http://www.smogon.com/forums/members/steelphoenix.191831/#profile-post-1853322
should have skeleton and write-up done by next sunday
qc chex: sweep, nayrz
gp chex:
should have skeleton and write-up done by next sunday
qc chex: sweep, nayrz
gp chex:
[OVERVIEW]
+ 150/150 offensive stats rival pdon's
+ ground immune, nice versus spike-stacking balance or offense w/ tspikes suicide leads
+ air lock stops excadrill and helps it serve as a one-time pogre or pdon switch-in due to negating weather boosts
+ strong movepool, very few teams pack a resistance to at least 1 of its coverage moves
+ priority in the form of extreme speed which can be a godsend vs things like darkrai & xerneas for offense
+ versatile; viably runs sd, dd, and mixed sets, and can vary its movepool, nature, and item choice to decimate would-be counters & checks.
- bad defensive typing, sr weak.
- mediocre speed tier and lacks the bulk to make up for this
- only really fits on offense
- cant mega.
[SET]
name: MixQuaza
move 1: Draco Meteor
move 2: Dragon Ascent
move 3: Earthquake / V-create
move 4: Extreme Speed
item: Life Orb
ability: Air Lock
nature: Naive
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
ivs: 29 HP
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
- Draco Meteor is this set's niche. It OHKOes Giratina-O and Mega Salamence, two pokemon that could normally stay in and defog or set up. It also decimates Primal Groudon, and works as a killer one-two punch with Dragon Ascent to dispose of support arceus forms that might be used as switch-ins, such as Water.
- Dragon Ascent is obligatory physical STAB, "hits like a truck".
- Earthquake provides additional coverage that hits a variety of targets ranging from Excadrill to Mega Diancie to Klefki.
- V-create is a more niche option over Earthquake. It provides coverage to hit Bronzong, Shuca Dialga, and Skarmory.
- Extreme Speed gives Rayquaza a semblance of defensive synergy, allowing it to pick off weakened threats like Mega Mewtwo Y and Shaymin-Sky. This move is notably useful for role compression on offensive squadrons.
- Fire Blast serves the same function as V-Create but trades power and the ability to hit Shuca Dialga for a lack of drops.
Set Details
========
- 29 HP IVs give Rayquaza a Life Orb number, allowing it to take one more round of recoil before fainting. The odd HP number also enables it to hypothetically switch into Stealth Rock five times as opposed to four.
- The given EV spread and nature provide Rayquaza with the ability to outpace standard Arceus-Water and Lugia, 2HKOing both with a combination of Dragon Ascent and Draco Meteor if Stealth Rock is up. It also ensures that Rayquaza outpaces Calm Mind Primal Kyogre and all variants of Ho-Oh.
- The Attack EVs can be put into Special Attack to provide a stronger Draco Meteor at the expense of making Rayquaza's other three moves weaker.
Usage Tips
========
- Don't use Rayquaza recklessly when you know you might need its priority to revenge kill an offensive threat later.
- Versus defensive teams, though, feel free to pivot around and double switch all over the place with it as Rayquaza is phenomenal for forcing certain plays. Just be wary of the chip damage it takes; Life Orb recoil, Stealth Rock, and weak resisted hits such as Primal Groudon's Lava Plume will eventually take their toll.
- Be wary of unexpected spreads on the likes of switch-ins like Arceus-Water; when in doubt, calc.
Team Options
========
- Pokemon with Spikes like Klefki or Deoxys-Speed make great partners, as Rayquaza heavily pressures most Defoggers and Rapid Spin users as well as forcing switches to abuse hazards. It also helps against the Mega Sableye teams that Spikes-stacking squadrons generally don't wish to face.
- This set finds a place on teams with the classic Ho-Oh + Diancie core; Mega Diancie can keep hazards in check for Rayquaza and Ho-Oh has impressive offensive synergy with it, since it switches in on things that might scare Rayquaza out like Klefki or Dialga. Both Diancie and Ho-Oh appreciate the luring and removal of walls like Arceus-Water as well.
