Meta description: Nihilego Pokémon GO guide covering shiny Nihilego, its best moveset, weaknesses, raid counters, perfect IV CP and whether it is worth powering up.
Nihilego Pokémon GO encounters give Trainers the chance to catch the first Ultra Beast introduced to the game. This unusual Rock and Poison-type Pokémon has a high maximum CP and is one of the strongest Poison-type raid attackers available.
This Nihilego Pokémon GO guide covers shiny Nihilego, its weaknesses, the best raid counters, perfect IV catch CP, strongest moveset and whether Nihilego is worth using in raids or the GO Battle League.
Nihilego Pokémon GO Details
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Pokédex number | #0793 |
| Pokémon | Nihilego |
| Category | Parasite Pokémon |
| Generation | Generation VII |
| Type | Rock and Poison |
| Shiny available | Yes |
| Main weaknesses | Ground, Psychic, Steel and Water |
| Double weakness | Ground |
| Weather boost | Partly Cloudy and Cloudy |
| Maximum CP | 4,465 at Level 50 |
Nihilego is a dual Rock and Poison-type Pokémon. This typing gives Nihilego Pokémon GO battles several useful resistances, but it also creates a major double weakness to Ground-type attacks.
Damage taken when Nihilego is hit by each type:
Very weak to
Weak to
Resists
Strongly resists
Based on Rock / Poison typing. Abilities may modify these matchups.
Can Nihilego Be Shiny in Pokémon GO?
Yes, shiny Nihilego is available in Pokémon GO.
Regular Nihilego has a translucent white body with pale blue markings. Shiny Nihilego replaces much of the blue colouring with yellow and gold shades, making the shiny version reasonably easy to identify during the catch encounter.
A shiny encounter is not guaranteed after winning a Nihilego Pokémon GO raid. Trainers may need to complete several raids before shiny Nihilego appears.
Nihilego does not appear shiny during the raid battle itself. The shiny check takes place after the Ultra Beast has been defeated and the catch encounter begins.
Nihilego Pokémon GO Weaknesses
The Nihilego Pokémon GO weaknesses are:
- Ground-type attacks
- Psychic-type attacks
- Steel-type attacks
- Water-type attacks
Nihilego is double weak to Ground-type damage because both Rock and Poison are weak to Ground. Trainers should therefore prioritise Ground-type attackers whenever possible.
As a Rock and Poison-type Pokémon, Nihilego resists several attack types, including:
- Bug
- Fairy
- Fire
- Flying
- Normal
- Poison
Sunny or Clear weather boosts Ground-type attacks and can make a Nihilego Pokémon GO raid considerably easier.
Partly Cloudy and Cloudy weather boost Nihilego itself, increasing the CP of the Pokémon encountered after the raid.
Best Nihilego Pokémon GO Raid Counters
The best Nihilego Pokémon GO counters are powerful Ground-type attackers equipped with Ground-type Fast and Charged Attacks.
| Pokémon | Recommended moves |
|---|---|
| Primal Groudon | Mud Shot and Precipice Blades |
| Shadow Groudon | Mud Shot and Precipice Blades |
| Mega Garchomp | Mud Shot and Earth Power |
| Groudon | Mud Shot and Precipice Blades |
| Therian Forme Landorus | Mud Shot and Sandsear Storm |
| Shadow Garchomp | Mud Shot and Earth Power |
| Garchomp | Mud Shot and Earth Power |
| Excadrill | Mud-Slap and Scorching Sands |
| Rhyperior | Mud-Slap and Earthquake |
| Mamoswine | Mud-Slap and High Horsepower |
Primal Groudon is the strongest Nihilego Pokémon GO counter available. Shadow Groudon, Mega Garchomp and Therian Forme Landorus are also excellent choices.
Some recommended attacks, including Precipice Blades, Earth Power and Sandsear Storm, may require an Elite Charged TM when they are unavailable through regular TMs.
Trainers without top-tier Legendary, Shadow or Mega counters can still use Excadrill, Rhyperior, Mamoswine, Krookodile or ordinary Garchomp.
Ground-type moves should always be prioritised over Nihilego’s other weaknesses because its double Ground weakness produces significantly more damage.
How Many Trainers Are Needed to Beat Nihilego?
Nihilego has a reasonable amount of bulk, but its double Ground weakness makes the raid easier than many other five-star battles.
Two experienced Trainers using strong Ground-type teams should be able to defeat Nihilego under favourable conditions.
Most players should aim for at least three or four Trainers to make a Nihilego Pokémon GO raid comfortable.
| Group size | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| One Trainer | Potentially possible with exceptional boosts |
| Two Trainers | Achievable with strong Ground counters |
| Three Trainers | Comfortable for experienced players |
| Four or more | Recommended for most groups |
A larger group may be needed when counters are underlevelled, friendship bonuses are unavailable or players are not using Ground-type attacks.
