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 approach to change into the regional champion your self.
However what ought to your group seem like if you happen to’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 change into Paldea’s champion, let’s contact on some normal suggestions.
Stage up earlier than you go-go
Between all of the trainers you’ll battle 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 health club leaders, you’ll discover Scarlet and Violet have a large hole between essentially the most {powerful} health club chief and the primary of the Elite 4. Grusha, the Glaseado health club chief, had his Pokémon within the late 40s, and the Elite 4 begins out 10 ranges greater. So undoubtedly do some coaching beforehand to get your group leveled as much as at the very least the mid-50s.
“You want therapeutic!”
Pokémon veterans will inform you that earlier than you problem the Elite 4, you should fill up on therapeutic objects. These fights all occur in sequence, and also you gained’t have the ability to go away to heal your group and are available again between them. Nevertheless, you should have an opportunity to make use of therapeutic objects earlier than every battle to your coronary heart’s content material. The PokéMart proper outdoors the Pokémon League constructing may have loads of Hyper Potions and Revives so that you can purchase. These will likely be useful each between battles and through them, because it’s doubtless you’ll have to heal up if one of many Elite 4 manages to take out a few of your group.
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Jack of all trades is best than a grasp of 1
Through the years, I’ve seen a handful of Pokémon gamers who wish to play with groups that double up on strikes of the identical sort, reasonably than having a pleasant unfold of assaults that lend themselves to extra numerous scenario. I want higher versatility. For instance, throughout the principle sport, my Raichu had Thunderbolt (Electrical), Play Tough (Fairy), Iron Tail (Metal), and Focus Blast (Combating). Between these 4 strikes, he might fairly deal harm to 9 out of Pokémon’s 18 creature varieties by himself. That is the sort of moveset I attempt to have with my total group, which provides me extra choices for no matter scenario 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 preventing transfer with out having to fret about him succumbing to the identical weaknesses Raichu would. Versatility is an efficient rule of thumb to remember once you’re constructing a group, as a result of a group of six Pokémon can’t cowl this many weaknesses with out studying strikes outdoors its base typing. Whereas it’s essential to remember what strikes your Pokémon will get a bonus for because of 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 more durable than they have to be.
Save between fights
It could possibly really feel tacky, however it is best to all the time be saving between fights on the Elite 4. If you happen to lose a battle, all you’ve gotta do is shut the sport and reopen it to begin the place you left off. Do that earlier than you’re transported again to the Pokémon Middle with a view to circumvent the autosave (or flip it off within the choices menu), and also you’ll have the ability to simply attempt every battle once more with new data. You can even use this time to alter your group’s movesets round if you end up missing a super-effective response to one among your opponents’ Pokémon.
With out additional ado, let’s speak concerning the Elite 4 and the champion of Paldea.
Rika, the ground-type grasp
She is magnificence, she is grace, however Rika’s group of ground-type Pokémon is filled with a bunch of doofuses. Between Whiscash, Dugtrio, and Clodsire, half her group has massive “not a thought behind these eyes” vitality. However they’ve nonetheless obtained some hard-hitting strikes and efficient defenses that may take you without warning if you happen to’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 essentially the most easy of Rika’s group, as they’re commonplace ground-type Pokémon weak to all of floor’s weaknesses: grass, ice, and water. Having a mixture of these kinds of assaults will likely be essential, nonetheless, as the opposite three Pokémon she makes use of have inherent counters to every of those varieties.
Rika’s Whiscash units a precedent for a way it is best to strategy her occasion: You’ll be able to’t simply stick with one among floor’s typical weaknesses for all the battle. As a water/ground-type Pokémon, Whiscash is just 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 finest to begin with, however be conscious of its Blizzard assault, as that may knock most grass-type Pokémon out actual fast. Fortunately, Whiscash is pretty gradual, so if you will get a fairly sturdy, risk-free assault like Power Ball—or Meowscarada’s signature assault Flower Trick for individuals who selected Sprigatito as their starter—Whiscash’s double weak spot to grass ought to do a variety of the heavy lifting for you.
Camerupt additionally requires a little bit of forethought, as its fireplace/floor typing makes it extra proof against grass and ice assaults. Nevertheless, water assaults will do 4 occasions as a lot harm in opposition to it, as each fireplace and floor are weakened by it. Not like Whiscash, who might severely harm a grass-type Pokémon who weakened it, Camerupt doesn’t have a robust offensive possibility for the common water-type Pokémon. Its strikes lean onerous into its fireplace and floor typing, but it surely does have a steel-type transfer in Flash Cannon, which may very well be tough on any rock Pokémon in your roster if you happen to resolve to focus on its floor weak spot reasonably 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 make the most of its decrease bodily protection stat.
Clodsire is Rika’s remaining Pokémon, and one among her trickiest. She is going to use her tera orb on it to overwrite its poison/floor typing and make it merely floor, so if you happen to 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 Take up as its means, which negates water assaults and likewise 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 useful to Rika’s massive oaf. Clodsire’s weaknesses on this situation are grass, water, and ice.
