Best Paradox Pokemon Builds for Ranked Battle and Raids

Paradox Pokemon are among the strongest Pokemon in the game and are reshaping the current metagame now that they're allowed in Ranked Battles. Check out our guide on the Best Paradox Pokemon builds for Competitive Ranked Battle as well as how to build a Paradox Competitive Team.

Best Paradox Builds for Competitive Ranked Battle

Ranked Singles Builds

VGC Doubles Builds

Ranked Singles Paradox Builds

Ranked Singles Paradox Builds Tier List
			Flutter Mane				Roaring Moon				Iron Bundle
			Iron Hands						Iron Valiant
			Brute Bonnet				Great Tusk				Sandy Shocks
			Iron Treads				Iron Moth				Scream Tail
			Iron Jugulis				Iron Thorns				Slither Wing
Currently Banned			Koraidon			Miraidon			Walking Wake			Iron Leaves

The rankings in this Tier List are relative to other Paradox Pokemon

These Paradox Pokemon are regularly used Pokemon in Ranked Battle Singles and are reshaping the current metagame, pushing teams to adapt to increasingly hyper offense strategies.

Their dominance in the current metagame isn't solely due to their high stats but also to their ease of use, on top of how easy it is to build a team around them.

Best Pokemon Tier List (February 2023)

Flutter Mane Singles Build

Flutter Mane Singles Tier for Ranked Battle	Tera Type			Nature
	OR			Modest (↑Sp. Atk, ↓Atk)
	EV Spread
	Sp. Atk: 252		Sp. Def: 4		Spe: 252
Ability	Moveset
Protosynthesis	・ Moonblast ・ Shadow Ball ・ Psyshock ・ Tera Blast
Held Item
Choice Specs

Summary

Boasts high Special Attack and Speed High base power STAB and coverage moves Can run Tera Fire and Tera Ground to overcome checks

Flutter Mane Singles Movesets and Best Builds

Roaring Moon Singles Build

Roaring Moon Singles Tier for Ranked Battle	Tera Type			Nature
				Jolly (↑Spe, ↓Sp. Atk)
	EV Spread
	Atk: 252		Sp. Def: 4		Spe: 252
Ability	Moveset
Protosynthesis	・ Dragon Dance ・ Iron Head ・ Acrobatics ・ Crunch
Held Item
Booster Energy

Summary

Boasts high Attack and Speed Has coverage against its 4x Weakness Hard to switch into if allowed to setup Dragon Dance

Roaring Moon Singles Movesets and Best Builds

Iron Bundle Singles Build

Iron Bundle Singles Tier for Ranked Battle	Tera Type			Nature
				Timid (↑Spe, ↓Atk)
	EV Spread
	Sp. Atk: 252		Spe: 252		Def: 4
Ability	Moveset
Quark Drive	・ Hydro Pump ・ Taunt ・ Freeze-Dry ・ Flip Turn
Held Item
Focus Sash

Summary

One of the fastest Pokemon in the current metagame Can hit every Pokemon for at least neutral damage Decent physical bulk for a Special Attacker

Iron Bundle Singles Movesets and Best Builds

Iron Hands Singles Build

Iron Hands Singles Tier for Ranked Battle	Tera Type			Nature
				Adamant (↑Atk, ↓Sp. Atk)
	EV Spread
	HP: 4		Atk: 252		Sp. Def: 252
Ability	Moveset
Quark Drive	・ Swords Dance ・ Thunder Punch ・ Drain Punch ・ Ice Punch
Held Item
Punching Glove

Summary

Incredibly HP and Attack Stats making it a reliable offensive tank. A consistent check to Electric-weak Pokemon.

Iron Hands Singles Movesets and Best Builds

Iron Valiant Singles Build

Iron Valiant Singles Tier for Ranked Battle	Tera Type			Nature
				Jolly (↑Spe, ↓Sp. Atk)
	EV Spread
	Atk: 252		Sp. Def: 4		Spe: 252
Ability	Moveset
Quark Drive	・ Close Combat ・ Thunder Punch ・ Shadow Sneak ・ Swords Dance
Held Item
Booster Energy

Summary

Get a speed boost with Iron Valiant's Quark Drive Ability then attack. Setting up a Swords Dance and following up with Shadow Sneak is a viable strategy. As Iron Valiant gets access to a wide range of moves, there is lots of room for customization and optimization.

Iron Valiant Singles Movesets and Best Builds

Brute Bonnet Singles Build

Brute Bonnet Singles Tier for Ranked Battle	Tera Type			Nature
				Adamant (↑Atk, ↓Sp. Atk)
	EV Spread
	HP: 252		Def: 252		Sp. Def: 4
Ability	Moveset
Protosynthesis	・ Crunch ・ Seed Bomb ・ Sucker Punch ・ Growth
Held Item
Booster Energy

Summary

Respectable Attack Stat. Decent coverage with its STAB Moves. Can boost its Attack with Growth.

Brute Bonnet Singles Movesets and Best Builds

Great Tusk Singles Build

Great Tusk Singles Tier for Ranked Battle	Tera Type			Nature
				Jolly (↑Spe, ↓Sp. Atk)
	EV Spread
	Atk: 252		Sp. Def: 4		Spe: 252
Ability	Moveset
Protosynthesis	・ Headlong Rush ・ Close Combat ・ Knock Off ・ Play Rough
Held Item
Choice Scarf

Summary

High Attack Stat. High base power STAB in Headlong Rush and Close Combat. Can run Ground Tera to boost the power of Headlong Rush.

