How to Beat Clavell (Academy Ace Tournament)

Learn how to defeat Clavell in the Academy Ace Tournament in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet. Get team recommendations and strategies for his powerful Pokemon.

The Academy Ace Tournament is a postgame single-elimination tournament featuring trainers and faculty from Naranja/Uva Academy. To unlock it, complete the Area Zero story and report the results to Geeta.

Clavell's team consists of Pokémon between Level 65 and 66, mirroring his Starfall Street team. It's recommended to bring Pokémon of Level 65+ with a varied type coverage.

Recommended Pokémon:

• Level 75 Tera Lucario (Dalizapa Passage)
• Treasures of Ruin (especially Chi-Yu)
• Koraidon (Scarlet)
• Miraidon (Violet)

Clavell's Pokémon and Strategies

Oranguru (Level 65, Normal/Psychic)

Abilities/Moves: Yawn (inflicts sleep), Dream Eater, Foul Play, Reflect.

Weaknesses: Bug, Dark.

Strategy: Switch out or use items to cure sleep status inflicted by Yawn. Bug or Dark types are recommended.

Abomasnow (Level 65, Grass/Ice)

Abilities/Moves: Snow Warning (activates snow, boosting Defense and Blizzard accuracy), Blizzard, Wood Hammer, Ice Shard, Aurora Veil (weakens physical/special moves during snow).

Weaknesses: Fire (4x), Fighting, Bug, Poison, Steel.

Strategy: Fire types are highly effective. Other good options include Fighting, Bug, Poison, and Steel types.

Polteageist (Level 65, Ghost)

Abilities/Moves: Shadow Ball, Sucker Punch, Shell Smash, Will-O-Wisp (inflicts Burn).

Weaknesses: Dark.

Strategy: Dark types are strongly recommended.

Amoonguss (Level 65, Grass/Poison)

Abilities/Moves: Effect Spore (may inflict status on contact), Giga Drain (heals user), Toxic (inflicts Poison), Spore (inflicts Sleep), Hex (deals double damage if target has status).

Weaknesses: Fire, Flying, Psychic, Ice.

Strategy: Use Fire, Flying, Psychic, or Ice types. Quickly cure any status ailments. Amoonguss is slow, so it's relatively safe to use items.

Gyarados (Level 65, Water/Flying)

Abilities/Moves: Intimidate (lowers opponent's Attack on entry), Aqua Tail, Earthquake, Stone Edge, Crunch.

Weaknesses: Electric (4x), Rock.

Strategy: Electric types are ideal due to 4x super-effective damage. Be mindful of Earthquake.

Houndoom (Level 65, Dark/Fire)

Abilities/Moves: Dark Pulse, Fire Blast, Sludge Bomb, Thunder Fang.

Weaknesses: Rock, Ground, Fighting, Water.

Strategy: Rock, Ground, or Fighting types are effective.

Clavell's Starter (Level 66, Terastallized)

• Quaquaval (Water/Fighting, Tera Type: Water): Uses Aqua Step (boosts Speed), Brick Break, Ice Spinner, Aerial Ace. Weak to Grass (resists Aqua Step), Electric, Flying.
• Skeledirge (Fire/Ghost, Tera Type: Fire): Uses Torch Song (boosts Special Attack), Shadow Ball, Will-O-Wisp, Earth Power. Weak to Water, Ground, Rock, Ghost, Dark.
• Meowscarada (Grass/Dark, Tera Type: Grass): Uses Flower Trick (always crits), Shadow Ball, Play Rough, Knock Off. Weak to Fire, Fighting, Flying, Poison, Ice, Fairy.

Strategy for Terastallized Starter: Choose Pokémon that resist the starter's STAB moves and Tera Type. For example, against Tera Water Quaquaval, Grass types resist Aqua Step. Consider using Tera Tsareena with Trop Kick to lower Attack and deal super-effective damage.