Finest Methods For Pokémon Scarlet and Violet’s Elite 4

Defeating the Elite 4 and the regional champion in battle is a ceremony of passage in most Pokémon video games, and that features Scarlet and Violet. These are supposed the most-powerful Pokémon trainers within the Paldea area, and overcoming them and their groups is the one strategy to turn into the regional champion your self.

However what ought to your crew seem like for those who’re going to tackle these trainers? Earlier than we go coach by coach and discuss what weaknesses you’ll want to take advantage of to turn into Paldea’s champion, let’s contact on some basic ideas.

Stage up earlier than you go-go

Between all of the trainers you’ll struggle within the Paldea Pokémon League, you’ll face Pokémon whose ranges vary from 57 to 62. Because you’ll have already crushed all eight regional fitness center leaders, you’ll discover Scarlet and Violet have a large hole between probably the most {powerful} fitness center chief and the primary of the Elite 4. Grusha, the Glaseado fitness center chief, had his Pokémon within the late 40s, and the Elite 4 begins out 10 ranges increased. So positively do some coaching beforehand to get your crew leveled as much as no less than the mid-50s.

“You want therapeutic!”

Pokémon veterans will inform you that earlier than you problem the Elite 4, you could fill up on therapeutic objects. These fights all occur in sequence, and also you gained’t be capable of depart to heal your crew and are available again between them. Nonetheless, you should have an opportunity to make use of therapeutic objects earlier than every struggle to your coronary heart’s content material. The PokéMart proper outdoors the Pokémon League constructing could have loads of Hyper Potions and Revives so that you can purchase. These shall be useful each between battles and through them, because it’s probably you’ll have to heal up if one of many Elite 4 manages to take out a few of your crew.

Jack of all trades is healthier than a grasp of 1

Over time, I’ve seen a handful of Pokémon gamers who prefer to play with groups that double up on strikes of the identical kind, fairly than having a pleasant unfold of assaults that lend themselves to extra numerous state of affairs. I desire higher versatility. For instance, throughout the primary recreation, my Raichu had Thunderbolt (Electrical), Play Tough (Fairy), Iron Tail (Metal), and Focus Blast (Preventing). Between these 4 strikes, he might fairly deal injury to 9 out of Pokémon’s 18 creature sorts by himself. That is the type of moveset I attempt to have with my complete crew, which provides me extra choices for no matter state of affairs the sport throws at me.

If Raichu might use a super-effective Iron Tail on a rock/ground-type Pokémon, however would nonetheless be in peril of being one-shot by a devastating Earthquake, I might swap to my Quaquaval and use a water or combating transfer with out having to fret about him succumbing to the identical weaknesses Raichu would. Versatility is an efficient rule of thumb to bear in mind once you’re constructing a crew, as a result of a crew of six Pokémon can’t cowl this many weaknesses with out studying strikes outdoors its base typing. Whereas it’s vital to bear in mind what strikes your Pokémon will get a bonus for due to their base typing or tera typing, don’t put all of your Poké eggs in a single Poké basket: You’ll simply restrict your self and make fights tougher than they must be.

Save between fights

It will possibly really feel tacky, however you must all the time be saving between fights on the Elite 4. Should you lose a battle, all you’ve gotta do is shut the sport and reopen it to start out the place you left off. Do that earlier than you’re transported again to the Pokémon Heart with a purpose to circumvent the autosave (or flip it off within the choices menu), and also you’ll be capable of simply attempt every struggle once more with new data. You can too use this time to alter your crew’s movesets round if you end up missing a super-effective response to considered one of your opponents’ Pokémon.

With out additional ado, let’s discuss in regards to the Elite 4 and the champion of Paldea.

Rika, the ground-type grasp

She is magnificence, she is grace, however Rika’s crew of ground-type Pokémon is stuffed with a bunch of doofuses. Between Whiscash, Dugtrio, and Clodsire, half her crew has huge “not a thought behind these eyes” power. However they’ve nonetheless obtained some hard-hitting strikes and efficient defenses that may take you abruptly for those who’re not ready.

Whiscash (Water/Floor), Stage 57
Camerupt (Hearth/Floor), Stage 57
Donphan (Floor), Stage 57
Dugtrio (Floor), Stage 57
Clodsire (Terastalized Floor), Stage 57

Dugtrio and Donphan are probably the most easy of Rika’s crew, as they’re normal ground-type Pokémon weak to all of floor’s weaknesses: grass, ice, and water. Having a mixture of some of these assaults shall be vital, nevertheless, as the opposite three Pokémon she makes use of have inherent counters to every of those sorts.

