Best Pokémon to counter the Unrivaled Pikachu Tera Raid event in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet

It is once again time to test your mettle in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet’s Tera Raids with the next seven-star event in play—this time featuring an Unrivaled Pikachu.

You will need to coordinate with your teammates, whether you are playing as a group or with random trainers online, in order to challenge the mightiest Pikachu to ever grace the Paldea region. This means you need to bring a nice mix of attackers and supporters to make quick work of the challenge and get all of those sweet raid rewards. 

Unfortunately, players will still have to deal with some of the performance issues and bugs that plague Tera Raids since the next big patch isn’t out yet. But if you do plan on tackling this Pokémon’s shining star in a raid, here is how you can do it. 

How to beat the Unrivaled Pikachu Tera Raid in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet

Just like with most other high-leveled Tera Raids, the Unrivaled Pikachu raid features a boss Pokémon that is maxed out at level 100 and gets some additional boosts thanks to the raid mechanics. 

To give yourself, and your teammates, the best shot at winning you will want to make sure any Pokémon you bring to the Tera Raid is level 100 since bringing under leveled Pokémon could lead to you being knocked out early and often.

You won’t need to plan for different typings though, as Pikachu appearing in seven-star raids during this event will only be Water Tera Type. This means you can safely focus on countering its moveset, along with its main two offensive options in Water and Electric-type attacks. It will also allow you to catch a Surfing Pikachu.

Your main focus here will be countering Pikachu putting up the rain and then starting to whittle away at the massive shield it has for basically the entire raid battle. They made this mouse a tank using the Tera Raid mechanics, and it is also the first to have a Held Item, carrying a Light Ball that doubles its Attack and Special Attack.

Related: What moveset does Pikachu have in the Unrivaled Tera Raid event in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet?

Regardless of your approach, or if you need some tips, here are the best counters you can use against the Unrivaled Pikachu in Tera Raids. And make sure you take advantage because it will only be appearing until Feb. 27. 

Best counters for the Unrivaled Pikachu Tera Raid in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet

Best Gastrodon build for the Unrivaled Pikachu Tera Raid in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet

If you want to get lazy and just bring something that worked against Greninja, Gastrodon is a great pick, but mostly as a support option this time around. 

You won’t be dealing any super effective damage this time, but Storm Drain will keep you safe from any Water-type moves and Gastrodon is part Ground-type, meaning Electric attacks just wont work at all. Pair that with Helping Hand, Recover, Clear Smog, and some other decent moves and you are set to at least survive—while the rest is on your teammates. 

Related: Best Gastrodon Tera Raid builds in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet

• Tera Type: Ground
• Ability: Storm Drain
  • Water-type moves are drawn to this Pokémon. Water-type moves will do no damage and the Pokémon’s Special Attack is raised one stage.
• Nature: Modest (+ Special Attack, – Attack)
• Held Item: Soft Sand
  • Soft Sand is used in this build to reliably boost your Ground-type damage, but you can choose another item without losing too much. 
• EV spread
  • 252 Special Attack
  • The other 256 can be placed in whatever stat you want, most recommend some in HP and maybe Defense/Special Defense.
• Moves
  • Clear Smog
  • Mud-Slap
  • Helping Hand
  • Recover

Best Clodsire build for the Unrivaled Pikachu Tera Raid in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet

The second option is the same as the first; with a few tweaks, your Clodsire build from the Unrivaled Greninja event can slot right in to take on Unrivaled Pikachu.

Using Acid Spray here will open up the Unrivaled Pikachu for your attacking teammates. From there, you can either recover to heal up, use Helping Hand to assist in the damage dealing, or hit Pikachu yourself with Earth Power or more Acid Sprays. And thanks to Water Absorb, you don’t have to worry about taking heavy hits from Water-type attacks.

Related: Best Clodsire Tera Raid builds in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet

• Tera Type: Ground
• Ability: Water Absorb
  • The Pokémon heals up to 1/4 of its maximum HP when hit with Water-type moves.
• Nature: Calm (+ Special Defense, – Attack) or Bold (+ Defense, – Attack)
• Held Item: Assault Vest (for all-attack build) or Leftovers
  • Just like with Toxtricity, an Assault Vest will let you take some additional hits. Just remember it locks the user out of using non-damaging moves, so only use it if you plan on attacking each turn or using a Cheer. 
• EV spread
  • 252 HP
  • 252 Special Attack
  • 4 into either Defense stat 
• Moves
  • Earth Power
  • Acid Spray
  • Helping Hand
  • Mud-Slap/Recover

Best Appletun build for the Unrivaled Pikachu Tera Raid in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet

Now we get into the fresh counters the community cooked up directly for this event, starting with an Apple Acid spraying Appletun.

