[SET]
name: Pressure Stall
move 1: Substitute
move 2: Protect
move 3: Thunderbolt
move 4: Toxic
item: Leftovers
ability: Pressure
nature: Timid
evs: 192 HP / 64 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=============
Substitute + Protect in combination with Raikou's ability, Pressure, allows it to PP stall Pokemon such as Choice-item variants of Rhyperior, Jellicent, and Arcanine. Toxic allows Raikou to more easily beat non-Rest Cresselia. Raikou should always be shiny so the opponent can't be sure it's not an Aura Sphere special attacker variant.
EVs
=============
Raikou should have maximum Speed EVs and a Timid nature to outspeed Choice Scarf Jellicent. It should also have 192 HP EVs to optimize its Substitute stalling.
Usage Tips
=============
Unless Raikou can 2HKO with Thunderbolt, it should always use its Substitute + Protect strategy to PP stall its foe. Against Snorlax, Raikou should always use Substitute on the first turn to play around Belly Drum + Custap Berry sets that lack Return. Raikou should always attempt to scout Trick from Pokemon like Cresselia and Porygon-Z by using Protect. It should then use Toxic or Thunderbolt, respectively, to give itself the best chance of winning these matchups.
[SET]
name: Choice Specs
move 1: Thunderbolt
move 2: Shadow Ball
move 3: Signal Beam
move 4: Hidden Power Grass / Hidden Power Fire
item: Choice Specs
ability: Pressure
nature: Timid
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=============
Thunderbolt is Raikou's best STAB move and should be used against both Tornadus formes, Keldeo, and Jellicent. Shadow Ball should be used against Choice Scarf Cresselia and offensive Latias sets. Signal Beam lets Raikou be a reliable Serperior answer. Hidden Power Grass can be used to OHKO Swampert and Choice Band Rhyperior, while Hidden Power Fire gives Raikou a better matchup against some Genesect sets. Raikou should always be shiny so the opponent can't be sure if it lacks Aura Sphere.
EVs
=============
Raikou should use maximum Speed EVs to Speed tie Jellicent with the 30 Speed IVs forced by Hidden Power Fire.
Usage Tips
=============
Raikou should almost always use the move that does the most damage to its foe. The only exception is when a Pokemon is expected to use Endure + Custap Berry. In this situation, it is better to click a weaker move if the weaker move can still 2HKO but is less likely to activate Custap Berry.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Choice Specs Raikou can also run Hidden Power Rock in its last moveslot, which lets it have a better matchup against Volcarona sets without the common Charti Berry. If a Charti Berry Volcarona does not have any Speed EVs, Hidden Power Rock Raikou will still win. Raikou can run Aura Sphere to defeat Tyranitar, which forces it to have a Rash nature. However, due to Rash Raikou being OHKOed by Water Gem- or Choice Specs-boosted Hydro Pump from Keldeo, Aura Sphere is very often not worth using.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[[Lumii, 493772]]]
- Quality checked by: [[neomon, 408904], [Itchy, 518399]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Adeleine, 517429]]
name: Pressure Stall
move 1: Substitute
move 2: Protect
move 3: Thunderbolt
move 4: Toxic
item: Leftovers
ability: Pressure
nature: Timid
evs: 192 HP / 64 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=============
Substitute + Protect in combination with Raikou's ability, Pressure, allows it to PP stall Pokemon such as Choice-item variants of Rhyperior, Jellicent, and Arcanine. Toxic allows Raikou to more easily beat non-Rest Cresselia. Raikou should always be shiny so the opponent can't be sure it's not an Aura Sphere special attacker variant.
EVs
=============
Raikou should have maximum Speed EVs and a Timid nature to outspeed Choice Scarf Jellicent. It should also have 192 HP EVs to optimize its Substitute stalling.
Usage Tips
=============
Unless Raikou can 2HKO with Thunderbolt, it should always use its Substitute + Protect strategy to PP stall its foe. Against Snorlax, Raikou should always use Substitute on the first turn to play around Belly Drum + Custap Berry sets that lack Return. Raikou should always attempt to scout Trick from Pokemon like Cresselia and Porygon-Z by using Protect. It should then use Toxic or Thunderbolt, respectively, to give itself the best chance of winning these matchups.
[SET]
name: Choice Specs
move 1: Thunderbolt
move 2: Shadow Ball
move 3: Signal Beam
move 4: Hidden Power Grass / Hidden Power Fire
item: Choice Specs
ability: Pressure
nature: Timid
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=============
Thunderbolt is Raikou's best STAB move and should be used against both Tornadus formes, Keldeo, and Jellicent. Shadow Ball should be used against Choice Scarf Cresselia and offensive Latias sets. Signal Beam lets Raikou be a reliable Serperior answer. Hidden Power Grass can be used to OHKO Swampert and Choice Band Rhyperior, while Hidden Power Fire gives Raikou a better matchup against some Genesect sets. Raikou should always be shiny so the opponent can't be sure if it lacks Aura Sphere.
EVs
=============
Raikou should use maximum Speed EVs to Speed tie Jellicent with the 30 Speed IVs forced by Hidden Power Fire.
Usage Tips
=============
Raikou should almost always use the move that does the most damage to its foe. The only exception is when a Pokemon is expected to use Endure + Custap Berry. In this situation, it is better to click a weaker move if the weaker move can still 2HKO but is less likely to activate Custap Berry.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Choice Specs Raikou can also run Hidden Power Rock in its last moveslot, which lets it have a better matchup against Volcarona sets without the common Charti Berry. If a Charti Berry Volcarona does not have any Speed EVs, Hidden Power Rock Raikou will still win. Raikou can run Aura Sphere to defeat Tyranitar, which forces it to have a Rash nature. However, due to Rash Raikou being OHKOed by Water Gem- or Choice Specs-boosted Hydro Pump from Keldeo, Aura Sphere is very often not worth using.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[[Lumii, 493772]]]
- Quality checked by: [[neomon, 408904], [Itchy, 518399]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Adeleine, 517429]]
Last edited by a moderator: