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ikke
08-17-2008, 03:26 PM
Raikou
http://www.pokemonelite2000.com/pictures/sugimori/sugimori243.png

Standard CM
Raikou @ Leftovers
Ability: Pressure
EV Spread: 64 HP / 96 Sp. Atk / 96 Sp. Def / 252 Spe
Timid Nature (+ Spe, - Atk)
-Substitute
-Calm Mind
-Thunder Bolt
-Hidden Power [Ice / Grass]

Standard raikou 99% of the time you'll see a raikou it's this set (if not more..). The goal of this set is to get a substitute up and get as many calm minds as you can, then sweep. Substitute also protects you from crippeling status conditions. Thunder Bolt gives reliable STAB. Hidden power ice gives supreme coverage but hidden power grass is a great alternative being less expected and hitting pert for super effective damage.

Sleep Talking Raikou
Raikou @ Leftovers
Ability: Pressure
EV Spread: 128 HP / 56 SpA / 172 SpD / 152 Spe
Timid Nature (+ Spe, - Atk)
-Rest
-Sleep Talk
-Thunder bolt
-Hidden Power [Ice / Grass]

Base 90 HP and base 100 Special Defense make raikou a great sleep talker. 152 Spe EV's make sure you outspeed non scarfed chomps and other +nature base 100's. Thunder Bolt gives STAB and Hidden Power mainly for coverage. Another good thing about this set is that nobody will expect it.

Choice Specs
Raikou @ choice specs
Ability: Pressure
EV Spread: 6hp/252sp.atk/252spe
Timid Nature (+ Spe, - Atk)
-Thunderbolt
-Hidden Power [Ice / Grass]
-Shadow Ball
-Extrasensory

115 Base special attack and speed make raikou a good pokemon to get those shiny specs. Thunderbolt will do massive damage to everything not resisting it. Shadow Ball hits pokemon like gengar hard too. Hidden power for coverage again. Extrasensory is mainly filler since raikou's movepool is very limited.

Fast CM
Raikou @ Life Orb
Ability: Pressure
EV Spread: 6hp/252sp.atk/252spe
Timid Nature (+ Spe, - Atk)
-Thunder Bolt
-Hidden Power [ice / grass]
-Shadow Ball
-Calm Mind

This Raikou is more a standard sweeper. Basicly explains it self, sweep if you can get a cm in do it.
Thunder Bolt is for STAB, Shadow ball covers ghosts and psycics, hidden power ice covers dragons, hidden power grass counters pert.

Thunder Dancer
Raikou @ Leftovers
Ability: Pressure
EV Spread: 4hp/252sp.atk/252spe
Timid Nature (+ Spe, - Atk)
-Rain dance
-Calm Mind
-Hidden Power [ Water]
-Thunder

This raikou is all about abusing rain dance. Thunder will never miss under rain and has a 50% chance to break threw bariers like Protect. Hidden power water may seem like an odd choice but rain gives a 1.5 boost to water moves so that would bring it to 105 base power. Calm mind is mainly filler but it can prove very usefull in the long run.

Opinion
Raikou is very dangerous when you've let it set up, making sure it wont set up should be your primairy concern when your opponont has a raikou. Raikou really lacks common pokemon that it can set up on easily. The usage of hippowdon, tyranitar and abomasnow really hurt raikou as well, the hail and sandstorm cancel out leftovers recovery and will make life orb varients die out very quickly.

Counters
The fat pink blob has no problem killing most of the raikou's, not having 101 subs really hurts it.
Since most people are too scared to use hidden power grass anyway swampert can make a good counter.