Pokemon Scarlet and Violet players are getting another chance to take on the Iron Leaves Tera Raid, and they’ll quickly find that this Paradox Pokemon is a handful. Finding the best counter to Iron Leaves is difficult as this Pokemon hits like a freight train and can quickly wipe a group. However, there are a couple of Pokemon we’ve found to use against it that can withstand its deadly Psyblade and Leaf Blade attacks.
What’s the best Iron Leaves counter in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet?
Gholdengo is the best Pokemon we’ve found to use against Iron Leaves. As a Steel/Ghost dual-type, it resists all of Iron Leaves’ attacks and can potentially end the raid in a handful of turns if luck is with you.
Here’s the stats I used for my build:
Gholdengo
- Level: 100
- EVs:
- HP: 252
- Sp. Atk: 252
- Def: 4
- Moveset:
- Metal Sound
- Nasty Plot
- Shadow Ball
- (Any move)
- Held Item: Shell Bell
Once you’ve got your Gholdengo built, use this strategy in the Tera Raid:
- Turn 1: Use Metal Sound to reduce its Special Defense.
- Turn 2: Use Nasty Plot and boost your Special Attack stat.
- Turn 3+: Use Shadow Ball
Ideally, your team will be able to take advantage of your Metal Sound while you buff with Nasty Plot. On turn three, you can start putting the hurt on Iron Leaves with Shadow Ball, and the held Shell Bell should cure any damage it manages to cause.
The most significant risk with this strategy is that Iron Leaves will eventually wear you down if you’re trying to carry a group during an online raid. You’ll need at least one or two teammates who know what they’re doing to succeed.
If you’re facing Iron Leaves solo, you can soften it up a bit with an extra Metal Sound or get another buff in with a second Nasty Plot before it activates its barrier.
Alternative Iron Leaves counter
Gholdengo is a pain to get, so we recommend a second counter if you haven’t completed the arduous task of accumulating 999 Gimmighoul coins. A great alternative is Kingambit. As a Dark/Steel dual type, it is immune to Psyblade and resists Leaf Blade.
Here’s my Kingambit build for this raid:
Kingambit
- Level: 100
- EVs:
- HP: 252
- Attack: 252
- Def: 4
- Moveset:
- Kowtow Cleave
- Swords Dance
- (Any move)
- (Any move)
- Held Item: Shell Bell
Use this strategy to win the Tera Raid:
- Turn 1-2: Use Swords Dance to raise your Attack.
- Turn 3+: Use Kowtow Cleave until you defeat Iron Leaves.
Kingambit is a little less efficient than Gholdengo but has more staying power due to its immunity to Psyblade. If you fight solo, you can get a third Swords Dance in before you start spamming Kowtow Cleave.
