The skies of Pokemon GO are about to witness an epic confrontation as Dynamax Lugia makes its grand entrance as the headliner for this year's Max Battle Weekend. This legendary Psychic and Flying-type Pokemon presents one of the most demanding challenges trainers have faced in the game so far.
Event Schedule and Key Features
Dynamax Lugia will be available from Saturday, November 29 at 6:00 a.m. to Sunday, November 30 at 9:00 p.m. local time, giving players a limited window to challenge this colossal boss. The stakes are particularly high for collectors and raid enthusiasts as Shiny Lugia is also available, making this event unmissable for those hunting rare variants.
Unlike standard five-star raid battles, the Max Battle format significantly amplifies both Lugia's offensive capabilities and defensive resilience. This means players will need to prepare more strategically than usual, as each encounter transforms into a prolonged aerial war of attrition.
Event Bonuses and Preparation Strategies
During the Max Battle Weekend, players can benefit from several quality-of-life improvements that make preparation easier. The Max Particle storage capacity increases dramatically to 1,600, allowing trainers to build and maintain stronger Gigantamax and Dynamax options.
Adventuring distance requirements are reduced to just one-quarter of the usual amount, while Power Spots yield eight times their normal rewards with more frequent refreshes. This makes it significantly easier to stock up on crucial materials throughout the event duration.
A free Timed Research questline becomes available starting November 25, offering rewards including a Dynamax Gastly encounter, bonus candies, and additional Max Particles. Players should complete and claim all research rewards before the event concludes.
Dynamax Lugia's Weaknesses and Best Counters
As a dual Psychic/Flying-type, Dynamax Lugia shows vulnerability to Rock, Ghost, Electric, Dark, and Ice-type moves, taking 160% damage from each of these attack types. Defensively, it resists Fighting, Psychic, Grass, and Ground attacks, making these poor choices for the battle.
What makes Dynamax Lugia particularly challenging is its arsenal of five potential charged attacks, with three being especially dangerous due to the Tier 5 Max multiplier that enhances its offensive pressure. Combined with its naturally bulky base stats—including a max CP of 4186 and impressive Defense stat of 310—every encounter becomes a lengthy showdown requiring careful strategy.
Trainers should prioritize Gigantamax Pokémon for their Max Moves, which can effectively break through Lugia's defenses during its Dynamax form. The top recommended counters include:
Gigantamax Gengar using Shadow Claw and Shadow Ball moves
Gigantamax Grimmsnarl with Dark-type attacks
Gigantamax Toxtricity utilizing Electric moves
Zacian in Crowned Sword form for its Steel-type resistance utility
Metagross for its Steel bulk and stability
Shadow and Mega forms like Tyranitar or Rayquaza can also perform well thanks to their massive power ceilings, but trainers should be prepared for frequent swapping as Lugia's Max and Charge Moves can cause rapid defeats even in well-prepared teams.
Team Strategy and Battle Requirements
For most players, a four-person lobby represents the ideal balance: two high-output attackers, one tanky defender, and one support or healer role provides both damage consistency and survivability. Highly skilled duos or trios with perfect counters might attempt the battle, but this requires ideal weather boosts, high-level Pokémon, and flawless execution without network issues.
Groups of 4–6 trainers typically achieve sub-eight-minute clears, especially under advantageous conditions like Rainy weather (which boosts Electric types) or Fog (boosting Dark types). Pokémon GO's Campfire integration proves extremely valuable for this event, displaying nearby Max Battles via green map icons and helping assemble local or remote raid groups quickly.
Players entering each raid should ensure their Pokémon are fully healed, trigger Max Moves on cooldown, and remain ready to adjust strategies mid-battle as Lugia's multiple movesets can force quick tactical changes. Those seeking an extra advantage can consider the Web Store's $9.99 Boost Box, which includes Max Mushrooms ideal for powering up key Gigantamax counters.
Mastering the Dynamax Lugia encounter demands careful strategy, seamless teamwork, and adaptability, but with proper preparation, trainers can conquer the skies and secure one of the most imposing Dynamax legendaries in Pokémon GO.
