Ascension
QC 3/3 (Sweep, Fireburn, Minority Suspect)
GP 2/2 (The Dutch Plumberjack, P Squared)
[OVERVIEW]
With Mega Rayquaza ascending to the land of Anything Goes due to being too powerful, its base forme still finds itself able to tear up all manners of bulky teams in Ubers without being dead weight against offense thanks to Extreme Speed. Rayquaza's new signature move, Dragon Ascent, gives it a 120-Base Power Flying-type STAB move, something it had been lacking until ORAS's release. Dragon Ascent alone makes Rayquaza a terrifying wallbreaker able to 2HKO any physical wall that does not resist it with only one viable exception in Multiscale Lugia. Rayquaza's moveset options are also exceptional, with moves such as V-create, Draco Meteor, Extreme Speed, and Earthquake to hit any would-be checks as well as boosting moves in Dragon Dance and Swords Dance. Air Lock gives Rayquaza the rare ability to hit Primal Groudon with Water-type moves by negating Desolate Land. Due to this, along with resistances to Water and Fire and a Ground-type immunity, Rayquaza finds itself on offensive teams that appreciate a soft check to both Primals, as well as wallbreaking capabilities and revenge killing utility with Extreme Speed. Rayquaza's defensive stats, weakness to Stealth Rock, and longevity issues due to requiring a Life Orb in most cases mean that boosting sets are typically niche options; the upfront wallbreaking power of MixQuaza and Choice Band sets are generally more appreciated among Ubers teams. A slower metagame due to threats such as Primal Groudon and Mega Salamence also helps in Rayquaza's favor, as this means support Arceus formes are likely to be slower than Jolly Rayquaza, compromising their effectiveness as switch-ins.
[SET]
name: MixQuaza (Mixed Attacker)
move 1: Dragon Ascent
move 2: Draco Meteor
move 3: V-create / Earthquake
move 4: Extreme Speed
item: Life Orb
ability: Air Lock
nature: Naive
evs: 252 Atk / 40 SpA / 216 Spe
ivs: 29 HP
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
MixQuaza returns better than ever due to the new addition of Dragon Ascent to its movepool. The strong combination of Dragon Ascent and Draco Meteor allows Rayquaza to 2HKO support Arceus formes and Primal Groudon, putting massive holes into the enemy team for another teammate to clean up later on. V-create eliminates Skarmory and most other Steel-types as checks while also hitting Dialga without worrying about Shuca Berry shenanigans. Earthquake is a secondary option if hitting Tyranitar, Mega Diancie, and Rock Arceus is of more concern, but Rock Arceus still wins against this set due to being faster, and Tyranitar commonly holds a Shuca Berry. Extreme Speed is a necessity to prevent weakened faster Pokemon picking up a free KO against Rayquaza and can also pick off weakened Arceus before they use Recover, as well as other threats.
Set Details
========
Maximum Attack puts maximum power behind Dragon Ascent, as this is the most spammable option on the set. It should be noted that without an Attack-boosting nature, Dragon Ascent will fall short of the 2HKO on support Arceus formes. A Naive nature with 216 Speed EVs allows Rayquaza to be faster than standard support Arceus sets. The remaining 40 EVs go into Special Attack to give a small boost to Draco Meteor and increase the chances of 2HKOing support Arceus with the combination of Draco Meteor and Dragon Ascent. Life Orb adds even more power to the set, but be wary of the recoil. 29 HP IVs are used to minimize Life Orb recoil.
