List of Max Raid Events | Pokemon Sword and Shield

This page contains a list of all Max Raid special events and limited-time availability boosts for encountering some of the new Gigantamax Pokemon in the games Pokemon Sword and Shield.

Summary of Max Raid Events

Current & Upcoming Max Raid Events

October 1 to November 1, 2020 Max Raid Events
Gigantamax Gengar	Gigantamax Grimmsnarl

Past Max Raid Events

What Are Max Raid Battles?

Max Raid Battles allow you to team up with three other trainers to take on a wild Dynamax Pokemon. You can encounter other trainers online or through a local connection and hang out together in the Wild Area. As soon as you have found three other players to team up with, you are ready to join in a Max Raid Battle!
How to Win Max Raid Battles!

Current & Upcoming Max Raid Events

Ghost and Dark Types Stalk the Wild Area!

Availability Period
October 1st, 2020 (Thu.) - November 1st, 2020 (Sun.) 24:00 UTC

From October 1 to November 1, Ghost-type and Dark-type Pokemon are more likely to appear in Max Raid Dens. After checking the Wild Area News, you'll be able to finda variety of Pokemon in Dens across the Wild Area.

All players have a chance to to encounter a Gigantamax Gengar and a Gigantamax Grimmsnarl in these dens!

Available Gigantamax Pokemon

October 1 to November 1, 2020 Max Raid Events
Gigantamax Gengar	Gigantamax Grimmsnarl

Past Max Raid Events

Shimmering Electric and Grass Types Abound!

Availability Period
September 1st, 2020 (Sat.) - September 30th, 2020 (Sun.) 24:00 UTC

From September 1 to September 30, Electric-type and Grass-type Pokemon were more likely to appear in Max Raid Dens. After checking the Wild Area News, you'll be able to find a variety of Pokemon in Dens across the Wild Area.

Players with Pokemon Sword also have a chance to encounter Gigantamax Appletun and Gigantamax Toxtricity (Low Key Form).

Players with Pokemon Shield will have a chance to encounter Gigantamax Flapple and Gigantamax Toxtricity (Amped Form).

Available Gigantamax Pokemon

Pokemon Sword
Gigantamax Toxtricity Low Key Form	Gigantamax Appletun
Pokemon Shield
Gigantamax Toxtricity Amped Form	Gigantamax Flapple

New Chance for a Shiny!

Enlarge
Availability Period
Start	September 17th, 2020 (Thurs.) 5:00 p.m. PDT
End	September 20th, 2020 (Sun.) 4:59 p.m. PDT

Don't miss this extremely short Max Raid Event appearing for the Seasonal Equinox! The Moon Stone evolvees Clefable, Wigglytuff, and Musharna and the Sun Stone evolvees Bellossom, Whimsicott, and Lilligant will appear throughout the Wild Area and Isle of Armor.

This event features a high chance of Shiny Clefable appearing, so Shiny hunters, get your Ultra Balls stocked and ready!

September 17 to September 20, 2020 Max Raid Event
Moon Stone Pokemon
Clefable	Wigglytuff	Musharna
Sun Stone Pokemon
Bellossom	Whimsicott	Lilligant

A Surge of Water and Ground Types Appear!

Availability Period
August 1st, 2020 (Sat.) - August 30th, 2020 (Sun.) 24:00 UTC

From August 1 to August 30, Water-type and Ground-type Pokemon were more likely to appear in Max Raid Dens. After checking the Wild Area News, you'll be able to find a variety of Pokemon in Dens across the Wild Area, with Gigantamax Drednaw and Gigantamax Sandaconda making appearances as well.

Available Gigantamax Pokemon

Gigantamax Drednaw

Gigantamax Sandaconda

Pikachu Mass Appearance!

Availability Period
August 6th, 2020 (Thu.) - August 9th, 2020 (Sun.) 24:00 UTC

From August 6 to August 9, there was an increased chance to encounter the entire Pikachu family in the Wild Area's dens. Apart from a chance to get a shiny Pikachu, you also have a chance to get an Alolan Raichu - a Pokemon you can't find outside of Pokemon HOME or as a one-time present in the Isle of Armor!