Great Tusk Singles Movesets and Best Builds

Sandy Shocks Singles Build

Sandy Shocks Singles Tier for Ranked Battle	Tera Type			Nature
				Timid (↑Spe, ↓Atk)
	EV Spread
	Def: 4		Sp. Atk: 252		Spe: 252
Ability	Moveset
Protosynthesis	・ Thunderbolt ・ Volt Switch ・ Earth Power ・ Flash Cannon
Held Item
Choice Specs

Summary

Has very high Special Attack and decent Speed. Good selection of coverage moves. Can run Tera Electric to boost the power of its STAB Electric-type Moves.

Sandy Shocks Singles Movesets and Best Builds

Iron Treads Singles Build

Iron Treads Singles Tier for Ranked Battle	Tera Type			Nature
				Adamant (↑Atk, ↓Sp. Atk)
	EV Spread
	HP: 188		Atk: 220		Sp. Def: 28
Ability	Moveset
Quark Drive	・ Knock Off ・ Iron Head ・ Earthquake ・ Rapid Spin
Held Item
Assault Vest

Summary

Good physical bulk. Bad special bulk can be covered with Assault Vest. Access to very useful moves in Knock Off and Rapid Spin

Iron Treads Singles Movesets and Best Builds

Iron Moth Singles Build

Iron Moth Singles Tier for Ranked Battle	Tera Type			Nature
				Modest (↑Sp. Atk, ↓Atk)
	EV Spread
	Def: 4		Sp. Atk: 252		Spe: 252
Ability	Moveset
Quark Drive	・ Fiery Dance ・ Sludge Wave ・ Discharge ・ U-turn
Held Item
Choice Scarf

Summary

Immensely high Special Attack Stat with moderate bulk. Has very good Speed if boosted with Choice Scarf or Booster Energy. Has a wide movepool with plenty of options to choose from.

Iron Moth Singles Movesets and Best Builds

Scream Tail Singles Build

Scream Tail Singles Tier for Ranked Battle	Tera Type			Nature
				Bold (↑Def, ↓Atk)
	EV Spread
	HP: 252		Def: 252		Spe: 4
Ability	Moveset
Protosynthesis	・ Stored Power ・ Calm Mind ・ Dazzling Gleam ・ Wish
Held Item
Leftovers

Summary

Can be EVd to be fast. Solid defenses make it difficult to KO. Can hit moderately hard when it has to.

Scream Tail Singles Movesets and Best Builds

Iron Jugulis Singles Build

Iron Jugulis Singles Tier for Ranked Battle	Tera Type			Nature
				Modest (↑Sp. Atk, ↓Atk)
	EV Spread
	HP: 4		Sp. Atk: 252		Spe: 252
Ability	Moveset
Quark Drive	・ Dark Pulse ・ Air Slash ・ Earth Power ・ U-turn
Held Item
Choice Scarf

Summary

Good Special Attack and Speed Stats. Good selection of coverage moves.

Iron Jugulis Singles Movesets and Best Builds

Iron Thorns Singles Build

Iron Thorns Singles Tier for Ranked Battle	Tera Type			Nature
				Impish (↑Def, ↓Sp. Atk)
	EV Spread
	Atk: 252		Sp. Def: 4		Spe: 252
Ability	Moveset
Quark Drive	・ Dragon Dance ・ Wild Charge ・ Rock Blast ・ Ice Punch
Held Item
Lum Berry

Summary

Good Attack and physical bulk. Decent offensive coverage.

Iron Thorns Singles Movesets and Best Builds

Slither Wing Singles Build

Slither Wing Singles Tier for Ranked Battle	Tera Type			Nature
				Jolly (↑Spe, ↓Sp. Atk)
	EV Spread
	Atk: 252		Sp. Def: 4		Spe: 252
Ability	Moveset
Protosynthesis	・ First Impression ・ U-turn ・ Close Combat ・ Earthquake
Held Item
Choice Band

Summary

Has very high Attack and respectable Special Defense. High base power STAB and coverage moves. Can run Tera Bug to boost the power of its STAB Bug-type Moves.

Slither Wing Singles Movesets and Best Builds

Koraidon Singles Build

Note: Koraidon is banned in Series 4 (Regulation D) Season 8, the current Ranked Battle Regulation.

Koraidon BANNED (Legal for Paldea Prologue)	Tera Type			Nature
				Jolly (↑Spe, ↓Sp.Atk)
	EV Spread
	Atk: 252		Def: 4		Spe: 252
Ability	Moveset
Orichalcum Pulse	・ Flare Blitz ・ Collision Course ・ Dragon Claw ・ U-turn
Held Item
Choice Scarf

Summary

Fire Tera Type takes advantage of harsh sunlight. Effective options in its movepool. Can pivot out with U-turn.

Koraidon Movesets and Best Builds

Miraidon Singles Build

Note: Miraidonis banned in Series 4 (Regulation D) Season 8, the current Ranked Battle Regulation.

