[Overview]
Rayquaza is a dangerous wallbreaker that can devastate teams thanks to the access to both Dragon Dance and Swords Dance. With access to strong coverage moves such as Dragon Ascent and V-create, its counterplay is fairly limited defensively. It can pressure most Steel-types in the tier and scare out common walls like Zygarde, Necrozma-DM, and even Xerneas. Rayquaza has low bulk, is susceptible to any prior damage, has a Stealth Rock weakness, and a poor defensive typing, making it difficult to fit on balanced teams. Due to its exploitable weaknesses like Stealth Rock damage, super effective coverage like Ice-, Fairy-, and Dragon-type moves, and an average Speed tier, Rayquaza has competition from other set up sweepers like Zekrom, Groudon, Necrozma-DM, and Zygarde, all of which have better bulk, more longevity, making them more viable on balanced playstyles. To take advantage of its strengths as best as possible, Rayquaza fits best on hyper offensive teams as an early-to-mid game wallbreaker that can break holes in defensive teams and allow other teammates to sweep. Thanks to the boost in Speed and Attack from Dragon Dance, Rayquaza can act as a late game sweeper to clean weakened teams.
[SET]
name: Dragon Dance
move 1: Dragon Ascent
move 2: V-create
move 3: Draco Meteor / Extreme Speed / Outrage
move 4: Dragon Dance
item: Life Orb
ability: Air Lock
nature: Naive / Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
A standard EV spread is used to maximize the damage output and the speed advantage against both defensive and offensive Pokemon. Dragon Ascent is one of Rayquaza's strongest attacks and can hit most of the Ubers tier for at least neutral damage. Maximum Speed invesment allows Rayquaza to outspeed base 90 speed Choice Scarf users like Kyogre and allows it to outspeed Calyrex-S which is a premier revenge killer. V-create allows Rayquaza to beat Necrozma-DM after a Dragon Dance boost without any prior damage, at the cost of a Defense and Speed drop which can stop it from fully sweeping a team. The third move is dependant on what role Rayquaza wants to play offensively on a team. Draco Meteor beats Zygarde without prior damage and hits other Dragon-types like both Giratina formes without a Defense drop. A Naive nature is preferred with Draco Meteor to maximize the damage output. A Jolly nature is preferred in sets without Draco Meteor which allows Rayquaza to outspeed base 90 speed Pokemon and more important non-Choice Scarf Calyrex-S after one Dragon Dance, which is one of the most dangerous revenge killers in Ubers. Extreme Speed allows Rayquaza to revenge kill weakened threats like Geomancy Xerneas, Swords Dance Zacian, Dragon Dance Zekrom, Double Dance Groudon, Offensive Eternatus, Choice Scarf Kyogre and even Offensive Yveltal. Outrage is a nice option that can hit bulky foes like Giratina, defensive Zygarde and Eternatus without stat lowering drawbacks but can be dangerous if the opponent has a Steel or Fairy-type as it is locked into Outrage.
Rayquaza best fits on hyper offensive teams with entry hazard and screens support. Froslass and Excadrill are nice options, especially Excadrill as it can set Stealth Rock and take out opposing Stealth Rock for Rayquaza with Rapid Spin. Other suicide leads can include Shuckle and Slurpuff as both have access to Sticky Web which can help Rayquaza to outspeed faster attackers like Eternatus, Marshadow and Zacian without boosts. Screens setters like Grimmsnarl and Regieleki are great partners as Regieleki can bring Rayquaza to the field safely with Explosion. It is really important to keep Rayquaza healthy enough, as if it takes any damage it will be in range from being revenge kill by faster foes like Marshadow, Pheromosa or Calyrex-S.
