Cobalion Pokémon GO is a Steel and Fighting-type Legendary Pokémon from the Unova region. It is one of the Swords of Justice alongside Terrakion, Virizion and Keldeo, and it has become a particularly useful option in the Ultra League.
Although Cobalion Pokémon GO does not have the raw Attack stat needed to rank among the strongest raid attackers, its defensive typing, quick energy generation and access to Sacred Sword give it considerable value in Trainer Battles.
This Cobalion Pokémon GO guide covers its best moveset, weaknesses, raid counters, shiny availability, perfect IV CP values and whether Cobalion is worth powering up.
Cobalion Pokémon GO Details
| Cobalion details | Information |
|---|---|
| Pokédex number | #0638 |
| Name | Cobalion |
| Category | Iron Will Pokémon |
| Generation | Generation V |
| Region | Unova |
| Type | Steel and Fighting |
| Evolution | Does not evolve |
| Shiny available | Yes |
| Maximum CP | 3,417 |
| Best PvP Fast Attack | Double Kick |
| Best PvP Charged Attacks | Sacred Sword and Stone Edge |
| Best raid moveset | Double Kick and Sacred Sword |
Cobalion is a member of the Legendary Swords of Justice. According to Pokémon lore, it fought alongside Terrakion and Virizion to protect Pokémon from humans during a destructive war.
How to Get Cobalion in Pokémon GO
Cobalion Pokémon GO is normally obtained by defeating it in five-star Raid Battles when it returns to the current raid rotation.
As a Legendary Pokémon, Cobalion is not normally available in the wild and cannot be hatched from Eggs.
Cobalion may also occasionally be obtainable through:
- Special Research
- Timed Research
- GO Battle League reward encounters
- Ticketed event encounters
- Pokémon GO Fest rewards
- Limited-time event research
Its availability changes regularly, so players who miss a raid rotation may need to wait until Cobalion returns during another event.
Players can also receive Cobalion through a Special Trade with another Trainer. Trading a Legendary Pokémon requires Stardust and counts as the player’s Special Trade for that day.
Can Cobalion Be Shiny in Pokémon GO?
Yes, Shiny Cobalion is available in Pokémon GO.
Whenever Cobalion returns to raids with its shiny form enabled, players have a chance of encountering Shiny Cobalion after successfully defeating the raid boss.
Shiny Cobalion is easy to distinguish from the standard version. Its usual blue colouring changes to a brighter turquoise shade, while parts of its body feature more vivid yellow and orange tones.
A shiny encounter is not guaranteed. Each completed raid provides another independent chance of finding one.
Shiny Legendary Pokémon encountered after a successful raid are normally guaranteed catches provided the player lands a successful throw. Players should therefore use a Pinap Berry or Silver Pinap Berry to gain additional Cobalion Candy rather than worrying about it escaping.
Cobalion Pokémon GO Best Moveset
The best Cobalion Pokémon GO moveset for PvP is:
- Fast Attack: Double Kick
- Charged Attack: Sacred Sword
- Charged Attack: Stone Edge
Double Kick generates energy quickly and receives the same-type attack bonus from Cobalion’s Fighting typing.
Sacred Sword is a low-energy Fighting-type Charged Attack that allows Cobalion to apply frequent shield pressure. Stone Edge provides valuable Rock-type coverage against Fire, Flying and other Pokémon that resist Fighting attacks.
For raids and Gym battles, the best Cobalion Pokémon GO moveset is:
- Fast Attack: Double Kick
- Charged Attack: Sacred Sword
| Battle format | Best Cobalion moveset |
|---|---|
| Ultra League | Double Kick, Sacred Sword and Stone Edge |
| Master League | Double Kick, Sacred Sword and Stone Edge |
| Raids | Double Kick and Sacred Sword |
| Gym battles | Double Kick and Sacred Sword |
Metal Claw can provide Steel-type Fast Attack damage, but it is generally less useful than Double Kick.
Iron Head gives Cobalion a Steel-type Charged Attack, while Close Combat deals heavy Fighting damage but reduces the user’s Defence in Trainer Battles.
How to Get Sacred Sword on Cobalion
Sacred Sword is Cobalion’s most important Charged Attack.
It has previously been available when Cobalion appeared during selected raid rotations and events. A Cobalion caught outside one of those periods may not automatically know Sacred Sword.
Players can check the Charged Attack displayed on the Cobalion summary screen after catching it.
When Sacred Sword is not available using a regular Charged TM, an Elite Charged TM may be required to teach the move.
Because Elite Charged TMs are limited, players should prioritise a Cobalion with good Ultra League IVs or strong overall IVs before using one.
Sacred Sword is particularly important because it:
- Costs relatively little energy
- Receives the same-type attack bonus
- Provides rapid shield pressure
- Works well with Double Kick
- Gives Cobalion consistent Fighting-type damage
A Cobalion without Sacred Sword loses much of what makes it effective in PvP.
