[Overview]
Rayquaza is one of the most devastating wallbreakers in Ubers, sporting huge offenses and high Base Power moves. Its potential to run Choice Band, a mixed set, or even a boosting set makes it nigh impossible to safely switch into without risking the loss of a Pokemon. Access to Extreme Speed further limits offensive counterplay. Sadly, Rayquaza suffers from four-moveslot syndrome when choosing coverage. Its subpar defensive typing leaves it weak to Stealth Rock and makes it hard to switch in, as any chip damage it takes racks up rather quickly. Rayquaza is also susceptible to common revenge killers such as Calyrex-S, Eternatus, and Marshadow.
[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: Dragon Ascent
move 2: V-create
move 3: Extreme Speed
move 4: Earthquake / Dragon Claw / Scale Shot
item: Choice Band
ability: Air Lock
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
When equipped with a Choice Band, Rayquaza turns into one of the strongest physical attackers in the metagame. V-create gives Rayquaza almost perfect coverage, OHKOing Necrozma-DM, which resists Dragon Ascent. Extreme Speed is a valuable tool to pick off weakened foes and lessens the number of foes that can revenge kill Rayquaza. Earthquake provides similar coverage to V-create whilst not dropping Rayquaza's stats. Dragon Claw is an option to KO Eternatus and has a favorable roll to OHKO offensive Zygarde before Power Construct activates. Scale Shot gives Rayquaza a shot at muscling through defensive Lunala and boosts Rayquaza's Speed, making it harder to revenge kill for foes such as Calyrex-S and Eternatus.
Choice Band Rayquaza fits best on offensive builds to pave the way for threatening sweepers, especially physical ones like Dragon Dance Necrozma-DM, Swords Dance Groudon, and Choice Band Marshadow, to take over the match. Pivots such as U-turn Yveltal and Galarian Darmanitan can help bring Rayquaza in safely. Geomancy Xerneas is a fantastic partner because Rayquaza can pressure Necrozma-DM, its biggest counter, with V-create or Earthquake. In return, Xerneas can check Eternatus lacking Sludge Bomb, as well as other Dragon-types that threaten Rayquaza. Choice Scarf Xerneas similarly appreciates Rayquaza's presence while also outspeeding Marshadow, Calyrex-S, and Eternatus, all of which offensively check Rayquaza.
[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Dragon Ascent
move 2: V-create / Earthquake
move 3: Scale Shot / Extreme Speed
move 4: Swords Dance
item: Focus Sash / Haban Berry
ability: Air Lock
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Swords Dance further boosts Rayquaza's tremendous wallbreaking capabilities. V-create provides almost perfect coverage alongside Dragon Ascent, 2HKOing Necrozma-DM and OHKOing Ferrothorn unboosted. Earthquake is an alternative that doesn't drop Rayquaza's stats while also hitting Zekrom super effectively. Scale Shot's Speed boosting complements Swords Dance well, helping Rayquaza outspeed revenge killers such as Marshadow and Choice Specs Calyrex-S while also KOing Eternatus with three hits at +2. Extreme Speed can be run instead to turn Rayquaza into a terrifying revenge killer. Focus Sash allows it to survive a hit from Pokemon such as Eternatus and Calyrex-S and thus guarantee a boost or KO. A Haban Berry can be run instead to survive a hit from Zekrom and Eternatus and OHKO them back.
Sticky Web support from Shuckle and Slurpuff is appreciated so that common foes, such as Eternatus and Calyrex-S, can't outspeed Rayquaza and OHKO it. Defog Yveltal and Ho-Oh help keep Rayquaza's Focus Sash intact. Additionally, they both check Calyrex-S and Marshadow, two foes that can revenge kill Rayquaza with relative ease. Rayquaza also pairs well with Geomancy Xerneas, helping overwhelm Necrozma-DM, which is Xerneas's biggest roadblock. In return, Xerneas can check the plethora of Dragon-types that threaten Rayquaza, such as Zekrom and Eternatus, as well as Marshadow.
[SET]
name: MixQuaza
move 1: Dragon Ascent
move 2: Draco Meteor
move 3: Extreme Speed
move 4: V-create / Earthquake
item: Life Orb
ability: Air Lock
nature: Naive
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Draco Meteor nails the physical walls that tend to switch into Rayquaza, such as Groudon and Zygarde, OHKOing the latter. Extreme Speed picks off weakened foes such as Galarian Darmanitan and Weavile. V-create has nearly perfect coverage with Dragon Ascent and allows Rayquaza to KO Necrozma-DM after it's taken a Dragon Ascent. Earthquake provides similar coverage and 2HKOes Necrozma-DM without dropping Rayquaza's stats, but it is significantly weaker against neutral foes.
Choice Scarf users such as Xerneas and Kyogre can help with Marshadow, Calyrex-S, and Eternatus, all of which offensively pressure Rayquaza. Defog Yveltal and Ho-Oh are important, as Rayquaza's weakness to Stealth Rock, compounded with Life Orb recoil, means it gets worn down easily. Strong physical wallbreakers such as Marshadow and Urshifu-S appreciate Rayquaza wearing down their shared checks in Groudon, Zygarde-C, and Xerneas. Necrozma-DM can check Xerneas, which forces Rayquaza out, and provides a ton of support with Thunder Wave, Knock Off, and Stealth Rock.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
====
Lum Berry may seem appealing to negate a status move, allowing Rayquaza to freely set up in front of a passive Pokemon like Blissey or Tangrowth and safely use Outrage; however, the extra damage from Life Orb is always a better option. A set using Dragon Dance can boost Attack and Speed without spending two turns on Swords Dance and Scale Shot, but Swords Dance still generally makes better use of Rayquaza's rare setup opportunities. The mixed set can utilize Heavy-Duty Boots to mitigate Rayquaza's weakness to Stealth Rock, but Life Orb's damage boost is usually preferred.
Checks and Counters
====
**Bulky Foes**: Lunala, Lugia, Xerneas, and Groudon can take Rayquaza's physical attacks and threaten to KO it back. Groudon must be wary of the mixed set, however.
**Priority Users**: Rayquaza's Life Orb chip damage, alongside Dragon Ascent and V-create's Defense drops, make Marshadow's Shadow Sneak and Yveltal's Sucker Punch extremely threatening. However, they cannot KO Rayquaza from full health without multiple Defense drops.
**Faster Pokemon**: Marshadow, Eternatus, Mewtwo, and Choice Scarf Calyrex-S and Xerneas can outspeed Rayquaza and revenge kill it effortlessly, as Extreme Speed fails to KO them from full health. Galarian Darmanitan performs similarly but rarely falls to a +2 Extreme Speed from full health. None of them can switch in safely, however.
**Chip Damage**: Rayquaza's weakness to Stealth Rock, combined with Life Orb recoil, puts it on a timer and makes it much easier to revenge kill.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Lasen, 273339]]
- Quality checked by: [[Manaphy, 50695], [Aberforth, 249382]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Finland, 517429], [dex, 277988]]
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