How to Catch Legendary Pokemon in Pokemon Go
Legendary Pokemon are the hardest Pokemon to catch in Pokemon Go. With a base catch rate of only 2 [...]
Pick Your Shot
Depending on how many Premier Balls they get after a Raid Battle, players only have between 5 to 13 opportunities to catch a Legendary Pokemon. Players should maximize their odds by not wasting Premier Balls on errant or mistimed throws.
There is no timer for the "bonus challenge" stage of a raid, so players can take as long as they need to catch a Legendary Pokemon. That means that players don't have to try catching Articuno and Moltres (and presumably Zapdos) when they soar to the top of a player's screen. It might be a bit frustrating to wait several seconds for a Pokemon to return to the center of the screen, but it's a lot better than wasting a Premier Ball.
Players should also be wary of a Pokemon's "attacks" while trying to catch it. Pokemon will occasionally roar or jump out at a player, blocking a player's attempt at throwing a PokeBall. A lot of players recommend waiting until a half second before a Pokemon finishes their attacks to throw a PokeBall. While Pokemon will occasionally string off multiple attacks in short succession, it seems pretty rare, so the best window to throw is just before they calm down.
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While a Legendary Pokemon's base capture rate is relatively low, players can increase the probability of catching a Pokemon in several ways. The easiest way, of course, is using a Golden Razz Berry, which will increase a Pokemon's base capture rate by a whopping 2.5x factor. That means that a Lugia's base capture rate will jump up to 6%, while a Moltres will hop up to 7.5%.
Another consistent way of increasing your odds is by using a curveball throw. Curveballs can be tricky, especially when trying to score an accuracy bonus, but learning how to do it right will give you a consistent 1.7x multiplier. Remember: a curved Premier Ball throw is better than a straight Great Ball throw.
Most players should have a Gold Medal for catching Flying-Type Pokemon. Even if a player doesn't have a full medal in a Legendary Pokemon's other type, they'll still automatically receive an additional 1.15x catch multiplier just for catching hundreds of Pidgey over the last year.
All of these bonuses stack, so players can really improve their odds even if they can't hit a "Great" or "Excellent" throw consistently. A Golden Razz Berry, curveball throw, and a Flying-Type Gold Medal will automatically give players a 4.89x catch rate multiplier. That'll bump up a player's chances of catching a Moltres to 14.67% per throw and will give players a 9.78% chance of catching Lugia. Still long odds, but players don't need to rely on "accurate" throws to increase their chances of catching one of these rare Pokemon.
For more advice on how to beat Legendary Pokemon, check out our Lugia raid guide and Moltres raid guide.
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More Pokemon: Moltres is Pretty Easy to Beat in Pokemon Go / How to Get More Premier Balls in Pokemon Go's Legendary Raids / Shiny Tapu Koko is Available Now for Pokemon Sun and Moon Players / Pokemon Go Announces Safari Zone Live Events / Pokemon Game Confirmed in Development for Nintendo Switch
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