Duh
08-24-2008, 05:30 AM
Rayquaza
I can't believe there isn't a single analysis involving the best tier (Ubers) so I will give you a brief analysis on one of the most lethal sets in the uber metagame.
http://www.pokebip.com/pokemon/pokedex/images/sugimori/384.png
DDer
Rayquaza@Life Orb
Adamant/Jolly or Naive/Hasty (If you run Overheat)
252 Atk 252 Spd 4 Hp/ or 222 Atk/252 Spd/36 Sp.Atk (If you run Overheat)
Dragon Dance
Outrage
Earthquake/Overheat
Crunch/Dragon Claw/ExtremeSpeed
Basic DDer, you'l want to get this thing in choice EQs although something along the lines of scarf kyogres surf is fine too. Basically after a DD the only thing that can survive Outrage are bulky steels such as Metagross and Jirachi. Outrage is used as the main attack and for good reason, it just rips other pokes to shreads.
The second attacking is a personal preferance, Overheat if you fear Foretress and Skarmory, EQ to take advantage of the DD boost and allows you to kill Dialga without getting locked into Outrage. The fourth attack is tricky. Extremespeed on a DD set may seem dumb although when you consider all the possible scarfers (PALKIA) it may be worth your while to try it out. Dragon Claw is basically for an all round reliable move that allows you to kill stuff without getting locked into Outrage. Crunch can be used to unflict heavy damage to Lugia without the need of getting locked into Outrage.
EVs: If your running Jolly max speed is a MUST, you will need it to outrun other Rayquazas or at least have a chance of outspeeding them. If your running the generally un prefered adamant you don't need to max your speed, in fact its suggested you dump some into HP to survive certain attacks. ie ScarfKyogre WaterSpout after Stealth Rock damage on Rayquaza. Use a damage calculator from various sites (Libelldra or Metal Kid) to find appropriate HP evs. I would do it but there is too much to cover in Ubers especially with Rayquaza. Aim to survive things such as bulky Groudon's Stone Edge, Kyogres Surf/Water Spout etc.
SDer
Rayquaza@Life Orb
Jolly or Naive/Hasty (If you run Overheat)
252 Atk 252 Spd 4 Hp or 222 Atk/252 Spd/36 Sp.Atk (If you run Overheat)
Swords Dance
Dragon Claw/Outrage
Earthquake/Overheat
Extreme Speed
This is the most common Rayquaza at the moment in the uber metagame. SD coming off a 150 base attack pokemon is about the equivalent of a nuclear holocaust. It allows you to take full advantage of ExtremeSpeed and packs quite a punch that not even the bulikiest of pokes can live.
Dragon Claw is prefered as this set lacks speed and you will 90% of the time be revenge killed after Outrage. However, Outrage allows you to 1hko the bulkiest lugis and groudons like nothing.
Overheat much like the first set is so that things like Skarm or Forey dont wall you although EQ offers excellent coverage against things like Jirachi and Dialga. (Jirachis in ubers can live overheat and a lot of them pack Icy Wind or Body Slam for paralysis)
Extreme Speed is an absolute necessity as its needed to make up for this things lackluster speed. Extreme Speed also has the neat feature of KOing ScarfPalkia with ES provided you lay down Stealth Rock.
MixQuaza
Rayquaza@Life Orb
Naive/Hasty
56 Atk/252 Spd/200 Sp.Atk
Draco Meteor
Fire Blast
Extreme Speed/Thunderbolt
Outrage/Brick Break
For whatever reason this set is one of the most uncommon sets. It takes advantage of Rayquaza's often overlooked base 150 Sp.Atk and it's amazing movepool from the special side. The first slot is a given as Draco Meteor with Life Orb factored in coming off 386 Sp.Atk is one of the strongest non-boosted attacks in the Uber metagame.
Fire Blast is needed over Overheat because your going to need to deliver consistant damage to Bronzong/Jirachi and Groudon if its within range. Also if you factor in Draco Meteor's -2 drop it really diminishes your Rayquaza's power.
