Competitive VGC Tips for Pokémon Scarlet and Violet

In contrast to single-player battles in VGC (Video Game Championships), competitive battles require a different approach. While trainers may prefer using their favorite Pokémon and leveling them up to the maximum, winning competitively calls for more than just that. Competitive battling demands precise training and thoughtful strategy, although the methods have evolved over time.

Beyond a Pokémon’s stats and moves, factors such as its Held Items, Nature, and Tera type play significant roles in determining success. These elements add depth to the competitive experience and make it an exciting challenge for trainers to master.

In official VGC battles, it’s a Doubles format where both sides deploy two Pokemon simultaneously. A team comprises six Pokemon, and each trainer chooses four for each battle. Training methods vary based on the current meta and a Pokemon’s role. To ensure success, it is crucial to understand the essential requirements for an individual Pokemon to be fully prepared for VGC competition.

Training Pokémon EVs Is the First Step to Victory

EV Training Has Been Streamlined in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet

In the world of Pokémon, Experience Values (EVs) are responsible for shaping a Pokémon’s abilities. Every four EVs accumulated in a particular attribute boost that attribute by one point. A Pokémon can acquire EVs through two methods: vanquishing other Pokémon to earn experience or using items like vitamins and feathers. Vitamins provide 10 EVs in a specific statistic, whereas feathers grant 1.

As a gamer, I’ve learned that each Pokémon has a limit of 252 EV points in a single stat and a total of 510 EVs across all stats. This means I can max out two stats with 6 points left over, which I can use to boost one more stat by just one point. There are numerous ways to allocate EVs, but when I’m starting off, it’s wise to go for the 252/252/4 spread, as it offers a good balance and sets a solid foundation for my Pokémon’s growth.

Each Pokemon awards a unique type of Experience Points (EVs) upon being defeated. For instance, Charcadet grants 1 Special Attack EV, while defeating four Charcadets increases the Special Attack by 1 point. It’s important to note that any Pokemon utilized during the single-player campaign won’t have optimal EVs and stats. In the game “Pokémon Scarlet and Violet”, you can rectify this in three different methods:

Breed the Pokémon
Certain Berries
Fresh-Start Mochi

In Pokémon, producing an egg will result in a level 1 Pokémon with no Experience Points or Effort Values (EVs), providing players with a clean slate. Some berries can subtract 10 EV points from one particular stat, making it necessary to use 26 of these berries if the stat has reached its maximum capacity. Fresh-Start Mochi is an item that resets all EVs to zero, and it can only be acquired by participating in the Ogre Oustin minigame within The Teal Mask DLC for Pokémon Scarlet and Violet.

When you’re enhancing your offensive Pokémon during training, focus on the higher stat between Attack and Special Attack. Subsequently, prioritize increasing either Speed or HP. For instance, if a Pokémon has strong Attack and Speed stats, aim to collect 252 Experience Points (EVs) for Attack, another 252 EVs for Speed, and the remaining 4 EVs in HP.

As an enthusiastic Pokémon trainer, I like to keep tabs on my Pokémon’s Effort Values (EVs) to ensure they’re battle-ready! To do this, I select a Pokémon and choose the option “Check Summary.” From there, I navigate to “Moves and Stats,” and press the “L” key to switch to the graph view. This will display either a single yellow dot in the center if my Pokémon has no EVs, or a detailed graph for each stat. If a stat is at its maximum, it will shimmer with stars. Remember, the method of distributing EVs might change in the future, but for now, it’s essential to pay close attention during EV training!

IVs Determine a Pokémon’s Maximum Potential

These are Much Simpler to Change and View in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet

As a devoted Pokémon trainer, I’ve come to understand that Individual Values (IVs) play a crucial role in determining the highest stat a Pokémon can achieve. For instance, if two Charizards have maximized Speed Effort Values (EVs), but one has lower IVs for speed, it will undeniably be slower. Unlike EVs, a Pokémon’s IVs are already established at the moment of capture or hatching from an egg. They remain unaltered by training or through any available items.

After finishing the main game, you’ll gain access to the Judge function, enabling players to assess the Individual Values (IVs) of all Pokémons. To view these IVs, navigate to the Boxes menu, then press the “+” button to open the IV graph. The IV stats are categorized into various tiers, however, for practical purposes, just focus on the “Excellent” and “Average” rankings.

In simpler terms, “Best” refers to a Pokemon having the highest value in a specific stat, while “No Good” means it has the lowest value. A Pokemon would only want “No Good” if it has a very low Speed stat and will engage in battles under the Trick Room condition. This special rule allows the slowest Pokemon to attack first for five turns.

In the world of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, it’s impossible to decrease a Pokemon’s Individual Values (IVs), but you can certainly boost them. This process is known as Hyper Training. By Hyper Training, your Pokemon can achieve Max IVs in a particular stat. Here’s how players can Hyper Train in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet:

1. Obtain a Bottle Cap item. This item increases one of the Pokemon’s stats to Max IVs.
2. Acquire a special trainer called Mr. Mime who offers Hyper Training services. He can be found in the area known as the Pokémon Paradise on Route 4.
3. Prepare a Level 100 Pokemon, ideally with a Bottle Cap item attached to the stat you want to boost. This Pokemon will act as your trainer during Hyper Training.
4. Approach Mr. Mime and select “Hyper Train” when interacting with him. He’ll ask for some BP (Battle Points) in exchange for his services.
5. After paying the required BP, choose the Pokemon you want to boost and the specific stat you wish to raise. The selected Pokémon will then participate in a battle against Mr. Mime using your Level 100 trainer.
6. If your trainer wins the battle, the chosen Pokémon’s IVs for the specified stat will increase. Keep repeating this process until you reach Max IVs or decide to focus on another stat.