Miraidon BANNED (Legal for Paldea Prologue)	Tera Type			Nature
				Timid (↑Spe, ↓Atk)
	EV Spread
	Sp.Atk: 252		Def/ Sp.Def: 4		Spe: 252
Ability	Moveset
Hadron Engine	・ Electro Drift ・ Draco Meteor ・ Overheat ・ U-turn
Held Item
Choice Specs

Summary

Can easily deal with walls with high Special Defense. Effective options in its movepool for coverage. Can pivot out with U-turn.

Miraidon Movesets and Best Builds

Walking Wake Singles Build

Note:Walking Wake is banned in Series 4 (Regulation D) Season 8, the current Ranked Battle Regulation.

Walking Wake BANNED	Tera Type			Nature
				Modest (↑Sp.Atk, ↓Atk)
	EV Spread
	Sp. Atk: 252		Sp. Def: 4		Spe: 252
Ability	Moveset
Protosynthesis	・ Hydro Steam ・ Draco Meteor ・ Hurricane ・ Agility
Held Item
Booster Energy

Summary

Great in Rain or Sun teams. Effective options in its movepool. Powerful signature move in Hydro Steam.

Walking Wake Movesets and Best Builds

Iron Leaves Singles Build

Note:Iron Leaves is banned in Series 4 (Regulation D) Season 8, the current Ranked Battle Regulation.

Iron Leaves BANNED	Tera Type			Nature
				Jolly (↑Spe, ↓Sp.Atk)
	EV Spread
	HP: 4		Atk: 252		Spe: 252
Ability	Moveset
Quark Drive	・ Swords Dance ・ Leaf Blade ・ Psyblade ・ Close Combat
Held Item
Focus Sash

Summary

Solid offensive stats. Decent movepool. Respectable Speed.

Iron Leaves Movesets and Best Builds

VGC Doubles Paradox Builds

Ranked Doubles Paradox Builds Tier List
			Flutter Mane				Iron Hands				Iron Bundle
			Roaring Moon						Great Tusk
			Brute Bonnet				Scream Tail				Iron Moth
			Iron Valiant				Sandy Shocks				Iron Jugulis
			Iron Treads				Iron Thorns				Slither Wing
Currently Banned			Koraidon			Miraidon			Walking Wake			Iron Leaves

The rankings in this Tier List are relative to other Paradox Pokemon

Paradox Pokemon also dominate the high tiers in Doubles, with many filling the role of offensive leads, wall breakers, and all-out-attackers.

Since Paradox Pokemon generally have high base stat totals, they are easy to slot into teams, even without Sun or Electric Terrain to trigger their Abilities.

Doubles Tier List for Competitive and VGC (February 2023)

Flutter Mane Doubles Build

Flutter Mane Doubles Tier for Ranked Battle	Tera Type			Nature
				Timid (↑Spe, ↓Atk)
	EV Spread
	Sp. Atk: 252		Spe: 252		HP: 4
Ability	Moveset
Protosynthesis	・ Dazzling Gleam ・ Shadow Ball ・ Mystical Fire ・ Protect
Held Item
Focus Sash

Summary

Incredibly high Speed and really good Special Attack. Gets a Speed or Special Attack Boost in Sun. Standard movepool is consistent and difficult to effectively wall.

Flutter Mane Doubles Moveset and Best Build

Iron Hands Doubles Build

Iron Hands Doubles Tier for Ranked Battle	Tera Type			Nature
				Adamant (↑Atk, ↓Sp. Atk)
	EV Spread
	HP: 140		Atk: 252		Sp. Def: 116
Ability	Moveset
Quark Drive	・ Wild Charge ・ Drain Punch ・ Volt Switch ・ Fake Out
Held Item
Assault Vest

Summary

Incredible HP and Attack Stats make it a reliable offensive tank. Can support its team with Fake Out. A consistent check to Electric-weak Pokemon.

Iron Hands Doubles Moveset and Best Build

Iron Bundle Doubles Build

Iron Bundle Doubles Tier for Ranked Battle	Tera Type			Nature
				Timid (↑Spe, ↓Atk)
	EV Spread
	Sp. Atk: 252		Spe: 252		HP: 4
Ability	Moveset
Quark Drive	・ Hydro Pump ・ Icy Wind ・ Freeze-Dry ・ Protect
Held Item
Focus Sash

Summary

Incredibly high Speed and really good Special Attack. Has access to Speed Control via Icy Wind. Standard movepool is consistent and reliable.

Iron Bundle Doubles Moveset and Best Build

Roaring Moon Doubles Build

Roaring Moon Doubles Tier for Ranked Battle	Tera Type			Nature
				Jolly (↑Spe, ↓Sp. Atk)
	EV Spread
	HP: 92		Atk: 164		Spe: 252
Ability	Moveset
Protosynthesis	・ Acrobatics ・ Throat Chop ・ Tailwind ・ Protect
Held Item
Booster Energy

Summary

Incredibly high Speed and Attack stats. Gets a Speed or Attack Boost in Sun. Wide movepool makes it an unpredictable Pokemon to go up against.

