[OVERVIEW]
Raikou is one of two viable mono-Electric-type Pokemon in OU, alongside Jolteon, which gives it a unique niche. Its Speed tier is incredibly desirable, getting the jump on Pokemon like Infernape, Latias, and Gengar with a Speed-boosting nature and Speed tying with Starmie; even with a neutral nature, it just barely outspeeds all base 100 Speed Pokemon like Jirachi, Flygon, Zapdos, and Shaymin. Its very good special bulk makes it a fantastic offensive answer to Pokemon like Zapdos, Gengar, and even Starmie. In particular, Raikou shrugs off all of Zapdos's attacking moves thanks to its good typing and Special Defense. Raikou also has access to Aura Sphere, which can go as far as OHKOing many variants of Tyranitar; this is something that very few special attackers can do.
Despite its positive traits, Raikou has quite a few shortcomings that prevent it from dominating the OU landscape. If it runs Aura Sphere, it must run a Rash nature, which not only prevents it from outspeeding Infernape, Latias, and Gengar but also reduces its Special Defense considerably. Ground-types like Hippowdon and Swampert can completely shut down Raikou, and if it uses Hidden Power Grass to catch Swampert, it will be much worse versus other Ground-types like Flygon and Gliscor. Raikou doesn't have a reliable healing move and has subpar Defense, so it's vulnerable to physical attacks, detests status, and often sees its use limited by sand.
[SET]
name: Calm Mind + Protect
move 1: Calm Mind
move 2: Protect
move 3: Thunderbolt
move 4: Hidden Power Ice
item: Leftovers
ability: Pressure
nature: Timid
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Calm Mind boosts Raikou's already impressive Special Attack and Special Defense even higher, turning it into a potent setup sweeper. Protect is a great option to scout annoying Choice item Pokemon like Flygon, Trick Rotom-A, and Jirachi, as well as wear down foes with sand damage. In combination with status like burn and poison, Protect can be incredibly potent as a utility move to get enough chip damage for Raikou to KO a foe with Thunderbolt.
Thunderbolt is Raikou's go-to attacking option; Hidden Power Ice alongside it forms immaculate BoltBeam coverage that only Magnezone resists and hits Gliscor, Flygon, and Dragonite for massive damage, as well as Pokemon like Latias, Nidoqueen, Breloom, Celebi, and Shaymin for super effective damage.
Set Details
========
Raikou needs to be as fast as possible to outpace Infernape, Latias, and Gengar as well as Speed tie at minimum with Starmie, and it also needs to deal as much damage as possible, so Special Attack and Speed are maximized. Leftovers is necessary to compensate for sand damage and take additional advantage of Protect, improving Raikou's subpar longevity. You have the option to reduce Raikou's Speed investment to 216 EVs in exchange for arbitrary bulk, but losing out on Speed tying with Starmie and even Azelf is usually not worth it.
Usage Tips
========
If possible, try to avoid sending Raikou into Toxic Spikes, as status will severely cripple it. Keep Raikou hidden for as long as possible. Because its longevity is poor, your opponent may have a much easier time playing around Raikou if it's revealed haphazardly. Take advantage of its great typing and special bulk and use Calm Mind when Raikou is healthy. Try not to overpredict, as Thunderbolt will usually do a significant amount of damage even to Pokemon that resist it like Magnezone, Rotom-A, and Abomasnow. When there is no sand or hail, use Protect as much as possible to passively heal with Leftovers, which can enable Raikou to use Calm Mind against foes like Zapdos and Rotom-A even at lower health. Protect can also be used to scout Toxic from Zapdos, Heatran, and even Jirachi.