Usage Tips
========
MixQuaza is great for weakening walls and bulky Pokemon or just outright KOing them. When it comes to both Primal Pokemon, Primal Groudon can have a hard time with Rayquaza depending on the Groudon's set, but Primal Kyogre is a highly dangerous threat to switch into, as Ice Beam is more often than not the attack of choice for it. Keep Rayquaza around against offensive teams, as you will likely need it to finish off a highly dangerous threat such as Geomancy Xerneas, Darkrai, or Deoxys-A with Extreme Speed. MixQuaza does have longevity issues and as should thus be used in a fire-and-forget style of play, as almost all of the moves on this set come with nasty stat drops, potentially giving a turn of setup away to the opponent. Resistances to Fire and Water as well as a Ground-type immunity can give Rayquaza chances to switch in, but be very careful of status moves such as Thunder Wave or repeated hits, as Rayquaza is not very bulky and is dead weight if hit by paralysis. Draco Meteor and Dragon Ascent make a potent combination that is likely to take out any wall besides Multiscale Lugia. Fairy-types and Steel-types can be exceptions, but the coverage options on this set are capable of dealing with them. Be aware of faster support Arceus formes such as Water Arceus or a fast Lugia; sometimes these Pokemon run more Speed than usual for the purposes of catching Rayquaza. Learn Rayquaza's damage against the full bulk spreads of these Pokemon to better predict a course of action, or risk losing Rayquaza to a fast wall. This particular set is a great anti-lead to Deoxys-S, as Draco Meteor plus Extreme Speed can keep it to one layer of entry hazards. If Rayquaza gets in safely, it can easily force switches. Predicting between Draco Meteor and Dragon Ascent is simple; when in doubt, click Dragon Ascent. Nearly all Pokemon that resist it are slower, leaving them susceptible to coverage options on the next turn.
Team Options
========
Entry hazard setters, specifically Spikes leads, can pair very well with this set. This is because Rayquaza can heavily pressure nearly all Defog or Rapid Spin users while also forcing switches to rack up entry hazard damage. Cloyster is a notable example of such—it can set either form of Spikes and anti-lead other setters by spinning their entry hazards away. A secondary Dragon-type actually works well with Rayquaza; something like Latios can hit bulky Arceus formes too, as well as deal with Rock Arceus, something that MixQuaza loses to. Latios appreciates the damage Rayquaza can do against sand teams, while Rayquaza can also roll over the Steel-types that usually wall Latios. Mega Salamence can be a great partner, as it provides a secondary Primal Groudon check, and due to Rayquaza and Salamence sharing the same checks, Rayquaza breaking down a check can make it easier for Salamence to sweep later on. Refresh Salamence pairs best with MixQuaza, as Rayquaza's coverage can free up the Earthquake slot on Salamence for Refresh. Both of them give redundant defensive synergy together, however, and this combination should only be considered on hyper offensive teams as a result. Ghost Arceus and Mega Gengar make great teammates, as Extreme Speed users such as Extreme Killer Arceus and Deoxys-A can threaten to revenge kill Rayquaza. Both of these Pokemon are also decent Extreme Killer Arceus checks. With Rayquaza able to take out common defensive walls in Water Arceus, Giratina-O, and Lugia, just about anything that has trouble with them appreciates having Rayquaza as a partner. This can include Pokemon such as Mega Diancie, Rock Polish Primal Groudon, Ground Arceus, and Ho-Oh, to name a few. Rayquaza's coverage options can limit synergy with teammates. For example, Earthquake Rayquaza is annoyed by Skarmory, while V-create Rayquaza isn't. This means that teammates such as Swords Dance Arceus would much rather have V-create Rayquaza as a partner.
[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: Dragon Ascent
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: V-create
move 4: Extreme Speed
item: Choice Band
ability: Air Lock
nature: Jolly / Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Dragon Ascent backed by a Choice Band puts out ridiculous damage, being able to outright OHKO Pokemon such as Primal Kyogre, Latias, Yveltal, Ho-Oh, and Mega Salamence after Stealth Rock damage. Not even Pokemon that resist it are safe, as Tyranitar and Mega Diancie are 2HKOed with little prior damage. The biggest reason to use Choice Band Dragon Ascent is the ability to 2HKO support Arceus formes without the need for boosting moves, Draco Meteor, or an Adamant nature to do so. Earthquake is best used on predicted switch-ins, as it is able to OHKO Mega Diancie, as well as Tyranitar and Rock Arceus after Stealth Rock damage. Rock Arceus needs a little prior damage on it to secure the Earthquake OHKO, however. No Ubers-viable Steel-type is able to take a Choice Band V-create and live, with Dialga being the sole exception. Extreme Speed's power also receives a nice boost, widening the range that Rayquaza is able to revenge kill weakened threats from.
