5 tips and tricks for Indigo Disk Double Battles in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet

Indigo Disk Double Battles will be everywhere in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet’s latest DLC. Every skirmish with a trainer will require two of your Pocket Monsters to go into battle simultaneously and work together against your opponent’s team. While some people might find these battles tedious, they offer a wealth of new tactical possibilities. Moves that were 100% worthless are now viable in a way they weren’t throughout most of the main story.

These Indigo Disk Double Battles could completely change how you use your Pokemon. While it’s perfectly fine to just build a team with nothing but aggressive attack moves, this combat style offers you the wiggle room for other, more support-style moves.

Here are some tips to get you started in this DLC.

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Things to keep in mind for Indigo Disk Double Battles for Pokemon Scarlet and Violet

1) Consider the synergy of your Pokemon

Make sure your Pokemon don't destroy each other (Image via Nintendo)

Indigo Disk Double Battles have you use the first two Pokemon in your squad in two vs. two battles. While you could just put your two highest-level monsters in the front and hope for the best, that will not always be the greatest move. For example, having two Pokemon up front that have AOE moves that are strong versus each other could have you accidentally KOing members of your team.

It’s important to ensure that the two Pocket Monsters you bring to the Indigo Disk Double Battles will work well together. A great example is if you use a Pokemon with AOE Ground attacks, pairing them with a versatile flyer will likely mean they take no damage from Bulldoze and Earthquake.

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2) Don’t be afraid to use AOE moves

Sometimes, it's fun to just Bulldoze teams down (Image via Nintendo)

I know I said that you can accidentally KO your teammates in Indigo Disk Double Battles, but that doesn’t mean you should stray away from AOE attacks. AOE moves, also called Spread moves, hit all members of these challenging battles except the original user of said ability (EG: Earthquake).

Depending on what Pokemon you field in these fights, it’s perfectly safe and fine to spend a turn splashing down Spread moves. I’m fond of doing this when I have an AOE Pokemon and a tanky backup that’s resistant to the attack move in question. If you’re confident your move can OHKO (One Hit KO) an enemy, it’s worth using it.

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3) Support Pokemon thrive in Double Battles

Even Rillaboom can be useful in a support role (Image via Nintendo)

One thing that makes Indigo Disk Double Battles so much fun is that pure support Pokemon are more viable than ever before. This means you can run a damage dealer - a Pokemon that only has powerful attack-type moves, and then a second one with moves that focus on healing and support.

Protect, Heal Pulse, and Helping Hand are better than ever when in a Double Battle. This allows you to keep your most powerful Pokemon exactly how they are while having a secondary that only keeps your team alive.

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4) Swap from “Pure Damage” movesets to more balanced sets

On the topic of movesets, when you’re playing competitively, you will use fewer “pure damage” move lists. This can also be useful in Indigo Disk Double Battles. Keeping a group of Pokemon with a few attack and defense moves means you’re more prepared for an assortment of battles.

After all, the Indigo Disk is supposed to be far more challenging than The Teal Mask for Pokemon Scarlet and Violet. If your team also features different elemental types, you can have one use a defensive move and then swap the next turn to keep enemies on their toes. This is great in PVP and PVE encounters.

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5) Have answers for a wide variety of Pokemon types

Having several move types won't hurt (Image via Nintendo)

One thing I’ve noticed in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet’s Indigo Disk Double Battles is that they have a wider assortment of Pokemon types. This is made clear in the first battle against Lacey. She uses Electric types first but then swaps to Steel/Ground for her second type.

Consider the more popular Pokemon move types: Dragon, Fairy, Steel, and Water. If you’re playing against people you know in Double Battles, consider how they think, and try to spread your team out across several types. You might give up STAB (Same Type Attack Bonus) for having Dark moves on a Ghost, for example, but having that extra flexibility can be the difference between victory and defeat.

Pokemon Scarlet and Violet’s latest DLC, Indigo Disk, is now live worldwide. Over 200 new Pokemon await trainers, including a wealth of classic Legendaries.

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Check out other Pokemon Scarlet and Violet guides to have an easier time:

Best starters for Scarlet and Violet || Best team for early, mid, and late game || Obedience level and badge requirements || Indigo Disk BB Elite Four and Champion guide || Best Doubles teams for Regulation F