Pokemon GO Strategy

Pokémon GO Weekly Plan June 8–14, 2026: Zekrom, Shadow Dialga & Mega Lopunny

The week of June 8–14, 2026 in Pokémon GO opens with a last-call window on the Reshiram + Mega Audino raids, rolls into the big mid-week switch to Zekrom + Mega Lopunny, keeps Shadow Dialga running in the Shadow Raid slot, and debuts Dynamax Electivire in Max Monday — a packed week of top-tier picks.

This is Doctor Pokégogochi. Thanks for stopping by.

Here are the main events this week:

Date / Time (JST) Event
Until 6/9 (Tue) 20:00 Last call raids: ReshiramReshiram 5★ Legendary + Mega AudinoMega Audino Mega Raid
Until 6/8 (Mon) 20:00 Spark's Research ends (Summer Trilogy part 2)
6/8 (Mon) 6:00–21:00 Max Monday: ElectabuzzElectabuzz (all-day spawn — evolves into Electivire; Dynamax debut)
6/9 (Mon) 10:00 – 6/15 (Mon) 20:00 Candela's Research begins (Summer Trilogy part 3 — Fire / Fighting focus)
6/10 (Wed) 5:00 – 6/16 (Tue) 20:00
※Raid Hour 6/10 (Wed) 18:00–19:00		 ★★★ Big switch: ZekromZekrom 5★ Legendary + Mega LopunnyMega Lopunny Mega Raid
Continuing (Until 6/30 21:00) Shadow DialgaShadow Dialga Shadow Raid (top-tier Steel / Dragon)
6/12 (Fri) – 6/14 (Sun) GO Fest 2026 Copenhagen (Denmark on-site only)

This article walks through the schedule and the featured Pokémon, sorted into three priority tiers: Highest (priority 3), Mid (priority 2), and Low (priority 1). It also covers tank usage in Max Battles and where best to spend your Rare Candy. The analysis is sourced from the data on the site below.

We also publish a tool that shows which Pokémon to spend your Rare Candy on at a glance.

Individual Pokémon pages are also available, so feel free to look up the species you are interested in.

All times are shown in JST (Japan Standard Time, UTC+9). Niantic syncs global event windows to JST, so the JST values are authoritative. If you play outside Japan, you can also check your in-game Today View for the local equivalent.

Quick Summary (Mobile Short)

Highest priority (priority 3)

Mid priority (priority 2)

Low priority (priority 1)

This Week's Event Schedule

Date / Time (JST) Event Priority
Until 6/9 (Tue) 20:00 ReshiramReshiram 5★ Legendary + Mega Audino Mega Raid (last call) Mid
Until 6/8 (Mon) 20:00 Spark's Research ends (Summer Trilogy part 2) Mid
6/8 (Mon) 6:00–21:00 (all-day spawn) ElectabuzzMax Monday: Electabuzz (evolves into Electivire; Dynamax debut) Highest
6/9 (Mon) 10:00 – 6/15 (Mon) 20:00 Candela's Research (Summer Trilogy part 3 — Fire / Fighting focus) Mid
6/10 (Wed) 5:00 – 6/16 (Tue) 20:00
※Raid Hour 6/10 (Wed) 18:00–19:00		 ZekromZekrom 5★ Legendary + Mega Lopunny Mega Raid Highest / Low
Continuing — Until 6/30 21:00 Shadow DialgaShadow Dialga Shadow Raid (top-tier Steel / Dragon) Highest
6/12 (Fri) – 6/14 (Sun) GO Fest 2026 Copenhagen (Denmark on-site only) Copenhagen only

For trainers not attending GO Fest Copenhagen, the rhythm of the week looks like this: close out Reshiram + Mega Audino before Tuesday 20:00 JST, secure Electabuzz during Monday's Max Monday and raise it into Electivire, then move into Zekrom + Mega Lopunny from Wednesday 5:00 JST. Shadow Dialga keeps running in the background — chip away at it whenever you have a spare slot.

From here, we look at each event and Pokémon in order.

Last Call: Reshiram + Mega Audino (Until 6/9 Tue 20:00 JST)

The raid windows closing at 20:00 JST on Tuesday 6/9 are ReshiramReshiram (5★ Legendary Raid) and Mega AudinoMega Audino (Mega Raid).

Reshiram is one of the top-tier Fire-type raid attackers. Beyond raw damage, it stands out for total damage output (TDO), and its fast move Fire Fang also clears Team GO Rocket grunts at a brisk pace. If you do not yet have a core Fire-type attacker, run a last-call Reshiram raid before Tuesday 20:00 JST.

Mega Audino is a Normal / Fairy Mega Evolution with bulk-leaning stats. Its raid attacker value is limited, but as a 2-type Candy boost source (Normal + Fairy) it remains useful for everyday Candy farming. Dual-type Mega Evolutions are valuable on their own, so grab one for the Pokédex if you have the time.

