Pokemon Scarlet and Violetintroduce yet another region for players to explore, and there they find new kinds of Pokemon. Some Pokemon are valued for their cute looks, but some Trainers prefer to have the strongest creatures on their team. Fortunately, there are plenty of hard-hitters inPokemon Scarlet and Violet, and players will find that Paldea’s ecosystem houses creatures that either fill a useful niche in the competitive scene or have many immunities thanks to their typing.
Gen 9 introduces new type combinations and Abilities, as well as new items. Furthermore, players can try different strategies with theParadox Pokemon of the past and future. Whether players pick glistening ghouls like Gholdengo or dynamic duos like Dondozo and Tatsugiri, there are plenty of creatures to shake up the competitive scene.
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The Best Scarlet and Violet Pokemon For Single Battles
Single Battles have been a staple of competitive Pokemon since the beginning. WithScarlet and Violet, several new Pokemon are added which prove to be invaluable team members. One of the superstars ofScarlet and Violetis Gholdengo, Pokemon number 1000. To acquire it, players must collect 999 Ghimmighoul Coins, but the effort is worth it because Gholdengo proves to be highly effective on the playing field. It is a Steel/Ghost dual-type creature, which makes it immune to Poison-types, Fighting-types, and Normal-type moves. Furthermore, its signature Ability called Good as Gold ensures it cannot be hit by status moves. The Pokemon also learns powerful moves like Make it Rain, which strikes with 120 Power.
Players should also consider adding Annihilape to their team. TheFighting/Ghost dual-type is the evolved form of Primape, and it strikes with a base Attack stat of 115. It is also immune to Fighting-type and Normal-type moves. It is a useful Pokemon to keep for tricky situations where players are up against bulky or problematic enemies. Annihilape learns the move Final Gambit which causes the Pokemon to faint, and the opponent loses the same amount of HP. If used when Annihilape has full HP, it can take down an otherwise indomitable foe. Glimmora is also highly effective, in part thanks to its Ability called Toxic Debris, which causes Toxic Spikes to fall on the opponent’s side of the battlefield when a move makes contact.
WithSeries 2 ofPokemon VGC, players are now able to use Paradox Pokemon when competing. There are plenty of Paradox Pokemon who are some of the most competitively viable creatures in the game. This includes Miraidon, which is the box legendary forViolet. Although Miraidon and itsScarletcounterpart Koraidon, have similar stats, Miraidon edges ahead because it has fewer weaknesses, although it hasn’t been added to the official VGC series just yet. It is also worth considering Flutter Mane, which has proved to be unstoppable on the battlefield. The Pokemon is the past form of Misdreavus, and it is a Ghost/Fairy dual-type. With a blinding base Speed stat of 135 and a scary base Special Attack stat of 135, it seldom struggles to get the best of its foes. Its immunities to Dragon-type, Normal-type, and Fighting-type moves also make it a difficult opponent to strike back against.
The Best Scarlet and Violet Pokemon For Double Battles
Double Battles are also an important part of the competitive scene.Scarlet and Violetintroduce new creatures that synergize well when they’re paired up with the right partners. This includesDondozo and Tatsugiri. Dondozo is a large Water-type creature that is powerful, though players can’t reap its full potential unless they pair it up with Tatsugiri. The tiny Dragon/Water dual-type is swallowed by Dondozo, and this gives a two-stage boost to Dondozo’s Attack, Defense, Special Attack, Speed, and Special Defense. The only downside is that players cannot control Tatsugiri while it is in Dondozo’s mouth, making the battle a 2v1 situation.
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Players will also findMurkrow to be exceptionally useful inPokemon Scarlet and Violet’s Double Battles. This is largely due to Murkrow’s ability to learn Tailwind combined with its Prankster Ability. The move’s effects last for four turns, doubling the Speed stat of all Pokemon on the player’s side of the field. This is incredibly valuable, as striking first allows players to set the tempo for a battle, leaving opponents to play catch-up. Murkrow also has the Ability Prankster which gives priority to status moves like Tailwind, and it can learn the move Haze which removes all stat changes, whether they were buffs or nerfs.
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet’s Maushold, which is a Pokemon composed of a family of rodents, also serves as a good competitive partner. Most players know it thanks to its devastating move called Population Bomb which has the potential to strike up to ten times. However, it also serves as a great team member in Double Battles, as it learns moves such as Follow Me, which forces all opponent attacks to target it, and Helping Hand, which powers up its partner’s move.
There are also Paradox Pokemon that make for good partners in Double Battles. Amoonguss has been used aplenty in Double Battles thanks to its wide range of status condition moves, hence it is no surprise that its past form, Brute Bonnet, fills a similar niche.Brute Bonnet learns Spore, which puts opponents to sleep, as well as Rage Powder, which redirects all moves toward it. This may appear counterintuitive at first, though it can be useful to protect its partner Pokemon from damage.
As players get comfortable withScarlet and Violet, they will learn how to fully utilize other Pokemon, which could lead to the competitive scene changing drastically once again. Things will also get shaken up when players can trade creatures betweenPokemon Homeand the new games. According to leaks relying on datamining,Pokemon Arceus: Legendsbeasts like Ursalunacould be making the leap into Paldea. There is also the chance of more Paradox Pokemon being introduced through DLC.
Pokemon Scarlet and Violetare available on Nintendo Switch.
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