How to Unlock 6-Star Raids in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet: A Comprehensive Guide

Pokémon Scarlet and Violet introduced exciting new features to the Pokémon franchise, and one of the most engaging is the Tera Raid Battle system. These battles, which range in difficulty from 1-star to 6-star, offer incredible rewards, including rare Pokémon, powerful held items, and valuable resources. Among the most sought-after and challenging are the elusive 6-star Tera Raids. These raids feature high-level, exceptionally powerful Pokémon with unique Tera Types, making them a true test of your team’s strength and your strategic prowess. However, unlocking them isn’t a straightforward process. This comprehensive guide will walk you through every step required to unlock 6-star raids in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, ensuring you’re well-prepared for these ultimate challenges.

Understanding Tera Raids

Before diving into the unlocking process, it’s essential to understand the fundamentals of Tera Raid Battles. Tera Raids are cooperative battles where you team up with up to three other players or AI trainers to defeat a Dynamaxed (or Terastallized) Pokémon. Each Pokémon has a specific Tera Type, which grants it a unique typing and boosts the power of its moves of that type. The difficulty of a raid is indicated by its star rating, with 1-star being the easiest and 6-star the most challenging. 6-Star Raids feature Pokémon at level 75-90, often with perfect IVs, and the Pokémon will frequently employ powerful moves and status-altering effects.

Why Unlock 6-Star Raids?

Unlocking 6-star raids isn’t just about bragging rights; it’s about accessing some of the best rewards in the game. Here’s why you should aim to unlock them:

• Rare Pokémon: 6-star raids feature evolved forms of Pokémon and rare encounters that are difficult to obtain otherwise.
• Hidden Abilities: Many of the Pokémon found in 6-star raids have a chance to possess their hidden abilities, opening up new strategic opportunities.
• Herba Mystica: These are extremely rare and valuable ingredients that are vital for making Sparkling Power sandwiches. Sparkling Power sandwiches drastically increase your chances of encountering shiny Pokémon. They are essential for Shiny hunting.
• Ability Patches: One of the rarest items in the game, Ability Patches allow you to change a Pokémon’s normal ability to its hidden ability, and are typically a rare reward for 6-star raids.
• Bottle Caps and Gold Bottle Caps: You will be able to get more Silver Bottle Caps in 5-star raids, but Gold Bottle Caps are more common in 6-star raids. These items allow you to raise a Pokémon’s IVs.
• Experience Candy XL: The highest tier of experience candies.
• Challenging Gameplay: 6-star raids offer a true test of your skill and strategy, requiring well-planned teams and effective coordination with allies.

The Journey to 6-Star Raids: A Step-by-Step Guide

Unlocking 6-star raids requires progressing through the game and completing a series of post-game objectives. Here’s a detailed breakdown of each step:

Step 1: Complete the Main Story

The first and most crucial step is completing the main storyline of Pokémon Scarlet or Violet. This includes defeating all eight Gym Leaders, the Titan Pokémon, and Team Star bosses. You will then proceed to the final area of the game, Area Zero. You must complete the entire story and watch the end credits in order to trigger the necessary events. You’ll know you’ve finished the main story once the credits roll.

Step 2: Unlock the Academy Ace Tournament

After completing the main story, you’ll unlock the Academy Ace Tournament. This tournament allows you to battle all the gym leaders again, as well as other trainers in the academy, including your own friends and rivals. It is located inside the academy. You need to win the tournament at least once. It is best to prepare a strong team to ensure that your first run through the tournament is a successful one. Once you win, the tournament will become repeatable.

Step 3: Complete the Post-Game Story: The Path of Legends Reimagined

After completing the Academy Ace Tournament, you’ll receive a phone call from Professor Dendra, inviting you back to the Crater. This marks the beginning of the post-game storyline, which focuses on re-battling the Titan Pokémon. You will need to revisit the locations of all the titan battles from the main story and re-battle them as the fully powered version of those titans. You need to complete all of those rematches. Once you’ve done this, you’ll be well on your way to unlocking 6-star raids.

Step 4: Defeat all Gym Leaders Again

Following the conclusion of the post-game Titan rematch storyline, you will now have to battle the Gym Leaders all over again. This time however, their teams will have more power and their Pokémon’s levels will be higher than the first time you battled them. You should make sure you are ready for this challenge. It’s recommended to have a strong team with Pokémon around Level 70-75, with good type coverage.

