Rayquaza Movesets & Competitive Sets

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.

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.

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.

Moves Dragon Ascent is Rayquaza's primary STAB attack, as it is able to 2HKO most Pokemon that do not resist Flying. V-create is a powerful coverage move that hits Steel-types such as Magearna and Necrozma-DM super effectively. Draco Meteor OHKOes Zygarde before Power Construct, Ultra Necrozma, and Giratina-O after Stealth Rock while hitting defensive Yveltal for more damage than Dragon Ascent would. Toxic can chip away at switch-ins that do not get 2HKOed by Dragon Ascent or V-create, such as defensive Arceus-Fairy and Lugia. Defog is an option in case the team needs entry hazard removal and is especially useful against Sticky Web teams. Set Details Choice Scarf Rayquaza is a revenge killer that can still 2HKO support Arceus formes while being able to cleanly revenge kill Ultra Necrozma with Draco Meteor, setting it apart from Choice Scarf Ho-Oh and Yveltal. Maximum Attack investment along with a Naughty nature maximizes Rayquaza's Attack, allowing it to 2HKO maximum HP Arceus formes. Maximum Speed investment with a Choice Scarf ensures that Rayquaza outspeeds most of the unboosted metagame as well as +1 Zygarde-C after a Dragon Dance. A Naughty nature is chosen to ensure less damage from Marshadow's Shadow Sneak and Yveltal's Sucker Punch. A Lonely nature may be desired if Rayquaza would like to take less damage from support Arceus formes as well as Primal Groudon's Overheat. Usage Tips Choice Scarf Rayquaza should be brought in primarily for revenge killing threats such as Mega Gengar and Primal Kyogre, as it is quite frail. Be sure to keep Rayquaza healthy throughout the game if it is needed for threats such as Ultra Necrozma and Marshadow. However, if Rayquaza is not needed to check key threats, it can be used aggressively to heavily dent powerful opposing Pokemon such as Primal Groudon and Primal Kyogre. Even against bulkier playstyles, Rayquaza can slowly wear down checks such as Lunala and defensive Arceus-Ground with the use of Toxic. Rayquaza can be utilized late-game as a cleaner against faster offensive teams once Flying-type switch-ins are removed. Try to avoid letting Rayquaza get crippled with status or take too much residual Stealth Rock damage if it is needed to check priority users such as Marshadow. Team Options In general, Choice Scarf Rayquaza belongs on bulky offense teams that appreciate its powerful speed control capabilities. Choice Scarf Rayquaza appreciates Defog support from teammates such as Giratina-O, Arceus-Ground, and Arceus-Water. Mega Gengar can trap and eliminate many of Rayquaza's checks such as Arceus-Fairy and defensive Xerneas, while Rayquaza pressures many threats that force Mega Gengar out, such as Ho-Oh and Primal Kyogre. Stealth Rock support from the likes of Primal Groudon and specially defensive Necrozma-DM can help Rayquaza achieve more consistent 2HKOs. Yveltal and Lunala pressure many of the same threats that Rayquaza does, such as Primal Groudon and Lugia, allowing Rayquaza to break them down more easily. Zygarde-C can wall out many physical threats that Rayquaza struggles to beat once locked into a move, including Necrozma-DM and Ho-Oh.

Moves Dragon Dance boosts Rayquaza's Attack and Speed, giving it the power to sweep while making it more difficult to revenge kill. Dragon Ascent is Rayquaza's STAB attack and hits all of Ubers bar Rock- and Steel-types for neutral damage. Earthquake is one of Rayquaza's tools to deal with Primal Groudon as well as Rock- and Steel-types, common hindrances to a Dragon Dance sweep. Extreme Speed is very useful, picking off weakened Pokemon on offensive teams and giving this set more utility if it can't acquire a boost against them. Draco Meteor may not seem like the most sensible move to fit on a Dragon Dance set, but it gives Rayquaza a handy tool that allows it to easily handle foes that it cannot take on otherwise without using Supersonic Strike. The move will easily dispose of Mega Salamence and an untransformed Zygarde, and combined with Dragon Ascent and Stealth Rock damage, it can swiftly remove Giratina as well. V-create can surprise Celesteela after it has been lured in and muscle through Necrozma-DM, but the Speed drop is very detrimental and can force Rayquaza out, stopping a sweep early. Set Details Maximum Attack and Speed investment along with an Adamant nature best utilizes Rayquaza's offensive capabilities and decent Speed tier. A Jolly nature allows Rayquaza to outspeed neutral-natured Xerneas and Yveltal, Speed tie with Tapu Lele, and outspeed Naive Deoxys-A after a Dragon Dance, but keep in mind that Rayquaza's initial power is noticeably reduced. Flyinium Z converts Dragon Ascent to an astonishingly powerful Supersonic Skystrike, which, when boosted, overwhelms Rayquaza's traditional checks such as support Arceus formes, Primal Groudon, and Lugia. Defensive Zygarde gets OHKOed after a small amount of residual damage if it hasn't activated Power Construct, and Steel-types such as Celesteela and Necrozma-DM lose at least half their HP if they try to take the hit for teammates. Life Orb gives Rayquaza more initial power without having to rely on Dragon Dance, but the residual damage along with Dragon Ascent's stat drops can make it progressively harder for Rayquaza to stay in or set up and prevents it from circumventing its checks with Supersonic Skystrike. Focus Sash gives Rayquaza more use as a revenge killer, since Dragon Ascent and Extreme Speed with an Adamant nature can usually 2HKO most offensive threats, and setting up is then easier, but the loss of power without either Flyinium Z or Life Orb forces Rayquaza to run an Adamant nature and puts more strain on its team's entry hazard removers. Usage Tips While Rayquaza is a powerful threat in Ubers, it is also frail and not speedy enough to compete with more prominent offensive threats. The best way to bring Rayquaza into the battle is during situations where it can come in safely, such as double switches, a teammate fainting, and the occasional U-turn support. This puts Rayquaza in a good position because it can force many defensive threats out, giving it a chance to dent a foe or get a Dragon Dance boost. Double switches in particular are prime opportunities for Rayquaza to set up a Dragon Dance, as Rayquaza is more likely to be matched up against Pokemon it can normally force out such as Ho-Oh and Mega Sableye without having to take damage or be hit with a status effect. If holding Life Orb, Rayquaza can mimic the mixed wallbreaker set quite effectively, so not revealing Dragon Dance until later in the game can prove quite helpful in deceiving your opponent. However, non-Flyinium Z variants of Rayquaza can only sweep safely if most of their checks are weakened, since +1 Dragon Ascent can't cleanly OHKO checks such as support Arceus formes, Celesteela, Mega Salamence, and regular Zygarde, and these Pokemon can cripple or KO Rayquaza in return. Dragon Dance can function differently for Rayquaza depending on the team it is on and the team it is facing. Usually, while this Rayquaza set can sweep, it is paired up with other sweepers such as Geomancy Xerneas, Rock Polish Primal Groudon, and Swords Dance Necrozma-DM, so Dragon Dance can be used to help Rayquaza smash through checks to these Pokemon. When fighting less bulky teams, Rayquaza can use Dragon Dance to sweep, but it is otherwise best used to smash through common defensive Pokemon. Team Options Offensive sweepers such as Geomancy Xerneas, Mega Lucario, Mega Salamence, Rock Polish Primal Groudon, and Swords Dance Necrozma-DM appreciate Rayquaza's ability to severely damage or threaten traditional defensive threats in Ubers. Entry hazard setters such as Excadrill, Arceus-Fairy, Primal Groudon, and Necrozma-DM can help Rayquaza sweep or deal with its checks thanks to extra residual damage. Entry hazard removers such as Excadrill, Cloyster, and support Arceus formes like Arceus-Ground are paramount to keeping Stealth Rock away from Rayquaza to improve its longevity, especially if it is running Life Orb. Excadrill and Arceus-Ground are also able to ward off Tyranitar and Arceus-Rock, common switch-ins to Dragon Ascent and Supersonic Skystrike. Choice Scarf Xerneas can potentially clean up after Rayquaza wallbreaks or deal with slightly faster Pokemon such as Yveltal. It can also run Defog to remove Stealth Rock so Rayquaza is less likely to be revenge killed. Gothitelle can remove almost every support Arceus forme that threatens Rayquaza and can also trap other checks to Rayquaza such as Zygarde-C and Lugia. Yveltal can provide U-turn or Defog support, dents Steel-types that can take Earthquake such as Ferrothorn, Skarmory, and Celesteela, and appreciates Rayquaza being able to handle Magearna effectively. Marshadow does well against Ghost-type revenge killers such as Lunala and Mega Gengar.

Moves Draco Meteor specifically circumvents many soft checks to Rayquaza such as Zygarde-C, Mega Salamence, and Giratina-O while hitting support Arceus formes on their weaker Special Defense stat, damaging them without getting the Defense drops from Dragon Ascent. Dragon Ascent is extremely powerful, 2HKOing most of the tier after Stealth Rock damage thanks to Life Orb, most notably including support Arceus formes, Primal Groudon, and Primal Kyogre. V-create obliterates every Steel-type check to Rayquaza other than Dialga, particularly dealing with Celesteela and OHKOing all but the bulkiest variants of Necrozma-DM. Earthquake gives Rayquaza a safer damage option for Primal Groudon and Rock-types such as Tyranitar and Arceus-Rock, but it lacks the ability to break through Steel-types like Celesteela effectively. Extreme Speed gives Rayquaza freedom to act outside of being a wallbreaker, bestowing utility against offense by revenge killing weakened threats such as Xerneas and Deoxys-A. Set Details Maximum Attack investment increases Rayquaza's overall power; Draco Meteor with Life Orb is powerful enough to not need any Special Attack investment. A Naive nature and maximum Speed investment let Rayquaza Speed tie with Tapu Lele and outspeed neutral-natured Xerneas, Yveltal, and Lunala. Life Orb is important to this set, as it gives Rayquaza an immediate power boost for wallbreaking at the cost of residual damage. Usage Tips This set is primarily about Rayquaza's wallbreaking prowess rather than its sweeping capabilities, so focus more on breaking the opponent's defensive cores. Double switching, U-turn, and coming in on resisted or ineffective attacks or after a Pokemon faints are the best ways to bring in Rayquaza. Many of the Pokemon that Rayquaza can switch into are defensive by nature, but be cautious of status-inflicting moves such as Sacred Fire, Toxic, and a stray Glare or Thunder Wave, since they are common on these Pokemon and can reduce either Rayquaza's effectiveness or staying power. This Rayquaza set plays similarly to hit-and-run Pokemon such as Deoxys-A, so play aggressively when Rayquaza is out against bulky offense or defensive teams, as it hits hard and any of the detrimental effects of Dragon Ascent, V-create, and Life Orb are less prevalent because Rayquaza won't stay in for long periods of time due to its frailty. Keep Rayquaza healthy against offense, since Extreme Speed can be a game changer, especially if opposing sweepers are greatly weakened. Team Options Rayquaza appreciates Stealth Rock support, which brings many of its wallbreaking targets such as support Arceus formes and Primal Groudon into 2HKO range of Dragon Ascent. Primal Groudon and Necrozma-DM are great Stealth Rock users that can wear down or cripple Rayquaza's traditional switch-ins such as Rock-types while countering Fairy-types. Excadrill can set Stealth Rock while providing entry hazard removal with Rapid Spin, but it can be a bit harder to fit into a team compared to the previous two. Sweepers and other offensive threats thrive when paired with Rayquaza's wallbreaking abilities. Xerneas benefits greatly from Rayquaza deterring or smashing through Steel-types and Primal Groudon, making Geomancy sets sweep easier. Choice Scarf Xerneas also synergizes well with Rayquaza, as it can remove status with Aromatherapy or remove entry hazards with Defog. Mega Salamence also appreciates Steel-types being weakened or removed, and this can reduce the need for Earthquake on Salamence, giving more opportunities to run utility moves such as Facade and even Defog. Mega Gengar can trap and remove Lugia and some support Arceus formes, allowing Rayquaza to break down the rest of the team's bulkier threats for other sweepers or Mega Gengar itself. Yveltal can provide U-turn or Defog support for Rayquaza and threatens common Psychic- and Ghost-type revenge killers such as Mega Mewtwo Y, Marshadow, Lunala, and Mega Gengar. Rayquaza and Yveltal together compound a weakness to Fairy-types and Stealth Rock, but many defensive teams can find it difficult to combat both without a Fairy-type such as Arceus-Fairy or Xerneas. Marshadow can prevent many revenge killers, and primarily Mega Gengar, from dealing with Rayquaza thanks to Shadow Sneak. Other miscellaneous sweepers such as Swords Dance Arceus, Mega Blaziken, Mega Lucario, and Ultra Necrozma are great offensive partners for Rayquaza, as their high Speed stats can benefit from Rayquaza pressuring common defensive Pokemon such as Giratina-O, Celesteela, and Zygarde-C.

Moves Dragon Ascent backed by a Choice Band puts out ridiculous damage, being able to outright OHKO Pokemon such as Primal Kyogre, Latias, Yveltal, Ho-Oh, and Mega Salamence after Stealth Rock damage. Not even Pokemon that resist it are safe, as Tyranitar and Mega Diancie are 2HKOed with little prior damage. The biggest reason to use Choice Band Dragon Ascent is the ability to 2HKO support Arceus formes without the need for boosting moves, Draco Meteor, or an Adamant nature to do so. Earthquake is best used on predicted switch-ins, as it is able to OHKO Mega Diancie, as well as Tyranitar and Arceus-Rock after Stealth Rock damage. Arceus-Rock needs a little prior damage on it to secure the Earthquake OHKO, however. No Ubers-viable Steel-type is able to take a Choice Band V-create and live, with Dialga being the sole exception. Extreme Speed's power also receives a nice boost, widening the range that Rayquaza is able to revenge kill weakened threats from. Set Details Maximum Attack and Speed investment is standard, giving Rayquaza the tools to put out maximum damage and outspeed most support Arceus formes. A huge draw to using this set is that it is the set that can most comfortably get away with using a Jolly nature without sacrificing power. This gives Rayquaza the ability to outspeed standard support Arceus and therefore 2HKO them on the switch, nullifying them as checks. The Speed boost also comes in useful against Excadrill and offensive Yveltal sets and ensures that Rayquaza will outspeed even the fastest of Ho-Oh and Primal Groudon sets before any boosts. An Adamant nature is an option and comes with some extra perks; Dragon Ascent now has a good chance to 2HKO Zekrom, Tyranitar, and Mega Diancie after Stealth Rock damage as well as a 50% chance to outright OHKO Extreme Killer Arceus after Stealth Rock and a near 70% chance to OHKO Geomancy Xerneas after entry hazard damage. Earthquake will also now have a 25% chance to OHKO Arceus-Rock after Stealth Rock damage, and Extreme Speed's power now matches that of Jolly Life Orb Extreme Killer Arceus. The major downside is being unable to outspeed standard Lugia and support Arceus, but if you fear an opponent will invest more Speed into them to outspeed Jolly Rayquaza, it may be worth considering. Usage Tips Choice Band Rayquaza is best used as an early- or mid game wallbreaker, luring in and eliminating typical physical walls such as Arceus-Water and Lugia. This can pave the way for teammates to sweep later in the match. Generally, burns and paralysis turn this set into dead weight, especially if Pokemon such as Arceus-Water and Lugia are still around. Sometimes it can be worth it, however, such as taking a Thunder Wave in exchange for taking out a Klefki. This can open doors for teammates such as Geomancy Xerneas to freely set up or for Latios to start its own wallbreaking. Size up the situations and make sure any sacrifices are worth it. Keeping up entry hazards can make Rayquaza's life easier. Aggressive double switches where appropriate and punishing any attempts to remove entry hazards from their side is key to victory with this set. As this set is using a Choice item, ensure that you are making the right moves. Using anything other than Dragon Ascent or mispredicting a switch can cause massive losses in momentum if you get it wrong. Team Options Typical Rayquaza partners such as Mega Salamence, Mega Diancie, Ho-Oh, and Arceus-Ground all fit well here. Entry hazard setters are always good, with Stealth Rock ensuring many 2HKOs and OHKOs against various Pokemon; Deoxys, Dialga, and Primal Groudon are good setters. Darkrai is an optional teammate, as it is able to deal with a large majority of entry hazard removers. Arceus-Ghost and Giratina-O provide effective switch-ins to most forms of priority. Rock Polish Primal Groudon in particular is an effective teammate, as it loves how easily Rayquaza can break down physical walls that may stop a late-game sweep.

Moves Rayquaza can take the route of a late-game cleaner and improve its matchup against offensive teams thanks to Dragon Dance. The Speed boost can come in useful against faster targets such as Darkrai, Mega Gengar, Mewtwo, and importantly Arceus-Rock, a Pokemon that any other Rayquaza set has trouble with. Dragon Ascent at +1 outclasses the power of Choice Band Rayquaza due to the Life Orb boosts, OHKOing threats such as Extreme Killer Arceus and Xerneas, even without entry hazard damage. Extreme Speed retains revenge killing utility in cases where setting up a Dragon Dance against a threat is not possible; however, it can also prove useful even at +1 Speed, as it allows Rayquaza to hit revenge killers such as Deoxys-A and Extreme Killer Arceus with its own Extreme Speed first. Earthquake is preferred over V-create on this set due to V-create's Speed drop acting counterproductive to a Dragon Dance set. Ideally, checks hit only by V-create such as Skarmory and Bronzong should be removed or sufficiently weakened before Rayquaza comes in. Waterfall is an alternative option and must be used alongside a Charti Berry for the best results. This combination gives Rayquaza some defensive utility for a team, allowing it to check threatening Ground-type sweepers such as Arceus-Ground, Excadrill, and Rock Polish Primal Groudon. Air Lock allows Rayquaza to hit Primal Groudon with Waterfall by negating Desolate Land. Dragon Ascent hits Arceus-Ground and other Pokemon only 2x weak to Water harder than Waterfall, however. Charti Berry Rayquaza has a large lack of power compared to any other set, and as a result, it will not be as great of a sweeper as usual. Set Details Maximum Attack and Speed EVs are standard, while Life Orb adds maximum damage behind Rayquaza's attacks. Charti Berry should only be considered on teams that find themselves very weak to Ground-type Pokemon or would enjoy extra insurance against them. Jolly nature is preferred due to the ability to outspeed common support Arceus without a Dragon Dance boost, whereas Adamant is an option if extra power is wanted. An Adamant Life Orb-boosted Dragon Ascent can 2HKO standard Arceus-Water, for example. Charti Berry sets absolutely need Adamant to avoid being too weak, and be aware that using an Adamant nature leaves Rayquaza slower than Deoxys-A and Mega Aerodactyl at +1 Speed and is also likely to be slower than support Arceus and Lugia before boosts. 29 HP IVs minimize Life Orb recoil. Usage Tips Dragon Dance Rayquaza can be used as an early- to mid game wallbreaker until a team is sufficiently weakened enough to clean up with Dragon Dance later on. Extreme Speed can take care of weakened threats to Rayquaza's team at any stage of the match. Be aware that healthy walls such as Arceus-Water and Lugia are able to survive even boosted Dragon Ascents and KO Rayquaza, hence why this set is best at cleaning up once its checks are sufficiently weakened. Intimidate users such as bulky Salamence and Choice Scarf Landorus-T are also able to mess with Rayquaza and should be avoided until they are sufficiently weakened. An unboosted Jolly Rayquaza can prove to be weaker than expected. Pokemon such as support Primal Groudon and support Arceus formes are able to survive two Dragon Ascents if they have to. Add this to the difficulty of setting up Dragon Dance without being punished in the first place, and you find that this set ends up being better at softening up the enemy team for other teammates to sweep, rather than sweeping itself. Bear in mind that the Rock Polish Primal Groudon sets that Charti Berry Rayquaza is intended to check could be running Dragon Claw or Dragon Pulse, either of which will OHKO Rayquaza after Stealth Rock damage. Ideal setup targets for this set are almost nonexistent, but forcing switches is always a way to get a Dragon Dance boost. Team Options Shadow Tag users such as Mega Gengar are especially good partners for this set, as Dragon Dance Rayquaza cannot break Arceus-Water and Lugia as well as other Rayquaza sets. Primal Groudon is a great option for setting up Stealth Rock and can also run Fire-type coverage such as Lava Plume and Fire Punch to help Rayquaza against Skarmory and Bronzong. Klefki can spread paralysis and set Spikes to help Rayquaza against Pokemon such as Latios, Latias, and support Arceus formes. Charti Berry Rayquaza appreciates Stealth Rock removal, as Rock Polish Primal Groudon can work around the Charti Berry with Dragon-type coverage, able to OHKO Rayquaza after Stealth Rock damage. Entry hazard removal can come from Defog users such as Latios, Rapid Spin users such as Excadrill, or Magic Bounce users such as Mega Diancie.

