Quick facts
Species: Stakataka (Ultra Beast)
Types: Rock / Steel
Primary weaknesses: Fighting, Ground, Water
Recommended lobby: 3–7 trainers
Introduction
Stakataka is a powerful Rock and Steel-type Ultra Beast that appears in high-level raids in Pokémon GO. With extremely high defense stats, Stakataka can withstand many attacks, making it one of the more challenging raid bosses.
Its typing gives it several weaknesses: Fire, Fighting, and Ground moves are particularly effective. Trainers can use this knowledge to build strong counter teams and defeat Stakataka efficiently.
Whether you are a new trainer or an experienced player, this guide will help you understand Stakataka’s strengths and weaknesses, plan your counters, and maximize rewards after the raid.
Related guides: Solgaleo | Suicune
Weaknesses & resistances
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Weak to |
 Fighting •
 Ground •
 Water
|
| Resists to |
 Normal •
 Flying •
 Poison •
 Rock •
 Bug •
 Fairy •
 Psychic •
 Ice •
 Dragon
|
Best Stakataka Counters
Fighting-type Counters
- Sirfetch'd : (Counter / Close Combat)
- Lopunny : (Double Kick / Focus Blast)
- Blaziken: (Counter / Aura Sphere )
Ground-type Counters
- Golurk: (Mud Slap / Earth Power)
- Mamoswine: (Mud Slap / High Horsepower)
- Swampert: (Mud Shot / Earthquake)
Best Mega Evolutions
Recommended Megas to use against Stakataka:
- Lucario, Blaziken, Heracross, Alakazam, Gallade, Lopunny – Fighting boost
- Garchomp, Swampert - Ground boost
Difficulty
Solo or duo attempts are risky, requiring perfect timing and well-planned rotations. Large groups can take it down more easily, but choosing the right counters remains critical.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Keldeo(Resolute) | Low Kick / Poison Jab | Close Combat / Sacred Sword / X-Scissor / Aqua Jet / Hydro Pump | - | Poison Jab (13) and Hydro Pump (135) |
| Landorus | Mud Shot / Extrasensory | Superpower / Earthquake / Bulldoze / Stone Edge | Sandsear Storm | Extrasensory (11) and Sandsear Storm (150) |
| Urshifu Single Strike | Sucker Punch / Rock Smash / Counter | Close Combat / Brick Break / Dynamic Punch / Payback | - | Rock Smash (17) and Close Combat (105) |
| 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) |
| Keldeo(Original) | Fire Fang / Dragon Breath | Stone Edge / Overheat / Draco Meteor / Crunch | Fusion Flare | Fire Fang (13) and Overheat (160) |
| Terrakion | Double Kick / Smack Down / Zen Headbutt | Close Combat / Earthquake / Rock Slide | Sacred Sword | Smack Down (13) and Earthquake (140) |
| Lucario | Counter / Bullet Punch | Close Combat / Power-Up Punch / Aura Sphere / Shadow Ball / Flash Cannon / Meteor Mash / Blaze Kick / Thunder Punch | Force Palm | Counter (13) and Close Combat (105) |
| Groudon | Mud Shot / Dragon Tail | Earthquake / Fire Blast / Solar Beam | Precipice Blades / Fire Punch | Dragon Tail (14) and Solar Beam (180) |
| Urshifu Rapid Strike | Waterfall / Rock Smash / Counter | Close Combat / Brick Break / Dynamic Punch / Aqua Jet | - | Rock Smash (17) and Close Combat (105) |
| Primal Groudon | Mud Shot / Dragon Tail | Earthquake / Fire Blast / Solar Beam | Precipice Blades / Fire Punch | Dragon Tail (14) and Solar Beam (180) |
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 Golurk | Mud Slap / Astonish | Dynamic Punch / Earth Power / Shadow Punch / Poltergeist | - | Mud Slap (19) and Poltergeist (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 Groudon | Mud Shot / Dragon Tail | Earthquake / Fire Blast / Solar Beam | Precipice Blades / Fire Punch | Dragon Tail (14) and Solar Beam (180) |
| 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 Conkeldurr | Counter / Poison Jab | Dynamic Punch / Focus Blast / Stone Edge | Brutal Swing | Counter / Poison Jab (13) and Focus Blast (140) |
| Shadow Excadrill | Mud Slap / Mud Shot / Metal Claw | Earthquake / Drill Run / Scorching Sands / Rock Slide / Iron Head | - | Mud Slap (19) and Earthquake (140) |
| Shadow Machamp | Counter / Bullet Punch | Dynamic Punch / Close Combat / Cross Chop / Rock Slide / Heavy Slam | Karate Chop / Submission / Stone Edge / Payback | Counter (13) and Close Combat / Stone Edge (105) |
| Shadow Hariyama | Counter / Force Palm / Bullet Punch | Close Combat / Dynamic Punch / Superpower / Upper Hand / Heavy Slam | - | Counter (13) and Close Combat (105) |
| Shadow Rhyperior | Mud Slap / Smack Down | Skull Bash / Superpower / Earthquake / Stone Edge / Surf / Breaking Swipe | Rock Wrecker | Mud Slap (19) and Earthquake (140) |
| Shadow Raikou | Thunder Shock / Volt Switch | Aura Sphere / Shadow Ball / Thunder / Thunderbolt / Wild Charge | - | Volt Switch (13) and Aura Sphere / Shadow Ball / Thunder (100) |
| Shadow Mamoswine | Mud Slap / Powder Snow | Bulldoze / High Horsepower / Stone Edge / Avalanche / Icicle Spear | Ancient Power | Mud Slap (19) and High Horsepower / Stone Edge (105) |
| Shadow Sirfetch'd | Counter / Fury Cutter | Close Combat / Brave Bird / Leaf Blade / Night Slash | - | Counter (13) and Brave Bird (130) |
