Video summary

Only ONE Of These Is Worth Raiding!

Main summary

Key takeaways

Gaming

Storyline / Event Overview (Pokémon GO)

The video focuses on Mega Raichu X and Mega Raichu Y arriving through an event called Super Mega Raids for a limited time.

  • When: Saturday, July 18 (only 3 hours)
  • Availability: Both forms are available in Super Mega Raids during that window.
  • Bonus catch details:
    • Raichu caught during these raids have a boosted shiny rate (1 in 10).
    • Raichu is caught with the first Mega level unlocked, reducing early Mega setup cost.

Gameplay Highlights & Key Mechanics

Mega evolution / Mega Energy

  • You don’t need the usual 300 Mega Energy per form for the first Mega evolution.
    • Reason: raid Raichu comes with first Mega level unlocked.
  • Raichu has two Mega forms with split Mega Energy:
    • Raichu X raids grant Mega Raichu X energy
    • Raichu Y raids grant Mega Raichu Y energy
  • Mega Energy still matters because you can increase Mega levels for better rewards:
    • Max Mega level: +2 candy, 25% Candy XL
    • Super Max Mega level: +3 candy, 30% Candy XL
  • Mega Raichu X/Y are described as the first Electric-type Pokémon to reach Super Max Mega level.
  • From Mega level 3 → 4, you must use 5,000 Mega Energy.
    • This can’t be achieved using the “once per day” Mega evolution alone.

Raid pass / free raid pass planning

  • Super Mega raids only appear on certain gyms, so you must check where they’re active:
    • Use the Pokémon GO website map to find eligible gyms.

Free passes

  • You can get up to six free raid passes from spinning gyms + the daily free raid pass.
  • You can also carry over the previous day’s daily pass.
  • This can allow 7 raids in one day using only free passes.

Link Charges (Link Cables)

  • You can use 200 Link Charges to join a raid instead of a raid pass.
  • Mentioned sources:
    • Weekly challenges
    • Friend gifts
    • Sometimes Go Passes (example referenced: Road of Legends Go Pass)
  • Because of this, you may do more than seven raids per day by combining:
    • free passes + Link Charges

Remote raiding note

  • If you remote raid, you need:
    • a remote raid pass
    • 200 Link Charges
  • Strategy suggested:
    • save free in-person passes for this event
    • use Link Charges for remote raiding only if you plan to remote

Remote raid limit increase

  • Remote raid limit increases:
    • From: July 17, 5:00 PM PDT
    • Until: July 18, 8:00 PM PDT
  • New limit: 20 remote raids per day
  • This applies to raiding Mega Raichu and other bosses during the same period.

Super Mega Raid Strategy (How to actually beat them)

Shield mechanics (critical detail)

  • Super Mega Raids don’t show up on every gym; eligible gyms tend to cluster players.
  • The raid boss is treated as having multiple shields (the video assumes 8 shields, based on prior Super Mega bosses).
  • To break shields:
    • You must use a charged attack from a mega-evolved Pokémon.
    • Only one shield can be broken per trainer per raid.
  • Likely requirement: at least 8 trainers, each bringing a Mega-evolved Pokémon to handle shield breaking.

Timing tip

  • Don’t mega your shield-break Pokémon too early.
  • The game auto-switches into the mega Pokémon when the shields become active.
  • If you mega-evolve too early and your Mega Pokémon faints, you may lose time healing and re-entering.

If you don’t have enough people

If you can’t field enough shield-breakers, the raid may become:

  • very difficult
  • possibly not possible within the time limit

Remote raid risk

  • If you lose remotely, you could lose the remote raid pass and may not be able to rejoin.

Which Mega Raichu to Focus On (Main recommendation)

The video’s conclusion: after getting both forms for collection/initial unlocking, only one form is worth prioritizing.

  1. Initially raid at least one of each so both forms are registered for:
    • Mega Dex
    • first-time Mega evolution unlocks (including walking Mega energy access)
  2. After that, focus on Mega Raichu Y.