Set Details
========
Maximum Attack and Speed investment is standard, giving Rayquaza the tools to put out maximum damage and outspeed most support Arceus formes. A huge draw to using this set is that it is the set that can most comfortably get away with using a Jolly nature without sacrificing power. This gives Rayquaza the ability to outspeed standard support Arceus and therefore 2HKO them on the switch, nullifying them as checks. The Speed boost also comes in useful against Excadrill and offensive Yveltal sets and ensures that Rayquaza will outspeed even the fastest of Ho-Oh and Primal Groudon sets before any boosts. An Adamant nature is an option and comes with some extra perks; Dragon Ascent now has a good chance to 2HKO Zekrom, Tyranitar, and Mega Diancie after Stealth Rock damage as well as a 50% chance to outright OHKO Extreme Killer Arceus after Stealth Rock and a near 70% chance to OHKO Geomancy Xerneas after entry hazard damage. Earthquake will also now have a 25% chance to OHKO Rock Arceus after Stealth Rock damage, and Extreme Speed's power now matches that of Jolly Life Orb Extreme Killer Arceus. The major downside is being unable to outspeed standard Lugia and support Arceus, but if you fear an opponent will invest more Speed into them to outspeed Jolly Rayquaza, it may be worth considering.
Usage Tips
========
Choice Band Rayquaza is best used as an early- or mid game wallbreaker, luring in and eliminating typical physical walls such as Water Arceus and Lugia. This can pave the way for teammates to sweep later in the match. Generally, burns and paralysis turn this set into dead weight, especially if Pokemon such as Water Arceus and Lugia are still around. Sometimes it can be worth it, however, such as taking a Thunder Wave in exchange for taking out a Klefki. This can open doors for teammates such as Geomancy Xerneas to freely set up or for Latios to start its own wallbreaking. Size up the situations and make sure any sacrifices are worth it. Keeping up entry hazards can make Rayquaza's life easier. Aggressive double switches where appropriate and punishing any attempts to remove entry hazards from their side is key to victory with this set. As this set is using a Choice item, ensure that you are making the right moves. Using anything other than Dragon Ascent or mispredicting a switch can cause massive losses in momentum if you get it wrong.
Team Options
========
Typical Rayquaza partners such as Mega Salamence, Mega Diancie, Ho-Oh, and Ground Arceus all fit well here. Entry hazard setters are always good, with Stealth Rock ensuring many 2HKOs and OHKOs against various Pokemon; Deoxys, Dialga, and Primal Groudon are good setters. Darkrai is an optional teammate, as it is able to deal with a large majority of entry hazard removers. Ghost Arceus and Giratina-O provide effective switch-ins to most forms of priority. Rock Polish Primal Groudon in particular is an effective teammate, as it loves how easily Rayquaza can break down physical walls that may stop a late-game sweep.
[SET]
name: Dragon Dance
move 1: Dragon Dance
move 2: Dragon Ascent
move 3: Extreme Speed
move 4: Earthquake / Waterfall
item: Life Orb / Charti Berry
ability: Air Lock
nature: Jolly / Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
ivs: 29 HP
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Rayquaza can take the route of a late-game cleaner and improve its matchup against offensive teams thanks to Dragon Dance. The Speed boost can come in useful against faster targets such as Darkrai, Mega Gengar, Mewtwo, and importantly Rock Arceus, a Pokemon that any other Rayquaza set has trouble with. Dragon Ascent at +1 outclasses the power of Choice Band Rayquaza due to the Life Orb boosts, OHKOing threats such as Extreme Killer Arceus and Xerneas, even without entry hazard damage. Extreme Speed retains revenge killing utility in cases where setting up a Dragon Dance against a threat is not possible; however, it can also prove useful even at +1 Speed, as it allows Rayquaza to hit revenge killers such as Deoxys-A and Extreme Killer Arceus can actually be hit with its own Extreme Speed first. Earthquake is preferred over V-create on this set due to V-create's Speed drop acting counterproductive to a Dragon Dance set. Ideally, checks hit only by V-create such as Skarmory and Bronzong should be removed or sufficiently weakened before Rayquaza comes in. Waterfall is an alternative option and must be used alongside a Charti Berry for the best results. This combination gives Rayquaza some defensive utility for a team, allowing it to check threatening Ground-type sweepers such as Ground Arceus, Excadrill, and Rock Polish Primal Groudon. Air Lock allows Rayquaza to hit Primal Groudon with Waterfall by negating Desolate Land. Dragon Ascent hits Ground Arceus and other Pokemon only 2x weak to Water harder than Waterfall, however. Charti Berry Rayquaza has a large lack of power compared to any other set, and as a result, it will not be as great of a sweeper as usual.
