Gligar remains a cornerstone of the competitive landscape in Pokémon GO. Its unique typing and balanced stats make it a frequent sight in the Great League and a recurring Raid Boss. To effectively neutralize this Fly Scorpion Pokémon, understanding the mathematical advantages of its typing is essential. This analysis breaks down Gligar's fundamental vulnerabilities and the most efficient ways to exploit them in various combat scenarios.

The Fundamental Gligar Weakness: Ice and Water

Gligar is a dual-type Ground and Flying Pokémon. This specific combination creates a very lopsided defensive profile. While it gains immunity to some common types, it opens a massive hole in its defenses against one particular element.

The Double Weakness to Ice

In Pokémon GO, when a Pokémon's two types share a weakness, that weakness is multiplied. Both Ground and Flying are weak to Ice-type attacks. Consequently, Gligar takes double-supereffective damage from Ice moves. This translates to a 256% damage multiplier (1.6x from Flying vulnerability and 1.6x from Ground vulnerability).

In practical terms, a moderately powered Ice-type Pokémon will almost always outperform a much higher-CP Pokémon of any other type. If the goal is speed and efficiency, Ice is the non-negotiable priority.

The Secondary Weakness to Water

Gligar also carries a standard weakness to Water-type moves, resulting in 160% damage. While effective, Water-type attackers are generally considered a backup plan. In Raid scenarios or high-stakes PvP, relying on Water moves instead of Ice moves significantly increases the Time-to-Win (TTW) and reduces overall efficiency.

What to Avoid: Gligar's Massive Resistances

Equally important to knowing what works is knowing what fails. Gligar’s typing provides several "Triple Resistances" (often called Immunities in the main series, translated as 0.391x damage in Pokémon GO) and standard resistances (0.625x damage).

  • Electric (Double Resistance): Despite being a Flying-type, Gligar's Ground typing completely nullifies the typical Electric weakness. Do not use Electric attackers like Raichu or Magnezone; they will deal negligible damage.
  • Ground (Double Resistance): Gligar is virtually immune to Ground-type moves.
  • Fighting, Poison, and Bug (Standard Resistances): These types deal significantly reduced damage. Traditional powerhouses like Machamp or Lucario will struggle to make a dent in Gligar’s health pool.

Top Tier Counters for Raids and Gyms

When facing Gligar as a Raid Boss, especially the Shadow variant which appears in higher-tier rotations, the strategy focuses on maximum Damage Per Second (DPS). The following Pokémon are the most reliable options currently available.

1. Galarian Darmanitan (Ice Mode)

Galarian Darmanitan remains the undisputed king of non-mega Ice DPS. Its high Attack stat paired with Ice Fang and Avalanche can tear through Gligar's HP before the boss can even reach its second Charged Attack. In 2026, even with newer releases, the raw power of Galar Darmanitan’s Ice-type output is the benchmark for efficiency.

2. Mamoswine and Shadow Mamoswine

Mamoswine is perhaps the most practical counter due to its availability and the sheer power of the Shadow version. Utilizing Powder Snow and Avalanche, Shadow Mamoswine exploits the 4x weakness better than almost any other creature. Furthermore, its Ground typing gives it some incidental resistance to certain niche moves Gligar might carry.

3. Baxcalibur

As a newer entry into the top-tier meta, Baxcalibur has solidified its place as a premier Ice attacker. Its Dragon sub-typing offers different defensive utility while its Ice-type movesets provide the necessary 256% damage multiplier. It is a robust choice for players looking for longevity in a Raid without sacrificing speed.

4. Glaceon

For trainers seeking a budget-friendly but high-performing option, Glaceon is excellent. Using Frost Breath and Avalanche, this Eeveelution delivers consistent performance. While it lacks the raw ceiling of Shadow Mamoswine, it is more than capable of leading a successful solo Raid against Gligar.

5. Mega Rayquaza (with Ice Beam coverage)

While Mega Rayquaza is a Dragon/Flying type, its sheer stat superiority is so high that if it runs Ice Beam (via Elite TM), it can rival dedicated Ice types. However, this is generally less efficient than using a specialized Ice Mega like Mega Glalie or Mega Abomasnow, which provide a type boost to all other players in the raid.

Gligar in the Great League: PvP Counter Tactics

In the GO Battle League (GBL), Gligar is often used as a "safeswitch" or a versatile lead. It uses Wing Attack for fast energy generation to reach moves like Dig (for coverage) or Night Slash (for baiting and potential Attack buffs). Countering it in PvP requires more than just picking an Ice type; it requires understanding move timing.