Moves Swords Dance really amplifies Rayquaza's already strong wallbreaking abilities. A +2 Dragon Ascent has a 75% chance to outright OHKO standard support Arceus-Water after Stealth Rock damage, for example. Swords Dance combined with Extreme Speed also prevents Rayquaza from being revenge killed by faster frail Pokemon, as Darkrai, Shaymin-S, and Mega Mewtwo Y are all likely to be OHKOed by a +2 Extreme Speed. V-create is preferred over Earthquake here, as a Speed drop is not necessarily a worry thanks to the stronger Extreme Speeds. Earthquake can be used to hit Tyranitar and Mega Diancie while retaining coverage against most Steel-types, but Rayquaza then struggles more against Skarmory and Bronzong. Set Details Maximum Attack and Speed combined with a Life Orb offer the best wallbreaking potential, and a Jolly nature is preferred to outspeed support Arceus formes. 29 HP IVs minimize Life Orb recoil. Usage Tips Swords Dance Rayquaza is a true terror to stall teams as well as balance teams that lack Pokemon that outspeed it and can also survive a +2 Extreme Speed, such as Latias. Nothing on common stall teams can take on a Swords Dance-boosted Rayquaza, with Multiscale Lugia being the only exception. Accordingly, avoid taking on Lugia if Multiscale is still intact. Setting up a Swords Dance can prove to be tricky, as many defensive Pokemon all have ways to punish foes attempting to set up on them, with status moves being the most common option. The ideal scenario is to force a Pokemon to Recover or Rest or even predict the setup of entry hazards to set up a Swords Dance. Taking a Toxic as Rayquaza uses Swords Dance is still a win for Rayquaza, however, as it can now punch holes in the enemy team until it goes down, leaving room for another teammate to get going. A common tactic for stall teams is to switch around into Pokemon that resist Rayquaza's predicted move or use moves such as Protect and Fake Out to stall long enough for Toxic damage to KO Rayquaza, so be aware of this strategy. Thunder Wave should be avoided, however, as now some stall Pokemon such as Arceus-Water can revenge kill Rayquaza if they get in safely, which should only happen if something else is sacrificed. This set has more of an issue with offensive teams, as setting up a Swords Dance can prove very difficult, and even if that happens, the reliance on Extreme Speed can prove to be Rayquaza's downfall. Both Dragon Ascent and V-create come with annoying stat drops that can make revenge killing Rayquaza much easier. Switching out of incoming revenge killers is the best play if the stat drops become an issue. Team Options Both offensive teams and balanced teams alike appreciate the insane wallbreaking potential of Swords Dance Rayquaza. A core of Mega Diancie and Ho-Oh can work very well, with Mega Diancie able to keep Mega Sableye and Lugia in check, as well as keep entry hazards away thanks to Magic Bounce. Ho-Oh doubles down on the physical pressure alongside Rayquaza, and teams can be very hard pressed to keep both of them down over the course of a match. Primal Groudon can also be used as a Stealth Rock setter, giving Rayquaza the means to secure vital OHKOs on support Arceus formes and Lugia, and can also add extra wallbreaking power if necessary by using Swords Dance itself. Other Stealth Rock setters such as Dialga can also be used in situations that call for a more offensive Primal Groudon set. Klefki can annoy Lugia, use Thunder Wave to paralyze faster Pokemon that may check Rayquaza, and set Spikes to punish the switches that this set is bound to force. Adding more physical threats such as Mega Salamence and Arceus-Ground is an option, as they can overload each other's checks as the match goes on. Other typical offensive Pokemon such as Xerneas, Extreme Killer Arceus, Darkrai, and Mega Gengar can also make effective partners, as they work well against opposing offensive teams.

Moves MixQuaza returns better than ever due to the new addition of Dragon Ascent to its movepool. The strong combination of Dragon Ascent and Draco Meteor allows Rayquaza to 2HKO support Arceus formes and Primal Groudon, putting massive holes into the enemy team for another teammate to clean up later on. V-create eliminates Skarmory and most other Steel-types as checks while also hitting Dialga without worrying about Shuca Berry shenanigans. Earthquake is a secondary option if hitting Tyranitar, Mega Diancie, and Arceus-Rock is of more concern, but Arceus-Rock still wins against this set due to being faster, and Tyranitar commonly holds a Shuca Berry. Extreme Speed is a necessity to prevent weakened faster Pokemon picking up a free KO against Rayquaza and can also pick off weakened Arceus before they use Recover, as well as other threats. Set Details Maximum Attack puts maximum power behind Dragon Ascent, as this is the most spammable option on the set. It should be noted that without an Attack-boosting nature, Dragon Ascent will fall short of the 2HKO on support Arceus formes. A Naive nature with 216 Speed EVs allows Rayquaza to be faster than standard support Arceus sets. The remaining 40 EVs go into Special Attack to give a small boost to Draco Meteor and increase the chances of 2HKOing support Arceus with the combination of Draco Meteor and Dragon Ascent. Life Orb adds even more power to the set, but be wary of the recoil. Usage Tips MixQuaza is great for weakening walls and bulky Pokemon or just outright KOing them. When it comes to both Primal Pokemon, Primal Groudon can have a hard time with Rayquaza depending on the Groudon's set, but Primal Kyogre is a highly dangerous threat to switch into, as Ice Beam is more often than not the attack of choice for it. Keep Rayquaza around against offensive teams, as you will likely need it to finish off a highly dangerous threat such as Geomancy Xerneas, Darkrai, or Deoxys-A with Extreme Speed. MixQuaza does have longevity issues and as should thus be used in a fire-and-forget style of play, as almost all of the moves on this set come with nasty stat drops, potentially giving a turn of setup away to the opponent. Resistances to Fire and Water as well as a Ground-type immunity can give Rayquaza chances to switch in, but be very careful of status moves such as Thunder Wave or repeated hits, as Rayquaza is not very bulky and is dead weight if hit by paralysis. Draco Meteor and Dragon Ascent make a potent combination that is likely to take out any wall besides Multiscale Lugia. Fairy-types and Steel-types can be exceptions, but the coverage options on this set are capable of dealing with them. Be aware of faster support Arceus formes such as Arceus-Water or a fast Lugia; sometimes these Pokemon run more Speed than usual for the purposes of catching Rayquaza. Learn Rayquaza's damage against the full bulk spreads of these Pokemon to better predict a course of action, or risk losing Rayquaza to a fast wall. This particular set is a great anti-lead to Deoxys-S, as Draco Meteor plus Extreme Speed can keep it to one layer of entry hazards. If Rayquaza gets in safely, it can easily force switches. Predicting between Draco Meteor and Dragon Ascent is simple; when in doubt, click Dragon Ascent. Nearly all Pokemon that resist it are slower, leaving them susceptible to coverage options on the next turn. Team Options Entry hazard setters, specifically Spikes leads, can pair very well with this set. This is because Rayquaza can heavily pressure nearly all Defog or Rapid Spin users while also forcing switches to rack up entry hazard damage. Cloyster is a notable example of such—it can set either form of Spikes and anti-lead other setters by spinning their entry hazards away. A secondary Dragon-type actually works well with Rayquaza; something like Latios can hit bulky Arceus formes too, as well as deal with Arceus-Rock, something that MixQuaza loses to. Latios appreciates the damage Rayquaza can do against sand teams, while Rayquaza can also roll over the Steel-types that usually wall Latios. Mega Salamence can be a great partner, as it provides a secondary Primal Groudon check, and due to Rayquaza and Salamence sharing the same checks, Rayquaza breaking down a check can make it easier for Salamence to sweep later on. Refresh Salamence pairs best with MixQuaza, as Rayquaza's coverage can free up the Earthquake slot on Salamence for Refresh. Both of them give redundant defensive synergy together, however, and this combination should only be considered on hyper offensive teams as a result. Arceus-Ghost and Mega Gengar make great teammates, as Extreme Speed users such as Extreme Killer Arceus and Deoxys-A can threaten to revenge kill Rayquaza. Both of these Pokemon are also decent Extreme Killer Arceus checks. With Rayquaza able to take out common defensive walls in Arceus-Water, Giratina-O, and Lugia, just about anything that has trouble with them appreciates having Rayquaza as a partner. This can include Pokemon such as Mega Diancie, Rock Polish Primal Groudon, Arceus-Ground, and Ho-Oh, to name a few. Rayquaza's coverage options can limit synergy with teammates. For example, Earthquake Rayquaza is annoyed by Skarmory, while V-create Rayquaza isn't. This means that teammates such as Swords Dance Arceus would much rather have V-create Rayquaza as a partner.

