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Best Counters for Every Tera Raid Type - Pokemon Scarlet Violet 2026

TypeMatchup

Best Counters for Every Tera Raid Type - Pokemon Scarlet Violet 2026

Tera Raids are the ultimate endgame challenge in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet. This guide covers the best counters for every Tera Raid type, including optimal Pokemon, moves, builds, and strategies for 5-star and 6-star raids.

How Tera Raids Work

Raid Mechanics

  • Tera Shield: Raid bosses have a shield that must be broken
  • Time Limit: 5 minutes to defeat the boss
  • Stat Boosts: Raid bosses get stat boosts throughout the battle
  • Tera Type: Boss Terastallizes at the start (determines weaknesses)
  • Multiplayer: Up to 4 players (or 3 NPCs if solo)

Key Strategies

  1. Bring super effective moves - 2× damage breaks shields faster
  2. Use support moves - Screech, Acid Spray, Helping Hand
  3. Stack stat boosts - Swords Dance, Nasty Plot, Iron Defense
  4. Coordinate with team - Don't all attack at once (waste turns)
  5. Save Tera for late game - Use it when boss is low HP

Universal Raid Counters (All Types)

Top 5 All-Purpose Raid Pokemon

1. Azumarill (Water/Fairy)

Why it's S-tier:

  • Huge Power ability (doubles Attack)
  • Belly Drum + Aqua Jet combo
  • Tanky (100 HP / 80 Def / 80 SpD)
  • Hits 14 types super effectively

Best Build:

  • Ability: Huge Power
  • Moves: Belly Drum, Play Rough, Aqua Jet, Liquidation
  • Item: Shell Bell (heals on hit)
  • EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD
  • Nature: Adamant

Strategy:

  1. Turn 1: Belly Drum (+6 Attack)
  2. Spam Play Rough or Liquidation
  3. Aqua Jet for priority damage
  4. Shell Bell keeps you alive

2. Iron Hands (Fighting/Electric)

Why it's S-tier:

  • Massive Attack (140 base)
  • Drain Punch for sustain
  • Electric Terrain boosts Electric moves
  • Hits 9 types super effectively

Best Build:

  • Ability: Quark Drive
  • Moves: Drain Punch, Thunder Punch, Ice Punch, Belly Drum
  • Item: Punching Glove (1.1× punch move power, no contact)
  • EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD
  • Nature: Adamant

Strategy:

  1. Set up Electric Terrain (Miraidon/Tapu Koko teammate)
  2. Belly Drum if safe
  3. Spam Drain Punch (heals you)
  4. Thunder Punch for coverage

3. Gholdengo (Steel/Ghost)

Why it's S-tier:

  • Immune to status moves (Good as Gold ability)
  • High Special Attack (133 base)
  • Nasty Plot for setup
  • Hits 8 types super effectively

Best Build:

  • Ability: Good as Gold
  • Moves: Nasty Plot, Shadow Ball, Flash Cannon, Thunderbolt
  • Item: Leftovers
  • EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpA / 4 SpD
  • Nature: Modest

Strategy:

  1. Nasty Plot (+2 Special Attack)
  2. Spam Shadow Ball or Flash Cannon
  3. Immune to Screech, Scary Face, etc.
  4. Leftovers for passive healing

4. Miraidon (Electric/Dragon)

Why it's S-tier:

  • Sets Electric Terrain on entry
  • Highest Special Attack (135 base)
  • Electro Drift is 100 BP + super effective bonus
  • Legendary stats

Best Build:

  • Ability: Hadron Engine
  • Moves: Electro Drift, Draco Meteor, Thunderbolt, Volt Switch
  • Item: Life Orb
  • EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
  • Nature: Timid

Strategy:

  1. Electric Terrain auto-activates
  2. Spam Electro Drift (boosted in terrain)
  3. Draco Meteor for Dragon coverage
  4. Volt Switch to pivot out

5. Koraidon (Fighting/Dragon)

Why it's S-tier:

  • Sets Sunny Day on entry
  • Highest Attack (135 base)
  • Collision Course is 100 BP + super effective bonus
  • Legendary stats

Best Build:

  • Ability: Orichalcum Pulse
  • Moves: Collision Course, Flare Blitz, Outrage, Swords Dance
  • Item: Life Orb
  • EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
  • Nature: Jolly

Strategy:

  1. Sunny Day auto-activates
  2. Swords Dance if safe
  3. Spam Collision Course
  4. Flare Blitz for Fire coverage

Type-Specific Raid Counters

Normal Tera Raids

Best Counters:

  • Iron Hands (Fighting) - Drain Punch spam
  • Lucario (Fighting/Steel) - Close Combat
  • Annihilape (Fighting/Ghost) - Rage Fist + Bulk Up

Key Moves:

