With two of the three Red Chain components already in their possession by the time they reach Lake Valor, the end is very nearly in sight for Pokemon Legends: Arceus players. In fact, the only things standing between them and the final component needed are another Alpha Pokemon and the third and final Lake Guardian Trial.
Rather than having them answer questions as its fellow Lake Guardians did though, Azelf has something a little different in store for Pokemon Legends: Arceus players. They'll need to hit the being of willpower with a single balm, which, despite sounding relatively simple on paper, proves to be a lot more challenging than it first appears to be.
How to Counter Overqwil
Upon arriving at Lake Valor, the Arc Phone will do its thing and create an entrance to the Valor Cavern. Inside, players will find a Level 58 Alpha Overqwil waiting for them, which will need to be taken care of before Azelf will reveal itself. Players can either catch Overqwil or KO it, but are going to need an effective counter in order to do so.
Due to it being a Dark / Poison-Type Pokemon, Overqwil is only weak to Ground-type attacks. Its attacking moves are Double-Edge, Poison Jab, and Aqua Tail, meaning that players should avoid using anything that's weak against Normal, Poison, or Water-type attacks. It may be a little slow, but Overqwil has a decent Attack stat and so is able to dish out some real damage if the situation allows.
Garchomp is an excellent counter for those who already have it, while players who don't can always catch themselves a Gible in the Wayward Cave area of the Coronet Highlands and then evolve it. For anyone who lacks the patience for such an endeavor though, Torterra is another solid option, with players even able to catch its unevolved form Turtwig in the area surrounding Lake Valor. Other options will work too, providing, that is, that they're reasonably fast and bulky.
How to Hit Azelf with a Balm
After players have beaten or caught Overqwil, Azelf will appear and challenge players to hit it with a Marsh Balm. Try as they might though, they'll find that it's impossible to hit the little Legendary at first due to it teleporting out of the way whenever a balm gets close. Azelf will repeatedly ask players if they'd like to give up, but it's important that they select the "I'm not through yet" option each time this happens.
After they refuse to give up three or four times, players will eventually be able to hit Azelf with a balm, and it will hand over the Azelf's Fang key item as a reward. With the third and final Red Chain component now in their possession, leaving the cavern will cause players to be automatically transported to the Coronet Highlands. There, at the Celestica Ruins, the Red Chain will be forged, and the game's final main story boss fight edges just a little closer.
Pokemon Legends: Arceus is available now for the Nintendo Switch.