I. Where to Begin: Unlocking Post-Game Content
The Academy Ace Tournament: Trigger this by speaking to Director Clavell after the story. It's Paldea's premier battling event.
Structure: Battle 4 random opponents from a pool including Gym Leaders, Rival characters, and Faculty members. Expect Level 65+ Pokémon.
Rewards: Substantial prize money, LP, and chances to earn Bottle Caps, Comet Shards, Nuggets, Rare Candies, and TMs after victories.
Gym Leader Rematches: Head back to any Gym after the Ace Tournament unlocks. Challenging them again is key.
Difficulty Spike: Their teams jump to Level 65+, featuring evolved forms, improved movesets, held items, and smarter AI.
Importance: Earn huge amounts of prize money and TMs unavailable elsewhere. Essential for team building.
Location: Find them in their cities, not always at the Gym building itself (e.g., Iono is at Levincia Square).
Team Star Rematches: Locate each Team Star boss (Cassidy, Clavell, and Penny standing near them).
Challenge: Battle their significantly stronger Level 65+ squads featuring fully evolved Pokémon and thematic strategies.
Rewards: Rare evolution items (e.g., Malicious Armor, Auspicious Armor), TMs, and large sums of money.
Black Crystal Tera Raids: The most coveted endgame activity appears on your map.
Identification: Black glowing dens with distinctive aura.
Content: Feature incredibly powerful Level 75+ Pokémon with unique Tera Types, perfect IVs, special movesets, and exclusive Abilities (e.g., Mightiest Mark) unavailable elsewhere. These are often limited-time events (like past Mewtwo, Greninja, Inteleon raids).
II. Mastering 5★ & 6★ Tera Raids (The Core Endgame Loop)
Understanding high-level Tera Raids is NON-NEGOTIABLE for efficient post-game farming.
Unlocking 6★ Raids: Requires completing the main story AND winning about 10-15 post-game 4★ & 5★ raids. Jacq will call you when unlocked. Appear as black crystals only on your map.
Tera Raid Mechanics: Survival & Efficiency
Terastallizing yourself (massive charge).
Landing super-effective attacks (good charge).
Landing "Well Done!" timing strikes (small charge).
Strategy: Coordinate with teammates to charge quickly OR have one dedicated charger if offline.
The Clock: Focus less on the visible timer and more on the actions taken. Terastallization, significant damage, and KOs extend the timer. Passivity shortens it drastically.
Tera Shield Mechanics: Destroying the shield requires building up a "Tera Charge," achieved by:
Critical Phases:
Stat Reset/Negation: Raid bosses often nullify stat boosts/reductions (positive and negative) around 80% and 40% HP. Don't rely solely on setup sweeps.
Status Clears: Bosses frequently clear status conditions right before or after Terastallizing. Don't depend solely on Toxic stall.
Summoning Shields: Usually triggered at specific HP thresholds. Expect the boss to shield immediately after Terastallizing.
Penalty System: Fainting reduces the timer drastically. Survival is paramount. Healers and Cheer support are VITAL.
The Power of Cheers:
Go All Out!: Raises Attack/Sp. Atk for all allies. Essential for breaking shields.
Hang Tough!: Raises Defense/Sp. Def for all allies. Crucial for surviving powerful blows.
Heal Up!: Restores ~25% HP and cures status for all allies. The MOST important cheer for preventing timer deaths. USE THIS LIBERALLY.
Building a Raid-Ready Pokémon (The Meta):
High Base Power/STAB: Jet Punch, Earthquake, Thunderbolt, Ice Beam, Moonblast.
Screen Support: Light Screen, Reflect.
Buffs: Swords Dance, Nasty Plot, Iron Defense, Calm Mind.
Debuffs: Screech, Metal Sound (Watch for Stat Reset/Negation!).
Healing: Life Dew, Pollen Puff.
Self-Sustain: Shell Bell item works wonders on offensive mons.
Level 100 Mandatory: Invest Bottle Caps for Hyper Training (Stat Judge in Montenevera).
Optimal IVs: HP, Attack/Sp. Atk, and Speed/Defenses as needed.
Right Ability: Hidden Abilities like Unaware, Mold Breaker, or Adaptability are often crucial. Use Ability Patches/Ab Capsules.
EV Training: Max HP + Max Offense (Attack/Sp. Atk) is common. Some supports max HP + Defense/Sp. Def. Use Vitamins/Fresh Start Mochis or manual training.
Movesets:
Popular Meta Raid Mons: Annihilape (Defiant/Rage Fist), Azumarill (Huge Power/Belly Drum), Iron Hands (Quark Drive/Belly Drum), Gholdengo (Good as Gold/Nasty Plot), Grimmsnarl (Prankster Screens/Taunt), Miraidon/Koraidon (Signature moves, naturally raid-focused). Match Tera type advantage!
III. The Academy Ace Tournament: Farming & Strategy
Team Recommendations: Build a fast, high-damage sweeper (e.g., Lv 100 Miraidon, Flutter Mane) capable of OHKOing most opponents. A Choice Scarf user is effective. Having a diverse pool of Lv 100 mons helps against specific teachers/leaders.
