Pokemon Scarlet & Violet’s Tera Raids can be an absolute nightmare, but this Iron Hands build allows players to take on most 5 & 6-star raids solo. Here’s how to get it.
In Generation 9, future and past forms of fan-favorite Pokemon were introduced with unique typings and new names. While they may look similar to Pokemon from previous generations, these count as brand-new species discovered in the Paldea region.
The majority of players online have praised the design of Scarlet’s version-exclusive past forms over Violet’s future forms, but a dive into their stats and typing reveals Violet has the upper hand in battle.
One of the strongest Pokemon to come out of generation 9 – especially when dealing with Tera Raid bosses – is Iron Hand. The future paradox form of Hariyama, this Fighting/Electric powerhouse, can one-shot raids if built correctly. Here are two Iron Hands builds that will make Tera Raids much easier.
Iron Hands glass cannon build
This is one of the most popular Iron Hands builds to take out tough Tera Raid bosses. However, the glass cannon build is meant to take out Tera Raids as quickly as possible, leaving itself susceptible to being knocked out quickly if the all-out assault fails.
Iron Hands must reach at least level 84 (to learn Belly Drum) for this build, although it’s preferred to be level 90+. Iron Hands can be found in most parts of Area Zero after beating Pokemon Violet, and here is how to build it like a glass cannon.
| Name | Level | Moveset | Ability | Held Item | Nature |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iron Hands | 84-100 | Belly DrumClose Combat Drain PunchWild Charge | Quark Drive | Energy Booster | Adamant or Brave |
Iron Hands glass cannon moveset
- Belly Drum – learned at level 84
- Close Combat – learned at level 63
- Drain Punch – learned via TM
- Wild Charge – learned at level 56
Best EVs and IVs for Iron Hands
For EVs, players will want to focus on Iron Hands’ HP, Attack, and Special Defense stats. They can use Protein, HP Up, and Zinc from the Chansey Supply store to boost these stats, or Power Weights, Power, Bracers, and Power Bands can be purchased from the Delibird Presents store and have the same effect.
For IVs, players will again want to focus on HP, Attack, and Special Defense – although an Iron Hands with perfect IVs isn’t bad either. These can be bred for, or players can use Bottle Caps to Hyper Train their stats using the NPC next to the Pokecenter in Montenerva.
How to use punch moves Iron Hands
At the start of the Tera Raid, players will want to use Belly Drum. This will cut Iron Hands’ health in half and max out the Pokemon’s Attack and Special Attack stats. This will compound with Quark Drive, which raises Iron Hand’s Attack stats at the beginning of the raid.
If you’re raiding alone and the AI Pokemon aren’t strong enough to chop off a large section of the Raid Boss’ health, players can use Drain Punch to regain their health. But if the Raid Boss has a low defensive stat, trainers can go for the riskier play by using Close Combat or Wild Charge.
Close Combat will reduce Iron Hands’ defensive stats, and Wild Charge will faint the Iron Hands at half health, but these powerful moves paired with the smorgasbord of stat buffs can easily take down Tera Raid Pokemon – or at least put a massive dent in their health bar.
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Iron Hands punch moves build
Iron Hands also has a build that capitalizes on the new Punching Glove held item for players who want to play things a bit safer. This item boosts the power of Punching based moves by 10%, and Iron Hands can learn quite a few. The Punching Glove can be purchased from the Delibird Presents store in Mesagoza.
This build allows Iron Hands to stay in the fight longer and has a bit of versatility in its moveset. It also allows for more type coverage with Electric, Fighting, and Ice-type stab moves.
| Name | Level | Moveset | Ability | Held Item | Nature |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iron hands | 84 – 100 | Belly DrumDrain PunchThunder PunchIce Punch | Quark Drive (NA) | Punching Glove | Adamant |
Iron Hands punch moves moveset
Unlike the glass cannon build, players can experiment more with the Punching Gloves moveset. Belly Drum and Drain Punch are must-haves, but the other two moves can be swapped out to adapt to different raids.
Below is a list of moves players can use with the punch moves Iron Hands build:
- Belly Drum – learn at level 84
- Drain Punch – learn via TM
- Thunder Punch – learn at level 21
- Ice Punch – learn via TM
- Close Combat – learn at level 63
- Focus Punch – learn at level 91
All of the above moves gain STAB except for Ice Punch, so players may want to swap out the Ice-type move for something more effective. This still leaves the door open for more powerful moves like Close Combat or even a Focus Punch if players can pull it off.
Best EVs and IVs for Iron Hands
The Iron Hands punch build requires the same EVs and IVs as the glass cannon. Focus on training its HP, Attack, and Special Defense skills to get the most out of this Pokemon.
How to use punch moves Iron Hands
Players will want to begin the Tera Raid by using Belly Drum. This will cut Iron Hands’ health in half and max out the Pokemon’s Attack and Special Attack stats. Paired with the 10% buff for punch moves thanks to the Punching Gloves, each fist will feel like a Mack truck.
Follow this up with a Drain Punch to regain the lost health, and then continue to chip away at the Tera Raid boss’ health bar using whichever punch move is most effective. The user can also Terastalize to boost the power of punch moves even further.
The beauty of punch moves Iron Hands is that even if the Tera Boss nullifies a Pokemon’s ability and stat changes, it will still gain a 10% buff from the Punching Gloves. Players can then reset by using Belly Drum again and regain health from Drain Punch until the battle ends.