In the third slot you'l generally want Extremespeed. In the current metagame priority moves are a must. You'l want to be able to clean up stuff such as weakened Darkrai's, Palkias, ScarfOgres, opposing Rayquaza's (Very Important). It also KOs Deoxys-f but make sure it has taken some form of residual damage first as most are sashed. Thunderbolt is usefull in 2Koing Kyogre and dealing with Lugia better however from experience I'v found Extremespeed to be the most commonly used move on this set. Also Draco Meteor does a plenty to Kyogre and can KO it if you'v already inflicted some damage to it.
The last set is one of the more easier decisions. Brick Break is there for Blissey and so you don't get locked. Outrage is for the sheer power and is still amazingly strong even on a mixed set. Outrage is also extremely usefull for taking out Wobbaffet who will Mirror Coat/Encore expecting you to Meteor. Outrage is prefered as it will do more damage to Blissey than Brick Break (BB:150, Outrage:180) although your going to have to predict well to maximize Outrage. Using Outrage if Blissey switches may result in a loss for you, or using Draco Meteor when Blissey stays in and proceeds to Ice Beam you can lead to disaster. In a nutshell, use Brick Break if your conservative and don't want to take any risks, use Outrage if you feel you have good prediction.
Choice Specs
Rayquaza@Choice Specs
Timid/Modest
252 Sp. Atk 252 Speed 6 Hp
Draco Meteor
Overheat
Dragon Pulse/Thunderbolt/Brick Break
Dragon Pulse/Focus Blast/Brick Break
Basic Choice Specer, not really suggested as Kyogre and Dialga are much better options for choice specs. Draco Meteor is your main move, Overheat for coverage, Dragon Pulse for late game sweeping, Thunderbolt for Lugia, Brick Break for Blissey, or Focus Blast to deliver a heavy blow to Blissey and take advantage of Specs (Be careful as you will miss a lot). Nothing more to say about this set, it's basically filler.
http://animeyume.com/rayquaza.jpg
Other Options:
A Banded set is viable although more often than not you'l be revenge killed by Ice Beams. A scarf set can also work although the extra 5 Speed Palkia has over Ray really diminishes it's Outraging capabilities.
Opinion:
Remember what Gyarados did in early D/P? Well this beast has been doing it since then and is still doing it today. Rayquaza has POWER and is used on almost every Uber team in the Uber Metagame. He is by no means perfect, fragile defenses, a 4x weakness to ice and at its base speed its actually quite slow. It also takes 25% from stealth rock limiting its switch in's signifigantly. Rayquaza is the definition of a hit-and-run.
In a nut shell it's goal is to come in once or twice, take out a pokemon or 2, or 3, or even the whole team if you can properly set up DD/SD. Although more often than not he'll be revenge killed by ScarfPalkia if you run DD, and ScarfDialga if you run SD. Make your decision according to the metagame. You have to remember that Rayquaza cannot take every threat so build your teams accordingly.
Counters:
Stealth Rock takes a out a quarter of it's HP right off the bat so its very usefull. As mentioned above Scarf(Palkia/Dialga) counter specific sets. Lati@s can come in on Outrage provided it hasn't DDed and KO with dragon pulse. Metagross can live a boosted outrage and KO with Ice Punch or Meteor Mash although be prepared to lose about 60-80% of your HP and you have to revenge kill it while its locked into Outrage as if it hasn't it will either EQ or Overheat you into rust.
A lugia faster than 317 speed can come in on SD and ice beam you taking an extreme speed with ease. Although if it DDs your going to have to make sure your opponent doesn't lay stealth rock as a boosted Outrage KOs after SR. Skarmory walls any set without a Fire Move although does take hefty amount from Outrage even with its resistance.
A max Def max Hp Groudon can survive a DD Outrage or an SD DClaw and KO back with stone edge. Unfortunately though SD Outrage kills even the bulkiest groudon although should that occur simply bring in a faster pokemon with ice beam or a dragon move and revenge kill it. Also take advantage of the recoil Rayquaza recieves each turn, factored in with stealth rock and any move it takes in the process of setting up, it really sets Rayquaza's life on the battle field to 1-3 turns.