Roaring Moon Doubles Moveset and Best Build

Great Tusk Doubles Build

Great Tusk Doubles Tier for Ranked Battle	Tera Type			Nature
				Adamant (↑Atk, ↓Sp. Atk)
	EV Spread
	Atk: 4		Sp. Def: 252		Spe: 252
Ability	Moveset
Protosynthesis	・ Headlong Rush ・ Close Combat ・ Knock Off ・ Play Rough
Held Item
Assault Vest

Summary

Incredibly high Attack and Defense stats. Will usually get an Attack boost in Sun. Has access to the massively powerful Headlong Rush.

Great Tusk Doubles Movesets and Best Builds

Brute Bonnet Doubles Build

Brute Bonnet Doubles Tier for Ranked Battle	Tera Type			Nature
				Careful (↑Sp. Def, ↓Sp. Atk)
	EV Spread
	HP: 4		Atk: 252		Sp. Def: 252
Ability	Moveset
Protosynthesis	・ Sucker Punch ・ Bullet Seed ・ Spore ・ Rage Powder
Held Item
Loaded Dice

Summary

Respectable Attack Stat. Decent coverage with its STAB Moves. Useful support moves in Spore and Rage Powder.

Brute Bonnet Doubles Moveset and Best Build

Scream Tail Doubles Build

Scream Tail Doubles Tier for Ranked Battle	Tera Type			Nature
				Jolly (↑Spe, ↓Sp. Atk)
	EV Spread
	HP: 252		Atk: 4		Spe: 252
Ability	Moveset
Protosynthesis	・ Play Rough ・ Disable ・ Perish Song ・ Protect
Held Item
Booster Energy

Summary

Consistent Perish Song user. Solid defenses make it difficult to KO. Becomes very fast with Booster Energy.

Scream Tail Doubles Movesets and Best Builds

Iron Moth Doubles Build

Iron Moth Doubles Tier for Ranked Battle	Tera Type			Nature
				Timid (↑Spe, ↓Atk)
	EV Spread
	HP: 124		Sp. Atk: 136		Spe: 252
Ability	Moveset
Quark Drive	・ Fiery Dance ・ Acid Spray ・ Energy Ball ・ Protect
Held Item
Booster Energy

Summary

Immensely high Special Attack Stat with moderate bulk. Has very good Speed if boosted with Choice Scarf or Booster Energy. Has a wide movepool with plenty of options to choose from.

Iron Moth Doubles Moveset and Best Build

Iron Valiant Doubles Build

Iron Valiant Doubles Tier for Ranked Battle	Tera Type			Nature
				Jolly (↑Spe, ↓Sp. Atk)
	EV Spread
	Atk: 4		Sp. Atk: 4		Spe: 252
Ability	Moveset
Quark Drive	・ Moonblast ・ Close Combat ・ Shadow Sneak ・ Wide Guard
Held Item
Focus Sash

Summary

High offensive stats make it an effective Mixed Attacker. Has unique typing in Fighting / Fairy Can pick off low HP Pokemon with Shadow Sneak, and protect its teammates with Wide Guard.

Iron Valiant Doubles Movesets and Best Builds

Sandy Shocks Doubles Build

Sandy Shocks Doubles Tier for Ranked Battle	Tera Type			Nature
				Timid (↑Spe, ↓Atk)
	EV Spread
	Def: 4		Sp. Atk: 252		Spe: 252
Ability	Moveset
Protosynthesis	・ Thunderbolt ・ Flash Cannon ・ Earth Power ・ Protect
Held Item
Booster Energy

Summary

Has very high Special Attack and decent Speed. Good selection of coverage moves. Can run Tera Electric to boost the power of its STAB Electric-type Moves.

Sandy Shocks Doubles Moveset and Best Build

Iron Jugulis Doubles Build

Iron Jugulis Doubles Tier for Ranked Battle	Tera Type			Nature
				Timid (↑Spe ↓Atk)
	EV Spread
	HP: 4		Sp. Atk: 252		Spe: 252
Ability	Moveset
Quark Drive	・ Dark Pulse ・ Air Slash ・ Tailwind ・ Protect
Held Item
Booster Energy

Summary

Good Special Attack and Speed Stats. Good selection of coverage moves. Can support its team with Tailwind.

Iron Jugulis Doubles Moveset and Best Build

Iron Treads Doubles Build

Iron Treads Doubles Tier for Ranked Battle	Tera Type			Nature
				Adamant (↑Atk, ↓Sp. Atk)
	EV Spread
	HP: 188		Atk: 220		Sp. Def: 28
Ability	Moveset
Quark Drive	・ Earthquake ・ Heavy Slam ・ Ice Spinner ・ Stomping Tantrum
Held Item
Assault Vest

Summary

Good physical bulk. Bad special bulk can be covered with Assault Vest. Access to very useful moves in Knock Off and Rapid Spin

Iron Treads Doubles Moveset and Best Build

Iron Thorns Doubles Build

Iron Thorns Doubles Tier for Ranked Battle	Tera Type			Nature
				Adamant (↑Atk, ↓Sp. Atk)
	EV Spread
	Atk: 252		Sp. Def: 4		Spe: 252
Ability	Moveset
Quark Drive	・ Rock Slide ・ Wild Charge ・ Tera Blast ・ Low Kick
Held Item
Choice Band

Summary

Good Attack and physical bulk. Decent offensive coverage.

