized:

  • Relobbies become frequent
  • Timer becomes stressful
  • Mistakes cost a lot of time

But with good counters:

  • The boss melts quickly
  • Raid feels smooth and satisfying

What You Learn After Raiding It

Speed is not everything

High DPS Pokémon alone are not enough

  • You need survivability + consistency

Flying-type dominance becomes obvious

Because Pheromosa is:

  • Bug / Fighting

Flying attackers become extremely valuable:

  • They resist Fighting
  • They deal super effective damage

Glass cannons are risky

You quickly notice:

  • Fragile Ice attackers die too fast
  • Balanced Pokémon perform better overall

Best Raid Feeling

When the raid is done properly:

  • You barely use revives
  • The boss goes down fast
  • Team synergy feels rewarding

Worst Raid Experience

If team is unprepared:

  • Constant fainting loops
  • Poor counters (wrong typing)
  • Time runs out even with damage done

This raid punishes:

  • Random teams
  • Wrong typing choices
  • Over-glass-cannon setups

Unique Insights – Pheromosa

Glass Cannon Extreme is not just a weakness — it’s its identity

Pheromosa isn’t just fragile… it is designed around short burst damage windows.

  • It does not win by surviving
  • It wins by erasing targets before they respond

It values energy speed more than raw DPS charts

Most players look at DPS. Pheromosa cares more about:

  • Fast move tempo
  • Charged move access timing
  • Damage burst cycles

It punishes bad raid timing harder than most Pokémon

Because it is so fragile:

  • One wrong dodge = faint
  • One delayed switch = wasted energy cycle

It is secretly a “weather-dependent monster”

Pheromosa becomes dramatically different depending on weather:

  • Sunny → Fire moves hurt it more → survival drops
  • Rainy → less relevant damage pressure
  • Snow → Ice counters become more common → it struggles

Beginner vs Expert perception gap is extreme

Player level Opinion of Pheromosa
Beginner Too weak, dies instantly
Intermediate High DPS but risky
Expert One of the fastest raid accelerators

Pheromosa FAQ

What is Pheromosa?

Pheromosa is a Bug/Fighting-type Ultra Beast introduced in Pokémon GO. It is known for its extreme speed and very high attack stat, making it one of the strongest glass cannon attackers in raids.

Is Pheromosa good in raids?

Yes—Pheromosa is one of the highest DPS attackers in the game, especially against:

  • Dark-type bosses
  • Psychic-type bosses
  • Grass-type bosses
  • Grass-type bosses

However, it is extremely fragile, so it faints quickly.

What are Pheromosa’s best moves?

Best Raid Moveset:

  • Fast Move: Bug Bite
  • Charged Move: Bug Buzz / Focus Blast

Alternative:

  • Low Kick (for Fighting DPS role)

Is Pheromosa good in PvP?

Not really.

  • Very low bulk
  • Dies too quickly
  • Needs shields constantly

What makes Pheromosa special?

  • One of the highest Attack stats in Pokémon GO
  • Extremely fast damage output
  • Ultra Beast status gives it unique raid relevance

What are its weaknesses?

Pheromosa is double-weak to:

  • Fire
  • Rock
  • Fairy
  • Flying
  • Psychic

What are the best counters against Pheromosa raids?

Top counters include:

  • Mewtwo (Psychic attackers)
  • Moltres (Fire/Flying damage)
  • Rayquaza (Flying DPS)
  • Metagross (Tanky neutral DPS)

Is Pheromosa worth powering up?

Yes if:

  • You want top-tier raid DPS
  • You have strong raid teams

No if:

  • You want PvP Pokémon
  • You prefer bulky attackers

Is Pheromosa useful for beginners?

Beginners may struggle because:

  • It faints quickly
  • Requires dodging and strong team support

Final Summary

Pheromosa is:

  • Extremely powerful attacker
  • Extremely fragile
  • Best used in raids, not PvP

Pokédex Entry – Pheromosa

Basic Info

  • Pokémon Name: Pheromosa
  • Type: Bug / Fighting
  • Category: Lissome Pokémon (Ultra Beast)
  • Generation: VII (Alola)
  • Classification: Ultra Beast (UB-02 Beauty)

Pokédex Description

Pheromosa is an Ultra Beast from another dimension known for its extreme elegance and terrifying speed. It moves with such perfection and grace that it appears almost unreal, but despite its beauty, it is considered one of the most dangerous beings from Ultra Space. It refuses to touch anything it considers “unclean,” including most humans and Pokémon, and relies heavily on its speed and precision attacks.

Key Characteristics

Extreme Speed

  • One of the fastest Pokémon ever recorded
  • Can outpace almost any opponent instantly

Glass Cannon Nature

  • Very high Attack
  • Extremely low Defense
  • Cannot take hits well

Ultra Beast Origin

  • Comes from Ultra Space through Ultra Wormholes
  • Behavior is alien and unpredictable

Battle Style

Strengths

  • Massive damage output
  • Fast attacks in PvP and raids
  • Strong pressure with Bug/Fighting STAB moves

Weaknesses

  • Very fragile (low bulk)
  • Weak to:
    • Flying
    • Fire
    • Psychic
    • Fairy

Behavior

  • Avoids direct contact whenever possible
  • Moves with near-perfect mechanical precision
  • Shows aggressive behavior when cornered

Habitat

  • Does not naturally live on Earth
  • Appears through Ultra Wormholes
  • Often seen with other Ultra Beasts

Role

PvP Role

  • Glass cannon attacker
  • High risk, high reward
  • Best in niche or limited formats

PvE Role

  • Strong Fighting/Bug attacker
  • Good DPS but very fragile

Raids

  • Excellent damage dealer
  • Needs protection from heavy hits

Pheromosa Catch Guide

Catching Pheromosa is tricky mainly because it has a high attack animation, low catch rate, and aggressive movement, so the goal is to maximize Premier Ball efficiency and reduce misses.

