How to Terastallize Pokemon in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet

Terastallization is easily the biggest new feature introduced in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet. Like Mega Evolutions or Dynamaxing before it, the new mechanic offers a twist on the usual back and forth of Pokemon by giving you a means of turning the tables via an ace up your sleeve. Or at least, it does so long as you know how to use it. That’s why we’re here to make sure you know how to Terastallize Pokemon in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet with a detailed guide.

How to Use the Terastallize Mechanic in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet

To start, it’s worth noting that you won’t be able to Terastallize your Pokemon from the very start of your Pokemon Scarlet and Violet adventure.

Instead, you’ll need to make your way through the majority of the tutorial first. This takes a couple of hours, but you’ll know you’re on the verge of unlocking the game’s big new mechanic after you complete your first battle against Team Star. The rival character Nemona will then provide you with the Tera Orb, which allows you to Terastallize one Pokemon during battle.

From that point on, you can choose to Terastallize a Pokemon while they’re in battle by pressing the R Button during the move selection stage of a fight. Your Pokemon will then Terastallize before using the move you selected, and will stay Terastallized for the duration of the battle.

However, it’s worth noting that there are limits to how much you can use Terastallization. This mechanic can only be used once before it’ll be depleted. You’ll then need to visit a Pokemon Center before it’ll be available for use again.

When You Should Terastallize Your Pokemon

Likewise, it’s worth noting that there are some situations that are better than others for Terastallizing your Pokemon in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet.

This is because a Pokemon’s typing can change when you Terastallize them. For example: You might have an Eevee which, despite being a Normal type Pokemon, becomes a Water type when you Terastallize it due to its Tera Type. As such, it’d be best to Terastallize the Eevee when it would gain a typing resistance against fire or ice attacks, or when you could boost a Water type attack it knows for extra damage.

You can check what a given Pokemon’s Tera Type is by opening up their summary, and looking at what type shows up right below their base typing.

Hopefully, this cleared up how to Terastallize Pokemon in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet. For more on the wider series, check out any of the related articles down below. We’ve also got plenty of other guides related to Scarlet and Violet, including ones on where to find Roaming Form Gimmighoul, whether or not you can catch Greninja, and which version is better.