Dialga is a Steel- and Dragon-type Legendary Pokémon originally discovered in the Sinnoh region. It’s said that time flows when Dialga’s heart beats. Learn which Pokémon will be most effective in Raid Battles against Dialga, how to catch Dialga after winning a Raid Battle, and how best to use the Temporal Pokémon after you’ve caught it.

Which Pokémon to Use in a Dialga Raid in Pokémon GO

As a Steel- and Dragon-type Pokémon, Dialga is vulnerable to Fighting- and Ground-type attacks. When selecting Pokémon for your Dialga Raid Battle lineup, it helps to choose Pokémon that have a Fast Attack and a Charged Attack of one of these types if you want to deal as much damage as possible. It’s not necessary to choose only Fighting- or Ground-type Pokémon, but a Pokémon that shares a type with these attacks will benefit from a same-type attack bonus, which will allow these attacks to deal an additional 20% damage.

If you have multiple Pokémon that know Fighting- or Ground-type attacks, choose the Pokémon with the highest CP and best overall stats. Remember that speed of victory affects how many Premier Balls you will receive at the conclusion of a successful Raid Battle, so bring your strongest Pokémon and defeat Dialga as quickly as you can.

Make the Most of Premier Balls and Berries

After a successful Dialga raid, you’ll have a limited number of Premier Balls you can use to catch Dialga, so make each one count. You can earn extra Premier Balls by battling with friends and defeating Dialga more quickly.

In an encounter with Dialga, your chance of catching it is greatest when the target ring is small enough for you to score Excellent Throws. Throwing Curveballs can improve your chances even more. But work within your abilities—if you don’t think you can reliably make Excellent Curveball Throws, aim for Nice Throws or Great Throws rather than risk missing the target ring completely.

Dialga isn’t going to make it easy on you by sitting still while you’re trying to catch it. Don’t waste your Premier Balls by throwing them while it’s moving around. Watch Dialga to get a feel for its cycle of movement and the pauses in between this cycle. During one of these pauses, wait for the target ring to reappear, and then throw as it starts to shrink to increase your odds of making a Great Throw or an Excellent Throw.

Berries can help you catch Dialga. A Razz Berry will make Dialga easier to catch, and a Golden Razz Berry will make it much easier to catch. If you find yourself failing to land any throws, a Nanab Berry will calm Dialga, making its movements less erratic and allowing you to make precise throws more easily. If you need extra Dialga Candy, using a Silver Pinap Berry will make Dialga easier to catch and grant you extra Candy when you catch it.

Buddy Pokémon with a Buddy Level of Great Buddy or higher have the Catch Assist Perk. If a Pokémon—even a Legendary Pokémon—deflects a Poké Ball, your buddy might bounce it back for a second catch opportunity!

Like all Legendary Pokémon, Dialga is tricky to catch, so don’t be discouraged if it escapes. Get a second wind by stocking up on useful items—like Max Potions, Max Revives, and Golden Razz Berries—and try again.

What to Do with Dialga Once You’ve Caught It

As a Steel- and Dragon-type Pokémon, Dialga has a type advantage against other Dragon-type Pokémon, as well as Ice- and Rock-type Pokémon. Along with its high max CP, this makes Dialga a solid choice for five-star Raid Battles against Pokémon like Exeggutor, Dragonite, Tyranitar, Salamence, Latias, and Latios. Its unique typing leaves it with very few vulnerabilities—most notably, it doesn’t take extra damage from Fairy-type attacks, which are typically super effective against Dragon-type Pokémon.

Dialga is also an incredibly valuable addition to any Master League team, where its high CP and the fact that it’s vulnerable to only two attack types make it a formidable threat. In addition, it’s strong against many Pokémon that are popular in the Master League, including Gyarados, Dragonite, Mewtwo, Lugia, and Giratina.

Dragon-type Pokémon are popular in the Master League, but their vulnerability to Fairy-type Pokémon—and Togekiss in particular—can be difficult to overcome. Dialga is a rare exception that doesn’t suffer from this vulnerability but still boasts a powerful Dragon-type Fast Attack and Charged Attack. Its Fast Attack Dragon Breath deals significant damage, while all three of Dialga’s Charged Attack options—Draco Meteor, Iron Head, and Thunder—are valuable in battle against many of the Master League’s favorite Pokémon.

To maximize Dialga’s effectiveness, you’ll need to teach it a second Charged Attack, so choose two attacks that complement the coverage offered by the rest of your team. If you don’t have a satisfying counter to Kyogre, for example, Thunder might be a shockingly good option. But if you’re concerned about Fairy-type Pokémon, Iron Head is an iron-clad alternative. And Draco Meteor is always a good choice for securing a meteoric knockout against just about any Pokémon you find yourself facing.

Raising Dialga’s CP to its maximum and teaching it a second Charged Attack will require a significant amount of Dialga Candy and Stardust, so try to catch as many Dialga as you can to help you get there faster—and don’t forget the Pinap Berries or Silver Pinap Berries!

Origin Forme Dialga is also a Steel- and Dragon-type Pokémon, so it has many of the same advantages that Dialga has in both raids and the GO Battle League. Its high CP ceiling is ideal for challenging Raid Bosses of nearly all types, except for Fighting-type Pokémon and Ground-type Pokémon. In the Master League, Dialga with Dragon Breath as its Fast Attack and Iron Head as its Charged Attack has been a powerful pick, but Origin Forme Dialga is likely to be just as potent—if not more. Roar of Time is a stronger Charged Attack than Draco Meteor and doesn’t lower Origin Forme Dialga’s Attack, making it a better option all around.

Good luck with your next Raid Battle, and remember to check Pokemon.co.uk/Strategy for more Pokémon GO, video game, and Pokémon TCG tips.