So, you’ve finally made it to the gates of the Pokémon League in Mesagoza. You’ve got the eight gym badges, your team is (hopefully) in the late 50s or early 60s, and you’re ready to become a Champion-ranked trainer. But honestly? The Pokemon SV Elite Four experience is a bit of a weird one compared to previous generations.
It starts with an interview, which is basically the ultimate vibe check. If you mess up and tell Rika you chose a starter that you didn't actually choose, she’ll kick you out. Just like that. No battle, no nothing. You’ve gotta be honest. Once you’re through that desk-side interrogation, the actual gauntlet begins.
Rika and the Ground-Type Trap
Most people see Rika and think, "Oh, Ground types? I'll just bring a Water-type and sweep." That’s a mistake. Rika is the first hurdle of the Pokemon SV Elite Four, and she’s there to punish overconfidence.
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Her lead is Whiscash (Lv. 57), which is Water/Ground. If you try to use an Electric move, you’re wasting a turn. If you use Water, it’s only neutral. You really need a Grass-type here to 4x effective it into oblivion. But then she throws out Camerupt. Suddenly, your Grass-type is in danger of a Fire Blast.
The real "boss" of her team is Clodsire (Lv. 58). It’s adorable, sure, but it Terastallizes into a pure Ground-type and has the ability Water Absorb. If you’ve been relying on a Quaquavel or a Floatzel, you’re going to heal it instead of hurting it. I’ve seen so many players get stuck in a loop of healing Clodsire while it slowly poisons their entire team with Toxic or wears them down with Earthquake.
Why Poppy is Secretly the Hardest Fight
Poppy is a literal toddler. It’s kinda hilarious until her Copperajah starts hitting you with Heavy Slam. She specializes in Steel types, which are notoriously annoying because they resist almost everything.
You’d think a Fire-type like Skeledirge or Armarouge would just walk through this fight.
Not quite.
Poppy’s Bronzong has Levitate, so Ground moves—usually a Steel-type's nightmare—won't touch it. Then there’s Corviknight. Since it’s Flying/Steel, it laughs at Ground moves and resists Grass, Bug, and Steel itself. Honestly, the smartest way to handle Poppy is to keep a strong Fighting-type in your back pocket. A Lucario or a Gallade can put in some serious work against her Tinkaton (Lv. 59), which is her ace. Just watch out for Gigaton Hammer; that move hits like a literal truck.
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Larry: The Man, The Myth, The Flying Types
Everyone loves Larry. He’s the most relatable character in the game because he’s just a tired salaryman doing his job. After you beat him at the Medali Gym, he’s back as part of the Pokemon SV Elite Four, but he’s swapped his Normal types for Flying types.
This is arguably the easiest fight of the four if you’ve got a fast Electric or Ice-type.
But Larry isn't a total pushover.
His Flamigo (Lv. 60) is a Fighting/Flying hybrid that hits incredibly hard and fast. If you bring a slow Rock-type like Garganacl, thinking you’ll just resist the Flying moves, his Flamigo will hit you with a Close Combat and end your run before you can say "overtime."
My advice? Use an Electric-type like Kilowattrel or Bellibolt. They can handle most of his team, especially his Staraptor and Oricorio. Just be ready for his Altaria to try and stall you out.
Hassel and the Dragon-Type Ceiling
Hassel is the final member, and he’s a bit of a drama queen (he literally cries after the battle). But his Dragons are no joke. He leads with Noivern (Lv. 60), which is fast enough to outspeed most of your team and hit you with a STAB Air Slash or Dragon Pulse.
The real danger here is Haxorus. If you let that thing get a Dragon Dance off, it’s basically game over. It has massive Attack stats and can sweep an entire team if you aren’t careful.
Hassel’s ace is Baxcalibur (Lv. 61). It’s an Ice/Dragon type, which is a terrifying offensive combo. When it Terastallizes into a pure Dragon-type, its Glaive Rush move becomes a nuke. It’ll do double damage to you, but the trade-off is that moves used against it the next turn also do double damage. It’s a high-stakes gamble. If you have a Fairy-type like Tinkaton or Sylveon, this is their time to shine. Fairy moves are immune to Dragon attacks, which basically shuts down Hassel's entire strategy.
What Happens After: The Geeta Problem
Once you beat the Pokemon SV Elite Four, you face Geeta, the Top Champion. A lot of veteran players find Geeta a bit underwhelming because of her team order. She leads with Espathra, which is fine, but she saves Glimmora for her final Pokémon.
The weird thing is, Glimmora’s best feature is its ability, Toxic Debris, which sets up Toxic Spikes when it gets hit by physical moves. By saving it for the end, she never gets to actually use those spikes.
To beat her easily:
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- Use a Dark-type (like Meowscarada or Kingambit) for Espathra and Veluza.
- Use a Fire-type for her Avalugg and Gogoat.
- Use a Fighting or Ground-type for her Kingambit and Glimmora.
Kingambit is her hardest hitter because of the Supreme Overlord ability, which makes it stronger for every teammate of hers that has already fainted. Since it's usually her 5th or 6th Pokémon, it’ll be at max power. Hit it with a 4x effective Fighting move immediately. Don't let it breathe.
Actionable Tips for Your League Run
If you're gearing up for this right now, do these three things first:
- Check your levels. The Elite Four ranges from 57 to 61. If you're under 55, you’re going to have a rough time with Hassel's Haxorus.
- Stock up at the Delibird Presents. Buy some Held Items. A Choice Band or a Life Orb can be the difference between a one-hit KO and getting countered.
- Diversify your types. Don't just bring six "cool" Pokémon. Make sure you have at least one Fairy, one Fire, and one Electric or Grass-type.
The Pokemon SV Elite Four isn't the hardest in the series—that title probably belongs to the Sinnoh or Unova leagues—but if you go in without a plan, Rika's Clodsire or Poppy's Tinkaton will absolutely humiliate you. Take your time, answer Rika's questions honestly, and remember to heal between rounds. You've got this.