Spark's Research End (Until 6/8 Mon 20:00 JST)

Summer Trilogy part 2, Spark's Research, ends at 20:00 JST on Monday 6/8. The GO Pass-linked research is in its final week, so finish any outstanding tasks during the closing days. Wilds, 7 km Eggs, and research collectively offered a wide pool of Electric types and evolution materials, with Dratini and Lileep standing out.

The final GO Pass reward is a Spark-themed Elekid in a special costume, with extra accessories on the background and the arms. Costume Pokémon like this are easy to overlook, but they are unique entries — keep yours and do not transfer it away.

Max Monday: Dynamax Electivire (6/8 Mon)

Monday 6/8 from 6:00 to 21:00 JST hosts ElectabuzzElectabuzz in Max Monday. This week marks the Dynamax debut for the Electabuzz line, so if you are planning to raise ElectivireElectivire, this is the window.

Electivire is one of the higher-damage Electric types in the game. Its Max CP is high enough that it sits in nearly the same tier as Legendary Electric types like Raikou and Zapdos, while being far cheaper to raise as a non-Legendary. That makes it a very strong piece for filling out an Electric attacker squad.

Its Max Battle evaluation is worth a look too. The attacker rating is reasonably high, and it gets access to Max Lightning and Max Knuckle as Max Moves. According to Dynamax Electivire Max Battle evaluation, it ranks very high against Water-type bosses like Gigantamax Blastoise, Kingler, and Suicune.

Above it there are only hard-to-raise Dynamax-only picks (Dynamax Zapdos, Gigantamax Rillaboom, Toxtricity, etc.), so Dynamax Electivire is one of the best dual-use raid attacker / Max Battle pieces — especially recommended if your Dynamax roster is still thin.

Candela's Research (From 6/9 Mon 10:00 JST)

Summer Trilogy part 3, themed around Team Valor leader Candela, begins on Monday 6/9 at 10:00 JST. It centers on Fire and Fighting types broadly, with wilds including Charmander, Mankey, Hisuian Growlithe, Machop, Ponyta, Scyther, Flareon, Slugma, and Fletchling.

Field Research adds Scraggy, Honedge, and Rockruff. Rockruff is especially notable because it can evolve into three different forms (Midday / Midnight / Dusk), so we cover the three Lycanroc forms in detail later.

★★★ Big Switch: Zekrom + Mega Lopunny (From 6/10 Wed 5:00 JST)

The biggest raid pivot of the week lands at 5:00 JST on Wednesday 6/10. The 5★ Legendary slot switches to ZekromZekrom, and the Mega Raid slot switches to Mega LopunnyMega Lopunny, both at once. Raid Hour is 6/10 (Wed) 18:00–19:00 JST — your concentrated catch window.

Zekrom, like Reshiram last week, has top-tier Electric stats. With a Water-type resistance built in, it especially shines in TDO against Water-type raid bosses spamming Water moves. Whether you are just starting or a long-time player, fit a Zekrom raid into your schedule whenever you can.

Mega Lopunny is a Normal / Fighting Mega Evolution. Its Max CP is high as Mega Evolutions go, but as a Fighting-type Mega it sits below Blaziken and Mega Lucario in priority. Its Fighting-type charged move is Focus Blast, which is also a little awkward to use. That said, Normal + Fighting Candy boost is valuable for everyday farming, so if your priority is Candy boosting it is worth picking up.

Shadow Dialga Shadow Raid (Continuing — Until 6/30 21:00 JST)

The Shadow Raid headliner, Shadow DialgaShadow Dialga, continues until 21:00 JST on Tuesday 6/30. Shadow Raids seem to rotate on a monthly cycle this season, with Shadow Dialga running the full month.

Shadow Dialga is extremely strong both as a Dragon-type and as a Steel-type attacker. Even if you have already raised Origin DialgaOrigin Dialga, a high-IV Shadow Dialga is worth raising as well.

One thing to keep in mind: Shadow Raids consume an item called the Light Crystal. If you run Shadow Raids in small groups, you can easily burn through your Light Crystals while still holding raid passes. You need around 10 Light Crystals on hand to take down a tier, so make a habit of clearing Team GO Rocket grunts and leaders to keep your stock up. If you can join Shadow Raids at busy spots, you will spend fewer Crystals — which means more Shadow Dialga IV checks per week.

GO Fest 2026 Copenhagen (6/12–6/14)

The final on-site GO Fest of the year takes place in Copenhagen, Denmark, from Friday 6/12 to Sunday 6/14. Last week was Chicago in the United States, this week is Copenhagen in Northern Europe — the on-site tour has been a full lap around the world. Have a great time if you are attending in person.

For trainers not attending, look ahead to GO Fest 2026 Global in July (open to all trainers). Lock in this week's Pokémon and use them as preparation.

This Week's Raid Pokémon

Here is a rundown of this week's raid Pokémon. The ★1 and ★3 raid bosses for the 6/10 (Wed) switch were not yet officially announced at the time this video and article were made, so only the confirmed entries are listed. As covered in the video, if we had to pick a single standout from ★1 through ★5 raids this week, it would be Shadow Beldum. Its evolution, Shadow Metagross, opens the recommended evolutions in the next section, alongside five more picks.

