Gigantamax Kingler Counters: Top Tips and Tricks

As a formidable 6-Star Raid boss making its debut in *Pokemon GO*, Gigantamax Kingler presents a challenging encounter for Trainers. Scheduled for its Max Battle Day on Saturday, February 1, 2025, from 02:00 PM to 05:00 PM local time, defeating this giant Krabby evolution will require a well-prepared raid party. The key to success lies in utilizing counters with the perfect movesets, specifically targeting its two weaknesses.

Gigantamax Kingler Weaknesses & Resistances in Pokemon GO

As a pure Water-type Pokemon, Gigantamax Kingler shares the same vulnerabilities as its base form in *Pokemon GO*. It is only susceptible to Grass- and Electric-type attacks, which deal 160% super-effective damage. Conversely, it resists Fire-, Water-, Steel-, and Ice-type moves, which only deal 39% damage. Trainers must avoid using these types of attacks to maximize their chances of success.

Best Counters Against Gigantamax Kingler in Pokemon GO

To conquer Gigantamax Kingler, Trainers should focus on Electric- and non-pure Grass-type counters such as **Venusaur, Ivysaur, and Zapdos**. Due to the Max Battle format, only Pokemon capable of Dynamaxing or Gigantamaxing can be used, limiting options but still leaving several effective choices:

**Gigantamax Kingler Counter**	**Type**	**Fast Attack**	**Charged Attack**
Venusaur	Grass & Poison	Vine Whip	Frenzy Plant
Ivysaur	Grass & Poison	Vine Whip	Power Whip
Zapdos	Electric & Flying	Thunder Shock	Thunder
Greedent	Normal	Bullet Seed	Trailblaze
Dubwool	Normal	Tackle	Wild Charge
Crygonal	Ice	Frost Breath	Solar Beam

While other counters like the Grass-type Rillaboom are viable, Gigantamax Kingler's potential moveset, which includes Bubble, Mud Shot, Metal Claw, Vise Grip, Water Pulse, Crabhammer, Razor Shell, and the Bug-type attack X-Scissor, makes pure Grass-types less ideal due to X-Scissor's super-effectiveness. Thankfully, Venusaur and Ivysaur's Poison typing neutralizes X-Scissor's impact. Similarly, Zapdos' Flying type mitigates the Ground-type Mud Shot, which would otherwise be highly effective against Electric-types like Toxitricity.

Prioritizing counters that can utilize moves of the same type will benefit from a 20% STAB (same-type attack bonus). However, non-matching type Pokemon like Greedent, Dubwool, and Cryogonal, capable of learning Grass- or Electric-type moves, remain valuable backups as they only receive neutral damage from Kingler's attacks. In cases where super-effective counters are scarce, neutral tanks such as Blastoise or Lapras can serve as strong defenders.

Related: Pokémon GO Shadow Regirock Raid Guide: Best Counters, Tips, and Tricks

Can Gigantamax Kingler be Shiny?

Yes, Gigantamax Kingler can appear in its Shiny form in *Pokemon GO*, as confirmed by the game's announcement for its Max Battle Day event. Upon defeating Gigantamax Kingler, there's a chance to encounter and catch its Shiny variant, though the exact odds are unconfirmed. We estimate the likelihood of encountering a Shiny Gigantamax to be 1 in 20, aligning with the odds for 5-Star Raid bosses.

Don't Forget Max Mushrooms

If your raid party struggles against Gigantamax Kingler, consider using Max Mushrooms, available for purchase in *Pokemon GO*. These items double the damage your Dynamax and Gigantamax Pokemon deal for 30 seconds, costing 400 PokeCoins each. Although pricey, they can be a game-changer in tight battles.

Now that you're equipped with the knowledge to defeat Gigantamax Kingler with the best counters during its Max Battle Day, be sure to check out the *Pokemon GO* event schedule for other exciting events happening throughout February.