Choice Band Rayquaza is an extremely powerful threat, reaching an enormous Attack stat of 657; with a Choice Band, Rayquaza is capable of 2HKOing the majority of the metagame. Although it might seem inferior to Choice Band Garchomp and Zekrom at first glance, with Garchomp having STAB on Earthquake, higher base Speed, and immunity to Thunder Wave and other Electric-type attacks, and Zekrom sporting an Electric STAB as well as Volt Switch to keep up the momentum, this is not the case. Rayquaza does have several key advantages over Garchomp, namely higher Attack, a priority move in Extreme Speed, and an immunity to Ground-type attacks; it also has a better movepool than Zekrom, as Zekrom lacks Extreme Speed and Earthquake. Rayquaza also has V-create to OHKO Ferrothorn, a Pokemon that gives Zekrom trouble. Choice Band Rayquaza lures in Pokemon such as Lugia and Groudon that are reliably 2HKOed by Outrage without hazards. However, thanks to the release of V-create, a move just as powerful as Rayquaza's Outrage, it is recommended to open the battle with it, as it has the same power of Outrage without being locked into it. To take into account just how powerful V-create is, it can 2HKO 4/0 Kyogre, one of Ubers bulkiest Pokemon. As such, make sure to scout out your opponent's team before locking Rayquaza into Outrage; otherwise, it's easy pickings for revenge killers. It is also hard for stall teams to beat Rayquaza, as immunity to Ground-type attacks, Toxic Spikes, and Spikes make it able to switch in and out a pretty easily. An Outrage from this set is so powerful it can 2HKO even defensive Groudon as well as Lugia after Stealth Rock damage. Earthquake and V-create are your best options to hit Steels, the former pairing nicely with Outrage to give Rayquaza the ability to hit everything neutrally barring Skarmory and Shedinja. The latter hits every Steel-type barring Heatran neutrally or super effectively, and is again just as powerful as Outrage. Extreme Speed gives Rayquaza strong priority for picking off faster Pokemon such as Darkrai and Mewtwo. Unlike Garchomp and Zekrom, Rayquaza's priority allows it to become a capable revenge killer as well as a powerful sweeper. Adamant gives Rayquaza the ability to 2HKO Lugia, Groudon, and other physical walls. However, this means Rayquaza doesn't outspeed positive-natured base 90s. Jolly loses the 2HKO on some Pokemon, but it does allow you to outpace base 90 Pokemon, and a generous application of entry hazards can help bridge the power gap. Choice Band Rayquaza enjoys Rapid Spin or Magic Bounce support to remove Stealth Rock so that way it can switch in and out without taking that residual damage. Skarmory, Deoxys-S, Forretress, and Groudon can all set up hazards reliably. Forretress and Deoxys-S can also prevent hazards with either Rapid Spin or a fast Taunt, respectively. Choice Band Rayquaza also enjoys Scizor and Jirachi support. Both are Steels that can absorb Dragon-type and Ice-type attacks as well as scout with U-turn, which is useful when trying to build up momentum against the opponent. Jirachi can even pass Wishes, which can be key as Rayquaza lacks recovery. Paralysis support is extremely recommended if using this set as a late-game sweeper, as it makes Rayquaza much more difficult to revenge kill and allows it to power through Lugia much more easily. Groudon, Dialga, Kyogre, and Jirachi are all sturdy Pokemon which can provide paralysis support for Rayquaza. Groudon in particular is a good choice as it can lay down Stealth Rock and lure in Lugia, making it that much easier to cripple it. Choice Specs Kyogre is also another great partner for Rayquaza. Kyogre's Choice Specs Thunder, Ice Beam, or Water Spout plus Rayquaza's Choice Banded Extreme Speed KOes standard Scarf Palkia. Rayquaza can in turn remove Ferrothorn, Ludicolo, and Gastrodon lacking Ice Beam. Choice Specs Water Spout, Surf, or Hydro Pump deals heavy damage to just about any Pokemon that doesn't resist it, and any Pokemon that does can be picked off by Rayquaza's Extreme Speed. Lastly, Wobbuffet gets rid of Choice Scarfed Dragon-types so Rayquaza can freely spam Outrage. Just like every other Rayquaza set, there are other options Rayquaza can use to achieve its goals. Fire Blast and Overheat are options, but they lack the power to OHKO specially defensive Skarmory. Forretress and Ferrothorn are different stories, though. Dragon Tail works on predicted switches, as well as working well alongside Spikes. However, there really isn't an attack that can be removed to make way for Dragon Tail other than Earthquake, which would otherwise leave it walled by Heatran. Choice Band Rayquaza works well on teams that have issues with rain stall or classic stall as it not only crushes all spinblockers but also breaks Ferrothorn, Giratina, and Lugia, all very common rain stall and classic stall Pokemon. Outrage also OHKOes uninvested Kyogre, which might switch in expecting a Dragon Dance or Swords Dance.

While Rayquaza is usually seen fixing its Speed troubles with Dragon Dance, there are times when Rayquaza would just like to have that speed right off the bat. Choice Scarf not only fixes this problem, but it turns Rayquaza into something that it fears the most: a revenge killer. This variant of Rayquaza prefers to be used on offensive teams as it keeps up offensive pressure. However, the difference between Choice Scarf Rayquaza and other common Choice Scarf users, such as Palkia and Terrakion, is that Rayquaza uses its ability, Air Lock, to revenge kill Pokemon that use weather to sweep, such as Kingdra and Excadrill. Rayquaza can also clean late game if Pokemon are weakened with a very powerful STAB Outrage. Again, Garchomp is a competitor for this role; however, Garchomp lacks V-create as well as the ability to outspeed Kingdra, Venusaur, and Excadrill. Salamence is also a competitor for the Choice Scarf role, due to Moxie granting it an Attack boost after every KO, but, like Garchomp, it lacks V-create and the ability to outspeed weather sweepers. Outrage is your mandatory Dragon-type STAB attack, and it's no wonder. Packing base 180 power after STAB is calculated, if a Pokemon doesn't resist it, it won't enjoy taking an Outrage. However, just like the Choice Band set, V-create is just as powerful as Outrage, and because it doesn't lock Rayquaza into an attack, it is often best to start the battle by firing off V-create. Draco Meteor is strong, doesn't lock Rayquaza into Outrage, has base 210 power after STAB, and keeps the potential to OHKO Pokemon such as Darkrai and Shaymin-S. Earthquake is there alongside V-create and Outrage to retain perfect coverage of the entire Uber metagame. However, if you find faster Choice Scarf users such as Palkia or priority users such as Arceus and other Rayquaza a problem, Extreme Speed is a viable option in the last slot. Thanks to Extreme Speed, Rayquaza can get the jump on weakened Pokemon such as Choice Scarf Palkia, Arceus, Rayquaza, and other Pokemon that use either priority or speed to take care of Rayquaza. The EV spread is as straightforward as this set, maximizing Attack and Speed so that Rayquaza hits as hard and as fast as possible, with the remaining 4 EVs invested into Special Attack and a Hasty or Naive to make sure Draco Meteor isn't holding Rayquaza back. Of course, an Attack-boosting nature can be used because Rayquaza is using a Choice Scarf, but then Rayquaza won't be able to outspeed Pokemon such as Deoxys-A and a Dragon Dance-boosted Jolly Rayquaza. Rayquaza enjoys Rapid Spin or Magic Bounce support to remove Stealth Rock so it can switch in and out without taking too much residual damage. Skarmory, Deoxys-S, Forretress, and Groudon can all set up hazards reliably; Forretress and Deoxys-S can also prevent hazards with either Rapid Spin or a fast Taunt, respectively.