The Role of Azumarill

Azumarill is a classic Gligar check. As a Water/Fairy type, it resists Gligar's Fighting and Dark-type coverage moves. While it doesn't have an Ice-type fast move, the threat of an Ice Beam is usually enough to force Gligar to switch out or burn shields. It is a safer, more defensive approach to the matchup.

Froslass: The Precision Counter

Froslass is perhaps the most dangerous opponent for a Gligar in the Great League. With Powder Snow and Avalanche, Froslass can delete Gligar in a matter of seconds. However, Froslass is fragile. A well-timed Night Slash from Gligar can deal significant damage, so shielding is often necessary to maintain the alignment.

Alolan Sandslash

With its Steel/Ice typing, Alolan Sandslash is a hard wall to much of what Gligar wants to do. It resists Flying and Poison moves and can retaliate with Ice Punch or Triple Axel. Trainers should be cautious of Dig, as the Ground-type move is double-supereffective against Alolan Sandslash's Steel typing.

Understanding Gligar’s Moveset

To effectively counter Gligar, one must anticipate what it is hitting back with. Gligar’s move pool allows it to be surprisingly flexible.

  • Fast Moves: Wing Attack (Flying) and Fury Cutter (Bug). Wing Attack is the preferred choice for most players due to its superior energy gain, making Gligar a spammy threat.
  • Charged Moves:
    • Aerial Ace (Flying): Low energy cost, consistent damage.
    • Night Slash (Dark): Provides coverage against Psychic and Ghost types and has a chance to significantly boost Gligar's Attack stat.
    • Dig (Ground): A high-damage move that provides essential coverage against Steel, Rock, and Electric types.
    • Return (Normal): Only seen on Purified Gligar, offering neutral hit-all damage.

If you see Gligar generating energy quickly with Wing Attack, be prepared for frequent Night Slashes or a heavy-hitting Dig. If your counter is a Steel-type like Alolan Sandslash, the priority is to shield the Dig at all costs.

Weather Influence on the Matchup

Weather conditions in Pokémon GO can shift the balance of power. When planning a Raid or navigating a high-level battle, keep these factors in mind:

  • Snowy Weather: This is the ideal condition for the attacker. It boosts Ice-type moves by 20%, making Gligar's 4x weakness even more devastating. Under Snow, even lower-level Ice types can comfortably solo a Gligar Raid.
  • Rainy Weather: Boosts Water-type moves. This makes counters like Kyogre or Swampert more viable, though still secondary to Ice.
  • Windy/Sunny Weather: These conditions boost Gligar. Windy weather empowers its Flying-type moves and its potential as a Raid Boss catch (level 25 instead of 20). Sunny weather boosts Dig, making it a much more dangerous threat to your Steel or Rock-type counters.

Evolution Considerations: Gligar vs. Gliscor

It is worth noting that Gligar evolves into Gliscor using 100 Candy and a Sinnoh Stone. For the purpose of weaknesses, Gliscor shares the exact same Ground/Flying typing. Therefore, every tactic mentioned here—prioritizing Ice-type damage and avoiding Electric/Ground moves—applies identically to its evolved form. Gliscor simply has higher base stats and access to Earthquake, making the stakes higher but the strategy the same.

Tactical Summary for Success

To consistently beat Gligar in Pokémon GO, follow this hierarchy of tactical decisions:

  1. Prioritize Ice Damage: Use Pokémon with Powder Snow, Ice Fang, or Frost Breath paired with Avalanche. The 256% damage multiplier is too significant to ignore.
  2. Shadow and Mega Advantages: In Raids, use Shadow Mamoswine or Mega Glalie to maximize speed. The faster Gligar is defeated, the more Premier Balls and rewards are earned.
  3. PvP Shield Management: In the Great League, respect the Night Slash buff. If Gligar gets an Attack boost, its Wing Attack damage will begin to add up quickly. Use Ice types but be ready to shield the coverage moves.
  4. Check the Weather: If it’s Sunny, be extra cautious with Steel-type counters due to the boosted power of Dig.

Gligar's dual typing is its greatest strength, providing it with key immunities that frustrate many trainers. However, that same typing is also its greatest flaw. By focusing on its catastrophic vulnerability to Ice, players can transform a potentially difficult encounter into one of the most predictable wins in the game.