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Trainers, coming up Wednesday, July 16, 2025 will be the Blacephalon and Stakataka Raid Hour inPokémon GO! This event will be a great time to go out and get yourself a couple of these Legendary Ultra Beasts. Quite like Spotlight Hours, Raid Hours are recurring weekly events that happen for only one hour of the week. This hour features an increased number of five-star Raids, so there should be plenty of opportunities for you to jump in and get yourself some powerful Pokémon.
For this Raid Hour, our highlight Pokémon are the Ultra Beasts Blacephalon and Stakataka. The ones you see spawning depend on where you are on the world, with Blacephalon only spawning in the Western Hemisphere (the Americas, mostly), and Stakataka only spawning in the Eastern Hemisphere (Asia, most of Europe and Africa). Here is what these two look like, with Blacephalon first and Stakataka second:
Raid Hour Overview
Featured Pokémon
If you have friends abroad, you should consider picking up some Remote Raid Tickets so you can get the Pokémon that doesn’t spawn in your area. There will be an increased number of them, so this is a great time to jump online and try to join some groups through Reddit or maybe Discord servers dedicated to raiding.
Event Details
Blacephalon and Stakataka are not available in their shiny forms. Normally, Raid Hour is a great opportunity to get some last-minute shinies if you still haven’t gotten a shiny form of the Legendary you’re hunting. However, since they have only just debuted in Pokémon GO, we are sure to have to wait for a while before we see the shiny versions of either of these Ultra Beasts.
How to Prepare for Raid Hours
Since raids coming with their own balls to catch the Legendary with, thankfully you will not have to worry about stocking up on PokeBalls because you won’t be able to use them to begin with!
Stock Up on Items:
I recommend a stock of the following
Check Raid Passes:
Coordinate with Friends:
Pokémon GO: Full Party Play Guide
Party Play in Pokémon GO provides a unique and engaging way to experience the game with friends.
Research Counters:
Pokémon GO: Blacephalon Raid Guide
Blacephalon is a powerful Ultra Beast with a colourful, humanoid form that resembles the child of a clown and a plasma ball.
Pokémon GO: Stakataka Raid Guide
Stakataka has a great defensive loadout that makes it tough to take down on your own.
Check Local Weather:
Weather can boost certain types of Pokémon. Use this to your advantage to strengthen your counters. That said, catching these Pokémon is never worth putting yourself in harm’s way. If the weather’s bad, stay inside and Remote Raid instead. You will eventually be able to catch all the Pokémon in the game, as these Pokémon will definitely re-enter the 5-star rotation in due time.
During the Event
Post-Raid Hour
Additional Information
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It’s looking like we’re going to have another exciting month ahead of us, so let’s get into it!
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