This Week's Recommended Evolutions (6 Picks)

From the Pokémon appearing in wilds and raids this week, here are six standouts whose evolutions are well worth raising: Shadow Metagross, Machamp, Flareon, and the three Lycanroc forms (Midday / Midnight / Dusk).

Shadow Metagross (Shadow Beldum Evolution)

Shadow MetagrossShadow Metagross evolves from Beldum caught in the Shadow Beldum Shadow Raid. It is one of the strongest Steel-type Pokémon in the game, an all-rounder with high bulk, high TDO, and high damage all at once.

Only one Mega Metagross can be slotted into a party at a time, but you can field multiple Shadow Metagross — a clear point of differentiation from Mega Metagross. As a Psychic type it is also strong, with Zen Headbutt + Psychic giving you a Psychic-slot option. In the Battle League it sits at the top tier of Master League. It is a top-priority raise across the board, so if a Shadow Beldum Shadow Raid comes through your area, take it on without hesitation.

Machamp (Machop Evolution)

MachampMachamp is one of the earliest Fighting types and still a gym battle staple. Recently it has faced more competition from Lucario, Conkeldurr, and Blaziken — Lucario and Blaziken in particular have very strong Aura Sphere, which has squeezed Machamp's role.

Even so, Gigantamax Machamp is on the horizon, so banking Machop Candy now will pay off later. Use Candela's Research as a chance to farm wild Machop and stockpile Machop Candy for the Machamp line.

Flareon (Candela's Research wild)

FlareonFlareon is actually a fairly strong Fire-type in Pokémon GO. Its Max CP is higher than non-Mega Charizard's, putting it in the mid-tier bracket of Fire attackers.

From a regular Eevee, you can guarantee a Flareon evolution by using the nickname "Pyro" exactly once — after that, evolutions are randomized. This week Candela's Research is expected to spawn Flareon directly in the wild, so if you can grab a high-CP one, it is well worth keeping as a backup Fire attacker.

Lycanroc Three Forms (Rockruff Evolution)

Lycanroc is more of a "rare-form curiosity" than a tier-list staple. There are three forms, so let's cover them in order.

First is Lycanroc (Midday Form)Lycanroc (Midday Form). A Rockruff that cannot evolve into the Dusk Form becomes this one when evolved during the day. Its stats are a touch behind the Dusk Form. In the main games it had a signature move and a unique role, but in Pokémon GO it ends up somewhat overshadowed — caught a bit in the shadow of Dusk Form.

Next is Lycanroc (Midnight Form)Lycanroc (Midnight Form). The look is a bit unconventional, but among the three forms it has the bulkier stat spread and learns Battle League-oriented moves, so from a competitive standpoint Midnight Form may actually be the most useful — a quietly reliable pick.

Finally there is Lycanroc (Dusk Form)Lycanroc (Dusk Form). As a Rock-type attacker it has solid damage, but its Max CP is well below Tyranitar's, so we recommend it more for its rarity than for raw power. The pre-evolution that becomes Dusk Form, a special Rockruff variant, only spawns at roughly a 10% rate based on a past survey when Rockruff was widely available. That makes it a 1-in-10 rarity — and if you encounter a Rockruff whose evolution silhouette shows only a single option, that is your guaranteed Dusk Form. Catching a rare evolution and using it because you caught it is a very Pokémon GO style of play, so enjoy the Rockruff hunt.

This Week's Priority Summary

Priority 3 (Highest)

These are the headline raid and training pieces of the week.

Priority 2 (Mid)

These help fill out leagues, Max Battles, and Fighting-type coverage.

Priority 1 (Low)

Handy Tools

Here is another look at the two site tools featured in this week's video.

The first is the Max Battle Tank Ranking (by Counter Type). For Max Battles, it shows at a glance — via a durability ranking — which Pokémon to place as a tank against which type of boss.

The second is the Rare Candy Recommendation Ranking. It visualizes, with bar charts and by use case (raids, gyms, Team GO Rocket, Max Battles, PvP, and more), which Pokémon to spend your Rare Candy on. The filtering options are extensive, so give it a try.

Both tools are free to use. We plan to keep expanding them, so a bookmark is appreciated.

Closing

This week brings the big switch to Zekrom + Mega Lopunny, the Dynamax debut of Electivire in Max Monday, and an ongoing Shadow Dialga in the Shadow Raid slot — a packed lineup of headline picks.

Here is the recommended order to work through it:

Priority Action
Highest Raise ZekromZekrom / Shadow DialgaShadow Dialga / ElectivireElectivire / Shadow Beldum (→ Shadow MetagrossShadow Metagross)
Mid ReshiramReshiram last call (until 6/9) / FlareonFlareon / Machop (→ MachampMachamp)
Low Mega LopunnyMega Lopunny Candy boost / Rockruff → Lycanroc three forms (Midday / Midnight / Dusk)

GO Fest 2026 Global in July (open to all trainers worldwide) is also coming up, so if you are not attending in Copenhagen, lock in this week's Pokémon and use them as preparation for Global.

Thanks for reading — see you in the next post.

-Pokemon GO, Strategy