Iron Thorns Doubles Moveset and Best Build

Slither Wing Doubles Build

Slither Wing Doubles Tier for Ranked Battle	Tera Type			Nature
				Adamant (↑Atk, ↓Sp. Atk)
	EV Spread
	HP: 252		Atk: 252		Sp. Def: 4
Ability	Moveset
Protosynthesis	・ First Impression ・ Leech Life ・ Close Combat ・ Will-O-Wisp
Held Item
Booster Energy

Summary

Has very high Attack and respectable Special Defense. High base power STAB and coverage moves. Can run Tera Bug to boost the power of its STAB Bug-type Moves.

Slither Wing Singles Moveset and Best Build

Koraidon Doubles Build

Note: Koraidon is not legal for Ranked Battle under Regulation B or C, however it will be legal for the upcoming Paldea Prologue Official Online Doubles Competition!

Koraidon BANNED	Tera Type			Nature
				Jolly (↑Spe, ↓Sp.Atk)
	EV Spread
	Atk: 252		Def: 4		Spe: 252
Ability	Moveset
Orichalcum Pulse	・ Flare Blitz ・ Collision Course ・ Wild Charge ・ Protect
Held Item
Life Orb

Summary

Fire Tera Type takes advantage of harsh sunlight. Effective options in its movepool for coverage. Can stall out with Protect.

Koraidon Movesets and Best Builds

Miraidon Doubles Build

Note: Miraidon is not legal for Ranked Battle under Regulation B or C, however it will be legal for the upcoming Paldea Prologue Official Online Doubles Competition!

Miraidon BANNED	Tera Type			Nature
				Timid (↑Spe, ↓Atk)
	EV Spread
	Sp.Atk: 252		Def/ Sp.Def: 4		Spe: 252
Ability	Moveset
Hadron Engine	・ Electro Drift ・ Draco Meteor ・ Dazzling Gleam ・ Protect
Held Item
Life Orb

Summary

Steel as defensive Tera Type against Fairy-types. Diverse moveset can deal with various Pokemon Can stall out with Protect.

Miraidon Movesets and Best Builds

Walking Wake Doubles Build

Note: Walking Wake is banned in Series 2 (Regulation B) Season 4, the current Ranked Battle Regulation. It will also be ineligible for Regulation C the following Series.

Walking Wake BANNED	Tera Type			Nature
				Timid (↑Spe, ↓Atk)
	EV Spread
	Sp. Atk: 248		Sp. Def: 8		Spe: 252
Ability	Moveset
Protosynthesis	・ Hydro Steam ・ Draco Meteor ・ Flamethrower ・ Protect
Held Item
Booster Energy

Summary

Great in Rain or Sun teams. Effective options in its movepool. Powerful signature move in Hydro Steam.

Walking Wake Movesets and Best Builds

Iron Leaves Doubles Build

Note: Iron Leaves is banned in Series 2 (Regulation B) Season 4, the current Ranked Battle Regulation. It will also be ineligible for Regulation C the following Series.

Iron Leaves BANNED	Tera Type			Nature
				Jolly (↑Spe, ↓Sp.Atk)
	EV Spread
	HP: 4		Atk: 252		Spe: 252
Ability	Moveset
Quark Drive	・ ・ Leaf Blade ・ Psyblade ・ Protect
Held Item
Booster Energy

Summary

Solid offensive stats. Decent movepool. Respectable Speed.

Iron Leaves Movesets and Best Builds

How to Build a Paradox Competitive Team

Paradox Sun Teams

Paradox Pokemon exclusive to Pokemon Scarlet share the Ability Protosynthesis, which boosts their highest stat when exposed to Harsh Sunlight or when given a Booster Energy.

These Paradox Pokemon, like Flutter Mane and Brute Bonnet are very powerful when used as part of a Sun Team. This eliminates the need for them to hold Booster Energy, opening their item slot for damage items like Life Orb, or survival items like Focus Sash
How to Build a Weather Team

Paradox Electric Terrain Teams

Paradox Pokemon exclusive to Pokemon Violet all share the ability Quark Drive, which boosts their highest stat when exposed to Electric Terrain or when given a Booster Energy.

Paradox Pokemon like Iron Hands and Iron Thorns benefit greatly in dedicated Electric Terrain teams and gives them the ability to use different held items.

Keep in mind though that dedicated Electric Teams are more difficult to set up it's currently only Pincurchin who can set up Electric Terrain instantly with its Electric Surge Ability.
List of Moves that Change Terrain and Terrain Effects

Use Booster Energy

Even when not used as part of Sun or Electric Terrain Teams, Paradox Pokemon can still enjoy the stat boost from their abilities by consuming a Booster Energy.

This allows them to essentially get a +1 to their strongest stat right from the start of the match, making them very difficult Pokemon to go up against!

Use Focus Sash

Some Paradox Pokemon like Flutter Mane and Iron Bundle have scarily high Special Attack and Speed, making them lethal attackers from the get go. Their main drawback, however, is their low defensive capabilities.

