Dhelmise, the eerie Ghost/Grass-type Pokémon that looks like a haunted anchor, has finally dropped anchor in Pokémon Go during the 2025 Beloved Buddies event. This elusive sea creeper lurks only in three-star raids, challenging trainers to band together or bring their strongest counters to claim it. Ready to master Dhelmise? Discover how to catch it, exploit its weaknesses, and assemble the ultimate counter team to conquer this spectral menace.
As with most new Pokémon added to Pokémon Go in the past year, Dhelmise cannot be found in the wild – but thankfully, there’s a clear and direct route on how to get one on its debut.
How to get Dhelmise in Pokémon Go
Dhelmise can be obtained in Pokémon GO exclusively through three-star raids during special events, such as the Beloved Buddies event held in February 2025. It does not spawn in the wild or hatch from eggs, so participating in these raids is the only way to catch it. The event offers a limited-time window to challenge and capture Dhelmise, a unique Ghost/Grass-type Pokémon, often requiring teamwork due to its raid difficulty. Remote Raid Passes can also be used to join raids remotely if you cannot attend in person.
Making its first appearance in 2025’s “Beloved Buddies” event, Dhelmise can only be found in raids on its debut.
In terms of raid difficulty, Dhelmise is in the three-star category – so for solo players, unless you have strong counters (and ideally a Mega Evolved or Shadow Pokémon in the mix), you’ll want to bring a friend or two to help you take it down.
Dhelmise weakness and counters in Pokémon Go
Dhelmise, a dual Ghost and Grass-type Pokémon in Pokémon Go, has several notable weaknesses that trainers can exploit in battles and raids. It is particularly vulnerable to Fire, Ice, Flying, Ghost, and Dark-type moves. This diverse range of weaknesses provides many options for effective counters. Recommended counters include powerful Fire-type Pokémon like Mega Charizard and Blaziken, Ice-types such as Mega Abomasnow and Mewtwo with Ice Beam, Flying-types like Mega Rayquaza, Ghost-types including Mega Gengar, and Dark-types such as Mega Tyranitar and Mega Houndoom. Utilizing these types will significantly improve your chances of defeating Dhelmise in raids, where it appears as a three-star boss requiring coordinated efforts or strong counters to solo effectively.
As a ghost- and grass-type, Dhelmise is weak to fire-, ice-, flying-, ghost-, and dark-type moves. That’s quite a range, giving us plenty of options – but if you wanted specific Pokémon in mind, we recommend:
- For fire-type options, consider (Mega) Charizard or Blaziken, or Ho-Oh
- For ice-type options, consider (Mega) Abomasnow, Mamoswine, or Mewtwo with Ice Beam
- For flying-type options, consider (Mega) Rayquaza with Dragon Ascent, or (Mega) Pidgeot
- For ghost-type options, consider Dawn Wings Necrozma, (Mega) Gengar, or Mewtwo with Shadow Ball
- For dark-type options, consider (Mega) Tyranitar, or (Mega) Houndoom
As noted, Mega versions of the relevant Pokémon listed above are recommended, but know you cannot bring more than one Mega Pokémon into battle. Similarly, if you have a Shadow version of any of the above, that can help give you the edge.
Can Dhelmise be shiny in Pokémon Go?
Dhelmise cannot be obtained in its Shiny form in Pokémon GO at the time of its release during the Beloved Buddies event in February 2025. Trainers will need to wait for a future event to have the opportunity to catch a Shiny Dhelmise, as it is currently only available in its regular coloration through three-star raids.
On its debut, Dhemise cannot be shiny in Pokémon Go. The rollout for shinies in Pokémon Go varies – sometimes a Pokémon can be shiny on its debut, sometimes they can take years – so know you might be waiting a while.
How can I efficiently catch Dhelmise during the Beloved Buddies event
To efficiently catch Dhelmise during the Beloved Buddies event in Pokémon Go, follow these key steps:
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Participate in Dhelmise’s exclusive Three-Star Raids, as this is the only way to encounter and catch it during the event running from February 11 to February 15, 2025.
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Coordinate with friends or other trainers to defeat Dhelmise more easily, especially if you lack strong counters or Mega Evolved Pokémon, since it can be challenging to solo the raid.
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Use Pokémon with Fire-, Ice-, Flying-, Ghost-, or Dark-type moves to exploit Dhelmise’s weaknesses and speed up the raid battle. Recommended counters include Mega Charizard, Mega Rayquaza, Mega Gengar, and Mega Tyranitar.
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Take advantage of event bonuses such as double XP for catches and extended one-hour Lure Modules to maximize your raid and catch efficiency.
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If you cannot find nearby raids, consider using location-changing tools to access confirmed raid locations like Spikemuth Gym in Llandudno, UK, where Dhelmise raids have been reported.
By focusing on these strategies, you can maximize your chances of successfully catching Dhelmise during the limited-time event.
What strategies will help me defeat Dhelmise faster in raids
To defeat Dhelmise faster in Pokémon Go raids, focus on exploiting its weaknesses and selecting the best counters:
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Dhelmise is weak to Dark, Fire, Flying, Ghost, and Ice-type moves, so use Pokémon with these typings and corresponding strong moves to maximize damage.
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Top recommended counters include Mega Rayquaza (Air Slash/Dragon Ascent), Mega Charizard Y (Fire Spin/Blast Burn), Mega Blaziken (Fire Spin/Blast Burn), Shadow Salamence (Fire Fang/Fly), Mega Salamence, Mega Tyranitar (Bite/Brutal Swing), and Reshiram (Fire Fang/Fusion Flare).
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For solo or small group raids, prioritize high-level counters with resistances to Dhelmise’s attacks to improve survivability and reduce the need for revives.
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Dhelmise’s best moveset includes Shadow Claw (Fast Move) and Shadow Ball (Charged Move), so Ghost-type counters like Mega Gengar and Mega Banette are also effective.
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Switch out fainted Pokémon strategically during battle to conserve resources and maintain offensive pressure.
By assembling a team of these counters and focusing on Dhelmise’s vulnerabilities, you can significantly reduce the time and effort needed to defeat it in raids.
