What Are Tera Shards in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet

The Terastallization mechanic in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet has added versatility to every Pokemon and adds a bit of uncertainty to battles, along with the mysterious Tera Shards earned in certain battles.

Is an enemy Pokemon’s Tera-type different from its default type? And, more importantly, can you change it?

Terastallizing not only has more depth than past battle gimmicks but also introduces more team customization options through Tera Shards.

What Are Tera Shards in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet

Tera Shards are redeemable items with a specific Pokemon type, like Fire or Water, that can be used to change a Pokemon’s Tera-type.

If you have 50 Tera Shards of the same type, redeem them at the Treasure Eatery in Medali to change one Pokemon’s Tera-type to the same type as the Tera Shards you used.

• For example, 50 Normal Tera Shards will turn a Pikachu from an Electric Tera-type to a Normal Tera-type.

What Are Tera-types in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet?

Tera-types are an additional type every Pokemon in Paldea has assigned. This type only takes effect and replaces the default original type(s) of your Pokemon when it Terastallizes in battle.

Most often, a Pokemon’s Tera-type is the same as one of their default type(s) (ex: Grass-type = Grass Tera-type), but their Tera-types can also differ from the default type.

• Glowing wild Pokemon, predetermined story and postgame battles, or Pokemon caught from Tera Raid Battles can all have Tera-types different from their default type.

If you are not already familiar with the mechanic, there is even more you can learn about Terastralizing Pokemon and fighting the associated Tera Raid Battles.

How to Check Your Pokemon’s Tera-types

• Press the “X” button to open the menu.
• Select a Pokemon and choose “Check summary” with the “A” Button.
• Their Tera-type is listed to the right of their picture, below their regular type.

Can You Change a Pokemon’s Tera-type in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet?

Yes, you can change a Pokemon’s Tera-type by visiting the Treasure Eatery in Medali and redeeming 50 Tera Shards of the same type. But first, you must defeat Larry, the Normal-type Gym Leader.

Once you have enough Tera Shards, speak with the chef behind the bar in Treasure Eatery. You can then change one Pokemon’s Tera-type to the type you want by trading 50 Tera Shards of that same type.

How to Change Your Pokemon’s Tera-type in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet

• Complete the Medali Gym Test and defeat the Normal-type Gym Leader, Larry.

• Gather 50 Tera Shards of the same type from Tera Raid Battles 3-Stars and up. Or search Area Zero for Tera Shards that sparkle on the ground.
  • 3-Star Raids are unlocked after acquiring three Gym Badges.
  • Defeating glowing wild Pokemon can occasionally give you Tera Shards, but Tera Raid Battles are the best option.

• Once you have the shards, go to the Treasure Eatery in Medali on the east side of Paldea.

• Interact with the chef on the bar using the “A” button to change a Pokemon’s Tera-type.
  • After defeating Larry, the chef gives you 50 Normal-type Tera Shards for free. Talk to him again to apply different Tera Shards.

• Select the Tera Shards you want to use with the “A” button and the “Left Stick.”

• Then choose a Pokemon to change its Tera-type. You can also choose a Pokemon in your “Current Party.”

• Press “A” to confirm the Pokemon, and the chef will change that Pokemon’s Tera Type.

How and Where Do You Get Tera Shards in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet

Tera Shards are given after beating 3 to 7-Star Tera Raid Battles. Though not recommended, you can rarely find Tera Shards on the ground in Area Zero or by defeating glowing wild Pokemon.

Tera Raid Battles randomly spawn as large glowing crystals across Paldea and appear as colorful icons on the map. Also, you can participate in them through the Poke Portal menu. The Tera Shards you receive will match the Tera Raid Battle Pokemon’s Tera-type.

Tera Shards From Tera Raid Battles

The earliest you can earn Tera Shards from Raids is after defeating three Gym Leaders. 3-Star Tera Raid Battles are unlocked with three Gym Badges and are the lowest level Raids to grant Tera Shards.

1 Through 7-Star Tera Raid Battle Requirements and Rewards

• The amount of stars a Raid has also determines how many Tera Shards you can get per Raid.

Tera Raid Battle Stars	Requirements
1-Star	These are available after you complete the intro and hear the Professor’s speech in Mesagoza.
2-Star	These are available after you complete the intro and hear the Professor’s speech in Mesagoza.
3-Star	You need to beat 3 Gym Leaders to obtain 3 Gym Badges.
4-Star	You need to beat 7 Gym Leaders to obtain 7 Gym Badges.
5-Star	These crystals spawn once you complete all 3 storylines and have beaten the game.
6-Star	These appear once you win the post-game Academy Ace Tournament in Mesagoza. You must also beat at least four 4-Star or higher-level Raids.
7-Star	7-Star Black Tera Raid Battles only spawn during special raids like the recent Charizard event. But you also must complete 8 to 10 4-Star Raids or higher to spawn them.

Tera Shards From Fighting Wild Pokemon

Some wild Pokemon will glow a bright gold, which indicates that they have a different Tera-type than their default type and can drop Tera Shards when defeated or caught.

Generally, they are at a higher level than the average for their area and will immediately Terastralize when you battle them. After defeating them or catching them, they can sometimes give you Tera Shards of the same as their Tera-type.

• This is the earliest way to gather Tera Shards, though it is rare to get them.
• These glowing wild Pokemon spawn rarely and randomly, but they are available from the beginning of the game.

Tera Shards in Area Zero

Area Zero is the final area of Pokemon Scarlet & Violet and is unlocked after beating all three storylines. Here, you can find a small amount of Tera Shards as glowing items on the floor.

• You are prompted to go there once finishing the storylines. The entrance to this site is next to the northeast side of The Great Paldean Crater.
  • The shards spawn very rarely on the ground. They sparkle and can be picked up with “A.”

How To Find Tera Raid Battles on the Map

Tera Raid Battle Crystals are visible as icons that represent each Pokemon type on your map. The icon indicates which Tera-type the Pokemon is as well.

• Open your map with the “Y” Button and search for icons like the one below.
• The icon will be black with a glowing purple aura if it is a 6 or 7-Star Black Tera Raid Battle.
  • Normal non-event-related crystals and crystals below 6 stars are not differentiated in any way.

Tera-type Map Icons in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet

There are 18 Tera-types and associated map icons to match the 18 types and Tera-types a Pokemon can have in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet.

• Bug
• Dark
• Dragon
• Electric
• Fairy
• Fighting
• Fire
• Ghost
• Grass
• Ground
• Ice
• Normal
• Poison
• Psychic
• Rock
• Steel
• Water

Below is a helpful chart made by Reddit user Odd-Background8641 that lists the Tera-types and their associated icons.

Tera Raid Symbol Meanings from PokemonScarletViolet

But Tera-types are not the only thing you can change on your Pokemon in Scarlet & Violet. You can also adjust your Pokemon’s abilities, Nature, and hidden stats through EV Traning and Hyper Training.