A player exploring Pokemon Scarlet and Violet has made an important discovery that opens up new avenues for support options within Tera Raids. The emergence of this new information has led to level 1 Shinx gaining a niche as a legitimate support option within Pokemon Scarlet and Violet's Tera Raid Events for two main reasons.
Tera Raids are an important part of Pokemon Scarlet and Violet's multiplayer, allowing players to team with up to three friends and take on difficult bosses in the hopes of obtaining rare rewards. While the majority of raids are beatable solo, recent events, such as the first seven-star difficulty Pokemon Scarlet and Violet Charizard Tera Raid Event, have forced players to explore support options with moves such as Reflect, Light Screen, Acid Spray, and Helping Hand.
One recent discovery made by Reddit user DBrody6 is that the amount the timer decreases by when you or an ally's Pokemon faints correlates directly with the level of the fainted Pokemon. While the fainting of a level 100 dents the timer considerably, a level 1 reduces it by such a small amount that it's barely noticeable. Upon being sent out after fainting, a Pokemon will also reactivate its ability. These two unlikely factors have combined to make Shinx a legitimate contender as a support option for the Pokemon Scarlet and Violet Cinderace Tera Raid Event due to it being far easier to obtain than several other support options.
What makes a level 1 Shinx a viable support option for the Cinderace event is one of its possible abilities, Intimidate. Intimidate lowers the attack of enemy Pokemon by one stage each time it triggers, and Cinderace attacks using exclusively physical moves in addition to raising its own attack stat through the use of Bulk Up. Through repeatedly fainting while having a negligible impact on the Tera Raid timer, Shinx can trigger Intimidate relentlessly to ensure Cinderace is never able to boost its attack stat to a worrying degree. Shinx is also capable of learning Helping Hand, allowing it to boost the damage output of Pokemon Scarlet and Violet Tera Raid MVP Slowbro.
Further testing by Reddit users suggests that the timer in Tera Raids is hit pretty heavily even by level 1 Pokemon if they have high base stats, meaning single-stage critters such as Heracross will most certainly not work with this strategy - particularly because they also do not have access to Intimidate. Those wanting to try out level 1 strategies in Tera Raids should not only stick to tried and tested Pokemon, such as Shinx, but also remember that some raids, such as the Pokemon Scarlet and Violet Delibird Tera Raid Event, are not difficult enough to warrant using a support in place of a hard hitter. Due to intimidate reducing attack and not special attack, the strategy is also entirely ineffective against special attacking powerhouses such as Espathra, Glimmora, and Hydreigon. Despite this, when it works, it really works.
Pokemon Scarlet & Violet are available now for the Nintendo Switch.