Team Options
========
Despite its strengths, Raikou requires a lot of support. Weather clearers, while not mandatory, will heavily improve Raikou's longevity. Latias is Ground immune, can use Thunder Wave to cripple Jirachi and Metagross, and can set up rain with Rain Dance to support Raikou. Latias can also use moves like Surf and Grass Knot to KO Hippowdon and Swampert, which both check Raikou quite well. Uxie is another Ground-immune Pokemon that can set up Stealth Rock and use Rain Dance. Wish support from the likes of Jirachi, Latias, and Clefable can serve to keep Raikou healthy over a longer game, enabling it to come in with less worry. Breloom can use its Grass- and Fighting-type moves against Swampert, Hippowdon, Blissey, Clefable, and Magnezone, as well as cripple a foe with Spore to assist Raikou in setting up Calm Mind more freely. Roserade can set up Toxic Spikes and also absorb them for Raikou, and it can also threaten Swampert, Hippowdon, and Magnezone with moves like Sleep Powder, Leaf Storm, and Hidden Power Ground. Since Raikou has issues with special walls like Blissey and Clefable, Magma Storm Heatran can lure them in, trap them, and remove them.
[SET]
name: Shuca Berry
move 1: Thunderbolt
move 2: Aura Sphere
move 3: Shadow Ball / Calm Mind
move 4: Hidden Power Ice / Hidden Power Grass
item: Shuca Berry
ability: Pressure
nature: Rash
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
shiny: true
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Shuca Berry Raikou is able to function as a surprise soft check to Dragon Dance sweepers that use Earthquake and also has an easier time dealing with Ground-types in a one-on-one matchup. In addition, an all-out attacking set can be beneficial over a Calm Mind set because Raikou sometimes does not have a good opportunity to use Calm Mind. Thunderbolt is Raikou's most consistent Electric-type attack. Aura Sphere enables Raikou to effectively dispatch foes like Tyranitar, Magnezone, and even Heatran to some extent. Shadow Ball is recommended to hit Rotom-A and Latias super effectively. However, Calm Mind is still a solid alternative if you're not as worried about Rotom-A. Hidden Power Ice is preferred in the final slot, as it lets Raikou lure in and remove Pokemon like Flygon and Gliscor with the help of Shuca Berry. Hidden Power Grass is a decent alternative if Swampert is problematic for your team; however, losing out on OHKOing Dragonite, Flygon, and Gliscor is hard to justify.
Set Details
========
A Rash nature is mandatory with Aura Sphere, unfortunately, so Raikou will have slightly lower Special Defense than desired. That said, its special bulk is still decent enough to check Zapdos and even Gengar relatively well. Shuca Berry enables Raikou to act as a soft check to some Dragon Dance sweepers, such as Gyarados and Dragonite. It is especially important to maximize Speed, as with 329 Speed, Raikou can outspeed all base 100 Speed Pokemon like Jirachi and Flygon. In addition, not all Starmie will reach 361 Speed, like Bold Starmie in particular, so Raikou can use Speed investment to get the jump on those bulkier Starmie variants.
Usage Tips
========
Unless you determine that Raikou is extremely effective at breaking your opponent's team, try to conceal it and keep it healthy for as long as possible so it can soft check setup sweepers as effectively as possible. It may be difficult to switch Raikou in safely, so it's usually best to sacrifice something in order to send Raikou in and maintain momentum or lure a foe in. That said, Raikou can switch into the likes of Zapdos, Choice Scarf Rotom-A locked into Thunderbolt or Hidden Power Ice, and Skarmory. While Shuca Berry can ensure that Raikou survives a powerful Ground-type attack, it will still take significantly more damage than other Shuca Berry holders like Jirachi and Tyranitar. This means that Raikou is not as secure of a check for Dragon Dance Gyarados and Dragonite comparatively. Don't depend on Raikou too much in the teambuilder to check these Pokemon.
Team Options
========
Shuca Berry Raikou functions rather independently for the most part, but it can especially benefit from Spikes and Rapid Spin support. A lead Skarmory or Froslass can set up entry hazards early and help Raikou maintain momentum with its coverage and speed to maximize its effectiveness. Starmie can help to combat foes like Infernape and Gengar and provide essential Rapid Spin support to support Raikou in staying healthy to increase its capabilities as a Shuca Berry holder. Other means of preventing entry hazards from going up also pair well with Raikou, like Taunt Azelf and Aerodactyl. A mixed Jirachi with Iron Head can combine well with Raikou to both wallbreak and potentially prevent hazards from going up with its Iron Head and additional type coverage.
