Is Cinderace Banned in Scarlet? A Comprehensive Guide
The question of whether Cinderace is banned in Pokémon Scarlet is complex and depends heavily on the context. In short, Cinderace is not legal for use in standard Ranked Battles and most competitive formats, but it is catchable and usable in other aspects of the game. Let’s break down the intricacies surrounding Cinderace’s availability in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet.
Cinderace’s Banned Status: Competitive Play
Competitive Formats: A No-Go
In the core competitive scene for Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, Cinderace is banned from participation in Ranked Battles and the Official VGC (Video Game Championships). This ban is primarily due to Cinderace’s power and potential impact on the metagame, further complicated by its status as a Tera Raid Exclusive.
Tera Raid Exclusivity & Ban Status
Cinderace, alongside Charizard, is considered a Tera Raid exclusive Pokémon; it was only available during specific limited-time events. Tera Raid exclusives, due to their unique availability and potent movepools, are often banned from standard competitive play to maintain a balanced environment.
Why The Ban?
The ban stems primarily from Cinderace’s powerful ability Libero, which allows it to change its type to match the type of move it uses. When combined with its naturally high speed and attack stats, this becomes overwhelming in a competitive setting. Cinderace’s Fighting Tera Type when battling it in raids, while a weakness, does not negate the broken nature of Libero. Even with the change to Tera Types in the main game, its ability to be any type at any time allows it to dominate matchups.
Other Banned Pokémon
Cinderace is not alone on the ban list. Several other Pokémon are also prohibited from use in competitive formats, including:
- Charizard (Tera Raid Exclusive)
- The Four Treasure of Ruin Legendaries (Chi-Yu, Chien-Pao, Ting-Lu, and Wo-Chien)
- Koraidon
- Miraidon
These Pokémon are usually banned due to their overwhelming power, unique abilities, or exclusive move sets that could disrupt competitive balance.
Catching Cinderace: The Tera Raid Event
While banned from competitive play, Cinderace is indeed catchable in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet through special Tera Raid events. These raids occur over limited time periods and offer players the chance to encounter and catch powerful Pokémon, usually with unique Tera Types.
Cinderace’s Tera Type
During its Tera Raid event, Cinderace appeared with a Fighting Tera Type, making it vulnerable to Psychic, Fairy, and Flying type moves. However, these types are often less common in the meta game. This means a battle versus a raid Cinderace requires careful team building.
Beating the 7-Star Cinderace
Defeating a 7-star Cinderace raid requires careful planning and a well-prepared team. One popular strategy involves using Slowbro. With a specific setup (Iron Defense, Nasty Plot, and Stored Power), Slowbro can often defeat Cinderace in a single hit if the shield is down.
Limited Catch Opportunity
Importantly, you can only catch one Cinderace per save file. While you can still participate in raids against Cinderace to gain rewards, such as EXP candies, you will not be able to catch more than one Cinderace. This single catch limitation is crucial to remember as it affects team building.
Cinderace’s Use Outside of Competitive Play
Even with its competitive ban, Cinderace can still be used in the main storyline, during exploring, and in non-ranked battles with friends. Players can also use it for raids outside of ranked formats, allowing the Pokemon to have utility in almost every aspect of the game that isn’t officially competitive.
Pokémon Home Transfers
Cinderace is transferable via Pokémon HOME, allowing players to use their previously captured Cinderace from other games in Scarlet and Violet.
FAQs: More About Cinderace in Scarlet and Violet
Here are some frequently asked questions regarding Cinderace and its availability in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet:
1. Is Cinderace legal in Regulation D?
No, Cinderace is not legal in Regulation D or any official competitive formats due to its ban as a Tera Raid exclusive.
2. Can I use Cinderace in casual battles?
Yes, you can freely use Cinderace in casual battles, including with friends or online matches that do not adhere to official competitive rulesets.
3. When was the Cinderace Tera Raid event?
The Cinderace Tera Raid event ran across two weekends: December 30, 2022, to January 1, 2023, and again on January 13, 2023, to January 15, 2023.
4. Can I get multiple Cinderace in Scarlet and Violet?
No, you can only catch one Cinderace per save data from the Tera Raid event. You can participate in the raid more times, but not get more copies of the Pokémon itself.
5. What are Cinderace’s weaknesses in Tera Raids?
As a Fighting Tera Type in its raid, Cinderace is weak to Psychic, Fairy, and Flying type moves.
6. Why is Cinderace so hard to beat in raids?
Cinderace is challenging to beat due to its high base stats, powerful movepool, and the shield mechanic during Tera Raids.
7. What’s the best strategy to defeat Cinderace?
Strategies vary, but using a well-prepared Slowbro with Iron Defense, Nasty Plot, and Stored Power is often effective.
8. What other Pokémon are banned alongside Cinderace?
Besides Cinderace, Charizard, the Four Treasures of Ruin, Koraidon, and Miraidon are also banned from most competitive formats.
9. Can I transfer a Cinderace from a previous game?
Yes, you can transfer a Cinderace from previous games to Scarlet and Violet via Pokémon HOME.
10. Are Paradox Pokémon banned?
Paradox Pokémon were initially banned but are now allowed in Regulation D. This was not the case with Cinderace and other banned Legendaries.
11. Why was Cinderace banned in previous generations?
Cinderace was banned in Generation 8 OU (OverUsed) due to its powerful Libero ability, combined with its high offensive stats.
12. What does Libero do?
Libero allows Cinderace to change its type to match the type of the move it is using, allowing it to get STAB (Same Type Attack Bonus) on any move while simultaneously making it difficult to predict its type.
13. What is the rarest Pokemon in Scarlet?
Some of the rarest Pokémon in Scarlet include Walking Wake/Iron Leaves, Antique Sinistea/Polteageist, and Family of 3 Maushold.
14. Can I use Cinderace in any online battles?
You can use Cinderace in non-ranked online battles but it is not allowed in official ranked play.
15. What are the permitted Pokemon in Regulation D?
Regulation D includes all Pokémon in the Paldea Pokedex, Paradox Pokémon, the Four Treasures of Ruin, and some Pokémon from Pokémon HOME. However, despite this expanded list, Cinderace remains banned from official competitive play due to its overpowered nature.
Final Thoughts
While Cinderace is banned from official competitive play in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, it’s still a Pokémon that can be caught, enjoyed in casual battles, and transferred via Pokémon HOME. Understanding the specific limitations and reasons behind the ban is essential for any player engaging with the game’s competitive and non-competitive aspects.