Ever since Pokémon X and Y, every new Pokémon generation has a new battle mechanic to go along with it that plays a role in the game’s story and becomes a focal point for competitive battles, to an extent.
In Pokémon Scarlet and Violet the gimmick is called Terastallization, and it gives Pokémon the ability to change their type to a pre-set Tera Type. This Tera Type can be any of the 18 types available in the game and will only play a role when a Pokémon Terastallizes during a battle.
Typically, wild Pokémon can only be captured with a Tera Type that lines up with one of its own typings, such as Larvitar having a Rock Tera Type. However, you can encounter Pokémon with unusual or rare Tera Types in Tera Raids or special spawns in the wild that are marked as such visually.
There is also one way to change Tera Types manually within the game, which is through the use of an item called Tera Shards.
Where to get Tera Shards in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet
Tera Shards are new items introduced in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet that appear on rare occasions after a Tera Pokémon is defeated in battle and its Tera Jewel shatters to pieces.
These shards can be found as Hidden Items in the overworld or by completing Tera Raids, which will give you Tera Shards to match the type of the Pokémon you defeated in the raid. There are some NPCs who give them out too, though the most reliable way to get them is to search out Tera Raids on your map that match the Tera Type you are looking to obtain Tera Shards for.
The main restaurant in Medali is where you will use these items, as an NPC there will allow you to exchange 50 Tera Shards of any type to change a Pokémon’s Tera Type to that specific option.
During a normal playthrough, this likely won’t be too useful for players who aren’t looking to optimize their team completely. But for post-game and competitive-centric players, this is an amazing option since it means any Pokémon can get any Tera Type relatively easily.