I can't believe there isn't a single analysis involving the best tier (Ubers) so I will give you a brief analysis on one of the most lethal sets in the uber metagame.
http://www.pokebip.com/pokemon/pokedex/images/sugimori/384.png
DDer
Rayquaza@Life Orb
Adamant/Jolly or Naive/Hasty (If you run Overheat)
252 Atk 252 Spd 4 Hp/ or 222 Atk/252 Spd/36 Sp.Atk (If you run Overheat)
Dragon Dance
Outrage
Earthquake/Overheat
Crunch/Dragon Claw/ExtremeSpeed
Basic DDer, you'l want to get this thing in choice EQs although something along the lines of scarf kyogres surf is fine too. Basically after a DD the only thing that can survive Outrage are bulky steels such as Metagross and Jirachi. Outrage is used as the main attack and for good reason, it just rips other pokes to shreads.
The second attacking is a personal preferance, Overheat if you fear Foretress and Skarmory, EQ to take advantage of the DD boost and allows you to kill Dialga without getting locked into Outrage. The fourth attack is tricky. Extremespeed on a DD set may seem dumb although when you consider all the possible scarfers (PALKIA) it may be worth your while to try it out. Dragon Claw is basically for an all round reliable move that allows you to kill stuff without getting locked into Outrage. Crunch can be used to unflict heavy damage to Lugia without the need of getting locked into Outrage.
EVs: If your running Jolly max speed is a MUST, you will need it to outrun other Rayquazas or at least have a chance of outspeeding them. If your running the generally un prefered adamant you don't need to max your speed, in fact its suggested you dump some into HP to survive certain attacks. ie ScarfKyogre WaterSpout after Stealth Rock damage on Rayquaza. Use a damage calculator from various sites (Libelldra or Metal Kid) to find appropriate HP evs. I would do it but there is too much to cover in Ubers especially with Rayquaza. Aim to survive things such as bulky Groudon's Stone Edge, Kyogres Surf/Water Spout etc.
SDer
Rayquaza@Life Orb
Jolly or Naive/Hasty (If you run Overheat)
252 Atk 252 Spd 4 Hp or 222 Atk/252 Spd/36 Sp.Atk (If you run Overheat)
Swords Dance
Dragon Claw/Outrage
Earthquake/Overheat
Extreme Speed
This is the most common Rayquaza at the moment in the uber metagame. SD coming off a 150 base attack pokemon is about the equivalent of a nuclear holocaust. It allows you to take full advantage of ExtremeSpeed and packs quite a punch that not even the bulikiest of pokes can live.
Dragon Claw is prefered as this set lacks speed and you will 90% of the time be revenge killed after Outrage. However, Outrage allows you to 1hko the bulkiest lugis and groudons like nothing.
Overheat much like the first set is so that things like Skarm or Forey dont wall you although EQ offers excellent coverage against things like Jirachi and Dialga. (Jirachis in ubers can live overheat and a lot of them pack Icy Wind or Body Slam for paralysis)
Extreme Speed is an absolute necessity as its needed to make up for this things lackluster speed. Extreme Speed also has the neat feature of KOing ScarfPalkia with ES provided you lay down Stealth Rock.
MixQuaza
Rayquaza@Life Orb
Naive/Hasty
56 Atk/252 Spd/200 Sp.Atk
Draco Meteor
Fire Blast
Extreme Speed/Thunderbolt
Outrage/Brick Break
For whatever reason this set is one of the most uncommon sets. It takes advantage of Rayquaza's often overlooked base 150 Sp.Atk and it's amazing movepool from the special side. The first slot is a given as Draco Meteor with Life Orb factored in coming off 386 Sp.Atk is one of the strongest non-boosted attacks in the Uber metagame.
Fire Blast is needed over Overheat because your going to need to deliver consistant damage to Bronzong/Jirachi and Groudon if its within range. Also if you factor in Draco Meteor's -2 drop it really diminishes your Rayquaza's power.
