Azelf Pokémon GO is a Psychic-type Legendary Pokémon from the Sinnoh region and one of the three Lake Guardians alongside Uxie and Mesprit. Azelf is normally associated with the Americas and Greenland, making it a regional Legendary that players in the UK and Europe will usually need a Remote Raid invitation or trade to obtain.
Of the three Lake Guardians, Azelf Pokémon GO has the highest Attack stat. It is therefore the best of the trio for Psychic-type raid damage, although it still faces intense competition from considerably stronger Psychic attackers.
This Azelf Pokémon GO guide covers how to get Azelf outside its usual region, its best moveset, shiny availability, raid counters, perfect IV CP and whether it is worth powering up.
Azelf Pokémon GO Details
| Azelf details | Information |
|---|---|
| Pokédex number | #0482 |
| Name | Azelf |
| Category | Willpower Pokémon |
| Generation | Generation IV |
| Region | Sinnoh |
| Type | Psychic |
| Legendary group | Lake Guardians |
| Normal Pokémon GO region | Americas and Greenland |
| Evolution | Does not evolve |
| Shiny available | Yes |
| Maximum CP | 3,629 |
| Best moveset | Confusion and Future Sight |
Azelf is known as the Being of Willpower and is closely associated with Lake Valor in the Sinnoh region.
How to Get Azelf in Pokémon GO
Azelf Pokémon GO is normally available in five-star Raid Battles throughout the Americas and Greenland whenever the Lake Guardians return to the Legendary raid rotation.
Its usual regional availability includes:
- United States
- Canada
- Mexico
- Central America
- South America
- Caribbean territories
- Greenland
Players living outside these regions can still obtain Azelf through:
- Remote Raid invitations
- Pokémon GO Fest raids
- Worldwide raid events
- Special or Timed Research
- GO Battle League encounters
- Special Trades
Azelf can also appear in the wild, but Lake Guardian wild encounters are extraordinarily rare and should not be considered a reliable method of obtaining one.
For UK players, accepting a Remote Raid invitation from someone in North or South America will usually be the easiest way to catch Azelf during a standard regional raid rotation.
Is Azelf Regional in Pokémon GO?
Yes, Azelf Pokémon GO is normally a regional Legendary Pokémon.
The three Lake Guardians are usually split between the following regions:
| Lake Guardian | Normal region |
|---|---|
| Uxie | Asia-Pacific |
| Mesprit | Europe, Middle East, Africa and India |
| Azelf | Americas and Greenland |
This geographic split normally applies when Uxie, Mesprit and Azelf appear in five-star raids.
Major worldwide events may make the Lake Guardians more accessible, but the raid bosses can still remain tied to their usual regions unless the event announcement explicitly confirms otherwise.
Remote Raids allow players to obtain all three without travelling internationally.
Can Azelf Be Shiny in Pokémon GO?
Yes, Shiny Azelf is available in Pokémon GO.
Players have a chance of encountering Shiny Azelf after defeating it during an eligible five-star raid rotation.
The shiny version changes much of Azelf’s usual pale blue body to a yellow and golden colour. Its head and tail details also become more vibrant.
A shiny encounter is not guaranteed. Every completed Azelf raid provides another independent chance of finding one.
Shiny Legendary Pokémon encountered after raids are normally guaranteed catches as long as the player lands a successful throw.
Players can therefore use a Pinap Berry or Silver Pinap Berry to receive additional Azelf Candy rather than using a Golden Razz Berry.
Shiny Azelf can be harder to obtain for players outside the Americas because they may depend on Remote Raid invitations or limited global events.
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Azelf Pokémon GO Best Moveset
The best Azelf Pokémon GO moveset for raids and Gym battles is:
- Fast Attack: Confusion
- Charged Attack: Future Sight
Both attacks receive the same-type attack bonus from Azelf’s Psychic typing.
Confusion deals strong Psychic-type Fast Attack damage, while Future Sight provides powerful same-type Charged Attack damage.