Rika’s Whiscash units a precedent for the way you must method her social gathering: You may’t simply persist with considered one of floor’s typical weaknesses for all the struggle. As a water/ground-type Pokémon, Whiscash is simply weak to grass-type strikes, however it’s double weakened by them, as they overpower water and ground-type Pokémon. So a grass-type transfer is greatest to start out with, however be conscious of its Blizzard assault, as that can knock most grass-type Pokémon out actual fast. Fortunately, Whiscash is pretty sluggish, so if you will get a fairly sturdy, risk-free assault like Vitality Ball—or Meowscarada’s signature assault Flower Trick for individuals who selected Sprigatito as their starter—Whiscash’s double weak point to grass ought to do a whole lot of the heavy lifting for you.

Camerupt additionally requires a little bit of forethought, as its hearth/floor typing makes it extra immune to grass and ice assaults. Nonetheless, water assaults will do 4 occasions as a lot injury in opposition to it, as each hearth and floor are weakened by it. In contrast to Whiscash, who might severely injury a grass-type Pokémon who weakened it, Camerupt doesn’t have a robust offensive choice for the typical water-type Pokémon. Its strikes lean arduous into its hearth and floor typing, but it surely does have a steel-type transfer in Flash Cannon, which could possibly be tough on any rock Pokémon in your roster for those who determine to focus on its floor weak point fairly than water. So the most secure plan of action is to make use of a water transfer like Aqua Tail or Quaquavel’s signature Aqua Step to benefit from its decrease bodily protection stat.

Clodsire is Rika’s closing Pokémon, and considered one of her trickiest. She is going to use her tera orb on it to overwrite its poison/floor typing and make it merely floor, so for those who have been planning on utilizing a psychic assault to take advantage of its poison base typing, you’ll have to regulate. On high of this, Clodsire additionally has Water Soak up as its capacity, which negates water assaults and in addition heals its HP by 1 / 4 of its well being. So it’s not only a wasted flip to attempt to use a water assault, it’s actively helpful to Rika’s huge oaf. Clodsire’s weaknesses on this situation are grass, water, and ice.

Usually, I’d advise in opposition to utilizing a grass-type Pokémon in opposition to it due to its base poison typing, however Clodsire doesn’t have any damaging poison strikes that might weaken a grass-type Pokémon. It does have Poisonous, however that can solely inflict the poison standing, fairly than do poison injury. The most important battle with Rika’s Clodsire is that, for those who go in anticipating to make use of sure strikes, its tera typing or capacity can journey you up. However as soon as you understand its precise unfold of weaknesses, it’s a bit extra easy.

Clodsire has a cumbersome particular protection, however its bodily protection is way decrease. So for those who can hit it with a bodily ice or water transfer (resembling Ice Spinner, Ice Hammer, or Aqua Tail), or fall again on the Aqua Step (for those who’ve obtained it), Clodsire ought to go down fairly shortly.

Poppy, the steel-using little one labor regulation violation

The second of the Elite 4 is a case research in juxtaposition between coach and Pokémon, as Poppy might be the youngest coach within the Paldea area, however has some hefty steel-type brawlers on her crew. All that being mentioned, combating her crew requires the identical flexibility as Rika’s, as her Pokémon ebb and move between the metal kind’s strengths and weaknesses. As good as it will be to choose your strongest hearth kind and set all of them ablaze, Poppy’s crew has a number of notable counters for the categories that weaken metal.

Copperajah (Metal), Stage 58
Magnezone (Electrical/Metal), Stage 58
Bronzong (Psychic/Metal), Stage 58
Corviknight (Flying/Metal), Stage 58
Tinkaton (Terastalized Metal), Stage 59

Poppy leads along with her Copperajah, and it’s a direct counter to fireplace sorts. It simply has a easy metal typing, however with strikes like Excessive Horsepower, it may possibly go toe-to-toe with a fire-type Pokémon with little challenge. It additionally acts as a setup Pokémon as a result of it has Stealth Rock, which can scatter stones round your crew, dealing rock injury to any Pokémon you ship out all through the battle. That is particularly unhealthy for fire-type Pokémon, as they’re weakened by rock assaults.