Rayquaza's Dragon Dance set is a beast feared ever since its release in 2003, and it continues to strike terror in the heart of its opponents. After one Dragon Dance, Rayquaza's Attack skyrockets to 598 while its Speed rests at 475, outpacing every unboosted Pokemon in the metagame bar Deoxys-S. Outrage is Rayquaza's most powerful physical STAB attack, and alongside Earthquake, Rayquaza can hit nearly every single Pokemon in the tier for at least neutral damage. Overheat is used in the last slot to get rid of the Pokemon that would give Dragon Dance Rayquaza trouble otherwise: Ferrothorn, Forretress, and Skarmory. As Dragon Dance Rayquaza strives to be as fast and as powerful as possible, EVs are maxed out in both Attack and Speed with the remaining 4 EVs invested in Special Attack to give Overheat a little boost. As for alternative EV spreads, 40 HP / 252 Atk / 216 Spe can be used, as it outpaces +1 base 90 Pokemon after a single Dragon Dance. Because Jolly Rayquaza can't always OHKO Lugia with Outrage, Stone Edge can be used over Earthquake to give it just a little more edge in power. Since Choice Scarf Kyogre, Dialga, Zekrom, and Deoxys-A usually run Modest, Adamant, or Mild, an Adamant nature can be used to increase damage output, though it leaves Rayquaza prone to being revenge killed by positive-natured Choice Scarf users. Also, Rayquaza should always run Extreme Speed while using Adamant or any other Attack-boosting nature to beat Deoxys-A. An Adamant nature also allows Rayquaza to OHKO maximum HP Arceus (89.9% - 105.6%, guaranteed OHKO with SR). Rayquaza can use Haban Berry over Life Orb. With a Haban Berry, Rayquaza has an easier time getting an extra Dragon Dance on Choice Scarf Palkia, Salamence, and Hydreigon, three of Dragon Dance Rayquaza's common revenge killers. Lum Berry can also be used to avoid status such as Will-O-Wisp or Thunder Wave, which are detrimental to Rayquaza's sweep. While it might seem like an unorthodox option, White Herb can be used with V-create to avoid the aftereffects, making for a devastating attack that is not only boosted by Dragon Dance, but also helps if your opponent runs more than one Steel-type on their team. Be warned, as this only works once. Without White Herb, V-create is bad for Dragon Dance Rayquaza, as it takes away the Speed gained from Dragon Dance, as well as opening up Rayquaza to priority attacks, such as Extreme Killer Arceus's Extreme Speed. Like most other sweepers, Rayquaza prefers entry hazards to be set up. Stealth Rock is extremely useful, as it grants Rayquaza a chance to OHKO standard Lugia. Forretress and Deoxys-S can set up entry hazards with ease. Forretress deserves a special mention, as it has good synergy with Rayquaza, resisting Dragon- and Ice-type attacks, and can spin away enemy entry hazards. Paralysis support is also advised, as it makes Choice Scarf users such as Palkia unable to revenge kill Rayquaza. Lead Kyogre can fulfill this role well and also acts as a good Palkia lure. Substitute can also be used to beat Choice Scarf Palkia that switch in on Dragon Dance. Due to its frailty, Rayquaza is prone to revenge killing by Scarf users, such as Zekrom, Reshiram, Kyogre, and especially Pokemon such as Palkia, Salamence, and Hydreigon, all of which can outpace Rayquaza even at +1 Speed. As such, Wobbuffet is an excellent partner to Rayquaza, easily trapping and eliminating Scarf users. Wobbuffet can even use Encore and Safeguard to create an opening for Rayquaza to set up. Although Rayquaza is near unstoppable after a Dragon Dance, certain bulky walls can live an Outrage and KO Rayquaza in return. Defensive Groudon takes 59.4% - 70% from Jolly Life Orb Rayquaza's Outrage and can then use Stone Edge to do 63% - 74.1%, an OHKO factoring in Life Orb recoil and Stealth Rock damage. Bold Lugia with maximum Defense investment will always survive an Outrage even after factoring in Stealth Rock damage, taking 61.3% - 72.1%. Lugia can easily KO Rayquaza with Ice Beam, factoring in Stealth Rock damage. Most Kyogre variants make good teammates with Rayquaza due to their ability to check Support Groudon. Thanks to Air Lock, the rain which Kyogre brings does not gimp Overheat's power. It should be noted that Outrage is not a move to be used lightly. Even at +1 Attack, most Steel-types such as Arceus-Steel and Ferrothorn can live an Outrage and proceed to cripple it with Will-O-Wisp or Thunder Wave, set up Calm Minds or entry hazards, or just KO a weakened Rayquaza with Judgment and Gyro Ball, respectively. Scizor makes a good teammate with its STAB U-turn and nifty STAB Bullet Punch. Tickle Wobbuffet and Pursuit Scizor can easily eliminate any pesky Lugia, paving the way for Rayquaza to sweep. The infamous Double Dance strategy can be used with Salamence, thanks to Salamence being able to KO or severely weaken most of Rayquaza's checks, and vice versa, allowing for a cleaner sweep. To demonstrate the power of Dragon Dance Rayquaza, as well as how vital entry hazards are for Rayquaza's sweep, the below calculations will show how much damage Rayquaza does to the best physical walls in Ubers after a single Dragon Dance. All the calculations are assuming a Jolly nature and a Life Orb: Outrage vs. 252/176+ Lugia: 64.66 - 76.44% Outrage vs. 252/16 Lugia: 80.28 - 94.71% Outrage vs. 252/0 Arceus: 82.2 - 96.62% Outrage vs. 252/252+ Arceus: 61.26 - 72.07% Outrage vs. 252/252+ Groudon: 59.9 - 70.54% Outrage vs. 252/0 Dialga: 100.49 - 118.31% Outrage vs. 252/252+ Kyogre: 81.18 - 95.54% As you can see with the above calculations, with Stealth Rock and Spikes support, Rayquaza can get past even the bulkiest of Pokemon. As such, it is recommended that Rayquaza is used as a late game sweeper, as after residual damage and entry hazards, Rayquaza will be very difficult to stop.

Similar to Salamence's old set in DPP, this Rayquaza set utilizes a lot of surprise factor to eliminate its usual counters. Unlike the Mixed Attacker set, this Rayquaza is easily able to sweep on its own, even after using Draco Meteor. This is likely Rayquaza's most independent set, not relying on teammates to take care of its usual checks and counters. The idea when using this set is to Dragon Dance up as Groudon or another physical wall switches in and go straight for the OHKO with Draco Meteor. With this strategy, you can easily sweep with Rayquaza should the opponent lack another check to it. Most teams do not carry extra checks to Rayquaza as its usage has dropped significantly. Outrage is Rayquaza's physical move of choice. Even with few Attack EVs, Rayquaza's Outrage is still incredibly powerful, easily 2HKOing 252/0 Kyogre. Ho-Oh is also cleanly OHKOed after Stealth Rock by either Draco Meteor or Outrage. Even if Stealth Rock is not up, Rayquaza can still smash Ho-Oh with a +1 Outrage, something the standard Mixed Rayquaza cannot do. The choice of Fire Blast or Earthquake is entirely up to your team's needs. Fire Blast utilizes this set's focus on Special Attack EVs, and OHKOes Skarmory, Forretress, Ferrothorn, Metagross, and Scizor, the former two assuming that Sturdy is broken. Earthquake on the other hand is boosted by Dragon Dance and smashes Dialga, Jirachi, and Heatran. Unfortunately, Rayquaza cannot carry five moves, so pick the one that suits your team best. Most people tend to overlook Rayquaza's massive Special Attack stat, which allows it to easily bash through its usual counters. Draco Meteor will easily OHKO Support Groudon, while even Lugia takes a massive 57.2% - 67.8%, which will 2HKO with Stealth Rock damage. This not only gives Rayquaza a chance to sweep, but also paves the way for other physical sweepers to sweep with Groudon out of the way. Draco Meteor tears off 69.8% - 82.4% from Support Arceus, taking it out with Spikes and Stealth Rock support. Other Arceus can be taken out as well. A boosted Outrage will still OHKO Arceus with little prior damage, so choose carefully when deciding whether to boost up or just attack right away against Arceus. This set greatly enjoys entry hazards support, as it is the only way Rayquaza can break through Lugia. Forretress and Deoxys-S make fantastic partners for this reason, and Forretress can also spin away entry hazards. Swords Dance Arceus is also incredibly annoying, as Extreme Speed will tear a chunk out of Rayquaza's health. Packing a check to it, such as Terrakion, is important for this set to function at its best, although Draco Meteor will likely OHKO Offensive Arceus after just Stealth Rock alone. Scizor's Bullet Punch can also rain on Rayquaza's parade, but Fire Blast OHKOes Scizor 100% of the time, even at -2 Special Attack. The reason for using a Mild or Rash nature on this set is to OHKO Groudon 100% of the time after just Stealth Rock damage. Rayquaza sadly fails to do that with a Hasty or Naive nature. Groudon will likely switch in on Rayquaza early in the match, so this is your best opportunity to surprise the opponent and take it out. The Special Attack EVs are crucial for Rayquaza to OHKO Groudon and stand a chance of KOing Offensive Arceus after Stealth Rock damage. Attack EVs are just leftover EVs, so you can just max out Speed if you do not mind a slightly less powerful Outrage or Earthquake. The Speed EVs allow Rayquaza to outspeed everything up to a neutral nature Deoxys-A and neutral nature Choice Scarf Pokemon with base 90 Speed at +1. Darkrai is a great partner for this set to take out Lugia, while Rayquaza demolishes Ho-Oh and Groudon. Rayquaza can also OHKO potential Scarf Kyogre switch-ins with Draco Meteor. This set can just fire off powerful Draco Meteors right away instead of having to set up like the standard Dragon Dance set. The major drawback of using this set is that Timid Scarf Dialga, Kyogre, and Reshiram can outspeed this set even at +1 and KO you first.