For Trainer Battles, a possible Azelf Pokémon GO moveset is:
- Fast Attack: Confusion
- Charged Attack: Swift
- Charged Attack: Future Sight or Fire Blast
| Battle format | Recommended Azelf moveset |
|---|---|
| Raids | Confusion and Future Sight |
| Gym battles | Confusion and Future Sight |
| Great League | Confusion, Swift and Fire Blast |
| Ultra League | Confusion, Swift and Future Sight |
| Team GO Rocket | Confusion, Swift and Future Sight |
Swift offers cheaper neutral Charged Attack pressure than Future Sight.
Fire Blast provides coverage against Bug, Grass, Ice and Steel Pokémon, although its high energy cost makes it difficult to use consistently.
Azelf Available Attacks
Azelf can use Fast Attacks including:
- Confusion
- Extrasensory
Its Charged Attacks include:
- Future Sight
- Fire Blast
- Swift
Confusion is normally preferred when Azelf is being used as a Psychic-type raid attacker.
Extrasensory may provide a slightly different balance of damage and energy generation but is generally less effective for pure raid damage.
Future Sight is Azelf’s strongest Psychic Charged Attack.
Swift gives it a cheaper neutral option in PvP, while Fire Blast can surprise Steel Pokémon that resist Psychic attacks.
Azelf Pokémon GO Weaknesses
Azelf Pokémon GO is weak against:
- Bug
- Dark
- Ghost
Dark Pokémon are normally among the safest Azelf raid counters because they resist its Psychic attacks.
Ghost attackers can deal extremely high damage, although some are relatively fragile and may faint quickly against neutral attacks.
Bug Pokémon also deal super-effective damage, but Dark and Ghost teams will usually contain the strongest available counters.
Azelf Resistances
Azelf resists attacks from:
- Fighting
- Psychic
Damage taken when Azelf is hit by each type:
Weak to
Resists
Based on Psychic typing. Abilities may modify these matchups.
Its Psychic typing allows Azelf to resist Fighting and Psychic attacks.
However, Azelf has relatively low Defence. Even resisted attacks may remove health quickly compared with the much bulkier Uxie.
Azelf is designed much more heavily around dealing damage than surviving for extended periods.
Best Azelf Pokémon GO Raid Counters
The best Azelf Pokémon GO raid counters use powerful Dark, Ghost or Bug-type attacks.
| Pokémon | Recommended moves |
|---|---|
| Mega Tyranitar | Bite and Brutal Swing |
| Mega Gengar | Lick or Shadow Claw and Shadow Ball |
| Mega Houndoom | Snarl and Foul Play |
| Shadow Tyranitar | Bite and Brutal Swing |
| Necrozma Dawn Wings | Shadow Claw and Moongeist Beam |
| Darkrai | Snarl and Shadow Ball or Dark Pulse |
| Hydreigon | Bite and Brutal Swing |
| Giratina Origin Forme | Shadow Claw and Shadow Force |
| Chandelure | Hex and Shadow Ball |
| Yveltal | Snarl and Dark Pulse |
| Mega Heracross | Struggle Bug and Megahorn |
| Volcarona | Bug Bite and Bug Buzz |
The strongest counter depends on Pokémon level, attacks, weather and the Mega or Primal boosts available to the raid group.
Weather can improve counter damage:
- Fog boosts Dark and Ghost attacks
- Rain boosts Bug attacks
Windy weather boosts Azelf’s Psychic attacks and increases the level of the Azelf encountered after completing the raid.
How Many Players Are Needed to Beat Azelf?
Azelf is the easiest of the three Lake Guardians to defeat because it has the lowest Defence.
Two prepared Trainers can defeat Azelf using strong Dark or Ghost counters, suitable friendship bonuses and favourable conditions.
| Group size | Expected difficulty |
|---|---|
| Two Trainers | Achievable with excellent counters |
| Three Trainers | Comfortable for prepared players |
| Four Trainers | Suitable for most teams |
| Five or more | Straightforward for public groups |
Azelf can deal considerably more damage than Uxie or Mesprit, so raid teams may faint more frequently even though the boss itself is defeated faster.
