Pokemon Go Genesect counters, raid guide and everything you need

Pokemon Go Genesect Raid Guide
(Image credit: Niantic)

These Pokemon Go Genesect counters and weaknesses will help you capture this unique Legendary Pokemon with a unique typing. It’s one of the few creatures in Pokemon Go that can change the types of one of its moves depending on its hold item.

While you can't really choose what type of attack its Techno Blast signature move becomes, you can catch multiple variants of Genesect with different movesets. And, starting Wednesday, August 10 until Thursday, August 18 a Chill Drive Genesect will be appearing in Raids during the Pokemon Go Bug Out Event.

Trainers will have a little more than a week to battle and catch as many of these special Legendaries as possible. They will also have a couple of Raid Hours that will populate the world with Genesect for one hour. 

The first will take place on August 10 and the other on August 17 from 6-7 p.m. local time. Both of these Genesect will have different Drives than it has had in the past so be sure to take part in these to get varying Pokemon. 

To help you, we’ve compiled this handy guide on how to defeat Genesect in Pokemon Go and what to expect when battling it.

 Genesect Raid Counters 

Pokemon Go Mega charizard

(Image credit: Niantic)

Genesect is a Steel and Bug-type Pokemon making it weak to just one attack, Fire-type moves. So it's much the same deal as the Pokemon Go Mega Scizor counters. And while there’s only super effective attack that trainers should be using against, it does deal four times the damage.

Luckily for Pokemon Go trainers, there are plenty of powerful Fire types that can deliver some major damage against the Legendary including a handful of Mega Pokemon.

When it comes to Fire-type Mega Pokemon both Mega Charizard X and Mega Charizard Y should be options for trainers. They have access to some powerful Fire-type moves and can resist many of the attacks Genesect will throw at it. 

This Genesect will have the Chill Drive, which gives it an Ice-type attack as one of its possible Charged Attacks. We’ll go more in-depth in the next section, but both Charizards will have to contend with it.

It’s still worth bringing either into battle simply to boost the power of Fire-type attacks on your team and any other trainer who decides to join you in the Raid.

Mega Houndoom will also be a powerful option against Genesect and will resist any Ice moves the Legendary uses against it.

As for non-Megs, Legendary Pokemon like Reshiram and Heatran can help trainers who need raw firepower to go up against Genesect.

Here’s a list of counters that trainers should consider when going up against Genesect in Pokemon Go.

Swipe to scroll horizontally
Pokemon Go Genesect Counters
PokemonMoveset
Mega Charizard X or YFire Spin and Blast Burn
Mega HoundoomFire Fang and Fire Blast
ReshiramFire Fang and Overheat
Heatran Fire Spin and Flamethrower
ChandelureFire Spin and Overheat
Entei Fire Fang and Overheat
Blaziken Fire Spin and Blast Burn
Emboar Ember and Blast Burn
Darmanitan Fire Fang and Overheat
Alolan Marowak Fire Spin and Flame Wheel

 Genesect Moveset 

Genesect has Metal Claw and Fury Cutter as Fast Attack options. Luckily, both are resisted by all of the Fire types trainers will likely bring into battle against Genesect so there’s not much to worry about in that department.

The same can be said about Genesect’s Charged Attacks. X-Scissor (Bug) and Magnet Bomb (Steel) are both resisted by most Fire-type Pokemon. It’s Genesect’s third Charged Attack option that trainers may have to watch out for.

Ice Beam is a powerful Ice-type attack that will deals super effective damage against Flying, Grass and Dragon-type Pokemon. Now, while Fire types resist Ice moves, Pokemon like Mega Charizard Y, X along with Moltres can be hurt neutrally by Ice Beam.

That’s why Pokemon like Moltres are not included in our counters list. Reshiram is way too powerful to ignore as well as the Mega Charizards so it’s better to just have them if you do. 

Mega Houndoom is actually hit neutrally by Bug moves because of its Dark typing, so that’s one aspect of this battle that trainers should be aware of. But like the Mega Zards, having them on your team is more of a positive than not bringing them.

Here’s a list of moves that Chill Drive Genesect can have in Pokemon Go.

Swipe to scroll horizontally
Pokemon Go Genesect Moveset
Fast AttackCharged Attack
Metal ClawX-Scissor
Fury CutterMagnet Bomb
Row 2 - Cell 0 Ice Beam

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Phillip Martinez

I'm currently a GamesRadar guide contributor with a specialty in everything Pokemon GO. If you've wanted to know the best way to take down a Rayquaza, there's a good chance you read one of my guides. I previously have written for IBT Media, Newsweek and Screen Rant. I'm a huge fighting game fan and everything Pokemon, but I've grown to love RPGs.