Current status: Implemented second QC check and reformatted into paragraphs with some slight tweak. Waiting for 3rd QC.
[OVERVIEW]
With a stellar combined offensive stats of 360, matched only by Deoxys-A, a high Speed stat of 115 and good offensive typing, Mega Rayquaza is one of the most diverse offensive Pokemon in Balanced Hackmons, capable of serving as either a set up sweeper, revenge killer, late game cleaner, wallbreaker or multiple roles combined in one, making it extremely unpredictable. Mega Rayquaza can utilize its amazing Dragon / Flying typing to gain STAB on many notable moves such as Oblivion Wing and Core Enforcer. This is further backed by Mega Rayquaza's innate synergy with excellent abilities, such as Triage, Aerilate, Tinted Lens and Contrary, pressuring every single viable type of team. Stall teams are often pressured by the numerous ways Mega Rayquaza can use to set up such as Tail Glow and Shell Smash, which combined with Substitute can often tear defensive cores apart. Balanced teams are afraid of Choice Specs Aerilate Boomburst, which these teams often have no switch-ins that can avoid a 2HKO from it. Hyper Offensive teams are afraid of the FakeSpeed combo.
Defensively, Mega Rayquaza's well rounded 105/100/100 bulk paired with it's awesome typing allows it to withstand even super effective attacks from Pokemon such as Giratina and Zygarde-Complete.
However, such a strong Pokemon still has its limitations. Common abilities such as Dazzling, Queenly Majesty, and Psychic Surge blocks Mega Rayquaza's priority attacks, which severly hinders it from functioning as a priority abuser. Imposter Chansey poses a great threat to Mega Rayquaza, as it has struggles to combat with its bulkier self. Core Enforcer as a newly introduced move is not only super effective against Mega Rayquaza but also pressures it's ability, making it fail to 2HKO some Pokemon that it is usually able to, such as Giratina.
=== Aerilate ===
Rayquaza-Mega @ Sky Plate / Safety Goggles / Choice Specs
Ability: Aerilate
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Naive / Timid / Modest Nature
- Boomburst
- Extreme Speed / Techno Blast
- Fake Out / King's Shield / Volt Switch / Moongeist Beam
- Precipice Blades / Volt Switch / Secret Sword
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Aerilate-boosted Boomburst is Mega Rayquaza's strongest STAB, allowing it to immediately threaten almost any Pokemon that does not resist it with an OHKO or 2HKO. The combination of Fake-Out and Extreme Speed provides Mega Rayquaza with valuable priority, turning it into a powerful revenge killer that can check most offensive Pokemon and set up sweepers, provided they aren't immune to priority moves. Techno Blast is run alongside Boomburst and not instead of Boomburst as it has less power and significantly less PP which makes it a far less potent STAB move. King's Shield is a useful alternative to Fake Out as it helps Mega Rayquaza live opposing priority moves such as Extreme Speed from Refrigerate Kyurem-B. Precipice Blades is a fantastic complementary coverage move with Boomburst as it can hit Steel- and Rock-types that resist Flying for super effective damage. Thousand Arrows can also be used to hit levitating Pokemon and Steel / Flying types such as Celesteela, but the loss in power makes it a generally subpar option unless Mega Rayquaza is running a Life Orb. If one opts to equip Choice Specs, Mega Rayquaza should forgo physical priority moves in exchange for additional coverage. Techno Blast is invaluable on the Choice Specs set as without it Rayquaza would be walled by Soundproof users, Moongeist Beam and Secret Sword are both great coverage options for Rayquaza. Moongeist Beam is able to 2HKO Aegislash as well as RegenVest Solgaleo after Stealth Rocks. Moongeist Beam's secondary effect also allows Rayquaza to get rid of Sturdy Shedinja. Secret Sword hits Steel- and Rock-types such as Registeel and Mega Tyranitar for super effective damage and pairs really well with Moongeist Beam. Either of theses moves can also be replaced with Volt Switch, which allows Rayquaza to keep up momentum as well as scout for and weaken its potential counters. However, Volt Switch does have the negative effect of giving Imposter Chansey momentum if it were to transform into Mega Rayquaza.
Set Details
========
Naive Nature allows Mega Rayquaza to outspeed Mega Diancie as it is the other most common fast -ate ability user as well as taking less priority move damage. Timid and Modest are both commonly seen on Choice Specs set as most of its variants doesn't require physical power. Aerilate is used to grant flying STAB to Normal-type attacks as well as boosting their power. Sky Plate is used to maximise damage output without losing the ability to change moves or suffering recoil damage. Safety Goggles can be used instead to prevent Spore from crippling Mega Rayquaza as well as preventing it to take weather damage. If bringing Spore, Mega Rayquaza also does not have to be careful with opposing Magic Bounce pokemon. Choice Specs is used to grant a power boost for special moves, allowing it to deal immense damage to most Pokemon, for example, having the ability to OHKO Primal Kyogre 50% of the time with Boomburst.
Usage Tips
========
Standard Aerilate Mega Rayquaza has lost some of its power in Gen7 due to the -ate abilities being nerfed. With the new factors Dazzling, Queenly Majesty and Psychic Terrain further limiting its ability to serve as a revenge killer against faster threat, it is best used as a wallbreaker that forces switches and pressures opposing team. When pared with Choice Specs, Mega Rayquaza should be brought in often against pokemon that lacks offensive presence to deal as much damage as possible. In most cases, Boomburst is the primer choice when attacking as it often deals more damage than an appropriate coverage move which is very important to keep in mind. Be aware of Stealth Rocks as Aerilate Mega Rayquaza has no way to heal its HP, make it even more vulnerable to passive damage and limits the amount of times it can afford to switchin. When you are trying to finish off a target, be aware that it may have Dazzling / Queenly Majesty with them. If you are not sure about what abilities it has and Mega Rayquaza is a pokemon you cannot afford to lose in the battle, use another pokemon to pick it off. It is necessary to have a pokemon that hard counters your Mega Rayquaza set in your team as itself is not Imposterproof. Some Physical defensive Pokemon such as Mega Slowbro and Mega Audino can run Soundproof to wall Mega Rayquaza and trap it with their own moves if Mega Rayquaza is bringing Boomburst over Techno Blast.
Team Options
========
Registeel is a great teammate of Mega Rayquaza as it can block opposing Imposter pokemon copying Mega Rayquaza from punching holes in the team. When not using Moongeist Beam, Aegislash can also be an option to replace Registeel. They both resist and can take common attacking types Mega Rayquaza is weak to such as Ice, Dragon and Fairy. Pivots with Defog / Rapid Spin and / or Magic Bounce such as Giratina can prevent Stealth Rocks from being on players field as well as bringing Mega Rayquaza in with a slow pivot move, therefore minimizing the damage Mega Rayquaza need to take. Set up sweepers such as Mega Mewtwo Y, Primal Kyogre, and Regiggigas appreciates Mega Rayquaza's ability to take down strong attackers and force opponents to switch, giving them a free turn to set up if predicted correctly.