In the third slot you'l generally want Extremespeed. In the current metagame priority moves are a must. You'l want to be able to clean up stuff such as weakened Darkrai's, Palkias, ScarfOgres, opposing Rayquaza's (Very Important). It also KOs Deoxys-f but make sure it has taken some form of residual damage first as most are sashed. Thunderbolt is usefull in 2Koing Kyogre and dealing with Lugia better however from experience I'v found Extremespeed to be the most commonly used move on this set. Also Draco Meteor does a plenty to Kyogre and can KO it if you'v already inflicted some damage to it.
The last set is one of the more easier decisions. Brick Break is there for Blissey and so you don't get locked. Outrage is for the sheer power and is still amazingly strong even on a mixed set. Outrage is also extremely usefull for taking out Wobbaffet who will Mirror Coat/Encore expecting you to Meteor. Outrage is prefered as it will do more damage to Blissey than Brick Break (BB:150, Outrage:180) although your going to have to predict well to maximize Outrage. Using Outrage if Blissey switches may result in a loss for you, or using Draco Meteor when Blissey stays in and proceeds to Ice Beam you can lead to disaster. In a nutshell, use Brick Break if your conservative and don't want to take any risks, use Outrage if you feel you have good prediction.
Choice Specs
Rayquaza@Choice Specs
Timid/Modest
252 Sp. Atk 252 Speed 6 Hp
Draco Meteor
Overheat
Dragon Pulse/Thunderbolt/Brick Break
Dragon Pulse/Focus Blast/Brick Break
Basic Choice Specer, not really suggested as Kyogre and Dialga are much better options for choice specs. Draco Meteor is your main move, Overheat for coverage, Dragon Pulse for late game sweeping, Thunderbolt for Lugia, Brick Break for Blissey, or Focus Blast to deliver a heavy blow to Blissey and take advantage of Specs (Be careful as you will miss a lot). Nothing more to say about this set, it's basically filler.
http://animeyume.com/rayquaza.jpg
Other Options:
A Banded set is viable although more often than not you'l be revenge killed by Ice Beams. A scarf set can also work although the extra 5 Speed Palkia has over Ray really diminishes it's Outraging capabilities.
Opinion:
Remember what Gyarados did in early D/P? Well this beast has been doing it since then and is still doing it today. Rayquaza has POWER and is used on almost every Uber team in the Uber Metagame. He is by no means perfect, fragile defenses, a 4x weakness to ice and at its base speed its actually quite slow. It also takes 25% from stealth rock limiting its switch in's signifigantly. Rayquaza is the definition of a hit-and-run.
In a nut shell it's goal is to come in once or twice, take out a pokemon or 2, or 3, or even the whole team if you can properly set up DD/SD. Although more often than not he'll be revenge killed by ScarfPalkia if you run DD, and ScarfDialga if you run SD. Make your decision according to the metagame. You have to remember that Rayquaza cannot take every threat so build your teams accordingly.
Counters:
Stealth Rock takes a out a quarter of it's HP right off the bat so its very usefull. As mentioned above Scarf(Palkia/Dialga) counter specific sets. Lati@s can come in on Outrage provided it hasn't DDed and KO with dragon pulse. Metagross can live a boosted outrage and KO with Ice Punch or Meteor Mash although be prepared to lose about 60-80% of your HP and you have to revenge kill it while its locked into Outrage as if it hasn't it will either EQ or Overheat you into rust.
A lugia faster than 317 speed can come in on SD and ice beam you taking an extreme speed with ease. Although if it DDs your going to have to make sure your opponent doesn't lay stealth rock as a boosted Outrage KOs after SR. Skarmory walls any set without a Fire Move although does take hefty amount from Outrage even with its resistance.
A max Def max Hp Groudon can survive a DD Outrage or an SD DClaw and KO back with stone edge. Unfortunately though SD Outrage kills even the bulkiest groudon although should that occur simply bring in a faster pokemon with ice beam or a dragon move and revenge kill it. Also take advantage of the recoil Rayquaza recieves each turn, factored in with stealth rock and any move it takes in the process of setting up, it really sets Rayquaza's life on the battle field to 1-3 turns.