Best Chesnaught 7-Star Tera Raid counters & movesets in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet

The best Chesnaught Tera Raid counters have been on the minds of Pokemon Scarlet & Violet players since the 7-star raid was announced, and Trainers will need to know which movesets to use in order to beat it. 

To help you defeat this tough boss with the Mightiest Mark, below, you'll find all the details you'll need on the best Chesnaught Tera Raid counters you should be using in Scarlet & Violet, along with each particular 'mon's movesets.

• Want to The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero? Here is how much the Scarlet and Violet DLC costs. 

When does the Chesnaught 7-Star raid return in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet?

As clarified on the official Pokemon blog post, the Chesnaught Tera Raid was scheduled to return to Scarlet & Violet on Thursday, 18 May 2023 at 5 PM, running until Sunday 21 May 2023 at 4:59 PM.

However, after the recently reported error as announced on the Play Pokemon Twitter, regarding the new 5-star Iron Tusk and Iron Threads Tera Raids, the second round of the Chesnaught Tera Raid from 18 May has been cancelled - along with the aforementioned two.

Along with Iron Tusk and Iron Threads, the second round of the Chesnaught Tera Raid will be rescheduled to a new date that's currently yet to be confirmed. 

This follows the ending of the first run of the Chesnaught 7-star Tera Raid, which closed on Sunday, 14 May 2023 at 4:59 PM PDT.

How to find Chesnaught Tera Raid in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet 

To find this 7-star Tera Raid, you'll need to look out for the glowing black crystal with the Rock-type symbol on your map. Alternatively, you can also join another player’s Chesnaught raid from the Poke Portal. Keep in mind though, you can only catch one 7-Star Chesnaught per save file, although you can take on the raid as many times as you like. 

Although normally a dual Grass and Fighting type, this Mightiest Mark Chesnaught will have a Rock Tera type throughout the battle. 

This is Chesnaught's official Pokemon Scarlet and Violet debut, meaning this limited-time 7-star Tera Raid is currently the only way to get the final evolution of the Pokemon X and Y Kalos starter. 

Nevertheless, this 7-star boss will make a challenging battle. With a Chesnaught moveset including Bulk Up, Curse, Iron Defense, Earthquake, Hammer Arm, Stone Edge, and Wood Hammer - it’s also a high-Defense physical attacker. 

So, making use of one of the best Chesnaught 7-star Tera Raid counters listed below is all the more essential.  

• To complete a couple of the below build, find out how to get the Shell Bell in Scarlet and Violet. 

Best Chesnaught 7-Star Tera Raid counters & movesets in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet

Goldengho

Also one of the ideal Pokemon to use in the previous 7-star raid for Intelon, Goldengho returns as one of the best Chesnaught Tera Raid counters. Not only is the Gimmighoul evolution immune to Chesnaught’s fighting type moves thanks to its part-Ghost type, but its additional Steel type offers resistance to the bosses’ Grass and Rock-type moves as well. 

The best Goldengho Chesnaught Tera Raid build

Ability: Good as Gold

Nature: Modest

Tera Type: Steel

Hold Item: Shell Bell

EVs: 252 Atk, 252 Sp. Def, 4 HP

Moveset: Flash Cannon, Make It Rain, Nasty Plot, Metal Sound

This build essentially matches Chesnaught’s tank-like capabilities with Sp. Atk equivalent stats and moveset. Using Nasty Plot and Metal Sound will raise Goldengho’s Sp. Atk and Chesnaught’s Sp. Def respectively, additionally boosting the use of a STAB-increased (Same-Type Attack Bonus) and super-effective Flash Cannon. 

Like in its build for the Inteleon, be sure to use the more powerful and just as accurate Make It Rain in what you believe to be your last attack. Since it lowers Goldengho’s Sp. Atk with each use, you’ll really only want to use it once as a big finisher using one of the best Chesnaught counters.  

• Haven't got Goldengho yet? Find out how to evolve Gimmighoul in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet. 

Annihilape

Normally, using physical attackers against Chesnaught wouldn’t be ideal, given its high Defense stats. As one of the best Chesnaught Tera Raid counters though, Annihilape is the exception. 

Another great combination of types, Annihilape is also one of the best Chesnaught counters since it combines immunity Fighting attacks by being part-Ghost and resistance to Rock-type attacks by being part-Fighting. Then, there’s also the fact that it’s naturally a high-level attacker that can deal physical damage hard and fast. 

The best Annihilape Chesnaught Tera Raid build

Ability: Defiant

Nature: Adamant

Tera Type: Ghost

Hold Item: Shell Bell

EVs: 252 Atk, 252 HP, 4 Def

Moveset: Bulk Up, Drain Punch, Rage Fist, Screech 

Annilape’s typing already waters down the impact of Chesnaught’s Fighting and Rock-type attacks, though Bulk Up will solidify your Primeape evolution’s survivability by increasing its Defense and Attack stat to help it get ready to counter. Screech will also neutralise any of Chesnaught’s uses of Iron Defense, all the while Annihilape can recover any health it slowly uses with Drain Punch and deal extra super-effective STAB-damage. 

The ultimate attacking move in this Annihilape build as one of the best Chesnaught Tera Raid counters though, is its iconic Rage Fist attack. The move’s power being boosted by 50 with every hit to the user before fainting, Rage Fist has the potential to knock Chesnaught out in just a couple of hits if timed right with Annihilape’s Bulk Up Attack boosts. 

• Take a look at how to get the exclusive Hisuian Zoroark in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet. 

Appletun

Already naturally bulky in Sp. Atk and HP, Appletun is a brilliant addition amongst the best Chesnaught Tera Raid counters with extra support potential to the rest of your raid party, whilst being a bit hitter in its own right. 

The best Appletun Chesnaught Tera Raid build

Ability: Ripen/Gluttony/Thick Fat

Nature: Modest

Tera Type: Grass

Hold Item: Leftovers

EVs: 252 Sp. Atk, 252 Def, 4 HP

Moveset: Apple Acid, Iron Defense, Giga Drain, Reflect

Appletun’s part-Grass typing will give it 75% resistance to Chesnaught’s Grass-type moves. For the bosses’ other moves though, this is where Appletun’s Defense-boosting moves come in.

You can use Reflect or Iron Defense depending on your preference - whether you’d prefer to slightly boost your entire team’s Defense to lesson KOs and resulting time drops, or singularly boost your own by two stages. For any health Chesnaught does chip away though, you can soon recover it with a super-effective and STAB-boosted Giga Drain. 

The greatest element of this Appletun build being among the best Chesnaught Tera Raid counters though, is in its exclusive move, Apple Acid. Also being super-effective with a decent power of 80, Apple Acid comes with a guarantee of lowering Chesnaught’s Sp. Def by one stage with each use. So, whilst you bolster Appletun and your team’s Defense, you can steadily lower Chesnaught’s Special Defense to keep doing more damage over time. 

• To complete your Pokedex, here is the complete list of special evolutions in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet.

So, altogether, the best Chesnaught 7-star Tera Raid counters are Goldengho, Annihilape, and Appletun for this Pokemon Scarlet and Violet boss. 

For even more Pokemon Scarlet and Violet guides, you can be sure to find them right here at GGRecon. Additionally, take a look at our guide on Pokemon's type chart to familiarise yourself with which matchup works best against what.