- Mixed Rayquaza's ability to wallbreak is greatly appreciated by cleaners such as offensive Primal Groudon and Arceus-Ground, which appreciate threats like Giratina-Origin and Arceus-Water being lured and eliminated.
- However, what really benefits from Rayquaza's wallbreaking abilities is dependent on which coverage moves you decide to run on it. Swords Dance Arceus-Ground or Extreme Killer Arceus are best used in tandem with a Rayquaza that has Fire moves since it takes out Skarmory and Bronzong, but Earthquake Rayquza works well on a team with a Pokemon like Darkrai that appreciates the removal of a Mega Diancie or Tyranitar switch-in.
- Strong Dragons such as Mega Salamence or Latios serve as good teammates. Latios switches in and sets up on Rayquaza checks like Arceus-Rock and appreciates Rayquaza’s ability to put dents in the average sand team, and Mega Salamence enjoys Rayquaza’s ability to damage Arceus-Rock via Earthquake or remove their mutual answers such as Skarmory by using a Fire move.
[SET]
name: Swords Dance Raydux
move 1: Dragon Ascent
move 2: Earthquake / V-create
move 3: Swords Dance
move 4: Extreme Speed
item: Life Orb
ability: Air Lock
nature: Jolly / Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
ivs: 29 HP
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
- Dragon Ascent is the STAB. It hits shit hard, and whatnot.
- Earthquake takes down hindrances such as Klefki and Excadrill. It has more targets than V-Create and doesn’t miss.
- However, V-create nails Skarmory, Bronzong, and Shuca Dialga. Be warned that the drops from the move can be bad at times.
- Swords Dance propels Rayquaza’s Attack to ungodly levels. The move lets it serve as both a stallbreaker and a weapon to demolish weakened offense with a boosted Extreme Speed.
- Extreme Speed is useful for revenge killing the likes of Shaymin-Sky and Darkrai, and it plows through offensively-oriented squads when they’re weakened.
Set Details
========
- The given EV spread and nature enable Rayquaza to outpace standard Lugia and anything slower.
- Though it might seem appealing to make Rayquaza a bit bulkier to set up Swords Dance easier, this pursuit is pointless given Rayquaza’s frailty and poor defensive typing. The given spread maximizes much-needed Speed and Attack.
- Rayquaza can opt for an Adamant Nature. This does not net it any notable 1-2HKOs and makes it slower than the average Arceus-Water and Lugia. However, the additional power may be desirable to some, especially when using Rayquaza for revenge-killing purposes.
Usage Tips
========
- Swords Dance Rayquaza functions best as a wallbreaker. It’s rare that Rayquaza gets the chance to clean through a team due to its heavy reliance on a somewhat weak move in Extreme Speed, but this set is great for busting through the likes of Lugia with Stealth Rock up and posing a massive threat afterward.
- Pay attention to stat drops when using V-Create. The move leaves Rayquaza very susceptible to revenge killing, so only use it if you’re sure that it will hurt the opposition enough to make up for the inevitable momentum loss it causes.
- Even though Dragon Ascent also drops Rayquaza’s stats, don’t be afraid to click it. It is Rayquaza’s strongest and most consistent STAB, and only leaves it susceptible to being revenge killed by Mega Gengar or Extreme Killer Arceus.
- Rayquaza does not last over long games. Be wary of switching in and out with it too much, since the residual damage from even weak attacks in conjunction with Life Orb recoil will do a number on it.
Team Options
========
- This is good on teams that need wallbreakers, as it is Rayquaza’s best set for handling stall matchups whilst also tearing through the average balance.
- Appreciates entry hazard support, typically from suicide leads. Pokemon like Deoxys-Speed can give it the hazards it wants whilst Rayquaza tears through the types of teams they might struggle to retain hazards versus. Rayquaza particularly appreciates suicide leads with Rapid Spin to keep hazards off for it, so Pokemon like Cloyster, Excadrill, and Custap Forretress are very good to pair with it as well.
