Raikou's high speed and access to Calm Mind makes it a good special sweeper in OU. It’s speed stat of 115 means it out-speeds the vast majority of the tier’s un-boosted Pokemon. This coupled with Calm Mind makes it a dangerous late-game sweeper. With Substitute + Calm Mind sets, it can also set up easily on common Pokemon like Zapdos, defensive Jirachi, Blissey lacking Seismic Toss and Mixed Salamence. Substitute + Toxic lead sets also excel at putting pressure on special walls like Blissey and Celebi.
However, Raikou has several crippling flaws which prevent it from being a staple in the tier. It is very vulnerable to being trapped and KO’ed by Dugtrio. Its weakness to Earthquake means it gets easily OHKOed by common physical attackers like Tyranitar, Dugtrio, Metagross and Swampert. It also suffers from severe coverage issues, having to choose between beating Swampert or beating Flygon and physical Salamence. It also gets easily revenge killed by Aerodactyl if not behind a Substitute.
Calm Mind Sweeper
Raikou @ Leftovers
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 2 Atk / 30 SpA
-Calm Mind
- Thunderbolt
- Hidden Power [Grass] / Hidden Power [Ice]
- Substitute / Crunch / Roar
Set Description
This Raikou set aims to sweep late game after its checks and counters have been sufficiently weakened. Calm Mind provides the boost in Special Attack needed to attempt a sweep and the increase in Special Defense lets you set up on Zapdos, Mixed Salamence and Gengar more easily. Thunderbolt provides solid neutral coverage and hits Suicune, Starmie, Moltres and Gyarados super-effectively. Hidden Power [Grass] 2HKOs Defensive Swampert and OHKOs Offensive variants and also hits Ground-types such as Claydol and Dugtrio. Hidden Power [Ice] 2HKOs Defensive Flygon, OHKOs Salamence and hits Breloom and Celebi. Substitute allows you avoid status from Zapdos, defensive Jirachi and Blissey, Leech Seed from Celebi and Explosion from Gengar. Crunch is used to hit Celebi while still running HP Grass. Roar allows you to phaze out other Calm Mind users such as Celebi, Jirachi and Blissey and beat opposing Roar users like Specially Defensive Zapdos.
Usage Tips
Raikou should be sent in late game after all its checks have been sufficiently weakened. Avoid having it take damage early on as this may prevent it from sweeping later on.
Team Options
Raikou @ Lum Berry
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 2 Atk / 30 Def
- Substitute
- Toxic
- Thunderbolt
- Hidden Power [Ice]
Set Description
This Raikou set aims to lead off and put pressure on special walls such as Blissey early on. Substitute + Toxic is used to pressure Blissey and defensive Celebi. This allows Dugtrio to easily trap it once weakened. Thunderbolt provides solid neutral coverage and hits Suicune, Starmie, Moltres and Gyarados super-effectively. Hidden Power [Ice] OHKOs Salamence and hits Flygon, Celebi and Breloom. Thunderbolt + Hidden Power [Ice] also provides almost perfect neutral coverage, only being resisted by Magneton in OU.
Usage Tips
This Raikou is designed to be used in the lead slot. Substitute + Toxic should be used to force damage on Blissey and Celebi in order to facilitate trapping them with Dugtrio. It can also be used as a good pivot against Zapdos and Gengar since it takes their hits well and doesnt fear status thanks to Lum Berry.
Team Options
Other Options
A Calm Mind + Rest with Max HP and Max Defense is also a viable option. It can set up on Blissey and survive Choice Band Earthquake from Aerodactyl.
Checks and Counters
Dugtrio: Fast Jolly Dugtrio can trap, out-speed and KO Raikou with Earthquake. However, Adamant Dugtrio can be out-sped by Raikou and OHKOed by +1 Hidden Power [Grass] or Hidden Power [Ice].
Blissey: Blissey can shrug off Raikou’s attacks easily and wear it down with Seismic Toss. However, non- Seismic Toss variants of Blissey are complete setup bait for Substitute + Calm Mind variants. It also gets easily worn down by Substitute + Toxic sets.
Tyranitar: Physical Tyranitar is only 3HKOed by Thunderbolt and can OHKO back with Earthquake.
Bulky Ground-types: Claydol can take mutiple hits from Raikou and OHKO back with Earthquake. Swampert counters Hidden Power [Ice] variants while Flygon counters Hidden Power [Grass] variants.
Snorlax: Snorlax can take multiple hits from Raikou and 2HKO back with Earthquake.
Metagross: Metagross can take a boosted hit from Raikou and can OHKO or 2HKO back with Earthquake.
Aerodactyl: Aerodactyl can outspeed Raikou and OHKO it with Choice Band Earthquake.
Note: Got permission from johhnyg2 on discord.
However, Raikou has several crippling flaws which prevent it from being a staple in the tier. It is very vulnerable to being trapped and KO’ed by Dugtrio. Its weakness to Earthquake means it gets easily OHKOed by common physical attackers like Tyranitar, Dugtrio, Metagross and Swampert. It also suffers from severe coverage issues, having to choose between beating Swampert or beating Flygon and physical Salamence. It also gets easily revenge killed by Aerodactyl if not behind a Substitute.
