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How to get Orthworm in Pokémon Go

Orthworm counters and weaknesses

Orthworm, a worm Pokémon, on a forest background from Pokémon Go.
Image credit: Eurogamer/The Pokémon Company
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Guide by Lottie Lynn Guides Editor
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Orthworm debuted in Pokémon Go during April 2026's Steeled Resolve event. Making its home in the Paldea region, making it part of Gen 9, it really should be no surprise what creature Orthworm is inspired by. (It's literally in its name.) Since shiny Orthworm has also been released, there's a good chance you'll be battling this worm more than once. To help you out, I've listed the Orthworm counters and weaknesses down below.

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How to get Orthworm in Pokémon Go

There's one way to catch Orthworm:

  • Three-star raids

That's right, Orthworm can only be obtained from raids. Ideally, you'll want to be battling Orthworm alongside other trainers since it's a three-star raid boss. If you don't have friends who play Pokémon Go or live in a rural area, then I recommend using an app like Poke Genie and a Remote Raid Pass to battle Orthworm. Depending on how powerful your Pokémon are though, there's a chance you might be able to solo Orthworm thanks to it being a mono-type and, therefore, quite easy to pick counters for.

I highly recommend taking the time to catch at least one Orthworm before the Steeled Resolve event ends as, at the time of writing, there's no news about when it might return to raids. It could be a week, it could be months. Either way, best to fill that Pokédex entry when you can.

The Steeled Resolve event is currently running and has seen the release of Orthworm! There's a lot to do in Pokémon Go outside of the current event! From the Go Battle League, Remote Trading, PokéStop Showcase, Routes and Max Battles. Don't forget to catch rare Pokémon while you're at it.

Orthworm counters and weaknesses in Pokémon Go

Here's Orthworm's counters and weaknesses to help you defeat it in Pokémon Go:

Orthworm weaknesses

Orthworm type - Steel-type

Weak against:

  • Fighting
  • Fire
  • Ground

Resistant to:

  • Bug
  • Dragon
  • Fairy
  • Flying
  • Grass
  • Ice
  • Normal
  • Psychic
  • Rock
  • Steel

Best Orthworm counters

Orthworm Mega counters

Mega Blaziken is your best choice for a Mega counter, because it allows you to target Orthworm's Fire and Fighting-type weaknesses. Who doesn't love a two-for-one deal?

Mega Lucario is also a solid choice. Not only is it one of the best Mega Evolutions in the game, but it is the best Mega Fighting-type. If you don't have either of these Pokémon to hand, then Mega Charizard works as a Fire-type option and Mega Garchomp as a Ground-type.

Orthworm non-Mega counters

Fire is always the best way to go when fighting a Steel-type Pokémon. Heat melts metal after all! The best Fire-types to go with are Blacephalon, Reshiram, Heatran and Volcarona. You can also throw some Shadow Pokémon into the mix with the likes of Shadow Heatran, Shadow Delphox and Shadow Moltres.

If you don't have any of the above Pokémon, then Cinderace, Delphox and Blaziken are all worth considering. Blaziken especially since it will allow you to target another of Orthworm's weaknesses - Fighting-types.

Orthworm CP in Pokémon Go

Here's the CP ranges you can expect to see when battling and attempting to catch an Orthworm in Pokémon Go:

  • Raid Boss CP - 16,153 CP
  • CP when being caught - 1245 to 1313 CP
  • Weather boosted CP (Snow) when being caught - 1557 to 1642 CP

Orthworm best moveset in Pokémon Go

My recommendation for Orthworm's best moveset in Pokémon Go is Iron Tail as a Fast Move and Iron Head as a Charged Attack. This gives you a nice Steel-focused Orthworm, ideal for attacking Fairy, Ice and Rock-types. If you do fancy unlocking the second Charged Move, then I recommend targeting Earthquake for that slot.

Below lies Orthworm's full moveset in Pokémon Go:

Fast Moves

  • Iron Tail (Steel)
  • Mud-Slap (Ground)

Charged Moves

  • Earthquake (Ground)
  • Iron Head (Steel)
  • Rock Tomb (Rock)

Is Orthworm shiny in Pokémon Go?

Yes, shiny Orthworm is in Pokémon Go. As a treat, shiny Orthworm was released as part of its Pokémon Go debut!

Shiny Orthworm is actually pretty cool, with it switching out its pinkish-red colouring for an ice-cold blue. It reminds me of the bioluminescent colouring some glowworms have during their larval stage - definitely more exciting than your regular earthworm. (Yes, I did some worm research for this section. Yes, sometimes my job doesn't feel real.)

Regular Orthworm and shiny Orthworm from Pokémon side-by-side.
Image credit: Eurogamer/The Pokémon Company

Best of luck catching Orthworm in Pokémon Go!

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