Go to Montenevera in the Northern Part of Paldea
Talk to the NPC next to Abomasnow behind the flight point
Use Bottle Caps or Golden Bottle Caps.

Bottle Caps individually boost one IV to its maximum level, whereas Gold Bottle Caps simultaneously maximize all IVs. If a Pokemon has been specially trained, the Judge function will indicate this beside the enhanced stat. Once EVs and IVs have been addressed, it’s time to choose which moves you want to train your Pokemon.

A Pokémon’s Moveset Defines How it Battles

It’s Hard to Choose Only Four Pokémon Moves

In every battle, each Pokemon can utilize just four distinct moves. Fortunately, Pokémon Scarlet and Violet have simplified the process of modifying these moves outside of combat more than ever before. When choosing moves, it is crucial to consider a Pokémon’s role. If they are primarily used for special attacks, opt for powerful special moves. It is also advisable to include at least one move of the same type as the Pokémon to benefit from STAB (Same Type Attack Bonus). STAB boosts the effectiveness of the move by enhancing its damage output by 50%.

If your Pokémon is strong or cumbersome, opt for moves that throw off the adversary, boost defense, or help your fellow Pokémon on the battlefield. For instance, Fake Out and Thunder Wave are moves that confuse the opponent, preventing them from taking their turn.

In addition, it’s crucial to consider the variety of types a Pokemon can deal super-effective damage on (like Fire, Water, Grass, etc.) – this is known as coverage. Currently popular and powerful Pokemons, or “meta threats,” should also be kept in mind. For instance, Calyrex-Shadow Rider is one such meta threat, with a typing of Psychic/Ghost. To beat these types more effectively, opt for Dark or Ghost Pokemon and their corresponding moves. This strategy can be enhanced further by considering items, a Pokemon’s nature, and their Tera type.

Pokémon Natures, Held Items and Tera Types Can Give an Extra Edge in Battle

Pokémon VGC Players Shouldn’t Neglect These Important Aspects

A Pokémon’s Nature can affect a Pokémon’s stats in three ways:

Raise a stat by 10%,
Lower a stat by 10%
No change to stats

It’s worth mentioning that when a Pokémon has a specific Nature, one of its stats will increase while another will decrease. For instance, the Modest Nature enhances Special Attack but reduces Attack. You can find these Natures on the Judge screen or the last page of a Pokémon’s summary. If you observe a Pokémon’s stats, a red arrow indicates an increase, a blue arrow signifies a decrease. If a Nature does not affect stats, there will be no red or blue arrows present.

Just like with IVs (Individual Values), a Pokémon’s Nature is determined upon capture. But unlike IVs, you can modify a Pokémon’s stats by using items called Mints, which share the same name as the Nature and specify which stats they influence and to what extent. It’s essential to note that the Nature itself won’t be altered; only the associated stats will change. This is why it’s crucial to examine a Pokémon’s battle statistics to understand how they may shift during combat.

As a devoted Pokémon trainer, I’ve come to appreciate the strategic impact that held items can have during battle. These items can alter the course of combat in various ways, from amplifying move damage to safeguarding against lethal attacks. It’s essential to note that each Pokémon can only hold one item according to VGC rules, which prohibits multiple Pokémon on the same team from holding the same item, such as Life Orbs. The choice of item ultimately depends on the role and purpose of the Pokémon.

The Focus Sash gadget, for instance, enables a Pokémon with full health to survive an attack that would typically result in a one-time knockout by reducing its health to 1 instead. However, this item shatters following use, implying it can only be utilized once per combat. On a positive note, in VGC and online battles, these items are reinstated to the Pokémon after the battle is over, ensuring they’re never permanently lost.

In the game Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, during a battle, one specific Pokémon has the ability to “terastallize”. This means they can alter their type to match their listed Tera type. A Pokémon’s Tera type is displayed alongside its regular types when you check its stats.

In the process known as Terastallization, a Pokémon’s defensive category transforms to match their Tera type, and they become stronger with Self-Tera-Boosting Attack (STAB) for this new type. If a Pokémon’s Tera type is identical to its standard type, a boosted move deals 1.5 times more damage rather than the usual 1.5x increase. To switch a Pokemon’s Tera type, gather 50 Tera Shards of the desired kind and bring them to the NPC in the Treasure Eatery, which can be found near the Medali (East) air transportation point in northern Paldea.

Competitive VGC Battles in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet Take a Lot of Prep

This is Just the Tip of the Iceberg for Pokémon VGC

To build a fully-fledged team of Pokémons, you’ll need to replicate the training process for each one at least five times. While the fundamentals are straightforward, the choice of Effort Values (EVs), moves, natures, held items, and Tera types can vary significantly based on the specific circumstances. The roles and composition of your overall team will influence how each individual Pokémon is trained and prepared for battle.

One Pokemon can take on several tasks within a team, making it crucial to think about the entire squad when educating an individual Pokemon. Even though fundamental skills are key, proper training of a single Pokemon is essential for victory in high-level VGC fights. Once you’ve got that down, the rest tends to fall into place more smoothly.

2025-06-06 01:55