Raikou Analysis WIP

Raikou

Type: Electric

Ability:
Pressure - Enemy loses one extra PP for every move used when Raikou is present. Outside of battle, increases wild encounter rate.

Base Stats:
HP: 95
Atk: 85
Def: 75
SAtk: 115
SDef: 100
Spe: 115

Overview

Raikou is a great Pokemon in the current UU metagame. It has 115 Special Attack and Speed, which makes it powerful and fast after a single Calm Mind. It now also has 3 very useful event moves: Weather Ball, Aura Sphere and ExtremeSpeed. Better yet, it can abuse the amazing coverage that Thunderbolt and Hidden Power Ice (or better yet, Weather Ball in the hail) have, due to the previously mentioned 115 Special Attack and Speed. Using any of these moves, however, means that you must use a Rash nature, as that is how it was released in-game. It also has reasonable Special bulk for a offensive Pokemon, with 95/75/100 defensive stats. It isn't all terrific for Raikou, however. Chansey and Snorlax, insane special walls, wall Raikou despite Aura Sphere. It is also very susceptible to revenge killing, with Flygon being able to threaten Raikou with Earthquake. Despite those minor flaws, no Pokemon is perfect, and in UU you probably won't get much closer to perfection than Raikou.
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In Depth/Move Sets


Offensive Calm Mind
Raikou w/ Life Orb
Ability: Pressure
Nature: Rash/Timid
EV's: 252 SAtk, 4 SDef, 252 Spe

• Calm Mind
• Thunderbolt
• Hidden Power Ice/Hidden Power Grass
• Aura Sphere

Set Comments

This is a Raikou that isn't a conventional Calm Minder, and it sacrifices survivability for power. Just force a switch and Calm Mind on it and you have a bulky, powerful sweeper that the opponent now must deal with. Thunderbolt is there as a powerful STAB move, and Aura Sphere has excellent coverage with Thunderbolt. Keep in mind, however, that a Rash nature must be run if you choose Aura Sphere. The choice of the Hidden Power simply depends on what you want to run. Hidden Power Ice OHKO's Flygon, a real threat to Raikou, whilst Hidden Power Grass hits the biggest trolls in the game, Quagsire and Gastrodon, who otherwise wall this set. Quagsire ignores stat boosts with Unaware, so be wary of that. A Life Orb is chosen over Leftovers because this is a offensive Raikou, and it's aim is to hit hard. As mentioned before, you must run a Rash nature if you run Aura Sphere, because that's how it was released in-game.

Additional Comments

Maximum Special Attack and Speed are run to ensure that Raikou hit's hard and fast. Although Aura Sphere and Rash are preferable in most cases, Shadow Ball or Extrasensory can be run with a Timid nature to make sure it's extra quick, while still having strong coverage.


SubCM
Raikou w/ Leftovers
Ability: Pressure
Nature: Timid/Rash
EV's: 128 HP, 76 Def, 62 SAtk, 252 Spe

• Substitute
• Calm Mind
• Thunderbolt
• Hidden Power Ice/Aura Sphere

Set Comments

This is a more defensive take on the above Offensive Calm Mind set, with the aim to get a Substitute, and then get as many Calm Mind's up as you can to grab a huge Special Attack stat, along with incredible special bulk, and then sweep. Thunderbolt and Hidden Power Ice have outstanding coverage, hitting everything in the UU tier and below at least neutrally minus Lanturn, Magneton, Rotom-H, Rotom-F and Shedinja. Aura Sphere can be used to hit Chansey and Snorlax harder, and it still provides great coverage. Keep in mind, however, Aura Sphere is illegal without a Rash nature.

Additional Comments

The EV's prevent Choice Scarf Flygon breaking Rakiou's Substitutes with U-turn. Raikou could run Air Balloon to help set up on Ground types; it then, however, loses the survivability that comes with Leftovers. A spread of 232 SAtk, 24 SDef and 252 Spe can be run that is more offensive, and it can still take a uninvested Slowbro's surf.


ChoiceKou
Raikou w/ Choice Scarf/Choice Specs
Ability: Pressure
Nature: Rash/Timid
EV's: 252 SAtk, 4 SDef, 252 Spe

• Thunderbolt
• Hidden Power Ice
• Aura Sphere/Shadow Ball
• Volt Switch

Set Comments

With a Choice item attached, Raikou becomes incredibly fast or incredibly powerful. Thunderbolt and Hidden Power Ice have outstanding coverage, and work in tandem on this set, whilst Volt Switch is a excellent move for scouting switches. A Choice Scarf set should run Aura Sphere with a Rash nature, because it is already quick, whilst a Choice Specs set should run Shadow Ball with a Timid nature, because it needs that extra speed. It doesn't really matter what item you choose, Raikou functions brilliantly as a revenge killer or a late game cleaner.

Additional Comments

Raikou shouldn't really run anything that isn't listed, but if you are concerned about switching in to a sleep-inducing move, like Sleep Powder, you can run Sleep Talk, though this isn't reccomended. The EV spread just simply hits hard and is fast, because there is no reason to invest in anything else.

Other Options

Weather Ball can be used on a Hail team, because it then acts as a much stronger Hidden Power Ice.
Shadow Ball is mentioned throughout the sets, and provides solid coverage with Thunderbolt.
Dual Screens can be used, but is better left to more defensive Pokemon.
ResTalk could work, but is outclassed by Suicune's CroCune set.
SubCharge could work, but it's outclassed by the Rotom formes and Magneton.
Thunder Wave could be used, but more defensive Pokemon can use it better.

Teammates

Any powerful Fighting-type, who can take care of Chansey and Snorlax, is a great teammate for Raikou. Hitmontop and Heracross are great at this. Dugtrio is also a notable partner to trap and remove Chansey. Like all sweepers, Raikou appreciates entry hazard support. Deoxys-D, Roserade, Accelgor and others are all very good entry hazard set-up Pokemon.

Counters

As mentioned throughout the analysis, Chansey and Snorlax are great counters to Raikou. Despite being weak to it, they laugh at Aura Sphere and can Toxic or Body Slam Raikou, respectively. Dugtrio is another great counter. It can trap Raikou, and use Earthquake to OHKO it. To be more basic, any defensive-based Ground type can take care of Raikou, but they must be wary of Hidden Power Ice. Abomasnow makes a decent check to Raikou, because it resists Thunderbolt and can threaten it with Blizzard or Wood Hammer, and shorten it's sweeping time with Hail. Abomasnow, obviously, must be wary of Aura Sphere, which can OHKO it easily. Flygon also makes a great counter to Raikou, because it can Earthquake it into the ground for a OHKO. Raikou is affected by all forms of entry hazards, so they can be used against Raikou.

Opinion

Raikou is just a beast in the current UU metagame. It can just hammer anything that doesn't resist it's great coverage, and can revenge kill anything with a Choice Scarf. Have a check or counter for Raikou, or you will be saying "gg" to your opponents again and again.

Guys, this is probably riddled with flaws, so HELP ME!

You do mention it, but aura sphere is only legal with a rash nature. Because of that, for the first set, you should slash Shadow Ball next to Aura Sphere.

Also, Shadow Ball doesn't really need to be included in other options, as you have it listed for most of the sets already.

I'll have more on this later, but so far it looks good.

You should probably mention how easy it is to tell Aura Sphere Raikou from those that don't in the counters, as the Raikou with Aura Sphere is Shiny.
Then again, I don't know if Aura-Sphere is legal with just the Rash nature, or the Raikou also has to be Shiny to consider Aura Sphere legal.