=== Triage ===
Rayquaza-Mega @ Safety Goggles / Life Orb
Ability: Triage
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid / Hasty Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Oblivion Wing
- Tail Glow / Shell Smash
- Moongeist Beam / Drain Punch
- Spore / Substitute
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Oblivion Wing is a must in order for the set to function, giving Mega Rayquaza a strong +3 priority STAB attack when pared with Triage, which gives it ability outspeed Extreme Speeds and slower Fake Outs so that it can easily revenge kill threats as well as making it extremely hard to revenge kill Mega Rayquaza. It also heals Mega Rayquaza decently every time it hits, extending the time Mega Rayquaza can suivive in battles. It also easily nullifies the Life Orb recoil by healing itself. Tail Glow is the primary set up option to boost Mega Rayquaza's special attack high enough to pierce through walls, while Shell Smash is an alternative option that allows Mega Rayquaza to outspeed common Dazzling / Queenly Majesty users such as Deoxys-Attack. Moongeist Beam is used to hit through Unaware walls as well as proving an excellent coverage with its Flying STAB. Drain Punch can be used on Shell Smash sets to provide a physical fighting coverage at +3 priority which can let Mega Rayquaza deal with pokemon such as Prankster Registeel and Mega Tyranitar. Spore is used to gain opportunity to set-up, while Substitute is used to prevent Imposter users from copying its stats and Prankster users that resist Flying STAB to use moves such as Topsy-Turvy.
Set Details
========
Timid let it move before other Mega Rayquaza which does not have a Speed boosting nature and lets it outspeed Mega Diancie, while Minimum Attack along with Timid minimizes the damage taken from extremely rare Foul Play. In the Shell Smash Drain Punch set, Naive and Maximum Atk should be used over Timid in order to not lose Physical attack power. Triage is used to let Mega Rayquaza hit at a +3 priority with Oblivion Wing and Drain Punch, which makes it a great check to other setup sweepers without priority blocking abilities. Safety Goggles is used to prevent being affected by Spore as well as ignoring the consequence if its own Spore is bounced back, while Life Orb can be an alternative option to hit harder, and has little drawbacks due to Oblivion Wing healing Mega Rayquaza quickly.
Usage Tips
========
Mega Rayquaza is capable of doing multiple roles, however its Stealth Rock weakness makes it easily wore down if it is forced to switch after it switch in. Reserve it and try not to let it take damage even if it can take it. Use Oblivion Wing when possible to ensure Mega Rayquaza stay healthy. Be aware of the common Dazzling/Queenly Majesty and Psychic Terrain users including but not limited to Deoxys-Attack, Mega Mewtwo Y and Yveltal, which will stop your Oblivion Wing from working. Make sure Stealth Rock is on opponents side before sweeping as Focus Sash can ruin your plan. The last common weakness is that Mega Rayquaza is extremely hard to stop without stopping the priority, and this would become huge threat once copied by Imposter. Therefore it is best to remove the Imposter pokemon in opponent's team before setting up or have a solid switch-in such as Dazzling / Queenly Majesty / Unaware pokemon to counter it.
Team Options
========
Defensive pivots such as Registeel and Giratina that uses U-turn, Volt Switch, Baton Pass or Parting Shot can bring Mega Rayquaza into battle without letting it take prior damage. They can also set up Stealth Rocks to prevent Focus Sash users stopping Mega Rayquaza's sweep. Registeel can also take Ice-type and Fairy-type attacks for Mega Rayquaza. Poison Heal set up users such as Regigigas and Primal Kyogre appreciate the ability Mega Rayquaza has to take down powerful attackers. In return they can absorb status for Mega Rayquaza. In return they can take down a threatening pokemon that Mega Rayquaza cannot kill, for example Contrary V-Create uers. Fast attackers such as Choice Scarf Primal Kyogre and Pheromosa can take down fast attackers that are under Psychic Terrain or has Dazzling/Queenly Majesty. It is worth noticing that Registeel can be used to lure in Imposter pokemon and trap it with a teammate's Magnet Pull.
=== Contrary ===
Rayquaza-Mega @ Leftovers / Focus Sash
Ability: Contrary
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Naive Nature
- Draco Meteor
- V-create
- Spore / Oblivion Wing / Superpower
- Substitute / Spore
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Draco Meteor is the primary STAB for Mega Rayquaza that allows it to hit extremely hard while boosting it's Special Attack. V-create boosts Mega Rayquaza's defenses and speed, making it hard to take down. It also grants Mega Rayquaza a 180 BP Fire-type coverage that hit Steel-type Pokemon super effectively. Spore is used against Pokemon that can stop it from sweeping such as Unaware Mega Audino. It can also check Imposter sets if it is bringing Safety Goggles. Oblivion Wing is an alternative option to give Mega Rayquaza a method of recovery. Superpower can be used to hit specially defensive Rock-type pokemon such as Mega Tyranitar with super effective damage as well as providing a method to boost its Attack. Substitute can be used to prevent Imposter from copying itself, block status from affecting it as well as blocking Topsy-Turvy.
Set Details
========
Naive nature grants Mega Rayquaza a boost in speed and lets it set up against slower Pokemon, keep its power and lets it take minimal damage from priority moves. Leftovers grant Mega Rayquaza passive recovery, while Focus Sash lets it take a hit when at full HP. Life Orb can be used to boost it's damage, however it is not as useful due to the recoil damage and Mega Rayquaza being to boost it's offense easily. Contrary makes the set powerful, as all these high base power moves it uses can now also boost its stats.
Usage Tips
========
Do not bring it in too many times when Stealth Rock is present, as the chip damage cripples Mega Rayquaza a lot. Try to minimize the times you bring Mega Rayquaza in when it is unlikely to set up and sweep. Also keep in mind that yhis set is frail and relatively weak when not setted up yet. Send Mega Rayquaza in only when against a pokemon that lacks offensive presence. This set needs some time to set up and does not appreciate Prankster status moves such as Haze that can often neuter it easily. Therefore, it is best to remove all Prankster pokemon before bring it in. Mega Rayquaza has advantage against and can surprise Dazzling / Queenly Majesty pokemon that come up to wall it as they usually expect it to use priority. Therefore it can fit into a team that rely a lot on priorities. Be aware of potential Unaware walls as they can easily wall Mega Rayquaza not running Sunsteel Strike / Moongeist Beam.
Team Options
========
Pivots that can counter set up sweepers such as Prankster Registeel and Unaware Tapu Fini work great with Mega Rayquaza as they can easily let Mega Rayquaza be in favorable matchups. They can also help wall Imposter users that had grabbed Mega Rayquaza's boosts. Priority users such as Mega Diancie, Kyurem-Black and Zekrom can pressure and force out Pokemon that outspeed Mega Rayquaza such as Mega Mewtwo Y. Defensive Fairy-type Pokemon such as Fur Coat Tapu Fini and Unaware Mega Audino can not only counter Imposters that copied Mega Rayquaza but also counter Mega Rayquaza itself. It is recommended to bring Pokemon that can counter these counters, such as Steelworker Kartana and Dialga.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
========
It is worth noticing that Judgement along with an appropriate type of Plate allows Mega Rayquaza to hit pokemon that otherwise walls it such as Aegislash and Registeel while still being able to wall Imposter users using these pokemon. A Quick Feet Tail Glow set can be used to counter quicker pokemon immune to priority and prevent Imposter from beating it with Ice Beam, however the set does not have access to priority and is vulnerable to it. Tough Claw along with Choice Band is an alternative option for Mega Rayquaza, as this combination allows Mega Rayquaza to hit extremely powerful on the physical side as well as hitting the common specially defensive switchins such as Chansey. Dazzling / Queenly Majesty Shell Smash can be a decent set for Mega Rayquaza, however the set limited by Mega Rayquaza's rather average STAB coverages. Pokemon such as Yveltal and Marshadow are much better Pokemons to utilize this set. Choice Scarf is a great item when pared with Contrary, as it allows Mega Rayquaza to spam its powerful attack at a greater speed. It can also beat Imposter that try to copy it's stats, and can cripple defensive switchins by using trick.
