Is Absol with Brutal Swing good in Pokemon GO PvP and PvE?
Absol with Brutal Swing debuts in Pokemon GO as part of the Raid Day event on March 23, 2025. It can be acquired by catching the creature from Mega Raids from 2-5 pm local time on the event day. Absol already has a bunch of powerful Dark-type Charged Attacks in its kit. So will Brutal Swing improve its position in PvP and PvE battles?
Brutal Swing is a Dark-type Charged Move in Pokemon GO. In PvP, it deals 55 damage (66 with STAB) for 36 energy. In PvE, it deals 66 damage for 33 energy over a 2-second cooldown period. These are solid stats in terms of energy consumed and DPS.
This article looks at the viability of using Absol with Brutal Swing in Pokemon GO PvP and PvE.
Is Absol with Brutal Swing worth using in Pokemon GO Battle League?
Brutal Swing helps improve Absol's position in trainer battles but doesn't push it to the top of the meta — or anything close to it. Previously, Absol was stuck with only nuke Charged Attacks. Despite having some of the best Fast Attacks in the game, its abominable bulk held it back from delivering decent performance in the Great and Ultra League.
Also read: How to solo defeat Mega Absol in Pokemon GO Mega Raids
Brutal Swing gives Absol a very viable bait move. Thanks to its very high Attack stat, Absol also deals respectable damage with it. However, its lack of bulk makes it a very volatile pick and it is not recommended for climbing the ranked ladder. Similar to Thievul in Pokemon GO, it can be used as a counter-pick as it resists Psywave — one of the most prevalent Fast Moves in the current meta.
Is Absol with Brutal Swing worth using in Pokemon GO raids and Gyms?
Unlike PvP, Brutal Swing improves Mega Absol's damage output as a Dark-type attacker in Pokemon GO raids. Concurrently, it becomes a better Gym attacker as well.
Also read: Is the Pokemon GO Mega Absol Raid Day ticket worth purchasing?
Absol's other Dark-type moves are Payback and Dark Pulse. These are not bad by any means, but Brutal Swing's quicker pacing helps out when it comes to dishing out a greater number of Charged Attacks in the same amount of time — thereby dealing more overall damage.
How to get Absol with Brutal Swing in Pokemon GO
You can get Absol with Brutal Swing in Pokemon GO by catching one from Mega Absol raids during the Raid Day event from 2-5 pm local time on March 23, 2025. If you miss this window, you can either wait for another event to bring back this exclusive move or use an Elite Charged TM to teach it this move.
Check out our other Pokemon GO guides:
- Ditto disguises
- Buddy Evolution Adventure Together guide
- Best Fast Attacks in Pokemon GO
- Sierra counters
- Cliff counters
- Arlo counters
- Giovanni counters
- Team GO Rocket Grunts