Generation IX: Paldea and Terastallization

Updated on 2026-09-02

Scarlet and Violet took the series into a genuinely open world: you choose the order of the gyms, the Team Star bases and the Titans.

Terastallization

The generation's mechanic. Once per battle, your Pokémon crystallises and takes on its Tera Type — which can be one of its original types or any of the other 18.

Consequences:

• Offensive: a Tera Type matching one of your moves boosts STAB (from 1.5× to 2× if the type was already yours).
• Defensive: a Garchomp (Dragon/Ground) that Terastallizes into Steel trades its 4× Ice weakness for a pile of resistances.
• Shield: Tera Fairy negates Dragon moves; Tera Ghost blocks trapping moves.

This makes reading a team much harder — you never know the opponent's Tera Type until they reveal it.

Recommended team

• Starter: Quaxly (Quaquaval, Water/Fighting), Fuecoco (Skeledirge, Fire/Ghost) or Sprigatito (Meowscarada, Grass/Dark).
• Ceruledge or Armarouge (via Charcadet): Fire/Ghost and Fire/Psychic.
• Garganacl (via Nacli): pure Rock, a wall with recovery via Salt Cure.
• Gholdengo (Gimmighoul + 999 coins): Steel/Ghost, status-immune via Good as Gold — dominant in competitive.
• Baxcalibur (via Frigibax): a Dragon/Ice pseudo-legendary.
• A Paradox (Great Tusk, Iron Valiant…) or box legendary (Koraidon/Miraidon) for the post-game.

Full list on the Generation IX page.