Pokémon GO Zapdos Raid Guide – The Best Counters (February 2021)

Pokemon GO now has Pokemon from every region of the series in the game in some form, whether that be completely new Pokemon or just different forms from that region. Even with all the Pokemon out there, the original 151 is still the most nostalgic for most players. That is why Pokemon GO Tour: Kanto is being held this weekend, which will have all of the original 151 Pokemon available for people to catch. Some of these Pokemon will be only founds in raids though, including the return of the three legendary birds. As a result, this is our guide for the best Zapdos counters for February 2021.

The Best Zapdos Counters in February 2021

Our complete Zapdos raid guide is further down below, where we answer all the pertinent questions about his raids and how to beat Zapdos. Before that though you need to have a team of solid counters, so here’s a list of the very best. As an Electric/Flying Pokémon, Zapdos is weak to Rock and Ice attackers, so you’ll be bringing a big team of these to the battle. But be sure to read below the chart to find out the rare exceptions and special cases that pop up, since so much has been added to Pokémon GO prior to February 2021.

More and more Mega Evolutions and Shadow Pokemon have been introduced since we last saw Zapdos in raids, which means there are some additional options besides the basic list of Pokémon counters above. The main new addition here is Mega Abomasnow, which can be quite useful with a moveset of Powder Snow and Weather Ball. Now let’s get on with the full Zapdos raid guide down below.

Pokémon GO Zapdos Raid Guide

Here’s some frequently asked questions and important tips about Zapdos raids in Pokémon GO for February 2021.

When do Zapdos Raids Begin and End in February 2021

Zapdos will begin appearing in five star raids in Pokémon GO on Saturday, February 20 at 9 am in your local time zone. Players will then have nine days to catch this legendary bird. He’ll be gone on Monday, March 1 at 8am local time. In addition, there will be a special raid day event specifically for the legendary bird trio on Sunday, February 28 from 11 am to 2 pm local time.

How Many Players are Needed

Zapdos isn’t the toughest Legendary raid in Pokémon GO, but you’re still going to need multiple trainers to beat him. If you have three players that are high level, best friends, and with solid powered up counters then you can beat Zapdos, but this is rare and very difficult. As a result, we recommend having at least five players but you should have more if you’re uncertain about their capability or don’t have friendship or weather on your side.

What Weather Boosts Zapdos and Counters

Zapdos is boosted by Windy or Rainy weather raising his CP and making for a tougher fight. Zapdos is also a tough foe since he has so many attack types, with Windy boosting Flying attacks and Rainy boosting Electric attacks. If you’re going in with Rock or Ice counters then Partly Cloudy or Snow are your best bets.

What CP for 100% IVs for Zapdos

Without weather boosts, Zapdos will be encountered at 1930 CP to 2015 CP. The higher CP means it is 100% perfect in terms of IVs so you should do your best to catch it if you’re lucky enough to find one. In Windy or Rainy weather that range shifts to 2413 CP to 2519 CP instead, making him level 25 upon catch.

Can Zapdos be Shiny, How to Get Shiny Zapdos

Yes, shiny Zapdos is possible to catch in February 2021 in Pokémon GO during Pokémon GO Tour: Kanto, though shiny Zapdos has been available in the past as well. Your odds of catching one should be somewhere in the range of one in twenty, though Niantic likes to tweak this a lot without making any announcements. The more raids you win the better chances you have at a shiny Zapdos, so you will want to make sure to keep raiding until you finally find one.

And that’s our Zapdos raid guide for February 2021, with all the best counters in Pokémon GO.