Pokemon Scarlet and Violet Ice Empoleon 7-star Tera Raid guide: Counters, weaknesses, and more

Pokemon Scarlet and Violet's next Tera Raid event features an Ice-type Empoleon in 7-star raids. It will take place in two rounds from February 2, 2024, to February 4, 2024, and from February 9, 2024, to February 11, 2024. Trainers are already preparing their creatures via EV training, held items, and more to maximize their chances of defeating this Terastallized boss and reaping the rewards it offers.

However, as a 7-star raid boss, this icy Empoleon won't be an easy opponent to beat. This is particularly true due to its ability, Competitive, which increases its Special Attack stat by two stages each time its stats are lowered, which can lead to a quick team wipe for the raiders if they aren't careful. Fortunately, with the right counters, the Pocket Monster is still beatable.

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Ice Empoleon's strengths and weaknesses in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet

Empoleon's Blueberry Pokedex art in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet (Image via The Pokemon Company)

• Tera Type: Ice
• Ability: Competitive
• IVs: 31 IVs in all stats
• Potential Moves: Surf, Hydro Pump, Flash Cannon, Blizzard, Snowscape, Metal Sound

Although Empoleon is normally a Water/Steel-type creature in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, this raid boss is an Ice-type critter in this raid due to the process of Terastallization. Given this information, it will be weak to the following attack types:

• Fighting
• Fire
• Rock
• Steel

Meanwhile, Empoleon will take reduced damage from these move types:

• Ice

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Best counters to Ice Empoleon in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet raids

The move Skill Swap is incredibly valuable in this Pokemon Scarlet and Violet raid (Image via The Pokemon Company)

The best counters for this Empoleon raid in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet will be able to resist damage from its Water-, Ice-, and Steel-type attacks while also negating or avoiding the Competitive ability. Fortunately, the right counters can be constructed to defeat Empoleon, even solo, if trainers are careful with what NPC trainers they bring into battle to ensure they don't accidentally trigger Competitive.

If players are having trouble taking down this particular Empoleon, they can give the following counter builds a shot:

Pokemon	Ability	Tera Type	Nature	Moveset	Held Item	EV Points
Bronzong	Heavy Metal	Fighting	Bold	Skill Swap, Body Press, Iron Defense, Sunny Day	Shell Bell	252 Defense and Special Defense, 4 HP
Gholdengo	Good as Gold	Steel	Modest	Light Screen, Flash Cannon, Sandstorm, Nasty Plot	Shell Bell	252 Special Attack and Special Defense, 4 HP
Iron Hands	Quark Drive	Fighting	Adamant	Belly Drum, Electric Terrain, Swords Dance, Drain Punch	Black Belt	252 Attack and Special Defense, 4 HP

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How to defeat Ice Empoleon in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet's 7-star raids

While the builds above will allow trainers to defeat Empoleon, it's vital to ensure that any NPC trainers brought into the battle don't use moves that lower Empoleon's stats. This will boost its Special Attack via the Competitive ability, resulting in a massive power increase that even Pokemon who can resist its Ice/Water/Steel typing can't overcome due to the damage.

Here, players can find strategies for each counter build:

• Bronzong - Skill Swap removes Empoleon's Competitive ability. Sunny Day is used to remove any snow effects that the raid boss creates. Meanwhile, the classic Iron Defense + Body Press combo will deal heavy Fighting-type damage since Empoleon will be weak to it, and the damage scales off of Bronzong's Defense stat, which is increased steadily via Iron Defense.
• Gholdengo - Sandstorm is used to remove snow effects. Light Screen is Gholdengo's protective measure against Empoleon's Special Attacks. Nasty Plot + Flash Cannon are used as a combo to skyrocket Gholdengo's Special Attack stat before hitting for super-effective damage with Flash Cannon. Gholdengo's Good as Gold ability will also prevent Empoleon from lowering its stats.
• Iron Hands - The conventional Iron Hands solo raid build in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet. Utilizes Belly Drum and Swords Dance to push Iron Hands' Attack stat through the roof, while Electric Terrain can be used to activate Quark Drive, increasing its Attack by another 30%. Drain Punch allows Iron Hands to deal damage and heal simultaneously while also dealing super effective damage to Empoleon.

While these builds are constructed for self-sufficiency in raids, they still work fantastically as part of a multiplayer Pokemon Scarlet and Violet team composition. Either way, Empoleon should fall relatively quickly, and trainers can claim it as their own by catching it in addition to reaping a large collection of reward items.

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

Mighty Empoleon Tera Raid item drops || Mighty Empoleon OHKO guide || Mighty Empoleon solo guide || Mighty Empoleon 7-star Tera Raid guide || 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