Players should prepare a dedicated Dark or Ghost team rather than relying entirely on the automatically recommended party.
Azelf Pokémon GO Perfect IV CP
A perfect Azelf caught after a standard Level 20 raid has 1,834 CP.
A weather-boosted perfect Azelf caught at Level 25 has 2,293 CP.
| Encounter type | Perfect IV Azelf CP |
|---|---|
| Standard raid encounter | 1,834 CP |
| Weather-boosted raid encounter | 2,293 CP |
| Research encounter | Approximately 1,376 CP |
| Maximum Level 50 CP | 3,629 CP |
Azelf receives a weather boost during windy weather.
A perfect Azelf has 15 Attack, 15 Defence and 15 Stamina IVs.
Players intending to use Azelf as a raid attacker should prioritise a 15 Attack IV.
Lower-Attack Azelf obtained through trading may be more suitable for CP-limited PvP, although Azelf is not generally a leading Great League or Ultra League Pokémon.
Azelf Pokémon GO Stats
Azelf has the following Pokémon GO base stats:
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Attack | 270 |
| Defence | 151 |
| Stamina | 181 |
| Maximum CP | 3,629 |
Azelf’s defining feature is its high Attack stat.
Its base Attack of 270 is considerably greater than Mesprit’s 212 and Uxie’s 156.
The trade-off is its low Defence. Azelf can deal strong damage but may faint quickly against powerful raid or Trainer Battle attacks.
This offensive stat distribution makes Azelf the best raid attacker of the Lake Guardian trio.
Is Azelf Good in Pokémon GO Raids?
Azelf Pokémon GO is the strongest Psychic raid attacker among the three Lake Guardians.
Confusion and Future Sight give it a complete Psychic-type moveset, while its high Attack stat allows it to deal respectable damage against Pokémon weak to Psychic attacks.
Psychic attacks are super effective against:
- Fighting Pokémon
- Poison Pokémon
Azelf can therefore be useful against selected raid bosses such as:
- Terrakion
- Virizion
- Zamazenta Hero of Many Battles
- Nihilego
- Mega Venusaur
- Mega Gengar
- Fighting-type Mega Pokémon
However, Azelf is not one of the best Psychic attackers in the game.
Stronger options include:
- Mega Mewtwo Y
- Mega Alakazam
- Shadow Mewtwo
- Mewtwo
- Necrozma Dawn Wings
- Hoopa Unbound
- Latios
- Metagross with Psychic attacks
Azelf is a usable backup attacker rather than an essential raid investment.
Is Azelf Better Than Uxie and Mesprit?
For raids, yes.
Azelf has the highest Attack stat of the three Lake Guardians and therefore deals the most Psychic-type damage.
| Lake Guardian | Attack | Defence | Main strength |
|---|---|---|---|
| Uxie | 156 | 270 | Defensive bulk |
| Mesprit | 212 | 212 | Balanced stats |
| Azelf | 270 | 151 | Raid damage |
Uxie is much more defensive but deals poor raid damage.
Mesprit provides a balance between Attack and Defence but does not excel in either area.
Azelf is the obvious choice when damage output is the priority.
However, none of the Lake Guardians are essential when stronger Psychic Pokémon are available.
Is Azelf Good in Great League?
Azelf has limited Great League value.
Its high Attack causes it to reach the 1,500 CP limit quickly, leaving it with less overall bulk than many established Great League Pokémon.
Confusion can deal strong Fast Attack damage, while Swift gives Azelf a relatively cheap Charged Attack.
Fire Blast provides coverage against Steel Pokémon, but its energy cost is extremely high.
Azelf also struggles against common Dark and Ghost Pokémon.
Possible Great League use is mainly limited to:
- Restricted cups
- Psychic-themed formats
- Special event competitions
- Surprise teams
Raid-caught Azelf will usually be above the Great League CP limit. A Great League-eligible version may require a low-level wild encounter or a trade that reduces its IVs and CP.
Is Azelf Good in Ultra League?
