Pokémon Scarlet & Violet: How to Catch the Ultra-Rare Ground Tera Garchomp Before It Disappears!

A thrilling new event is making its way to Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, and Trainers across the globe have a limited window to take part in the action. A powerful and incredibly rare Garchomp is headlining this event, available through a 7-Star Tera Raid Battle that promises a tough challenge and impressive rewards. Whether you’re a battle-hardened veteran or a newcomer looking to dive into high-stakes gameplay, this is one raid you won’t want to skip.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know about the event, including how to access the raid, what makes this Garchomp special, and tips for bringing it down and adding it to your collection.

The Tera Raid Events: A Continual Challenge

Since their introduction in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, Tera Raid Battles have become one of the most popular features in the game. These time-limited events offer the chance to battle and capture special versions of Pokémon that you won’t find in the wild, often with exclusive marks and unique Tera Types.

The developers at Game Freak, alongside The Pokémon Company, have maintained a steady schedule of events that keep the community engaged and challenged. As soon as one event ends, another is often right behind it, offering new rewards and encounters. This latest event raises the stakes with a 7-Star raid featuring a formidable Ground Tera Garchomp, a twist on a fan-favorite that demands preparation and strategy.

Meet Ground Tera Garchomp: A Formidable Foe

Garchomp has long been one of the strongest and most beloved Pokémon in the franchise. Known for its fierce power, great typing, and intimidating presence, it’s a staple in both casual and competitive play. But in this special event, Garchomp takes on a new role with a Ground Tera Type, shaking up its typical strengths and weaknesses.

This event-exclusive Garchomp isn’t just your average powerhouse. It comes with the Mightiest Mark, also known as the Supreme Mark, signifying its elite status. Players will only have one chance to capture it per save file, making each attempt crucial.

The Ground Tera Type changes Garchomp’s typical weaknesses and resistances. Normally a Dragon/Ground-type, this variant becomes particularly vulnerable to Water and Ice-type moves, giving Trainers a strategic edge—if they know how to use it.

Event Schedule: Don’t Miss Your Shot

The Garchomp 7-Star Tera Raid event will take place during two separate time frames:

First Wave: Now through May 25, 2025
Second Wave: May 30 to June 1, 2025

Make sure to mark your calendars, because once these dates pass, this particular Garchomp may not return for a long time—if ever. It’s a limited-time opportunity to snag one of the most powerful and exclusive Pokémon available in the game.

Preparing for Battle: Strategy & Tips

Even experienced Trainers will find this raid battle tough. Garchomp is known for its high Attack and Speed stats, and the developers have likely given this version a move set designed to catch players off guard.

Here are a few tips to maximize your chances:

Choose Strong Counters: Pokémon with powerful Water or Ice-type moves will be your best bet. Consider options like Azumarill with Belly Drum and Play Rough, or Iron Bundle with Freeze-Dry.
Go in With Friends: While you can team up with NPCs, you’ll fare much better with real players. Coordinate online and bring complementary roles like healers, tanks, and support Pokémon to survive longer.
Level Up: Make sure your Pokémon are at or near level 100. These raids are designed with top-tier stats in mind, and under-leveled Pokémon won’t stand a chance.
EV Training Helps: If you’re serious about winning, take the time to EV train your Pokémon in relevant stats like Special Attack, HP, or Defense.
Stock Up on Items: Don’t forget to bring status healers, stat boosters, and anything else that might give you the edge.

What You Get: Rewards Worth the Risk

Catching Garchomp is the main attraction, but even if you don’t manage to secure it, the raid still offers plenty of incentives:

Ability Capsules: Useful for changing a Pokémon’s standard ability
Tera Shards: Needed for changing a Pokémon’s Tera Type
EXP Candy & Rare Candy: Essential for leveling up your team
Bottle Caps & Gold Bottle Caps: Used for Hyper Training, which maxes out a Pokémon’s IVs

These rewards make every raid attempt worthwhile, even if your first tries don’t go as planned.

How to Access 7-Star Tera Raids

To join in on this event, there are a few steps and requirements:

What You Need:

A copy of Pokémon Scarlet or Pokémon Violet
An active Nintendo Switch Online subscription
A stable internet connection
Progress in the main story to unlock high-level Tera Raids

If you haven’t met all the requirements, don’t worry. You can still join raids hosted by friends or other players who have unlocked them.

Step-by-Step: Updating for Events

To ensure you can see the latest raid events in your game, follow these simple steps:

Open the Main Menu in Scarlet or Violet
Navigate to the Poké Portal
Select Mystery Gift
Choose Get Poké Portal News

This will update your game with the current event data, allowing the special Garchomp raid to appear on your map.

Final Thoughts: A Challenge Worth Taking

The Ground Tera Garchomp event is one of the most exciting raid battles to come to Pokémon Scarlet and Violet so far. Not only does it offer a unique and powerful version of a fan-favorite Pokémon, but it also delivers some of the best rewards in the game. Whether you’re in it for the thrill of the battle, the exclusive Mightiest Mark, or the treasure trove of rare items, this event has something for everyone.

So don’t wait. Gather your strongest team, plan your strategy, and jump into this limited-time event. With a bit of preparation and a lot of determination, you just might come out on top with one of the rarest Pokémon in the Paldea region.

Are you ready to take on the challenge?

See you in the raid battles, Trainers!