Skeledirge Tera Raid: Weaknesses and Counters Revealed

The latest Skeledirge with the Mightiest Mark in *Pokémon Scarlet & Violet* is a formidable foe in its new 7-Star Tera Raid. To conquer this challenge, you'll need a well-prepared team of counters that can exploit its weaknesses effectively.

Skeledirge’s Weaknesses & Resistances in Pokémon Scarlet & Violet

The Mightiest Mark Skeledirge Tera Raid in Pokémon Scarlet & Violet Image Source: The Pokémon Company

Skeledirge the Unrivaled in a *Pokémon Scarlet & Violet* Tera Raid is weak to Water-, Ground-, Rock-, and Dark-type attacks. As a Fire Tera-type, Skeledirge is particularly vulnerable to Water-, Ground-, and Rock-type attacks, which will deal 2x super-effective damage.

On the other hand, it is resistant to Bug-, Fairy-, Fire-, Grass-, Ice-, Poison-, Normal-, and Steel-type attacks, with these moves inflicting only 0.5x damage. Bug-type moves deal a mere 0.25x damage. Due to Skeledirge’s part-Ghost typing being removed in this raid, Normal-type moves can now deal damage as well.

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Skeledirge’s Moveset

As the newest 7-Star boss in *Pokémon Scarlet & Violet*, the Mightiest Mark Skeledirge has a diverse moveset that includes:

Torch Song (Fire-type)
Shadow Ball (Ghost-type)
Alluring Voice (Fairy-type)
Earth Power (Ground-type)
Will-O-Wisp (Fire-type, non-damaging)
Snarl (Dark-type)

The inclusion of Earth Power and Alluring Voice in its moveset makes Skeledirge particularly challenging due to its expanded type coverage. Torch Song is especially dangerous as it boosts Skeledirge’s Special Attack with each use, making it progressively more powerful. Will-O-Wisp can also burn your Pokémon, halving their Attack stat, while its Unaware ability allows Skeledirge to ignore any stat changes your Pokémon might have.

To counter these threats effectively, you'll need to employ the best counters listed below.

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Best 7-Star Skeledirge Counters in Pokémon Scarlet & Violet

Golduck, Quagsire, and Manaphy — the three best counters to beat Mightiest Mark Skeledirge in Pokémon Scarlet & Violet Image Source: The Pokémon Company

Golduck, Quagsire, and Manaphy are the top counters to Skeledirge the Unrivaled in *Pokémon Scarlet & Violet* during its 7-Star Tera Raid. These Pokémon have resistances to Skeledirge’s Fire-type attacks and take only neutral damage from its other moves. Despite Skeledirge’s usual part-Ghost typing, which might suggest using Dark-type counters, remember that this particular boss is only a pure Fire-type in this raid. Even if it were still a Ghost-type, Skeledirge’s Alluring Voice could quickly take out Dark-type Pokémon. Below are the detailed builds for each counter.

Best Golduck Build to Beat 7-Star Skeledirge

Golduck is an excellent choice for removing Skeledirge’s Unaware ability while setting up powerful Water-type attacks. Utilizing Calm Mind to boost both Special Defense and Special Attack simultaneously, Golduck becomes a formidable special attacker.

Ability: Swift Swim
Nature: Modest
Tera Type: Water
Hold Item: Shell Bell
EVs: 252 Sp. Atk, 252 HP, 4 Def
Moveset: Calm Mind, Skill Swap, Surf, Rain Dance

Use Skill Swap early to take away Skeledirge’s Unaware ability, allowing stat boosts to take effect. Follow up with Calm Mind for increased Special Attack and Special Defense. Rain Dance will weaken Fire moves while powering up Surf, making Golduck an excellent special attacker overall.

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Best Quagsire Build to Beat 7-Star Skeledirge

Quagsire offers bulk, sustainability, and strong Water-type attacks to the battle against Skeledirge. With its defensive EVs and boosted health from Leftovers, Quagsire can withstand significant damage.

Ability: Unaware
Nature: Modest
Tera Type: Water
Hold Item: Leftovers
EVs: 4 HP, 252 Sp. Def, 252 Sp. Atk
Moveset: Acid Spray, Protect, Rain Dance, Surf

Unaware helps Quagsire ignore Skeledirge’s buffs, allowing it to take more damage after uses of Torch Song. Protect allows it to stall turns while recovering HP from Leftovers. Use Rain Dance to weaken Fire moves and boost Surf’s power, while Acid Spray lowers Skeledirge’s Special Defense for stronger attacks.

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Best Manaphy Build to Beat 7-Star Skeledirge

Manaphy excels at setting up powerfully boosted special attacks thanks to Tail Glow while also using Skill Swap to remove Skeledirge’s troublesome Unaware ability.

Ability: Hydration
Nature: Modest
Tera Type: Water
Hold Item: Shell Bell
EVs: 252 Sp. Atk, 252 HP, 4 Def
Moveset: Skill Swap, Rain Dance, Tail Glow, Weather Ball

Use Skill Swap early to take away Skeledirge’s Unaware ability, allowing stat boosts to take effect. Follow up with Tail Glow for massive Special Attack increases, and then unleash Weather Ball under Rain Dance for huge amounts of Water-type damage.

With these top counters in your arsenal, you're now equipped to tackle the 7-Star Mightiest Mark Skeledirge in *Pokémon Scarlet & Violet*. Don't forget to check out the latest Mystery Gift codes for free Pokémon and items while you're here.

If you haven’t completed the game or still need to experience the other version, be sure to explore the full list of Paradox Pokémon in *Scarlet & Violet* to discover all the ancient and futuristic forms available.