Calm Mind Sweeper
Raikou @ Leftovers
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 2 Atk / 30 SpA
-Calm Mind
- Thunderbolt
- Hidden Power [Grass] / Hidden Power [Ice]
- Substitute / Crunch / Roar
Set Description
This Raikou set aims to sweep late game after its checks and counters have been sufficiently weakened. Calm Mind provides the boost in Special Attack needed to attempt a sweep and the increase in Special Defense lets you set up on Zapdos, Mixed Salamence and Gengar more easily. Thunderbolt provides solid neutral coverage and hits Suicune, Starmie, Moltres and Gyarados super-effectively. Hidden Power [Grass] 2HKOs Defensive Swampert and OHKOs Offensive variants and also hits Ground-types such as Claydol and Dugtrio. Hidden Power [Ice] 2HKOs Defensive Flygon, OHKOs Salamence and hits Breloom and Celebi. Substitute allows you avoid status from Zapdos, defensive Jirachi and Blissey, Leech Seed from Celebi and Explosion from Gengar. Crunch is used to hit Celebi while still running HP Grass. Roar allows you to phaze out other Calm Mind users such as Celebi, Jirachi and Blissey and beat opposing Roar users like Specially Defensive Zapdos.
Usage Tips
Raikou should be sent in late game after all its checks have been sufficiently weakened. Avoid having it take damage early on as this may prevent it from sweeping later on.
Team Options
- Raikou appreciates being paired with Pokemon that are capable of removing or weakening Dugtrio, Blissey, Tyranitar and Metagross.
- Porygon2 can trap Dugtrio for Raikou’s benefit and also checks Dragon Dance Salamence and Aerodactyl.
- Dugtrio can trap Blissey, Tyranitar and Metagross, which give Raikou trouble. It can also trap opposing Dugtrio that are locked into their weaker coverage moves.
- Offensive Celebi and Offensive Jirachi can weaken Tyranitar and Metagross for Raikou’s benefit. Raikou also appreciates Calm Mind + Baton Pass support from Celebi.
- Celebi getting trapped by opposing Dugtrio also allows your own Dugtrio to trap it in return, which Raikou appreciates.
- Zapdos can lure in Blissey for Dugtrio to trap. It can also switch into Earthquakes aimed at Raikou and trade with Claydol.
- Offensive Suicune puts pressure on Snorlax, Jirachi and Celebi. It can also check physical attackers that threaten Raikou like Dragon Dance Tyranitar, Dragon Dance Salamence and Aerodactyl.
Raikou @ Lum Berry
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 2 Atk / 30 Def
- Substitute
- Toxic
- Thunderbolt
- Hidden Power [Ice]
Set Description
This Raikou set aims to lead off and put pressure on special walls such as Blissey early on. Substitute + Toxic is used to pressure Blissey and defensive Celebi. This allows Dugtrio to easily trap it once weakened. Thunderbolt provides solid neutral coverage and hits Suicune, Starmie, Moltres and Gyarados super-effectively. Hidden Power [Ice] OHKOs Salamence and hits Flygon, Celebi and Breloom. Thunderbolt + Hidden Power [Ice] also provides almost perfect neutral coverage, only being resisted by Magneton in OU.
Usage Tips
This Raikou is designed to be used in the lead slot. Substitute + Toxic should be used to force damage on Blissey and Celebi in order to facilitate trapping them with Dugtrio. It can also be used as a good pivot against Zapdos and Gengar since it takes their hits well and doesnt fear status thanks to Lum Berry.
Team Options
- This Raikou fits well on the Dugtrio offense archetype alongside other special attackers like Zapdos, Suicune, Jirachi and Celebi.
- Dugtrio is good at trapping Blissey and Celebi once they are weakened by this Raikou.
- Porygon2 can trap Dugtrio for Raikou's benefit and checks Aerodactyl.
- Special attackers and Calm Mind sweepers like Zapdos, Jirachi, Suicune and Celebi benefit greatly from Raikou pressuring special walls like Blissey and Celebi.
Other Options
A Calm Mind + Rest with Max HP and Max Defense is also a viable option. It can set up on Blissey and survive Choice Band Earthquake from Aerodactyl.
Checks and Counters
Dugtrio: Fast Jolly Dugtrio can trap, out-speed and KO Raikou with Earthquake. However, Adamant Dugtrio can be out-sped by Raikou and OHKOed by +1 Hidden Power [Grass] or Hidden Power [Ice].
Blissey: Blissey can shrug off Raikou’s attacks easily and wear it down with Seismic Toss. However, non- Seismic Toss variants of Blissey are complete setup bait for Substitute + Calm Mind variants. It also gets easily worn down by Substitute + Toxic sets.
Tyranitar: Physical Tyranitar is only 3HKOed by Thunderbolt and can OHKO back with Earthquake.
Bulky Ground-types: Claydol can take mutiple hits from Raikou and OHKO back with Earthquake. Swampert counters Hidden Power [Ice] variants while Flygon counters Hidden Power [Grass] variants.
Snorlax: Snorlax can take multiple hits from Raikou and 2HKO back with Earthquake.
Metagross: Metagross can take a boosted hit from Raikou and can OHKO or 2HKO back with Earthquake.
Aerodactyl: Aerodactyl can outspeed Raikou and OHKO it with Choice Band Earthquake.
Note: Got permission from johhnyg2 on discord.
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