[SET]
name: Attacking Lead
move 1: Thunderbolt
move 2: Aura Sphere
move 3: Hidden Power Ice
move 4: Extreme Speed
item: Lum Berry / Life Orb
ability: Pressure
nature: Rash
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
shiny: true
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Raikou can function as a unique attacking lead due to its natural bulk that enables it to often survive one attack as well as high power, great coverage, priority, and, most importantly, STAB-boosted Thunderbolt. Aura Sphere is a desirable move for an Electric-type special attacker, as Tyranitar is not a secure check like it is versus other Electric-types like Zapdos, Rotom-A, and Jolteon. Hidden Power Ice combines with Thunderbolt and Aura Sphere to give Raikou perfect coverage. It also hits Dragonite, Flygon, and Gliscor for devastating damage, as well as Grass-types and Latias super effectively. Extreme Speed rounds out the set with priority to finish off opposing leads like Azelf, Empoleon, and even Aerodactyl. Hidden Power Grass can be used as an alternative to deal massive damage to Swampert; however, Hidden Power Ice is quite crucial for its better coverage overall, especially versus Latias and Gliscor.
Set Details
========
Raikou is required to use a Rash nature due to Aura Sphere, but on this set it's not as consequential. The reduced Special Defense is rarely impactful, as Raikou usually only takes one hit in the lead position and doesn't have as much longevity to take advantage of extra Special Defense. In addition, the bonus in Special Attack is essential to deal as much damage as possible to foes like Jirachi, Tyranitar, Heatran, and Clefable, as well as more securely guaranteeing a 2HKO on Focus Sash Machamp with Thunderbolt. Lum Berry is the recommended item to more reliably take on Machamp and Roserade; however, Life Orb is an alternative option to have better odds versus lead Azelf and go all in on dealing as much damage as possible and wreaking havoc early on. A Life Orb strategy is a bit more risky, as the lead matchup versus Machamp and Roserade becomes worse, and Lum Berry is often very convenient in its own right for attacks like Jirachi's Body Slam and Clefable's Thunder Wave. Shuca Berry is a strong alternative item as well to surprise lead Choice Scarf Flygon and for its overall utility.
Usage Tips
========
Lead Raikou is simple to use, as Thunderbolt is very powerful and hits most non-Ground-types for significant damage. Playing aggressively with predictions can be very rewarding, like using Thunderbolt on a Ground-type pivot that's weak to Hidden Power Ice as it switches out, dealing significant damage to the switch-in with Thunderbolt. This is further supported by Raikou's ability to pressure common Stealth Rock leads like Jirachi, Empoleon, and Metagross, often forcing them to choose between attacking Raikou and setting up Stealth Rock. Due to Raikou's diverse toolkit, many leads that it may match up badly against, like Swampert and even Flygon, may try to scout for Hidden Power Grass and Shuca Berry. In these cases, if you wish to switch out, it's important to find a solid midground against these Pokemon. Even if Raikou takes an attack and is at low health, it is often worth preserving it for death fodder later. Furthermore, if you're lucky, Raikou can come in again and fire off one or two powerful attacks before going down, hopefully doing enough damage to make it a worthwhile attacking lead.
