Pokémon GO Elite Raids Guide How to Join and Counter Hoopa Unbound

Elite Raids in Pokémon Go push trainers to their limits, demanding real teamwork, precise timing, and local coordination. These rare battles stand apart from regular raids, featuring powerful bosses, limited windows, and exclusive rewards that make every appearance a high-stakes event.

These raids only occur at very specific times and dates and typically will host Pokémon that you cannot get elsewhere. So far only three Pokémon have been confirmed for Elite Raids: Hoopa Unbound (which debuted in Oct. 2022), Regidrago (March 2023), and Regieleki (April 2023).

You’ll know Elite Raids are on the horizon, as raid eggs with huge 24-hour timers will start popping up at the top of the hour. These raids will only show up at EX gyms, where EX raids were previously held. (It’s unknown of EX raids will ever return or if these are a replacement for them.)

How do I do an Elite Raid?

To do an Elite Raid, you’ll need to be invited by one of the qualifying EX/Elite Raid trainers or be in a pre-approved list for the event, then locate an Elite Raid Battle near you, join with your team or battle party, and coordinate a strategy to defeat the featured Pokémon before the time runs out, all while ensuring you have the appropriate pass, a strong raid group, and snacks for the longer battle.

All you have to do is head over to the EX gym shortly after the egg has hatched and join the raid as you would normally. You cannot do Elite Raids remotely. You can use Premium Raid Passes or the free orange Raid Passes to do these, but not Remote Raid Passes.

The Elite Raid eggs will hatch at 11 a.m., 2 p.m., and 5 p.m. in your local time. The raid target will stick around for 30 minutes after the egg hatches.

Your best bet is to head to one of your populated local Pokémon Go areas (like a shopping mall, park, etc.) before one of these times and hopefully jump into a party then. You can also use local Pokémon Go Discord servers to help coordinate with other players.

How hard is an Elite Raid?

Elite Raids in Pokémon Go are among the toughest challenges the game offers, demanding careful preparation and strong coordination among players. These raids feature powerful Pokémon that require high-level teams with optimal counters, often pushing Trainers to refine their strategies and timing. Because they can only be attempted in person and appear for a limited time, success often depends on assembling enough skilled participants quickly.

These raids are not any harder than regular tier five raids (though this is largely dependent on the target Pokémon), but they do have more HP. They are not like Primal Reversion raids, which require more people than usual. Expert sources like LeekDuck have cited that Regidrago can be done by two to five players, depending on counters and power levels.

What Pokémon have appeared in Elite Raids so far

Pokémon Go Elite Raids have featured a select group of rare Legendary and Mythical Pokémon since their debut in late 2022. These bosses are challenging, local-only encounters with strict time windows.

Confirmed Pokémon

The following Pokémon have appeared in Elite Raids based on historical records up to early 2026:

• Hoopa (Unbound Forme): Debuted October 2022, the first Elite Raid boss.​

• Regieleki: Appeared April 9, 2023.​

• Regidrago: Debuted March 11, 2023.​

• Enamorus (Incarnate Forme): Featured February 14, 2024.​

Additional bosses like Mega Rayquaza have been announced for Elite Raids in recent events, emphasizing high-difficulty, in-person battles.​

Availability Notes

These raids rotate infrequently, often tied to special events, with no comprehensive ongoing list beyond tracked debuts. Check the in-game Nearby tab or Niantic announcements for current or upcoming ones, as they don’t appear in standard raid rotations.

How do Elite Raids differ from regular raids

Elite Raids in Pokémon Go stand out from regular raids by emphasizing in-person group play and higher difficulty. They feature rare bosses at specific gyms with no remote participation allowed.

Participation

Regular raids support Remote Raid Passes for joining from afar, while Elite Raids require physical presence at the gym during a strict 30-45 minute window after the red egg hatches. Elite eggs appear 24 hours ahead at EX gyms, at fixed local times like 11 a.m., 2 p.m., or 5 p.m.

Difficulty

Elite bosses have boosted Attack and Defense multipliers (1.00 vs. 0.79), higher HP (e.g., 20,000 for Tier 5 vs. 15,000 standard), and demand small coordinated groups of 5+ optimal counters. Regular Tier 5 or Mega raids are less punishing and soloable with strong teams.

Rewards and Spawns

Both offer Premier Balls for catches and standard loot, but Elite clears trigger rare Pokémon spawns (like Legendaries or Snorlax) near the gym for a limited time. Regular raids lack this bonus.​

Raid Types Comparison