Giratina Origin Forme is back in Pokémon GO five-star raids from Wednesday, October 28 to Tuesday, November 3. Mega Sableye takes over Mega Raids at the same time and stays until Sunday, November 8. Both dates come from Niantic’s official November content update. The best Giratina Origin raid counters are Dragon, Dark, Ice, Ghost and Fairy attackers. Mega Sableye’s only weakness is Fairy, so Mega Gardevoir, Togekiss and other Fairy-types do the work there. The counter lists below follow the rankings from Pokebattler and Pokémon GO Hub, which we checked on October 27, 2026 at 22:20 UTC.
Table of Contents
Quick answer
- Giratina Origin raid dates: October 28 to November 3 (five-star raids). Leek Duck reports that bosses change at 6:00 a.m. local time and that the last day ends at 10:00 p.m.
- Giratina Origin Raid Hour: Wednesday, October 28, 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. local time, according to Leek Duck.
- Mega Sableye raid dates: October 28 to November 8 (Mega Raids).
- Giratina Origin weaknesses: Dark, Dragon, Fairy, Ghost and Ice. It’s Ghost/Dragon, so each of those types deals 160% damage.
- Mega Sableye weakness: Fairy only (160%). It takes reduced damage from Normal, Psychic, Fighting and Poison.
- Top Giratina Origin counters: Eternatus, Mega Rayquaza, Mega Garchomp, Black Kyurem. Budget picks: Baxcalibur, Haxorus, Garchomp, Tyranitar.
- Top Mega Sableye counters: Mega Gardevoir, Crowned Sword Zacian, Mega Rayquaza. Budget picks: Togekiss, Gardevoir, Hatterene.
- Shiny: Niantic’s graphic marks both Giratina Origin and Mega Sableye as possible Shiny encounters. Mega Sableye raids reward a regular Sableye catch.
Niantic's five-star raid lineup: Giratina Origin Forme Oct 28-Nov 3, Altered Forme Nov 4-8. Sparkles mark possible Shinies. Image: Niantic
Giratina Origin and Mega Sableye raid schedule
Niantic’s November content update gives dates, not hours. Raids and Raid Hours run on local time, so each time zone gets them at its own 6:00 a.m. New Zealand starts first. The UTC column shows when that is for a few common zones. US clocks go back on November 1, so the end times in UTC move by an hour.
| What | Dates (local time) | Example times in UTC | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Giratina Origin Forme, five-star raids | Wed Oct 28, 6:00 a.m. to Tue Nov 3, 10:00 p.m. | Starts 17:00 UTC Oct 27 (Auckland), 06:00 UTC Oct 28 (London), 10:00 UTC (New York), 13:00 UTC (Los Angeles) | Niantic (dates), Leek Duck (hours) |
| Giratina Origin Raid Hour | Wed Oct 28, 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. | 18:00 UTC (London), 22:00 UTC (New York), 01:00 UTC Oct 29 (Los Angeles) | Leek Duck |
| Mega Sableye, Mega Raids | Wed Oct 28, 6:00 a.m. to Sun Nov 8, 10:00 p.m. | Ends 22:00 UTC Nov 8 (London), 03:00 UTC Nov 9 (New York) | Niantic (dates), Leek Duck (hours) |
| Mega Sableye can reach Super Max Mega Level | From Sun Nov 1, 10:00 a.m. (Halloween Part II) | 10:00 UTC (London), 15:00 UTC (New York) | Pokémon GO news |
| Next up: Giratina Altered Forme, five-star raids | Wed Nov 4 to Sun Nov 8 (Raid Hour Nov 4, 6:00 to 7:00 p.m.) | Same local-time pattern | Niantic |
The Halloween events are running at the same time. Our Pokémon GO Halloween 2026 guide has the costumes, Shinies and the full Part I and Part II schedule. The raid boss list can change at short notice, so check the in-game raid screen before you buy passes.