Team Options
========
Lead Raikou functions quite independently in a more hyper offensive manner. That said, some Pokemon combine well with it to compensate for its bad matchups. Skarmory is a fantastic partner because it can switch into all of the leads that Raikou loses against, like Metagross, Swampert, and Hippowdon. Starmie appreciates Raikou's strength against bulky Water-types like Milotic and Suicune and can wear down Ground-types and Metagross for it. Setup sweepers like Dragon Dance Gyarados and Swords Dance Lucario appreciate Raikou's ability to chip Pokemon like Jirachi and Rotom-A. Gyarados can take advantage of Choice Scarf Flygon's Earthquake, which is often used to take out Raikou. Lucario's powerful Extreme Speed is great for finishing off weakened foes from Raikou's attacks. If you're using a Raikou + Skarmory hyper offensive Spikes-stacking team, Gengar, Rotom-A, and Tyranitar pair nicely for entry hazard control.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Raikou has a decent Substitute + Calm Mind set, which can take tremendous advantage of foes like bulky Rotom-A, Zapdos, and Jirachi. However, this set requires a tremendous amount of support to work effectively. In addition, unlike other Substitute + Calm Mind users like Jirachi and Suicune, Raikou cannot make 101 HP Substitutes, meaning that it should lose to Blissey and Clefable. A RestTalk set can be used with Thunderbolt and Roar for fast phazing while asleep and more longevity, but this set is quite passive even with the phazing, and the defensive utility is hampered by a Ground weakness and lack of natural resistances. Raikou can use a Choice Scarf or Choice Specs set, but neither of these sets is particularly great. Choice Scarf Raikou is generally outclassed by other revenge killers like Rotom-A, and it's most often preferable to take advantage of Raikou's unique coverage with a Shuca Berry or Life Orb rather than a Choice Specs set. Roar can also be used on a Calm Mind + 2 Attacks set as an aggressive phazer, but it can be difficult to justify this over moves like Protect, Aura Sphere, and even Shadow Ball. Weather Ball is an interesting choice that can be used with Hidden Power Grass to compensate for the loss in Ice-type coverage. In hail, Weather Ball gives Raikou the best of both worlds with Grass- and Ice-type coverage together, while in sand, Rock-type coverage is quite decent to still hit Dragonite and Zapdos super effectively while keeping Hidden Power Grass for Swampert. Rest is an option to try to turn the tables on Seismic Toss Blissey and Clefable and can even be used more offensively with Chesto Berry, but Raikou often cannot afford to be sleeping for two turns. Signal Beam mauls Celebi while still hitting Latias, but Shadow Ball hits Rotom-A as well and is more powerful. Charge Beam enables Raikou to boost its Special Attack, which compresses Thunderbolt and Calm Mind; however, Calm Mind is way more consistent. Magnet Rise can give Raikou an edge versus Metagross and Bronzong by granting it a temporary Earthquake immunity in addition to its resistance to Meteor Mash and Gyro Ball, which may force these Pokemon to use Explosion to take out Raikou.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Ground-types**: Swampert and Hippowdon shrug off Raikou's attacks with ease and can fire back a devastating Earthquake to OHKO it. Swampert must be careful of a surprise Hidden Power Grass, but Hippowdon is generally quite a safe bet, especially if it is specially defensive. Choice Scarf Flygon outspeeds Raikou and maims it with Earthquake. Dugtrio can trap and remove Raikou by outspeeding it and OHKOing it with Earthquake. Mamoswine is not weak to Hidden Power Ice, so it is a decent check to Calm Mind + 2 Attacks sets; however, it must be careful of Aura Sphere.
**Pokemon That Resist Electric**: Pokemon like Celebi, Shaymin, Abomasnow, and Rotom-A can take Raikou on decently, but sometimes prior scouting must be done to ensure the safety of Abomasnow and Rotom-A. From full, however, Celebi and Shaymin can switch in, and Hidden Power Ice is very unlikely to 2HKO them.
**Special Walls**: Blissey, Clefable, bulky Latias, and even specially defensive Heatran can all check Raikou quite well and cripple it via Thunder Wave, Knock Off, Toxic, or even a burn from Lava Plume or Will-O-Wisp. Without Aura Sphere, Tyranitar is a fantastic Raikou check with its immense special bulk and natural physical power.
