How to Unlock Charizard Raids in Pokemon Go (2024 Guide)

Charizard, the iconic Fire and Flying type Pokemon, is one of the most sought after raid bosses in Pokemon Go. With its impressive stats and cool design, many trainers aspire to take on Charizard in raids. However, Charizard does not appear in raids regularly, so unlocking Charizard raids requires some effort.

In this comprehensive guide for 2024, we will cover everything you need to know about unlocking Charizard raids and taking on this powerful raid boss.

>> Click Here to Unlock Charizard Raids in Pokemon Go (2024 Guide)

Overview of Charizard in Pokemon Go

Before we dive into how to unlock Charizard raids, let's do a quick overview of Charizard in Pokemon Go:

• Charizard is the final evolution of Charmander, one of the original starter Pokemon. It evolves from Charmeleon starting at level 36.
• As a Fire and Flying type, Charizard is weak against Rock, Electric, and Water type attacks. Its strengths are against Bug, Steel, Grass, and Fighting types.
• Charizard has very high CP potential, reaching over 3000 CP at max level. It has impressive Attack and decent bulk.
• Charizard Mega Evolves into Mega Charizard X (Fire/Dragon type) and Mega Charizard Y (Fire/Flying type). Both are extremely powerful raid attackers.
• Charizard is incredibly rare in the wild. Players will need to fully evolve Charmander or Charmeleon to obtain Charizard.
• Shiny Charizard is highly coveted. It maintains the orange color but has black skin and blue flames on its tail.

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Ways to Unlock Charizard Raids

There are a few different ways you can unlock Charizard as a raid boss in Pokemon Go:

1. Charizard Raid Events

The primary way to obtain Charizard raids is through special raid events featured in Pokemon Go. Niantic will announce certain events where Charizard will appear more frequently in raids for a limited time.

For example, in early 2024 Niantic hosted a "Fire and Ice" raid event in January featuring Fire and Ice type Pokemon. Charizard was featured as a Tier 4 raid boss during this event.

Stay updated on upcoming Pokemon Go events to know when Charizard raids are more likely to occur. Events like Pokemon Go Fest, Adventure Week, and other seasonal events are prime opportunities to battle Charizard in raids when it appears.

2. Mega Charizard Raids

Another way to battle Charizard in raids is through Mega Charizard raids. When Mega Evolved forms of Charizard are available in Pokemon Go, you can challenge them in Mega raids.

Currently, both Mega Charizard X and Mega Charizard Y have been featured in Mega raids during certain events. Mega Charizard is an incredibly formidable raid boss, so make sure to bring your best Rock, Electric, and Water type counters.

Mega Charizard Y raids occurred frequently during the 2022 Pokemon Go Fest finale event. Look for Mega Charizard to return for major events in 2024 like Go Fest.

3. Rare Wild Spawns

On extremely rare occasions, Charizard can appear in the wild. After certain events, Charizard may spawn uncommonly for a brief window of time globally.

For example, after the January 2024 "Fire and Ice" event, Charizard spawned rarely in the wild for about a week afterwards before returning to normal rarity. Players reported sightings on social media around the world.

Wild Charizard spawns are not a reliable way to find Charizard raids. But keep an eye out for increased spawns after certain events featuring Charizard, and you may spot this rare Pokemon in the wild.

How to Take On Charizard Raids

Once you've unlocked Charizard as a raid boss, it's time to team up with friends and other trainers to take on this powerful Pokemon. Here are some tips for succeeding against Charizard in raids:

Use Type Advantages

As a Fire and Flying type, Charizard is weak to Rock, Electric, and Water attacks. Focus on using Pokemon with these typings when building your raid party.

Some great counters include Rampardos, Rhyperior, Terrakion, and Tyranitar for Rock types. For Electric, Magnezone, Electivire, and Zekrom perform well. Kyogre, Gyarados, and Kingler make excellent Water options against Charizard.

Avoid using Grass, Bug, Fighting and Fire types which are weak against Charizard's moveset. Pay close attention to the boss' attacks too - some Charizards may use Dragon type moves which are strong versus other Dragons.

Weather Boosts

Weather conditions can significantly impact the difficulty of a Charizard raid.

Fighting Charizard when it's sunny out will make the boss even more challenging. But raiding in rain, snow, or with lots of wind will boost your Water, Ice, and Rock type counters respectively.

Before starting the raid, check the current weather for boosts that can help your team do more damage against Charizard.

Mega Evolve Your Counters

One great way to enhance your raid party is by Mega Evolving appropriate counters. For example, Mega Aerodactyl and Mega Abomasnow give a huge boost to your Rock and Ice type attackers.

If you can coordinate with your raid party to have at least one person Mega Evolve a relevant Pokemon, it will make defeating Charizard much easier.

