Calm Mind (Raging Bolt) @ Booster Energy / Leftovers
Ability: Protosynthesis
Tera Type: Fairy / Flying
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 Def / 252 Spe
IVs: 20 Atk
Modest Nature
- Calm Mind
- Thunderclap
- Dragon Pulse / Draco Meteor
- Thunderbolt
[SET COMMENTS]
Calm Mind Raging Bolt is one of the metagame's top setup sweepers and wallbreakers. Its natural bulk and unique typing not only allows it to check common offensive threats like Ogerpon-W and Cinderace, but also to gain multiple entry points and setup opportunities as well. On top of a potent STAB combination that hits most of the metagame at least neutrally, its signature move Thunderclap prevents Raging Bolt's sweep from being cut short by faster threats and opposing priority users like Enamorus, Walking Wake, and Kingambit and lets it act as a revenge killer, too. Dragon Pulse is preferred for its consistent damage output, but Draco Meteor can be used to propel Raging Bolt's niche as a wallbreaker further, letting it overwhelm checks like Ting-Lu and Clodsire much more easily and netting benchmarks such as OHKOing defensive Landorus-T and Dragonite through Multiscale, all after a Calm Mind. A reliable Electric-type STAB move lets Raging Bolt prevent foes like Primarina, Gholdengo, and Calm Mind Enamorus from setting up freely and makes it less vulnerable to Encore users like Iron Valiant and Hisuian Samurott. Thunderbolt's consistency is preferred in this regard, but other options can be used as well. Discharge allows Raging Bolt to potentially cripple specially defensive walls like Galarian Slowking and slow down faster threats like Gholdengo, Darkrai, and Zamazenta, which helps to reduce its reliance on Thunderclap. Exclusively on rain teams, the stronger option in Thunder can also be used instead for similar reasons. Raging Bolt can lean towards the weather further by running Weather Ball instead if used on either a sun or rain team; it allows Raging Bolt to hit Iron Treads super effectively, with rain Weather Ball pressuring Raging Bolt's other Ground-type checks like Gliscor and Landorus-T more reliably, while sun Weather Ball cleanly OHKOes even bulky Kingambit and Gholdengo unboosted, all at the expense of the ability to immediately threaten Calm Mind Primarina. Alternatively, Taunt can be used to let Raging Bolt overwhelm walls like Blissey and Toxic Galarian Slowking. Booster Energy provides Raging Bolt with a damage boost, letting it reach feats such as OHKOing Iron Valiant with +1 Thunderclap after a layer of Spikes and specially defensive Gliscor with +1 Draco Meteor, as well as having significant rolls to 2HKO Clodsire with Draco Meteor. Leftovers gives it more longevity to set up more easily and further take advantage of its defensive profile. Air Balloon is another option to prevent revenge killing attempts from its Ground-type checks like Great Tusk, Landorus-T, and Ting-Lu. Tera Fairy gives Raging Bolt an immunity to Dragon-type attacks from foes like Dragapult, Gouging Fire, Kyurem, and opposing Raging Bolt that don't fear its Thunderclap; it is also generally a good neutral typing against foes like Weavile and Iron Valiant. Tera Flying can be used for an outright immunity to Ground, letting it flip its matchup against Great Tusk and Landorus-T; this can be combined with Taunt to beat bulky Ground-type checks like Gliscor, Clodsire, and Ting-Lu. Tera Ghost is also an option with Taunt to beat Blissey one-on-one and give offensive teams an emergency check to IronPress Zamazenta. An EV spread of 64 HP / 28 Def / 252 SpA / 164 Spe is an alternative option; it runs enough Speed to get the jump on Gliscor, with the extra bulk letting Raging Bolt survive Speed Booster Energy Great Tusk's Headlong Rush from full, though this significantly worsens its matchup against opposing Raging Bolt.
Raging Bolt fits on a variety of offensive teams, ranging from hyper offense to weather-based archetypes in sun and rain. It pairs well with other strong special attackers like Gholdengo, Iron Moth, Kyurem, and Darkrai; on top of keeping up the pressure against the opposition, they can work with Raging Bolt to wear down and overwhelm shared checks like Ting-Lu, Clodsire, Galarian Slowking, and Blissey. Physical setup sweepers like Kingambit, Ogerpon-W, Great Tusk, Dragonite, and Zamazenta are similarly important, as they can threaten out the aforementioned special walls and force damage against Landorus-T and opposing Great Tusk; some of these physical attackers can even switch into the Ground-types, and Raging Bolt uses their checks like Skarmory, Alomomola, and Dondozo as entry points and setup opportunities. Entry hazard setters like Deoxys-S, Hisuian Samurott, Landorus-T, and Glimmora are highly appreciated, as hazards help put foes and especially its checks into KO range, with Landorus-T also capable of switching into Great Tusk, Iron Treads, and opposing Landorus-T that threaten Raging Bolt out; in return, Raging Bolt can take advantage of and pressure common hazard removal Pokemon like Corviknight and Cinderace to maintain said hazards. Raging Bolt can benefit from Drought users like Torkoal and Ninetales; the sun allows Raging Bolt to freely forgo Booster Energy and gives it the option to run Weather Ball. Raging Bolt also synergizes well with other sun wallbreakers; Walking Wake can exploit Ground-types like Ting-Lu, Iron Treads, and Gliscor while assisting Raging Bolt in pressuring Galarian Slowking and Blissey. This is especially strong because going for Tera Water to deal with Walking Wake makes them vulnerable to Raging Bolt. Roaring Moon, Great Tusk, and Choice Band Gouging Fire can complement Raging Bolt's breaking power by dealing with its special walls, and they overwhelm shared checks like Landorus-T and Great Tusk, with Raging Bolt handling the likes of Skarmory, Alomomola, and Tera Water Gliscor in return, especially since Roaring Moon can bring it safely via U-turn. Raging Bolt can also be used on rain teams, benefiting from Pelipper's Drizzle to run options like Weather Ball and Thunder. It forms a great core with Barraskewda, as Barraskewda can position Raging Bolt against its bulky Water-type checks like Alomomola and Tera Water Garganacl via Flip Turn; in return, Barraskewda alongside other rain wallbreakers like Overqwil can pressure and overwhelm Ground-types like Landorus-T, Gliscor, and Iron Treads for Raging Bolt. Defensively, Raging Bolt can check Rillaboom and Ogerpon-W, which are otherwise problematic for rain teams, while Pelipper is capable of switching into Ground-types like Landorus-T, Great Tusk, and Iron Treads that force Raging Bolt out. Though more niche, Raging Bolt can also fit on other hyper offense structures. Dual screens setters like Deoxys-S, Alolan Ninetales, and Grimmsnarl provide Raging Bolt with an easier time setting up against even super effective hits and prevent it from being revenge killed by foes like Weavile, Landorus-T, and Dragonite. Sticky Web from Ribombee can slow down would-be revenge killers like Gouging Fire, Kyurem, and Great Tusk, minimizing the risk of Thunderclap mindgames against foes like Encore Iron Valiant and Substitute Iron Moth.
[SET CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/veti.612907/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/marnie.493260/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/bt89.487308/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/kd458.633798/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/tbolt.555379/
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