**Physical Attackers**: Raikou's Defense is not stellar, so strong priority from the likes of Lucario, Dragonite, Breloom, and Infernape can be effective versus Raikou. In addition, faster physical attackers like Choice Scarf Flygon and Choice Scarf Tyranitar can often force Raikou out.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Excal, 456373]]
- Quality checked by: [[Emeral, 72767], [DeepBlueC, 307789]]
- Grammar checked by: [[The Dutch Plumberjack, 232216], [Rabia, 336073]]
Raikou is one of two viable mono-Electric-type Pokemon in OU, alongside Jolteon, which gives it a unique niche. Its Speed tier is incredibly desirable, getting the jump on Pokemon like Infernape, Latias, and Gengar with a Speed-boosting nature and Speed tying with Starmie; even with a neutral nature, it just barely outspeeds all base 100 Speed Pokemon like Jirachi, Flygon, Zapdos, and Shaymin. Its very good special bulk makes it a fantastic offensive answer to Pokemon like Zapdos, Gengar, and even Starmie. In particular, Raikou shrugs off all of Zapdos's attacking moves thanks to its good typing and Special Defense. Raikou also has access to Aura Sphere, which can go as far as OHKOing many variants of Tyranitar; this is something that very few special attackers can do.
Despite its positive traits, Raikou has quite a few shortcomings that prevent it from dominating the OU landscape. If it runs Aura Sphere, it must run a Rash nature, which not only prevents it from outspeeding Infernape, Latias, and Gengar but also reduces its Special Defense considerably. Ground-types like Hippowdon and Swampert can completely shut down Raikou, and if it uses Hidden Power Grass to catch Swampert, it will be much worse versus other Ground-types like Flygon and Gliscor. Raikou doesn't have a reliable healing move and has subpar Defense, so it's vulnerable to physical attacks, detests status, and often sees its use limited by sand.
[SET]
name: Calm Mind + Protect
move 1: Calm Mind
move 2: Protect
move 3: Thunderbolt
move 4: Hidden Power Ice
item: Leftovers
ability: Pressure
nature: Timid
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Calm Mind boosts Raikou's already impressive Special Attack and Special Defense even higher, turning it into a potent setup sweeper. Protect is a great option to scout annoying Choice item Pokemon like Flygon, Trick Rotom-A, and Jirachi, as well as wear down foes with sand damage. In combination with status like burn and poison, Protect can be incredibly potent as a utility move to get enough chip damage for Raikou to KO a foe with Thunderbolt.
Thunderbolt is Raikou's go-to attacking option; Hidden Power Ice alongside it forms immaculate BoltBeam coverage that only Magnezone resists and hits Gliscor, Flygon, and Dragonite for massive damage, as well as Pokemon like Latias, Nidoqueen, Breloom, Celebi, and Shaymin for super effective damage.
Set Details
========
Raikou needs to be as fast as possible to outpace Infernape, Latias, and Gengar as well as Speed tie at minimum with Starmie, and it also needs to deal as much damage as possible, so Special Attack and Speed are maximized. Leftovers is necessary to compensate for sand damage and take additional advantage of Protect, improving Raikou's subpar longevity. You have the option to reduce Raikou's Speed investment to 216 EVs in exchange for arbitrary bulk, but losing out on Speed tying with Starmie and even Azelf is usually not worth it.
Usage Tips
========
If possible, try to avoid sending Raikou into Toxic Spikes, as status will severely cripple it. Keep Raikou hidden for as long as possible. Because its longevity is poor, your opponent may have a much easier time playing around Raikou if it's revealed haphazardly. Take advantage of its great typing and special bulk and use Calm Mind when Raikou is healthy. Try not to overpredict, as Thunderbolt will usually do a significant amount of damage even to Pokemon that resist it like Magnezone, Rotom-A, and Abomasnow. When there is no sand or hail, use Protect as much as possible to passively heal with Leftovers, which can enable Raikou to use Calm Mind against foes like Zapdos and Rotom-A even at lower health. Protect can also be used to scout Toxic from Zapdos, Heatran, and even Jirachi.