  • Close Combat, Drain Punch, Aura Sphere
  • Fighting-types deal 2× damage

Strategy:

  • Stack Attack boosts (Bulk Up, Swords Dance)
  • Use Drain Punch for sustain
  • Avoid Ghost-types (Normal moves don't hit them)

Fire Tera Raids

Best Counters:

  • Azumarill (Water/Fairy) - Liquidation spam
  • Gastrodon (Water/Ground) - Earth Power + Surf
  • Palafin (Water) - Jet Punch + Wave Crash

Key Moves:

  • Surf, Hydro Pump, Liquidation, Earth Power
  • Water/Ground/Rock-types deal 2× damage

Strategy:

  • Water-types are safest (resist Fire)
  • Ground-types hit harder but take neutral damage
  • Use Rain Dance for 1.5× Water move boost

Water Tera Raids

Best Counters:

  • Iron Hands (Fighting/Electric) - Thunder Punch
  • Miraidon (Electric/Dragon) - Electro Drift
  • Rillaboom (Grass) - Wood Hammer + Grassy Glide

Key Moves:

  • Thunderbolt, Thunder Punch, Electro Drift, Solar Beam
  • Electric/Grass-types deal 2× damage

Strategy:

  • Electric-types are fastest
  • Grass-types are bulkier (resist Water)
  • Use Electric Terrain for 1.5× Electric move boost

Grass Tera Raids

Best Counters:

  • Ceruledge (Fire/Ghost) - Bitter Blade + Flare Blitz
  • Iron Moth (Fire/Poison) - Fiery Dance + Sludge Wave
  • Skeledirge (Fire/Ghost) - Torch Song + Shadow Ball

Key Moves:

  • Flare Blitz, Fire Blast, Sludge Bomb, Ice Beam
  • Fire/Ice/Poison/Flying/Bug-types deal 2× damage

Strategy:

  • Fire-types are most reliable
  • Ice-types hit hard but take neutral damage
  • Use Sunny Day for 1.5× Fire move boost

Electric Tera Raids

Best Counters:

  • Garchomp (Dragon/Ground) - Earthquake spam
  • Great Tusk (Ground/Fighting) - Earthquake + Close Combat
  • Clodsire (Poison/Ground) - Earthquake + Toxic

Key Moves:

  • Earthquake, Earth Power, Drill Run, Stomping Tantrum
  • Ground-types deal 2× damage (and immune to Electric)

Strategy:

  • Ground-types are mandatory (immune to Electric)
  • Stack Attack boosts (Swords Dance)
  • Use Sandstorm for SpD boost

Ice Tera Raids

Best Counters:

  • Iron Hands (Fighting/Electric) - Drain Punch
  • Ceruledge (Fire/Ghost) - Bitter Blade
  • Lucario (Fighting/Steel) - Close Combat

Key Moves:

  • Close Combat, Flare Blitz, Rock Slide, Steel Beam
  • Fire/Fighting/Rock/Steel-types deal 2× damage

Strategy:

  • Fighting-types are safest (resist Ice)
  • Fire-types hit hardest
  • Use Sunny Day for 1.5× Fire move boost

Fighting Tera Raids

Best Counters:

  • Gholdengo (Steel/Ghost) - Shadow Ball + Flash Cannon
  • Flutter Mane (Ghost/Fairy) - Shadow Ball + Moonblast
  • Espathra (Psychic) - Lumina Crash + Psychic

Key Moves:

  • Psychic, Shadow Ball, Moonblast, Air Slash
  • Psychic/Flying/Fairy-types deal 2× damage

Strategy:

  • Ghost-types are immune to Fighting
  • Fairy-types resist Fighting
  • Use Calm Mind for Special Attack boosts

Poison Tera Raids

Best Counters:

  • Garchomp (Dragon/Ground) - Earthquake
  • Great Tusk (Ground/Fighting) - Earthquake
  • Espathra (Psychic) - Psychic + Lumina Crash

Key Moves:

  • Earthquake, Psychic, Lumina Crash, Expanding Force
  • Ground/Psychic-types deal 2× damage

Strategy:

  • Ground-types are safest (immune to Poison)
  • Psychic-types hit harder
  • Use Psychic Terrain for 1.5× Psychic move boost

Ground Tera Raids

Best Counters:

  • Azumarill (Water/Fairy) - Liquidation + Play Rough
  • Palafin (Water) - Jet Punch + Wave Crash
  • Rillaboom (Grass) - Wood Hammer + Grassy Glide

Key Moves:

  • Surf, Hydro Pump, Energy Ball, Ice Beam
  • Water/Grass/Ice-types deal 2× damage

Strategy:

  • Water-types are most reliable
  • Grass-types are bulkier
  • Use Rain Dance for 1.5× Water move boost

Flying Tera Raids

Best Counters:

