As the fan base for Pokemon Scarlet & Violet gets more and more exciting, it becomes necessary to get all the information out there on how best to maximize a Pokemon's abilities. There are a number of items in the game that are used to boost Pokemon's stats, and in order to complete the game, it's necessary to utilize these items in order to get an advantage over the opponent.
Among those items are battle items. They are rarely utilized due to confusion about what exactly they do - as nothing in the game particularly highlights them. Despite that, there is an entire menu of the inventory dedicated to them, and they are reasonably easy to find in the over world. Read ahead for a comprehensive guide on how exactly battle items work in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet.
Pokemon Scarlet & Violet: Battle Items Overview
Item | Effect | |
|---|---|---|
 | X Attack | An item used to increase the Attack of a Pokemon by two stages in battle. The effects will wear off once the battle is over or the Pokemon is withdrawn. |
 | X Defense | An item used to increase the Defense of a Pokemon by two stages in battle. The effects will wear off once the battle is over or the Pokemon is withdrawn. |
 | X Sp. Atk | An item used to increase the Special Attack of a Pokemon by two stages in battle. The effects will wear off once the battle is over or the Pokemon is withdrawn. |
 | X Sp. Def | An item used to increase the Special Defense of a Pokemon by two stages in battle. The effects will wear off once the battle is over or the Pokemon is withdrawn. |
 | X Speed | An item used to increase the Speed of a Pokemon by two stages in battle. The effects will wear off once the battle is over or the Pokemon is withdrawn. |
 | X Accuracy | An item used to increase the Accuracy of a Pokemon by two stages in battle. The effects will wear off once the battle is over or the Pokemon is withdrawn. |
 | Dire Hit | Temporarily increases the user's critical-hit ratio by 1 in battle and wears off once the Pokemon is withdrawn. |
 | Guard Spec. | An item used to protect a Pokemon from stat reduction for five turns in battle. |
How To Use Battle Items In Pokemon Scarlet & Violet
As the name suggests, battle items are used in battle, not given to Pokemon to hold. They are used in the same way healing items are, straight from the bag. As is the case with healing items, using battle items takes up a turn. Because of this, they should be used sparingly and effectively. When used, they can provide a real advantage over the opponent.
It should be noted that battle items cannot be used in competitive play, either through local communication or online, due to the limited access to the bag in competitive battles. This means they are most effectively utilized in the main, single-player campaign; against other Pokemon, trainers, gym leaders, or any others the player may encounter along their journey.
Players should pay attention to the description of battle items to use them effectively. In Pokemon Scarlet & Violet, battle items are most effectively used against Gym Leaders, especially in the post-game, where these elite trainers will be utilizing higher-powered Pokemon and more cunning tactics than usual.
Potentially the most useful battle items are X Speed and Guard Spec. X Speed can be used to compensate for low speed, giving a Pokemon with high attack and defense the first move and the upper hand against a powerful opponent. Guard Spec, on the other hand, creates a mist across the battlefield that protects the Pokemon from any stat-lowering moves or abilities for five turns. It does not, however, prevent the Pokemon from lowering its own stats (such as a non-Ghost Pokemon using Curse).
While this isn't mentioned in the in-game description, battle items also increase friendship with the Pokemon they are used on. This might be something for players to consider when battling with Pokemon that require high friendship to evolve.
Where To Get Battle Items In Pokemon Scarlet & Violet
Battle items can be purchased from any Chansey Supply. All the 'X' items (Attack, Defense, Special Attack, Special Defense, Speed, and Accuracy) have no unlock requirements, meaning they can be purchased before any Gym Badges have been unlocked. Dire Hit and Guard Spec are unlocked after three Gym Badges. All battle items cost 1,000 Pokecoins, aside from X Speed, which costs 2,000.
Pokemon Scarlet & Violet are available now on the Nintendo Switch.