Team Options
========
Despite its strengths, Raikou requires a lot of support. Weather clearers, while not mandatory, will heavily improve Raikou's longevity. Latias is Ground immune, can use Thunder Wave to cripple Jirachi and Metagross, and can set up rain with Rain Dance to support Raikou. Latias can also use moves like Surf and Grass Knot to KO Hippowdon and Swampert, which both check Raikou quite well. Uxie is another Ground-immune Pokemon that can set up Stealth Rock and use Rain Dance. Wish support from the likes of Jirachi, Latias, and Clefable can serve to keep Raikou healthy over a longer game, enabling it to come in with less worry. Breloom can use its Grass- and Fighting-type moves against Swampert, Hippowdon, Blissey, Clefable, and Magnezone, as well as cripple a foe with Spore to assist Raikou in setting up Calm Mind more freely. Roserade can set up Toxic Spikes and also absorb them for Raikou, and it can also threaten Swampert, Hippowdon, and Magnezone with moves like Sleep Powder, Leaf Storm, and Hidden Power Ground. Since Raikou has issues with special walls like Blissey and Clefable, Magma Storm Heatran can lure them in, trap them, and remove them.
[SET]
name: Shuca Berry
move 1: Thunderbolt
move 2: Aura Sphere
move 3: Shadow Ball / Calm Mind
move 4: Hidden Power Ice / Hidden Power Grass
item: Shuca Berry
ability: Pressure
nature: Rash
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
shiny: true
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Shuca Berry Raikou is able to function as a surprise soft check to Dragon Dance sweepers that use Earthquake and also has an easier time dealing with Ground-types in a one-on-one matchup. In addition, an all-out attacking set can be beneficial over a Calm Mind set because Raikou sometimes does not have a good opportunity to use Calm Mind. Thunderbolt is Raikou's most consistent Electric-type attack. Aura Sphere enables Raikou to effectively dispatch foes like Tyranitar, Magnezone, and even Heatran to some extent. Shadow Ball is recommended to hit Rotom-A and Latias super effectively. However, Calm Mind is still a solid alternative if you're not as worried about Rotom-A. Hidden Power Ice is preferred in the final slot, as it lets Raikou lure in and remove Pokemon like Flygon and Gliscor with the help of Shuca Berry. Hidden Power Grass is a decent alternative if Swampert is problematic for your team; however, losing out on OHKOing Dragonite, Flygon, and Gliscor is hard to justify.
Set Details
========
A Rash nature is mandatory with Aura Sphere, unfortunately, so Raikou will have slightly lower Special Defense than desired. That said, its special bulk is still decent enough to check Zapdos and even Gengar relatively well. Shuca Berry enables Raikou to act as a soft check to some Dragon Dance sweepers, such as Gyarados and Dragonite. It is especially important to maximize Speed, as with 329 Speed, Raikou can outspeed all base 100 Speed Pokemon like Jirachi and Flygon. In addition, not all Starmie will reach 361 Speed, like Bold Starmie in particular, so Raikou can use Speed investment to get the jump on those bulkier Starmie variants.
Usage Tips
========
Unless you determine that Raikou is extremely effective at breaking your opponent's team, try to conceal it and keep it healthy for as long as possible so it can soft check setup sweepers as effectively as possible. It may be difficult to switch Raikou in safely, so it's usually best to sacrifice something in order to send Raikou in and maintain momentum or lure a foe in. That said, Raikou can switch into the likes of Zapdos, Choice Scarf Rotom-A locked into Thunderbolt or Hidden Power Ice, and Skarmory. While Shuca Berry can ensure that Raikou survives a powerful Ground-type attack, it will still take significantly more damage than other Shuca Berry holders like Jirachi and Tyranitar. This means that Raikou is not as secure of a check for Dragon Dance Gyarados and Dragonite comparatively. Don't depend on Raikou too much in the teambuilder to check these Pokemon.
Team Options
========
Shuca Berry Raikou functions rather independently for the most part, but it can especially benefit from Spikes and Rapid Spin support. A lead Skarmory or Froslass can set up entry hazards early and help Raikou maintain momentum with its coverage and speed to maximize its effectiveness. Starmie can help to combat foes like Infernape and Gengar and provide essential Rapid Spin support to support Raikou in staying healthy to increase its capabilities as a Shuca Berry holder. Other means of preventing entry hazards from going up also pair well with Raikou, like Taunt Azelf and Aerodactyl. A mixed Jirachi with Iron Head can combine well with Raikou to both wallbreak and potentially prevent hazards from going up with its Iron Head and additional type coverage.
