It's Going to Be Hard to Get Charizard in 'Pokémon Scarlet' and 'Violet'

With over 100 new Pokémon, there’s no shortage of incredible creatures to capture in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. Even more impressive is the total number of Pokémon in Paldea, which clocks in at 400 different species. Few of these faces are as iconic as the fire-breathing Charizard, and long-time fans will be glad to know that the monster has found its way into Pokémon Scarlet and Violet.

But if you’re trying to figure out how to get Charizard in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, be prepared for an uphill battle. Here's how to find the best lizard in Paldea and add it to your party.

While Charizard is available in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, the popular monster isn’t exactly easy to find. In fact, it’s impossible to find it roaming around in the wild. Try as you might, you’ll never find Charizard through standard hunting methods. Instead, you need to wait for time-gated events.

Back in December 2022, Pokémon Scarlet and Violet were giving you a chance to catch Charizard as part of an exclusive seven-star Tera Raid. The event only ran for a few days and has since disappeared, leaving you without a way to catch a Charizard in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. However, it’s very possible the event will make a glorious return – so here are some tips to help you prepare.

• Beat the game: As a seven-star Tera Raid, your battle against Charizard isn’t going to be easy. Be sure to beat the main game and level up your Pokémon as much as possible. This way, you’ll be ready to fight the beast if the event reappears.

• Plan to fight a Dragon-type: Charizard carried the Dragon-Type in the last Tera Raids. This means Ice-type Pokémon were theoretically a great counter. The only downside? Charizard also had a few deadly Fire-type attacks. Instead, consider bringing Fairy-type Pokémon into the battle, as they offer a good combination of damage resistance and powerful attacks.

• Build up your Defense: With some of the deadliest moves in the game, Charizard can easily wipe your team in a single hit. Because of this, it’s more important than usual to have a monster with heaps of HP and great Defense stats.

Since an event isn’t currently running, the only other way to get Charizard in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet is through a trade. So if you’re lucky enough to have a friend who caught the monster, it might be worth seeing what it would take to get the elusive Pokémon in a trade. Or, you can dive into the seven-star Tera Raid featuring Greninja, which has replaced Charizard in a limited-time event.