Instead of giving them Booster Energy to further increase their already high Sp. Atk, you can also opt to give them a Focus Sash instead, allowing them to survive lethal hits from other fast Pokemon like Meowscarada and Dragapult!
Best Held Items for Competitive Battle

Sample Singles and Doubles Teams

Sample Singles Team

Offensive Lead	Defensive Pivot	Offensive Pivot
Flutter Mane	Arcanine	Scizor

Flutter Mane is a powerful lead who is able to go through unprepared teams with minimal ease. Its teammates should be able to switch into super-effective moves intended for Flutter Mane, and clear out threats that Flutter Mane cannot handle.
Competitive Team Building for Singles Ranked Battle

Sample Walking Wake Singles Rain Team

Rain Setter	Special Attacker	Physical Attacker
Pelipper	Walking Wake	Iron Hands

This is a sample team for Walking Wake which showcases its synergy with Rain-oriented teams.

Pelipper can enter the battle and then U-Turn out, making way for Walking Wake.

Alternatively, Walking Wake can be a lead and immediately use Agility for a sweep. Iron Hands is a good switch in to Electric-type moves for Pelipper, however it cannot switch in to Fairy-type moves for Walking Wake.

Note that you will not be able to use Walking Wake in the current Ranked Battle Regulation, and is just listed to give a preview of how Walking Wake can be utilized.

Competitive Team Building for Singles Ranked Battle

Sample Doubles Team

Special Attacker	Physical Attacker
Iron Bundle	Iron Hands
Win Con	Support / Physical Attacker
Garganacl	Arcanine

Iron Bundle and Iron Hands make for an excellent pairing, with Iron Hands having Fake Out for fast Pokemon. Iron Bundle handily takes care of Ground and Grass-types that Iron Hands can't damage meaningfully, while Iron Hands can threaten bulky Water-types.

Arcanine is a good Pokemon to have against opposing Iron Hands, thanks to its Intimidate and faster Will-O-Wisp. The combination of Intimidate and Will-O-Wisp can effectively render opposing Iron Hands ineffectual.

With such a powerful offensive lead pairing, having Garganacl in the back can make for a very consistent win condition.
Competitive Team Building for Doubles Ranked Battle

Best Paradox Builds for Tera Raids

Tera Raid Builds

Tera Raid Teams

Tera Raid Paradox Builds

Best Paradox Builds for Tera Raids
	Iron Hands	Koraidon	Miraidon
	Flutter Mane	Great Tusk	Iron Valiant
	Iron Thorns	Walking Wake	Iron Leaves
	Iron Moth	Sandy Shocks	Scream Tail

Paradox Pokemon's high stats and ability to use Booster Energy during raids make them among the best choices to use in Tera Raids due to their sheer offensive power.

These Pokemon often carry status moves that boost their offenses, such as Iron Hands's Belly Drum or lower the tera raid boss' defenses such as Screech and Fake Tears, making them the best Pokemon to use when soloing Tera Raids!
Best Pokemon for Tera Raids

Iron Hands Tera Build

Iron Hands Best Pokemon for Tera Raids	Tera Type			Nature
				Adamant (+Atk, -Sp.Atk)
	EV Spread
	HP: 76		Atk: 252		SpD: 172
Ability	Moveset
Quark Drive	・ Belly Drum ・ Close Combat ・ Thunder Punch ・ Drain Punch
Held Item
Booster Energy

Tera Raid Strategy

Iron Hands Tera Raid Turn-by-Turn Counter Strategy
Turn 1	Use Belly Drum to raise Iron Hands' Attack stat by 6 stages.
Turns 2~4	Use Drain Punch to recover your missing HP. Use Thunder Punch when applicable..
Turns 5+	Terastallize and use Close Combat. Note that Close Combat will lower Iron Hands' Defense and Sp. Def by one stage, though. Recover your HP with Drain Punch as needed.

Iron Hands Best Tera Raid Build

Koraidon Tera Build

Koraidon Best Pokemon for Tera Raids	Tera Type			Nature
				Adamant (↑Attack, ↓Sp. Attack)
	EV Spread
	HP: 252		Atk: 252		Def: 4
Ability	Moveset
Orichalcum Pulse	・ Collision Course ・ Drain Punch ・ Screech ・ Fire Fang
Held Item
Black Belt

Tera Raid Strategy

Koraidon Tera Raid Turn-by-Turn Strategy
Turns 1~2	Use Screech to lower the Raid Pokemon's Defense by 4 stages.
Turns 3~5	Use Drain Punch to recover your missing HP. Use Collision Course or Fire Fang when applicable.
Turns 6+	Terastallize and use Collision Course. Recover your HP with Drain Punch as needed.

Koraidon Best Tera Raid Build

Miraidon Tera Build

Miraidon Best Pokemon for Tera Raids	Tera Type			Nature
				Modest (+Sp. Atk, -Attack)
	EV Spread
	Sp. Atk: 252		HP: 252		Sp. Def: 4
Ability	Moveset
Hadron Engine	・ Electro Drift ・ Metal Sound ・ Dragon Pulse ・ Parabolic Charge
Held Item
Wise Glasses

Tera Raid Strategy

Miraidon Tera Raid Turn-by-Turn Strategy
Turns 1~2	Use Metal Sound to lower the Raid Pokemon's Special Defense by 4 stages.
Turns 3~5	Use Parabolic Charge to recover your missing HP. Use Electro Drift or Dragon Pulse when applicable.
Turns 6+	Terastallize and use Electro Drift. Recover your HP with Parabolic Charge as needed.