Set Details
========
Maximum Attack and Speed EVs are standard, while Life Orb adds maximum damage behind Rayquaza's attacks. Charti Berry should only be considered on teams that find themselves very weak to Ground-type Pokemon or would enjoy extra insurance against them. Jolly nature is preferred due to the ability to outspeed common support Arceus without a Dragon Dance boost, whereas Adamant is an option if extra power is wanted. An Adamant Life Orb-boosted Dragon Ascent can 2HKO standard Water Arceus, for example. Charti Berry sets absolutely need Adamant to avoid being too weak, and be aware that using an Adamant nature leaves Rayquaza slower than Deoxys-A and Mega Aerodactyl at +1 Speed and is also likely to be slower than support Arceus and Lugia before boosts. 29 HP IVs minimize Life Orb recoil.
Usage Tips
========
Dragon Dance Rayquaza can be used as an early- to mid game wallbreaker until a team is sufficiently weakened enough to clean up with Dragon Dance later on. Extreme Speed can take care of weakened threats to Rayquaza's team at any stage of the match. Be aware that healthy walls such as Water Arceus and Lugia are able to survive even boosted Dragon Ascents and KO Rayquaza, hence why this set is best at cleaning up once its checks are sufficiently weakened. Intimidate users such as bulky Salamence and Choice Scarf Landorus-T are also able to mess with Rayquaza and should be avoided until they are sufficiently weakened. An unboosted Jolly Rayquaza can prove to be weaker than expected. Pokemon such as support Primal Groudon and support Arceus formes are able to survive two Dragon Ascents if they have to. Add this to the difficulty of setting up Dragon Dance without being punished in the first place, and you find that this set ends up being better at softening up the enemy team for other teammates to sweep, rather than sweeping itself. Bear in mind that the Rock Polish Primal Groudon sets that Charti Berry Rayquaza is intended to check could be running Dragon Claw or Dragon Pulse, either of which will OHKO Rayquaza after Stealth Rock damage. Ideal setup targets for this set are almost nonexistent, but forcing switches is always a way to get a Dragon Dance boost.
Team Options
========
Shadow Tag users such as Mega Gengar are especially good partners for this set, as Dragon Dance Rayquaza cannot break Water Arceus and Lugia as well as other Rayquaza sets. Primal Groudon is a great option for setting up Stealth Rock and can also run Fire-type coverage such as Lava Plume and Fire Punch to help Rayquaza against Skarmory and Bronzong. Klefki can spread paralysis and set Spikes to help Rayquaza against Pokemon such as Latios, Latias, and support Arceus formes. Charti Berry Rayquaza appreciates Stealth Rock removal, as Rock Polish Primal Groudon can work around the Charti Berry with Dragon-type coverage, able to OHKO Rayquaza after Stealth Rock damage. Entry hazard removal can come from Defog users such as Latios, Rapid Spin users such as Excadrill, or Magic Bounce users such as Mega Diancie.
[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Dragon Ascent
move 3: Extreme Speed
move 4: V-create / Earthquake
item: Life Orb
ability: Air Lock
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
ivs: 29 HP
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Swords Dance really amplifies Rayquaza's already strong wallbreaking abilities. A +2 Dragon Ascent has a 75% chance to outright OHKO standard support Water Arceus after Stealth Rock damage, for example. Swords Dance combined with Extreme Speed also prevents Rayquaza from being revenge killed by faster frail Pokemon, as Darkrai, Shaymin-S, and Mega Mewtwo Y are all likely to be OHKOed by a +2 Extreme Speed. V-create is preferred over Earthquake here, as a Speed drop is not necessarily a worry thanks to the stronger Extreme Speeds. Earthquake can be used to hit Tyranitar and Mega Diancie while retaining coverage against most Steel-types, but Rayquaza then struggles more against Skarmory and Bronzong.
Set Details
========
Maximum Attack and Speed combined with a Life Orb offer the best wallbreaking potential, and a Jolly nature is preferred to outspeed support Arceus formes. 29 HP IVs minimize Life Orb recoil.
