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Gastrodon is a Pokemon that can be found or evolved in Scarlet and Violet. Despite its cute appearance, both West and East Sea Gastrodon can be effective fighters, especially in Tera Raid battles.
Game Freak recently introduced a new high-tier event raid featuring Greninja with a Poison Tera Type. This powerful Water-type starter Pokemon can only be caught once per account, making it a sought-after catch for the majority of the trainers. While many creatures can make for solid fighters in this specific Tera Raid, as an attacker Gastrodon performs exceptionally well. However, you will want to build your Gastrodon a certain way to maximize its potential.
Building Gastrodon to defeat Tera Raid Greninja in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet
As a Tera Raid boss, Greninja doesn't possess its standard Water/Dark typing. You can use this to your advantage and counter it as if it were a Poison-type during the event raid. However, you will still have to watch out for its Tera Raid moveset, as Greninja can still use its Water/Dark-type moveset. Gastrodon's Ground/Water-type protects it from Greninja's Water-type attacks and makes it an effective counter to Poison Tera Greninja.
A suggested build for Gastrodon to take on Greninja's Tera Raid in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet:
- Nature - Modest
- Ability - Storm Drain
- EV Point Allocation - 252 HP, 252 Special Attack, 4 Defense or Special Defense
- Tera Type - Ground
- Held Item - Soft Sand or Absorb Bulb
- Moves - Stockpile, Earth Power, Mud Shot, Recover
With this build, Gastrodon can boost its Defense and Special Defense stats by activating Stockpile, then going on the offensive with attacks like Mud Shot and Earth Power that can utilize high Special Attack. While Earth Power provides more damage than others, Mud Shot has the added bonus of lowering Greninja's speed and allowing allies to hammer away at it quickly.
Gastrodon's Storm Drain ability also protects it from Greninja's Water-type attacks, and its Ground typing resists poison moves. Recover can be used to restore Gastrodon's health when needed, and you can also use the Heal Up! cheer to keep it from fainting.
When it comes to held items, you have a couple of options that work well. Soft Sand is an easy pick since it increases the damage Gastrodon deals to the Poison Tera Greninja. However, you can also use Absorb Bulb if you want more firepower for Gastrodon. This helpful item enhances a Pokemon's special attack stat when it is hit with a Water-type move, but the item will only work once before it is used up.
It's also important to note that you are free to experiment or tweak the build as necessary. If this particular Gastrodon build isn't working effectively, you should consider trying out different moves or held items. It's also worth considering the moveset and typing of the other Pokemon in the raid party, as Gastrodon's role may change depending on the team's composition. With the right strategy and build, Gastrodon can be a valuable asset in taking down the Tera Raid Greninja.
