Pokemon Scarlet and Violet (SV)

Best Held Items for Competitive Battle

Unlike in the game's main campaign in the new Gen 9 titles, using items from the bag is not allowed in Ranked Battles. Instead, Trainers must equip their Pokemon with the Best Held Items like Focus Sash or Leftovers to help secure victory. Read on for our thoughts on the Best Held Items for Ranked Battles in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet (SV).

Held Items Explained

Held Items Can Affect The Outcome of Certain Matchups

Case Attacking Pokemon Defending Pokemon Turn Summary
A Honchkrow ImageHonchkrow @ Choice Scarf
Uses Night Slash
Hisuian Zoroark ImageHisuian Zoroark @ Leftovers
Uses Hyper Beam
Honchkrow outspeeds thanks to Choice Scarf and KOs Hiuian Zoroark.
Honchkrow Wins
B Honchkrow ImageHonchkrow @ Choice Scarf
Uses Night Slash
Hisuian Zoroark ImageHisuian Zoroark @ Focus Sash
Uses Counter
Hiuian Zoroark lives Honchkrow's Night Slash at 1HP before returning the damage with Counter.
Hisuian Zorark Wins

Choosing the right Held Items are just as important as choosing your Pokemon's movesets and Abilities. Having the proper Held Item can turn the tides of battle.

Certain items will help with damage output, while some will help with survivability. Consider how different items may affect your team's chances at success.

New Items

Each Team Member Must Have A Unique Item

To allow for variance in team building, trainers are not allowed to equip an item more than once onto members of their team. In order to prepare a full team, you'll also need at least six different items.

Useful Items Used During Story Mode May Be Useless in Ranked Battles

While you may spend most of your journey equipping useful items such as the Amulet Coin or Smoke Ball, these items don't provide any battle benefits for Ranked Battles. Avoid using these types of items in Ranked Battles.

Consumable Items are Replenished After Battle

During Story Mode, Berry items such as Sitrus Berry are typically used up once activated in battle. However, these consumable items are replenished after every Ranked Battle. There is no need to worry about acquiring multiple Berries in between battles.

As of Scarlet and Violet, Battle Items like Focus Sash no longer expire in Story Mode battles either!

Best Held Items for Ranked Battle

Held Items Tier List

S Tier Held Items ・Focus Sash
・Choice Scarf
・Life Orb
・Leftovers
・Assault Vest
・Lum Berry
・Clear Amulet
A Tier Held Items ・Sitrus Berry
B Tier Held Items ・Choice Band
・Choice Specs
C Tier Held Items ・Damage Reduction Berries
・Black Sludge
・Expert Belt

Have The Items Above Ready Before Team Building

As you battle-test your team, you may have to do some tweaking with your party-members. Having the different items ready can help you try out different strategies with each team member.

S Tier Held Items Explained

Held Item Effect
Focus Sash If the holder has full HP, it will endure a potential KO attack with 1 HP. The item then disappears.
Choice Scarf This curious scarf boosts Speed but only allows the use of one move.
Life Orb It boosts the power of moves but at the cost of some HP on each hit.
Leftovers The holder's HP is slowly but steadily restored throughout every battle.
Assault Vest This offensive vest raises Sp. Def but prevents the use of status moves.
Lum Berry If a Pokémon holds one, it can recover from any status condition during battle.
Clear Amulet Protects the holder from having its stats lowered by moves used against it or by other Pokémon’s Abilities.

Tips and Ideas for Choosing Held Items

Check Pokemon HOME Stats

In the official Pokemon HOME App, you can now check the usage rate of Pokemon, Moves, and Held Items for each Pokemon. This will help you get a good idea of which items go well with which Pokemon.

Pokemon HOME Support and Release Date

Avoid Unreliable Items

There are items that can become useful in niche cases such as Eject Button or Red Card. However, these items require a specific set up, and a certain level of expectation and prediction as to what an opponent may do. Since their success heavily depends on the opponent's actions, they are not 100% reliable.

We suggest sticking to items that you can benefit from reliably.

Capitalize On Team Members' Strengths

While it might be tempting to produce well-rounded team members, it is actually often better to capitalize on the strengths of each member. Instead of giving recovery items to speedy attackers, or damage increasing items to tanks, it is usually better to give them items that strengthen their roles in the team.

FAQs on Held Items

Does Sandstorm Trigger Before Leftovers?

Yes. Sandstorm damage will trigger before Leftovers HP recovery. This means that when a Pokemon's HP falls to 0 as a result of Sandstorm damage, it will not be able to recover HP with Leftovers.

What Happens When I Obtain A Choice Item with Trick?

If a Choice item like Choice Scarf gets exchanged onto a Pokemon who used the move Trick, it will be locked onto Trick as long as it is holding the Choice Scarf. If a Pokemon gets Tricked after it uses a Priority Move, it will not be choice locked onto a move on the next turn.

Why Did My Held Berry Not Activate?

It is possible that a Pokemon with Unnerve was on the field. Keep an eye out for these Pokemon. Unnerve prevents opposing Pokemon from consuming berries.

Who Wins When All Pokemon Faint from Perish Song?

Perish Song is a move that makes Pokemon in the field who hear it faint in 3 turns unless they switch out. The order of which the Pokemon faint is fastest to slowest, which means that the fastest Pokemon will faint first, and the slowest Pokemon will faint last. The Trainer whose Pokemon faint last will win the battle.

Why Did My Eject Button Not Activate?

It is possible that the attacking Pokemon has the Sheer Force Ability, which negates the effects of Eject Button. Additionally, having the Eject Button stolen by means of Pickpocket, Magician or Knock Off or Thief will not cause it to activate.

Why Could I Not Move First Even Though My Custap Berry Activated?

Custap Berry does not add priority. It is likely that the opposing Pokemon used a Priority move.

Why Does My Opponent's Light Screen Last So Long?

The held item, Light Clay prolongs the effects of Light Screen and Reflect to 8 turns instead of the usual 5.

Will Knock Off Activate My Weakness Policy?

Knock Off will activate Weakness Policy before the item is knocked off.

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Learn Competitive Battling

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