Step 5: Participate in 5-Star Raids

Once you’ve defeated the Gym Leaders again, you’ll start to see 5-star raids appear on your map. This is the final hurdle before you unlock 6-star raids. You will need to complete 10 or more 5-Star Raids. This can be done solo, with friends or with random players online. It can be tedious, but the rewards from 5-star raids are still worthwhile. After completing the required number of 5-star raids, you will receive a phone call from Jacq.

Step 6: The Phone Call from Jacq: Unlocking 6-Star Raids

After completing a sufficient number of 5-star raids (usually around 10), Jacq, one of the professors in the academy, will call you. He’ll explain the discovery of even more powerful Tera Pokémon, this phone call is the final event that unlocks 6-star raids. Following the phone call, you will see new black crystal raid dens appear on your map. These are the 6-star raids.

Step 7: Finding 6-Star Raids

After Jacq’s phone call, 6-star raids will start appearing on your map as black crystal raid dens. These are more difficult to spot than the regular crystal dens, but they are noticeable due to their unique color. They only spawn in specific locations, unlike the regular crystal dens which can appear anywhere. The spawn locations are usually: Asado Desert, Casseroya Lake, East Province (Area Three), Glaseado Mountain, North Province (Area One), North Province (Area Three), South Province (Area Five), South Province (Area Six), West Province (Area Three). It will likely take some time to find a six star raid. Make sure to refresh your map by doing other activities like completing a picnic, or visiting towns.

Tips for Successfully Completing 6-Star Raids

6-star raids are significantly more challenging than any other raid in the game. To increase your chances of success, consider these tips:

• Team Composition: Build a team of Pokémon with diverse type coverage and high stats. Consider bringing Pokémon that can debuff enemy stats, such as Screech or Fake Tears, or heal your teammates.
• Effective Tera Types: Choose your Tera Type wisely. A Pokémon with the same Tera Type as one of its base types will have very strong attacks. For example, a Garchomp with a Ground type Tera type will have a devastating Ground type attack.
• Support Pokémon: Include support Pokémon that can heal allies, provide stat boosts, or use moves like Light Screen or Reflect to reduce damage taken. Popular choices include Umbreon, Blissey, and Sylveon.
• EV Training: Make sure that your Pokémon have proper EV training to boost the stats that your Pokémon relies on. This will make a big difference when battling tougher enemies.
• IV Breeding: Aim for Pokémon with good Individual Values (IVs), which can be bred using the egg breeding process.
• Sandwiches: Use helpful sandwiches to increase specific stats, or boost raid power. Attack power sandwiches are particularly effective.
• Communication: If playing with friends, communicate effectively to coordinate strategies and roles in the raid battle.
• Type Match-ups: Understand the type advantages and disadvantages and bring Pokémon that are strong against the boss’s Tera type.
• Know the Move-Sets: Every Pokémon in a raid has access to a specific move set. If possible, try to learn which moves a Pokémon can use. This can help you come up with an appropriate strategy.
• Utilize Status Moves: Some status moves can be incredibly effective in 6-star raids. For example, Thunder Wave can slow an opponent down to give you a better advantage.
• Don’t Be Afraid to Experiment: Not all raids will be the same. Sometimes it might take a few tries to figure out the best approach. Be ready to adjust your strategy and team composition if necessary.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Even experienced players can make mistakes when tackling 6-star raids. Here are some common pitfalls to avoid:

• Ignoring Type Advantages: Not understanding type match-ups can lead to quick defeats. Always check the boss’s Tera Type and plan accordingly.
• Using Underleveled Pokémon: Make sure your Pokémon are at least Level 75 and have good stats and natures.
• Overlooking Support Roles: Neglecting support roles can hinder your team’s ability to survive and deal damage.
• Not Using Items: Don’t forget to use items, such as X Attacks, X Defends and Potions. They are very valuable when used at the right moment.
• Ignoring Status Ailments: If a Pokémon inflicts you with a status ailment, it is best to remove it as soon as possible.
• Underestimating the Boss: 6-star raids feature incredibly powerful Pokémon, so always approach with caution and be prepared for anything.
• Not Healing: You may not realize how important it is to heal during a 6-star raid. It can be the difference between victory and defeat. Make sure to have at least one Pokémon with a healing ability, or use healing items when necessary.

Conclusion

Unlocking 6-star raids in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet is a challenging but rewarding endeavor. By following this comprehensive guide, you’ll be well-prepared to tackle these formidable battles and reap their amazing rewards. Remember to build strong teams, use effective strategies, and learn from every encounter. With perseverance and preparation, you’ll conquer any 6-star raid that comes your way. Good luck, trainers, and happy raiding! The thrill of finally obtaining a very rare Pokémon or valuable item is worth the effort.

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