Quick facts
Species: Solgaleo (Fusion)
Types: Psychic / Steel
Primary weaknesses: Ground, normal, Fire, Dark
Recommended lobby: 3–7 trainers
Introduction
Solgaleo, the “Sun Pokémon,” is a Legendary Pokémon introduced in Generation VII and featured in Pokémon GO as a powerful raid boss. Its dual Psychic/Steel typing gives it resistances to many common moves but also opens up key vulnerabilities.
Trainers looking to defeat Solgaleo in raids will want to focus on its major weaknesses: Fire, Ground, Dark, and Ghost-type moves. This guide provides a detailed overview of Solgaleo’s stats, movesets, counters, and tips for both solo and group raids, helping trainers optimize their strategies and rewards.
Related guides: Reshiram | Stakataka
Weaknesses & resistances
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Weak to |
 Ground •
 normal •
 Fire •
 Dark
|
| Resists to |
Normal •
 Flying •
 Poison •
 Rock •
 Ice •
 Dragon •
 Fairy •
 Steel •
 Grass •
 Psychic
|
Best Solgaleo Counters
Ghost-type Counters
- Gengar : (Lick / Shadow Ball)
- Darkrai : (Shadow Ball)
- Chandelure: (Shadow Ball)
Fire-type Counters
- Entei: (Fire Spin / Overheat)
- Ho-Oh: (Incinerate / Sacred Fire)
- Typhlosion: (Incinerate / Blast Burn)
Ground-type Counters
- Landorus: (Mud Shot / Sandsear Storm)
- Groudon: (Mud Shot / Precipice Blades)
- Garchomp: (Mud Shot / Earth Power)
Best Mega Evolutions
Recommended Megas to use against Solgaleo:
- Charizard Y, Charizard X, Blaziken – Fire boost
- Gengar – Ghost boost
- Garchomp – Ground boost
- Tyranitar, Absol, Houndoom – Dark boost
Difficulty
Solgaleo combines massive HP with strong moves like Sunsteel Strike and Psychic, making it a formidable opponent. Small groups must strategically dodge and manage shields, while larger raid teams can brute-force its defenses. Its dual typing requires careful planning to avoid using resisted moves.
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 | Fire Punch (50) 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) |
| Reshiram | Fire Fang / Dragon Breath | Stone Edge / Overheat / Draco Meteor / Crunch | Fusion Flare | Fire Fang (13) and Overheat (160) |
| Blacephalon | Astonish / Incinerate | Shadow Ball / Mystical Fire / Overheat | - | Incinerate (32) and Overheat (160) |
| Landorus | Mud Shot / Extrasensory | Superpower / Earthquake / Bulldoze / Stone Edge | Sandsear Storm | Extrasensory (11) and Sandsear Storm (150) |
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 Chandelure | Hex / Fire Spin / Incinerate | Shadow Ball / Overheat / Flame Charge / Energy Ball | Poltergeist | Incinerate (32) and Overheat (160) |
| Shadow Moltres | Wing Attack / Fire Spin | Ancient Power / Fire Blast / Heat Wave / Overheat | Sky Attack | Fire Spin (13) and Overheat (160) |
| Shadow Tyranitar | Iron Tail / Dragon Breath / Bite | Stone Edge / Fire Blast / Crunch / Brutal Swing | Smack Down | Iron Tail (14) and Fire Blast (140) |
| Shadow Groudon | Mud Shot / Dragon Tail | Earthquake / Fire Blast / Solar Beam | Precipice Blades / Fire Punch | Fire Punch (50) and Solar Beam (180) |
| Shadow 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) |
| Shadow Typhlosion | Shadow Claw / Ember / Incinerate | Fire Blast / Overheat / Solar Beam / Thunder Punch | Blast Burn | Incinerate (32) and Solar Beam (180) |
| 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 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 Ho-Oh | Hidden Power / Steel Wing / Incinerate / Extrasensory | Brave Bird / Fire Blast / Solar Beam | Earthquake / Sacred Fire | Incinerate (32) and Solar Beam (180) |
| Shadow Entei | Fire Spin / Fire Fang | Scorching Sands / Iron Head / Flamethrower / Fire Blast / Overheat / Flame Charge | - | Fire Spin / Fire Fang (13) and Overheat (160) |
| Shadow Emboar | Low Kick / Ember | Focus Blast / Rock Slide / Heat Wave / Flame Charge | Blast Burn | Ember (10) and Focus Blast (140) |
| 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 Darkrai | Snarl / Feint Attack | Focus Blast / Shadow Ball / Dark Pulse | Sludge Bomb | Snarl / Feint Attack (11) and Focus Blast (140) |
| Shadow 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) |
| Shadow Darmanitan | Tackle / Fire Fang / Incinerate | Focus Blast / Rock Slide / Overheat / Psychic | - | Incinerate (32) and Overheat (160) |
| Shadow Hydreigon | Dragon Breath / Bite | Fly / Flash Cannon / Dragon Pulse / Dark Pulse | Brutal Swing | Dragon Breath / Bite (6) and Flash Cannon (100) |
| Shadow Heatran | Bug Bite / Fire Spin | Earth Power / Stone Edge / Iron Head / Fire Blast / Flamethrower | Magma Storm | Fire Spin (13) and Fire Blast (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 Houndoom | Fire Fang / Snarl | Fire Blast / Flamethrower / Crunch / Foul Play | - | Fire Fang (13) and Fire Blast (140) |
| Mega Absol | Psycho Cut / Snarl | Megahorn / Thunder / Dark Pulse / Payback | Brutal Swing | Snarl (11) and Megahorn (105) |
| 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 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 Garchomp | Mud Shot / Dragon Tail | Earthquake / Sand Tomb / Fire Blast / Outrage / Breaking Swipe | Earth Power | Dragon Tail (14) and Fire Blast / Earthquake(140) |
| 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 Tyranitar | Iron Tail / Dragon Breath / Bite | Stone Edge / Fire Blast / Crunch / Brutal Swing | Smack Down | Iron Tail (14) and Fire Blast (140) |
Moves & Threats
Solgaleo common fast moves are Fire Spin or Zen Headbutt. Charged moves include Iron Head or Flamethrower or Solar Beam or Psychic Fangs.
