Diving into the Paldea region, Pokémon trainers brace themselves for the formidable presence of Unrivaled Empoleon, a seven-star Tera Raid boss in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. This encounter demands careful planning and strategic prowess, setting it apart from previous Raid events featuring Starter Pokémon. Here’s your comprehensive guide to overcoming the challenge and emerging victorious against the mighty penguin.
From Thursday, Feb. 1 at 6:00 pm CT to Sunday, Feb. 4 at 5:59 pm CT, Empoleon Tera Raids will grace the Paldea map in Gen IX games. The encounters repeat from Thursday, Feb. 8 at 6:00 pm CT to Sunday, Feb. 11 at 5:59 pm CT. While all Starters are catchable in Scarlet and Violet thanks to The Indigo Disk DLC, these Tera Raids remain the exclusive source of Pokémon with the coveted Mightiest Mark. For those seeking a challenge, tackling Unrivaled Empoleon becomes a worthy endeavor.
Empoleon’s Competitive Ability
The primary challenge in defeating Unrivaled Empoleon lies in its unique ability, Competitive. This ability boosts its Special Attack by two stages whenever one of its stats is lowered. This proves especially tricky in solo raids where NPCs may use Pokémon with abilities and moves that lower the raid boss’ stats, activating Competitive. To emerge triumphant, your strategy must revolve around working around this formidable ability.
Preparation Strategies for Empoleon Tera Raid
- Avoid Stat-Lowering Moves and Abilities: The key to defeating Empoleon is to refrain from using moves or abilities that lower its stats. A strategy that can change or ignore its ability is also effective. This may sound straightforward, but complications may arise when coordinating with NPCs or other players who may not be familiar with Empoleon’s ability.
- Strategic NPC Selection in Solo Raids: If attempting a solo raid, be cautious of NPCs with Intimidate users like Staraptor, Tauros, and Arcanine. The NPCs you end up with are luck-dependent, and you may need to reroll multiple times. Group raids prove easier when everyone is aware of the strategy.
Empoleon’s Type and Moveset
- Type: Empoleon is a Water/Steel-type Pokémon with the Ice Tera type for this specific Tera Raid event. It’s susceptible to super-effective damage from Fighting, Steel, Rock, and Fire attacks.
- Moveset: Empoleon’s moveset includes Surf, Flash Cannon, Ice Beam, and Grass Knot. It utilizes setup strategies like Snowscape and Iron Defense to enhance its bulk.
The Best Counters for Unrivaled Empoleon Tera Raid
- Iron Hands – Ideal for Group Raids: Iron Hands proves to be a robust choice for group raids, utilizing Fighting attacks for super-effective damage against Empoleon. A strategy involving Drain Punch with a held Metronome enhances damage output safely.
- Build:
- Tera Type: Fighting
- Held Item: Metronome
- Ability: Quark Drive
- Nature: Adamant
- Moveset: Drain Punch
- EVs: 252 HP, 252 Attack, 4 Special Defense
- Build:
- Skeledirge – Surprising Solo Raid Counter: Skeledirge, despite its Fire typing, emerges as an unexpected solo raid counter. Its Unaware ability allows it to ignore the opponent’s stat changes, nullifying Empoleon’s Competitive boosts. Sunny Day is crucial to minimize Water-type damage, while Torch Song boosts Skeledirge’s Special Attack.
- Build:
- Tera Type: Fire
- Held Item: Shell Bell
- Ability: Unaware
- Nature: Modest
- Moveset: Torch Song, Protect, Sunny Day, Slack Off
- EVs: 252 HP, 252 Special Defense, 4 Special Attack
- Build:
The Unrivaled Empoleon raid in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet demands a meticulous strategy that revolves around its Competitive ability. Choose your counters wisely, coordinate with fellow trainers in group raids, and adapt your approach in solo encounters. With the right planning and execution, the Mightiest Mark and the triumph over Empoleon await the daring Pokémon trainers of Paldea.