Giratina Origin weaknesses and resistances
Giratina Origin Forme is a Ghost/Dragon type, which gives it five weaknesses. In Pokémon GO, each one deals 160% damage. None of them stack into a double weakness.
| Attack type | Damage vs Giratina Origin |
|---|---|
| Dark, Dragon, Fairy, Ghost, Ice | 160% (super effective) |
| Bug, Electric, Fire, Grass, Poison, Water | 62.5% (resisted) |
| Normal, Fighting | 39.1% (double resisted; Ghost is immune to these in the main games) |
The boss can use Shadow Claw or Dragon Tail as its fast attack. For its charged attack it picks Dragon Pulse, Shadow Ball or Ominous Wind (Pokebattler’s boss moveset list). That’s why the team you bring matters:
- Dragon-types hit hardest, but Dragon Tail and Dragon Pulse hit them super effectively too. Expect to faint more, and have a second team ready.
- Dark-types such as Tyranitar and Kingambit resist the boss’s Ghost moves. They deal less damage than Dragons but survive longer. Pokebattler’s simulations show Kingambit fainting the least of the budget picks.
- Fairy-types resist Dragon moves heavily and take neutral damage from Ghost moves. That makes them the safest picks, though not the fastest.
- Ghost-types like Gholdengo and Gengar deal super-effective damage but also take it. Use them only if you have nothing better.
Best Giratina Origin raid counters
This table follows Pokebattler’s overall ranking for level 40 attackers with no weather and the random boss moveset. Pokémon GO Hub’s level 50 list has the same top three (Eternatus, Mega Rayquaza, Mega Garchomp), with Black and White Kyurem close behind. Legacy moves need an Elite TM or an event to learn. Pokémon GO Hub marks them with an asterisk.
| # | Counter | Fast attack | Charged attack | Type hit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eternatus | Dragon Tail | Dynamax Cannon (legacy) | Dragon |
| 2 | Mega Rayquaza | Dragon Tail | Breaking Swipe | Dragon |
| 3 | Black Kyurem | Dragon Tail | Freeze Shock | Dragon / Ice |
| 4 | Mega Garchomp | Dragon Tail | Breaking Swipe | Dragon |
| 5 | Mega Tyranitar | Bite | Brutal Swing | Dark |
| 6 | White Kyurem | Dragon Breath or Ice Fang | Ice Burn | Dragon / Ice |
| 7 | Shadow Garchomp | Dragon Tail | Breaking Swipe | Dragon |
| 8 | Shadow Haxorus | Dragon Tail | Breaking Swipe | Dragon |
| 9 | Shadow Darkrai | Snarl | Foul Play | Dark |
| 10 | Shadow Tyranitar | Bite | Brutal Swing | Dark |
| 11 | Mega Absol | Snarl | Brutal Swing | Dark |
| 12 | Crowned Sword Zacian | Metal Claw | Play Rough | Fairy: resists Dragon moves, few faints |
Pokebattler’s top five also includes Mega Houndoom (Snarl / Dark Pulse+) and Mega Dragonite (Dragon Tail / Outrage+). Moves with a “+” are the extra Charged Attacks that some Megas unlock at Super Max Mega Level. If your Mega Houndoom or Mega Dragonite hasn’t reached that level, use the table above instead. We also left out Mega Mewtwo X and Y: Pokebattler ranks them in its top 15, but they deal only neutral Psychic damage.
Budget Giratina Origin counters (no Megas, Shadows or Legendaries)
With Megas, Shadows and Legendaries switched off, Pokebattler ranks the following attackers highest.