- Mega Diancie deserves mention as a teammate because it keeps checks like Skarmory or Lugia with Multiscale intact under control. It also bounces away Stealth Rock, the one hazard that Rayquaza despises.
- Mega Gengar is a good teammate for a number of reasons. It traps and removes the likes of Bronzong and Tyranitar, blocks Rapid Spin and eliminates a number of Defoggers so Spikes stay up, and eliminates troublesome revenge killers such as Extreme Killer Arceus and Choice Scarf Xerneas.
- Physical threats such as Mega Salamence and Swords Dance Arceus-Ground again have good synergy with Rayquaza. One Pokemon is often capable of overwhelming the others’ mutual checks.
- Given Rayquaza’s rather slow speed tier, Thunder Wave support is never a bad thing. Klefki provides this whilst also giving Rayquaza Spikes.
[SET]
name: Dragon Dance
move 1: Dragon Ascent
move 2: Earthquake / Aqua Tail
move 3: Extreme Speed
move 4: Dragon Dance
item: Life Orb / Charti Berry
ability: Air Lock
nature: Adamant / Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
- Dragon Ascent is strong STAB with few resistances.
- Earthquake provides impressive coverage and decimates the likes of Arceus-Rock, Tyranitar, and Klefki.
- Aqua Tail is a slightly weaker alternative that gives Rayquaza the ability to OHKO some Primal Groudon, as well as hitting Shuca Tyranitar and OHKOing Air Balloon Excadrill. When the move is used in tandem with Charti Berry, Rayquaza becomes a check to Stone Edge Rock Polish Primal Groudon.
- Extreme Speed revenge kills frail offensive threats as well as Xerneas.
- Dragon Dance gives Rayquaza a decent shot at handling offensive teams, and the speed boost the attack provides enables it to outpace would-be checks like Arceus-Ghost and some Choice Scarf Xerneas.
- Overheat or Fire Blast can be used instead of Extreme Speed if your team struggles against Skarmory and handles Xerneas fine.
- 29 HP IVs are recommended on Life Orb Rayquaza, as the investment gives it a Life Orb number whilst letting it hypothetically switch into Stealth Rock five times as opposed to four.
+ 150/150 offensive stats rival pdon's
+ ground immune, nice versus spike-stacking balance or offense w/ tspikes suicide leads
+ air lock stops excadrill and helps it serve as a one-time pogre or pdon switch-in due to negating weather boosts
+ strong movepool, very few teams pack a resistance to at least 1 of its coverage moves
+ priority in the form of extreme speed which can be a godsend vs things like darkrai & xerneas for offense
+ versatile; viably runs sd, dd, and mixed sets, and can vary its movepool, nature, and item choice to decimate would-be counters & checks.
- bad defensive typing, sr weak.
- mediocre speed tier and lacks the bulk to make up for this
- only really fits on offense
- cant mega.
[SET]
name: MixQuaza
move 1: Draco Meteor
move 2: Dragon Ascent
move 3: Earthquake / V-create
move 4: Extreme Speed
item: Life Orb
ability: Air Lock
nature: Naive
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
ivs: 29 HP
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
- Draco Meteor is this set's niche. It OHKOes Giratina-O and Mega Salamence, two pokemon that could normally stay in and defog or set up. It also decimates Primal Groudon, and works as a killer one-two punch with Dragon Ascent to dispose of support arceus forms that might be used as switch-ins, such as Water.
- Dragon Ascent is obligatory physical STAB, "hits like a truck".
- Earthquake provides additional coverage that hits a variety of targets ranging from Excadrill to Mega Diancie to Klefki.
- V-create is a more niche option over Earthquake. It provides coverage to hit Bronzong, Shuca Dialga, and Skarmory.
- Extreme Speed gives Rayquaza a semblance of defensive synergy, allowing it to pick off weakened threats like Mega Mewtwo Y and Shaymin-Sky. This move is notably useful for role compression on offensive squadrons.
- Fire Blast serves the same function as V-Create but trades power and the ability to hit Shuca Dialga for a lack of drops.