Party Power, Primal Groudon boosts, Sunny weather and high friendship levels can reduce the time needed to win.
Nihilego Pokémon GO Perfect IV CP
The perfect IV Nihilego Pokémon GO catch values are:
| Encounter conditions | Perfect IV CP |
|---|---|
| Level 20 without weather boost | 2,256 CP |
| Level 25 with Partly Cloudy or Cloudy weather | 2,821 CP |
The standard non-weather-boosted Nihilego raid catch range is approximately 2,167 CP to 2,256 CP.
During Partly Cloudy or Cloudy weather, Nihilego can be encountered between approximately 2,709 CP and 2,821 CP.
A Nihilego caught at 2,256 CP or 2,821 CP under the corresponding conditions will have perfect 15/15/15 IVs.
Use Golden Razz Berries and aim for Excellent Curveball Throws. Nihilego floats around the catch screen, so waiting for its attack animation can make accurate throws easier.
Best Nihilego Pokémon GO Moveset
The best Nihilego Pokémon GO moveset for raids and Gym battles is:
- Fast Attack: Poison Jab
- Charged Attack: Sludge Bomb
Poison Jab and Sludge Bomb give Nihilego a complete Poison-type moveset and allow both attacks to benefit from the same-type attack bonus.
Nihilego can use the following attacks:
Fast Attacks
- Poison Jab
- Acid
- Pound
Charged Attacks
- Sludge Bomb
- Gunk Shot
- Rock Slide
- Power Gem
Poison Jab is Nihilego’s strongest Fast Attack for Poison-type damage. Acid is a usable alternative, but Poison Jab generally performs better.
Sludge Bomb is usually preferred over Gunk Shot because it requires less energy and allows Nihilego to attack more consistently.
Rock Slide gives Nihilego access to quicker Rock-type damage, while Power Gem provides another Rock-type option. However, Nihilego is far more notable as a Poison attacker than as a Rock attacker.
Is Nihilego Good in Pokémon GO Raids?
Nihilego is one of the strongest Poison-type raid attackers available in Pokémon GO.
The Nihilego Pokémon GO combination of a high Attack stat, strong Poison moves and useful durability allows it to perform extremely well against bosses weak to Poison.
Poison-type damage is super effective against:
- Fairy-type Pokémon
- Grass-type Pokémon
This means Nihilego can be useful against raid bosses such as:
- Tapu Bulu
- Tapu Koko
- Tapu Lele
- Zacian
- Xerneas
- Mega Gardevoir
- Grass-type Mega Pokémon
Nihilego faces competition from powerful Poison attackers such as Mega Gengar, Mega Beedrill and Shadow Pokémon, but it remains an excellent ordinary raid attacker.
Its Rock-type moves are much less impressive. Trainers wanting a dedicated Rock attacker should generally use Pokémon such as Mega Diancie, Rhyperior, Rampardos or Tyrantrum instead.
Is Nihilego Good in PvP?
Nihilego has a limited but usable role in the Master League.
Its Poison typing allows it to pressure Fairy-type Pokémon, while Rock Slide can threaten Flying and Fire-type opponents.
A recommended Nihilego Pokémon GO PvP moveset is:
- Fast Attack: Poison Jab
- Charged Attack: Rock Slide
- Second Charged Attack: Sludge Bomb
Rock Slide provides relatively quick shield pressure, while Sludge Bomb deals heavier Poison-type damage.
Nihilego’s greatest problem is its double Ground weakness. Groudon, Landorus, Garchomp, Excadrill and other Ground-type Pokémon can defeat it extremely quickly.
Steel and Psychic-type opponents can also cause problems. This prevents Nihilego from becoming a universal Master League choice, even though it can perform well in certain matchups.
What Is Nihilego?
Nihilego is an Ultra Beast introduced in Generation VII. It is known by the code name UB-01 Symbiont and resembles a translucent jellyfish.
Nihilego arrived through an Ultra Wormhole and behaves like a parasite. It can attach itself to people or Pokémon and release chemicals that affect the host’s behaviour.
A life-form from another world, it was dubbed a UB and is thought to produce a strong neurotoxin.
Base stat total: 570
Is Nihilego Pokémon GO Worth Raiding?
Nihilego Pokémon GO raids are worth completing for the Pokédex entry, shiny chance, Nihilego Candy and the opportunity to catch a top Poison-type attacker.
A Nihilego with Poison Jab and Sludge Bomb can provide genuine raid value against Fairy and Grass-type bosses. Trainers without a complete Poison-type team should strongly consider powering up a high-IV Nihilego.
Nihilego is less important for PvP because its double Ground weakness creates several difficult matchups. However, it can still work as a specialist Master League option.
Collectors may also want to continue raiding for shiny Nihilego, perfect IVs or additional Candy for future raid teams.
