Players are being advised NOT to utilize Iron Hands after the massive amount of failed raids in the first wave of Pokemon Scarlet & Violet 7-star Decidueye Tera battles.
For many trainers taking part in 5- and 6-star Tera Raids since before players first started the Pokemon Scarlet & Violet’s post-game, Iron Hands has been a go-to. It performs in combat with its dual Fighting/Electric type, access to Belly Drum, powerful moves like Close Combat and Wild Charge, and other factors.
Higher-tier raids, therefore, are more difficult to defeat and need more preparation. Despite this, some players use the “Belly Drum into Close Combat” tactic without considering the boss’s expected moveset or type of matchup.
Especially during the most recent 7-star Decidueye Tera Raid event, players constantly give up on Tera Raids completely if they notice another player lock in with an Iron Hands or Azumarill. It has come to the point where gamers appeal to one another to avoid posting their future paradox Hariyama on public forums.
Iron Hands should not be Used in Decidueye Raids; Players Are Urged
7-star Tera Raids are the hardest battles in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet, and one poor choice can lead to a team’s breakdown. Players are advised to leave Iron Hands out of Decidueye raids. Even with Decidueye, possibly the simplest 7-star raid to date, its deadly physical attacks can quickly eliminate an unwanted opponent.

Nevertheless, Iron Hands’ defense is not the problem; rather, the problem lies with the Pokemon’s attack stat. Iron Hands is a physical attacker, yet Decidueye’s move set includes a Feather Dance routine. Each time this move is used, the physical attack stat of a Pokemon drops by two levels.
In addition, Decidueye boosts its attack stat at the start of the game and can deliver a devastating blow if Iron Hands decides to employ Belly Drum up front. Hence, players like Minimallycheese have posted about their experiences on the r/PokemonScarletViolet subreddit.
Players who shared their sufferings flooded the post’s comments, now with just over 1,000 upvotes. Nonetheless, some stated that despite acknowledging RNG’s significant involvement in their achievement, their Iron Hands defeated Decidueye.
“For my Iron Hands to victory, Decidueye’s disability was necessary. One user wrote, “You should be fine if you can get that Thunder Punch with Shell Bell off first. Another person said, “I defeated Decidueye with Iron Hands my first time, but there was a lot of good RNG involved.”
Iron Hands, however, is a useful Pokémon in Tera Raids when properly handled, as some players have noted. Playing with an Iron Hands is particularly frustrating because of the constant use of the belly drum. However, there are a huge amount of additional choices that perform better in both team and solo play, such as Bellibolt and Miraidon.
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