Drapio, Ogre Scorp Pokémon, is one of the toughest challenges you’ll ever face in Pokémon GO. For the most part, the creature is tough to take down, as it has few vulnerabilities. You’ll never finish off this raid boss with brute strength alone, which is why careful planning is paramount if you want to ensure success.
In this article, we’ll talk about the Pokémon’s main features, advantages, and disadvantages in battle. We’ll also provide a list of potential counters to this Poison/Dark type so that you can finish the fight in minimal time, without any repeats.
Understanding Drapion
Like with any other raid boss, you must get acquainted with Drapion before challenging it in combat. As mentioned, the creature relies on a combination of Poison and Dark elements, which is somewhat foreshadowed by its appearance.
Similar to other creatures from this category, Drapion is resilient to Grass, Ghost, Psychic, Poison, and Dark elements, making him a 3-star raid boss.
Luckily, there’s still a chance to take it down with the right creature, as Drapion is vulnerable to Ground-type abilities, while taking regular damage from other elements, such as Fire or Electric. In other words, don’t even try battling the creature if you don’t have the right Pokémon in your composition.
Can You Take Down Drapion Alone?
Most players don’t want to wait for other players to finish raids. This makes sense as you want to complete your objectives as soon as possible without potential disputes. The good news is that Drapion is one of those Pokémon that you can eliminate by yourself.
In fact, we’ll go so far as to say this is the most rewarding Tier 3 raid for solo trainers. All you have to do is stack up on Ground monsters and watch his health bar dwindle. On top of that, we also recommend that you experiment with different abilities until you find a Pokémon with the right kit.
With proper preparation, you can beat this monstrosity by yourself. We also recommend that you capitalize on the Sunny weather boost as another method of weakening the raid boss.
Assembling Your A-Team
Beating a Drapion raid hinges on your ability to make tactical decisions. You need a team that exploits its one vulnerability with overwhelming force. So, instead of trying to find a balance, stack your squad with Ground-types. Below is a list of the best Pokémon to eliminate this massive threat:
Top Drapion Raid Counters
Pokémon | Best Moveset | Role |
|---|---|---|
Primal Groudon | Mud Shot + Precipice Blades | The best option against Drapion. Its raw power is unmatched. |
Mega Garchomp | Mud Shot + Earth Power | A fantastic alternative that boosts other Ground-types. |
Shadow Groudon | Mud Shot + Earthquake | A glass cannon that delivers incredible damage output. |
Shadow Excadrill | Mud-Slap + Drill Run | A high-DPS machine, perfect for a lead attacker. |
Shadow Garchomp | Mud Shot + Earth Power | Another elite Shadow Pokémon that hits exceptionally hard. |
Landorus (Therian) | Mud Shot + Sandsear Storm | Consistently one of the best non-Mega, non-Shadow attackers. |
Rhyperior | Mud-Slap + Earthquake | A durable Pokémon that can also dish lots of damage. |
Excadrill | Mud-Slap + Drill Run | Even with the standard version, you can severely weaken Drapion |
Primal & Mega Pokémon
If you have no other choice, you should consider summoning Primals or Megas into the battle. Primal Groundon, for example, is the best counter to this raid boss. With its Precipice Blades, it is able to dish out enormous damage. Another major advantage of Groundon is that it boosts your other Ground-based Pokémon.
As for Megas, Garchomp is the best choice against Drapion. Similar to Groundon, it dishes out a lot of damage with its earth powers, while also providing a boost to teammates. This makes the raid that much faster and easier.
High-Risk, High-Reward Attackers
Although these Pokémon aren’t the optimal choice, you should consider going with Shadow variants to complete the raid quickly. Some of the best ones are Shadow Garchomp, Shadow Excadrill, and Shadow Groundon, all of which achieve a 20% bonus as Shadow-types.
Keep in mind that their defense is significantly lower, so you’ll have to be careful with their HP bars. Given that you can dodge Drapion’s attacks, you might be able to take out the raid boss with a few advantageous RNG rolls.
Drapion’s Moveset and Your Strategy
A prepared trainer knows their enemy’s arsenal. Drapion can come equipped with a few moves designed to trip up its Ground-type counters. Be aware of Ice Fang (Fast Move) and Aqua Tail (Charged Move).
Ice Fang is super-effective against Ground/Dragon types like Garchomp and Flygon, and can chip away at Landorus.
Aqua Tail is a spammy Water-type Charged Move that hits all of your best Ground-type counters for super-effective damage.
Your play is to dodge the Charged Moves, as a successful dodge preserves your attackers, allowing them to unleash more of their own powerful moves. Besides the dodge, keep an eye on the notification in the bottom-left corner and swipe away just as Drapion unleashes its attack.
Understanding CP and IVs
After the dust settles and you emerge victorious, the real prize appears: the chance to catch Drapion. Knowing the CP for a perfect 100% IV specimen is essential for any serious collector.
1401 CP: This is the magic number for a 100% IV Drapion from a standard raid (Level 20).
1752 CP: If the weather is Cloudy or Foggy, Drapion will be weather-boosted. Look for this CP for a perfect catch (Level 25).
Conversely, if you want to maximize your own damage, raid during Sunny/Clear weather. This will boost your Ground-type attacks, making the battle significantly easier and faster, which is necessary for any solo attempt.
Why You Want a Good Drapion
Drapion’s bulk and its unique type make it a fantastic asset in both the Great League and Ultra League. With a moveset of Bite (Fast Move) and Aqua Tail / Sludge Bomb (Charged Moves), it can pressure shields and deal with a wide variety of popular meta picks, from Psychic-types like Cresselia to Fairy-types. Catching a raid Drapion with excellent PvP IVs (low attack, high defense, and stamina) is a worthy goal for any competitive trainer.
Your Next Move
Mastering a raid like this is a testament to your dedication as a trainer, and building the perfect team of counters, from Primal Groudon to a legion of Shadow attackers, is a journey.
If you’re looking to accelerate that journey, igitems offers expertly curated Pokémon GO accounts that come stacked with the powerful Pokémon you need to dominate any raid battle from day one.
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Now, go out there and show that Ogre Scorp who’s boss. What’s your go-to Ground-type attacker for this raid? Share your top pick and happy raiding!
