Pokémon Day 7* Tera Raids (Paldea Starters and Pseudos)

[War Incarnate]

This one worked... just barely.

Malamar (M) @ Shell Bell
Ability: Contrary
Tera Type: Stellar
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpA
Modest Nature
IVs: 11 HP / 10 Atk / 1 Def / 11 SpA / 15 SpD / 17 Spe
- Tera Blast
- Psyshock
- Stored Power
- Skill Swap

Essentially, you Skill Swap t1, use Psyshock to build Tera charge, die, and then from there go all in with Tera Stellar Tera Blast and Stored Power. This used to have Light Screen in place of Psyshock, but trying to build Tera charge with 20 BP Stored Powers and unstabbed Tera Blasts from 68 special attack is just way too slow

This one took a lot to get rolling, because either I rolled an Intimidate NPC and immediately conceded (Intimidate + Contrary is a no-no), I died while Terastallized and had to concede, or I simply ran out of time because I got the ball rolling too late. My winning attempt had a somewhat of a lucky Paralysis early on (I think I got Umbreon/Bellibolt/Weavile as my NPC partners), and I used that to my advantage, and then later on Paralysis RNG saved me from having to endure an onslaught of attacks that would've otherwise ended my run.

In the end, I won with the timer effectively depleted, and I caught it in a Repeat Ball. Not the most reliable strat, but it worked, and it even came with a version-exclusive psuedo-legendary (I play Pokemon Violet, and Tyranitar/Hydreigon are exclusive to Scarlet. Now if only there were ways to obtain the rest of those version-exclusives...)

 

[R_N]

Trying to look ahead to whenever we get Dragapult and man this one's going to be so weird. Its movepool is all over the place, especially varied & strong on the special side but the physical side is kind of limiting but it's also the only one that benefits from its boosting moves. All of its abilities are annoying in different ways.

 

[pika pal]

I ended up doing this with friends, 2 cresselias + a frosmoth (bless that set btw Arcticblast ).
Took a few attempts cause me and the other cress have had this funny habit of eating crits back to back and dieing horribly.

That said I just wanted to share this funny moment.
Me: "Oh hey I can skill swap Levitate onto my Magearna and then i'm pretty much set"
*goes in battle*
*does skill swap*
*Reads "Hydreigon: Soul Heart"*
*Realizes the terrible mistake* (note: we had 1 AI)
ABORT MISSION, ABORT M--

*everybody died*

Future Proof by giving Soul Heart to someone else first if anyone eligible. Worst case scenario you faint once and give a buff before stealing Levitate

 

[formula4speed]

Would it be worth bringing a Skill Swap Umbreon just to bring Mud Slap into play for Hydreigon?

 

[Worldie]

Would it be worth bringing a Skill Swap Umbreon just to bring Mud Slap into play for Hydreigon?

Eh, you can, but at that point you're not really doing much other than tanking tera blasts and dragon pulses.
You always have the issue where you dont really want to spam snarl as if you do terablast will become physical and risk killing your team which is likely mainly made off calm mind users.

I dont think it's bad but i dont really see it doing anything other supports can't also do.

 

[pika pal]

The main concern I think Umbreon would have is the Shield timing. Snarl is still important to balance Nasty Plot, regardless of negative stat stages, but for the Tera Blast reason, ATK debuffs are definitely worth fitting if you can.

The reason I cite the Shield is because Umbreon CAN debuff both stats with Tickle for the physical side, if you can get through it, so ideally you'd try to keep it at +0 until the Shield goes down. If anything has Snarl and Chilling Water with a decently Neutral profile, that'd be a combo I'd look into as well.

Eh, you can, but at that point you're not really doing much other than tanking tera blasts and dragon pulses.
You always have the issue where you dont really want to spam snarl as if you do terablast will become physical and risk killing your team which is likely mainly made off calm mind users.

I dont think it's bad but i dont really see it doing anything other supports can't also do.

So my only thought is that Calm Mind users can work defensively, but the opening Snarl does put them a little behind for damage output. I could see Physical attackers to avoid contending with that, whether out of laziness from individuals or leaning on the friends providing Support to survive for them like Tinkaton or this mentioned Umbreon.