[SET]
name: Attacking Lead
move 1: Thunderbolt
move 2: Aura Sphere
move 3: Hidden Power Ice
move 4: Extreme Speed
item: Lum Berry / Life Orb
ability: Pressure
nature: Rash
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
shiny: true
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Raikou can function as a unique attacking lead due to its natural bulk that enables it to often survive one attack as well as high power, great coverage, priority, and, most importantly, STAB-boosted Thunderbolt. Aura Sphere is a desirable move for an Electric-type special attacker, as Tyranitar is not a secure check like it is versus other Electric-types like Zapdos, Rotom-A, and Jolteon. Hidden Power Ice combines with Thunderbolt and Aura Sphere to give Raikou perfect coverage. It also hits Dragonite, Flygon, and Gliscor for devastating damage, as well as Grass-types and Latias super effectively. Extreme Speed rounds out the set with priority to finish off opposing leads like Azelf, Empoleon, and even Aerodactyl. Hidden Power Grass can be used as an alternative to deal massive damage to Swampert; however, Hidden Power Ice is quite crucial for its better coverage overall, especially versus Latias and Gliscor.
Set Details
========
Raikou is required to use a Rash nature due to Aura Sphere, but on this set it's not as consequential. The reduced Special Defense is rarely impactful, as Raikou usually only takes one hit in the lead position and doesn't have as much longevity to take advantage of extra Special Defense. In addition, the bonus in Special Attack is essential to deal as much damage as possible to foes like Jirachi, Tyranitar, Heatran, and Clefable, as well as more securely guaranteeing a 2HKO on Focus Sash Machamp with Thunderbolt. Lum Berry is the recommended item to more reliably take on Machamp and Roserade; however, Life Orb is an alternative option to have better odds versus lead Azelf and go all in on dealing as much damage as possible and wreaking havoc early on. A Life Orb strategy is a bit more risky, as the lead matchup versus Machamp and Roserade becomes worse, and Lum Berry is often very convenient in its own right for attacks like Jirachi's Body Slam and Clefable's Thunder Wave. Shuca Berry is a strong alternative item as well to surprise lead Choice Scarf Flygon and for its overall utility.
Usage Tips
========
Lead Raikou is simple to use, as Thunderbolt is very powerful and hits most non-Ground-types for significant damage. Playing aggressively with predictions can be very rewarding, like using Thunderbolt on a Ground-type pivot that's weak to Hidden Power Ice as it switches out, dealing significant damage to the switch-in with Thunderbolt. This is further supported by Raikou's ability to pressure common Stealth Rock leads like Jirachi, Empoleon, and Metagross, often forcing them to choose between attacking Raikou and setting up Stealth Rock. Due to Raikou's diverse toolkit, many leads that it may match up badly against, like Swampert and even Flygon, may try to scout for Hidden Power Grass and Shuca Berry. In these cases, if you wish to switch out, it's important to find a solid midground against these Pokemon. Even if Raikou takes an attack and is at low health, it is often worth preserving it for death fodder later. Furthermore, if you're lucky, Raikou can come in again and fire off one or two powerful attacks before going down, hopefully doing enough damage to make it a worthwhile attacking lead.