Usage Tips
========
Swords Dance Rayquaza is a true terror to stall teams as well as balance teams that lack Pokemon that outspeed it and can also survive a +2 Extreme Speed, such as Latias. Nothing on common stall teams can take on a Swords Dance-boosted Rayquaza, with Multiscale Lugia being the only exception. Accordingly, avoid taking on Lugia if Multiscale is still intact. Setting up a Swords Dance can prove to be tricky, as many defensive Pokemon all have ways to punish foes attempting to set up on them, with status moves being the most common option. The ideal scenario is to force a Pokemon to Recover or Rest or even predict the setup of entry hazards to set up a Swords Dance. Taking a Toxic as Rayquaza uses Swords Dance is still a win for Rayquaza, however, as it can now punch holes in the enemy team until it goes down, leaving room for another teammate to get going. A common tactic for stall teams is to switch around into Pokemon that resist Rayquaza's predicted move or use moves such as Protect and Fake Out to stall long enough for Toxic damage to KO Rayquaza, so be aware of this strategy. Thunder Wave should be avoided, however, as now some stall Pokemon such as Water Arceus can revenge kill Rayquaza if they get in safely, which should only happen if something else is sacrificed. This set has more of an issue with offensive teams, as setting up a Swords Dance can prove very difficult, and even if that happens, the reliance on Extreme Speed can prove to be Rayquaza's downfall. Both Dragon Ascent and V-create come with annoying stat drops that can make revenge killing Rayquaza much easier. Switching out of incoming revenge killers is the best play if the stat drops become an issue.
Team Options
========
Both offensive teams and balanced teams alike appreciate the insane wallbreaking potential of Swords Dance Rayquaza. A core of Mega Diancie and Ho-Oh can work very well, with Mega Diancie able to keep Mega Sableye and Lugia in check, as well as keep entry hazards away thanks to Magic Bounce. Ho-Oh doubles down on the physical pressure alongside Rayquaza, and teams can be very hard pressed to keep both of them down over the course of a match. Primal Groudon can also be used as a Stealth Rock setter, giving Rayquaza the means to secure vital OHKOs on support Arceus formes and Lugia, and can also add extra wallbreaking power if necessary by using Swords Dance itself. Other Stealth Rock setters such as Dialga can also be used in situations that call for a more offensive Primal Groudon set. Klefki can annoy Lugia, use Thunder Wave to paralyze faster Pokemon that may check Rayquaza, and set Spikes to punish the switches that this set is bound to force. Adding more physical threats such as Mega Salamence and Ground Arceus is an option, as they can overload each other's checks as the match goes on. Other typical offensive Pokemon such as Xerneas, Extreme Killer Arceus, Darkrai, and Mega Gengar can also make effective partners, as they work well against opposing offensive teams.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
While Rayquaza has many usable options, the large majority of them are outclassed by the standard sets. Choice Scarf is an interesting option, turning Rayquaza away from a wallbreaker and more towards a dedicated revenge killer. Dragon Ascent also gives Rayquaza a spammable cleanup option for a Choice Scarf set. Choice Scarf Rayquaza is able to outspeed everything up to Mega Mewtwo Y and even some Deoxys-A sets. The main reason as to why it is niche is because Rayquaza is far better suited to being a wallbreaker. Lum Berry can prove to be useful in situations such as switching into Lava Plume Primal Groudon and taking a Dark Void from Darkrai. Using Lum Berry over Life Orb sacrifices a lot of power just for a surprise factor, however, and is inconsistent as a result. Focus Sash lets Rayquaza lead without fear and immediately tear holes into the enemy team, and thanks to Air Lock, the Focus Sash cannot be broken by sandstorm damage. It also allows Rayquaza to survive encounters it otherwise would not, such as when facing any Pokemon naturally faster than it. Being weak to Stealth Rock can cause a big deal of unreliability in keeping the Focus Sash intact, however, and the lack of Life Orb really shows when facing bulkier teams. Aqua Tail is a secondary option over Waterfall for Charti Berry Rayquaza, as it is able to 2HKO Rock Arceus after Stealth Rock damage while dealing more damage than Waterfall to Primal Groudon. Dragon Tail is a niche option that can rack up entry hazard damage, as well as break Lugia's Multiscale and force it out again. This means that if it switches back into Dragon Ascent, it will be 2HKOed. This is a fairly niche move to use, and other moves are generally more consistent.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Lugia**: Lugia with Multiscale intact is the easiest way to deal with any Rayquaza set. Most Lugia EV spreads are only fast enough to outrun Adamant Rayquaza, however, and if Stealth Rock is up, Lugia is cleanly 2HKOed by Dragon Ascent.
