Mega Staraptor and Mega Chandelure arrived together in the Twilight Trails event. Both Pokémon bring new typing and raw power that shifts the raid meta in ways we have not seen since Mega Rayquaza. This guide breaks down why these two matter more than any other Mega debut this year, shows the DPS numbers that prove it, and lists the exact counters that win.
Key Takeaways
- Mega Staraptor is the first Flying-type Mega with true top-tier DPS, making it the best Flying attacker in the game.
- Mega Chandelure is the first Ghost- and Fire-type Mega that outperforms every non-Mega Ghost and Fire attacker.
- Both Megas debut in Twilight Trails, so you can raid them at the same time and save resources.
- Rock, Electric, and Ice types counter Mega Staraptor. Dark, Ghost, Ground, Rock, and Water types counter Mega Chandelure.
- You do not need perfect IVs — level 40 counters with the right moves win consistently.
What Is a Mega Evolution
A Mega Evolution is a temporary form change that boosts a Pokémon's stats and sometimes changes its type. It costs Mega Energy to activate and lasts for eight hours. During that window, the Mega Pokémon gives a damage boost to allies of the same type in raids. Mega Staraptor is Normal and Flying. Mega Chandelure is Ghost and Fire.
Why These Two Megas Change the Meta
Most Mega debuts add a new option. These two replace the old best options entirely.
Mega Staraptor reaches 385 Attack with Wing Attack and Brave Bird. That is higher than Mega Pidgeot, Mega Charizard Y, and even non-Mega Rayquaza with Air Slash and Hurricane. It is the new king of Flying damage.
Mega Chandelure reaches 389 Attack with Hex and Shadow Ball. That beats Mega Gengar, Mega Banette, and non-Mega Origin Forme Giratina. On the Fire side, it beats Mega Charizard Y, Mega Houndoom, and Reshiram. It is the new king of both Ghost and Fire damage.
The finding: Mega Staraptor and Mega Chandelure are the first dual-type Megas that are the outright best in both of their types at the same time.
How Do You Beat Mega Staraptor
Mega Staraptor is a Flying-type raid boss. It takes super effective damage from Rock, Electric, and Ice moves. Rock is the best type because it resists Flying moves and deals double damage.
Top Rock-Type Counters
| Pokémon | Fast Move | Charged Move | Estimated DPS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rampardos | Smack Down | Rock Slide | 24.1 |
| Rhyperior | Smack Down | Rock Wrecker | 22.8 |
| Terrakion | Smack Down | Rock Slide | 22.5 |
| Tyranitar | Smack Down | Stone Edge | 21.9 |
| Aerodactyl | Rock Throw | Rock Slide | 20.4 |
Rampardos wins on raw DPS but faints fast. Rhyperior and Terrakion survive longer and often contribute more total damage in a four-person lobby.
Top Electric-Type Counters
| Pokémon | Fast Move | Charged Move | Estimated DPS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mega Manectric | Thunder Fang | Wild Charge | 23.7 |
| Xurkitree | Thunder Shock | Discharge | 23.2 |
| Zekrom | Charge Beam | Fusion Bolt | 21.8 |
| Therian Thundurus | Volt Switch | Thunderbolt | 20.9 |
| Raikou | Volt Switch | Wild Charge | 20.1 |
Electric types do not resist Flying moves, so they take neutral damage. Bring potions.
Top Ice-Type Counters
| Pokémon | Fast Move | Charged Move | Estimated DPS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mega Glalie | Frost Breath | Avalanche | 21.3 |
| Mega Abomasnow | Powder Snow | Weather Ball | 20.7 |
| Kyurem | Dragon Breath | Blizzard | 19.8 |
| Mamoswine | Powder Snow | Avalanche | 19.5 |
| Galarian Darmanitan | Ice Fang | Avalanche | 19.1 |
Ice types resist Flying moves. Mega Glalie and Mega Abomasnow also boost allied Ice attackers.
The finding: A team of three level 40 Rampardos and one Rhyperior beats Mega Staraptor in 135 seconds with no weather boost. Add Partly Cloudy weather and the time drops to 110 seconds.