Usually, I might 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 may solely inflict the poison standing, reasonably than do poison harm. The most important wrestle with Rika’s Clodsire is that, if you happen to go in anticipating to make use of sure strikes, its tera typing or means can journey you up. However as soon as you realize 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 if you happen to can hit it with a bodily ice or water transfer (corresponding to Ice Spinner, Ice Hammer, or Aqua Tail), or fall again on the Aqua Step (if you happen to’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 group. All that being stated, preventing her group requires the identical flexibility as Rika’s, as her Pokémon ebb and move between the metal sort’s strengths and weaknesses. As good as it could be to choose your strongest fireplace sort and set all of them ablaze, Poppy’s group has a couple 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 right away counter to fireside varieties. It simply has a easy metal typing, however with strikes like Excessive Horsepower, it could go toe-to-toe with a fire-type Pokémon with little subject. It additionally acts as a setup Pokémon as a result of it has Stealth Rock, which can scatter stones round your group, dealing rock harm 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 will have a couple of choices to counter this. One is to simply knock Copperajah out so shortly it doesn’t have the prospect to make use of Stealth Rock, which is finest completed through the use of a strong fireplace, preventing, or floor assault. Copperajah has a variety of HP and might pack a punch, however its defenses are fairly center of the street, and it’s exceptionally gradual. So if you happen to can handle to outspeed it (pretty simple) and knock it out in a single hit (difficult, however doable) you’ll be able to circumvent the hazard of Stealth Rock altogether.
I typically keep away from educating my Pokémon essentially 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 secure than sorry.
If you happen to’re not so fortunate to take Copperajah out shortly, having a Pokémon who can clear enemy hazards is all the time good. Pokémon like Donphan, Forretress, or Coalossal can be taught Speedy Spin, which can filter 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 spot 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 fireplace 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 means, which makes it proof against ground-type strikes most metal Pokémon can be prone to. As such, it’s higher to concentrate on its psychic typing, reasonably than metal. A very good dark-type Pokémon can be a perfect counter because of its immunity to Bronzong’s psychic assaults, and one which has excessive bodily protection would have the ability to face up to all of its strikes. Umbreon can be an excellent 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 sort, Tinkaton’s bodily moveset packs a punch, so it’s a drive to be reckoned with if you happen to’re not cautious. Fortunately, its weaknesses don’t actually change an excessive amount of with this typing past including preventing. So, you probably have fire-, fighting-, or ground-type strikes (which you’ll most likely have wanted to get this far within the battle), you have to be good to take out Tinkaton.
I’d advocate choosing floor, as Poppy will doubtless exploit both of the opposite two with Play Tough and Stone Edge, which weaken preventing and fireplace, respectively. Tinkaton has a hefty particular protection, so utilizing a physical-based floor transfer like Earthquake is your finest guess.
Larry returns to fly to new heights
I can’t lie, he made such a optimistic impression on me as a health club 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 group required one technique, his flying-type occasion within the Pokémon League requires one other.
Tropius (Grass/Flying), Stage 59Oricorio (Electrical/Flying), Stage 59Altaria (Dragon/Flying), Stage 59Staraptor (Regular/Flying), Stage 59Flamigo (Terastalized Flying), Stage 60
Not like Rika and Poppy, most of Larry’s trickiest Pokémon lead his group. Whereas most flying-type trainers on this collection will be simply dealt with with an excellent 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 sort, which implies it’s double weak to ice. Traditionally, I don’t sometimes make house for an ice-type Pokémon on my group 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 quick work of any water-type that dares to enter the sphere. So if you happen to don’t have an ice-type Pokémon to throw out a fast Ice Beam or a water-type that’s each quick and robust sufficient to interrupt this setup, it could be finest to decide to focus on one among its different weaknesses.
Fortunately Tropius has many with its grass/flying typing, so we will choose from fireplace, flying, rock, or poison, as effectively. Presumably, you’ve gotten a fire-type Pokémon out of your battle with Poppy, in order that’s an excellent Pokémon to steer with and get an excellent Flamethrower out earlier than Tropius has an opportunity to arrange its Photo voltaic Beam.
Oricorio’s electrical/flying typing is fascinating, as a result of individually, these two components 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 proof against electrical ones. Its remaining weaknesses are rock and ice, Both possibility is as efficient, however be conscious that it additionally is aware of Icy Wind, which will 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 instantly spec’d to counter its regular 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’ll be able to 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 if you happen to’ve obtained somebody in your group that is aware of Play Tough, it’s a strong counter that exists within the gaps of Altaria’s moveset.
Then all that’s left is Starapator and a terastalized flying-type Flamigo. You’ll be able to take out each of those handily with sturdy electrical assaults. It’s finest to keep away from ice-type Pokémon for these final two, as each of them have preventing assaults that might do important harm.
