It’s a dragon attack!
Pokemon Scarlet & Violet has been on a tear with fierce 7-Star Tera Raids featuring exclusive Pokemon. That said, you shouldn’t snooze on the casual events that have been appearing. For example, from January 6th to January 8th, Hydreigon and Dragapult will appear as blue star raid encounters.
Both monsters will appear as either 4-Star or 5-Star Tera Raids, potentially featuring any Tera-Type in the game. This is a fantastic opportunity to catch either Pokemon with the exact Tera-Type you’d want, especially since grinding out Tera Shards can take a long time. Fortunately, if you’ve become accustomed to the fierce 7-Star difficulty, you should be able to breeze through these easily. Even if you aren’t, this event is a great way to get your feet wet in the current meta.
The best Pokemon to use
Once again, Azumarill reigns supreme in taking these monsters down. This Fairy/Water-Type is already one of the most popular builds for taking on 5-Star Tera Raids, and Azumarill completely nullifies the Dragon-Type attacks of both monsters. If you want to build an Azumarill yourself from scratch, check out our detailed guide here. It’s easier than you think!
Since so many players are likely to run Azumarill during this event, you can opt to play support if you want. Any Pokemon that knows Life Dew and Helping Hand can help a friend heal up after they use Belly Drum and boost the strength of their attacks. If you want some potential suggestions, check out our picks for the best Tera Raid Pokemon. Keep in mind that these Pokemon feature variable Tera-Types, so make sure you use a Pokemon with decent Type coverage to prepare for whatever Raid you walk into.
There are so many Pokemon viable for these raids that it would be easier to list who you shouldn’t bring. Dragon-Type Pokemon are a little risky here, since both Hydreigon and Dragapult will deal Super-Effective damage to you. Ghost and Psychic-Types are out of the question too, especially against Hydreigon. Dragapult does know Flamethrower, which introduces some risk if you are using Bug, Ice, or Grass-Type Pokemon. Other than that, pick from your favorites.
What strategies do these Pokemon use?
Both Dragapult and Hydreigon are mixed attackers, meaning they use both Physical and Special attacks. Hydreigon will use Nasty Plot to cut your Special Attack, while Dragapult will use Will-O-Wisp to cut your Physical Attack. This can potentially be dangerous in Dragapult’s case, as it will use the Ghost-Type attack Hex to deal bonus damage against an enemy affected by a status condition.
That said, you should be okay if you are using a max-level Pokemon who does not take Super-Effective damage. An optimally built Azumarill will barely be held back by the Burn condition. In case you are feeling worried, start the encounter with a defense cheer.
For both Pokemon, you don’t have to worry about much other than taking them down quickly. Both will attempt to outspeed you via Scary Face or Dragon Dance, but any Pokemon you’re using for Tera-Raid battle shouldn’t focus EVs into its Speed stat anyway. Just throw everything you’ve got at these monsters and remember to heal as necessary. Any random group you stumble into should be fine for clearing this content.
What are the drop rates like?
Hydreigon and Dragapult drop items at a rate typical for normal 5-Star Tera Raids. This means there isn’t a particularly compelling reason to farm this event like you would during 7-Star events. What’s more, Hydreigon and Dragapult drop materials that, weirdly, bizarrely, are not used in crafting any TMs. Their only use is to be sold for a higher than usual amount of League Points. If you happen to be in a deficit, knock yourself out. That said, your best option is to save your LP for TMs and grind for Pokedollars via the Ace Academy tournament.
The real prize of this event is the ability to catch Hydreigon or Dragapult with a specific Tera-Type. Both Pokemon are pseudo legendary monsters who are viable in the competitive scene. Heck, Dragapult is one of the fastest Pokemon in the entire game. Catch a variety of these monsters with intriguing Tera-Types like Steel and call it a day. Whatever you decide to do, happy farming!