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 Lucario | Counter / Bullet Punch | Close Combat / Power-Up Punch / Aura Sphere / Shadow Ball / Flash Cannon / Meteor Mash / Blaze Kick / Thunder Punch | Force Palm | Counter (13) and Close Combat (105) |
| Mega Alakazam | Psycho Cut / Confusion | Focus Blast / Shadow Ball / Fire Punch / Future Sight | Counter / Psychic / Dazzling Gleam | Confusion (19) and Focus Blast (140) |
| Mega Swampert | Mud Shot / Water Gun | Sludge / Sludge Wave / Earthquake / Surf / Muddy Water | Hydro Cannon | Water Gun (5) and Earthquake (140) |
| Mega Lopunny | Pound / Low Kick / Double Kick | Hyper Beam / Focus Blast / Fire Punch / Triple Axel | - | Double Kick (10) and Hyper Beam (150) |
| Mega Gallade | Low Kick / Confusion / Psycho Cut / Charm | Close Combat / Leaf Blade / Psychic | Synchronoise | Charm (20) and Close Combat (105) |
| 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 Heracross | Counter / Struggle Bug | Close Combat / Upper Hand / Earthquake / Rock Blast / Megahorn | - | Struggle Bug (15) and Earthquake (140) |
| 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) |
Moves & Threats
Stakataka common fast moves are Take Down or Rock Throw. Charged moves include Bulldoze or Stone Edge or Flash Cannon.
Danger Moves: Flash Cannon and Bulldoze are the biggest threats — dodge when possible to preserve your counters’ health.
Superpower and Rock Slide hit very hard, especially against low-resistance Pokémon, so dodging these charged moves is important for smaller raid groups.
Best Team Composition
A strong Stakataka raid team should include:
- 3–4 Ground-type attackers for double weakness damage
- 1–2 Fighting-type attackers for additional DPS
- 1 Fire-type attacker for coverage
- Optional Mega or Primal Pokémon to boost team damage
Using Mega Garchomp or Primal Groudon will greatly reduce the number of trainers needed for a quick clear.
Weather Boost
Stakataka is boosted in Sunny and Windy weather, increasing its attack power.
Your counters are boosted in:
- Sunny weather (Fire, Ground)
- Windy weather (Fighting)
While Water types aren’t as strong as Ground or Fighting, they still help due to Stakataka’s lesser resistance to Water.
How Many Trainers Are Needed?
- 2 trainers: Possible with top Ground-type and Mega/Primal boost
- 3 trainers: Comfortable win
- 4+ trainers: Very easy clear
Recommended Team Setups
Optimal Team (3–5 Trainers)
- Mega Lucario
- Primal Groudon
- Shadow Groudon
- Mega Garchomp
- Mega Heracross
Balanced / Accessible Team
- Machamp
- Terrakion
- Shadow Conkeldurr
- Shadow Excadrill
- Mega Swampert
Mix powerful Ground and Fighting types for best overall damage. Shadow variants and Mega Pokémon greatly improve DPS.
Catch Tips
- Use Golden Razz Berries for best catch chance
- Go for curve Excellent throws
- Wait for Stakataka’s attack animation before throwing
- Aim carefully because it can move side-to-side
Battle Tips
- Ground-types are the best counters due to double weakness
- Fighting-types provide strong backup damage
- Dodge Superpower and Rock Slide if your group is small
- Bring Mega/Primal Pokémon for faster raid completion
Is Stakataka Worth Raiding?
Stakataka is useful for Pokédex completion and provides strong Steel and Rock-type coverage in PvP, but it is not a top-tier raid attacker. Focus on countering its weaknesses efficiently to maximize rewards.
Can Stakataka Be Shiny in Pokémon GO?
Yes! After defeating Stakataka in a raid, trainers can encounter a Shiny Stakataka. Shiny Stakataka has a slightly darker grayish hue, making it visually distinct from the normal version.
Like other raid bosses, the chance of encountering a shiny Stakataka is higher than in wild encounters, so participating in multiple raids increases your chances of obtaining one.
FAQ
Can Stakataka be shiny in Pokémon GO?
Shiny Stakataka has been released in raids or events.
What moves does Stakataka use in raids?
Stakataka can use moves like Rock Slide, Stone Edge, and Flash Cannon, dealing powerful Rock and Steel-type damage during raids.
Is Stakataka difficult to defeat?
With extremely high defense but low speed, Stakataka can take a lot of damage before fainting. Using strong Fighting or Ground-type attackers helps defeat it efficiently.
What makes Stakataka unique?
Its Rock/Steel typing, Ultra Beast status, and unusual stacked-block appearance make Stakataka one of the most distinctive raid bosses in Pokémon GO.
Conclusion
Stakataka is one of the tankier Ultra Beasts in Pokémon GO. With a Ground-heavy team and optional Mega or Primal boost, it can be defeated reliably. Proper strategy, dodge timing, and type advantage are key to securing this powerful raid boss.
Summary
- Use high-level Fighting, Ground, and Water Pokémon to exploit Stakataka’s weaknesses.
- Avoid Normal or weak Rock-type attackers unless heavily powered up.
- Rotate counters to optimize sustained DPS.
- Adjust your team based on raid size and weather boosts for efficiency.