Altered Forme Giratina is back, and Pokémon GO trainers are buzzing with excitement. Starting December 26 and running until January 4, this Ghost and Dragon-type Pokémon will be available again through Five-Star raids. While it may not boast the proficiency of its Origin Forme, Altered Forme Giratina remains one of the more valuable additions for trainers eager to sharpen their competitive edge.
The key is knowing how to counter this formidable foe effectively. Altered Forme Giratina has notable weaknesses to Dark, Dragon, Fairy, Ghost, and Ice-type attacks. This diverse list means trainers have plenty of options at their disposal when forming teams to tackle it. Notably, use Pokémon like Mega Rayquaza and its standard counterpart; both can swing the odds heavily in favor of those who wield them. Another powerful choice is the Dawn Wings Necrozma, which is not even a Mega Evolution, allowing multiple uses during raids.
For budget-conscious trainers, Haxorus is likely the best option, especially if they participated during its Community Day, as it gained excellent moves.
One of the enticing possibilities trainers hold is encountering shiny Altered Forme Giratina. While the shiny variant is not always guaranteed, it is available. Having additional Mega Evolutions can help collect more Giratina candy during these raids, making them even more valuable. Using Pokémon like Gengar or Altaria at Mega Level 3 enhances catch bonuses and expediting candy acquisition significantly.
Many trainers might wonder just how many players they need for the raid. With Giratina's low defense, trainers could theoretically take it down solo, but realistically, gathering at least two for support is ideal. For those with lower-level teams, aim for groups of five to maximize chances of success.
Curious about the stats? Trainers should watch for the 100% IV hundo CP values, which exist at 1931 CP and 2414 CP with weather effects of Windy or Foggy during battles to maximize their wallet-friendly and high-stat Pokémon.
Switching gears, Zenless Zone Zero players are also treated to new gameplay with the debut of Deadly Assault mode, introduced in update 1.4. This mode marks the game's entry point for seasoned players yearning for rigorous challenges. Players must reach Inter-Knot level 40 and have Shiyu Defense unlocked to access Deadly Assault. Upon entering, they will face three challenging time trials against level 70 versions of bosses drawn from the story campaign, with no scaling for lower-level characters.
Bosses featured within Deadly Assault are drastically augmented, possessing new mechanics and larger health pools, requiring players to amass points via damage dealt and specific tasks fulfilled during fights. The score thresholds set the challenge: to hit even the lowest tier, players must achieve at least 6,000 points within three minutes.
So how do you maximize efficiency? Players need to choose fully developed teams—three solid setups required for each boss due to their distinct modifiers. For example, the Marionette boss has increased damage, but players earn the ability to negate it by destroying duplicates, which affords players clearer strategies for mitigating risk and maximizing damage.
Team composition remains pivotal for success throughout Deadly Assault. Crafting effective three-team setups requires time, commitment, and familiarity with character abilities. Successful setups often utilize both hypercarry and double DPS approaches, allowing numerous players to adapt based on recent developments and character introductions.
But is it worth the time investment? Unless players are wildly devoted to beatingthe hardest game challenges, they might be disappointed with the rewards—300 Polychromes and assorted Investigation Merits come from this effort. Those willing to invest hundreds of hours can test character builds and identify gaps within their strategies.
With Shiyu Defense providing more appealing returns, many players may opt for it instead. The introduction of Deadly Assault enriches the gaming experience for those driven to test their skills, pushing boundaries of performance, and engaging deeply with Zenless Zone Zero's unique combat mechanics.
