Pokemon GO Upper Hand Charged Attack Explained

Learn how the Upper Hand Charged Attack works in Pokemon GO, its effects, timing risks, and Raid Day relevance.

If you’re gearing up for the Sparring Partners Raid Day, there’s one move you’ll want to get familiar with—Upper Hand. This Charged Attack is set to be available to featured Pokemon from Sunday, April 13, 2025, during the event and beyond. Whether you’re into raids or PvP battles, understanding how Upper Hand works can change how you approach a fight.

How Upper Hand Works in PvP Battles

Upper Hand is a Fighting-type physical attack. Its power in Trainer Battles clocks in at 70, and it carries a secondary effect—you might lower your opponent’s Defense by one stage. That kind of effect can shift the momentum in your favor during drawn-out battles.

But the key feature lies in its reaction-based nature. If the opposing Pokemon tries to use a priority move, Upper Hand will interrupt it and land first. On top of that, the target flinches. That flinch means they won’t complete their move that turn. In short, you strike first, and they lose their chance to hit back.

If your opponent wasn’t preparing a priority move, Upper Hand simply fails. No damage, no effect. That makes timing and prediction vital when you decide to go for it.

What Upper Hand Charged Attack Does in Raids and Gyms

Upper Hand behaves differently outside of PvP. In raids and gym battles, the power drops slightly to 50. The flinching aspect doesn’t apply here, so it’s just a straight hit without status effects. This version of the move works as a typical Charged Attack, with its main benefit being type advantage.

It’s still a Fighting move, so you’ll see better performance against Normal, Steel, Rock, Bug, and Dark-type Pokemon. But since raid bosses don’t use priority moves, Upper Hand doesn’t get to show off its full capability in these settings.

When and Where to Try Upper Hand Charged Attack

Mega Heracross will be appearing more frequently in Mega Raids on Sunday, April 13, between 2:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. local time. Hariyama and Scraggy will be popping up more often in standard raids during the same hours. All three have a chance to appear shiny, if luck is on your side.

These are the Pokemon you’ll want to test Upper Hand with, as they are expected to gain access to the move during and after the event.

Things to Look Out For

Using Upper Hand in PvP means you need to guess correctly. Try to observe your opponent’s patterns—many players rely on priority moves like Quick Attack or Shadow Sneak to get early hits in. If you sense one coming, that’s your cue to trigger Upper Hand.

Be aware: if you use the move at the wrong time, you waste a Charged Attack opportunity. No flinch, no hit, and you burn energy.

Sparring Event Raid Day Bonuses You Might Use

From April 12, 2025, at 5:00 p.m. local time until April 13, 2025, at 8:00 p.m. local time, you can hold up to 20 Remote Raid Passes. During the event window, you can spin Gym Photo Discs for up to five free Raid Passes. If you’re playing for free, this is a decent chance to take multiple shots at Heracross, Hariyama, or Scraggy to find a version with Upper Hand or a shiny variant.

There’s also Timed Research available at no cost, which can earn you 10,000 Stardust and extra Stardust for raid completions. It runs only until 5:00 p.m. local time on April 13.

Things to Know About Upper Hand Use

• It will always go first only if your opponent queued up a priority move.
• It causes flinch, but only under the condition mentioned above.
• If used incorrectly, it does nothing at all—so timing is essential.
• Its effectiveness in raids is based solely on type, not its full effect.
• It adds variety to your strategy but comes with a high risk-reward balance.

If you plan to experiment with new tactics during Raid Day, try giving Upper Hand a shot. You may find it fits your style—especially in PvP matches where reading your opponent is just as important as your moveset.

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