Checks and Counters
========
**Dazzling/Queenly Majesty/Psychic Terrrain**: Pokemon with these abilities or under the affects Psychic Terrain such as Mega Mewtwo Y, Mega Gengar and Deoxys-Attack are immune to Mega Rayquaza's priority attacks and can set-up or deal massive damage if the team lacks a switch-in for it.
**Imposter**: Imposter is a huge threat to Mega Rayquaza as the majority of its standard set cannot beat imposter Pokemon. However, it is not easy to switch in without taking massive damage, and Mega Rayquaza almost always have a teammate that counters its set. Mega Rayquaza also have options such as Quick Feet Tail Glow set or Choice Scarf Contrary set to beat Imposter.
**Prankster**: Prankster users can nullify Mega Rayquaza's boost using Haze, invert its stat boosts using Topsy-Turvy, steal its stat boosts with Heart Swap or cripple it with status.
**Defensive Steel-types**: Defensive Steel-type pokemon such as Registeel, Solgaleo, Celesteela, and Aegislash can tank its STAB, usually survive a coverage and cripple Mega Rayquaza status move or Knock Off or deal massive damage to it using Ice Beam or Metal Burst. However, it is not easy to take a hit from Mega Rayquaza if it is already boosted or if it is using appropriate coverage against them.
**Mega Diancie**: Mega Diancie both resists Flying-type attacks, Mega Rayquaza's main STAB-type, and is immune to its Dragon STAB. Both Mega Diancie's STAB are super effective against Mega Rayquaza, and an Pixilate boosted Extreme Speed has roughly 30% chance of OHKOing Mega Rayquaza. However, Mega Rayquaza can take a hit from Mega Diancie's Extreme Speed if it has a defense boost on the Contrary set and KO back with appropriate move, or threaten to OHKO Mega Diancie with +3 SpA boosted Oblivion Wing.
**Spectral Thief**: Spectral Thief users that can survive a hit can steal Mega Rayquaza's boosts and utilize it. However they can often be KO'd by the following priority move if they don't have a way to defend it.
**Sturdy Shedinja**: Sturdy Shedinja can be a problem for certain variants of Mega Rayquaza due to its ability to take all direct attacks. However it does have to be aware of possible moves Mega Rayquaza brought to KO it such as Moongeist Beam and Magma Storm, making it rely on prediction.
**Specially Defensive Rock-types** Specially defensive Rock-type Pokemons such as Mega Tyranitar, Nihilego, and Regirock resist Mega Rayquaza's flying STAB and is able to tank almost any Special attack moves under Sandstorm due to the Special defense boost. However, they have to be aware of coverage moves such as Secret Sword and Earth Power.
[OVERVIEW]
With a stellar combined offensive stats of 360, matched only by Deoxys-A, a high Speed stat of 115 and good offensive typing, Mega Rayquaza is one of the most diverse offensive Pokemon in Balanced Hackmons, capable of serving as either a set up sweeper, revenge killer, late game cleaner, wallbreaker or multiple roles combined in one, making it extremely unpredictable. Mega Rayquaza can utilize its amazing Dragon / Flying typing to gain STAB on many notable moves such as Oblivion Wing and Core Enforcer. This is further backed by Mega Rayquaza's innate synergy with excellent abilities, such as Triage, Aerilate, Tinted Lens and Contrary, pressuring every single viable type of team. Stall teams are often pressured by the numerous ways Mega Rayquaza can use to set up such as Tail Glow and Shell Smash, which combined with Substitute can often tear defensive cores apart. Balanced teams are afraid of Choice Specs Aerilate Boomburst, which these teams often have no switch-ins that can avoid a 2HKO from it. Hyper Offensive teams are afraid of the FakeSpeed combo.
Defensively, Mega Rayquaza's well rounded 105/100/100 bulk paired with it's awesome typing allows it to withstand even super effective attacks from Pokemon such as Giratina and Zygarde-Complete.
However, such a strong Pokemon still has its limitations. Common abilities such as Dazzling, Queenly Majesty, and Psychic Surge blocks Mega Rayquaza's priority attacks, which severly hinders it from functioning as a priority abuser. Imposter Chansey poses a great threat to Mega Rayquaza, as it has struggles to combat with its bulkier self. Core Enforcer as a newly introduced move is not only super effective against Mega Rayquaza but also pressures it's ability, making it fail to 2HKO some Pokemon that it is usually able to, such as Giratina.
=== Aerilate ===
Rayquaza-Mega @ Sky Plate / Safety Goggles / Choice Specs
Ability: Aerilate
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Naive / Timid / Modest Nature
- Boomburst
- Extreme Speed / Techno Blast
- Fake Out / King's Shield / Volt Switch / Moongeist Beam
- Precipice Blades / Volt Switch / Secret Sword
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Aerilate-boosted Boomburst is Mega Rayquaza's strongest STAB, allowing it to immediately threaten almost any Pokemon that does not resist it with an OHKO or 2HKO. The combination of Fake-Out and Extreme Speed provides Mega Rayquaza with valuable priority, turning it into a powerful revenge killer that can check most offensive Pokemon and set up sweepers, provided they aren't immune to priority moves. Techno Blast is run alongside Boomburst and not instead of Boomburst as it has less power and significantly less PP which makes it a far less potent STAB move. King's Shield is a useful alternative to Fake Out as it helps Mega Rayquaza live opposing priority moves such as Extreme Speed from Refrigerate Kyurem-B. Precipice Blades is a fantastic complementary coverage move with Boomburst as it can hit Steel- and Rock-types that resist Flying for super effective damage. Thousand Arrows can also be used to hit levitating Pokemon and Steel / Flying types such as Celesteela, but the loss in power makes it a generally subpar option unless Mega Rayquaza is running a Life Orb. If one opts to equip Choice Specs, Mega Rayquaza should forgo physical priority moves in exchange for additional coverage. Techno Blast is invaluable on the Choice Specs set as without it Rayquaza would be walled by Soundproof users, Moongeist Beam and Secret Sword are both great coverage options for Rayquaza. Moongeist Beam is able to 2HKO Aegislash as well as RegenVest Solgaleo after Stealth Rocks. Moongeist Beam's secondary effect also allows Rayquaza to get rid of Sturdy Shedinja. Secret Sword hits Steel- and Rock-types such as Registeel and Mega Tyranitar for super effective damage and pairs really well with Moongeist Beam. Either of theses moves can also be replaced with Volt Switch, which allows Rayquaza to keep up momentum as well as scout for and weaken its potential counters. However, Volt Switch does have the negative effect of giving Imposter Chansey momentum if it were to transform into Mega Rayquaza.
