Get ready, Trainers! May 2025 in Pokémon GO promises an electrifying lineup of Legendary and Mega Pokémon raids, featuring the debut of Gigantamax Machamp, the return of Mega Kangaskhan, and a regional rotation of the elusive Lake Trio-Uxie, Mesprit, and Azelf. With weekly Raid Hours spotlighting these powerful foes and special Shadow Raids bringing Shadow Regirock to the battlefield, this month is packed with opportunities to catch rare and shiny Pokémon that could redefine your team.
If you’re unfamiliar with raids, they spawn in gyms from 10 a.m. until 10 p.m. local time. After the timer ticks down, a raid target will appear. You can check the difficulty of a raid while it’s still a egg; five-star raids have five little monster icons, Mega raids have the Mega DNA-like swirl, and shadow raids are at gyms taken over by Team Go Rocket.
Below, we list all the high-value raid targets (Legendary Pokémon and Ultra Beasts, Mega Pokémon, and shadow Legendary Pokémon) in Pokémon Go for this month.
Pokémon Go Legendary raid schedule for May 2025
In May 2025, Pokémon GO features a dynamic Legendary raid schedule with the Lake Trio-Uxie, Mesprit, and Azelf-rotating regionally from May 12 to May 25, offering trainers a chance to catch these rare Pokémon with shiny variants available. Tapu Fini leads the early month raids until May 12, followed by Tapu Bulu starting May 26, both also shiny-eligible. Additionally, Shadow Regirock appears in Shadow Raids on weekends throughout May. Raid Hours every Wednesday spotlight these Legendaries, providing increased raid opportunities. This month also includes special events like Mega Kangaskhan and Gigantamax Machamp raids, enhancing the Legendary raid experience.
The raid schedule for five-star Pokémon (such as Legendaries or Ultra Beasts) is as follows:
- April 21 until May 1: Cresselia*
- May 1-12: Tapu Fini* (with Nature’s Madness)
- May 12-25: Uxie* (Asia-Pacific), Mesprit* (Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and India), Azelf* (The Americas and Greenland)
- May 26 until June 3: Tapu Bulu* (with Nature’s Madness)
*Shiny version available. Remember, any Poké Ball you hit a shiny Legendary with is a guaranteed catch, so make sure to use a Pinap Berry to get some extra candy.
Pokémon Go Mega raid schedule for May 2025
In May 2025, Pokémon Go features a dynamic Mega Raid schedule with three Mega Evolutions available for players to challenge. From May 1 to May 12, trainers can battle Mega Houndoom, followed by Mega Gyarados from May 12 to May 25. The month concludes with Mega Altaria available from May 25 to June 3. Each Mega Raid offers the chance to earn Mega Energy for the respective Pokémon, essential for Mega Evolution, and includes shiny variants to catch, making May an exciting month for Mega Raid enthusiasts.
The raid schedule for Mega Pokémon is as follows:
- April 21 until May 1: Mega Mawile*
- May 1-12: Mega Houndoom*
- May 12-25: Mega Gyarados*
- May 25 until June 3: Mega Altaria*
*Shiny version available
As a reminder, you won’t catch the Mega version following the raid battle, but the standard version of that Pokémon and an amount of Mega Energy to then Mega Evolve it, all based on how fast you take down the raid.
Pokémon Go Legendary Shadow raid schedule for May 2025
In May 2025, Pokémon GO features a special Legendary Shadow Raid schedule highlighted by Shadow Regirock, which appears exclusively during weekends throughout the month. Trainers will have the opportunity to battle and catch this powerful Shadow Legendary, including its shiny variant, during these limited-time raids. Additionally, a dedicated Shadow Raid Day is set for Saturday, May 17, 2025, from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. local time, focusing on Shadow Raids with special bonuses expected. Shadow Tier 5 Raids, such as those featuring Shadow Regirock, are only available on Saturdays and Sundays, making weekend play essential for collectors and battlers aiming to add this formidable Pokémon to their lineup.
The focus of Shadow raids this month will be Shadow Regirock.
Note Shadow raids will only appear during the weekends, and this Pokémon has a shiny version available.
As usual, you should make sure to team up for shadow raids, as they are quite a bit harder to complete – we highly recommend coming with as many Purified Gems as possible.
Which Legendary Pokémon will dominate May’s raid schedule in Pokémon Go
The Legendary Pokémon dominating May 2025’s raid schedule in Pokémon GO are the regional Lake Trio-Uxie, Mesprit, and Azelf-available from May 12 to 25 in their respective regions, along with Tapu Fini (May 1-12) and Tapu Bulu (May 25-June 3). Additionally, Shadow Regirock will feature prominently in weekend raids throughout the month, and Shadow Regigigas will appear on a special Raid Day on May 17. Tapu Bulu stands out as the most meta-relevant Legendary this month, while the Lake Trio and Tapu Fini are more sought after for collection and shiny hunting.
Which Shadow Legendary Pokémon are most challenging to defeat in May
The most challenging Shadow Legendary Pokémon to defeat in May 2025 in Pokémon GO are Shadow Regigigas and Shadow Dialga. Shadow Regigigas, appearing on a special Raid Day on May 17, is a Normal-type with a weakness only to Fighting moves, making it a tough opponent requiring strong counters. Shadow Dialga, a Dragon and Steel-type, is also formidable due to its dual typing and high stats; it is weak to Fighting and Ground moves, but requires careful team selection to overcome. Additionally, Giovanni’s lineup features Shadow Palkia as his final Pokémon, which is a strong Dragon/Water-type Shadow Legendary with weaknesses to Dragon and Fairy moves, adding to the difficulty of battles against Shadow Legendaries this month.
