In the main story of Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, the player can do a lot of things like battling the massive new Titan Pokemon, challenging all the Gym Leaders in the Paldea region, confronting the mysterious Team Star, participating in the Pokemon League to become a Champion and be the very best like no one ever was, and catch every Pokemon in Paldea because, y’know, gotta catch ’em all!
After completing all these, players can still participate in post-game challenges, such as rematches with Pokemon Gym Leaders and former Team Star squads right after the final mission and the credits roll. One of these special events/missions in which the player can participate is the Academy Ace Tournament.
This guide will teach us how to defeat Penny in the Academy Ace Tournament!
The Academy Ace Tournament
Nemona and the Pokemon League put together the Academy Ace Tournament to honor the player’s achievement of becoming a Champion in the Paldea region.
To unlock the Academy Ace Tournament, the player must first help Top Champion Geeta by battling in a rematch against every Pokemon Gym Leader in Paldea so that they can showcase their skills and Top Champion Geeta can take part in the tournament. The Academy Ace Tournament won’t be accessible until all of the region’s Gym Leaders have been defeated again.
During the Academy Ace Tournament, the player will engage in four battles against Pokemon Trainers who are either faculty or other academy students. To become the ultimate champion and declare the academy’s ace, the player must defeat each of the four Trainers.
If the player wishes to participate in the Academy Ace Tournament, go to Academy in Mesagoza, head to the Entrance Hall, and speak with the staff member in the blue shirt standing next to a Gengar at the front desk.
The player’s first attempt in the Academy Ace Tournament will pit the player against a set group of four Pokemon Trainers: Arven, Jacq, Dendra, and Top Champion Geeta.
However, the player will face four random Trainers on the next attempts, chosen from Arven, Jacq, Dendra, Hassel, Tyme, Miriam, Raifort, Saguaro, Salvatore, Penny, Director Clavell, or Nemona.
The player cannot change the Pokemon in their party after each battle/round during the tournament. On the other hand, the player’s Pokemon will have their HP restored and their Tera Orb recharged after each battle.
Rewards
Aside from money and EXP points, becoming the first Academy Ace Tournament champion unlocks the Sporty Cap (Pokemon League) and 6-Star Tera Raids (if the player has completed at least ten 4-Star Tera Raid battles).
The following prizes may be rewarded at random for a player’s subsequent victories of the entire tournament: up to 10 Rare Candies, a maximum of three Nuggets, one Big Nugget, a maximum of 3 PP Ups, a PP Max, three random Vitamins, three random Tera Shards, a rare Apriball (a Beast Ball, a Dream Ball, a Fast Ball, a Friend Ball, a Level Ball, a Lure Ball, or a Moon Ball), a Mint with a random nature, a Bottle Cap, a Gold Bottle Cap, or a scarce Ability Patch.
Penny
If the player participates in the Academy Ace Tournament again after becoming the academy’s ace for the first time, the player may face Penny, the former Team Star Big Boss!
Penny will use six Pokemon that are all evolutions of her favorite Pokemon, Eevee: a Level 69 Umbreon, a Level 69 Vaporeon, a Level 69 Jolteon, a Level 69 Flareon, a Level 69 Leafeon, and a Level 70 Sylveon with a Fairy Tera Type.
Penny’s Umbreon
With that in mind, it is worth noting that Umbreon is a Dark-type Pokemon that is weak (super effective) to the Bug-type, Fairy-type, and Fighting-type moves, resistant (not very effective) to Ghost-type and Dark-type moves, and immune (no effect) to Psychic-type moves.
Penny’s Umbreon will use the following moves:
- Dark Pulse is a special Dark-type move with 80 Power and 100 Accuracy that deals damage and has a 20% chance of causing the opposing Pokemon to flinch.
- Quick Attack is a physical Normal-type move with 40 Power and 100 Accuracy with a Speed priority of 1, making it move first before most moves.
- Baby-Doll Eyes is a Fairy-type status move that lowers the Attack stat of the target Pokemon by one stage.
- Psychic is a special Psychic-type move with 90 Power and 100 Accuracy that deals damage and has a 10% chance of decreasing the opposing Pokemon’s Special Defense stat by one stage.
Also, Penny’s Umbreon has the Synchronize Ability, which will make the opposing Pokemon receive the status condition that the Pokemon with the Ability receives.
Penny’s Vaporeon
Vaporeon is a Water-type Pokemon that is weak (super effective) to Electric-type and Grass-type moves and resistant (not very effective) to Fire-type, Ice-type, Steel-type, and Water-type moves.
Penny’s Vaporeon will use the following moves:
- Hydro Pump is a special Water-type attack with 110 Power and 80 Accuracy.
- Quick Attack is a physical Normal-type move with 40 Power and 100 Accuracy; it is an attack with a Speed priority of 1, making it go first before most moves.
- Baby-Doll Eyes is a Fairy-type status move that decreases the Attack stat of the opposing Pokemon by one stage.
- Aurora Beam is a special Ice-type move with 65 Power and 100 Accuracy that inflicts damage and has a 10% chance of decreasing the Attack stat of the target Pokemon by one stage.
Aside from that, Penny’s Vaporeon has the Water Absorb Ability, which restores the Pokemon with the Ability’s HP by up to 25% of its max HP instead of receiving damage when it is hit with Water-type moves.
Penny’s Jolteon
Jolteon is an Electric-type Pokemon that is weak (super effective) to Ground-type moves and resistant (not very effective) to Electric-type, Flying-type, and Steel-type moves.
