As of Pokémon Scarlet & Violet, there are over 900 moves in the Pokémon games to choose from. The pair introduced 69 new moves, some of which are exclusive to specific Pokémon. While some older moves have been removed from these games, there are more than enough to sate even the most meticulous players. Pokémon Scarlet & Violet also contain the highest number of TMs to date, with 229 — 58 are only available with The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero DLC.

Game Freak had to be creative to implement so many moves. Some are so difficult to use that their very existence borders on ridiculous. With the right strategy, however, they may catch even the most hardened Pokémon veteran off guard. If competitive battling is growing stale, consider using these moves to make the game more interesting. These should also work on the Pokémon Showdown battle simulator, especially if unique formats are considered.

10

Double Shock Takes Away the User’s Type

Only Pawmot Can Learn This Move Naturally

Double Shock is like Burn Up from Pokémon Sun & Moon, albeit as an Electric-type physical attack. Only Pawmot can learn the move naturally, though it can be used through Sketch or Metronome. Few other Pokémon would want this move, however, as it requires an Electric-type to actually use. This is because the user actually loses that type after damage is inflicted.

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Normally, this means Pawmot can only use Double Shock once before it becomes a pure Fighting-type. It will remain that way until it is switched out, leaving the player with one less move. However, an Electric-type Terastallization will be able to use Double Shock without losing its type, even though an in-game message states otherwise. This allows it to spam Double Shock as a 120 Base Power attack without drawbacks.

9

Stuff Cheeks Is Like Iron Defense With a Berry

The Berry Is Consumed Upon Use

Only three fully evolved Pokémon can use Stuff Cheeks: Greedent, Swalot, and Oinkologne. It is a shame because this is actually a very good move. It raises the user’s Defense stat by two stages and consumes its held Berry, receiving whatever effect it would bestow. This bypasses any HP thresholds and opposing effects, like Unnerve or Magic Room.

Greedent is made for this tactic. Its Ability, Cheek Pouch, restores 33% of its maximum HP when it consumes a Berry. To make the most of Stuff Cheeks, it should hold a Custap Berry. Consuming one will automatically let Greedant move first in the next turn, thus overcoming its terrible base Speed. Body Press makes the most of its boosted Defense, especially if it has a Fighting Tera Type.

8

Doodle Is a Role Play Meant for Doubles

Only Grafaiai Can Learn This Move Naturally

Grafaiai is very weak for a fully-evolved Pokémon, but it is the only one that naturally learns Doodle — a move that changes it and its partner’s Abilities to match an opponent’s. Since Role Play does the same thing for only the user and is nowhere near as exclusive, Doodle should only be considered in Double Battles.

Doodle can only target an opponent, so it may not be useful in every battle. Nevertheless, Grafaiai is a Prankster user and can make the most of even a single turn. Using Doodle on an Intimidate user will drop both opponents’ Attack by two stages — one for each Pokémon. Abilities like Levitate or Water Absorb can suddenly render the player’s side immune to Earthquake or Surf, respectively.

7

Frost Breath Is Always a Critical Hit

Anger Point Maximizes the Recipient’s Attack

Since Storm Throw was strangely among the list of moves removed from Pokémon Scarlet & Violet, Frost Breath is currently the only move that will always score a critical hit. This effectively makes it a less accurate Ice Beam that bypasses an opponent’s Sp. Defense boosts, but it does nothing else — not even a 10% chance of freezing. Why not just use Ice Beam?

The answer is to exploit a partner’s Anger Point Ability in Double Battles. Paldean Tauros’ Blaze and Aqua Breeds can both have this Ability and resist Ice-type attacks. Using Frost Breath on it will maximize its Attack in a single turn, and without using up its move. Eviolite Primeape is another candidate since this is the only way it can hope to achieve Annihilape’s success aside from evolving it.

6

Belly Drum Also Maximizes the User’s Attack

The Price Is Half the User’s Maximum HP

Speaking of maximized Attack, Belly Drum is an old classic that has seen use in all kinds of competitive formats. It halves its user’s HP to bring its Attack up to +6 stages, regardless of any Attack stage effects that took place. This is commonly used with Pokémon that have high base HP, like Snorlax or Hariyama, in conjunction with a Sitrus or Custap Berry.