  • Iron Hands (Fighting/Electric) - Thunder Punch
  • Miraidon (Electric/Dragon) - Electro Drift
  • Tyranitar (Rock/Dark) - Stone Edge + Rock Slide

Key Moves:

  • Thunderbolt, Thunder Punch, Stone Edge, Ice Beam
  • Electric/Ice/Rock-types deal 2× damage

Strategy:

  • Electric-types are fastest
  • Rock-types hit hardest (but take Flying damage)
  • Use Electric Terrain for 1.5× Electric move boost

Psychic Tera Raids

Best Counters:

  • Kingambit (Dark/Steel) - Sucker Punch + Iron Head
  • Gholdengo (Steel/Ghost) - Shadow Ball + Flash Cannon
  • Tyranitar (Rock/Dark) - Crunch + Stone Edge

Key Moves:

  • Crunch, Sucker Punch, Shadow Ball, X-Scissor
  • Bug/Ghost/Dark-types deal 2× damage

Strategy:

  • Dark-types are immune to Psychic
  • Ghost-types hit hard
  • Use Nasty Plot for Special Attack boosts

Bug Tera Raids

Best Counters:

  • Ceruledge (Fire/Ghost) - Bitter Blade + Flare Blitz
  • Skeledirge (Fire/Ghost) - Torch Song + Shadow Ball
  • Corviknight (Flying/Steel) - Brave Bird + Iron Head

Key Moves:

  • Flare Blitz, Brave Bird, Stone Edge, Air Slash
  • Fire/Flying/Rock-types deal 2× damage

Strategy:

  • Fire-types are most reliable
  • Flying-types are faster
  • Use Sunny Day for 1.5× Fire move boost

Rock Tera Raids

Best Counters:

  • Iron Hands (Fighting/Electric) - Drain Punch
  • Azumarill (Water/Fairy) - Liquidation + Play Rough
  • Great Tusk (Ground/Fighting) - Earthquake + Close Combat

Key Moves:

  • Close Combat, Earthquake, Liquidation, Energy Ball
  • Fighting/Ground/Water/Grass/Steel-types deal 2× damage

Strategy:

  • Fighting-types are fastest
  • Water-types are safest
  • Use Rain Dance for 1.5× Water move boost

Ghost Tera Raids

Best Counters:

  • Kingambit (Dark/Steel) - Sucker Punch + Iron Head
  • Gholdengo (Steel/Ghost) - Shadow Ball + Flash Cannon
  • Tyranitar (Rock/Dark) - Crunch + Stone Edge

Key Moves:

  • Crunch, Sucker Punch, Shadow Ball, Poltergeist
  • Ghost/Dark-types deal 2× damage

Strategy:

  • Dark-types resist Ghost
  • Ghost-types hit hardest
  • Use Nasty Plot for Special Attack boosts

Dragon Tera Raids

Best Counters:

  • Azumarill (Water/Fairy) - Play Rough + Liquidation
  • Flutter Mane (Ghost/Fairy) - Moonblast + Shadow Ball
  • Iron Valiant (Fairy/Fighting) - Moonblast + Close Combat

Key Moves:

  • Moonblast, Play Rough, Ice Beam, Dragon Pulse
  • Ice/Dragon/Fairy-types deal 2× damage

Strategy:

  • Fairy-types are immune to Dragon
  • Ice-types hit hardest (but take Dragon damage)
  • Use Calm Mind for Special Attack boosts

Dark Tera Raids

Best Counters:

  • Iron Hands (Fighting/Electric) - Drain Punch
  • Lucario (Fighting/Steel) - Close Combat + Aura Sphere
  • Azumarill (Water/Fairy) - Play Rough + Liquidation

Key Moves:

  • Close Combat, Play Rough, Moonblast, X-Scissor
  • Fighting/Bug/Fairy-types deal 2× damage

Strategy:

  • Fighting-types are most reliable
  • Fairy-types resist Dark
  • Use Bulk Up for Attack/Defense boosts

Steel Tera Raids

Best Counters:

  • Iron Hands (Fighting/Electric) - Drain Punch
  • Ceruledge (Fire/Ghost) - Bitter Blade + Flare Blitz
  • Great Tusk (Ground/Fighting) - Earthquake + Close Combat

Key Moves:

  • Close Combat, Earthquake, Flare Blitz, Fire Blast
  • Fighting/Ground/Fire-types deal 2× damage

Strategy:

  • Fighting-types are fastest
  • Fire-types hit hardest
  • Use Sunny Day for 1.5× Fire move boost

Fairy Tera Raids

Best Counters:

  • Gholdengo (Steel/Ghost) - Flash Cannon + Shadow Ball
  • Iron Moth (Fire/Poison) - Sludge Wave + Fiery Dance
  • Metagross (Steel/Psychic) - Meteor Mash + Zen Headbutt