Mimikyu also had a chance to appear as part of the event!

Steel & Rock Types Rising from the Earth!

Availability Period
June 30th, 2020 (Tues.) - July 31st, 2020 (Fri.) 24:00 UTC

Starting Tuesday, June 30th, Steel-type and Rock-type Pokemon were more likely to appear in Max Raid Dens. After checking the Wild Area News, you would have been able to find a variety of Pokemon in Dens across the Wild Area, with Gigantamax Coalossal and Gigantamax Copperajah making appearances as well.

Wild Area Maps and Den Locations

Available Gigantamax Pokemon

Gigantamax Coalossal

Gigantamax Copperajah

Zeraora Max Raid Event

Availability Period
June 17th, 2020 (Wed.) - June 28th, 2020 PDT (Sun.)

To celebrate the release of The Isle of Armor DLC, a Max Raid Event against Zeraora will be available for everyone!

Join in on this worldwide event to defeat Zeraora and if 1,000,000 players manages to win this battle, a Shiny Zeraora will be given to players through Pokemon HOME!

June 17 to June 28, 2020
Both Games
Zeraora

How to Beat Max Raid Zeraora and Item Drops

Gigantamax Festival!

Availability Period
June 1nd, 2020 (Mon.) - June 29th, 2020 @4:59 PM PDT (Mon.)

In preparation for the release of The Isle of Armor on June 17th, the first half of the Expansion Pass DLC, Pokemon Sword and Shield are playing host to the biggest appearance of Gigantamax Pokemon ever!

The Gigantamax Festival will allow players to catch almost all the Gigantamax Pokemon released so far. However, there are some version exclusives involved, so you'll need to have both versions or trade with a friend or online to catch 'em all!

June 1 to June 29, 2020
Both Games
Gigantamax Snorlax
Pokemon Sword
Gigantamax Gengar	Gigantamax Kingler	Gigantamax Lapras	Gigantamax Garbodor
Gigantamax Corviknight	Gigantamax Appletun	Gigantamax Toxtricity (Amped Form)	Gigantamax Centiskorch
Gigantamax Grimmsnarl	Gigantamax Alcremie	Gigantamax Duraludon
Pokemon Shield
Gigantamax Charizard	Gigantamax Butterfree	Gigantamax Machamp	Gigantamax Orbeetle
Gigantamax Drednaw	Gigantamax Coalossal	Gigantamax Flapple	Gigantamax Sandaconda
Gigantamax Toxtricity (Low Key Form)	Gigantamax Hatterene	Gigantamax Copperajah

Gigantamax Pikachu, Eevee and Meowth

These Gigantamax Pokemon were previously available only under exclusive circumstances, and appeared for the first time in raid battles during these dates.

Pokemon	Availability Period
Gigantamax Pikachu	May 11, 2020 – May 18, 2020
Gigantamax Eevee	May 18, 2020 – May 25, 2020
Gigantamax Meowth	May 25, 2020 – June 2, 2020

Gigantamax Copperajah, Gigantamax Duraludon, Gigantamax Garbodor, & Gigantamax Charizard

From March 27, 2020 to April 27, 2020 at 4:59 p.m. PDT, the availability of Gigantamax Copperajah & Gigantamax Duraludon in Pokemon Sword and Gigantamax Garbodor & Gigantamax Charizard in Pokemon Shield was boosted in Max Raid Battles.

Pokemon Sword

Gigantamax Copperajah

Gigantamax Duraludon

Pokemon Shield

Gigantamax Garbodor

Gigantamax Charizard

Dynamaxed Pokemon

From April 10, 2020to April 15, 2020, the availability of Dynamaxed Ditto, Pichu, Cleffa, Togepi, Tyrogue, Wynaut, Budew, Bonsly, Mime Jr., Munchlax, Riolu, Mantyke, and Toxel was boosted in Max Raid Battles. Defeating one of them would have earned you a Destiny Knot or an Everstone.

Dynamax Versions

Ditto	Pichu	Cleffa	Togepi
Tyrogue	Wynaut	Budew	Bonsly
Mime Jr.	Munchlax	Riolu	Mantyke
Toxel

Version-exclusive Pokemon

From March 19, 2020 to March 25, 2020 the availability of the version-exclusive Pokemon below was boosted in Max Raid Battles.