Use Golden Razz Berries

Why:

  • Increases catch rate massively
  • Best berry in raids

Tip:

  • Don’t waste Silver Pinap unless you’re confident

Always Aim for Excellent Curve Throws

Why it matters:

  • Excellent throws give the highest catch multiplier

How to do it:

  • Wait for Pheromosa to move forward
  • Throw when circle is small (Excellent range)
  • Use curveball every time

Wait for Attack Animation

Problem:

  • Pheromosa jumps and attacks frequently

Fix:

  • Wait until it finishes attacking
  • Then throw immediately during “idle moment”

Use Circle Lock Technique

Steps:

  • Hold ball → shrink circle to Excellent size
  • Wait for attack animation
  • Release ball after animation ends

Don’t Rush Throws

Mistake:

  • Throwing during movement or jump

Result:

  • Missed balls
  • Wasted Premier Balls

Fix:

  • Be patient → wait for stable pose

Use AR OFF Mode

Why:

  • Cleaner view
  • Easier timing
  • No camera drift

Maximize Premier Balls

You get more balls by:

  • Dealing high raid damage
  • Fast clear time
  • Team contribution
  • Gym control

Weather & Friendship Bonus

  • Weather doesn’t affect catch rate directly much
  • But higher raid participation = more balls

Don’t Waste Balls Early

Strategy:

  • First 2–3 throws = warm-up
  • After that → focus on Excellent throws only

Use “Set Circle + Wait” Method

Step-by-step:

  • Hold ball → set Excellent circle size
  • Wait for attack
  • Throw immediately after attack ends

Common Mistakes

  • Throwing while it jumps
  • Using Pinap instead of Golden Razz
  • Not waiting for animation
  • Using straight throws instead of curveballs
  • Panic throwing when circle moves

Pheromosa Raid Mistakes (and Fixes)

Here are the most common raid mistakes when fighting Pheromosa, plus what actually works instead

Using Dark or Psychic Pokémon

Why it’s bad

  • Bug moves hit Psychic super effectively
  • Fighting moves hit Dark super effectively

Result

  • Your counters get deleted quickly
  • You lose time + revives

Fix

Use:

  • Flying
  • Fire
  • Rock
  • Fairy

Overusing Glass Cannon Counters

Example Pokémon

  • Gengar-type attackers
  • Ultra low-defense Ice attackers

Why it’s bad

  • Pheromosa hits very hard with Fighting moves
  • Glass cannons faint too quickly → DPS loss

Fix

Balance DPS + survival:

  • Use tankier Flying or Fire attackers instead

Ignoring Flying-Type Advantage

Why this matters

Flying types resist:

  • Bug
  • Fighting

Common mistake

  • Players ignore Flying attackers and over-focus on Ice/Rock only

Fix

Use strong Flying attackers like:

  • Brave Bird / Air Slash users
  • Mega Flying Pokémon for boost

Not Dodging Charged Moves

Problem moves

  • Focus Blast (huge damage)
  • Bug Buzz (team-wide pressure)

Mistake

  • Standing still and tanking everything

Fix

Dodge charged attacks only:

  • Focus Blast = ALWAYS dodge
  • Bug Buzz = optional dodge in low HP situations

Using Wrong Weather Boost

Weather confusion

  • Sunny weather boosts Fire (GOOD)
  • Windy boosts Flying (GOOD)

Mistake

  • Raiding with neutral weather and weak team setup

Fix

Best weather conditions:

  • Sunny → Fire attackers
  • Windy → Flying attackers

Ignoring Mega Boosts

Mistake

  • Players enter raids without Mega evolution

Why it matters

Megas give:

  • Damage boost to all allies using same type

Fix

Use Megas like:

  • Mega Charizard Y (Fire boost)
  • Mega Pinsir / Mega Rayquaza (Flying boost)

Over-focusing on Rock-Type Counters

Why it’s risky

Rock Pokémon are:

  • Weak to Fighting moves
  • Often slow attackers

Fix

Use Rock only as backup:

  • Don’t build full Rock teams

Poor Team Composition

Common bad team

  • Random Pokémon
  • No synergy
  • No type coverage

Fix Ideal Team Setup

  • 2–3 Flying attackers
  • 2 Fire attackers
  • 1 Mega boost user

Not Relobbying Fast

Problem

  • Pheromosa hits hard → your team faints quickly

Mistake

  • Waiting too long to re-enter battle

Fix

  • Pre-select second team
  • Instant relobby for DPS uptime

Underestimating Speed

Reality

Even though it’s glassy:

  • It attacks FAST
  • It can wipe unprepared teams

Fix

  • Treat it like a high-pressure raid, not an easy solo boss

Related Posts

You may also find these Pokémon GO raid guides helpful: