Pokémon GO raids: passes, teams and catching the boss

Check which raid you are joining

Ordinary, Mega, Shadow and other special raids do not all have identical participation rules. Read the raid listing and current event information before assuming a Remote Raid Pass or a familiar tactic applies.

Choose Pokémon with useful attacks and enough staying power for the boss. The species and move set matter, not just the CP at the top of the summary. Coordinate with other Trainers when the encounter needs a group.

Prepare before spending a pass

Check the lobby, remaining time and your party’s health. Revive and heal the intended attackers where needed. If you are relying on a Mega Evolution or another special effect, confirm it is actually active.

For a new raid type, read the official rules before the timer starts. Learning a required special mechanic in the final seconds is an avoidable disadvantage.

Defeating the boss is not the catch

The reward phase supplies the relevant catching balls. A defeated boss can still escape during the catching opportunity. Use appropriate Berries, watch its movement and aim deliberate throws rather than treating victory as a guaranteed capture.

Some raid rewards and ball counts depend on encounter-specific performance and conditions. Do not apply an old screenshot’s exact rewards to every current raid.

Review the part that failed

If the battle failed, inspect team selection, attack types, survivability and group size. If the battle succeeded but the catch failed, practice throw timing and review the catch setup. Those are different problems and need different improvements.

The current official raid-type and catching guides below are the reference for special rules. Event availability should be checked again near the time you plan to play.