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The Paradox Pokémon, Iron Hands, has a combo that goes beyond using its maximized Attack only once. With an Impish Nature and an EV spread that maximizes its HP and Defense, holding Booster Energy (or standing in Electric Terrain) will boost its Defense, not its Attack. With clever use of a Tera Type against a physical attacker, it is possible for Iron Hands to survive a turn after using Belly Drum. A few +6 Drain Punches should restore its HP back.

5

Springtide Storm Can Drop Both Opponents’ Attack

Only Enamorus Can Learn This Move Naturally

While all four forces of nature — Tornadus, Thundurus, Landorus, and the relatively new Enamorus from Pokémon Legends: Arceus — have access to a unique wind move, the last among them is the only one that does not have perfect accuracy in the rain. Springtide Storm has a 30% chance of dropping its target’s Attack by one stage if it hits.

That shaky 80% accuracy may be worrying to some, but Springtide Storm strikes both opponents in Double Battles. If Enamorus holds a Blunder Policy, the chance of missing either target becomes a strength and will increase its Speed by two stages. Its Incarnate Forme will likely outspeed everything else, while its Therian Forme (which normally has a very low base Speed) may suddenly keep up.

4

Steel Roller Destroys Any Active Terrain

It Is Useless Without a Terrain Effect

Steel Roller seldom sees use because the terrain is so important to Pokémon strategies. Entire teams are crafted around utilizing certain terrain as much as possible, especially Electric Terrain, which every futuristic Paradox Pokémon excels in. It may be useless without terrain, but it should not be used in terrain-based strategies to begin with.

Steel Roller should be used to shut down an opponent’s terrain, and Iron Treads is a futuristic Paradox Pokémon itself that can do just that. Since Steel is not a very good attacking type, it should not be necessary to have another Steel-type STAB attack unless Fairy-types are a problem. Steel Roller has the advantage of not needing to use up a turn to switch into a terrain setter.

3

Focus Punch Requires Its User Not To Get Hit

A Substitute Can Help With That

Focus Punch is another classic move that saw a lot of competitive use, particularly in the third generation. Breloom was a prime candidate for the SubSeed strategy back then, and it can still pull it off today. Even without Leech Seed, it has access to Spore and the Poison Heal Ability to keep making Substitutes.

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If a Pokémon takes direct damage during the turn it uses Focus Punch, it will not work. Whether an opponent is asleep or unable to hit past a Substitute, Focus Punch has a massive 150 Base Power and runs off Breloom’s mighty base Attack.

2

A Pokémon Needs a Berry to Belch

Fling Does Not Work, It Must Actually Consume It

Belch is the strongest Poison-type special attack in the game, but it requires its user to have consumed a Berry at some point during the battle. How it consumes it is not relevant — using Bug Bite or Pluck to consume an opponent’s Berry will work. Belch will remain usable even if its user switches later. The real question is which Pokémon should know this move.

Few Poison-type Pokémon have a base Sp. Attack high enough to justify using it, so this may justify a Poison Tera Type. Hydreigon is the perfect candidate — it has an excellent base Sp. Attack and is reasonably bulky enough to justify the Rest/Chesto Berry combo. Furthermore, a Poison Tera Type will bolster Belch’s power and turn Hydreigon’s weaknesses to Fighting and Fairy into resistances, while its Levitate Ability ensures it remains immune to Ground-type attacks.

1

Last Resort Only Works if All Other Moves Have Been Used

It Fails if It Is a Pokémon’s Only Move

Last Resort is a powerful Normal-type attack on par with Blood Moon and Boomburst. Unlike them, this is a physical attack — one that only works if a Pokémon has used all its other moves at least once. Switching out will force the player to use each move all over again.

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Moves that limit the damage a Pokémon will take are a must, so Fake Out and Protect are excellent options. Ambipom is the only Pokémon with a base Attack high enough to justify using Last Resort that can also learn Fake Out. The fourth move, if one is desired, can be a coverage move or another defensive move — Knock Off, Substitute, or even Taunt. Even Thief may be a useful coverage move if Ambipom has the Technician Ability.

Pokemon Scarlet and Violet

Released

November 18, 2022

ESRB

E For Everyone Due To Mild Fantasy Violence

Developer(s)

Game Freak

Publisher(s)

Nintendo, The Pokemon Company

Platform(s)

Switch

Multiplayer

Local Multiplayer

Engine

Proprietary Engine

How Long To Beat

32 Hours

X|S Optimized

no

Metascore

72

Steam Deck Compatibility

yes

OpenCritic Rating

Fair

Cross Save

no

Cross-Platform Play

no

Expand