Raids are a core part of the gameplay in Pokémon GO. They allow trainers to team up with others to take down powerful Raid Bosses for the chance to catch rare and powerful Pokémon. But with different tiers, types, and even exclusive Raid Bosses, it can be hard to keep track of just how many different raids there are in Pokémon GO.
Raid Tiers
Raids in Pokémon GO are split up into five different tiers, ranging from Tier 1 to Tier 5. The tier of a raid indicates the difficulty level and how many trainers are recommended to take it down. Here’s a quick overview of the raid tiers:
- Tier 1 – Easy, can be completed solo
- Tier 2 – Medium difficulty, can be duoed
- Tier 3 – Hard, requires 3-4 trainers
- Tier 4 – Very hard, requires 4+ trainers
- Tier 5 – Extremely hard, requires 8+ trainers
Higher tier raids have stronger bosses with higher CP, so they require more trainers working together to defeat them. But they also offer greater rewards, including the chance to catch rare and powerful Legendary Pokémon at Tier 5.
Raid Bosses
The Raid Boss encountered at the end of a raid can be one of many different Pokémon species. Here are some key points about Raid Bosses:
- There are over 100 different Pokémon species that can appear as Raid Bosses
- Raid Boss options are tier-dependent – stronger bosses appear in higher tiers
- Some Raid Bosses rotate frequently while others are available all the time
- Shiny Raid Boss variants are possible to encounter
- EX Raid Bosses are exclusive Pokémon only available through EX Raid Passes
This means that between the various tiers and raid boss options, there are hundreds of potential raid combinations you might encounter in Pokémon GO.
Event Raids
In addition to the standard raid options, Pokémon GO also has event-exclusive raids that appear for limited times coinciding with in-game events and real world events. Some examples include:
- Legendary Raids – Powerful Legendaries made available for limited periods
- Raid Day Events – Special raid days featuring specific Pokémon
- Safari Zone Events – Location-based events with unique raids
- Raid Hours – Weekly hour with increased raids at gyms
These raid events add even more variety into the raid pool for trainers to battle and capture Pokémon from.
Number of Potential Raids
Given all the different raid tiers, bosses that rotate frequently, shiny variants, and special event raids, coming up with an exact number of potential raids is difficult. But we can make some educated estimates:
- 5 Tiers x 100+ Raid Bosses = 500+ base raid types
- Further multiplied by potential for shinies and exclusive movesets
- 10+ recurring event raid variants
- Hundreds of one-off event raid variants over time
In total, it’s likely there have been well over 1,000 different raids available at various times throughout Pokémon GO’s lifespan. And that number will continue to grow over time as new Pokémon and events are added!
Most Popular Raids
While there may be over a thousand different raid possibilities, some tend to be more popular than others. Here are some of the raids trainers seem to seek out the most:
| Raid Tier | Popular Raid Bosses |
|---|---|
| Tier 5 | Mewtwo, Rayquaza, Dialga, Palkia, Giratina, Kyogre, Groudon |
| Tier 4 | Tyranitar, Salamence, Metagross, Gengar, Lapras |
| Tier 3 | Machamp, Alakazam, Pinsir, Porygon, Sharpedo |
| Tier 1 & 2 | Shinx, Mawile, Absol, Klink |
These tend to be fan favorites, strong meta Pokémon, and rare shinies that trainers want for their collections and battle teams. But raid popularity can fluctuate based on new releases, events, and shifts in the meta over time.
Conclusion
With five tiers, hundreds of potential bosses, shiny variations, and frequent events affecting what spawns, Pokémon GO has an enormous pool of raids for trainers to test their skills against. No two raid experiences will ever be exactly the same. This variety helps keep the raid system fresh and engaging for the millions of trainers out there striving to become raid masters and catch them all!