Ultimate Guide to Dynamax Zapdos for Max Mondays

Zapdos is back to electrify Pokémon GO once more, but this time it’s taking on the role of a Dynamax boss. To emerge victorious, you and your raid team will need to exploit its two key weaknesses with the right counters. Following the highlighting of Articuno during the Legendary Flight event, this electric avian creature also makes its appearance as a 5-star challenge. While Zapdos may not be the most formidable Max Battle boss in the game—an honor that belongs to the 6-star Gigantamax Lapras—it still poses a significant threat to unprepared teams.

Similar to Dynamax Articuno, Zapdos can be battled and captured in two different formats during the Legendary Flight event. On its debut day, it will take center stage as the Max Battle boss across all Power Spots for a whole hour. After that, you can still encounter this Legendary Pokémon at various Power Spots, although availability will be more intermittent as it shares Max Battle slots with other bosses according to the current Max Monday schedule.

Weaknesses & Resistance of Dynamax Zapdos in Pokémon GO

All the Weaknesses You Can Exploit

As a dual Electric- and Flying-type, just like its original form in Pokémon GO, Zapdos is vulnerable to Rock- and Ice-type attacks, which inflict 160% damage. While this damage calculation might differ from the main Pokémon games, it’s crucial in GO for maximizing damage output. Don’t forget about the STAB (same-type attack bonus) mechanic that gives a 20% damage boost when your Pokémon uses a move of the same type.

It’s essential to keep in mind Zapdos’ resistances as well: it takes just 63% damage from Grass-, Ground-, Steel-, Fighting-, Bug-, and Flying-type attacks. If your team only has access to neutral counters against tough Max Battle bosses, that should still work, provided your raid team is strong enough. However, try to avoid including any Pokémon with moves that Zapdos resists, or you could jeopardize your entire team’s chance of winning.

Top Counters for Dynamax Zapdos in Pokémon GO

Best Pokémon to Bring

Your best bet against Dynamax Zapdos in Pokémon GO are Cryogonal and Excadrill, thanks to their ability to utilize super-effective Ice- or Rock-type moves without being vulnerable to Zapdos’ Electric- and Flying-type attacks. The Pokémon allowed in a Max Battle must be capable of Dynamax or Gigantamax, which narrows down your options for dealing super-effective damage. However, the following table also lists some neutral Pokémon that can hold their ground against Zapdos’ attacks.

While it might be tempting to deploy powerful Ice-type Pokémon like Lapras or Articuno, remember that their own types (Flying- and Water-types, respectively) make them susceptible to Zapdos’ Electric attacks, leaving them at risk of getting knocked out quickly. The same applies to Machamp, who would be great for using Stone Edge but is vulnerable to Zapdos’ Drill Peck if it has that in its moveset. Conversely, Steel-types such as Metagross and Excadrill are resistant to Drill Peck, providing them with enhanced durability in battle.

Schedule for Zapdos’ Max Battles

Late January to February 2025

The Max Battles featuring Dynamax Zapdos will kick off in Pokémon GO during the Legendary Flight event on Monday, January 27, 2025, from 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM local time across all regions. For that first hour, Zapdos will be the exclusive Max Battle boss at every Power Spot. After this initial period, Dynamax Zapdos will remain in the game as a Max Battle boss at select Power Spots until February 3, 2025, where its presence will be mixed with other Max Battle bosses, including Bulbasaur, Cryogonal, and Grookey.

Depending on your location, you may need to visit multiple Power Spots to encounter Zapdos. However, given its week-long availability, you should be able to find one if you search diligently. As long as you focus on its vulnerabilities by using counters with Ice- and Rock-type moves, you’ll be well on your way to adding Dynamax Zapdos to your Pokémon GO collection.