You could have a number of choices to counter this. One is to only knock Copperajah out so shortly it doesn’t have the possibility to make use of Stealth Rock, which is greatest achieved by utilizing a strong hearth, combating, or floor assault. Copperajah has a whole lot of HP and may pack a punch, however its defenses are fairly center of the street, and it’s exceptionally sluggish. So for those who can handle to outspeed it (pretty straightforward) and knock it out in a single hit (difficult, however doable) you may circumvent the hazard of Stealth Rock altogether.

I usually keep away from educating my Pokémon probably the most {powerful} strikes of their respective typings as a result of they typically include drawbacks to accuracy or recharge time, however if you wish to be thorough right here, a Hearth Blast or Excessive Soar Kick can wipe Copperajah out earlier than it has an opportunity to arrange. These are sometimes overkill in typical play, however once you’re dealing with a match-long risk like Stealth Rock, higher protected than sorry.

Should you’re not so fortunate to take Copperajah out shortly, having a Pokémon who can clear enemy hazards is all the time sensible. Pokémon like Donphan, Forretress, or Coalossal can be taught Fast Spin, which can filter out the Stealth Rock with out being in an excessive amount of hazard from Poppy’s metal Pokémon.

Magnezone is pretty easy, as its double weak point to ground-type strikes makes it a straightforward one-hit knockout. Corviknight can be fairly easy, because it doesn’t have a lot to counter its hearth and electrical weaknesses.

Bronzong is a bit trickier, because it has loads of counters for fire-type Pokémon with Rock Blast and Earthquake. It additionally has the Levitate capacity, which makes it proof against ground-type strikes most metal Pokémon can be vulnerable to. As such, it’s higher to deal with its psychic typing, fairly than metal. An excellent dark-type Pokémon can be a super counter due to its immunity to Bronzong’s psychic assaults, and one which has excessive bodily protection would be capable of face up to all of its strikes. Umbreon can be a great match, because it has sturdy bodily protection, and its base darkish typing would give it immunity to Bronzong’s psychic strikes, in addition to strengthen its dark-type assaults like Darkish Pulse or Crunch.

Poppy’s final Pokémon is its Tinkaton, which she’s going to terastalize right into a full steel-type. Even with out the tera kind, Tinkaton’s bodily moveset packs a punch, so it’s a power to be reckoned with for those who’re not cautious. Fortunately, its weaknesses don’t actually change an excessive amount of with this typing past including combating. So, you probably have fire-, fighting-, or ground-type strikes (which you’ll most likely have wanted to get this far within the struggle), you ought to be good to take out Tinkaton.

I’d advocate choosing floor, as Poppy will probably exploit both of the opposite two with Play Tough and Stone Edge, which weaken combating and hearth, respectively. Tinkaton has a hefty particular protection, so utilizing a physical-based floor transfer like Earthquake is your greatest wager.

Larry returns to fly to new heights

I can’t lie, he made such a constructive impression on me as a fitness center chief earlier in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet that I misplaced my thoughts when Larry, Pokémon’s embodiment of the Dolly Parton music “9 to five,” confirmed up as a member of the Elite 4. However whereas his normal-type crew required one technique, his flying-type social gathering within the Pokémon League requires one other.

Tropius (Grass/Flying), Stage 59
Oricorio (Electrical/Flying), Stage 59
Altaria (Dragon/Flying), Stage 59
Staraptor (Regular/Flying), Stage 59
Flamigo (Terastalized Flying), Stage 60

In contrast to Rika and Poppy, most of Larry’s trickiest Pokémon lead his crew. Whereas most flying-type trainers on this sequence could be simply dealt with with a great electric-type Pokémon like Raichu or Jolteon, Larry’s Tropius, Oricorio, and Altaria all require you to search for alternate weaknesses.

Tropius is a grass/flying kind, which suggests it’s double weak to ice. Traditionally, I don’t usually make house for an ice-type Pokémon on my crew as a result of most water-type Pokémon can reliably be taught ice strikes, however Tropius is kitted out with Sunny Day and Photo voltaic Beam, which is a combo that may make brief work of any water-type that dares to enter the sector. So for those who don’t have an ice-type Pokémon to throw out a fast Ice Beam or a water-type that’s each quick and powerful sufficient to interrupt this setup, it is likely to be greatest to choose to focus on considered one of its different weaknesses.