Recommended Raid Party Size

Charizard is a formidable Tier 4 raid boss capable of wiping out unprepared teams. To reliably defeat Charizard, make sure to raid with solid group sizes.

For average level 30+ counters, aim for at least 4-5 trainers. If players have top counters like Rampardos powered up to Level 35+, 3-4 skilled trainers can potentially trio a Charizard raid.

And when facing the extremely tough Mega Charizard forms, 6-8 higher level trainers are recommended. Take advantage of Friend bonuses and optimal weather to improve your odds against these powerful Mega raid bosses.

Catching Charizard After Winning Raids

The fun doesn't stop once you successfully defeat Charizard in a raid. You'll then have the chance to use Premier Balls to try catching this rare Pokemon and add it to your collection!

Here are some tips for catching Charizard after raids:

• Use Golden Razz Berries to maximize your catch chance on each throw attempt. Charizard has a high base catch rate of 16%, but Golden Razz will guarantee you get it if you hit.
• Always go for Curveball Excellent shots for the highest catch multiplier. Practice landing consistent Excellent throws for the best results.
• Have patience and take your time throwing. You only get a limited number of Premier Balls, so make each one count.
• Swap out AR mode if you struggle catching in regular mode. The AR environment can sometimes be distracting.
• Medal bonuses will increase your catch chance. Gold medals for Dragon, Fire, and Flying will all help catch Charizard.
• Try the Circle Lock trick to wait for an Excellent throw opportunity at the end of the boss' attack animation. This guarantees you can land the Excellent as soon as the circle reappears.

Follow these tips, and you should successfully add Charizard to your Pokemon collection after emerging victorious from raids against this iconic pseudo legend.

Is Shadow Charizard Worth Powering Up?

An additional way you may obtain Charizard is by rescuing it from Team Go Rocket as a Shadow Pokemon. Is Shadow Charizard worth powering up and using in your roster?

The short answer is yes - Shadow Charizard is an incredibly powerful raid attacker and PvP threat. Here's a quick overview of the pros of Shadow Charizard:

• Shadow bonus provides +20% damage boost to all attacks. This makes Shadow Charizard one of the highest Fire type DPS options.
• With Blast Burn and Dragon Claw or Overheat, Shadow Charizard dominates as a raid attacker versus Grass, Bug, Ice, and Steel types.
• Very few relevant weaknesses thanks to the dual Fire and Flying typing. Resists Grass, Bug, Fighting, Fairy, Fire, and more.
• Wins key matchups in all Great and Ultra League formats in Pokemon Go Battle League thanks to the attack boost.

The only downsides are the 20% defense reduction and high cost of powering up. But the damage potential of Shadow Charizard is well worth the investment.

Just be sure to remove Frustration with a Charged TM during special Team Go Rocket events first! An elite Fire type attacker, Shadow Charizard should be a top priority addition to your roster after purifying from the grunts.

Frequently Asked Questions

When will Charizard be featured in raids again?

Charizard tends to appear more frequently during major seasonal events like Go Fest, as well as events centered around Fire types. Keep an eye out around summer 2024 when we may see the return of Charizard raids.

Is it possible to solo Charizard raids?

Soloing normal Charizard raids is extremely difficult, but may be possible for high level trainers with maxed out teams consisting of the top Rock, Water, and Electric counters in optimal weather. However, triggering an EX Raid pass is based on doing raids in groups, so don't try to exclusively solo Charizard.

Should I use regular or Mega Charizard in raids after catching?

Regular Charizard is a solid Fire type attacker, but Mega Charizard X and Y are superior options. Focus on building energy to Mega Evolve your Charizard for maximum performance in raids. The Mega forms can achieve the highest DPS for Fire types.

Where does Charizard rank for best Fire attackers?

Here is Charizard's ranking among the top Fire type damage dealers as of early 2024:

• Mega Charizard Y and Mega Charizard X (top 2 options)
• Shadow Moltres
• Shadow Entei
• Shadow Charizard
• Reshiram
• Darmanitan
• Chandelure
• Regular Charizard (around 8th-10th overall)

So while regular Charizard is solid, its Mega forms and Shadow variant edge it out in terms of Fire DPS. But the iconic Kanto starter still maintains relevance as a raid attacker.

Conclusion

Charizard remains one of the most exciting and coveted raid bosses in Pokemon Go years after launch. While not seen regularly, Charizard raids can be unlocked through event rotations, Mega releases, and very rare wild spawns. With the right set of powered up Rock, Water, and Electric counters, you can demolish the Flame Pokemon in raids.

Stay on the lookout for Charizard re-appearing in 2024, and be sure to stock up on raid passes when available to add this awesome Pokemon to your collection. Our guide covers everything from type counters, catch strategies, and Charizard's usefulness as a Shadow and Mega Evolution. Follow our tips to master Charizard raids when they next appear in the rotating raid pool.