Set Details
========
Naive Nature allows Mega Rayquaza to outspeed Mega Diancie as it is the other most common fast -ate ability user as well as taking less priority move damage. Timid and Modest are both commonly seen on Choice Specs set as most of its variants doesn't require physical power. Aerilate is used to grant flying STAB to Normal-type attacks as well as boosting their power. Sky Plate is used to maximise damage output without losing the ability to change moves or suffering recoil damage. Safety Goggles can be used instead to prevent Spore from crippling Mega Rayquaza as well as preventing it to take weather damage. If bringing Spore, Mega Rayquaza also does not have to be careful with opposing Magic Bounce pokemon. Choice Specs is used to grant a power boost for special moves, allowing it to deal immense damage to most Pokemon, for example, having the ability to OHKO Primal Kyogre 50% of the time with Boomburst.
Usage Tips
========
Standard Aerilate Mega Rayquaza has lost some of its power in Gen7 due to the -ate abilities being nerfed. With the new factors Dazzling, Queenly Majesty and Psychic Terrain further limiting its ability to serve as a revenge killer against faster threat, it is best used as a wallbreaker that forces switches and pressures opposing team. When pared with Choice Specs, Mega Rayquaza should be brought in often against pokemon that lacks offensive presence to deal as much damage as possible. In most cases, Boomburst is the primer choice when attacking as it often deals more damage than an appropriate coverage move which is very important to keep in mind. Be aware of Stealth Rocks as Aerilate Mega Rayquaza has no way to heal its HP, make it even more vulnerable to passive damage and limits the amount of times it can afford to switchin. When you are trying to finish off a target, be aware that it may have Dazzling / Queenly Majesty with them. If you are not sure about what abilities it has and Mega Rayquaza is a pokemon you cannot afford to lose in the battle, use another pokemon to pick it off. It is necessary to have a pokemon that hard counters your Mega Rayquaza set in your team as itself is not Imposterproof. Some Physical defensive Pokemon such as Mega Slowbro and Mega Audino can run Soundproof to wall Mega Rayquaza and trap it with their own moves if Mega Rayquaza is bringing Boomburst over Techno Blast.
Team Options
========
Registeel is a great teammate of Mega Rayquaza as it can block opposing Imposter pokemon copying Mega Rayquaza from punching holes in the team. When not using Moongeist Beam, Aegislash can also be an option to replace Registeel. They both resist and can take common attacking types Mega Rayquaza is weak to such as Ice, Dragon and Fairy. Pivots with Defog / Rapid Spin and / or Magic Bounce such as Giratina can prevent Stealth Rocks from being on players field as well as bringing Mega Rayquaza in with a slow pivot move, therefore minimizing the damage Mega Rayquaza need to take. Set up sweepers such as Mega Mewtwo Y, Primal Kyogre, and Regiggigas appreciates Mega Rayquaza's ability to take down strong attackers and force opponents to switch, giving them a free turn to set up if predicted correctly.
=== Triage ===
Rayquaza-Mega @ Safety Goggles / Life Orb
Ability: Triage
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid / Hasty Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Oblivion Wing
- Tail Glow / Shell Smash
- Moongeist Beam / Drain Punch
- Spore / Substitute
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Oblivion Wing is a must in order for the set to function, giving Mega Rayquaza a strong +3 priority STAB attack when pared with Triage, which gives it ability outspeed Extreme Speeds and slower Fake Outs so that it can easily revenge kill threats as well as making it extremely hard to revenge kill Mega Rayquaza. It also heals Mega Rayquaza decently every time it hits, extending the time Mega Rayquaza can suivive in battles. It also easily nullifies the Life Orb recoil by healing itself. Tail Glow is the primary set up option to boost Mega Rayquaza's special attack high enough to pierce through walls, while Shell Smash is an alternative option that allows Mega Rayquaza to outspeed common Dazzling / Queenly Majesty users such as Deoxys-Attack. Moongeist Beam is used to hit through Unaware walls as well as proving an excellent coverage with its Flying STAB. Drain Punch can be used on Shell Smash sets to provide a physical fighting coverage at +3 priority which can let Mega Rayquaza deal with pokemon such as Prankster Registeel and Mega Tyranitar. Spore is used to gain opportunity to set-up, while Substitute is used to prevent Imposter users from copying its stats and Prankster users that resist Flying STAB to use moves such as Topsy-Turvy.
Set Details
========
Timid let it move before other Mega Rayquaza which does not have a Speed boosting nature and lets it outspeed Mega Diancie, while Minimum Attack along with Timid minimizes the damage taken from extremely rare Foul Play. In the Shell Smash Drain Punch set, Naive and Maximum Atk should be used over Timid in order to not lose Physical attack power. Triage is used to let Mega Rayquaza hit at a +3 priority with Oblivion Wing and Drain Punch, which makes it a great check to other setup sweepers without priority blocking abilities. Safety Goggles is used to prevent being affected by Spore as well as ignoring the consequence if its own Spore is bounced back, while Life Orb can be an alternative option to hit harder, and has little drawbacks due to Oblivion Wing healing Mega Rayquaza quickly.
Usage Tips
========
Mega Rayquaza is capable of doing multiple roles, however its Stealth Rock weakness makes it easily wore down if it is forced to switch after it switch in. Reserve it and try not to let it take damage even if it can take it. Use Oblivion Wing when possible to ensure Mega Rayquaza stay healthy. Be aware of the common Dazzling/Queenly Majesty and Psychic Terrain users including but not limited to Deoxys-Attack, Mega Mewtwo Y and Yveltal, which will stop your Oblivion Wing from working. Make sure Stealth Rock is on opponents side before sweeping as Focus Sash can ruin your plan. The last common weakness is that Mega Rayquaza is extremely hard to stop without stopping the priority, and this would become huge threat once copied by Imposter. Therefore it is best to remove the Imposter pokemon in opponent's team before setting up or have a solid switch-in such as Dazzling / Queenly Majesty / Unaware pokemon to counter it.
Team Options
========
Defensive pivots such as Registeel and Giratina that uses U-turn, Volt Switch, Baton Pass or Parting Shot can bring Mega Rayquaza into battle without letting it take prior damage. They can also set up Stealth Rocks to prevent Focus Sash users stopping Mega Rayquaza's sweep. Registeel can also take Ice-type and Fairy-type attacks for Mega Rayquaza. Poison Heal set up users such as Regigigas and Primal Kyogre appreciate the ability Mega Rayquaza has to take down powerful attackers. In return they can absorb status for Mega Rayquaza. In return they can take down a threatening pokemon that Mega Rayquaza cannot kill, for example Contrary V-Create uers. Fast attackers such as Choice Scarf Primal Kyogre and Pheromosa can take down fast attackers that are under Psychic Terrain or has Dazzling/Queenly Majesty. It is worth noticing that Registeel can be used to lure in Imposter pokemon and trap it with a teammate's Magnet Pull.