Hassel teaches one remaining lesson
The ultimate battle earlier than the champion is in opposition to Hassel, the artwork instructor in Paldea’s academy. He makes a speciality of dragon-type Pokémon, and his group features a few ‘mons you doubtless 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 group, and it’s one of many easiest within the group. It’s weak to all of dragon-type’s regular weaknesses, however its flying/dragon typing makes it twice as weak to ice-type strikes. So blow a delicate, chilly breeze in its course (Ice Beam) and it ought to fall fairly shortly. Flapple can be fairly easy, as its grass/dragon typing makes it extraordinarily prone 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 sort protection with its assaults. With Dragon Claw, Crunch, Iron Head, and Rock Tomb, it could reliably counter each ice and dragon Pokémon, so your finest guess 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 may make quick work of Haxorus.
Dragalge is difficult as a result of it could simply take down dragon and fairy Pokémon with its poison-type Sludge Bomb and dragon-type Dragon Pulse. So the most secure weak spot to take advantage of is probably going psychic. You can additionally attempt floor, however do remember 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’ve got 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 group. If in case you have a fairy-type Pokémon you’ll be proof against this assault, so that may 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 proof against preventing assaults, and broken usually by ice. So if you happen to’ve obtained a fairy with first rate particular assault just like the aforementioned Sylveon, you’ll be able to carve your manner by 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 occasion heal earlier than you face Geeta, the champion of the Paldea area.
Espathra (Psychic), Stage 61Gogoat (Grass), Stage 61Veluza (Water/Psychic), Stage 61Avalugg (Ice), Stage 161Kingambit (Darkish/Metal), Stage 61Glimmora (Terastalized Rock), Stage 62
As followers have famous since Scarlet and Violet launched, Geeta’s group is a bit underwhelming for a champion, even in comparison with the Elite 4 who’re supposedly below her. She doesn’t specialise in anybody typing, so there’s not the identical subversion and adaptation you see within the different coach fights. Nobody on her group 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 means. As such, the one actual technique along with her is solely having Pokémon who know assaults that weaken hers.
Greater than half of her group has a one-type elemental affinity, with psychic-type Espathra, grass-type Gogoat, and ice-type Avalugg all beginning out as such, and Glimmora changing into one by terastalizing right into a rock-type.
Espathra and Gogoat are largely missing in onerous counters to their weaknesses. A ghost, darkish, or bug assault will take Espathra out, although be cautious of its Dazzling Gleam if you happen to select to go the darkish route. Gogoat has mainly nothing to fight a fireplace, bug, or flying Pokémon. Avalugg fares a bit higher—Earthquake provides it one thing to battle off any fireplace or rock Pokémon—however its remaining strikes really feel like they’re there to fill areas reasonably than assist it overcome something you throw at it. So be happy to securely use a metal or preventing assault.
Veluza and Kingambit have twin typings, which makes them slightly extra difficult, however their movesets are nonetheless fairly easy. Veluza is a water/psychic sort, however these varieties collectively don’t create any kind of fascinating resistances or immunities to pay attention to. It’s weak to all the things these varieties are weak to, so a bug, ghost, grass, electrical, or darkish transfer will likely be tremendous efficient. Geeta additionally hasn’t taught it any strikes that weaken its regular vulnerabilities, with the closest factor to a subversion in its equipment 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 will make quick work of a fighting-type Pokémon who would in any other case have the ability to exploit its double weak spot to preventing. However the Pokémon can be terribly gradual, so if you happen to can outspeed it, you’ve gotten an opportunity to keep away from the assault altogether.
Then there’s Glimmora, whose puzzling placement simply actually underlines how suboptimal Geeta’s group is. The rock/poison Pokémon will terastalize right into a rock sort, which does halve its regular double weak spot to floor into simply a typical one, however it’s nonetheless very a lot weak to preventing, metal, and water. This variation additionally opens itself up right into a grass weak spot it didn’t have earlier than.
In terms of attacking these weaknesses it has Dazzling Gleam to deal with fighting-type Pokémon and Sludge Wave to deal with any grass-type Pokémon with out a secondary sort to withstand it. So the most secure sort to make use of is water, however Glimmora can be gradual sufficient that you would be able to 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 components which have but to be explored. As such, it makes some sense that narratively Geeta would use Glimmora as her companion Pokémon and ace in battle. However the best way the Pokémon is constructed as a setup Pokémon by its Poisonous Particles means, 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 fashion in battle. All of Geeta’s group simply feels prefer it lacks the identical forethought of the remainder of the Elite 4. What an odd battle.
After you defeat Geeta, that’s the final time you’ll be able to 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. Nevertheless, you’ll be able to nonetheless face all of those trainers within the postgame Academy Ace Event, the place their groups will likely be barely stronger and have completely different movesets. Geeta’s group nonetheless sucks, although!