Team Options
========
Lead Raikou functions quite independently in a more hyper offensive manner. That said, some Pokemon combine well with it to compensate for its bad matchups. Skarmory is a fantastic partner because it can switch into all of the leads that Raikou loses against, like Metagross, Swampert, and Hippowdon. Starmie appreciates Raikou's strength against bulky Water-types like Milotic and Suicune and can wear down Ground-types and Metagross for it. Setup sweepers like Dragon Dance Gyarados and Swords Dance Lucario appreciate Raikou's ability to chip Pokemon like Jirachi and Rotom-A. Gyarados can take advantage of Choice Scarf Flygon's Earthquake, which is often used to take out Raikou. Lucario's powerful Extreme Speed is great for finishing off weakened foes from Raikou's attacks. If you're using a Raikou + Skarmory hyper offensive Spikes-stacking team, Gengar, Rotom-A, and Tyranitar pair nicely for entry hazard control.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Raikou has a decent Substitute + Calm Mind set, which can take tremendous advantage of foes like bulky Rotom-A, Zapdos, and Jirachi. However, this set requires a tremendous amount of support to work effectively. In addition, unlike other Substitute + Calm Mind users like Jirachi and Suicune, Raikou cannot make 101 HP Substitutes, meaning that it should lose to Blissey and Clefable. A RestTalk set can be used with Thunderbolt and Roar for fast phazing while asleep and more longevity, but this set is quite passive even with the phazing, and the defensive utility is hampered by a Ground weakness and lack of natural resistances. Raikou can use a Choice Scarf or Choice Specs set, but neither of these sets is particularly great. Choice Scarf Raikou is generally outclassed by other revenge killers like Rotom-A, and it's most often preferable to take advantage of Raikou's unique coverage with a Shuca Berry or Life Orb rather than a Choice Specs set. Roar can also be used on a Calm Mind + 2 Attacks set as an aggressive phazer, but it can be difficult to justify this over moves like Protect, Aura Sphere, and even Shadow Ball. Weather Ball is an interesting choice that can be used with Hidden Power Grass to compensate for the loss in Ice-type coverage. In hail, Weather Ball gives Raikou the best of both worlds with Grass- and Ice-type coverage together, while in sand, Rock-type coverage is quite decent to still hit Dragonite and Zapdos super effectively while keeping Hidden Power Grass for Swampert. Rest is an option to try to turn the tables on Seismic Toss Blissey and Clefable and can even be used more offensively with Chesto Berry, but Raikou often cannot afford to be sleeping for two turns. Signal Beam mauls Celebi while still hitting Latias, but Shadow Ball hits Rotom-A as well and is more powerful. Charge Beam enables Raikou to boost its Special Attack, which compresses Thunderbolt and Calm Mind; however, Calm Mind is way more consistent. Magnet Rise can give Raikou an edge versus Metagross and Bronzong by granting it a temporary Earthquake immunity in addition to its resistance to Meteor Mash and Gyro Ball, which may force these Pokemon to use Explosion to take out Raikou.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Ground-types**: Swampert and Hippowdon shrug off Raikou's attacks with ease and can fire back a devastating Earthquake to OHKO it. Swampert must be careful of a surprise Hidden Power Grass, but Hippowdon is generally quite a safe bet, especially if it is specially defensive. Choice Scarf Flygon outspeeds Raikou and maims it with Earthquake. Dugtrio can trap and remove Raikou by outspeeding it and OHKOing it with Earthquake. Mamoswine is not weak to Hidden Power Ice, so it is a decent check to Calm Mind + 2 Attacks sets; however, it must be careful of Aura Sphere.
**Pokemon That Resist Electric**: Pokemon like Celebi, Shaymin, Abomasnow, and Rotom-A can take Raikou on decently, but sometimes prior scouting must be done to ensure the safety of Abomasnow and Rotom-A. From full, however, Celebi and Shaymin can switch in, and Hidden Power Ice is very unlikely to 2HKO them.
**Special Walls**: Blissey, Clefable, bulky Latias, and even specially defensive Heatran can all check Raikou quite well and cripple it via Thunder Wave, Knock Off, Toxic, or even a burn from Lava Plume or Will-O-Wisp. Without Aura Sphere, Tyranitar is a fantastic Raikou check with its immense special bulk and natural physical power.
**Physical Attackers**: Raikou's Defense is not stellar, so strong priority from the likes of Lucario, Dragonite, Breloom, and Infernape can be effective versus Raikou. In addition, faster physical attackers like Choice Scarf Flygon and Choice Scarf Tyranitar can often force Raikou out.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Excal, 456373]]
- Quality checked by: [[Emeral, 72767], [DeepBlueC, 307789]]
- Grammar checked by: [[The Dutch Plumberjack, 232216], [Rabia, 336073]]
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