=== Contrary ===
Rayquaza-Mega @ Leftovers / Focus Sash
Ability: Contrary
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Naive Nature
- Draco Meteor
- V-create
- Spore / Oblivion Wing / Superpower
- Substitute / Spore
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Draco Meteor is the primary STAB for Mega Rayquaza that allows it to hit extremely hard while boosting it's Special Attack. V-create boosts Mega Rayquaza's defenses and speed, making it hard to take down. It also grants Mega Rayquaza a 180 BP Fire-type coverage that hit Steel-type Pokemon super effectively. Spore is used against Pokemon that can stop it from sweeping such as Unaware Mega Audino. It can also check Imposter sets if it is bringing Safety Goggles. Oblivion Wing is an alternative option to give Mega Rayquaza a method of recovery. Superpower can be used to hit specially defensive Rock-type pokemon such as Mega Tyranitar with super effective damage as well as providing a method to boost its Attack. Substitute can be used to prevent Imposter from copying itself, block status from affecting it as well as blocking Topsy-Turvy.
Set Details
========
Naive nature grants Mega Rayquaza a boost in speed and lets it set up against slower Pokemon, keep its power and lets it take minimal damage from priority moves. Leftovers grant Mega Rayquaza passive recovery, while Focus Sash lets it take a hit when at full HP. Life Orb can be used to boost it's damage, however it is not as useful due to the recoil damage and Mega Rayquaza being to boost it's offense easily. Contrary makes the set powerful, as all these high base power moves it uses can now also boost its stats.
Usage Tips
========
Do not bring it in too many times when Stealth Rock is present, as the chip damage cripples Mega Rayquaza a lot. Try to minimize the times you bring Mega Rayquaza in when it is unlikely to set up and sweep. Also keep in mind that yhis set is frail and relatively weak when not setted up yet. Send Mega Rayquaza in only when against a pokemon that lacks offensive presence. This set needs some time to set up and does not appreciate Prankster status moves such as Haze that can often neuter it easily. Therefore, it is best to remove all Prankster pokemon before bring it in. Mega Rayquaza has advantage against and can surprise Dazzling / Queenly Majesty pokemon that come up to wall it as they usually expect it to use priority. Therefore it can fit into a team that rely a lot on priorities. Be aware of potential Unaware walls as they can easily wall Mega Rayquaza not running Sunsteel Strike / Moongeist Beam.
Team Options
========
Pivots that can counter set up sweepers such as Prankster Registeel and Unaware Tapu Fini work great with Mega Rayquaza as they can easily let Mega Rayquaza be in favorable matchups. They can also help wall Imposter users that had grabbed Mega Rayquaza's boosts. Priority users such as Mega Diancie, Kyurem-Black and Zekrom can pressure and force out Pokemon that outspeed Mega Rayquaza such as Mega Mewtwo Y. Defensive Fairy-type Pokemon such as Fur Coat Tapu Fini and Unaware Mega Audino can not only counter Imposters that copied Mega Rayquaza but also counter Mega Rayquaza itself. It is recommended to bring Pokemon that can counter these counters, such as Steelworker Kartana and Dialga.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
========
It is worth noticing that Judgement along with an appropriate type of Plate allows Mega Rayquaza to hit pokemon that otherwise walls it such as Aegislash and Registeel while still being able to wall Imposter users using these pokemon. A Quick Feet Tail Glow set can be used to counter quicker pokemon immune to priority and prevent Imposter from beating it with Ice Beam, however the set does not have access to priority and is vulnerable to it. Tough Claw along with Choice Band is an alternative option for Mega Rayquaza, as this combination allows Mega Rayquaza to hit extremely powerful on the physical side as well as hitting the common specially defensive switchins such as Chansey. Dazzling / Queenly Majesty Shell Smash can be a decent set for Mega Rayquaza, however the set limited by Mega Rayquaza's rather average STAB coverages. Pokemon such as Yveltal and Marshadow are much better Pokemons to utilize this set. Choice Scarf is a great item when pared with Contrary, as it allows Mega Rayquaza to spam its powerful attack at a greater speed. It can also beat Imposter that try to copy it's stats, and can cripple defensive switchins by using trick.
Checks and Counters
========
**Dazzling/Queenly Majesty/Psychic Terrrain**: Pokemon with these abilities or under the affects Psychic Terrain such as Mega Mewtwo Y, Mega Gengar and Deoxys-Attack are immune to Mega Rayquaza's priority attacks and can set-up or deal massive damage if the team lacks a switch-in for it.
**Imposter**: Imposter is a huge threat to Mega Rayquaza as the majority of its standard set cannot beat imposter Pokemon. However, it is not easy to switch in without taking massive damage, and Mega Rayquaza almost always have a teammate that counters its set. Mega Rayquaza also have options such as Quick Feet Tail Glow set or Choice Scarf Contrary set to beat Imposter.
**Prankster**: Prankster users can nullify Mega Rayquaza's boost using Haze, invert its stat boosts using Topsy-Turvy, steal its stat boosts with Heart Swap or cripple it with status.
**Defensive Steel-types**: Defensive Steel-type pokemon such as Registeel, Solgaleo, Celesteela, and Aegislash can tank its STAB, usually survive a coverage and cripple Mega Rayquaza status move or Knock Off or deal massive damage to it using Ice Beam or Metal Burst. However, it is not easy to take a hit from Mega Rayquaza if it is already boosted or if it is using appropriate coverage against them.
**Mega Diancie**: Mega Diancie both resists Flying-type attacks, Mega Rayquaza's main STAB-type, and is immune to its Dragon STAB. Both Mega Diancie's STAB are super effective against Mega Rayquaza, and an Pixilate boosted Extreme Speed has roughly 30% chance of OHKOing Mega Rayquaza. However, Mega Rayquaza can take a hit from Mega Diancie's Extreme Speed if it has a defense boost on the Contrary set and KO back with appropriate move, or threaten to OHKO Mega Diancie with +3 SpA boosted Oblivion Wing.
**Spectral Thief**: Spectral Thief users that can survive a hit can steal Mega Rayquaza's boosts and utilize it. However they can often be KO'd by the following priority move if they don't have a way to defend it.
**Sturdy Shedinja**: Sturdy Shedinja can be a problem for certain variants of Mega Rayquaza due to its ability to take all direct attacks. However it does have to be aware of possible moves Mega Rayquaza brought to KO it such as Moongeist Beam and Magma Storm, making it rely on prediction.
**Specially Defensive Rock-types** Specially defensive Rock-type Pokemons such as Mega Tyranitar, Nihilego, and Regirock resist Mega Rayquaza's flying STAB and is able to tank almost any Special attack moves under Sandstorm due to the Special defense boost. However, they have to be aware of coverage moves such as Secret Sword and Earth Power.
[OVERVIEW]
- Mega Rayquaza has a good speed of base 115 and both attacks at 180 let it become the most diverse offensive Pokémon in the meta and be either a sweeper, revenge killer, late game cleaner, wallbreaker or multiple roles combined in one. The stats let it have options of becoming threatening set-up attacker or a abuser of choice items.
- Although not stellar, Mega Rayquaza's well rounded 105/100/100 bulk that allows it to take some hits from some unboosted set-up attackers.