[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Dragon Ascent
move 2: V-create / Earthquake
move 3: Scale Shot / Extreme Speed
move 4: Swords Dance
item: Life Orb / Focus Sash
ability: Air Lock
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Swords Dance boosts Rayquaza's attack to monstrous levels, letting it act as a powerful wallbreaker that can KO many defensive Pokemon in the metagame. +2 Dragon Ascent is incredibly threatening, allowing it to break many common Pokemon such as Ferrothorn, offensive Xerneas, and Tangrowth. V-create is a powerful nuke for Steel-types such as Necrozma-DM. Skarmory, Corviknight and Magearna especially when boosted. Scale Shot allows Rayquaza to beat Lunala and Zygarde at +2 while increasing its Speed by 1 stage, but drops its Defense by 1 stage, which can become risky if the opponent has strong priority in the back. Extreme Speed can be used to avoid certain priority users like Yveltal, but it fails to KO this threat which can stop the sweep. Even though Focus Sash guarantees one turn to set up with Swords Dance, Life Orb is preferred due to the damage difference. For example, without Life Orb maximum HP Eternatus is not KOed at +1 by any moves besides Outrage. Necrozma-DM can survive one V-create even after Stealth Rock and Spikes damage and you become more managable in general. Also, even if it survives the hit with Focus Sash it is vulnerable to Rocky Helmet damage as all its moves make contact, KOing Rayquaza the next turn. This makes Life Orb a more consistent option.
This set focuses on boosting Rayquaza's attack to much higher levels with Swords Dance, and as it lacks an immediate speed boost it appreciates Sticky Web support from setters like Slurpuff and Shuckle to make up for its average Speed. Grimmsnarl and Regieleki are good partners for this set as they allow Rayquaza to safely use Swords Dance with their screens support. Partners that can deal with Marshadow and Calyrex-S are appreciated as they can outspeed and eliminate Rayquaza even after a Speed boost. Xerneas and Yveltal are good at abusing these Pokemon, freeing up Rayquaza offensively. Other slow wallbreakers can partner well with Rayquaza to made a scary core of dangerous wallbreakers. Examples of this can be Meteor Beam Eternatus, Life Orb Yveltal, Choice Specs Kyogre, Swords Dance Groudon, and Meteor Beam Lunala.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
Lum Berry can be used to avoid a status move, allowing Rayquaza to freely set up in front of passive Pokemon that can't touch it like Blissey or Tangrowth, and allow Rayquaza to safely use Outrage. However the extra damage from Life Orb is always a better option.
A Choice Band set can be used to immediately threaten defensive teams and can use an Adamant nature over Jolly to maximize the damage output as you lack in boost. However this can be difficult to use as it depends on good predictions and if it is locked in the wrong move it can become set up fodder to other set up sweepers like Xerneas, Zacian and Necrozma-DM. When you use an Adamant nature you need to be worry about base 90 speed Pokemon like Groudon, Zekrom and even Excadrill, as all of wich can outspeed and eliminate Rayquaza.
Heavy-Duty Boots can be used to avoid the damage from Stealth Rocks and increse the longevity of Rayquaza so it can set up multiple times. This come at the cost of a lower damage output and with its low bulk it is still vulnerable for status and super effective attacks.
Checks and Counters
Bulky foes: As Rayquaza have access to Swords Dance, defensive counterplay is limited, but there are checks to the Dragon Dance sets just like Xerneas, Groudon, Giratina, and Lugia. Xerneas and Groudon can't repeatedly switch into Rayquaza, but they can survive any hit even at +1 and KO with Moonblast and Stone Edge respectively. Giratina hates Draco Meteor, but if Rayquaza lacks Dragon-type coverage it can cripple it with any status move and stall it out with Rest. Lugia is one of the most consistent answers to Rayquaza as not even Scale Shot at +1 can OHKO, and Lugia can KO it with Ice Beam, cripple it with status or phaze it. Just like Lugia, Lunala can switch or cripple Rayquaza without problems as long as Shadow Shield is intact.
Priority users: As Rayquaza is chipped with every attack when using Life Orb, Marshadow's Shadow Sneak and Yveltal's Sucker Punch are solid choices to revenge kill it. However, none of them can KO Rayquaza from full health, so they need some prior damage to get the KO.
Choice Scarf users: Choice Scarf Yveltal, Xerneas and Calyrex-S can outspeed Rayquaza and revenge kill it without effort, as Extreme Speed fails to KO from full health. However, they need to be wary of speed boosts and potential Sticky Web support and Speed boosts from Rayquaza.
Status: Rayquaza is extremely hindered by any status form, as burns makes it much more manageable to switch into, paralysis makes it easier to be revenge killed, and poison makes it harder for Rayquaza to sweep a full team because of the recoil from both Poison and Life Orb every turn.
Tyranitar: Although it doesn't like any Dragon-type moves or Earthquake, Tyranitar has the bulk and typing to sponge at least one attack from Rayquaza and cripple it with Thunder Wave or KO with Rock Slide after chip damage or a Defense drop.
[CREDITS]
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