| Counter | Fast attack | Charged attack | Why it works |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baxcalibur | Ice Fang | Glaive Rush | Ice and Dragon damage, best non-legendary pick |
| Haxorus | Dragon Tail | Breaking Swipe | High damage, faints often |
| Garchomp | Dragon Tail | Breaking Swipe | High damage and bulkier than Haxorus |
| Dragapult | Dragon Tail | Breaking Swipe | Fast damage, fragile |
| Tyranitar | Bite | Brutal Swing | Resists Ghost moves, survives long |
| Kingambit | Snarl | Foul Play | Fewest faints of the budget picks |
| Salamence | Dragon Tail | Draco Meteor | Easy to build, big charged hits |
| Hydreigon | Dragon Breath | Brutal Swing | Hits with both Dragon and Dark |
| Dragonite | Dragon Tail | Draco Meteor | Common, solid filler |
| Weavile | Snarl | Avalanche | Dark and Ice coverage |
| Galarian Darmanitan / Mamoswine | Ice Fang / Powder Snow | Avalanche | Ice attackers if you lack Dragons |
| Togekiss | Charm | Dazzling Gleam | Fairy: resists Dragon moves, slow but safe |
How many trainers you need for Giratina Origin
Pokebattler’s estimator (level 40 counters, no weather, no friendship bonus) puts Giratina Origin at about 1.5 trainers’ worth of damage with the best counters listed above. That drops to about 1.3 with level 50 teams and rises to about 2.1 with the budget list. These figures assume ideal play and fast rejoins, so they set the minimum, not a comfortable group size:
- 2 trainers: possible for two level 40+ players with full Mega, Shadow or Legendary teams and a friendship bonus.
- 3 to 4 trainers: a safer group if your teams are mostly budget picks.
- 5 or more: best for the October 28 Raid Hour, when mixed-level groups form at busy gyms.
Windy weather boosts Dragon attacks, and Fog boosts Ghost and Dark attacks. Both also make the boss’s catch stronger: Pokémon GO Hub lists Giratina Origin’s catch CP as 2,105 (100% IV, level 20) or 2,631 when weather boosted (level 25).
Is Giratina Origin worth powering up?
Pokémon GO Hub’s analysis calls Origin Forme the better Giratina for raids, because its stats lean toward attack. It also notes that newer Ghost-types have pushed it out of the top tier. Its best raid moveset is Shadow Claw with Shadow Force, a legacy move that needs an Elite Charged TM. With Shadow Ball it’s still usable. A high-IV catch is worth keeping for upcoming Ghost raids, but most players get more from their best Dragons first.
Mega Sableye guards a Mega Raid gym; from Nov 1 its Mega Level can reach Super Max. Image: Niantic / The Pokémon Company
Mega Sableye weaknesses and resistances
Sableye is Dark/Ghost, and that combination leaves exactly one weakness: Fairy (160%). Pokémon GO Hub’s type chart shows Normal and Psychic at 39.1% and Fighting and Poison at 62.5%. That’s why Fighting-types, the usual answer to Dark-types, don’t work here.
The boss’s moves explain why Fairy-types are the safe pick. Pokebattler lists Shadow Claw and Feint Attack as its fast attacks. Its charged attacks are Foul Play, Dazzling Gleam, Power Gem, Shadow Sneak and Drain Punch. Fairies resist the Dark moves, and nothing in that list hits them super effectively. The one to watch is Dazzling Gleam, which is super effective against the Dragon-types that also appear in the rankings.
Best Mega Sableye raid counters
Pokebattler and Pokémon GO Hub agree on the core of this list: Mega Gardevoir, Crowned Sword Zacian and Mega Rayquaza. Crowned Shield Zamazenta tops Pokebattler’s overall sort because it barely faints, even though it deals neutral damage.
| # | Counter | Fast attack | Charged attack | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mega Gardevoir | Charm | Dazzling Gleam | Fastest win in both rankings |
| 2 | Crowned Sword Zacian | Metal Claw | Play Rough | Very few faints |
| 3 | Mega Rayquaza | Dragon Tail | Dragon Ascent | Neutral damage, but enough of it |
| 4 | Crowned Shield Zamazenta | Metal Claw | Behemoth Bash | Slow but almost never faints |
| 5 | Eternatus | Dragon Tail | Dynamax Cannon (legacy) | Neutral, very bulky |
| 6 | Enamorus (Incarnate) | Fairy Wind | Dazzling Gleam | Fairy |
| 7 | Shadow Gardevoir | Charm | Dazzling Gleam | Fairy, fragile |
| 8 | Xerneas | Geomancy | Moonblast | Fairy |
| 9 | Tapu Lele / Tapu Koko | Astonish / Volt Switch | Nature’s Madness | Fairy charged attack |
| 10 | Shadow Granbull | Charm | Play Rough | Fairy |
Budget Mega Sableye counters
| Counter | Fast attack | Charged attack |
|---|---|---|
| Togekiss | Charm | Dazzling Gleam |
| Gardevoir | Charm | Dazzling Gleam |
| Hatterene | Charm | Dazzling Gleam |
| Primarina | Charm | Moonblast |
| Sylveon | Charm | Dazzling Gleam |
| Grimmsnarl | Sucker Punch | Play Rough |
| Granbull | Charm | Play Rough |
| Tinkaton | Fairy Wind | Gigaton Hammer |
| Florges | Fairy Wind | Moonblast |
| Garchomp (neutral) | Dragon Tail | Breaking Swipe |
Cloudy weather boosts Fairy attacks. Fog boosts the boss’s Dark and Ghost moves and its catch: Pokémon GO Hub lists Sableye’s catch CP as 843 (100% IV) or 1,054 when weather boosted.
