Pokemon Go Deoxys: raids, moveset and forms for the new EX Raid boss Pokemon
Be afraid, trainers - Deoxys has arrived in Pokemon Go. This is one of the ultimate generation 3 Pokemon, and it's going to make its first appearance as a high-end EX Raid boss.
Deoxys is best described as a sort of glass cannon Pokemon - it's extremely powerful with attacks thanks to stats that'll catapult it right onto our Tier List of the Best Attackers in Pokemon Go, but it also features lower stamina which means it can't take too much punishment - but honestly, its attacks should be so powerful that they'll see it through.
What's interesting, however, is how unique Deoxys is in the meta of Pokemon Go and Pokemon at large. This is a mythical Pokemon with twist: Deoxys has four unique forms (or formes in the official Pokemon vernacular). All the Deoxys forms are psychic-type, but they have wildly different stats. Let's talk about how Deoxys works before we get into anything else...
Deoxys Forms in Pokemon Go: Normal, Attack, Defense and Speed
As noted above, there are four Deoxys Forms in Pokemon Go - just as in the traditional Pokemon games as when it was first introduced in generation 3. These break into four categories: Normal (balanced), Attack (heavy-hitter), Defense (tank) and Speed (run and gun). Deoxys is genderless, so rather then gender you just have to worry about the forms. Shiny Deoxys do exist, however.
All forms of Deoxys are still Psychic-type, though different forms also have different potential move sets. Here's how the stats of the various forms of Deoxys break down...
| Form | Max CP | Attack | Defense | Stamina | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Normal |
| 2749 | 345 | 115 | 100 |
| Attack |
| 2254 | 414 | 46 | 100 |
| Defense |
| 1978 | 144 | 330 | 100 |
| Speed |
| 2504 | 230 | 218 | 100 |
As you can see, the base stats vary quite a lot between the different Deoxys Forms. There's more too it than just this, however: In Pokemon Go, the different forms of Deoxys also have slightly different move sets. Here's the moves available to each form:
Deoxys Normal Form Movelist:
- Zen Headbutt (Fast, Psychic-type)
- Charge Beam (Fast, Electric-type)
- Psycho Boost (Charged, Psychic)
- Thunderbolt (Charged, Electric)
- Hyper Beam (Charged, Normal)
Deoxys Attack Form Movelist:
- Zen Headbutt (Fast, Psychic-type)
- Poison Jab (Fast, Poison)
- Psycho Boost (Charged, Psychic)
- Zap Cannon (Charged, Electric)
- Dark Pulse (Charged, Dark)
Deoxys Defense Form Movelist:
- Zen Headbutt (Fast, Psychic-type)
- Counter (Fast, Fighting)
- Psycho Boost (Charged, Psychic)
- Zap Cannon (Charged, Electric)
- Rock Slide (Charged, Rock)
Deoxys Speed Form Movelist:
- Zen Headbutt (Fast, Psychic-type)
- Charge Beam (Fast, Electric)
- Psycho Boost (Charged, Psychic)
- Zap Cannon (Charged, Electric)
- Swift (Charged, Normal)
Now, we know what question is coming: which form is best? Well, the answer is probably best found in looking at which forms don't quite work out. So - here's our take.
- The Defense Form Deoxys is the worst of the four forms. As a game Pokemon Go's combat is built to favor characters with higher HP/Stamina than higher defense, which is why Pokemon like Chansey and Snorlax do well in gym defense. As such, this isn't a great option - Deoxys has the same stamina across all 4 forms.
- It's a toss-up between the Speed Form Deoxys and Attack Form Deoxys. Both are middle of the pack for our money - the attack form truly is weak in defense-terms, and can be downed easily by a single charged move. However it is ludicrously powerful, and so in the right scenario it can be a powerful Pokemon. The Speed form, meanwhile, has a more limited move set, with several of its move pool simply being low-quality moves.
- Meanwhile, Normal Form Deoxys provides a nice, solid balance. It's a bit like a high-end version of a Pokemon like Gengar or Alakazam - and while this isn't going to turn the meta upside down, it makes Deoxys quite worthwhile - thus making it our pick of the forms.
Deoxys counters and weaknesses for Pokemon Go EX Raids
Okay, so, you've found yourself invited to an EX Raid in Pokemon Go, with a chance to take down and then capture a Deoxys. That's great - but now you actually need to survive the battle. And while in battle on your side Deoxys is fairly comparable with other mythical and legendary Pokemon, when you're facing it down within a raid, it's formidable.
Deoxys is pure psychic-type, so you've got three Pokemon Go Type Weaknesses to work with: Dark, Ghost and Bug. You'll want to work with these three types of Pokemon and Move in order to take Deoxys down.
Here's some good suggestions for Pokemon for that battle:
- Tyranitar (Dark/Rock type): Bite & Crunch are ideal Dark-type moves, and Tyranitar has great damage output.
- Mewtwo (Psychic type): Psychic-on-Psychic is favorable for taking damage, but crucially Mewtwo can get access to the Ghost-type move Shadow Ball, which would be your go-to damage dealer in this encounter.
- Houndoom (Dark/Fire type): Houndoom is one of the better regular Dark-type Pokemon around, but you'll want it with Dark-type moves like Snarl and Foul Play rather than its fire-type moves.
- Gengar (Ghost/Poison type): In terms of raw type ability, Gengar may very well be your absolute best bet for this encounter - it can use great Ghost-type moves like Shadow Claw and Shadow Ball - if you're lucky with moves.
Once you get through the battle, good luck catching Deoxys - he's a tough, stubborn one. Once the chance comes, remember to deploy our best practice on how to get an Excellent Throw and Curveball Throw every time - you'll need every bit of catch bonus you can get to nab a Deoxys.