As someone who has spent over 500 hours across various Pokémon titles perfecting competitive strategies, I was genuinely thrilled when Scarlet and Violet introduced exciting new mechanics like the Terastal phenomenon. Yet I must confess my initial excitement was tempered by one glaring omission—the absence of a Battle Tower. This feature has historically served as the perfect testing ground for trainers to refine their teams without the pressure of ranked battles. Without it, we’re left with limited options to experiment in a low-stakes competitive environment, which honestly makes team-building feel a bit like guesswork at times.

That said, I’ve discovered a handful of methods that can help bridge this gap. One approach I’ve personally relied on is using the Academy Ace Tournament in the post-game. While it’s no Battle Tower, it lets you face familiar characters and test team compositions against reasonably challenging AI. I’ve run this tournament at least 50 times with different Fortune Ace setups, and it’s given me a solid feel for which Pokémon synergize well under the new Terastal dynamics. Another underrated method? Casual Link Battles with friends. These have been my go-to for fine-tuning strategies, especially since you can try unconventional Terastal types without worrying about your rank. I’ve found that about 70% of my successful ranked strategies actually came from these informal matches.

Of course, building a versatile Fortune Ace team also means paying attention to held items and ability combinations. I’ve always leaned toward balance over hyper-offense—personal preference, I know—and items like Leftovers or Assault Vest have repeatedly saved me in close matches. Take my Garganacl, for example. With Salt Cure and an Iron Defense setup, it’s walled entire teams when given the right support. EVs and IVs matter more than ever now, too. I remember spending a whole weekend breeding a perfect IV Flutter Mane, and let me tell you, that effort paid off big time in the long run.

Another tip I swear by is studying rental teams. Early on, I probably tried around 20 different rental squads to understand the current meta. It’s surprising how much you can learn just by observing how experienced players handle common threats like Dragonite or Gholdengo. And while Scarlet and Violet don’t have a dedicated Battle Tower, Tera Raid events offer another angle for testing your Pokémon’s durability. I’ve used 6-star raids to gauge how well my supports and sweepers hold up under pressure—it’s not perfect, but it’s something.

At the end of the day, becoming a Fortune Ace is still absolutely achievable, Battle Tower or not. It just takes a bit more creativity and persistence. I’ve come to appreciate the post-game content we do have, and honestly, overcoming these limitations has made me a more adaptable trainer. So keep experimenting, stay open to feedback, and don’t shy away from those casual battles—they might just unlock your next breakthrough.