Rayquaza is often seen boosting its Attack and Speed by Dragon Dance, but it is capable of utilizing Swords Dance to double its Attack. After a Swords Dance, Rayquaza reaches a ground-breaking 876 Attack. Although Rayquaza's meager base 95 Speed might seem rather underwhelming, fear not, for Rayquaza receives Extreme Speed, which allows it to bypass its low Speed and hit many foes first. After just one Swords Dance, Rayquaza can OHKO a significant part of the metagame with Extreme Speed, given Stealth Rock support. Darkrai is always OHKOed by a +2 Extreme Speed factoring in Stealth Rock damage, while offensive Mewtwo and Choice Scarf Palkia are also prone to being OHKOed with Stealth Rock. Although Swords Dance Rayquaza gets stiff competition from Swords Dance Arceus, which has more bulk, recovery, and a more powerful STAB priority move, Rayquaza still has a few perks over the Alpha Pokemon. Rayquaza's base Attack is 30 points higher than Arceus's, it is immune to Spikes and Toxic Spikes, and it has a fantastic STAB-type in Dragon. Swords Dance Rayquaza can also beat Giratina-O easily, which is something Extreme Killer Arceus can only dream of. Dragon Claw is the primary STAB move. After a Swords Dance, it will always OHKO Giratina, and do insane amounts of damage to anything not resisting it. V-create makes short work of any Forretress or Ferrothorn hoping to wall Rayquaza. V-create also helps Rayquaza hit Arceus-Steel, Dialga, and Metagross, which will otherwise eat Extreme Speed and Dragon Claws all day. Caution must be used with V-create however, as it makes Rayquaza slower, making it easier for it to be revenge killed. For example, if Giratina-O switches into V-create, it will outspeed due to the Speed drop and OHKO Rayquaza the next turn. A Jolly nature is useful due to prevalence of Zekrom and Reshiram, both of which often run max Speed, and can outpace and OHKO Rayquaza with their powerful Dragon-type attacks if Rayquaza is running an Adamant nature. While using Jolly, running an alternate EV spread of 34 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 216 Spe is an option, as it outpaces positive-natured base 90 Speed Pokemon such as Dialga, Ho-Oh, Groudon, Kyogre, Zekrom, and Reshiram. While Swords Dance Rayquaza's moveset has all the tools to sweep through teams, there are other attacks it can utilize. Aqua Tail can be used over Dragon Claw if Groudon is a problem. Assuming Rayquaza is using an Adamant nature, a +2 Aqua Tail does a whopping 87.62% - 103.47% to the standard supporter. Earthquake can be used over V-create to help beat Heatran, which would otherwise wall Rayquaza. Entry hazard support is crucial for Swords Dance Rayquaza. Stealth Rock is almost mandatory, as it allows Rayquaza to always OHKO Darkrai with a +2 Extreme Speed. Choice Scarf Palkia and offensive Mewtwo also have a high chance of being OHKOed with Stealth Rock down. Skarmory, Deoxys-S, Forretress, and Groudon can all set up hazards reliably. Forretress and Deoxys-S can also prevent hazards with either Rapid Spin or a fast Taunt, respectively. Wobbuffet can eliminate most of Rayquaza's checks; Tickle Wobbuffet paired with a Pursuit user can even take down Lugia. Because Rayquaza really hates faster Steel-types such as Arceus-Steel, as they resist both its primary moves and can burn it with Will-O-Wisp, Groudon is a great partner for Rayquaza as it can set up Stealth Rock reliably as well and also beat the numerous Steel-types such as Arceus-Steel, Ferrothorn (needs Fire Punch or Fire Blast), and Jirachi. Body Slam Jirachi can switch in on most of Rayquaza's checks and can then use Body Slam to paralyze them, making them incapable of checking Rayquaza. Jirachi can also sponge Dragon- and Ice-type attacks, while Rayquaza can deal with super effective Fire- and Ground-type attacks aimed at Jirachi.

Mixed Rayquaza is one of the most powerful wallbreakers in the entire Uber tier. Base 150 Attack and Special Attack go a long way in helping Rayquaza pick walls apart. This set attempts to lure in and obliterate usual Rayquaza switch-ins with its powerful special attacks. A Draco Meteor coming off 399 Special Attack will severely dent anything not resisting it, including Groudon and Lugia, both of which are cleanly 2HKOed after Stealth Rock. Any Steel-types courageous enough to face a Draco Meteor are swiftly barbecued by a Fire Blast. V-create can be used as Draco Meteor will weaken Fire Blast, but the stat drops from V-create aren't too hot either. Extreme Speed allows Rayquaza to take down weakened Pokemon and does decent damage even without investment. Outrage gives Rayquaza a powerful physical STAB move while Dragon Tail allows Rayquaza to scout any switch-ins. The EV spread shown above is used to give Draco Meteor and Fire Blast a major boost in power. However, if one decides that two attacks that lower Special Attack is too much, transfer the Special Attack EVs into Attack and use V-create. Not only does this boost V-create, but Outrage or Dragon Tail get boosted as well. As for the choice of nature, both Naive and Hasty are viable. However, Hasty is recommended because special attacks are far more common in Ubers. Also, a Speed-boosting nature helps Rayquaza outspeed all Pokemon with base 90 Speed. However, if outpacing base 90 Pokemon isn't important to you, a Mild or Rash nature with 252 Special Attacks EVs allow Mixed Rayquaza to OHKO support Groudon with Draco Meteor. This set can be used as an effective offensive lead to put immediate pressure on the opponent. While being used as a lead, Lum Berry is a very useful item because it allows Rayquaza to check any Darkrai hoping to set up on it. Focus Sash helps Rayquaza survive super effective hits which would normally OHKO it, but is near useless mid-game. However, Life Orb is by far the most useful item, as it allows Rayquaza to significantly increase its damage output. While the above moveset provides Rayquaza with a way to get past most Pokemon in the Ubers tier, there are two other attacks in Rayquaza's expansive movepool that stand out. Earthquake hits the one Pokemon that resists every other attack in this set, Heatran. It is also useful in hitting Dialga harder without locking Rayquaza into Outrage or losing Special Attack via Draco Meteor. If you don't want to lose Special Attack after every use of Draco Meteor, Dragon Pulse is a safe alternative that always hits for consistent damage, though it is much weaker than Draco Meteor, missing out on 2HKOs on Groudon and Lugia after Stealth Rock. Because mixed Rayquaza lacks the sheer offensive power of Dragon Dance or Swords Dance Rayquaza, entry hazards go a long way in helping Rayquaza break down walls. Pokemon such as Forretress and Deoxys-S are both adept at setting up Stealth Rock. It must be noted that Mixed Rayquaza is not intended to be used as a sweeper; rather, it paves the way for another sweeper by removing or weakening its checks with its powerful Draco Meteors and Outrages. Lucario is an amazing partner because of the great synergy it shares with Rayquaza, and the fact that Rayquaza lures in and KOs both Groudon and Lugia, two of Lucario's greatest counters. Bulk Up Dialga makes a great partner too, as it can plow though teams once Groudon is gone. Mixed Rayquaza can utilize the Double Dragon strategy quite effectively with Dragon Dance Salamence or Choice Band Garchomp. Once Rayquaza has killed or sufficiently weakened dedicated walls such as Groudon and Lugia, Salamence or Garchomp can cleave through the rest of the team with their brute strength. However, this strategy isn't lightly adopted, as it makes the team doubly weak to Dragon- and Ice-type attacks. Scarf Jirachi and Terrakion are both good teammates, as they cover Rayquaza's weaknesses while Rayquaza can eliminate their checks in return.

Choice Band Rayquaza is an extremely powerful threat, capable of 2HKOing the majority of the metagame with a Choice Band equipped. Although it may seem inferior to Choice Band Garchomp at first glance, who has STAB on its Earthquake, higher base Speed, and immunity to Thunder Wave and other Electric-type attacks, this is not the case. Rayquaza does have several key advantages over Garchomp, namely higher Attack, a priority move in Extreme Speed, and an immunity to Ground-type attacks. Dragon Claw is the main attack of the set, 2HKOing anything that does not resist it or is not a physical wall such as Groudon. Earthquake OHKOes Metagross and Jirachi and 2HKOes Scizor, Forretress, and even the bulkiest of Dialga. Extreme Speed gives Rayquaza strong priority for picking off faster Pokemon such as Darkrai and Mewtwo. Unlike Garchomp, Rayquaza's priority allows it to become a capable revenge killer as well as a powerful sweeper. Outrage from this set is so powerful it can 2HKO even defensive Groudon as well as Lugia after Stealth Rock damage. However, Outrage leaves Rayquaza open to being revenge killed by faster Pokemon and Steel-type, so use it with caution. It is usually best to use Dragon Claw first to scout for Steel-types. Overheat is also an option to OHKO Skarmory, as otherwise it will wall this set with little effort. The choice between an Adamant or Jolly nature is really personal preference. Jolly allows Rayquaza to always outspeed Pokemon who lie in the base 90 Speed group as well as Adamant Rayquaza, but Adamant allows for a stronger Extreme Speed if you really need Rayquaza for revenge killing purposes. Paralysis support is extremely recommended if using this set as a late-game sweeper, as it makes Rayquaza much more difficult to revenge kill and it lets it power through Lugia much more easily. Groudon, Dialga, Kyogre, and Jirachi are all sturdy Pokemon who can provide paralysis support for Rayquaza. Groudon in particular is a good choice as it can lay down Stealth Rock and lure in Lugia, making it much that much easier to cripple it. Jirachi is also an excellent choice as it and Rayquaza resist each other's weaknesses, allowing for plenty of safe switchins. Jirachi also provides Wish support to keep Rayquaza alive, so it can keep coming back in again and again to cause even more mayhem. Aside from this, the best teammates for Choice Band Rayquaza mirror the ones for the Swords Dance set.