Fortunately Tropius has many with its grass/flying typing, so we are able to choose from hearth, flying, rock, or poison, as properly. Presumably, you may have a fire-type Pokémon out of your struggle with Poppy, in order that’s a great Pokémon to guide with and get a great Flamethrower out earlier than Tropius has an opportunity to arrange its Photo voltaic Beam.

Oricorio’s electrical/flying typing is attention-grabbing, as a result of individually, these two parts have easy weaknesses to take advantage of. However collectively they restrict your choices as a result of will probably be proof against floor strikes and comparatively immune to electrical ones. Its remaining weaknesses are rock and ice, Both choice is as efficient, however be conscious that it additionally is aware of Icy Wind, which could be tremendous efficient on some rock-type Pokémon if they’ve a secondary floor affinity.

Larry’s Altaria is likely one of the Pokémon you’ll face that feels immediately spec’d to counter its standard weaknesses. The dragon/flying Pokémon is aware of Moonblast (Fairy), Flamethrower (Hearth), Ice Beam (Ice), and Dragon Pulse (Dragon), which is a tough counter for nearly something you may throw at it…nearly.

Altaria can counter dragon and ice fairly handily, but it surely doesn’t have a lot to take out fairy Pokémon, or defend in opposition to fairy-type strikes. It has fairly respectable bodily and particular protection, however its bodily protection is a tad decrease. So for those who’ve obtained somebody in your crew that is aware of Play Tough, it’s a stable counter that exists within the gaps of Altaria’s moveset.

Then all that’s left is Starapator and a terastalized flying-type Flamigo. You may take out each of those handily with sturdy electrical assaults. It’s greatest to keep away from ice-type Pokémon for these final two, as each of them have combating assaults that might do important injury.

Hassel teaches one closing lesson

The ultimate struggle earlier than the champion is in opposition to Hassel, the artwork trainer in Paldea’s academy. He makes a speciality of dragon-type Pokémon, and his crew features a few ‘mons you probably gained’t have seen by this level in your playthrough. So it’s good to be ready for the twists and turns of this battle.

Noivern (Flying/Dragon), Stage 60
Haxorus (Dragon), Stage 60
Dragalge (Poison/Dragon), Stage 60
Flapple (Grass/Dragon), Stage 60
Baxcalibur (Terastalized Dragon), Stage 61

Noivern leads Hassel’s crew, and it’s one of many easiest within the group. It’s weak to all of dragon-type’s standard weaknesses, however its flying/dragon typing makes it twice as weak to ice-type strikes. So blow a mild, chilly breeze in its route (Ice Beam) and it ought to fall fairly shortly. Flapple can be fairly easy, as its grass/dragon typing makes it extraordinarily vulnerable to ice assaults, which it doesn’t have any actual counters for.

Haxorus can be only a dragon-type, but it surely has a wider kind protection with its assaults. With Dragon Claw, Crunch, Iron Head, and Rock Tomb, it may possibly reliably counter each ice and dragon Pokémon, so your greatest wager is to take advantage of the fairy-sized hole in its offensive capabilities as you probably did with Larry’s Altaria. Its bodily protection is notably stronger than its particular protection, so you probably have Pokémon like Sylveon with an assault like Moonblast in your bag, you can also make brief work of Haxorus.

Dragalge is sophisticated as a result of it may possibly simply take down dragon and fairy Pokémon with its poison-type Sludge Bomb and dragon-type Dragon Pulse. So the most secure weak point to take advantage of is probably going psychic. You could possibly additionally attempt floor, however do take note Hassel’s Dragalge is aware of Hydro Pump, which might drop ground-type Pokémon in a single flip. In the meantime, it doesn’t have any actual counters for a psychic Pokémon, making it the poison/dragon-type’s largest vulnerability.

Lastly, we have now Baxcalibur, Hassel’s ace and Scarlet and Violet’s pseudo-legendary. Hassel’s technique with this Pokémon is fairly easy: Terastalize right into a full dragon-type, after which use its signature transfer Glaive Rush till it wipes your crew. When you have a fairy-type Pokémon you’ll be proof against this assault, so that can take the best risk off the desk. However, oddly sufficient, Hassel’s Baxcalibur solely is aware of two different strikes, the ice-type Icicle Crash and fighting-type Brick Break. Fairy Pokémon are immune to combating assaults, and broken usually by ice. So for those who’ve obtained a fairy with first rate particular assault just like the aforementioned Sylveon, you may carve your means by way of this Pokémon.

