Someone set up us the Population Bomb
Getting your significant other the perfect gift for Valentine’s Day can feel overwhelming. Some people like chocolates and flowers, others prefer a memorable date night under a starry sky. That said, if your partner ever longingly looked at you and said “actually, I want some mice,” then Game Freak is here to affirm your tastes in romantic companions.
From now through Valentine’s Day, Tandemaus will appear as part of blue star Tera Raid encounters in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet. Unlike past spotlight events, these monsters can range from 1-5 star difficulty depending on your progress through the game. This Pokemon pair has potential to sport any Tera Type in the game, though five star battles will have a preference towards the Fairy Tera Type. Note that Tandemaus doesn’t have a ton of synergy with the Fairy-Type beyond learning the move Play Rough. But, you know, Fairy Tera Pokemon have a heart above their head, so that counts for something.
All in all, this event is a cute gimmick. It’s not necessarily worth dusting off your save file to experience, but if you’re currently playing Scarlet & Violet, it’s at least worth a look before you hit your next objective. Here’s what you can expect.
How to beat Tandemaus
Depending on the star level of the fight, Tandemaus’ move pool will change. That said, you should count on it using Grass, Fairy, and Normal-Type attacks.
Unlike past encounters, there aren’t many tricky mechanics you’ll have to navigate. Tandemaus will use a shield and clear away debuffs, but that’s it. At four star difficulty or higher, Tandemaus can use Encore to force you to repeat an attack for three turns. This can be inconvenient if it catches you using a move like Belly Drum. Fortunately, it’s easy to ride out the duration of Encore with Cheers before you return to giving these mice a pummeling.
Though Tandemaus knows powerful moves like Population Bomb, it doesn’t have the stats to make it hurt. This is, after all, not Tandemaus’ evolutionary form Maushold that once terrorized the competitive scene. Even my Azumarill had no problem shrugging off Super Effective damage from Bullet Seed. That said, if you really want to hard counter this fight, use a Steel-Type Pokemon. None of Tandemaus’ attacks will inflict even neutral damage on you, and you’ll dish out Super Effective damage if it’s sporting a Fairy Tera Type.
This event is absolutely doable for casual players, so don’t be afraid to participate. Chances are, online parties will steamroll this fight for you. Just remember high difficulty Tera Raids won’t spawn until you’ve collected enough Gym Badges, so score whatever Tandemaus you can.
Is this event worth running?
I mean, aside from giving the gift of mice to your beloved, this event’s appeal will depend on your priorities.
For competitive players, Tandemaus’ evolution Maushold isn’t as prevalent in the competitive scene as it once was. Population Bomb is still strong, yet enough counters have formed around this move to make it less reliable. Three star raids and higher have a chance of giving Tandemaus the hidden ability Own Tempo. Upon evolution, this will become Technician. This ability is a key piece of what makes Population Bomb so deadly, so if you’re gunning for that move specifically, there may be some value in farming this event.
Otherwise, if you’re building a support-focused Maushold, this event may be a good time to grab one with the Tera Type you desire. For example, a Maushold with the Ghost Tera Type may be used to predict and nullify a Fighting-Type attack that would otherwise nuke it. Tera Shards are still a heck of a grind, so take advantage of this event if you have a specific vision for your dream mouse.
Otherwise, this event drops quite a few rare candies in addition to various picnic ingredients. This is a nice change of pace from the usual drop tables, though none of these items are in short supply by the endgame. All in all, if you haven’t found yourself a Tandemaus yet in the game, it’s worthwhile to grab one from this event. Even if you don’t have a romantic partner obsessed with rodents.