Penny’s Jolteon will use the following moves:
- Thunder is a special Electric-type attack with 110 Power and 70 Accuracy that not only deals huge damage but also has a 30% chance to paralyze the target Pokemon. This move will also damage Pokemon in the middle of the move Fly, Bounce, or Sky Drop. Also, this move has an increased Accuracy if Rain is active and decreased Accuracy if Harsh Sunlight is active in the battle.
- Quick Attack is a physical Normal-type attack with 40 Power and 100 Accuracy with a Speed priority of 1, making it move before most moves.
- Baby-Doll Eyes is a Fairy-type status move that decreases the Attack stat of the enemy Pokemon by one stage.
- Pin Missile is a physical Bug-type attack with 25 Power and 95 Accuracy that can hit the opposing Pokemon two to five times in a row (37.5% chance to hit two times, 37.5% chance to hit three times, 12.5% chance to hit four times, and 12.5% chance to hit five times).
Additionally, Penny’s Jolteon has the Quick Feet Ability, increasing the Pokemon with the Ability’s Speed stat by 50% if it is inflicted with a status condition. Also, if it is paralyzed, the drop in Speed stat will be ignored.
Penny’s Flareon
Flareon is a Fire-type Pokemon that is weak (super effective) to Ground-type, Rock-type, and Water-type moves and resistant (not very effective) to the Bug-type, Fairy-type, Fire-type, Grass-type, Ice-type, and Steel-type moves.
Penny’s Flareon will use the following moves:
- Flare Blitz is a physical Fire-type attack with 120 Power and 100 Accuracy that deals damage and has a 10% chance of burning the opposing Pokemon. The Pokemon using the move will also receive recoil damage equal to a third of the damage dealt.
- Quick Attack is a physical Normal-type move with 40 Power and 100 Accuracy. It also has a Speed priority of 1, so it will move first before most moves.
- Baby-Doll Eyes is a Fairy-type status move that will lower the target Pokemon’s Attack stat by one stage.
- Fire Spin is a special Fire-type attack with 35 Power and 85 Accuracy that will inflict damage equal to 1/8th of the target Pokemon’s max HP for each turn and prevents the target Pokemon from running away or being switched out for four to five turns.
Aside from its moves, Penny’s Flareon has the Flash Fire Ability, which raises the damage from Fire-type moves by 50% and will become immune to Fire-type attacks if the Pokemon with the Ability is hit with a Fire-type move.
Penny’s Leafeon
Leafeon is a Grass-type Pokemon that is weak (super effective) to the Bug-type, Fire-type, Flying-type, Ice-type, and Poison-type moves and resistant (not very effective) to Electric-type, Grass-type, Ground-type, and Water-type moves.
Penny’s Leafeon will use the following moves:
- Leaf Blade is a physical Grass-type move with 90 Power and 100 Accuracy; it also has a 1-stage increased Critical Hit ratio.
- Quick Attack is a physical Normal-type attack with 40 Power and 100 Accuracy that will move first before most moves because it has a Speed priority of 1.
- Baby-Doll Eyes is a Fairy-type status move that will decrease the enemy Pokemon’s Attack stat by one stage.
- X-Scissor is a physical Bug-type attack with 80 Power and 100 Accuracy.
Also, Penny’s Leafeon has an Ability called Leaf Guard which will prevent it from having status conditions if sunny weather is active.
Penny’s Sylveon
Sylveon is a Fairy-type Pokemon, and as Penny will Terastallize her Sylveon, it will still be a Fairy-type because of its Tera Type. The Fairy Tera-Type Terastallized Sylveon has boosted Fairy-type moves. It is weak (super effective) to Poison-type and Steel-type moves, resistant (not very effective) to the Bug-type, Dark-type, and Fighting-type moves, and immune (no effect) to Dragon-type moves.
Penny’s Sylveon will use the following moves:
- Moonblast is a special Fairy-type attack with 95 Power and 100 Accuracy that deals damage and has a 30% chance of decreasing the Special Attack stat of the opposing Pokemon by one stage.
- Quick Attack is a physical Normal-type move with 40 Power, 100 Accuracy, and a Speed priority of 1.
- Baby-Doll Eyes is a Fairy-type status move that will lessen the opposing Pokemon’s Attack stat by one stage.
- Shadow Ball is a special Ghost-type attack with 80 Power and 100 Accuracy. Alongside dealing damage, it also has a 20% chance of decreasing the target Pokemon’s Special Defense stat by one stage.
Penny’s Sylveon also has an Ability called Cute Charm which has a 30% chance of Fascinating the opposing Pokemon. This only works if the opposing Pokemon makes physical contact with the Pokemon with the Ability.
Tips
As Penny’s Pokemon are Level 69 and 70, it is advised that the player use Level 71 and higher Pokemon with Fairy-type, Electric-type, Ground-type, and Poison-type moves.
This is because Fairy-type moves will deal super effective damage to Penny’s Umbreon; Electric-type moves will deal super effective damage to Penny’s Vaporeon; Ground-type moves will deal super effective damage to Penny’s Jolteon (Ground-type Pokemon are also immune to Electric-type moves) and Flareon; and Poison-type moves will deal super effective damage to Penny’s Leafeon and Terastallized Sylveon.
With the right Pokemon and the recommended moves mentioned above, the player can defeat Penny, the ex-Team Star Big Boss, and the player’s friend, in no time and move on to the next round of the Academy Ace Tournament!