Efficient Farming: Using "Let's Go" mode to defeat all Pokémon on the field before entering the Academy can yield Exp. Candies for minimal effort during tournament loops.
Target Rewards: Keep playing to stockpile Rare Candies for quick leveling, Bottle Caps for Hyper Training, Comet Shards for easy money.
IV. Shiny Hunting 2.0: Mass Outbreaks & Shiny Power
Mass Outbreak Mechanics: Post-game outbreaks feature higher-level Pokémon, including evolved forms.
Shiny Power Method:
Level 3 Sparkling Power: Craft a sandwich with specific ingredients (e.g., Salty + Sweet Herba Mystica) targeting the desired outbreak type. This massively boosts shiny odds.
Knock Out 60 Pokémon: Defeat (faint) 60 Pokémon in the outbreak. This significantly boosts shiny rates within that outbreak only. Use Auto-Battle!
Spawn Resets: After 60 KOs, simply move away from the outbreak area (about 100-200 yards) and return. New Pokémon will spawn. Repeat until the shiny appears!
Shiny Charm: Obtained for completing the Paldea Pokédex (capture 400). Combines with Sparkling Power Lv 3 for the best possible base shiny odds (estimated ~1/512).
V. Breeding Perfection: Masuda Method & Egg Power
IV Inheritance: Use Destiny Knot held by either parent to pass down 5 IVs combined from both parents. Power Items pass specific IVs.
Masuda Method: Breed Pokémon from different language games (e.g., your ENG Ditto with a JPN starter). Vastly improves shiny odds.
Egg Power Revolution:
Craft sandwiches with Egg Power Lv 3 (e.g., Peanut Butter + Banana + Sweet Herba Mystica).
This drastically reduces egg cycles. Eggs will appear in the basket near your picnic table almost constantly. Collect ~100 eggs in under 30 minutes.
Essential Items: Flame Body/Magma Armor ability (e.g., Talonflame, Volcarona) held by a party member cuts egg hatch time IN HALF.
VI. Legendary Treasures: The Four Perils & Koraidon/Miraidon (Post-Story)
The Four Perils:
Powerful new Paradox Pokémon roam specific locations in Area Zero.
Scarlet: Raging Bolt (Electric/Dragon - Raikou Paradox), Iron Crown (Steel/Psychic - Cobalion Paradox).
Violet: Iron Boulder (Rock/Psychic - Terrakion Paradox), Iron Serpent (Water/Dragon - Virizion Paradox?).
Finding Them: Requires investigating specific lore objects within Area Zero after completing "The Way Home." Use Koraidon/Miraidon's full mobility (swim, climb, glide).
Ride Legendary Duplicate:
Post-game, return to the bottom of Area Zero (Lab Zero) to find a second Koraidon (Scarlet) or Miraidon (Violet). This one is catchable, tradable, and battle-ready!
VII. Competitive Preparation Basics
Hyper Training (Stat Judge): Use Bottle Caps to maximize IVs (Montenevera).
Ability Changes: Ability Capsule (changes to regular ability), Ability Patch (toggles to/from Hidden Ability).
EV Training: Vitamins cost LP post-game. Max 2 stats per Pokémon (252+252+6). Use Feathers (found near water/pokéstop ruins) for fine-tuning.
Mint Farming: Farm auctions in Porto Marinada for Nature Mints. Change a Pokémon's stat inclination without breeding (e.g., Adamant Mint for physical attackers).
Tera Shard Farming: High-level raids drop large quantities. Change a Pokémon's Tera Type at Medali's Treasure Eatery (50 shards per change).
Move Tutors: Reminders at Pokémon Centers (LP cost) and specialized tutors like the TM Machine near Cassyopeia's HQ (expensive move relearners).
VIII. Secrets, Collectibles & Completion
Stakes & Ruinous Legendaries: Locate all 32 colored stakes (8 per type) to unlock sealed shrines housing Chien-Pao (Ice/Dark), Ting-Lu (Ground/Dark), Chi-Yu (Fire/Dark), and Wo-Chien (Grass/Dark).
Evolution Items: Farm specific high-star raids, purchase at Delibird Presents (post-game expansions unlocked), or mine in Area Zero.
Apri Balls: Extremely rare. Complete certain post-game academy quests (talk to teachers/students) or win auctions (rare finds!).
BBQs & Blueberry Points: If linked to DLC, complete Blueberry Quests for points to unlock items/TMs/Apparel.
IX. Final Tips for Paldean Masters
Farm Watts for LP: Use Academy Ace Tournament prize money to buy Luxury Balls from auction, then sell them back to shops. Converts $ to LP efficiently.
Farm Herba Mystica: Prioritize 5★/6★ raids. Salt/Sweet Herba are core for sparkling sandwiches.
Exploit Synchro Machine: Use your lead Pokémon's ability passively via Synchro Mode while exploring/catching.
Patches Are Gold: Use Ability Patches strategically. Mons like Cinderace (Libero), Greninja (Protean), and starters with unique Hidden Abilities become top-tier.
Trade Online: Use link codes targeting exclusive Pokémon (e.g., 01660167 for Paradox trades) or evolving Finizen. Trade duplicate Legendaries/Shinies for rarities.
