Raid battles are a core part of Pokémon GO, offering players the chance to team up and catch powerful Pokémon. This month’s lineup features a variety of creatures, including the legendary “Tower Duo” of Ho-Oh and Lugia, along with mega-evolved Pokémon like Mega Salamence.
Raid targets change approximately every 10 days, so keeping track of the schedule is essential for planning which raids to use your passes on. Raids happen at gyms from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. local time, and you can tell what kind of raid it is by the egg icon:
- Five-star raids have five monster icons.
- Mega raids have a DNA-like swirl.
- Shadow raids appear at gyms taken over by Team GO Rocket.
Whether you use a regular raid pass or a remote raid pass, joining these battles gives you the opportunity to add rare and powerful Pokémon to your collection.
In This Article
Pokémon Go Legendary Raid schedule for August 2025
Below you’ll find the Legendary five-star raid schedule for August 2025 in Pokémon Go:
| Date | Pokémon | Shiny? |
| Monday 28th July to Monday 4th August | Virizion | Yes |
| Monday 4th August to Monday 11th August | Lugia | Yes |
| Monday 11th August to Monday 18th August | Ho-Oh | Yes |
| Monday 18th August to Wednesday 20th August | Hero of Many Battles Zacian and Zamazenta | Yes |
| Thursday 21th August | Hero of Many Battles Zacian | Yes |
| Friday 22th August | Hero of Many Battles Zamazenta | Yes |
| Friday 22nd August to Sunday 24 August | Crowed Sword Zacian and Crowned Shield Zamazenta | Yes |
| Monday 25th August to Tuesday 2nd September | Necrozma | Yes |
August is bringing the heat! If you missed out on getting the legendary Necrozma before, now’s your chance to snag it. Plus, for all you old-school Gen 2 fans, get ready to hunt for the shiny versions of the iconic mascots Lugia and Ho-Oh!
“Remember, any Poké Ball you hit a shiny Legendary with is a guaranteed catch, so make sure to use a Pinap Berry to get some extra candy.”
“You’ll have a better chance to catch the Legendary Pokémon in 5-star Raids during Raid Hour, which happens every Wednesday from 6 PM to 7 PM local time. During this time, all raid eggs will hatch into the featured Pokémon.”
Pokémon Go Mega Raid schedule for August 2025
Here’s the Mega raid schedule for August 2025 in Pokémon Go:
| Date | Pokémon | Shiny? |
| Monday 28th July to Monday 4th August | Mega Aerodactyl | Yes |
| Monday 4th August to Monday 11th August | Mega Ampharos | Yes |
| Monday 11th August to Monday 18th August | Mega Slowbro | Yes |
| Monday 18th August to Monday 25th August | Mega Pidgeot | Yes |
| Monday 25th August to Tuesday 2nd September | Mega Salamence | Yes |
“Remember, you don’t catch the Mega Evolution in a Mega Raid. You only earn Mega Energy for that Pokémon and get to catch its normal form.”
Pokémon Go Shadow Raid schedule for August 2025
SEE ALSO:
Here’s the Shadow raid schedule for August 2025 in Pokémon Go:
| Date | Pokémon | Shiny? |
| Weekend (Saturday and Sunday) | Shadow Regirock | Yes |
“Shadow Regirock will be featured in 5-star Shadow Raids every weekend in August.”
Unlike regular 5-star raids, Shadow Raids only appear on Saturdays and Sundays, so you’ll need to plan ahead if you want to catch this Shadow Legendary. The good news is that Remote Raid Passes can now be used for Shadow Raids, as long as you have enough PokéCoins.
Remember, Shadow Raids are tougher than normal raids, so make sure to team up with other players and bring plenty of Purified Gems. After winning the raid, catching Shadow Regirock can be tricky since it moves around a lot. Stay calm, take your time, and keep trying until you succeed.
What are Raid Battles?
Raid Battles happen when a Boss Pokémon takes over a Gym. You can spot them by checking local Gyms for eggs about to hatch or Boss Pokémon already active in a Raid. These battles are tough, so it’s best to team up with other trainers. Raids come in four tiers: 1-Star, 3-Star, 5-Star, and Mega Raids. The higher the tier, the harder the fight.
Raids are worth doing because you can earn special items and get a chance to catch the Pokémon you defeat. In 5-Star Raids, this often means Legendary Pokémon you can’t find anywhere else.
How to Get Raid Passes to Join Raid Battles in Pokémon Go?
To join a Raid Battle, you need a Raid Pass. There are three types available in Pokémon Go:
- Normal Raid Pass – You get one free each day by spinning the Photo Disc at a Gym.
- Premium Raid Pass – Can be bought from the in-game Shop.
- Remote Raid Pass – Lets you join Raids from anywhere, as long as they appear on your Nearby screen or Map. You can buy them in the Shop or sometimes get them as free gifts.
“Without a Raid Pass, you can’t enter a Raid Battle, so make sure to have one ready before you join.”
How to catch Pokémon in Raid Battles?
After defeating a Raid Boss, you’ll get a chance to catch it using a limited number of Premier Balls. The catch isn’t guaranteed, especially for Legendary Pokémon, which have very low catch rates. To improve your chances, use Razz Berries (or Golden Razz Berries), aim for Excellent throws, and try curveballs.
You can earn more Premier Balls by:
- Dealing a lot of damage to the Raid Boss.
- Having your team deal high overall damage.
- Controlling the Gym where the Raid takes place.
- Raiding with friends.
That’s everything you need to know about catching Raid Bosses. Now it’s your turn, get out there, battle, and maybe catch a Legendary!
Best of luck in Pokémon Go raids!
