If you're hoping to add Charizard to your generation nine collection, this Pokemon Scarlet and Violet Charizard Tera Raid guide should help. We'll outline the the best Charizard counters in the game and how to build them to beat the Dragon-type Tera Charizard introduced as the first Black Crystal raid event.
At level 100 with a dramatically boosted HP bar to suit the four-player battle stlye, The Black Crystal Charizard Tera Raid is incredibly difficult if you don't know what you're doing. Replacing its Fire/Flying typing with a Dragon Tera type, its staggering Rock-type weakness is erased, and it gains some broken benefits for being a seven-star raid.
While you're here, be sure to check out our coverage of the black crystal tera raids and tera raid events so you know when they're coming around next. Charizard may be the first, but it won't be the last. We're expecting at lease one of these each month going forward.
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet Charizard Tera Raid counters and builds - The best Pokemon for the event
Before you take on the Black Crystal Charizard raid, there are a few things to know.
- You're going to need to have a Pokemon that's level 100 Pokemon.
- That Pokemon will need perfect IVs. You can use bottle caps to help.
- As the Charizard Tera Raid has it be a Dragon type, you'll want Pokemon that can deal solid damage and resist its own moves.
Solo or co-op?
One other thing to consider is whether or not to do this solo or with a group. You can randomly join a Charizard raid through the Poke Portal. But something to consider is that when a player's Pokemon faints, the timer for the raid goes down substantially.
If you're doing a solo raid, AI Pokemon fainting doesn't reduce the timer. If you have a coordinated team of friends who can use cheers wisely, or have Pokemon who are able to counter Charizard, then group play might not be bad. But if you don't, then this can definitely be done solo.
Azumarill build for Charizard
- EVs - Attack
- Tera type - Fairy
- Ability: Huge Power
- Item: Shell Bell
- Nature: Adamant (optional)
Prep
The first Pokemon that we recommend is Azumarill. You'll want to EV train this up in Attack at the very bare minimum. Then, you'll want to make sure your Azumarill has the Huge Power ability, and a Fairy Tera type.
You'll also want to give it a Shell Bell. Learn how to change Tera types and get Ability Patch and Ability Capsule to make the perfect fighter. Adamant nature works best, which you can manage with Nature Mints, but it's not essential.
Moves
For moves, you're going to want it to have Belly Drum, Light Screen and Play Rough. To get Belly Drum, you'll need to have a Pokemon that has Belly Drum and a Mirror Herb.
Make sure that there's an empty move space on Azumarill and give it the Mirror Herb. Then make sure the only two Pokemon in your party are Azumarill and your Belly Drum Pokemon. Then head out and set up a picnic. Wait a few minutes, pack up, and your Azumarill will have Belly Drum.
Strategy
For strategy, you'll want to set up Light Screen straight away. Do three attacks to get to Terastalize. You don't have to rush Terastalizing though. It's worth even setting up Light Screen before you faint, so that when you come back at full health, you can start to do damage.
You'll also only want to Belly Drum after Charizard removes stat buffs from your team and after you faint to get Huge Power again. After you've set this up, Terastalize and spam Play Rough. Use healing cheers when needed and you should get a quick kill on Charizard.
Flutter Mane build for Charizard
- EVs - Sp. Atk + Def
- Tera type - Fairy
- Ability: Protosynthesis
- Item: Covert Cloak
- Nature: Modest (optional)
Prep
Next up is a Flutter Mane build. You're going to want to EV train this to be max Special Attack and Defense.
You'll want to give it a Covert Cloak to ignore status effects as well. You'll also want this to be a Fairy Tera type if possible.
Moves
For moves, you're going to want Draining Kiss, Calm Mind, Fake Tears, and ideally Moonblast. Again, use the Mirror Herb method if you're struggling to learn these moves. Use the move menu to relearn any it might have forgotten along the way.
Strategy
For set up, use Calm Mind twice to give you more damage and damage reduction. Follow up with two lots of Fake Tears to lower Charizard's Sp. Def. Spamming Draining Kiss should then allow you to proc Charizard's stat reset while healing any damage it deals.
After this, repeat the two Calm Minds and two Fake Tears, then Terastalize. You'll want to use Moonblast here for heavy damage, but remember to switch to Draining Kiss if you need to recover some HP.
Gardevoir build for Charizard
- EVs: Sp. Atk + Def
- Tera type: Fairy
- Ability: Trace
- Item: Covert Cloak
- Nature: Modest (optional)
Prep
The last option we're going to recommend is Gardevoir. This is definitely a lesser preferred choice, but one that anyone can use with lower investment.
We're going to want to have it EV trained in special attack and defense, equipped with the Covert Cloak, and have the Trace ability.
Moves
For moves, we want it to have Calm Mind, Light Screen, Draining Kiss and Moonblast.
Strategy
In the fight, we're going to set up with three uses of Calm Mind and spam Draining Kiss until the stat nullification kicks in. After that, get your three Calm Minds back up again, Terastalize, and spam Draining Kiss for HP or Moonblast to quickly end the fight.
And that's how you beat the Black Crystal Charizard. While you're here, why not check out some of our other Pokemon Scarlet and Violet guides, such as our guide to how picnics work and how to breed in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, so you can breed up a shiny Charmander.