Diving into the Depths: A Comprehensive Guide to 7-Star Tera Raids in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet

Want to test your mettle against the most formidable challenges in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet? Then you’ll need to conquer the elusive 7-star Tera Raids. These aren’t your everyday Pokémon battles; they pit you against incredibly powerful foes with maxed-out stats, optimized natures, and move sets designed to cover all weaknesses. Here’s everything you need to know to unlock and triumph in these ultimate encounters.

How to Unlock 7-Star Tera Raids

The path to 7-star Tera Raids is not a sprint; it’s a marathon requiring dedication and skill. To gain access to these battles, you’ll need to fulfill several crucial requirements:

1. Complete the Main Story: You must first finish all three main storylines: Victory Road, Starfall Street, and Path of Legends. This means becoming the Champion, dismantling Team Star, and conquering all Titan Pokémon. Achieving this will trigger the endgame credits and set you on the path to higher-tier raids.

2. Unlock 5-Star Raids: After finishing the main storylines, Professor Jacq will contact you to inform you about the appearance of 5-star Tera Raid battles. This is a significant step, as 5-star raids are a prerequisite for progressing to 6- and 7-star raids.

3. Post-Game Tournament and 5-Star Raids: You will then need to complete the Academy Ace Tournament, which is unlocked after re-challenging all eight gym leaders. Completing this tournament will also increase the frequency of 5-star raids. Following this, you’ll need to engage in and win 15 Five-Star Tera Raid Battles to unlock 6-star raids.

4. Trigger 6-star Raids: The process of unlocking 6 star raids will require you to fight in 5 star raids until you meet the criteria of doing 15 five star raids. At that point you should receive a phone call and 6-star raids should start appearing.

5. Event-Based 7-Star Raids: Finally, 7-star Tera Raids are event-based, which means they don’t appear under normal circumstances. These raids are announced through the in-game Poké Portal News, which you can access via the X menu, then Mystery Gift, then Check Poké Portal News. Make sure you have a stable internet connection to ensure you’re receiving the latest updates, but you don’t need a Nintendo Online subscription to receive these news updates.

   • Note: Event Tera Raids last for a limited time, often only three days. Keep an eye on announcements so you don’t miss these special battles.

6. Participating with Friends: Even if you haven’t completed all the necessary steps, you can still participate in 7-star raids by joining a friend’s raid using a link code or through online matchmaking in the Poké Portal. This allows you to experience these epic battles regardless of your in-game progress, so keep an eye on social media to find open raids and use them to gain progress.

Preparing for 7-Star Tera Raids

Level and Training

Successfully tackling 7-star raids requires not just unlocking them but also preparing your Pokémon strategically. Remember these key points:

• Level 100 Requirement: Your Pokémon should ideally be at Level 100 to stand a chance against these powerful foes.
• Strategic Pokémon: Choose your Pokémon carefully. Consider their typing, stats, and abilities to counter the specific Tera Type of the raid boss. Azumarill with its Huge Power ability is a great option against many 7 star raids.
• Move Set Optimization: Ensure your chosen Pokémon’s move set is optimized for both damage output and type coverage.
• Tera Type: Make sure your chosen Pokemon’s Tera Type is the optimal option for the Tera Raid.
• Healing: Make sure you have moves and cheers that can heal or provide buffs for yourself and your team.

Understanding 7-Star Raid Mechanics

• Increased Difficulty: 7-star Tera Raid Pokémon have significantly increased HP and are notably stronger than their normal counterparts.
• Powerful Moves: They have access to diverse move sets designed to counter various types, making type matchups crucial.

Finding 7-Star Raids

• Event Notifications: Tera Raids often appear around the map with a large sparkling pillar of light, but 7 star raids can only be triggered when you have the relevant update.
• Poké Portal News: You’ll find that the Poké Portal News is where all of these updates are made available. Make sure that you are checking regularly.
• Multiplayer: You can find other players hosting raid battles in the Poke Portal Online Matchmaking.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. How Do I Find Tera Raid Crystals?

You can locate Tera Raid Crystals by looking for sparkling pillars of light emanating from the ground. These are easy to spot and are usually on the map in areas you may have already visited.

2. Do I Need Nintendo Online to Participate in 7-Star Raids?

You do not need Nintendo Online to update your game with event raid information via the Mystery Gift or the Read News function. However, you do need a Nintendo Online subscription to participate in multiplayer raids with other players.

3. How Strong Are 7-Star Tera Raids?

7-Star Raid Pokémon are exceptionally powerful. They have maxed-out stats, optimized natures, and move sets designed to cover most weaknesses. Entering these raids with just a Level 100 Legendary isn’t enough; you need a well-trained Pokémon with a specific strategy in mind.

4. How Long Do 7-Star Tera Raids Last?

Seven-star Tera Raid battles are only available as part of in-game events. These events usually last for about three days, so make sure you check in regularly and participate when the battles are available.

5. What Level Should My Pokémon Be for 7-Star Raids?

Your Pokémon should be at least Level 100 before attempting 7-star raids. Anything lower will likely not survive very long.

6. Are Tera Raids Always a Guaranteed Catch?

Yes, Tera Raids now have a 100% catch rate. You are guaranteed to catch the Pokémon you fight regardless of the ball you use. The only exception was Charizard, which you could only catch once, but that catch was also guaranteed.

7. Which Pokémon Are Good for 7-Star Raids?

Azumarill is a popular choice due to its ability Huge Power, which boosts its attack stat, and access to powerful moves. Other strong choices will depend on the specific raid and its Tera Type.

8. How Much HP Do 7-Star Raid Pokémon Have?

7-star raid Pokémon have a massive 30x HP multiplier. This makes them incredibly bulky and challenging to defeat.

9. Why Are Some Tera Raids So Difficult?

Raid battles can be difficult because each Pokemon in each raid comes with a certain AI, attack pattern and Tera type that must be understood. Cinderace, for example, has a very powerful Fighting Tera Type, and has a wide variety of moves that can cause problems if you aren’t prepared.

10. Why Aren’t 7-Star Raids Spawning in My Game?

You must progress through the post-game content, including finishing the Academy Ace Tournament and completing 15 five-star raids before 6-star and 7-star raids will start to appear. They are also event-based, so if there isn’t an active event, they won’t appear.

11. Can I Do Multiple 7-Star Raids Per Day?

You only have one guaranteed 7-star Tera Raid in your world each day. However, you can join more through the Poké Portal online matchmaking, so it’s worth regularly joining other peoples raids.

12. Can I Do a 7-Star Raid More Than Once?

You can only catch a unique 7-star raid pokemon once, but you can continue to participate in a 7-star raid as many times as you like for rewards.

13. What Level Are 7-Star Raid Pokémon?

7-Star Raid Pokémon are Level 100, the highest in the game.

14. How Many Tera Raids Do I Need to Do to Unlock 6-Star Raids?

To unlock 6-star raids, you must complete the Academy Ace Tournament, increase the frequency of 5-star raids and win 15 Five-Star Tera Raid Battles.

15. Can You Breed Paradox Pokémon?

Unfortunately, it is not possible to breed Paradox Pokémon. These unique Pokémon can only be obtained through exploring Area Zero and catching them in the wild.

By understanding these steps and strategies, you’ll be well on your way to conquering the most challenging encounters in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. Good luck, and may your battles be epic!