- Mega Rayquaza has a awesome Dragon/Flying typing that let it able to use powerful STAB attacks such as moves from Aerilate and Oblivion Wing boosted from Triage. Flying-type also gives Mega Rayquaza immunity to Sticky Web, which is extremely important for an attacker. It also make it immune to Ground-type attacks bar thousand arrows. The Dragon typing gives Mega Rayquaza resistance to common attacking types such as Fire as well as giving resistance to Primal-Kyogre's water STAB, making it a fair check to both Primals. However, the typing also gave Mega Rayquaza a 4x weakness to Ice, 2x weakness to Dragon and Fairy, which are all common offensive types in BH. It also leaves Mega Rayquaza weak to Stealth Rock, limiting the times it can switch in. Not resisting any -ate abilities makes it vulnerable to priorities for some sets.
- Mega Rayquaza has lost the priority boost from Gale Wings when not at full health, making physical Gale Wings set no more viable. However the special Gale Wing set can be replaced with Triage which give it a even better +3 priority.
- Imposter is a huge threat to Mega Rayquaza, as it has no viable sets to beat Imposter bar Substitute, Choice Scarf and Quick Feet.
- Mega Rayquaza is hurt by several new abilities introduced in Gen 7, most notably Dazzling, Queenly Majesty and Psychic Surge which all stops it from using its STAB priorities. Innards Out also hinders its ability to sweep, and finally Spectral Thief steals its boosts away if the user survives a hit.
=== Triage ===
Rayquaza-Mega @ Safety Goggles / Life Orb
Ability: Triage
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Oblivion Wing
- Tail Glow / Shell Smash
- Moongeist Beam / Drain Punch
- Spore / Substitute
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
- Oblivion Wing is a must in order for the set to function, giving Mega Rayquaza a strong +3 priority STAB attack when pared with Triage, which gives it ability to easily revenge kill threats as well as making it extremely hard to revenge kill Mega Rayquaza. It also heals Mega Rayquaza decently every time it hits, extending the time Mega Rayquaza can suivive in battles. It also easily nullifies the Life Orb recoil by healing itself.
- Tail Glow is the primary set up option to boost Mega Rayquaza's special attack high enough to pierce through walls.
- Shell Smash is an alternative option that allows Mega Rayquaza to outspeed common Dazzling / Queenly Majesty users such as Deoxys-Attack.
- Moongeist Beam is used to hit through Unaware walls as well as proving an excellent coverage with its Flying STAB.
- Drain Punch can be used on Shell Smash sets to provide a physical fighting coverage at +3 priority which can let Mega Rayquaza deal with pokemon such as Registeel and Mega Tyranitar.
- Spore can be used to gain opportunity to set-up, while Substitute is used to prevent Imposter users from copying its stats and Prankster users that resist Flying STAB to use moves such as Topsy-Turvy.
Set Details
========
- Minimum Atk along with Timid let it move before other Mega Rayquaza which does not have a Speed boosting nature as well as minimizing the damage taken from extremely rare Foul Play. It also lets it outspeed Mega Diancie so that it does not take Fake Out damage.
- Triage is used to let Mega Rayquaza hit at a +3 priority with Oblivion Wing and lets it act as a great check to other setup sweepers without priority blocking abilities.
- Safety Goggles is used to prevent being affected by Spore as well as ignoring the consequence if its own Spore is bounced back.
- Life Orb can be an alternative option to hit harder, and has little drawbacks due to Oblivion Wing healing Mega Rayquaza quickly.
Usage Tips
========
- Mega Rayquaza is capable of doing multiple roles, however its Stealth Rock weakness makes it easily wore down. Reserve it and try not to let it take damage even if it can take it. Use Oblivion Wing when possible to ensure Mega Rayquaza stay healthy.
- Be aware of the common Dazzling/Queenly Majesty and Psychic Terrain users including but not limited to Deoxys-Attack, Mega Mewtwo Y and Yveltal, which will stop your Oblivion Wing from working.
- Make sure Stealth Rock is on opponents side before sweeping as Focus Sash can ruin your plan.
- Mega Rayquaza is extremely hard to stop without stopping the priority, and this would become huge threat once copied by Imposter. Therefore it is best to remove the Imposter pokemon in opponent's team before setting up or have a solid switch-in such as Dazzling / Queenly Majesty / Unaware pokemon to counter it.
Team Options
========
-Defensive such as Registeel and Giratina that uses U-turn, Volt Switch, Baton Pass or Parting Shot can bring Mega Rayquaza into battle without letting it take prior damage. They can also set up Stealth Rocks to prevent Focus Sash users stopping Mega Rayquaza's sweep. Registeel can also take Ice-type and Fairy-type attacks for Mega Rayquaza.
- Poison Heal set up users such as Regigigas and Primal Kyogre appreciate the ability Mega Rayquaza has to take down powerful attackers. In return they can absorb status for Mega Rayquaza.
- Innards Out users such as Chansey and Zygarde-C appreciates the ability Mega Rayquaza has to revenge kill sweepers as it can then be saved for bigger threats. In return they can take down a threatening pokemon that Mega Rayquaza cannot kill, for example Contrary V-Create uers.
- Fast attackers such as Choice Scarf Primal Kyogre and Pheromosa can take down fast attackers that are under Psychic Terrain or has Dazzling/Queenly Majesty.
=== Aerilate ===
Rayquaza-Mega @ Sky Plate / Safety Goggles / Choice Specs
Ability: Aerilate
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Naive Nature
- Boomburst
- Extreme Speed / Volt Switch / Moongeist Beam
- Fake Out / Blue Flare / Magma Storm
- Spore / King's Shield / Earth Power / Secret Sword
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
- Aerilate boosted Boomburst allows it to effectively achieve 2HKO to almost every Pokemon with Choice Specs, making it a threatening wallbreaker. It also deals massive damage without item boost.
- Extreme Speed is used to grant Mega Rayquaza a powerful +2 priority STAB attack, making it a great revenge killer.
- Volt Switch allows switch out and gain momentum when opponent sends in Pokemon that can wall Mega Rayquaza such as Registeel, Chansey and Assault Vest Solgaleo.
- Moongeist Beam provides a great Ghost-type coverage that ignores opposing abilities which can be extremely useful for Mega Rayquaza.
- Blue Flare can be used to hit Steel type switchins such as Registeel and Assault Vest Solgaleo for immense damage. Magma Storm can be used instead to trap Steel-type Pokemon as well as KO Sturdy Shedinja.
- Spore is used to cripple opposing switchins such as certain variants of Chansey and Solgaleo. King's Shield can be used instead to scout for opposing coverage move and punish opposing Pokemon with Attack stat drop if they used a contact move.
- Secret Sword can be used to hit Chansey and Rock-types with super effective damage as well as targeting their often weaker Defense stat.
- Earth Power can be used on Mega Rayquaza to deal massive damage to Flash Fire Steel-type pokemon such as Registeel and OHKO Nihilego that would otherwise be able to take Boomburst from it.
Set Details
========
- Naive Nature allows it to outspeed Mega Diancie as it is the other most common fast -ate ability user as well as taking less priority move damage.
- Aerilate is used to grant flying STAB to Normal-type attacks as well as boosting their power.
- Sky Plate is used to maximise damage output without losing the ability to change moves or suffering recoil damage.
- Safety Goggles is used to prevent Spore from crippling Mega Rayquaza as well as preventing it to take weather damage. If bringing Spore, Mega Rayquaza also does not have to be careful with opposing Magic Bounce pokemon.
- Choice Specs is used to grant a power boost for special moves, allowing it to deal immense damage to most Pokemon.
Usage Tips
========
- Aerilate Mega Rayquaza has lost some of its power in Gen7 due to the -ate abilities being nerfed. It is best used as a scouting pokemon and revenge killer rather than relying on the power of boomburst and try to be a wallbreaker. The new factors Dazzling, Queenly Majesty and Psychic Terrain also limits its ability to serve as a revenge killer against faster threats.
- When pared with Choice Specs, Mega Rayquaza should be brought in often against pokemon that lacks offensive presence to deal as much damage as possible.
- Boomburst is the primer choice when attacking as it often deals more damage than an appropriate coverage move.
- Be aware of Stealth Rocks! Aerilate Mega Rayquaza has no way to heal its HP, make it even more vulnerable to passive damage and limits the amount of times it can afford to switchin.
- When you are trying to finish off a target, be aware that it may have Dazzling / Queenly Majesty with them. If you are not sure about what abilities it has and Mega Rayquaza is a pokemon you cannot afford to lose in the battle, use another pokemon to pick it off.
- It is necessary to have a pokemon that hard counters your Mega Rayquaza set in your team as itself is not Imposterproof.
- Some Physical defensive Pokemon such as Mega Slowbro and Mega Audino can run Soundproof to wall Mega Rayquaza and trap it with their own moves if Mega Rayquaza is bringing Boomburst over Techno Blast.
Team Options
========
- Registeel is a great teammate of Mega Rayquaza as it can block opposing Imposter pokemon copying Mega Rayquaza from punching holes in the team. When not using Moongeist Beam, Aegislash can also be an option to replace Registeel. They both resist and can take common attacking types Mega Rayquaza is weak to such as Ice, Dragon and Fairy.
- Pivots with Defog / Rapid Spin and / or Magic Bounce can prevent Stealth Rocks from being on players field as well as bringing Mega Rayquaza in with a slow pivot move, therefore minimizing the damage Mega Rayquaza need to take.
- Set up sweepers such as Mega Mewtwo Y, Primal Kyogre, and Regiggigas appreciates Mega Rayquaza's ability to take down strong attackers and force opponents to switch, giving them a free turn to set up if predicted correctly.
=== Contrary ===
Rayquaza-Mega @ Leftovers / Focus Sash
Ability: Contrary
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Naive Nature
- Draco Meteor
- V-create
- Spore / Oblivion Wing / Superpower
- Substitute / Spore
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
- Draco Meteor is the primary STAB for Mega Rayquaza that allows it to hit extremely hard while boosting it's Special Attack.
- V-create boosts Mega Rayquaza's defenses and speed, making it hard to take down. It also grants Mega Rayquaza a 180 BP Fire-type coverage that hit Steel-type Pokemon super effectively.
- Spore is used against Pokemon that can stop it from sweeping such as Unaware Mega Audino. It can also check Imposter sets if it is bringing Safety Goggles.
- Oblivion Wing is an alternative option to give Mega Rayquaza a method of recovery.
- Superpower can be used to hit specially defensive Rock-type pokemon such as Mega Tyranitar with super effective damage as well as providing a method to boost its Attack.
- Substitute can be used to prevent Imposter from copying itself, block status from affecting it as well as blocking Topsy-Turvy.
Set Details
========
- Naive nature grants Mega Rayquaza a boost in speed and lets it set up against slower Pokemon, keep its power and lets it take minimal damage from priority moves.
- Leftovers grant Mega Rayquaza passive recovery, while Focus Sash lets it take a hit when at full HP.
- Life Orb can be used to boost it's damage, however it is not as useful due to the recoil damage and Mega Rayquaza being to boost it's offense easily.
- Contrary makes the set powerful, as all these high base power moves it uses can now also boost its stats.
Usage Tips
========
- Do not bring it in too many times when Stealth Rock is present, as the chip damage cripples Mega Rayquaza a lot. Try to minimize the times you bring Mega Rayquaza in when it is unlikely to set up and sweep.
- This set is frail when not setted up yet. Send Mega Rayquaza in only when against a pokemon without immediate power.
- This set needs some time to set up and does not appreciate Prankster status moves such as Haze that can often neuter it easily. Therefore, it is best to remove all Prankster pokemon before bring it in.
- Innards Out is a great stop to this set, therefore it is also recommended to take these pokemon down before sweeping.
- Mega Rayquaza has advantage against and can surprise Dazzling / Queenly Majesty pokemon that come up to wall it as they usually expect it to use priority. Therefore it can fit into a team that rely a lot on priorities.
- Be aware of potential Unaware walls as they can easily wall Mega Rayquaza not running Sunsteel Strike / Moongeist Beam.
Team Options
========
- Pivots that can counter set up sweepers such as Prankster Registeel and Unaware Tapu Fini work great with Mega Rayquaza as they can easily let Mega Rayquaza be in favorable matchups. They can also help wall Imposter users that had grabbed Mega Rayquaza's boosts.
- Priority users such as Mega Diancie, Kyurem-Black and Zekrom can pressure and force out Pokemon that outspeed Mega Rayquaza such as Mega Mewtwo Y.
- Defensive Fairy-type Pokemon such as Fur Coat Tapu Fini and Unaware Mega Audino can not only counter Imposters that copied Mega Rayquaza but also counter Mega Rayquaza itself. It is recommended to bring Pokemon that can counter these counters, such as Steelworker Kartana and Dialga.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
========
- Judgement along with an appropriate type of Plate allows Mega Rayquaza to hit pokemon that otherwise walls it such as Aegislash and Registeel while still being able to wall Imposter users using these pokemon.
- A Quick Feet Tail Glow set can be used to counter quicker pokemon immune to priority and prevent Imposter from beating it with Ice Beam, however the set does not have access to priority and is vulnerable to it.
- Dazzling / Queenly Majesty Shell Smash can be a decent set for Mega Rayquaza, however the set limited by Mega Rayquaza's rather average STAB coverages. Pokemon such as Yveltal and Marshadow are much better pokemons to utilize this set.
- Choice Scarf is a great item when pared with Contrary, as it allows Mega Rayquaza to spam it's powerful attack at a greater speed. It can also beat Imposter that try to copy it's stats, and can cripple defensive switchins by using trick.
Checks and Counters
========
**Dazzling/Queenly Majesty/Psychic Terrrain**: Pokemon with these abilities or under the affects Psychic Terrain such as Mega Mewtwo Y, Mega Gengar and Deoxys-Attack are immune to Mega Rayquaza's priority attacks and can set-up or deal massive damage if the team lacks a switch-in for it.
**Imposter**: Imposter is a huge threat to Mega Rayquaza as the majority of its standard set cannot beat imposter Pokemon. However, it is not easy to switch in without taking massive damage, and Mega Rayquaza almost always have a teammate that counters its set. Mega Rayquaza also have options such as Quick Feet Tail Glow set or Choice Scarf Contrary set to beat Imposter.
