Heatran is back in Pokémon GO after a very short hiatus. Here's everything trainers need to know to take down the legendary Pokémon.
Pokémon GO players usually have to wait a while between certain legendary Pokémon appearing in raids for them to take down and catch. That's why the reappearance of Heatran this month might have come as a surprise to some. The Gen IV fire/steel type was a raid reward as recently as December, yet is already back for more high-intensity battles.
Although Niantic hasn't given a specific reason for bringing Heatran back so soon, chances are it's due to the number of other events it staged over the holidays in Pokémon GO. Trainers busy hatching eggs and playing with their Buddy Pokémon might have inadvertently missed out on trying to pin down a Heatran.
If that sounds like you, then fear not. Heatran is back and we have some handy hints and tips on how to take him down. Defeating a legendary Pokémon in a raid battle is no easy feat. On the bright side, Hetran's weaknesses mean other legendary Pokémon trainers will have hopefully caught during previous raid battles will be just the ticket for this fiery battle. Heatran is especially susceptible to ground types, but also fighting and water types.
That makes the likes of Garchomp, Rhyperior, and Groudon ideal for taking on Heatran. As always, Pokémon with a Best Friend bonus will be even better, so try to play that into your plan if at all possible. Trainers without powerful legendaries need not despair, as is demonstrated in the graphic above taken from Reddit. Powerful versions of Pokémon such as Rhydon and Excadrill can also be key to getting the job done.
Trainers reading this thinking Heatran's appearances in raids will be a monthly occurrence, so what's the rush? We would urge you to think again. As stated above, this second chance at landing a Heatran has likely been offered up due to "run number one" taking place so close to all the holiday events. Train up your ground types, feed them up on candy, and head to a nearby gym as soon as Heatran shows its face.