Flamethrower can heavily damage Grass, Steel, and Ice-type counters, while Iron Head is strong against Fairy-types. Most Ground-type attackers will perform very well in this raid.
Dangerous Moves: Flamethrower and Iron Head hit hard against resistances. Solar Beam can surprise counters weak to Grass if unprepared.
Best Team Composition
For the best results against Solgaleo, your team should include:
- 3–4 strong Ground-type attackers
- 1–2 Ghost or Dark-type attackers as backup
- 1 Mega or Primal Pokémon to boost team damage
Using Mega Garchomp or Primal Groudon will massively increase your team’s overall damage output.
Weather Boost
Solgaleo is boosted in Windy and Snowy weather, making it stronger in those conditions.
Your counters are boosted in:
- Sunny weather (Ground, Fire)
- Foggy weather (Dark, Ghost)
How Many Trainers Are Needed?
- 2 trainers: Possible with top Ground-type counters and Mega/Primal boost
- 3 trainers: Comfortable win
- 4+ trainers: Very easy clear
Recommended Team Setups
Optimized Team (3–5 Trainers)
- Mega Charizard Y
- Mega Blaziken
- Dawn Wings Necrozma
- Mega Gengar
- Primal Groudon
Balanced Team (6+ Trainers)
- Hydreigon
- Mega Tyranitar
- Garchomp
- Shadow Chandelure
- Shadow Heatran
If your counters aren’t top tier, mixing Fire, Ground, Ghost, and Dark types still steadily chips away at Solgaleo’s HP.
Catch Tips
- Use Golden Razz Berries for best catch chance
- Go for curve Excellent throws
- Wait for Solgaleo’s attack animation before throwing
- Aim slightly higher because Solgaleo stands far back
Battle Tips
- Ground types are by far the best counters due to double weakness
- Ghost and Dark types are excellent secondary options
- Dodge charged moves if your group is small
- Always use a Mega or Primal Pokémon for faster clears
Is Solgaleo Worth Raiding?
Solgaleo is a very strong Pokémon for Master League PvP and a solid Steel-type attacker, making it worth raiding for both competitive players and collectors.
Shiny Solgaleo
Yes, trainers can encounter a Shiny Solgaleo after completing the raid. The shiny form features a darker blue color palette compared to the standard Solgaleo, making it a rare and visually distinct version.
Shiny Pokémon are highly sought after by collectors, and participating in multiple Solgaleo raids increases the chance of obtaining one. Remember that only the regular Solgaleo you catch post-raid can be shiny; the Mega or raid form itself cannot.
FAQ
Can Solgaleo be shiny in Pokémon GO?
No, Solgaleo shiny version is not available..
What moves does Solgaleo use in raids?
Solgaleo can use moves like Zen Headbutt, Iron Head, Psychic, and the powerful signature move Sunsteel Strike.
Is Solgaleo difficult to defeat?
With high attack and strong defenses, Solgaleo can be a challenging raid boss. Proper counters and coordinated teams help defeat it efficiently.
What makes Solgaleo unique?
Its Psychic/Steel typing, lion-like design, and signature move Sunsteel Strike make Solgaleo one of the most iconic Legendary Pokémon in raids.
Conclusion
Solgaleo is a bulky and powerful Legendary Pokémon, but its double weakness to Ground-type moves makes it much easier to defeat with the right counters. Build a Ground-heavy team, bring a Mega or Primal Pokémon, and you’ll have no trouble securing this Legendary Pokémon.
Summary
- Use high-level Ground, Dark, and Fire Pokémon to exploit Solgaleo’s weaknesses.
- Avoid relying on Normal or Psychic types unless they’re heavily boosted.
- Conserve shields for multi-bar charge moves in small groups.
- Manage counter rotation for sustained DPS and minimal fainting.
- Adjust your strategy according to weather and raid group size for efficiency.