Right here comes the ultimate challenger, Geeta

After you defeat all of the members of the Elite 4, you’ll be given a complementary social gathering heal earlier than you face Geeta, the champion of the Paldea area.

Espathra (Psychic), Stage 61
Gogoat (Grass), Stage 61
Veluza (Water/Psychic), Stage 61
Avalugg (Ice), Stage 161
Kingambit (Darkish/Metal), Stage 61
Glimmora (Terastalized Rock), Stage 62

As followers have famous since Scarlet and Violet launched, Geeta’s crew is a bit underwhelming for a champion, even in comparison with the Elite 4 who’re supposedly below her. She doesn’t focus on anybody typing, so there’s not the identical subversion and adaptation you see within the different coach fights. Nobody on her crew is especially {powerful} like Hassel’s Baxcalibur or Poppy’s Tinkaton. The weirdest a part of all of it’s that Glimmora, which is handled as her signature Pokémon, is a setup Pokémon by design, however she makes use of it final and wastes its Poisonous Particles capacity. As such, the one actual technique along with her is just having Pokémon who know assaults that weaken hers.

Greater than half of her crew has a one-type elemental affinity, with psychic-type Espathra, grass-type Gogoat, and ice-type Avalugg all beginning out as such, and Glimmora turning into one by terastalizing right into a rock-type.

Espathra and Gogoat are principally missing in arduous counters to their weaknesses. A ghost, darkish, or bug assault will take Espathra out, although be cautious of its Dazzling Gleam for those who select to go the darkish route. Gogoat has mainly nothing to fight a fireplace, bug, or flying Pokémon. Avalugg fares a bit higher—Earthquake offers it one thing to struggle off any hearth or rock Pokémon—however its remaining strikes really feel like they’re there to fill areas fairly than assist it overcome something you throw at it. So be at liberty to securely use a metal or combating assault.

Veluza and Kingambit have twin typings, which makes them a little bit extra sophisticated, however their movesets are nonetheless fairly easy. Veluza is a water/psychic kind, however these sorts collectively don’t create any kind of attention-grabbing resistances or immunities to pay attention to. It’s weak to all the things these sorts are weak to, so a bug, ghost, grass, electrical, or darkish transfer shall be tremendous efficient. Geeta additionally hasn’t taught it any strikes that weaken its standard vulnerabilities, with the closest factor to a subversion in its package being Ice Fang, and ice strikes are pretty predictable for a water-type Pokémon to have. As such, there’s not a lot to fret about right here.

Kingambit has one saving grace, in that the darkish/metal Pokémon is aware of Zen Headbutt, a psychic transfer that might make brief work of a fighting-type Pokémon who would in any other case be capable of exploit its double weak point to combating. However the Pokémon can be terribly sluggish, so for those who can outspeed it, you may have an opportunity to keep away from the assault altogether.

Then there’s Glimmora, whose puzzling placement simply actually underlines how suboptimal Geeta’s crew is. The rock/poison Pokémon will terastalize right into a rock kind, which does halve its regular double weak point to floor into simply an ordinary one, however it’s nonetheless very a lot weak to combating, metal, and water. This transformation additionally opens itself up right into a grass weak point it didn’t have earlier than.

Relating to attacking these weaknesses it has Dazzling Gleam to deal with fighting-type Pokémon and Sludge Wave to deal with any grass-type Pokémon with no secondary kind to withstand it. So the most secure kind to make use of is water, however Glimmora can be sluggish sufficient you could most likely get these assaults out quick sufficient to defeat it anyway.

There are hints in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet’s endgame that Geeta and Glimmora are tied into story parts which have but to be explored. As such, it makes some sense that narratively Geeta would use Glimmora as her accomplice Pokémon and ace in battle. However the best way the Pokémon is constructed as a setup Pokémon by way of its Poisonous Particles capacity, which lays out Poisonous Spikes on the battlefield after it’s hit with a bodily assault, means it doesn’t make sense for it to be utilized this manner in battle. All of Geeta’s crew simply feels prefer it lacks the identical forethought of the remainder of the Elite 4. What an odd struggle.

After you defeat Geeta, that’s the final time you may face the Elite 4 on this sequential construction. This can be a departure from earlier video games, which allow you to problem the Pokémon League a number of occasions. Nonetheless, you may nonetheless face all of those trainers within the postgame Academy Ace Match, the place their groups shall be barely stronger and have completely different movesets. Geeta’s crew nonetheless sucks, although!