(Gen 2) Zapdos or Raikou?

[mjcarney]

Hey guys, I was just playing my crystal team trying to find a female Skarmory to help me breed with a Drill Peck/Whirlwind Dutrio (am I doing this right?) when I ran across a Raikou. I'm still debating which Electric legendary I want to my team originally it was gonna be Raikou lately I've been thinking Zapdos. There are a couple of points I didn't consider originally and they are as follows:

1) I'm gonna be playing by pokecup rules in Stadium 2 so while originally I was gonna have a sleep talking Raikou with Thunderbolt and Crunch but I realized I won't be able to get Crunch until level 70.

2) Usually in order to get high IVs I've been breeding several types of one pokemon and choosing the best. I can still get high IVs for Zapdos by just throwing master balls and reloading until I get a good one but with Raikou moving around it'll much more difficult to catch a good one. Not really sure how IVs work with roaming pokemon but I assume there generated when they appear in battle. Anybody know otherwise?

3) Raikou only has weakness to Ground and electric resistance but Zapdos has immunity to Ground but weakness to ice and rock.

Anyway I wonder if you can help me. I've saved the game once I found Raikou and I'm gonna take a break until I decide. As of right now I'm thinking of just catching it and seeing what it's hidden power would be. I think a Raikou with thunderbolt and a powerful hidden power ice I might keep it.

[kd24]

id go with raikou i think, its faster which helps a lot in stadium, and its still decent with no crunch at 50-55, it gets reflect/thunderbolt/rest and idk maybe bite or hidden power?

if this is about saving time, just go with zapdos though

[Örly]

In Stadium, defense is pretty worthless. I'm no expert with GSC competitive battling, but I can tell you Zapdos will most likely be better due to coverage. It's also easier to keep resetting for the best possible DVs for Hidden Power Grass, Ice, or Water.

Zapdos @ Leftovers?
-Thunderbolt
-Drill Peck
-Substitute
-Hidden Power / Thunder Wave / Agility

[mjcarney]

What do you guys think of this moveset for Raikou

Thunderbolt
Iron Tail
Sleep Talk
Rest

quick notes
1) It didn't know bite when I caught it and i'm keeping it at level 50-55 so I can't have it learn crunch. So the only other moves that I can add for coverage are physical moves. Raikou is clearly meant to be a special attacker but it's attack stat isn't bad either and Iron Tail gives it coverage against common Rock/Ground counters. Also I got bad luck when I found out it's hidden power is electric

2) Would it be silly for a sleep talking Raikou to only have Thunderbolt as an attack? That would give an extra slot for reflect or roar.

3) Should I just go with a more support set such as
Thunderbolt
Rest
Reflect
Roar

[Red Machine]

Originally Posted by Fat Örly

In Stadium, defense is pretty worthless. I'm no expert with GSC competitive battling, but I can tell you Zapdos will most likely be better due to coverage. It's also easier to keep resetting for the best possible DVs for Hidden Power Grass, Ice, or Water.

Zapdos @ Leftovers?
-Thunderbolt
-Drill Peck
-Substitute
-Hidden Power / Thunder Wave / Agility

Set I would use, SubDos is decent :)

[.Maguss.]

Originally Posted by Fat mjcarney

2) Usually in order to get high IVs I've been breeding several types of one pokemon and choosing the best. I can still get high IVs for Zapdos by just throwing master balls and reloading until I get a good one but with Raikou moving around it'll much more difficult to catch a good one. Not really sure how IVs work with roaming pokemon but I assume there generated when they appear in battle. Anybody know otherwise?

In that case, it is in the first time you saw them (the legendary dogs) in your game. The best way to get good IV's on them, is to catch one on other game and then transfer it to your game. Now, you can look where they're going on the Pokedex without saw them at all in your game.

[RhyssaFireheart]

Zapdos is immune to Ground attacks while Raikou says go away to Gorund type attacks and it also gets hurt by Rock type attacks.

[eddylugia]

Zapdos is immune to Ground attacks, rock pokemons of the first two generations weren't that strong IMHO

[133tSneasel]

For Zapdos use this set

Thunderbolt/Thunder
Drill Peck
Sleep Talk
Rest

You can put Hidden Power Ice or Water over Drill Peck or Sleep Talk. just make sure you use a mInt Berry with those options. If you don't have Hidden Power Ice or Water. Then stick with the set above.

for a Utiliy Set on Zapdos

Thunderbolt/Thunder
Reflect/Light Screen
Roar / Whirlwind
Rest / Drill Peck / HP: Water or Ice

(Depending on your team)

Raikou: Use this set

Thunderbolt / Thunder
Crunch
Roar / Reflect
Rest

They are interchangeable, but I think Raikou is fast, if you like resistance to ground, use Zapdos.

[Sayonara]

I prefer Zapdos because of its Ground type immunity, which is rather swish.

[Andrei Vasilevski]

Raikou is faster, so I'm going with Raikou.