Moves Outrage pushes massive damage into the likes of Kyogre and Ho-Oh. Draco Meteor breaks down foes like Groudon and Lugia that think that they can absorb the physical onslaught. Alternatively, Dragon Claw does not leave Rayquaza prone to revenge killers or confusion; however, its power leaves much to be desired, especially against foes like Mewtwo. Earthquake blasts though Tyranitar and many Steel-types like Jirachi and Heatran. Extreme Speed seems strange on a Pokemon that already boosts its Speed with a Choice Scarf, but it is used to get the jump on other fast Pokemon that can use priority attacks like Deoxys-A and opposing Rayquaza. Fire Blast will melt Steel-types that care not for Earthquake like Skarmory, Forretress, and Bronzong; these Pokemon cannot seek refuge in Kyogre's rain because Rayquaza's Air Lock neutralizes it, though it also gives them recourse under Groudon's blazing sun. Set Details Maximum Speed EVs and a Naive nature let Choice Scarf Rayquaza outspeed common base 90 Speed Choice Scarf Pokemon like Kyogre and Dialga. Prioritizing Attack investment ensures Outrage can clean up late-game more efficiently. However, shifting some of those Attack EVs into Special Attack can be done if using Draco Meteor for the extra pressure against Groudon. Usage Tips Rayquaza is a solid revenge killer and damage dealer with its strong STAB moves and coverage. As it lacks good Pokemon to switch in against, it is best when brought in after a teammate has been KOed to revenge kill an opposing threat, on aggressive double switches, or with teammates that use U-turn to bring it in safely. Take care when locking into Outrage, as Rayquaza can be picked off by faster Choice Scarf Pokemon like Palkia or concede free turns to Steel-types like Bronzong and Jirachi, which hinder Rayquaza by setting up Stealth Rock and paralyzing it, respectively. Team Options The main draw of Rayquaza as a Choice Scarf user over other threats is its ability to beat Pokemon that boost their Speed using weather abilities, most notably Kingdra and Kabutops. Thus, it can anchor offensive teams that would be torn apart by them late-game. It's also stronger than the alternative physical Choice Scarf Dragon-type, Garchomp; it has a good chance to 2HKO standard defensive Lugia with Outrage after Stealth Rock. Even with this comparison, Choice Scarf Rayquaza is not much of a wallbreaker, so it wants teammates that can help weaken defensive cores for it to feast on late-game. Mixed attackers like Giratina-O and boosting threats like Swords Dance Groudon and Nasty Plot Darkrai can do as such. Rayquaza also likes entry hazards thrown down by lead Deoxys-S and Forretress, especially the Spikes that wear down Groudon. They can also prevent Stealth Rock from going up early-game, Deoxys-S using Taunt and Forretress using Rapid Spin, and without Stealth Rock on its own side, Rayquaza gets to enter the field more often. If Rayquaza locks into Outrage or Draco Meteor early- or mid-game, it gives opportunities for the likes of Lucario to set up Swords Dance and Groudon to set up Rock Polish and Swords Dance. Therefore, a teammate that can revenge kill them well like Mewtwo or Giratina-O does well against them.

This set is a huge threat once it sets up. After a Dragon Dance, Jolly Rayquaza outspeeds every non-Scarfed Pokemon except Deoxys-S. Outrage is extremely powerful, OHKOing almost every Pokemon who doesn't resist it. Before using Outrage, it is best to scout the opponent's team. This is because early in the game, your opponent may have Pokemon like Forretress to take the Outrage and explode. For this very reason, Overheat is included to OHKO it. Overheat also has the additional use of OHKOing Skarmory, who would otherwise wall the entire moveset. Earthquake is here to KO Metagross and Dialga (although Dialga needs a heavy defensive investment to live through Outrage). While Jolly is often the preferred nature, Adamant is still a viable nature that has some advantages over Jolly for Dragon Dance Rayquaza. The reason Jolly Rayquaza is normally the better choice is because it will always outspeed and OHKO Timid Choice Scarf Dialga after one Dragon Dance. This is important because Choice Scarf Dialga will often switch into Rayquaza, expecting the Swords Dance set. When using Jolly, it is important to note that a +1 Outrage only has around a 66% chance of OHKOing the standard Bold 252 HP / 52 Defense Lugia after it takes damage from Stealth Rock. This makes Stone Edge a viable alternative to either Earthquake or Overheat when using Jolly Rayquaza, as a +1 Stone Edge guarantees an OHKO on Lugia after it takes damage from Stealth Rock. Adamant Rayquaza has the advantage of not needing to use Stone Edge to have a 100% chance of KOing Lugia, as it has a 100% chance of KOing Lugia with Outrage providing Stealth Rock is in play. Adamant Rayquaza will unfortunately be outsped by Deoxys-A, even after a Dragon Dance. Because of this, Extreme Speed is recommended over Earthquake or Overheat to OHKO Deoxys-A. When using Extreme Speed with either nature, it is best to use maximum Speed, so Rayquaza will have a chance of revenge killing an opposing Swords Dance Rayquaza. Rayquaza has issues with unusually bulky Lugia and Scarf users with over 95 base Speed, such as Palkia, Darkrai, Mewtwo, and Garchomp. Wobbuffet makes an excellent partner for Rayquaza, as it can switch into all of these Choiced attacks (except Darkrai's Dark Pulse) as they attempt to revenge kill Rayquaza. Wobbuffet can then KO them with Mirror Coat or Counter. It can also clear the path for setting up by Encoring a support or Ground-type move. If you would rather have a separate answer to Lugia, after five Tickles from Wobbuffet, a 100+ Attack Adamant Life Orb Scizor KOs it with Pursuit as it switches out. Scizor also complements Rayquaza well, switching into Choice Scarf Dragon and Ice attacks and threatening them with STAB U-turn or Pursuit. Scizor can also take on two rare but deadly Pokemon who cause Rayquaza problems: Choice Scarf Gengar attempting to use Hidden Power Ice, and any Weavile. Lastly, Thunder Wave Kyogre lures out and cripples the common Dragon Dance Rayquaza revenge killer, Choice Scarf Palkia.

Dragon Dance is often used to compensate for Rayquaza's below average Speed, boosting its Attack along the way. However, Swords Dancing will let Rayquaza boast a massive Attack score of 876; unfortunately, it has no way of boosting its mediocre Speed. However, this set is a monstrously powerful physical sweeper thanks to Rayquaza's priority move, Extreme Speed. Extreme Speed always OHKOes Darkrai, and with help from Stealth Rock, a +2 Life Orb Extreme Speed has around a 87% chance of OHKOing 4 HP / 0 Defense Timid Palkia and a 79% chance of OHKOing 4 HP / 0 Defense Mewtwo, all of which are significant KOs. Dragon Claw or Waterfall are the best options for the next slot. Dragon Claw is a good STAB attack for Rayquaza that allows it to OHKO Giratina after a Swords Dance, while being able to do severe damage to other slower Pokemon. While it may seem harsh to forget STAB on any Pokemon, Waterfall can be a good choice over Dragon Claw to hit Groudon much harder (don't worry about the weather, as Air Lock negates this). It also comes with a handy 20% flinch rate, should one find oneself in a tight spot. In the last moveslot, Earthquake or Overheat are the best choices for the last slot. Earthquake is best for taking out Steel-types that would ruin your sweep, such as Metagross. Overheat can easily OHKO Forretress, Skarmory (who walls you otherwise) and Scizor. Rayquaza should usually be using an Adamant nature, since Extreme Speed will be its most commonly used attack. If one is paranoid of an opposing Rayquaza's Extreme Speed, Jolly could be used over Adamant. Jolly should also be used if Rayquaza finds itself with Swords Dance and Outrage on the same set. However, Outrage is not recommended as it makes Rayquaza a very easy Pokemon to revenge kill, especially in Ubers. It does have the benefit of OHKOing both Groudon and Lugia after an Swords Dance. The main problem with using Jolly Swords Dance Rayquaza is that Extreme Speed has a much lower chance of KOing Mewtwo and Palkia after Stealth Rock. Only use Jolly Swords Dance Rayquaza if your team has no other way to beat Lugia. Swords Dance Rayquaza is very vulnerable to Lugia, due to having no way of boosting its Speed and the lack of Outrage. Because of this, Wobbuffet is highly recommended as a partner for Swords Dance Rayquaza for a number of reasons. Wobbuffet can use Tickle on a trapped Lugia; after four, Choice Band Scizor can OHKO Lugia as it flees with Pursuit. With Lugia out of the picture, Rayquaza can easily sweep a team. Additionally, Choice Band Scizor can OHKO Gengar with either Bullet Punch or Pursuit, as well as OHKOing Weavile with Bullet Punch. Another way many teams deal with Swords Dance Rayquaza is to use Steel-types with Choice Scarf and super effective moves to revenge kill it. The most common Pokemon who does this is Choice Scarf Dialga, but other Steel-type Pokemon who can be seen using Choice Scarf are Metagross and Heatran. Wobbuffet can switch into these threats as they try to KO Rayquaza, and use either Counter or Mirror Coat to KO them. Wobbuffet can also help set up Rayquaza if it encores a Ground-type attack or support move. Garchomp can be a bit trickier to deal with than usual, because while Wobbuffet can beat the Choice Scarfer, Choice Band Garchomp will 2HKO both Wobbuffet and Scizor. Garchomp does not need Choice Scarf to revenge kill Rayquaza, and Rayquaza only has a 7% chance of KOing Garchomp with Extreme Speed after Garchomp takes damage from Stealth Rock. Choice Scarf Metagross can be a good way to beat Garchomp that lack a Choice Scarf, because Metagross resists the Dragon attacks aimed at Rayquaza, and will OHKO Garchomp with Ice Punch 100% of the time after it takes damage from Stealth Rock. Entry hazards are key to Swords Dance Rayquaza's success, as they are required to gain KOs on important Pokemon such as Palkia and Mewtwo. Deoxys-S can be an excellent lead, as it can not only lay down Stealth Rock, but it can also use Spikes. With Stealth Rock and Spikes, not only will Mewtwo and Palkia be OHKOed 100% of the time by a +2 Extreme Speed, but Garchomp will have a 92% chance of being KOed by the same move as well! If Deoxys-S is not a good option for your team, then a support Groudon and Forretress should be considered. Groudon not only lays down Stealth Rock, but also lures Lugia in. Once a Lugia switches in, Groudon can cripple it with Toxic. Forretress can switch in on Ice Beams used by Pokemon like Lugia and set up Spikes. Forretress also has the ability to use Rapid Spin, which can give Rayquaza a much easier time switching in and out of battle.