Key Moves:

  • Flash Cannon, Sludge Bomb, Iron Head, Poison Jab
  • Poison/Steel-types deal 2× damage

Strategy:

  • Steel-types resist Fairy
  • Poison-types hit harder
  • Use Iron Defense for Defense boosts

Advanced Raid Strategies

Solo vs Multiplayer

Solo Raids:

  • NPCs are unreliable (use weak moves)
  • Bring a self-sufficient Pokemon (Azumarill, Iron Hands)
  • Use support moves yourself (Screech, Helping Hand)
  • Takes longer but more consistent

Multiplayer Raids:

  • Coordinate with team (don't all attack at once)
  • One player uses support moves (Screech, Acid Spray)
  • Others stack damage
  • Much faster but requires communication

Support Moves Tier List

S-Tier (Always Useful):

  • Screech - Lowers Defense by 2 stages (helps physical attackers)
  • Acid Spray - Lowers Special Defense by 2 stages (helps special attackers)
  • Helping Hand - Boosts ally's damage by 1.5× (multiplayer only)

A-Tier (Situational):

  • Light Screen - Halves Special damage for 5 turns
  • Reflect - Halves Physical damage for 5 turns
  • Tailwind - Doubles Speed for 4 turns

B-Tier (Niche):

  • Trick Room - Reverses Speed order (for slow attackers)
  • Rain Dance / Sunny Day - Boosts Water/Fire moves by 1.5×
  • Electric Terrain / Grassy Terrain - Boosts Electric/Grass moves by 1.5×

Item Recommendations

Best Raid Items:

  1. Shell Bell - Heals 1/8 of damage dealt (sustain)
  2. Leftovers - Heals 1/16 HP per turn (passive healing)
  3. Life Orb - 1.3× damage boost (aggressive)
  4. Metronome - Stacks damage for repeated moves
  5. Punching Glove - 1.1× punch move power (Iron Hands)

EV Spread Recommendations

Offensive Pokemon:

  • 252 Atk or SpA / 4 Def or SpD / 252 Spe
  • Maximize damage output

Bulky Attackers:

  • 252 HP / 252 Atk or SpA / 4 Def or SpD
  • Survive longer, deal consistent damage

Support Pokemon:

  • 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD (physical bulk)
  • 252 HP / 252 SpD / 4 Def (special bulk)

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Not Breaking Shields Fast Enough

Mistake: Using weak moves that don't break shields Fix: Always bring super effective moves (2× damage)

2. Attacking During Shield Phase

Mistake: Wasting turns attacking when shield is up Fix: Use support moves (Screech, Acid Spray) during shield phase

3. Not Using Support Moves

Mistake: Everyone attacks, no one supports Fix: One player uses Screech/Acid Spray, others attack

4. Terastallizing Too Early

Mistake: Tera on Turn 1 without thinking Fix: Save Tera for late game (when boss is low HP)

5. Bringing Wrong Type

Mistake: Using Pokemon weak to raid boss Fix: Always check raid boss Tera Type before starting

Conclusion

Mastering Tera Raids requires understanding type matchups, building optimized Pokemon, and coordinating with your team. Use this guide to dominate every raid type!

Quick Reference:

  • Normal → Fighting (Iron Hands, Lucario)
  • Fire → Water (Azumarill, Palafin)
  • Water → Electric/Grass (Miraidon, Rillaboom)
  • Grass → Fire (Ceruledge, Skeledirge)
  • Electric → Ground (Garchomp, Great Tusk)
  • Ice → Fighting/Fire (Iron Hands, Ceruledge)
  • Fighting → Psychic/Flying/Fairy (Gholdengo, Flutter Mane)
  • Poison → Ground/Psychic (Garchomp, Espathra)
  • Ground → Water/Grass/Ice (Azumarill, Rillaboom)
  • Flying → Electric/Ice/Rock (Miraidon, Tyranitar)
  • Psychic → Bug/Ghost/Dark (Kingambit, Gholdengo)
  • Bug → Fire/Flying/Rock (Ceruledge, Corviknight)
  • Rock → Fighting/Ground/Water (Iron Hands, Azumarill)
  • Ghost → Ghost/Dark (Kingambit, Gholdengo)
  • Dragon → Ice/Dragon/Fairy (Azumarill, Flutter Mane)
  • Dark → Fighting/Bug/Fairy (Iron Hands, Azumarill)
  • Steel → Fighting/Ground/Fire (Iron Hands, Ceruledge)
  • Fairy → Poison/Steel (Gholdengo, Iron Moth)

Next Steps:

  • Build your raid team using this guide
  • Practice with 5-star raids first
  • Join multiplayer raids for faster clears
  • Check our Type Calculator for detailed matchups

Happy raiding! 🎮✨

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