Miraidon Best Tera Raid Build

Flutter Mane Tera Build

Flutter Mane Best Pokemon for Tera Raids	Tera Type			Nature
				Modest (↑Sp.Atk, ↓Atk)
	EV Spread
	HP: 252		Sp.Atk: 252		Sp.Def: 4
Ability	Moveset
Protosynthesis	・ Moonblast ・ Shadow Ball ・ Mystical Fire ・ Fake Tears
Held Item
Booster Energy

Tera Raid Strategy

Flutter Mane Tera Raid Turn-by-Turn Strategy
Turns 1~2	Use Fake Tears to lower the Raid Pokemon's Special Defense by 4 stages.
Turns 3~5	Use Moonblast or Shadow Ball to deal damage.
Turns 6+	Terastallize and use Moonblast or Shadow Ball.

Flutter Mane Best Tera Raid Build

Great Tusk Tera Build

Great Tusk Best Pokemon for Tera Raids	Tera Type			Nature
				Adamant (↑Atk, ↓Sp. Atk)
	EV Spread
	HP 4		Atk 252		Sp. Def 252
Ability	Moveset
Protosynthesis	・ Headlong Rush ・ Taunt ・ Close Combat ・ Ice Spinner
Held Item
Booster Energy

Tera Raid Strategy

Physically Offensive Great Tusk Tera Raid Turn-by-Turn Counter Strategy
Turn 1	Use Taunt to prevent the opposing Pokemon from setting anything up.
Turn 2-4	Use Headlong Rush to deal super-effective Ground-type damage.
Turns 5+	Terastallize and use Headlong Rush to deal even more damage and get the KO.

Great Tusk Best Tera Raid Build

Iron Valiant Tera Build

Iron Valiant Best Pokemon for Tera Raids	Tera Type			Nature
				Modest (↑SpA, ↓Atk)
	EV Spread
	HP: 252		Sp. Atk: 252		Sp.Def: 4
Ability	Moveset
Quark Drive	・ Calm Mind ・ Dazzling Gleam ・ Psyshock ・ Aura Sphere
Held Item
Booster Energy

Tera Raid Strategy

Iron Valiant Tera Raid Turn-by-Turn Strategy
Turn 1~3	Use Calm Mind to raise Iron Valiant's Sp. Atk and Sp. Def.
Turns 4~6	Use Dazzling Gleam to deal stat-boosted STAB damage.
Optional	Use stat boosted Psyshock, or Aura Sphere against types that resist Fairy, such as Steel.
Turns 7+	Terastallize and use stat boosted Dazzling Gleam, Psyshock or Aura Sphere, depending on the Raid Pokemon's Tera type.

Iron Valiant Best Tera Raid Build

Iron Thorns Tera Build

Iron Thorns Best Pokemon for Tera Raids	Tera Type			Nature
				Adamant (+Atk, -Sp.Atk)
	EV Spread
	HP: 252		Atk: 252		SpD: 4
Ability	Moveset
Quark Drive	・ Screech ・ Swords Dance ・ Stone Edge ・ Dragon Claw
Held Item
Booster Energy

Tera Raid Strategy

Iron Thorns Tera Raid Turn-by-Turn Strategy
Turn 1~3	Use Swords Dance to raise Iron Thorns' Attack by two stages.
Turns 4~6	Use Screech to reduce the opponent's defense stat.
Optional	Use stat boosted Dragon Claw, or Stone Edge against types that are weak to Dragon or Rock.
Turns 7+	Terastallize and use stat boosted Dragon Claw, or Stone Edge, depending on the Raid Pokemon's Tera type.

Iron Thorns Best Tera Raid Build

Walking Wake Tera Build

Walking Wake Best Pokemon for Tera Raids	Tera Type			Nature
				Modest (↑SpA, ↓Atk)
	EV Spread
	HP: 252		Sp. Atk: 252		Sp.Def: 4
Ability	Moveset
Protosynthesis	・ Sunny Day ・ Hydro Steam ・ Flamethrower ・ Noble Roar
Held Item
Shell Bell

Tera Raid Strategy

Walking Wake Tera Raid Turn-by-Turn Strategy
Turn 1	Use Sunny Day to activate Protosynthesis and boost the power of Hydro Steam.
Turns 2~4	Use boosted Hydro Steam to build Tera Orb charge and damage the Tera Raid boss.
Turns 5+	Terastallize into a Water-type and use Hydro Steam to deal damage to the Tera Raid boss' shield and finish the battle.

Walking Wake Best Tera Raid Build

Iron Leaves Tera Raid Build

Iron Leaves Best Pokemon for Tera Raids	Tera Type			Nature
				Adamant (↑Atk, ↓Sp.Atk)
	EV Spread
	HP: 252		Sp. Atk: 252		Sp.Def: 4
Ability	Moveset
Quark Drive	・ Swords Dance ・ Psyblade ・ Taunt ・ Electric Terrain
Held Item
Electric Seed

Tera Raid Strategy

Iron Leaves Tera Raid Turn-by-Turn Strategy
Turns 1	Use Taunt to prevent the raid boss from using status moves.
Turns 2~4	Use Sword Dance three times to max out your Attack boosts.
Turn 5	Use Electric Terrain to activate Quark Drive, consume Electric Seed, and power up Psyblade.
Turns 6+	Attack with Psyblade.
Optional	Terastallize when you can and use Psyblade.

