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How to find and beat the Pokemon Scarlet and Violet Charizard Tera Raid

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How to catch a seven-star Charizard in the limited time raid with a special Dragon Tera type

Pokemon Scarlet and Violet
(Image credit: The Pokemon Company)
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The Pokemon Scarlet and Violet Charizard Tera Raid is available now if you have six star raids unlocked, and best fought with an Azumarill or any other powerful Fairy type. Unless the iconic gen-one starter returns in a future event, which isn't guaranteed, this will be players only chance to catch a Charizard for themselves, and their last chance to battle it in a raid in a true test of strength. For that reason, we'll show you how to beat the Charizard Raid boss and catch it in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet below, as well as how you can play the raid itself.

Pokemon Scarlet and Violet Charizard Tera Raid dates and requirements

Pokemon scarlet violet charizard tera raid

(Image credit: Nintendo)

The Charizard Tera Raid in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet is available at the following dates and times:

  • December 1, 00:00 GMT/19:00 EST to December 4, 23:59 GMT/18:59 EST 
  • December 15, 00:00 GMT/19:00 EST to December 18, 23:59 GMT/18:59 EST

To face it, players will have had to have unlocked six-star Raids within their respective games. This requires all the following steps:

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  1. Complete the main plot and see the end credits
  2. Battle all Gym Leaders again as part of the inspection
  3. Win the Academy Ace Tournament
  4. Host and win 15 separate 5-star Raids

Once you've done that, you'll be eligible for Six-Star Raids - as well as the new, special Seven-Star Raid with Charizard. To find it, you'll need to have made sure your internet connection allows you to connect to the update, then you need to find Black Raid Crystals in the overworld, marked on the map with the symbol for the Dragon Tera Type (these are randomly spawning). Once you find one, you can battle Charizard!

How to beat the Charizard Tera Raid

Pokemon Scarlet Violet azumarill raid build

(Image credit: Nintendo)

The Dragon-Type Charizard is enormously powerful - you'll need Pokemon of level 100, and even then it's going to be difficult. We recommend using our guide for the Pokemon Scarlet and Violet Azumarill Raid build, as Azumarill's Fairy attacks are devastating against Dragons, and its Water typing makes it resilient to any Fire attacks Charizard throws at you. Failing that, Dachsbun has been a popular option, and there's always the generally powerful Pokemon Scarlet and Violet Iron Hands Raid build here!

Once you beat it, you'll be given the usual chance to catch the Charizard! However, keep in mind that this is a one-time thing - you can fight Charizard multiple times and help your friends beat it, but each player can only catch one of them. Sorry, dragon-lovers.

Joel Franey
Joel Franey
Guides Editor, GamesRadar+

Joel Franey is a writer, journalist, podcaster and Very Tired Man with a BA from Brunel University, a Masters from Sussex University and a decade working in games journalism, often focused on guides coverage but also in reviews, features and news. His love of games is strongest when it comes to groundbreaking narratives like Disco Elysium, UnderTale and Baldur's Gate 3, as well as innovative or refined gameplay experiences like XCOM, Sifu, Arkham Asylum or Slay the Spire. He is a firm believer that the vast majority of games would be improved by adding a grappling hook, and if they already have one, they should probably add another just to be safe. You can find old work of his at Eurogamer, Gfinity, USgamer, SFX Magazine, RPS, Dicebreaker, VG247, and more.