Is Meloetta Good?

Meloetta is excellent for casual playthroughs and PvE in Scarlet and Violet, but practically non-viable in serious competitive PvP. Its massive 600 base stat total easily clears story content. However, relying on Relic Song to switch to its faster Pirouette Form wastes a crucial turn, rendering it useless against optimized competitive teams.

Meloetta’s massive stats crush in-game NPCs, but its reliance on Relic Song for form changes makes it too slow and predictable for modern competitive formats.

Rating 6/10 · Tier S-in Story Mode, Untiered/Unviable in SV PvP · Role : Special Wallbreaker (Aria) / Physical Sweeper (Pirouette)

Strengths

• Massive 600 Base Stat Total outclasses most standard story NPCs.
• Aria Form boasts incredible Special Attack and Special Defense.
• Pirouette Form offers excellent Speed and Physical Attack for sweeping.
• Immune to Ghost-type moves in both forms thanks to its Normal typing.

Weaknesses

• Requires using Relic Song mid-battle to change forms, wasting a crucial turn.
• Mythical status permanently bans it from official VGC ranked ladders.
• Aria Form is physically frail and easily exploited by common Dark and Bug attacks.
• Lacks reliable setup moves like Nasty Plot or Swords Dance to capitalize on its mixed potential.

In the context of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, Meloetta exists in two completely different tiers depending on how you play. For the main story, the Indigo Disk DLC, and casual PvE, it operates as an S-Tier powerhouse. Its massive 600 Base Stat Total gives it a raw numerical advantage over nearly everything the AI throws at you.

However, if you look at serious competitive PvP, Meloetta is practically unviable. It does not register in standard Smogon SV usage statistics because it fails to keep up with the hyper-optimized modern metagame. Furthermore, as a Mythical Pokémon, it is permanently banned from official VGC ranked ladder play.

Its primary role shifts depending on its form. In its default Aria Form, it functions as a bulky Special Wallbreaker, soaking up special hits while retaliating with STAB Psychic and Hyper Voice. If you trigger its Pirouette Form, it attempts to become a fast Physical Sweeper, though achieving this transformation safely is its biggest hurdle.

Meloetta’s entire gimmick is its ability to swap between Aria Form (Normal/Psychic) and Pirouette Form (Normal/Fighting). To trigger this change, it must successfully use the move Relic Song in battle. This mechanic is exactly why Meloetta falls apart in competitive environments.

Using a relatively weak 75 Base Power move just to access your physical stats wastes an entire turn. In modern Scarlet and Violet PvP, giving an opponent a free turn usually results in an immediate loss. Fast offensive threats will simply knock Meloetta out before it can capitalize on its new Fighting-type STAB and increased Speed.

In casual play, this wasted turn is far more forgiving. AI opponents rarely punish you for using Relic Song. You can easily sing your way into Pirouette Form, potentially put an opponent to sleep with Relic Song's secondary effect, and sweep the rest of the NPC's team with Close Combat.

Meloetta shines brightest in the post-game content of Scarlet and Violet, specifically during the Blueberry Academy DLC battles. Its Aria Form completely walls special attackers that rely on Psychic or Ghost moves. Gengar, Alakazam, and casual Flutter Mane variants struggle to break its massive Special Defense.

It also performs admirably in specific Tera Raid battles. Because Tera Raids heavily favor raw stats and survivability, Aria Form Meloetta can sit on the field, absorb special hits, and spam Psychic or Hyper Voice.

Ideal Targets for Aria Form

• Special-attacking Ghost types (thanks to its Normal typing immunity).
• Poison and Fighting types that lack physical coverage.
• Slow, bulky opponents vulnerable to Special Defense drops from Psychic.

If you do switch to Pirouette Form, it excels at cleaning up weakened teams. Its base 128 Speed outpaces a massive portion of the unboosted Pokédex. Once transformed, it easily handles Dark, Steel, and Rock types that would normally wall its Aria Form.

Since competitive Smogon sets are irrelevant for Meloetta in SV, you should optimize it for the Blueberry Academy Elite Four and high-level Tera Raids. You generally want to commit to either a purely Special Aria set or a Mixed Relic Song set.

The Pure Aria Wallbreaker

• Item: Choice Specs or Assault Vest
• Moves: Hyper Voice, Psychic, Shadow Ball, Thunderbolt
• Tera Type: Normal (for massive Hyper Voice damage)

This set ignores Relic Song entirely. You leverage its natural base 128 Special Attack to punch holes through AI teams. Holding an Assault Vest makes it practically immortal against special attackers.

The Pirouette Sweeper

• Item: Silk Scarf or Life Orb
• Moves: Relic Song, Close Combat, Facade, Knock Off
• Tera Type: Fighting

This set requires you to use Relic Song immediately. The Silk Scarf boosts Relic Song's damage while you transform. Tera Fighting ensures Close Combat removes any major threats in your path once you hit Pirouette form.

Despite the high Base Stat Total, Meloetta has glaring flaws that hold it back even in casual playthroughs. Its most significant weakness is Aria Form's abysmal physical bulk. With a very low Defense stat, it takes massive damage from common physical Dark and Bug-type attacks.

Moves like Knock Off, U-turn, and Crunch are everywhere in Scarlet and Violet. A strong U-turn from a fast physical pivot will severely cripple Aria Meloetta before it can even act. Furthermore, its dual Normal/Psychic typing provides no resistances, offering only an immunity to Ghost.

When it transforms into Pirouette Form, it loses its Special Defense bulk entirely and becomes vulnerable to Psychic, Flying, and Fairy moves. This means transforming at the wrong time can instantly put you in KO range from an opponent you were previously walling.

You should absolutely keep Meloetta in the PC if you are trying to climb the ranked ladder in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. It is illegal in VGC, and entirely outclassed in unrestricted formats by box legendaries. You should also avoid using it in Tera Raids against strong physical attackers.

If you want a reliable Psychic-type for competitive play or tough raids, there are far better alternatives. Indeedee (Female) provides immensely more utility with Psychic Surge and Follow Me for double battles. If you need a powerful Psychic attacker, Iron Valiant or Espathra offer immediate offensive pressure without needing to waste a turn changing forms.

For a Normal/Fighting type, a Tera-Fighting Normal type provides physical damage without the Relic Song gimmick. Meloetta is a fun, nostalgic pick, but it requires too much setup for too little payoff when efficiency matters.