Set Details
========
- 29 HP IVs give Rayquaza a Life Orb number, allowing it to take one more round of recoil before fainting. The odd HP number also enables it to hypothetically switch into Stealth Rock five times as opposed to four.
- The given EV spread and nature provide Rayquaza with the ability to outpace standard Arceus-Water and Lugia, 2HKOing both with a combination of Dragon Ascent and Draco Meteor if Stealth Rock is up. It also ensures that Rayquaza outpaces Calm Mind Primal Kyogre and all variants of Ho-Oh.
- The Attack EVs can be put into Special Attack to provide a stronger Draco Meteor at the expense of making Rayquaza's other three moves weaker.
Usage Tips
========
- Don't use Rayquaza recklessly when you know you might need its priority to revenge kill an offensive threat later.
- Versus defensive teams, though, feel free to pivot around and double switch all over the place with it as Rayquaza is phenomenal for forcing certain plays. Just be wary of the chip damage it takes; Life Orb recoil, Stealth Rock, and weak resisted hits such as Primal Groudon's Lava Plume will eventually take their toll.
- Be wary of unexpected spreads on the likes of switch-ins like Arceus-Water; when in doubt, calc.
Team Options
========
- Pokemon with Spikes like Klefki or Deoxys-Speed make great partners, as Rayquaza heavily pressures most Defoggers and Rapid Spin users as well as forcing switches to abuse hazards. It also helps against the Mega Sableye teams that Spikes-stacking squadrons generally don't wish to face.
- This set finds a place on teams with the classic Ho-Oh + Diancie core; Mega Diancie can keep hazards in check for Rayquaza and Ho-Oh has impressive offensive synergy with it, since it switches in on things that might scare Rayquaza out like Klefki or Dialga. Both Diancie and Ho-Oh appreciate the luring and removal of walls like Arceus-Water as well.
- Mixed Rayquaza's ability to wallbreak is greatly appreciated by cleaners such as offensive Primal Groudon and Arceus-Ground, which appreciate threats like Giratina-Origin and Arceus-Water being lured and eliminated.
- However, what really benefits from Rayquaza's wallbreaking abilities is dependent on which coverage moves you decide to run on it. Swords Dance Arceus-Ground or Extreme Killer Arceus are best used in tandem with a Rayquaza that has Fire moves since it takes out Skarmory and Bronzong, but Earthquake Rayquza works well on a team with a Pokemon like Darkrai that appreciates the removal of a Mega Diancie or Tyranitar switch-in.
- Strong Dragons such as Mega Salamence or Latios serve as good teammates. Latios switches in and sets up on Rayquaza checks like Arceus-Rock and appreciates Rayquaza’s ability to put dents in the average sand team, and Mega Salamence enjoys Rayquaza’s ability to damage Arceus-Rock via Earthquake or remove their mutual answers such as Skarmory by using a Fire move.
[SET]
name: Swords Dance Raydux
move 1: Dragon Ascent
move 2: Earthquake / V-create
move 3: Swords Dance
move 4: Extreme Speed
item: Life Orb
ability: Air Lock
nature: Jolly / Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
ivs: 29 HP
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
- Dragon Ascent is the STAB. It hits shit hard, and whatnot.
- Earthquake takes down hindrances such as Klefki and Excadrill. It has more targets than V-Create and doesn’t miss.
- However, V-create nails Skarmory, Bronzong, and Shuca Dialga. Be warned that the drops from the move can be bad at times.
- Swords Dance propels Rayquaza’s Attack to ungodly levels. The move lets it serve as both a stallbreaker and a weapon to demolish weakened offense with a boosted Extreme Speed.
- Extreme Speed is useful for revenge killing the likes of Shaymin-Sky and Darkrai, and it plows through offensively-oriented squads when they’re weakened.
Set Details
========
- The given EV spread and nature enable Rayquaza to outpace standard Lugia and anything slower.