This Appletun is built to keep itself alive, lower Pikachu’s Special Defense, and weaken its Water-type attacks all in one build. Simply focus on setting up Sunny Day and using Apple Acid, hit Recycle as needed, and then spam Solar Beam. Just be aware that Pikachu does have Play Rough.

• Tera Type: Grass
• Ability: Ripen
  • Doubles the effects of held Berries when eaten in battle. 
• Nature: Calm (+ Special Defense, – Attack) or Bold (+ Defense, – Attack)
• Held Item: Sitrus Berry
  • Restores 25% of the user’s max HP.
• EV spread
  • 252 HP
  • 252 Special Attack
  • 4 into either Defense stat 
• Moves
  • Apple Acid
  • Sunny Day
  • Solar Beam
  • Recycle

Best Lurantis build for the Unrivaled Pikachu Tera Raid in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet

If you want to focus more on offense while getting to use a very underused Pokémon, Lurantis is actually a great option to both counter Pikachu’s rain setup and deal massive damage. 

Setting up Sunny Day will ensure Pikachu does less damage or wastes turns trying to set up the rain. Meanwhile, you can blast away with Leaf Storm and boost your Special Attack each time thanks to Contrary—in addition to keeping a healing option open with Synthesis and a flex move to boot. Just don’t get overconfident with how bulky this Grass-type is. 

• Tera Type: Grass
• Ability: Contrary
  • Moves used on the Pokémon that raise stats lower the stats, while the moves that lower the stats raise the stat
• Nature: Modest (+ Special Attack, – Attack)
• Held Item: Shell Bell
  • When this item is held, the holder recovers 1/8th of the damage it inflicts on its opponents.
• EV spread
  • 252 HP
  • 252 Special Attack
  • 4 into either Defense stat 
  • You can also take some Special Attack and put it into your Defensive stat of choice since Contrary will provide near-limitless boosts to that stat anyways. 
• Moves
  • Leaf Storm
  • Sunny Day
  • Synthesis
  • Grassy Terrain/Pollen Puff

Best Wo-Chien build for the Unrivaled Pikachu Tera Raid in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet

That’s right, get your reaction memes ready because Wo-Chien is actually a viable option in this Tera Raid event thanks to its access to basically everything the Unrivaled Pikachu hates. 

Want to lower Pikachu’s stats? Check. Need to cancel out the rain? This snail can praise the sun like it was born to do so. It can also hit like a truck with or without Grassy Terrain up too. You really can’t go wrong here outside of Play Rough hitting you hard—but even then, you should be able to manage a Pikachu. 

• Tera Type: Grass
• Ability: Tablets of Ruin
  • The power of the Pokémon’s ruinous wooden tablets lowers the Attack stats of all Pokémon except itself.
• Nature: Modest (+ Special Attack, – Attack)
• Held Item: Terrain Extender
  • This hold item will extend Grassy Terrain, Misty Terrain, Electric Terrain, and Psychic Terrain by a further three turns when activated either by the move or by the abilities that activate them.
• EV spread
  • 252 HP
  • 252 Special Attack
  • 4 into either Defense stat 
  • You can also take some HP and put it into your Defensive stat of choice. Defense is preferred so you can tank a few more Play Rough hits. 
• Moves
  • Solar Beam/Energy Ball
  • Sunny Day/Pollen Puff
  • Grassy Terrain
  • Snarl

Best Arboliva build for the Unrivaled Pikachu Tera Raid in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet

Another good Grass-type option that doesn’t fear any of Pkachu’s attacks is Arboliva, which in theory will simply live forever while dealing damage and making sure Pikachu can’t do much. 

Giving your Arboliva a Big Root will let you heal even more HP using Giga Drain and Strength Sap to hit Pikachu, with Strength Sap also lowering the target’s Attack stat. Pair that with Sunny Day and the near-guaranteed Grass Terrain you can setup thanks to your Seed Sower ability, you have a pretty nice setup going on. 

 Tera Type: Grass

• Ability: Seed Sower
  • Turns the ground into Grassy Terrain when the Pokémon is hit by an attack.
• Nature: Modest Calm (+ Special Defense, – Attack) or Bold (+ Defense, – Attack)
• Held Item: Big Root
  • When this item is held by a Pokémon, if it uses the moves that absorb health from the opponent or its surroundings such as Absorb or Ingrain, the HP it recovers is increased by 30%.
• EV spread
  • 252 HP
  • 252 Special Attack
  • 4 into either Defense stat
• Moves
  • Giga Drain
  • Strength Sap/Solar Beam
    • Strength Sap is an Egg Move, so if you are short on time, just use Solar Beam paired with Sunny Day.
  • Sunny Day
  • Helping Hand

Dot Esports will add more Unrivaled Pikachu counters as they emerge throughout the event.