Cobalion Pokémon GO Weaknesses
Cobalion is weak against:
- Fighting
- Fire
- Ground
All three types deal super-effective damage against Cobalion Pokémon GO.
Fire and Ground Pokémon are often the strongest options in Cobalion raids because many of them have excellent Attack stats and powerful same-type moves.
Fighting Pokémon can also deal super-effective damage, although some may take neutral or resisted damage from Cobalion’s own Fighting and Steel attacks.
Cobalion Resistances
Cobalion has an unusually large number of resistances because of its Steel and Fighting typing.
It resists:
- Bug
- Dark
- Dragon
- Grass
- Ice
- Normal
- Poison
- Rock
- Steel
Damage taken when Cobalion is hit by each type:
Weak to
Resists
Strongly resists
Immune to
Based on Steel / Fighting typing. Abilities may modify these matchups.
Cobalion has particularly strong resistances to Bug, Poison and Rock-type attacks.
This extensive defensive profile is one of the main reasons Cobalion performs well in the Ultra League. It can enter battle safely against several common attack types and force opponents to rely on specific coverage moves.
However, Cobalion’s weaknesses to Fighting, Fire and Ground are all common in competitive play.
Best Cobalion Raid Counters
The best Cobalion Pokémon GO raid counters are powerful Fire, Fighting and Ground-type attackers.
Strong options include:
| Pokémon | Recommended moves |
|---|---|
| Primal Groudon | Mud Shot and Precipice Blades |
| Mega Blaziken | Counter and Blast Burn |
| Mega Charizard Y | Fire Spin and Blast Burn |
| Mega Garchomp | Mud Shot and Earth Power |
| Reshiram | Fire Fang and Fusion Flare |
| Groudon | Mud Shot and Precipice Blades |
| Shadow Groudon | Mud Shot and Precipice Blades |
| Shadow Chandelure | Fire Spin and Overheat |
| Terrakion | Double Kick and Sacred Sword |
| Lucario | Force Palm or Counter and Aura Sphere |
| Mega Heracross | Counter and Close Combat |
| Excadrill | Mud-Slap and Scorching Sands |
The exact best counters can change as new Pokémon, Shadow forms, Mega Evolutions and moves are introduced.
Players should prioritise high-level counters with super-effective attacks rather than selecting Pokémon solely because they appear near the top of a general counter list.
Weather can also affect raid performance:
- Sunny weather boosts Fire and Ground attacks
- Cloudy weather boosts Fighting attacks
- Snowy weather boosts Cobalion’s Steel attacks
How Many Players Are Needed to Beat Cobalion?
Cobalion can potentially be defeated by two experienced Trainers using highly powered counters, favourable weather and appropriate Mega or Primal boosts.
However, most players should use a larger group.
| Trainer group | Expected difficulty |
|---|---|
| Two Trainers | Possible with excellent counters |
| Three Trainers | Achievable for prepared players |
| Four Trainers | Comfortable with good counters |
| Five or more | Suitable for most public groups |
Cobalion has a high Defence stat, which can make the raid take longer than expected despite its three common weaknesses.
Players using automatic recommended teams may struggle if the game selects bulky Pokémon with weak attacks. Creating a dedicated Fire, Fighting or Ground raid team before entering will improve the group’s chances.
Cobalion Perfect IV CP
A perfect Cobalion caught from a standard Level 20 raid encounter has 1,727 CP.
A weather-boosted perfect Cobalion caught at Level 25 has 2,159 CP.
| Encounter type | Perfect IV Cobalion CP |
|---|---|
| Standard raid encounter | 1,727 CP |
| Weather-boosted raid encounter | 2,159 CP |
| Research encounter | Approximately 1,295 CP |
| Maximum Level 50 CP | 3,417 CP |
Cobalion receives a weather boost during cloudy or snowy weather because of its Fighting and Steel typing.
A perfect Cobalion has 15 Attack, 15 Defence and 15 Stamina IVs.
Players interested in Ultra League should not automatically transfer a Cobalion simply because it has a lower Attack appraisal. Some lower-Attack combinations can provide more overall bulk while remaining under the 2,500 CP limit.
Cobalion Pokémon GO Stats
Cobalion has the following Pokémon GO base stats:
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Attack | 192 |
| Defence | 229 |
| Stamina | 209 |
| Maximum CP | 3,417 |
Cobalion’s highest stat is Defence.
Its relatively low Attack prevents it from becoming an elite raid attacker, but its combination of Defence and Stamina gives it useful staying power in Trainer Battles.
This stat distribution is particularly well suited to Ultra League, where surviving long enough to use multiple Charged Attacks is often more important than dealing maximum immediate damage.
Is Cobalion Good in Pokémon GO Raids?