- Though it might seem appealing to make Rayquaza a bit bulkier to set up Swords Dance easier, this pursuit is pointless given Rayquaza’s frailty and poor defensive typing. The given spread maximizes much-needed Speed and Attack.
- Rayquaza can opt for an Adamant Nature. This does not net it any notable 1-2HKOs and makes it slower than the average Arceus-Water and Lugia. However, the additional power may be desirable to some, especially when using Rayquaza for revenge-killing purposes.
Usage Tips
========
- Swords Dance Rayquaza functions best as a wallbreaker. It’s rare that Rayquaza gets the chance to clean through a team due to its heavy reliance on a somewhat weak move in Extreme Speed, but this set is great for busting through the likes of Lugia with Stealth Rock up and posing a massive threat afterward.
- Pay attention to stat drops when using V-Create. The move leaves Rayquaza very susceptible to revenge killing, so only use it if you’re sure that it will hurt the opposition enough to make up for the inevitable momentum loss it causes.
- Even though Dragon Ascent also drops Rayquaza’s stats, don’t be afraid to click it. It is Rayquaza’s strongest and most consistent STAB, and only leaves it susceptible to being revenge killed by Mega Gengar or Extreme Killer Arceus.
- Rayquaza does not last over long games. Be wary of switching in and out with it too much, since the residual damage from even weak attacks in conjunction with Life Orb recoil will do a number on it.
Team Options
========
- This is good on teams that need wallbreakers, as it is Rayquaza’s best set for handling stall matchups whilst also tearing through the average balance.
- Appreciates entry hazard support, typically from suicide leads. Pokemon like Deoxys-Speed can give it the hazards it wants whilst Rayquaza tears through the types of teams they might struggle to retain hazards versus. Rayquaza particularly appreciates suicide leads with Rapid Spin to keep hazards off for it, so Pokemon like Cloyster, Excadrill, and Custap Forretress are very good to pair with it as well.
- Mega Diancie deserves mention as a teammate because it keeps checks like Skarmory or Lugia with Multiscale intact under control. It also bounces away Stealth Rock, the one hazard that Rayquaza despises.
- Mega Gengar is a good teammate for a number of reasons. It traps and removes the likes of Bronzong and Tyranitar, blocks Rapid Spin and eliminates a number of Defoggers so Spikes stay up, and eliminates troublesome revenge killers such as Extreme Killer Arceus and Choice Scarf Xerneas.
- Physical threats such as Mega Salamence and Swords Dance Arceus-Ground again have good synergy with Rayquaza. One Pokemon is often capable of overwhelming the others’ mutual checks.
- Given Rayquaza’s rather slow speed tier, Thunder Wave support is never a bad thing. Klefki provides this whilst also giving Rayquaza Spikes.
[SET]
name: Dragon Dance
move 1: Dragon Ascent
move 2: Earthquake / Aqua Tail
move 3: Extreme Speed
move 4: Dragon Dance
item: Life Orb / Charti Berry
ability: Air Lock
nature: Adamant / Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
- Dragon Ascent is strong STAB with few resistances.
- Earthquake provides impressive coverage and decimates the likes of Arceus-Rock, Tyranitar, and Klefki.
- Aqua Tail is a slightly weaker alternative that gives Rayquaza the ability to OHKO some Primal Groudon, as well as hitting Shuca Tyranitar and OHKOing Air Balloon Excadrill. When the move is used in tandem with Charti Berry, Rayquaza becomes a check to Stone Edge Rock Polish Primal Groudon.
- Extreme Speed revenge kills frail offensive threats as well as Xerneas.
- Dragon Dance gives Rayquaza a decent shot at handling offensive teams, and the speed boost the attack provides enables it to outpace would-be checks like Arceus-Ghost and some Choice Scarf Xerneas.
- Overheat or Fire Blast can be used instead of Extreme Speed if your team struggles against Skarmory and handles Xerneas fine.
- 29 HP IVs are recommended on Life Orb Rayquaza, as the investment gives it a Life Orb number whilst letting it hypothetically switch into Stealth Rock five times as opposed to four.
Last edited:
