Pokemon GO Mega Heracross Raid guide: Best counters, CP, weaknesses, evolution, and more

Mega Heracross is making a limited-time return to Pokemon Go as part of the Sparring Partners Raid Day event on April 13, 2025. Players looking to add this powerful Bug/Fighting-type to their roster — or its rare Shiny form — will want to take full advantage of the three-hour window. Here’s everything you need to know about defeating and evolving Mega Heracross in Pokemon Go.

- Event: Sparring Partners Raid Day
- Date: Sunday, April 13, 2025
- Time: 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM local time
- Availability: Only available during Mega Raids
Players must defeat Mega Heracross in a Mega Raid to receive a chance to catch its base form, Heracross, and earn Mega Energy.

Mega Heracross is a Bug/Fighting-type Pokemon. This dual typing results in a double weakness to Flying-type attacks, as well as standard weaknesses to Fire, Fairy, and Psychic-type moves.
Effective types to use:
- Flying (double damage)
- Psychic
- Fairy
- Fire

- Bug
- Dark
-Fighting
- Grass
- Ground

Here are the top counters to use against Mega Heracross, covering Megas, Shadows, Legendaries, and accessible options:

If you lack these Pokemon, focus on your strongest Flying, Fairy, Fire, or Psychic-types with matching movesets.

Players cannot directly catch a Mega Heracross. After winning the Mega Raid, trainers will receive a regular Heracross encounter and Mega Energy.
How it works:
- Win a Mega Raid during the event
- Use Premier Balls to catch standard Heracross
- Accumulate Mega Energy to evolve your Heracross
Performance during the raid determines how many Premier Balls you get, so battling with friends and using counters improves your odds.

To Mega Evolve Heracross, players need Mega Energy.

- First time: 200 Mega Energy
- Subsequent evolutions: drops to 40, then 20, and eventually 10
Ways to earn Mega Energy:
- Defeating Mega Heracross in Raids
- Completing specific Field Research tasks
- Walking with Heracross as your Buddy (only after it’s Mega Evolved once)


Here’s a breakdown of CP values you can expect when encountering and capturing Heracross after the raid:
CP Category CP Value
Raid Boss CP 51,078
CP range when caught 2650 – 2751
CP range in Rain/Cloudy weather 3312 – 3439
Max CP (Level 50) 5443

Here are the base stats and move options for Mega Heracross:


- Counter (Fighting)
- Struggle Bug (Bug)
Charged Moves:
- Megahorn (Bug)
- Close Combat (Fighting)
- Earthquake (Ground)
- Rock Blast (Rock)

Yes, Shiny Mega Heracross is available in the game. Introduced alongside its Mega Evolution debut, the shiny variant is easy to identify — its color shifts from blue to a striking fuchsia.
While shiny odds remain low, your best strategy is to participate in as many raids as possible during the event. If you already have a shiny Heracross, you can Mega Evolve it to see its shiny Mega form.

- Prepare your Flying-type counters — they’re the most effective
- Mega Evolutions and Shadows will help speed up the fight
- Join with at least 3–5 trainers for a reliable takedown
- Focus on collecting enough Mega Energy for multiple evolutions
- Keep an eye out for the shiny variant — it’s rare but vibrant
Also read: Pokemon GO Sparring Partners Raid Day event preparation guide: All event bonuses, featured Pokemon, best tips, and more
With its limited-time appearance, high CP, and potential for a shiny version, Mega Heracross is one raid you won’t want to miss.