Iron Leaves Best Tera Raid Build

Iron Moth Tera Build

Iron Moth Best Pokemon for Tera Raids	Tera Type			Nature
				Modest (↑Sp. Atk, ↓Atk)
	EV Spread
	HP: 252		Sp. Atk: 252		Sp. Def: 4
Ability	Moveset
Quark Drive	・ Metal Sound / Acid Spray ・ Fiery Dance ・ Morning Sun ・ Sludge Wave
Held Item
Booster Energy

Tera Raid Strategy

Iron Moth Tera Raid Turn-by-Turn Strategy
Turn 1~3	Use Metal Sound and Acid Spray to reduce the opposing Pokemon's stats.
Turns 4~6	Use Fiery Dance to reduce the opponent's total health points.
Optional	Use Morning Sun to recover HP when needed.
Turns 7+	Terastallize and use Tera boosted Sludge Wave.

Iron Moth Best Tera Raid Build

Sandy Shocks Tera Build

Sandy Shocks Best Pokemon for Tera Raids	Tera Type			Nature
				Modest (↑Sp. Atk, ↓Atk)
	EV Spread
	HP: 252		Sp. Atk: 252		Sp. Def: 4
Ability	Moveset
Quark Drive	・ Metal Sound ・ Flash Cannon ・ Earth Power ・ Thunderbolt
Held Item
Booster Energy

Tera Raid Strategy

Sandy Shocks Tera Raid Turn-by-Turn Strategy
Turn 1~3	Use Metal Sound to reduce the opposing Pokemon's Special Defense by two stages.
Turns 4~6	Use Flash Cannon, Earth Power, or Thunderbolt to reduce the opponent's total health points.
Turns 7+	Terastallize and use Tera boosted Earth Power on Ground-weak opponents.

Sandy Shocks Best Tera Raid Build

Scream Tail Tera Build

Scream Tail Best Pokemon for Tera Raids	Tera Type			Nature
				Careful (+Sp. Def, -Sp. Atk)
	EV Spread
	Sp. Def: 252		HP: 252		Attack: 4
Ability	Moveset
Protosynthesis	・ Noble Roar ・ Play Rough ・ Wish ・ Helping Hand
Held Item
Booster Energy

Tera Raid Strategy

Scream Tail Tera Raid Turn-by-Turn Strategy
Turn 1~3	Use Noble Roar to reduce the opponent's offensive capabilities.
Turns 4~6	Use Play Rough deal damage to the opposing Pokemon.
Optional	Use Wish to recover HP when needed, and Helping Hand to help your allies.
Turns 7+	Terastallize and use Tera boosted Play Rough.

Scream Tail Best Tera Raid Build

Tera Raid Paradox Pokemon Team Strategies

Best Paradox Team Strategies for Tera Raids
6★ Blissey Counter Team	7★ Greninja Counter Team

Paradox Pokemon are among the best choices to use against 5 and 6-Star Tera Raids, with many capable of soloing these Tera Bosses on their own without help from other players.

These Pokemon are also safe choices to use against 7-Star Tera Raids, with many being integral to common one-shot strategies employed by players.

5 and 6-Star Tera Raid Boss Guides

Iron Hands 6-Star Blissey Tera Raid

How to Beat Blissey
Turns	Physical Attacker	Utility	Utility	Utility
#1	Belly Drum	Taunt	Leer	Leer
#2	Close Combat OR Wild Charge	Helping Hand	Helping Hand	Helping Hand

The above steps work for both the 5 and 6-Star Blissey Tera Raids.

Summary

At the start of the raid, Iron Hands players should boost their Attack with Belly Drum. One of the Ceruledge users should use Taunt to prevent Blissey from using status moves such as Sing, which will debilitate attackers. The other 2 Ceruledge users should use Leer to lower Blissey's Defense stat.

On turn 2, all 3 Ceruledge should use Helping Hand to drastically power up Iron Hands. Iron Hands then uses Close Combat or Wild Charge (whichever does at least neutral damage) to one-shot and defeat Blissey.
5 and 6 Star Blissey Tera Raid Guide: Best Counters and Strategy

Pokemon Scarlet and Violet Related Guides

Learn Competitive Battling

Team Building Guides
Competitive Team Building for Singles Ranked Battle	Competitive Team Building for Doubles Ranked Battle
How to Build a Trick Room Team	How to Build a Weather Team
How to Build a Hyper Offense Team	Paradox Pokemon Builds for Competitive Battles and Tera Raids
Treasures of Ruin Builds for Competitive Battles and Tera Raids	HOME Transfer Pokemon Builds for Ranked Battle and Raids
Competitive Strategy Guides
Best Abilities for Competitive Battle	Best Held Items for Competitive Battle
When to Switch Pokemon	Team Preview: Which Pokemon to Choose?
How to Use Substitute in Competitive Battle	List of Competitive Terms
Battle Timer: Who Wins When Time Runs Out?	New DLC Competitive Cores and Matchups
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