Azelf Pokémon GO is not generally a priority Ultra League investment.
Its offensive stats allow it to deal strong Confusion damage, but its low Defence makes it difficult to survive long enough to use several Charged Attacks.
Dark and Ghost Pokémon remain serious problems.
Azelf may work as an aggressive specialist in selected restricted formats, but it is unlikely to perform consistently in the open Ultra League.
Players with limited Stardust should normally invest in a bulkier and more established Psychic Pokémon.
Can Azelf Be Found in the Wild?
Yes, Azelf can technically appear in the wild within its normal region.
Wild Lake Guardian encounters are among the rarest Pokémon encounters in the game and are sometimes associated with areas near water.
A wild Azelf should be treated as an extraordinary occurrence rather than something players can reliably hunt.
Players are much more likely to obtain Azelf through:
- Five-star Raid Battles
- Remote Raid invitations
- Pokémon GO Fest
- Worldwide events
- Special Trades
A wild Azelf can flee.
Players who encounter one should use a Golden Razz Berry, the best available Poké Ball and a carefully aimed throw.
Can Azelf Be Traded?
Yes, Azelf can be traded in Pokémon GO.
Because Azelf is a Legendary Pokémon, the trade normally counts as a Special Trade.
The Stardust cost depends on:
- Friendship level
- Whether Azelf is registered
- Whether the Azelf is shiny
- Current event trade bonuses
Trading is useful for players outside the Americas and Greenland.
It can also reroll Azelf’s IVs, potentially producing a Lucky Azelf with reduced power-up costs.
Lucky Azelf can be particularly useful for players who want to build it as a Psychic raid attacker without spending as much Stardust.
What Are the Best IVs for Azelf?
For raids, a perfect 15/15/15 Azelf is ideal.
Players should prioritise a 15 Attack IV because Azelf’s main purpose is dealing damage.
| Use | Preferred IV style |
|---|---|
| Raids | 15 Attack preferred |
| Ultra League | Lower Attack with greater bulk |
| Team GO Rocket | High Attack preferred |
| Collection | Perfect, shiny or Special Background |
A near-perfect Azelf with 15 Attack can still provide almost identical raid performance to a perfect version.
Players should avoid transferring a strong Azelf merely because one defensive IV is slightly lower.
Should You Power Up Azelf?
Azelf Pokémon GO can be worth powering up if a player needs another Psychic-type raid attacker.
It is not a priority investment for players who already own powered-up Mewtwo, Shadow Mewtwo, Mega Alakazam, Necrozma Dawn Wings or other leading Psychic Pokémon.
Players may still choose to invest when they have:
- A 15 Attack IV
- Strong overall IVs
- Shiny Azelf
- A Special Background version
- A Lucky Azelf
- Limited access to stronger Psychic attackers
- A personal interest in the Lake Guardians
A Level 40 Azelf can provide respectable Psychic raid damage.
Spending Candy XL to reach Level 50 is much harder to justify unless the Pokémon is perfect, shiny, Lucky or personally valuable.
Azelf Pokédex Description
Known as “The Being of Willpower.” It sleeps at the bottom of a lake to keep the world in balance.
Azelf is known as the Being of Willpower. Legends say that its appearance gave humans the determination needed to face life’s challenges.
Is Azelf Pokémon GO Worth Getting?
Azelf Pokémon GO is worth getting for its regional rarity, shiny form, Lake Guardian collection and Psychic-type raid potential.
It is the strongest attacker of the three Lake Guardians, although stronger Psychic Pokémon prevent it from becoming an essential battle investment.
The main reasons to obtain Azelf include:
- Regional Legendary status
- Shiny availability
- Lake Guardian collection value
- High Attack stat
- Psychic raid damage
- Rare wild encounter potential
- Trade value outside the Americas
- Possible Special Backgrounds
Players in the Americas and Greenland should take advantage whenever Azelf returns to local five-star raids.
Players elsewhere should seek Remote Raid invitations, global event encounters or Special Trades to complete the Lake Guardian trio.