Why Mega Raichu Y?

  • Both are pure Electric and share key moves.
  • Mega Raichu Y has higher attack and better raid DPS/efficiency.
  • The video claims Mega Raichu Y becomes the #1 Electric-type attacker, using:
    • Thundershock (fast)
    • Wild Charge (charged)

Future outlook caveat

  • Later seasons may introduce a new top Electric attacker (including via Shadow Pokémon), but Mega Raichu Y remains valuable as a top Electric Mega.
  • Mega Zeraora is mentioned as a future Electric Mega that could outperform it later, but access is harder (rarer candy requirements vs Pikachu-based candy availability).

Best Counters for Mega Raichu X and Y

Overall typing

  • Both Mega forms are Electric-type, so they’re weak to Ground-type attacks only (per the video).

Main recommended counters

  • Mega Garchomp
  • Shadow Groudon
  • Shadow Garchomp
  • Shadow Excadrill
  • Landorus
  • Mega Mewtwo Y
  • Shadow Incarnate Landorus
  • Mega Mewtwo X
  • Shadow Riperia (spelled oddly in subtitles; referenced as a Ground/Flex counter)
  • Shadow Mammoswine

Budget-friendly options (video’s suggestions)

  • Garchomp
  • Excadrill
  • Mamoswine
  • Riperia
  • Golurk (subtitle reads “Goler”)
  • Crocodile (likely Crocodile, possibly an autocaption issue)

Specific clarification: Primal Groudon

  • Primal Groudon is NOT included because Primals can’t break the Super Mega Raid shields (per the video).

Extra Event Synergies & Extra Tips

Using the free raids for other Pokémon

  • The overlap with Pikachu-era content supports:
    • buddy-based evolution requirements
    • raid-based item farming
  • Examples mentioned:
    • Buddy evolution goals for Galarian Mr. Mime / Hisui Quillfish-type lines via “complete 10 raids” requirements
  • Rare candies and TMs drop during Super Mega Raids, especially Charge TMs.
  • XP note: 15k XP per Super Mega raid
    • With a Lucky Egg (and possibly Origin Dialga’s effect), XP can exceed 40,000 XP per raid.

Other raids during the remote-limit window

During July 17–18, remote-limit increases support raiding:

  • Kyogre (primal relevance mentioned, though primal energy isn’t gained from these raids)
  • Mega Sceptile
  • Shadow Palkia

Shadow Palkia candy can help with Origin Dialga adventures that expand interaction range.

Candy / Power-up Tips (farm Mega Raichu resources efficiently)

Pikachu availability overlap

  • Event overlap with Pikachu Celebration means:
    • more Pikachu costume spawns (wild/research/raids)
    • easier access to Pikachu candy

Capture item recommendations

  • Use Pinap berries on Pikachu and Raichu catches (recommended by the video).
  • For Candy XL boosts:
    • Mega evolve an Electric type (or revert Primal Kyogre) when catching Pikachu/Raichu to increase Candy XL gain.
    • For Raichu from raids: mega evolve using raid setup mechanics to get extra candy and Candy XL (requires specific mega-evolved setup for XL).

Handling spare Raichu from raids

Two options given:

  • Transfer them to leverage Go Pass transfer bonuses (extra candy/Candy XL)
  • Or hold and trade on Fridays for friendship bonuses:
    • higher chance of Lucky Pokémon
    • +2 guaranteed Candy XL per trade (as stated)

Medals / Progression Goals Mentioned

  • Pikachu Fan medal and Rockers/rocker-style medal (for raiding and mass Pikachu spawns)
  • Rising Star medal through the new Mega Raichu X/Y raids
  • Successor and Mega Evolution Guru medals (connected to Mega progression)
  • Battle Legend medal via raiding Kyogre/Palkia
  • Champion medal for other raid completions
  • Gentleman and PILOT medals aided by Friday trades

Gamers / Sources Featured (as stated at the end)

  • No specific gamer names or external sources were listed at the end of the provided subtitles.

Original video