Pokémon Go Mega Banette counters, weaknesses and moveset explained
How to defeat the mega evolved Ghost-type Pokémon.
Mega Banette is the mega evolved form of Banette, the Marionette Pokémon. This creepy abandoned doll with a grudge is the perfect October Pokémon, and not just because it made its Pokémon Go debut as part of the 2022’s Halloween event. As we said, it’s just creepy!
Like all Mega Evolutions, Mega Banette can’t be directly caught in Pokémon Go. Instead, you need to keep defeating it in Mega Raids until you’ve collected enough Mega Banette Energy for its evolution. Thanks to the summer 2022 Mega Raid rebalance, this can now be done in one Mega Raid if you defeat Banette enough!
Below you’ll find Mega Banette’s counters and weaknesses to help you succeed in Pokémon Go - just remember you need to have an Banette in your Pokémon storage to conduct its Mega Evolution.
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Mega Banette counters and weaknesses in Pokémon Go
The fastest way to collect Mega Banette energy is to defeat one in a Mega Raid. Below you’ll find the counters and weaknesses for Mega Banette to help you achieve this:
- Mega Banette type - Ghost-type
- Mega Banette is weak against - Dark and Ghost-types
- Mega Banette Mega counters - Mega Tyranitar and Mega Gengar are the best options (depending on the Charged move the Mega Banette has, although this is chosen at random). If you don’t have one of those, Mega Rayquaza for its sheer damage output is a good call.
- Mega Banette non-Mega counters - Unsurprisingly, Shadow and regular Tyranitar are your go-to Pokémon in this raid, thanks to Brutal Swing. The amount of damage this pumps out should not be underestimated. Failing that, your next best option is Dawn Wings Necrozma, Darkrai or Hydreigon with Brutal Swing. Beyond that, we’re looking at the likes of Giratina Origin or Gholdengo (if you’re that lucky with Gimmighoul coins). Failing all else, your strongest Dark or Ghost-types are the way to go.
- Number of players to beat Mega Banette - Mega Banette can be beaten by just two players if you have good enough counters. Three players at Level 40 is reasonable, and five players at Level 30 should be fine, as long as you bring the right Pokémon to the battle!
- Tactics - Mega Banette is a little tricky in that it has two attacks that will either tickle or wreck your team, depending whether you bring Ghost or Dark-type Pokémon; simply put, Dazzling Gleam wrecks Dark-types. There’s no way to tell which attack it has, so if you’re concerned about your ability to take it down, make two teams – one that’s pure Ghost and one that’s pure Dark. It’s a coin toss which move you come up against, so if you lose quickly by bringing the wrong team, pick the other when you get booted back to the lobby and you should have a much easier time!
- Other Mega Banette notes - Remember to bring a Mega Evolved Pokémon to boost your raid party’s Pokémon’s attacks of the same type and get extra candy for catching it!
Mega Banette CP in Pokémon Go
Below you’ll find the CP levels for battling for Mega Banette and, if defeated, catching an Banette after the fight in Pokémon Go:
- Mega Banette Raid CP - 41038 CP
- CP range for catching Banette - 1244 to 1313 CP
- Weather (Foggy) when being caught - 1555 to 1642 CP
The Dual Destiny Season is here! It brings the Holiday Part 1 event with it. You can now catch Dynamax Pokémon through Max Battles. First, however, you need to visit Power Spots to collect Max Particles and complete the To the Max! quest. Don't forget to try out Routes, Gift Exchange and Party Play while you're hunting down rare Pokémon, fighting in the Go Battle League or competing in PokéStop Showcases.
Best Mega Banette moveset in Pokémon Go
Mega Banette can use a variety of Fast and Charged moves in Pokémon Go. The best Mega Banette moves would be the steel combination of Shadow Claw (Fast) and Shadow Ball (Charged).
Here are the other Fast and Charged moves Mega Banette can use in Pokémon Go:
Fast Moves:
- Hex (Ghost)
- Shadow Claw (Ghost)
Charged Moves:
- Dazzling Gleam (Fairy)
- Shadow Claw (Ghost)
- Thunder (Electric)
Everything we know about Banette
The Marionette Pokémon, Banette, is a Ghost-type Pokémon from Gen 3, and is the evolved form of Shuppet.
Shuppet is obviously a Ghost puppet that evolves into a creepy doll. You can read more about them in their terrifying official Pokédex entries below.
Shuppet: 'It loves to feed on feelings like envy and malice. Its upright horn catches the emotions of people. It feeds on the dark emotions of sadness and hatred, which make it grow steadily stronger.'
Banette: 'This Pokémon developed from an abandoned doll that amassed a grudge. It is seen in dark alleys. Strong feelings of hatred turned a puppet into a Pokémon. If it opens its mouth, its cursed energy escapes.'
Mega Banett: 'Mega Evolution increases its vindictiveness, and the cursing power that was held back by its zipper comes spilling out. Extraordinary energy amplifies its cursing power to such an extent that it can’t help but curse its own Trainer.'
Good luck defeating Mega Banette in Pokémon Go!