The Ultimate Guide to Soloing Iron Leaves in Pokémon Scarlet & Violet

So, you’re looking to take down Iron Leaves, the Paradox Pokémon terrorizing Pokémon Scarlet? You’ve come to the right place. Let’s cut right to the chase:

The best Pokémon to consistently solo Iron Leaves raids is Kingambit. Its Dark/Steel typing gives it crucial resistances to Iron Leaves’s moves, and its access to Swords Dance and Kowtow Cleave (or even Night Slash) allows for massive damage output after a few boosts. Crucially, Kingambit’s Supreme Overlord ability (if applicable) further amplifies its Attack stat as party members faint.

Why Kingambit, you ask? Let’s delve into the details and strategies that make this Pokémon the king of the Iron Leaves raid.

Why Kingambit Reigns Supreme

Iron Leaves is a Grass/Psychic Tera Type Pokémon that hits hard and fast. It typically comes equipped with Electric Terrain, Psyblade, Megahorn, Leaf Blade, and Swords Dance. This move pool is designed to pressure a wide range of Pokémon, but Kingambit is uniquely positioned to withstand this onslaught.

• Typing Advantage: Kingambit resists both Psyblade and Leaf Blade, two of Iron Leaves’s main offensive moves.
• Attack Boosting: Swords Dance is crucial for any Pokémon hoping to do meaningful damage. Kingambit can use this move to quickly increase its attack power.
• Powerful STAB Moves: Kowtow Cleave (or Night Slash) provides consistent Dark-type damage, hitting Iron Leaves for super effective damage.
• Survivability: While not inherently bulky, Kingambit’s resistances provide it with more survivability than many other attackers. Using Iron Defense can also allow it to survive more attacks.
• Supreme Overlord: This ability is the hidden key to Kingambit’s success. As other Pokémon in the raid faint (which, let’s face it, they often do), Kingambit’s Attack stat skyrockets, leading to increasingly devastating blows. This ability can be crucial for solo raids, where the AI allies are often… less than helpful.

The Strategy for Success

Here’s the general strategy to use when using Kingambit to solo Iron Leaves:

1. Initial Setup: Start with Taunt to prevent Iron Leaves from setting up its own stat boosts or setting up Electric Terrain, which can hinder your progress. If you’re not running Taunt, you can use Iron Defense.
2. Swords Dance: Use Swords Dance several times (2-3) to maximize your Attack stat.
3. Tera Time: Terastallize into a Dark-type Kingambit when appropriate.
4. Unleash Kowtow Cleave: Spam Kowtow Cleave until Iron Leaves is defeated. This is your main source of damage, and with boosted Attack and STAB, it will hit incredibly hard. If you can’t get Kowtow Cleave, Night Slash will also work.

Team Support (Even in a Solo Raid?)

While you are soloing the raid, your AI teammates can make all the difference. While you can’t directly control them, their actions can still benefit you:

• Healing Support: Teammates using moves like Heal Pulse and Helping Hand can allow you to stay alive for longer.
• Status Ailment: Teammates inflicting status ailments like Paralysis or Sleep will buy you valuable time to setup.
• Damage Soak: Teammates with high HP and defense can buy you extra turns, where you’d otherwise have been knocked out.

Alternative Options: Honorable Mentions

While Kingambit is generally the most reliable, here are a few other Pokémon that can potentially solo Iron Leaves, though they may require more specific conditions or luck:

• Gholdengo: Its Steel/Ghost typing provides decent resistances, and its access to Nasty Plot allows for Special Attack boosting. Use Shadow Ball as your primary attack.
• Scizor: Its Bug/Steel typing is advantageous, and it can utilize Swords Dance and X-Scissor. However, it’s vulnerable to Megahorn, so caution is advised.

Ultimately, Kingambit offers the most consistent and reliable strategy. Its combination of resistances, attack boosting, and powerful STAB moves makes it the ideal choice for soloing Iron Leaves.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Here are some common questions about battling and capturing Iron Leaves:

1. What is Iron Leaves weak against?

Iron Leaves is weak against Bug, Dark, and Ghost-type moves. It has a 4x weakness to Bug due to its Grass/Psychic typing.

2. What is the best moveset for Kingambit against Iron Leaves?

A recommended moveset is Swords Dance, Kowtow Cleave (or Night Slash), Iron Defense, and Taunt.

• Swords Dance boosts your attack.
• Kowtow Cleave (or Night Slash) provides reliable STAB damage.
• Iron Defense increases your defense.
• Taunt prevents Iron Leaves from using stat-boosting moves.

3. Can I use a Fire-type Pokémon against Iron Leaves?

While Fire-type moves are effective against Steel-type Pokémon in general, they are not super effective against Iron Leaves due to its Grass/Psychic typing.

4. What level should my Pokémon be to battle Iron Leaves?

Your Pokémon should ideally be Level 75 or higher to effectively battle Iron Leaves.

5. Is Iron Leaves shiny locked?

Yes, Iron Leaves is shiny locked in the event raids, meaning you cannot obtain a shiny version of it through this method.

6. Can I catch multiple Iron Leaves?

No, you can only catch one Iron Leaves per save file.

7. What Tera Type should my Kingambit be?

A Dark Tera Type is recommended for Kingambit, as it boosts the power of Kowtow Cleave (or Night Slash), your primary damage-dealing move.

8. What does Iron Leaves know for attacks?

Iron Leaves knows Electric Terrain, Psyblade, Megahorn, Leaf Blade, and Swords Dance.

9. Do I need to beat the game to encounter Iron Leaves?

Yes, you need to beat the main story and complete a certain number of 5-6 star Tera Raids to unlock the Iron Leaves event.

10. Can Iron Leaves breed?

No, Iron Leaves is a Paradox Pokémon and cannot breed.

11. What other Pokémon can I use as an alternative to Kingambit?

Other options include Gholdengo and Scizor, but they are generally less reliable than Kingambit.

12. How do I access the Iron Leaves Tera Raid?

The Iron Leaves Tera Raid is a limited-time event. Check for announcements and ensure your game is updated to the latest version.

13. What happens if I lose the raid?

You can attempt the raid again as many times as you need to, but remember you can only catch Iron Leaves once per save file.

14. Is Iron Leaves available in Pokémon Scarlet?

No, Iron Leaves is exclusive to Pokémon Violet.

15. What are some general tips for Tera Raids?

• Use Pokémon with type advantages.
• Coordinate with other players (if not soloing).
• Use stat-boosting moves like Swords Dance or Nasty Plot.
• Bring a Pokémon with a high Attack or Special Attack stat.
• Understand the boss’s moveset and abilities.

Final Thoughts

Taking down Iron Leaves can be a challenging but rewarding experience. By understanding its weaknesses and employing the right strategy, you can successfully solo this powerful Paradox Pokémon. Remember that learning and understanding the basics of these games can allow you to apply the strategy and tactics to the real world, and organizations such as the Games Learning Society at GamesLearningSociety.org can assist in learning more. Good luck, trainers!