Cobalion Pokémon GO is usable as a Fighting-type raid attacker but is not one of the strongest available options.
Double Kick and Sacred Sword give it a functional Fighting-type moveset, but its base Attack of 192 is substantially lower than that of leading raid Pokémon.
Stronger Fighting-type raid attackers include:
- Mega Lucario
- Mega Blaziken
- Terrakion
- Shadow Machamp
- Lucario
- Conkeldurr
- Shadow Hariyama
Cobalion’s Defence allows it to remain in battle for a reasonable amount of time, but raid performance generally rewards damage per second more heavily than defensive bulk.
It can still fill a place on a developing raid team, particularly if it is already powered up for the Ultra League.
Is Cobalion Good in the Ultra League?
Yes, Ultra League is where Cobalion Pokémon GO provides its greatest value.
Its Steel and Fighting typing gives it numerous resistances, while Double Kick and Sacred Sword allow it to generate and spend energy quickly.
Stone Edge provides coverage against Flying and Fire Pokémon that would otherwise threaten it.
Cobalion can perform well against several Pokémon commonly seen in the Ultra League, particularly opponents vulnerable to Fighting or Steel-type pressure.
Its main advantages include:
- Nine type resistances
- Fast energy generation
- Low-cost Sacred Sword
- Stone Edge coverage
- Strong defensive stats
- Useful performance against Steel, Dark, Ice and Rock Pokémon
Its main problems are common Fighting, Fire and Ground-type attacks.
Cobalion may also struggle when opponents correctly predict Stone Edge or force it to spend shields before it can establish Charged Attack pressure.
Despite those limitations, it remains one of the most worthwhile Swords of Justice Pokémon for Ultra League players.
Is Cobalion Good in the Master League?
Cobalion can be used in the Master League, but its relatively low maximum CP and Attack stat limit its performance.
At Level 50, Cobalion reaches a maximum CP of 3,417. This is substantially below many of the Legendary and pseudo-Legendary Pokémon commonly used in open Master League teams.
Its typing and moveset can still create useful matchups, particularly against Steel, Dark, Ice and Rock Pokémon.
However, Cobalion is generally better suited to:
- Ultra League
- Ultra League Premier formats
- Restricted cups
- Special themed competitions
Players with limited Candy XL should normally build an Ultra League Cobalion before considering a Level 50 Master League investment.
What Are the Best IVs for Cobalion?
The best Cobalion IVs depend on how it will be used.
For raids and Master League, a perfect 15/15/15 Cobalion is ideal.
For Ultra League, lower Attack and higher Defence and Stamina can provide better overall performance under the 2,500 CP limit.
| Use | Preferred IV style |
|---|---|
| Raids | High Attack, ideally 15/15/15 |
| Ultra League | Lower Attack with high Defence and Stamina |
| Master League | 15/15/15 |
| Collection | Perfect, shiny or Special Background |
Cobalion cannot normally be caught below Level 15, which limits the number of possible Ultra League IV combinations compared with Pokémon obtainable in the wild.
Trading can reroll its IVs and may produce a more favourable Ultra League spread, although Legendary trades can be expensive.
Should You Power Up Cobalion?
Cobalion Pokémon GO is worth powering up for the Ultra League when it has Double Kick and Sacred Sword.
It is less urgent for players focused only on raids, as there are many stronger Fighting and Steel attackers.
Players should consider investing in Cobalion when they have:
- A strong Ultra League IV combination
- Sacred Sword
- Enough Cobalion Candy
- Enough Stardust for a second Charged Attack
- A team that benefits from its resistances
- A need for Fighting pressure in Ultra League
Unlocking a second Charged Attack is important because Stone Edge gives Cobalion valuable coverage that Sacred Sword alone cannot provide.
Players should test Cobalion at its intended Ultra League CP before spending Candy XL unnecessarily.
Cobalion Pokédex Description
This legendary Pokémon battled against humans to protect Pokémon. Its personality is calm and composed.
Cobalion appears in legends alongside Terrakion and Virizion. It fought against humans to protect Pokémon and is known for its calm, composed personality and body of steel.
Is Cobalion Pokémon GO Worth Getting?
Cobalion Pokémon GO is worth getting, especially for players who participate in the Ultra League.
It is not one of the strongest raid attackers, but judging it solely by raid damage overlooks its greatest strengths. Cobalion has strong defensive stats, numerous resistances and an excellent PvP moveset built around Double Kick and Sacred Sword.
Players should prioritise obtaining:
- One Cobalion with suitable Ultra League IVs
- One with Sacred Sword
- A high-IV Cobalion for collection
- Shiny Cobalion
- Any available Special Background version
Cobalion is unlikely to dominate every battle format, but it is one of the more useful Legendary Pokémon to keep for PvP. Its combination of Steel typing, Fighting pressure and Stone Edge coverage makes it a dependable addition to many Ultra League teams.