Can you solo Mega Sableye? Trainers needed
Probably not. Pokebattler’s estimate stays above one trainer even with the best counters at level 50: about 1.1 for Mega Gardevoir and about 1.2 averaged across the top list. At level 40 the average is about 1.3, and with budget Fairies it’s about 1.7. Those numbers point to:
- Duo: realistic for two players with strong Fairy teams, especially with a friendship bonus or Cloudy weather.
- 3 trainers: comfortable with budget Fairies like Togekiss and Gardevoir.
Why Mega Sableye raids matter this year: Super Max Level
Raiding Mega Sableye earns Sableye Mega Energy, and this time that energy has a new use. Niantic’s Halloween 2026 Part II post says that from November 1 at 10:00 a.m. local time, Mega Sableye’s Mega Level can be raised to Super Max for the first time. At that level, Mega Sableye can use an extra Charged Attack, Night Shade+, while Mega Evolved. Niantic lists it at 160 power in raids and 55 in Trainer Battles, and says its power grows with Mega Level. You have to reach Max level first, and Niantic says Mega Evolving alone won’t get you to Super Max: you also need to spend Sableye Mega Energy. The Mega Sableye raids running until November 8 are the most direct way to farm it.
Shiny Giratina Origin and Shiny Sableye
Both are confirmed. Niantic’s November graphic shows sparkles on Giratina Origin Forme and Mega Sableye, with the line “If you’re lucky, you might encounter a Shiny one!” Leek Duck’s event pages also list Shiny Giratina (Origin Forme) and Shiny Sableye. Niantic doesn’t publish Shiny odds for raid bosses, so we don’t list a rate here.
More Pokémon GO raid planning: our Max Battle Day counters for Uxie, Mesprit and Azelf, the mobile Halloween events roundup and the earlier Minior Showers guide.
FAQ
When are Giratina Origin raids in Pokémon GO?
Giratina Origin Forme is in five-star raids from October 28 to November 3, 2026, according to Niantic’s November content update. Leek Duck reports the rotation runs from 6:00 a.m. on the first day to 10:00 p.m. on the last, local time. The Raid Hour is October 28, 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. local.
What is Giratina Origin weak to?
Dark, Dragon, Fairy, Ghost and Ice. Each deals 160% damage. Normal and Fighting attacks are double resisted.
What is the best counter for Mega Sableye?
Mega Gardevoir with Charm and Dazzling Gleam is the fastest counter in both Pokebattler’s and Pokémon GO Hub’s rankings. Togekiss, Gardevoir and Hatterene are the best budget options.
Can Giratina Origin be Shiny in raids?
Yes. Niantic’s November content update marks it as a possible Shiny encounter, and so does Leek Duck’s event page.
Sources: Pokémon GO on X (November content update), Pokémon GO news: Halloween 2026 Part II, Pokebattler: Giratina Origin, Pokebattler: Mega Sableye, Pokémon GO Hub: Giratina Origin counters, Pokémon GO Hub: Mega Sableye counters, Leek Duck: Giratina Origin raids, Leek Duck: Mega Sableye raids. Rankings checked October 27, 2026, 22:20 UTC.
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