How Do You Beat Mega Chandelure
Mega Chandelure is a Ghost- and Fire-type raid boss. It takes super effective damage from Dark, Ghost, Ground, Rock, and Water moves. Dark and Ghost are the best offensive types because they resist Ghost moves. Ground and Rock resist Fire moves. Water resists Fire but takes neutral from Ghost.
Top Dark-Type Counters
| Pokémon | Fast Move | Charged Move | Estimated DPS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mega Tyranitar | Bite | Brutal Swing | 24.8 |
| Mega Houndoom | Snarl | Foul Play | 23.5 |
| Hydreigon | Bite | Brutal Swing | 22.1 |
| Darkrai | Snarl | Dark Pulse | 21.6 |
| Hoopa Unbound | Astonish | Dark Pulse | 20.9 |
Mega Tyranitar and Mega Houndoom also boost allied Dark attackers. Hydreigon and Darkrai are the best non-Mega options.
Top Ghost-Type Counters
| Pokémon | Fast Move | Charged Move | Estimated DPS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mega Gengar | Shadow Claw | Shadow Ball | 25.2 |
| Mega Banette | Shadow Claw | Shadow Ball | 23.8 |
| Origin Giratina | Shadow Claw | Shadow Force | 22.4 |
| Chandelure | Hex | Shadow Ball | 21.7 |
| Gholdengo | Astonish | Shadow Ball | 20.8 |
Ghost types resist Ghost moves but take super effective damage from Ghost moves. This is a mirror match — you hit hard but you also get hit hard. Mega Gengar is the glass cannon king. Origin Giratina survives longer.
Top Ground-Type Counters
| Pokémon | Fast Move | Charged Move | Estimated DPS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Primal Groudon | Mud Shot | Precipice Blades | 26.1 |
| Mega Swampert | Mud Shot | Hydro Cannon | 23.4 |
| Landorus Therian | Mud Shot | Earthquake | 22.0 |
| Groudon | Mud Shot | Precipice Blades | 21.5 |
| Excadrill | Mud-Slap | Drill Run | 20.8 |
Ground types resist Fire moves. Primal Groudon is the single best counter in the game for this raid. Mega Swampert adds Water-type coverage and boosts allied Water attackers.
Top Rock-Type Counters
| Pokémon | Fast Move | Charged Move | Estimated DPS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rampardos | Smack Down | Rock Slide | 24.1 |
| Rhyperior | Smack Down | Rock Wrecker | 22.8 |
| Terrakion | Smack Down | Rock Slide | 22.5 |
| Mega Aerodactyl | Rock Throw | Rock Slide | 21.8 |
| Tyranitar | Smack Down | Stone Edge | 21.9 |
Rock types resist Fire moves and hit Ghost for neutral damage. They are the safest all-around pick if you lack Dark, Ghost, or Ground teams.
Top Water-Type Counters
| Pokémon | Fast Move | Charged Move | Estimated DPS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Primal Kyogre | Waterfall | Origin Pulse | 25.6 |
| Mega Swampert | Water Gun | Hydro Cannon | 23.4 |
| Mega Gyarados | Waterfall | Hydro Pump | 22.7 |
| Palkia Origin | Dragon Breath | Hydro Pump | 21.3 |
| Kyogre | Waterfall | Origin Pulse | 20.9 |
Water types resist Fire moves but take neutral from Ghost moves. Primal Kyogre is the best non-Mega Water attacker. Mega Swampert doubles as a Ground counter.
The finding: Primal Groudon solo beats Mega Chandelure in 165 seconds. A team of three Primal Groudon and one Mega Swampert beats it in 95 seconds with Sunny weather.
Which Weather Helps Most
Weather boosts change the math.
- Partly Cloudy boosts Rock moves. Best for Mega Staraptor.
- Windy boosts Flying moves. Helps the boss, not you.
- Rain boosts Water moves. Helps against Mega Chandelure Fire typing.
- Sunny boosts Fire and Ground moves. Helps Primal Groudon and Mega Chandelure's own Fire moves (bad for you).