**Bulky Arceus**: Common support Arceus formes such as Water, Dragon, and Rock are all able to run enough Speed to outrun the fastest of Rayquaza sets and neuter any wallbreaking potential from it. If they do not have the Speed investment to outspeed Jolly Rayquaza, they are in for a surprise. Rock Arceus is the ideal stop to most sets, as it requires both prior damage and a predicted Earthquake on the switch for Rayquaza to have a chance at beating it. Dragon Dance Rayquaza does not have this problem.
**Revenge Killers**: Rayquaza is actually very hard to wall, but offensive teams in particular give Rayquaza little room. Naturally faster Pokemon such as Latios, Mewtwo, and Mega Salamence are all able to revenge kill Rayquaza, while priority attacks from the likes of Giratina-O, Extreme Killer Arceus, and Deoxys-A are able to revenge kill a weakened Rayquaza.
**Shuca Berry Users**: The prevalence of Mega Salamence and Primal Groudon has increased the usage of Shuca Berry on some Pokemon. Unfortunately, these Pokemon also have the advantage of a good matchup against Rayquaza. Common users include Dialga, Zekrom, and Tyranitar.
**Bulky Attackers**: Pokemon such as Mega Salamence, Giratina-O, Primal Kyogre, and Primal Groudon are usually able to take at least one hit from Rayquaza when healthy and either KO it or cripple it with a status move. None of them are able to actually switch into Rayquaza without being 2HKOed, however.
**Skarmory and Bronzong**: Skarmory and Bronzong take a risk in switching into Rayquaza for fear of V-create, but any sets that lack the move are easily checked by them.
[OVERVIEW]
name: MixQuaza (Mixed Attacker)
move 1: Dragon Ascent
move 2: Draco Meteor
move 3: V-Create / Earthquake
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
========
Set Details
========
Usage Tips
========
Team Options
========
name: Choice Band
move 1: Dragon Ascent
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: V-Create
move 4: Extreme Speed
item: Choice Band
ability: Air Lock
nature: Jolly / Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Set Details
========
Usage Tips
========
Team Options
========
name: Dragon Dance
move 1: Dragon Dance
move 2: Dragon Ascent
move 3: Extreme Speed
move 4: Earthquake / Waterfall
item: Life Orb / Charti Berry
ability: Air Lock
nature: Jolly / Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
ivs: 29 HP
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Set Details
========
Usage Tips
========
========
[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Dragon Ascent
move 3: Extreme Speed
move 4: V-Create / Earthquake
item: Life Orb
ability: Air Lock
nature: Jolly / Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
ivs: 29 HP
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Set Details
========
Usage Tips
========
Team Options
========
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
===================
- Super strong offensively, movepool and stats make it a crazy wallbreaker if it gets the chance
- Said chances can be hard to come by, 95 speed, SR weak and low defensive stats make it hard to set up
- Finds a role on teams that appreciate a soft ground check and revenge killing utility with Extreme Speed
- Has a good matchup against Spike/TSpike lead teams
- A slower meta due to the offensive threats helps in Ray's favor - this means that Arceus formes and Lugia are liable to be outsped by Jolly Rayquaza (and therefore eliminate them as checks)
- Air Lock and Fire/Water resists can allow Ray to soft check both Primals, Ground immunity further helps this (Can hit Pdon with a Water move too)
- No mega to see here...
name: MixQuaza (Mixed Attacker)
move 1: Dragon Ascent
move 2: Draco Meteor
move 3: V-Create / Earthquake
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
========
- Dragon Ascent is nuts dmg, but can't 2HKO bulky Arceus without a +Atk nature or SR
- Draco Meteor is a switch-up, best option against Salamence and Giratina-O
Use Draco + Ascent to 2HKO bulky Arceus - Earthquake hits most flying resists - exceptions being Shuca mons, Skarmory and Bronzong
- V-Create hits Skarm and Bronzong, and hits Dialga without worrying about Shuca
V-Create is preferable as Earthquake's targets need to be weakened and predicted (in the case of Rockceus) to actually beat, while V-Create owns the majority of EQ targets as well (Skarm is also forfeit as a check) - Extreme Speed provides great RK utility and lets Ray bypass faster mons if they are weakened
Set Details
========
- Max Attack lets Ascent hit as hard as possible, this will be the move you use most
Also buffs the other 2 physical moves - Max Speed + Naive lets you outspeed bulky Arceus, as these tend to aim for +atk natured Ray
- Life Orb for maximum power
- 29 HP IVs hits a "life orb number", this means Ray can use one more attack before fainting to Life Orb recoil, provided nothing hits you...
