The latest seven-star Tera Raid event has arrived in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet with Hisuian Decidueye and players have already come up with a set of builds and counters to take it down with ease.
Game Freak continues to keep the latest mainline Pokemon games feeling fresh with Tera Raid events. The latest example of this is with Hisuian Decidueye, a Pokemon that hasn’t previously been available in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet. While there was previously a Decidueye event where players could breed themselves duplicates, its regional variant from Pokemon Legends: Arceus was otherwise unobtainable.
Many players are still recovering from the sheer brutality of the Mewtwo event. The good news is that this one is shaping up to possibly be even easier than the Rillaboom Tera Raid event that preceded it.
Tera Raid event Hisuian Decidueye moveset, strategy
The event Hisuian Decidueye has a strategy built around stat boosts for its Attack and Defense stats while lowering opponents’ Defense.
As usual, this raid boss has a powerful moveset that boasts a lot of coverage options. Here is the moveset for the event Hisuian Decidueye:
- Triple Arrows
- Brave Bird
- Shadow Claw
- Leaf Blade
For bonus actions, it boosts its stats using Bulk Up followed by Swords Dance early on, then follows that with a Grassy Terrain and Leaf Storm combination. This is largely standard fare for a Tera Raid boss, but it’s made more difficult by the move Triple Arrows. Triple Arrows is a particularly brutal move, boasting an increased critical hit chance alongside a 30% chance to both lower its victim’s Defense stat and flinch.
The good news is that it only resets the opponents’ stat changes once, very early on in the game. This means that players who can resist most of its attacks, negate its stat boosts, and get in super-effective hits of their own can take the victory.
The best Hisuian Decidueye counters for Pokemon Scarlet and Violet raid event
Corviknight and Toxtricity are the best counters against the event Hisuian Decidueye, and both can defeat it in solo raids. Both Pokemon resist all Decidueye’s its grass-type moves and avoid super-effective damage from any of its other attacks.
These two are ideal for solo players because they also have the capacity to either lower Hisuian Decidueye’s stats or boost their own. Both Pokemon also work in online raids, but playing solo also lowers the chances of incompetent teammates.
Here is the best Toxtricity build to counter and then beat the event Hisuian Decidueye in solo raids:
- Level: 100
- EVs: 6 HP, 252 Defense, 252 Sp. Attack
- Nature: Modest
- Ability: Technician
- Tera Type: Poison
- Moves: Nuzzle, Acid Spray, Sludge Bomb, Taunt
- Held Item: Shell Bell
Toxtricity is the best, most foolproof counter to Hisuian Decidueye for solo raids. There’s also little worry about RNG or what the AI-controlled ally Pokemon are.
This build uses Toxitricity’s advantageous typing, support options, and Acid Spray. Acid Spray boosted by STAB and the Technician ability does respectable damage but also harshly lowers the recipient’s Sp. Defense stat.
The step-by-step process is to use Taunt on turn one to prevent Bulk Up then Nuzzle on turn two to paralyze it. From there, use an Acid Spray, then Taunt again. This will prevent Decidueye from using the stat-boosting moves that its lethality is largely predicated on. The Decidueye will eventually knock Toxtricity out and bring up its shield. After coming back, use a Nuzzle again, then Terastalize and spam Acid Spray until its defenses are bottomed out. From there, use Sludge Bomb until the raid boss falls.
Here’s the step-by-step strategy:
- Taunt
- Nuzzle
- Acid Spray
- Taunt
- Acid Spray until being knocked out
- Nuzzle
- Terastalize and Acid Spray until Hisuian Decidueye’s Sp. Defense is dropped six stages
- Sludge Bomb until winning
Corviknight is another great option for solo raids for the Hisuian Decidueye Tera Raid event. Here’s the best build to use:
- Level: 100
- EVs: 252 HP, 252 Defense, 6 Attack
- Nature: Adamant
- Ability: Mirror Armor
- Tera Type: Flying
- Moves: Reflect, Bulk Up, Roost, Drill Peck
- Held Item: Shell Bell
Corviknight takes advantage of the fact that Hisuian Decidueye doesn’t reset the players’ stats more than once. Players can throw up Reflect on turn one and then just spam Bulk Up until stats are maxed. Corviknight has the ability to invest its EVs almost entirely in bulk because of the Mirror Armor ability.
Mirror Armor reflects back any negative stat changes against opponents. This means that whenever Triple Arrows lowers Corviknight’s Defense stat, Hisuian Decidueye’s Defense stat is also lowered. With maxed Attack from Bulk Up and Hisuian Decidueye’s Defense stat dropping a few times, Corviknight can deal huge damage even without any offensive EV investment.
Ceruledge can also be used during the event to counter Hisuian Decidueye. Players can use Bulk Up to boost their own stats and Will O Wisp and Clear Smog to keep Hisuian Decidueye from hitting too hard early on. This build is effective, but is reliant on some favorable RNG early on as a critical hit Shadow Claw from Decidueye can one-shot Ceruledge.
Those who can play online have it relatively easy. Hisuian Decidueye isn’t an especially hard Tera Raid boss and players can improvise builds with a long list of Pokemon including Galarian Weezing, Muk, Dragonite, and others. The key is simply to have a player that can lower or neutralize its stat changes and avoid being weak against any of its standard moves.
