Professor Noctowl's Raid Research: Buzzwole
A Scholarly Analysis from the Pokebattler Pokémon Research Institute
Raid Introduction
Hello students! My name is Professor Noctowl, and today, I wish to draw attention to Buzzwole. As an Ultra Beast, Buzzwole sits in a strange spot, due to being a Bug Fighting type. It finds its current best use in Master League, but can be used as a Fighting attack option. Grab your notebooks, class is in session. For those who wish to do their research independently, our raw data can be found here. And for those who wish for a simple visual guide, go ahead and take a look at the below visual guide by CaptGoldfish.
Raid Syllabus
Course Schedule
This raid will take place from May 13th to May 19th. It will be preceded by Mega Camerupt and Nihilego, coincide with Mega Glalie, Pheromosa, and Xurkitree, and will be followed by Mega Altaria and Tapu Bulu. Please note that Ultra Beasts are regional encounters, with Buzzwole being found in the Americas and Greenland.
Course Information
- Catch CP: 1894 - 1977
- Boosted (Rainy): 2368 - 2472
- Minimum Required Trainers (Lvl 40, best friends, optimal weather): 1
- Recommended: 2+ with Lvl 20 counters
Type Effectiveness & Moveset List
Note that Buzzwole is doubly weak to Flying type moves. No surprises in the charge moves either.
| Effectiveness | Types |
|---|---|
| Double Resist (0.4x) | — |
| Resist (0.6x) | |
| Neutral | |
| Super Effective (1.6x) | |
| Double Super Effective (2.6x) |
Buzzwole’s moveset includes the following charge moves:
- Lunge
- Superpower
- Fell Stinger
- Power-Up Punch
The Dean's List - Top 5 Counters
The Dean’s List consists of the top 5 counters to Buzzwole. As always, the Valedictorian, Salutatorian, and the Third Ranked will have their best moveset alternatives in a table with their rankings and a table detailing their defensive prowess against the charge moves listed above.

Mega Rayquaza A
(Lvl 40)
| Quick Move | Charge Move | Efficacy |
|---|---|---|
| Air Slash | Dragon Ascent | 100% |
| Dragon Tail | Dragon Ascent | 83% |
| Air Slash | Hurricane | 74% |
| Air Slash | Aerial Ace | 70% |
| Air Slash | Breaking Swipe | 58% |
| Dragon Tail | Aerial Ace | 54% |
Shadow Moltres A
(Lvl 40)
| Quick Move | Charge Move | Efficacy |
|---|---|---|
| Wing Attack | Fly | 100% |
| Wing Attack | Sky Attack | 92% |
| Fire Spin | Fly | 88% |
| Fire Spin | Sky Attack | 81% |
| Wing Attack | Overheat | 65% |
| Wing Attack | Fire Blast | 61% |
Rayquaza A
(Lvl 40)
| Quick Move | Charge Move | Efficacy |
|---|---|---|
| Air Slash | Dragon Ascent | 100% |
| Dragon Tail | Dragon Ascent | 84% |
| Air Slash | Hurricane | 75% |
| Air Slash | Aerial Ace | 71% |
| Air Slash | Breaking Swipe | 58% |
| Dragon Tail | Aerial Ace | 55% |
Defensive Grades for Top 3
| Boss Move | ![]() |
||
|---|---|---|---|
| Superpower | 🛡 | 🛡 | 🛡 |
| Power-Up Punch | 🛡 | 🛡 | 🛡 |
| Lunge | 🛡 | 🛡🛡 | 🛡 |
| Fell Stinger | 🛡 | 🛡🛡 | 🛡 |
Shadow Toucannon A
(Lvl 40)
Shadow Salamence A
(Lvl 40)
Honor Roll - The Bottom 5
We here at Pokebattler Pokémon Research Institute can’t expect you to have the best counters every time. So, here are some of our other best options, most of which will be easier to find than the members of the Dean’s List.

Mega Salamence A
(Lvl 40)
Enamorus A
(Lvl 40)
Shadow Ho-Oh A
(Lvl 40)
Moltres A
(Lvl 40)

Mega Pidgeot A
(Lvl 40)
Honorable Mentions
Of course, besides our 10 best counters, there are plenty of Pokémon that also work against Buzzwole. Here are a few star choices, worthy of praise.
| A | Mega Charizard Y Mega Blaziken |
Weather Specialists
Sometimes, the weather can be your most powerful ally. In certain weather conditions, certain Pokémon on our list excel. The most transformative cases are noted below.
WindyRaid Conclusion
Overall, Buzzwole is a simple counter. Bringing any strong flying type will take this oversized bug down. Of course, if you wish to do more research on your box’s best Pokémon for the job, Pokebattler.com itself can be a great help! Remember, the best counter is the one you have powered up and ready to go. I grant extra credit to those who use their best friend bonus and the weather to their advantage. Class dismissed!


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