Pokemon Sword

Galarian Rapidash	Galarian Corsola	Mandibuzz
Oranguru	Indeedee (Female)

Pokemon Shield

Galarian Darumaka	Braviary	Passimian
Sirfetch'd	Indeedee (Male)

Pokemon Sword and Pokemon Shield

Escavalier

Accelgor

Pincurchin

Gigantamax Machamp, Gigantamax Gengar, and Gigantamax Snorlax

From March 8, 2020 to March 25, 2020 the availability of Gigantamax Machamp, Gigantamax Gengar, and Gigantamax Snorlax was boosted in Max Raid Battles.

Gigantamax Toxtricity

Gigantamax Toxtricity was made available during February 7 to March 9 2020.

Note: Amped Form was only available in Pokemon Sword, and Low-Key form was only available in Pokemon Shield.

Gigantamax Toxtricity and Den Location

Mewtwo's Max Raid Battle!

Check out our guide on How to Beat Max Raid Mewtwo with a full list of its moves, explanation of strategy and item drops!

Mewtwo Max Raid: How to Find and Den Location

Kanto Starters in Max Raids

Kanto starters appeared in Max Raid Battles for a limited time.
Kanto Starters Max Raid: How to Find and Item Drops

Milcery

Milcery that can Gigantamax when evolved had a boosted appearance during January 31 to February 17, 2020.
Milcery had the chance to a hold a Ribbon or a Star Sweet; this was the only way to obtain these items.
How to Get Star and Ribbon Sweets

Gigantamax Coalossal, Gigantamax Flapple, Gigantamax Lapras, Gigantamax Appletun, and Gigantamax Alcremie.

From January 9, 2020 to early February 2020, the availability of Gigantamax Coalossal & Gigantamax Flapple in Pokemon Sword, Gigantamax Lapras & Gigantamax Appletun in Pokemon Shield, Gigantamax Alcremie in both games was boosted in Max Raid Battles.

Pokemon Sword

Gigantamax Coalossal

Gigantamax Flapple

Pokemon Shield

Gigantamax Lapras

Gigantamax Appletun

Pokemon Sword & Pokemon Shield

Gigantamax Alcremie

Shiny Magikarp

From December 31, 2019 to January 3, 2020 the availability of Shiny Magikarp was boosted in Max Raid Battles.

Delibird

From December 20 to December 25, 2019 the availability of Delibird was boosted in Max Raid Battles. Rewards for beating Delibird were better than usual (more Ice-type TRs, Exp, and Candies).

Pokemon Sword and Shield Related Links

Wild Area and Raid Strategy

Wild Area and Raid Strategy

The Crown Tundra Maps

Crown Tundra Wild Area Maps
Slippery Slope	Frostpoint Field	Giant's Bed
Old Cemetery	Giant's Foot	Ballimere Lake
Dyna Tree Hill	Frigid Sea	Three-Point Pass
Snowslide Slope	Path to the Peak	Crown Shrine
Lakeside Cave	Roaring-Sea Caves	Tunnel to the Top

The Isle of Armor Maps

Isle of Armor Wild Area Maps
Fields of Honor	Soothing Wetlands	Forest of Focus
Challenge Beach	Brawlers' Cave	Loop Lagoon
Stepping-Stone Sea	Insular Sea	Honeycalm Island
Honeycalm Sea	Potbottom Desert	Warm-Up Tunnel
Training Lowlands	Challenge Road	Courageous Cavern
Workout Sea

The Isle of Armor Wild Area

All Wild Area Maps

Rolling Fields	Dappled Grove	West Lake Axewell
Axew's Eye	Giant's Seat	South Lake Miloch
East Lake Axewell	Watchtower Ruins	Motostoke Riverbank
Stony Wilderness	Bridge Field	Dusty Bowl
Giant's Mirror	Giant's Cap	Lake of Outrage
Hammerlocke Hills	North Lake Miloch	-

All Raid Boss Locations

Location of Each Raid Boss by Generation