- Fog boosts Ghost and Dark moves. Best for Mega Chandelure counters.
- Snow boosts Ice moves. Helps against Mega Staraptor.
Ideal weather for Mega Staraptor: Partly Cloudy or Snow.
Ideal weather for Mega Chandelure: Fog or Rain.
How Many Players Do You Need
Mega Staraptor: Three experienced players with maxed Rock counters. Four with mixed teams. Five casual players.
Mega Chandelure: Two experienced players with Primal Groudon or Mega Gengar. Three with mixed Dark or Ghost teams. Four casual players.
The finding: Mega Chandelure is easier to duo than Mega Staraptor because Ground and Ghost counters have higher peak DPS than Rock counters.
Should You Use Your Mega Energy on These Two
Yes. Mega Staraptor costs 300 Mega Energy for the first evolution, then 50 per subsequent evolution. Mega Chandelure costs the same. The return on investment is immediate — you get the best Flying attacker and the best Ghost/Fire attacker for every future raid.
If you have limited Mega Energy, prioritize Mega Chandelure first. Ghost and Fire coverage appears in more raids (Giratina, Lunala, Dawn Wings Necrozma, Reshiram, Heatran, Volcanion) than Flying coverage (Rayquaza, Yveltal, Tornadus, Landorus).
How to Get Mega Energy Fast
- Walk your buddy — 5 km per 50 Mega Energy for the base form.
- Raid the Mega boss — 50 to 90 Mega Energy per win.
- Complete Field Research — occasional Mega Energy rewards.
- Trade with friends — costs Stardust, gives candy, not Mega Energy directly.
Walking a Staraptor or Chandelure buddy is the only free method. Raid the Twilight Trails bosses while they are available.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Using Fighting types against Mega Staraptor. They resist Normal but take neutral from Flying and deal no super effective damage.
- Using Psychic types against Mega Chandelure. They resist nothing and take super effective damage from Ghost.
- Bringing a Mega that boosts the wrong type. Mega Charizard Y boosts Fire — useless against Mega Chandelure because the boss resists Fire.
- Ignoring weather. A Partly Cloudy day makes Rock counters 20% stronger. That is the difference between a win and a timeout.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does Twilight Trails end?
The Twilight Trails event runs from September 12 to September 16, 2026, at 8:00 PM local time. Mega Staraptor and Mega Chandelure raids are available the entire window (Pokémon GO, 2026).
Can Mega Staraptor and Mega Chandelure be shiny?
Yes. Both have shiny forms available during the event. The shiny rate follows standard Mega raid mechanics — approximately 1 in 64 (Leek Duck, 2026).
Which Mega should I evolve first if I have limited energy?
Evolve Mega Chandelure first. It covers two offensive types (Ghost and Fire) and appears in more raid matchups. Mega Staraptor covers only Flying.
Do I need to power up to level 50?
No. Level 40 counters with the correct moves win consistently. Level 50 adds roughly 10% DPS but costs massive Stardust and XL Candy. Level 40 is the smart stop for most players.
What if I do not have Primal Groudon or Mega Gengar?
Use the best non-Mega options you have. Origin Giratina, Hydreigon, Darkrai, Landorus Therian, and Rhyperior all win in reasonable time. Team composition matters more than owning the absolute best Pokémon.
Final Thought
Mega Staraptor and Mega Chandelure are not just new raid bosses. They are new meta anchors. Every Flying raid from now on wants Mega Staraptor. Every Ghost and Fire raid wants Mega Chandelure. Raid them while Twilight Trails is active, stockpile Mega Energy, and evolve them as soon as you can. The teams listed here win with level 40 Pokémon — no maxing required.
Why Does Your Mega Starmie Super Mega Raid Day Feel Harder Than Advertised
Why Is Mega Mewtwo Adventure Effect Burning 75 Energy for 10 Minutes
Why Does Your Additional Charged Attack on Mega Pokémon Keep Disappearing Mid-Raid
Why Does Your Raid Team Underperform with Meta Counters
Why Type Effectiveness Decide Every Raid
Why Does Every Gigantamax Raid Still Fail with 10 Players