Also takes 5 SR switch-ins, but this realistically never happens
Usage Tips
========
- Rayquaza is great for weakening walls and bulky mons or just outright killing them. Primal Groudon can have a hard time with Ray depending on the Groudon's set, but Primal Kyogre is a highly dangerous risk to switch into
- Keep Ray around vs offense - you will likely need it to Extreme Speed a highly dangerous threat
- Ray should never be in for long - fire and forget
- Ground immune and Fire/Water resists can give switch-in chances, but be careful of stuff like status moves and repeated hits - Ray is not that bulky
- Draco + Ascent is a potent combo that is likely to take out any wall besides a Lugia with Multiscale up - Fairies can be an exception but the coverage options can deal with them
- Be aware of faster Arceus formes or a faster Lugia, learn Ray's damage vs the full bulk spreads to better predict if you can stay in and 2HKO, or risk losing Ray to a fast wall
- This particular Ray set can anti-lead Deo-S and keep it to one layer of hazards, but taking free Life Orb damage can be annoying, especially if Ray has to come back in on the SR Deo-S just set
Use Draco > Espeed (if it turns out to be sash) otherwise Draco should OHKO it. - If Ray gets in safely, it can easily force switches. Prediction between Draco or Ascent shouldn't be too hard, as either one is likely to dent something
Team Options
========
- Hazard setters, specifically Spike leads can pair very well with this set.
This is because Ray can heavily pressure nearly all Defog / Rapid Spin users while also forcing switches.
Cloyster is a notable example of such - it can set Spikes and anti-lead other hazard setters while spinning them away. - A secondary Dragon-type actually works well with Rayquaza - Latios can hit bulky Arceus formes too, as well as deal with Arceus-Rock, something that MixRay loses to.
Latios appreciates the damage Ray can do against sand teams.
Ray can also roll over the Steel types that usually wall Latios. - Mega Salamence can be a great partner - provides secondary Primal Groudon check and both Ray/Mence share the same checks, making it easier for Mence to sweep if Ray breaks down a check. Refresh Mence pairs best, since Ray's coverage can free up the EQ slot on Mence for it.
- Pretty much anything that appreciates the lure/removal of Arceus-Water, Lugia or Giratina-O can be partners with Ray, this includes mons like Diancie, Rock Polish Primal Groudon, Groundceus, and Ho-Oh. (will elaborate)
- Ray with EQ and Ray with V-Create don't always share the same partners - EQ Ray is annoyed by Skarmory while V-Create isn't. This means that SD Arceus would rather have V-Create Ray as a partner.
name: Choice Band
move 1: Dragon Ascent
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: V-Create
move 4: Extreme Speed
item: Choice Band
ability: Air Lock
nature: Jolly / Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
- Well what can i say... nothing's changed!
- The ability to run both V-Create and Earthquake is nice...shame its a cb set
Set Details
========
- Standard offensive EVs
- CB's biggest perk is the ability to reliably 2HKO Waterceus, stronger Extreme Speeds without the need for a boost can also be useful
- Jolly can outspeed and 2HKO bulky Arceus while Adamant boasts the 50% chance to outright OHKO Ekiller after SR damage while having pretty strong Extreme Speeds
Usage Tips
========
- All the wallbreaking, none of the setup required - use this early/mid game to tear some holes for other mons to break through
- Be careful locking into moves that aren't Dragon Ascent as this may give away setup opportunities
- Most of the advice from previous sets translates here.