This set takes advantage of Rayquaza's often overlooked base 150 Special Attack in order to cripple the standard Rayquaza switch-ins. Draco Meteor is obviously your main form of attack and is what you should be leading off with most of the time. Your opponent will be shocked when their Rayquaza counter is met with a Draco Meteor off of 518 Special Attack. Rayquaza's main counters, Groudon and Lugia, are both maimed by this set. Only the most defensive of Groudon will survive the first hit while standard Lugia will always be 2HKOed with Stealth Rock on the field. Fire Blast takes care of the common specially defensive Steel-types, such as Metagross and Jirachi, that attempt to wall Draco Meteor after you reveal it. Fire Blast is listed over Flamethrower since the set relies on sheer power to avoid taking any damage so while missing 15% of the time might be a negative, the extra power is almost a must. Extreme Speed lets you clean up weakened Pokemon who threaten to ruin your fun. However the main reason for using Extreme Speed is for the OHKO on Deoxys-A (though watch out for Focus Sash if it hasn't taken any damage yet). The best two options for the last slot are Outrage and Brick Break. Outrage is still a very powerful attack, even with only 40 Attack EVs. For example, it can still 2HKO Kyogre. Brick Break can 2HKO Blissey, and break Light Screen and Reflect. This is very useful because if Rayquaza has Brick Break, it has a chance at beating Baton Pass Mew. After breaking Reflect and Light Screen, Rayquaza can KO Mew with a combination of Draco Meteor followed by Extreme Speed. 216 Speed EVs with a positive nature outspeeds all base 90 Speed Ubers and Lugia who sit at 307 in order to do the same. However, it's perfectly fine to move those Attack EVs into Speed in order to attempt a Speed tie with other max Speed Rayquaza or if you are simply paranoid that Lugia may be running a few extra Speed EVs. Also if you decide to run both Extreme Speed and Outrage, you could move some Special Attack EVs into Attack in order to hit harder from the physical side. In addition to being a great wallbreaker, MixQuaza can also function as a very effective attacking lead that beats some of the most common leads in the metagame. Leads such as Deoxys, Deoxys-S, and Mew are only able to set up one layer of Spikes or Stealth Rock before being picked off by Extreme Speed. This puts you in an excellent position, with one of the opponent's Pokemon KOed and you having a high HP MixQuaza. Groudon and Dialga leads are risky match-ups, but they either forfeit the ability to set up Stealth Rock to KO Rayquaza or they set it up and faint. Choice Scarf Shaymin-S leads will attempt to use Air Slash or Hidden Power Ice against Rayquaza, so switching to a teammate that can sponge these attacks, such as a Steel-type or Blissey, is recommended. Kyogre and Darkrai are huge problems for lead Rayquaza and need special care. Darkrai can put Rayquaza to sleep while suffering only an Extreme Speed in return. Having a Sleep Talker on your team can remedy this situation substantially. Kyogre, on the other hand, possesses two common lead sets that both need different responses. Standard Thunder Wave Kyogre will take substantial damage before going down, but Choice Scarf Kyogre will take Rayquaza out without trouble. Some other options are worth considering when using MixQuaza in the lead slot. The most common deviation is running Focus Sash over Life Orb. By doing so, Rayquaza is able to beat Dialga, Groudon, Leftovers Kyogre, and opposing lead Life Orb MixQuaza 100% of the time in exchange for less overall power. Lum Berry can also be used to take status from Darkrai, Thunder Wave Kyogre, Groudon, and Dialga. Mixquaza's best teammates are the ones that benefit from the removal of Groudon and Lugia. A prime example of this is Lucario. Lucario often has problems sweeping when Lugia is around. If Rayquaza eliminates Lugia, Lucario will often have a much easier time sweeping with its Swords Dance set. Rayquaza also resists all of Lucario's weaknesses. For example, if the opponent switches in Choice Band Garchomp to KO Lucario, you can switch Rayquaza in on the Earthquake and launch off more powerful assaults. Another Pokemon who will appreciate Lugia's absence is SubSalac Groudon with Swords Dance. Thanks to Groudon's Substitute, Giratina will have a hard time with Groudon unless it has Roar. Without Lugia, stall teams can crumble to SubSalac Groudon. If Rayquaza KOs Groudon, Bulk Up Dialga is a great teammate. This is because many teams' (especially stall teams) only hope of beating Bulk Up Dialga is Groudon. With Groudon out of the picture, Dialga has the potential to sweep. Finally, Jirachi is a useful teammate for mixed Rayquaza, as Groudon's absence enables it to pass Wish more effectively. Body Slam Jirachi is useful as well, as some offensive teams resort to sending out fast sweepers like Garchomp to remove it; if Jirachi paralyzes them with Body Slam, Rayquaza can take them out later. Finally, Dragon Dance Tyranitar can easily destroy a whole team with Scizor and Groudon gone, as most teams lack any other reliable Dragon Dance Tyranitar checks aside from Garchomp. All the problems that Swords Dance Rayquaza and Dragon Dance Rayquaza face are similar here; Scizor is still a useful switch-in against Choice Scarf Palkia, and Wobbuffet takes care of most Scarfed opponents

What you may have noticed right away is that this has Hidden Power Bug / Ghost over Hidden Power Flying. This is because nothing takes more in Ubers from Hidden Power Flying than it does from Hidden Power Bug/Earthquake (well, after STAB, Hidden Power Flying is 105, Earthquake is only 100, but they're practically the same), but Hidden Power Bug and Ghost are super effective against a whole lot of the Psychic-based uber metagame. Choice Banded Hidden Power Bug hurts. Don't believe me? Here are some numbers: Latias and Latios are OHKOed without Defense or HP EVs (standard). In fact, Latias needs 240 HP EVs to have guaranteed survival. Latios is even worse off. If it wants to be certain of surviving a single hit, it needs not only 252 HP EVs, but an additional 72 Defense EVs. Another major difference between this and the old standard (252 Attack / 252 Speed, Adamant) is how much bulkier this is. The main reason is Exeggutor. Rayquaza makes a good switch-in to Exeggutor, because its ability means that it blocks sunlight, so Solar Beam takes two turns, and Chlorophyll is nullified. This means that if you switch in on a Solar Beam, you are faster and can OHKO it, while it can't do anything. This puts a powerful foe out of commission. The EVs are to let it survive max damage Modest Exeggutor Hidden Power Ice in case they guess what you're up to. This will also survive Choice Band Adamant Groudon / Rayquaza Rock Slide every time and can take 2 Choice Banded Rayquaza Extreme Speeds. An alternate EV spread can be used to make your Rayquaza fast. If you give it Jolly and max Speed, it is faster than all Groudon and Kyogre and also beats the few Latias and Latios remaining that just put in 307 Speed. Obviously, you'd want to max Attack as well.

This set is extremely rare in Ubers, as it can be difficult to set up Rayquaza (Ice Beam is the most common move). If you can bring it out on stuff like Choice Banded Earthquakes or Deoxys-A, you can Dragon Dance as they switch to whatever. Mewtwo falls just short of being KOed, so smack it around with an Earthquake or something the first time it comes in and then save it for later. Extreme Speed is used for Deoxys-A (allowing you to kill them without a Dragon Dance, or run a lot less Speed), in which case you'll want Hidden Power Ghost for Lugia. Rock Slide hits Lugia a bit harder, but the real benefit is to get Ho-Oh on its 4x weakness and a possible OHKO on other Rayquaza. Earthquake hits stuff like Metagross, Kyogre, and Groudon who aren't weak to your other moves.

Look familiar? This is like Salamence's special moveset, only with the addition of Thunderbolt. Surf is redundant, since Thunderbolt will kill Ho-Oh just as well, and Ice Beam takes care of Groudon. Crunch is for Psychic-types like Mewtwo and the Deoxys, while Dragon Claw makes good STAB and a nice choice for dealing with Latios / Latias switch-ins. Fire Blast can hurt Metagross a lot, while Brick Break owns Tyranitar and Blissey. Unlike Salamence's special set, this set is quite cool. It will kill almost any Groudon and enemy Rayquaza, and nearly 2HKO Kyogre. Dragon Claw is needed for the 2HKO on Latias, but Ice Beam will generally do the job against Latios (they can both skew these numbers by adding Special Defense EVs or HP).