Team Options
========
- RP Primal Groudon loves the fact that CB Ray can punch holes in Arceus-Water without boosts
- Other set partners can apply here
name: Dragon Dance
move 1: Dragon Dance
move 2: Dragon Ascent
move 3: Extreme Speed
move 4: Earthquake / Waterfall
item: Life Orb / Charti Berry
ability: Air Lock
nature: Jolly / Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
ivs: 29 HP
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
- DD turns Ray into a late game cleaner, Defog punisher, and the added speed can allow it to break past stuff like random scarfers and Groundceus
- Ascent - same as above, remember +1 DA doesn't OHKO stuff like Arceus/Lugia
- Espeed - same as above
- Earthquake - same as above, loses some coverage with V-Create but using V-Create with DD can make things hard to clean up with thanks to the Speed drop
- Waterfall - when combined with Charti you become a RP Pdon check (unless special or Dclaw)
Set Details
========
- Max Atk/Max Speed for obvious reasons
- Air Lock is to be noted - this allows Ray to hit Primal Groudon with Waterfall
- Life Orb for power, Charti to be a soft check to Grounds
- Jolly usually as you outspeed some Arceus/Lugia unboosted, Adamant if extra power is wanted - Charti needs this
Note that Adamant leaves you slower than Lugia and Support Arceus - 29 IVs = LO number
Usage Tips
========
- DD Ray can be used as a revenge killer with Extreme Speed until a team is sufficiently weakened enough to clean up at +1
- Against bulkier teams (such as Klefki balance) Ray can use its power and coverage to hammer away at the backbone of the team. Mons such as Latias can be annoying without the speed boost from DD however. Klefki can also trade itself to para Ray, but this is usually a strong win for Ray's team. A bulky Salamence can also mess with Ray thanks to Intimidate.
- An unboosted Jolly Ray is actually weaker than you would expect. Mons such as support Primal Groudon and bulky Arceus can even live 2 Dragon Ascents. Add that to the difficulty of setting up DD on something, and you find that Ray ends up being better at softening things up for teammates to sweep, rather than sweeping itself.
========
- Hazard setters
- Ho-Oh + Diancie
- Another physical wallbreaker helps as DD Ray has trouble beating most of them at +1, this is better suited to SD Ray
- Shadow Tag can also just remove these walls and any troublesome mons such as Skarmory leaving Ray able to wreck shit
[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Dragon Ascent
move 3: Extreme Speed
move 4: V-Create / Earthquake
item: Life Orb
ability: Air Lock
nature: Jolly / Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
ivs: 29 HP
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
- Its the DD set with SD in its place!
- V-Create is here to break the fat steels that stall may have
- SD's intention is to really terrorize bulky teams
Set Details
========
- Standard offensive EVs
- Same stuff as the DD set (most of this stuff only differs in how its played so repetition is hard to avoid...)
Usage Tips
========
- SD is a huge "no" to stall teams. With SR up, nothing that is commonly seen on stall can handle a +2 Rayquaza
- Setting up in front of most of the stall mons can be an issue though, as status is everywhere which can really cut down on Ray's wallbreaking time
Try forcing a mon to Recover or Rest and get +2 that way - The reliance on Extreme Speed can be a huge downside when facing offensive teams, as the move is fairly weak in comparison to Ray's STABs and the lack of Speed boost means Ray just becomes a bad Ekiller if any fast mons are still around
- Don't play Ray recklessly in a stall matchup. Longevity is not on its side and eating a Toxic or Twave for free can be a death sentence
- Stat drops. Both Ascent and V-Create have awful stat drops after use and can leave Ray very prone to being revenge killed, even by the weaker stall mons - Keep an eye out
Team Options
========
- Fits teams that want a wallbreaker
- Diancie is a good idea to bounce SR and keep Lugia down
- Primal Groudon can reliably set SR, letting Ray get crucial OHKOs such as bulky Arceus at +2 and Lugia - SR/SD can double down on the crazy physical pressure as teams can struggle to beat both
- Klefki can also troll Lugia, Twave faster mons, keep some Fairies down and set spikes to make the switches Ray forces a punishing time
- More physical threats can also overload each others' checks as the match goes on - Mence + SD Groundceus work
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
- Choice Scarf
- Focus Sash
- Yache Berry
- Dragon Tail
===================
- Lugia
- Bulky Arceus - Water/Dragon/Rock/Fairy
- Revenge Killers - Anything faster or Priority attackers
- Shuca mons - Dialga, Tyranitar, Zekrom
- Bulky Attackers - Primals, Giratina-O, anything that lives a hit (boosted or not)
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