**Prankster**: Prankster users can nullify Mega Rayquaza's boost using Haze, invert its stat boosts using Topsy-Turvy, steal its stat boosts with Heart Swap or cripple it with status.
**Innards Out**: Innards Out users are greats threats to Mega Rayquaza as they can bring it down when Mega Rayquaza KO's them. However, they have to be wary of Mega Rayquaza lowering its HP to a safe range before killing it.
**Defensive Steel-types**: Defensive Steel-type pokemon such as Registeel, Solgaleo, Celesteela, and Aegislash can tank its STAB, usually survive a coverage and cripple Mega Rayquaza status move or Knock Off or deal massive damage to it using Ice Beam or Metal Burst. However, it is not easy to take a hit from Mega Rayquaza if it is already boosted or if it is using appropriate coverage against them.
**Mega Diancie**: Mega Diancie both resists Flying-type attacks, Mega Rayquaza's main STAB-type, and is immune to its Dragon STAB. Both Mega Diancie's STAB are super effective against Mega Rayquaza, and an Pixilate boosted Extreme Speed has roughly 30% chance of OHKOing Mega Rayquaza. However, Mega Rayquaza can take a hit from Mega Diancie's Extreme Speed if it has a defense boost on the Contrary set and KO back with appropriate move, or threaten to OHKO Mega Diancie with +3 SpA boosted Oblivion Wing.
**Spectral Thief**: Spectral Thief users that can survive a hit can steal Mega Rayquaza's boosts and utilize it. However they can often be KO'd by the following priority move if they don't have a way to defend it.
**Sturdy Shedinja**: Sturdy Shedinja can be a problem for certain variants of Mega Rayquaza due to its ability to take all direct attacks. However it does have to be aware of possible moves Mega Rayquaza brought to KO it such as Moongeist Beam and Magma Storm, making it rely on prediction.
**Specially Defensive Rock-types** Specially defensive Rock-type Pokemons such as Mega Tyranitar, Nihilego, and Regirock resist Mega Rayquaza's flying STAB and is able to tank almost any Special attack moves under Sandstorm due to the Special defense boost. However, they have to be aware of coverage moves such as Secret Sword and Earth Power.
- Mega Rayquaza has a good speed of base 115 and both attacks at 180 let it become the most diverse offensive Pokémon in the meta and be either a sweeper, revenge killer, late game cleaner, wallbreaker or multiple roles combined in one. The stats let it have options of becoming threatening set-up attacker or a abuser of choice items.
- Although not stellar, Mega Rayquaza's well rounded 105/100/100 bulk that allows it to take some hits from some unboosted set-up attackers.
- Mega Rayquaza has a awesome Dragon/Flying typing that let it able to use powerful STAB attacks such as moves from Aerilate and Oblivion Wing boosted from Triage. Flying-type also gives Mega Rayquaza immunity to Sticky Web, which is extremely important for an attacker. It also make it immune to Ground-type attacks bar thousand arrows. The Dragon typing gives Mega Rayquaza resistance to common attacking types such as Fire as well as giving resistance to Primal-Kyogre's water STAB, making it a fair check to both Primals. However, the typing also gave Mega Rayquaza a 4x weakness to Ice, 2x weakness to Dragon and Fairy, which are all common offensive types in BH. It also leaves Mega Rayquaza weak to Stealth Rock, limiting the times it can switch in. Not resisting any -ate abilities makes it vulnerable to priorities for some sets.
- Mega Rayquaza has lost the priority boost from Gale Wings when not at full health, making physical Gale Wings set no more viable. However the special Gale Wing set can be replaced with Triage which give it a even better +3 priority.
- Imposter is a huge threat to Mega Rayquaza, as it has no viable sets to beat Imposter bar Substitute, Choice Scarf and Quick Feet.
- Mega Rayquaza is hurt by several new abilities introduced in Gen 7, most notably Dazzling, Queenly Majesty and Psychic Surge which all stops it from using its STAB priorities. Innards Out also hinders its ability to sweep, and finally Spectral Thief steals its boosts away if the user survives a hit.
=== Triage ===
Rayquaza-Mega @ Safety Goggles / Life Orb
Ability: Triage
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Oblivion Wing
- Tail Glow / Shell Smash
- Moongeist Beam / Drain Punch
- Spore / Substitute
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
- Oblivion Wing is a must in order for the set to function, giving Mega Rayquaza a strong +3 priority STAB attack when pared with Triage, which gives it ability to easily revenge kill threats as well as making it extremely hard to revenge kill Mega Rayquaza. It also heals Mega Rayquaza decently every time it hits, extending the time Mega Rayquaza can suivive in battles. It also easily nullifies the Life Orb recoil by healing itself.
- Tail Glow is the primary set up option to boost Mega Rayquaza's special attack high enough to pierce through walls.
- Shell Smash is an alternative option that allows Mega Rayquaza to outspeed common Dazzling / Queenly Majesty users such as Deoxys-Attack.
- Moongeist Beam is used to hit through Unaware walls as well as proving an excellent coverage with its Flying STAB.
- Drain Punch can be used on Shell Smash sets to provide a physical fighting coverage at +3 priority which can let Mega Rayquaza deal with pokemon such as Registeel and Mega Tyranitar.
- Spore can be used to gain opportunity to set-up, while Substitute is used to prevent Imposter users from copying its stats and Prankster users that resist Flying STAB to use moves such as Topsy-Turvy.
Set Details
========
- Minimum Atk along with Timid let it move before other Mega Rayquaza which does not have a Speed boosting nature as well as minimizing the damage taken from extremely rare Foul Play. It also lets it outspeed Mega Diancie so that it does not take Fake Out damage.
- Triage is used to let Mega Rayquaza hit at a +3 priority with Oblivion Wing and lets it act as a great check to other setup sweepers without priority blocking abilities.
- Safety Goggles is used to prevent being affected by Spore as well as ignoring the consequence if its own Spore is bounced back.
- Life Orb can be an alternative option to hit harder, and has little drawbacks due to Oblivion Wing healing Mega Rayquaza quickly.
Usage Tips
========
- Mega Rayquaza is capable of doing multiple roles, however its Stealth Rock weakness makes it easily wore down. Reserve it and try not to let it take damage even if it can take it. Use Oblivion Wing when possible to ensure Mega Rayquaza stay healthy.
- Be aware of the common Dazzling/Queenly Majesty and Psychic Terrain users including but not limited to Deoxys-Attack, Mega Mewtwo Y and Yveltal, which will stop your Oblivion Wing from working.
- Make sure Stealth Rock is on opponents side before sweeping as Focus Sash can ruin your plan.
- Mega Rayquaza is extremely hard to stop without stopping the priority, and this would become huge threat once copied by Imposter. Therefore it is best to remove the Imposter pokemon in opponent's team before setting up or have a solid switch-in such as Dazzling / Queenly Majesty / Unaware pokemon to counter it.
Team Options
========
-Defensive such as Registeel and Giratina that uses U-turn, Volt Switch, Baton Pass or Parting Shot can bring Mega Rayquaza into battle without letting it take prior damage. They can also set up Stealth Rocks to prevent Focus Sash users stopping Mega Rayquaza's sweep. Registeel can also take Ice-type and Fairy-type attacks for Mega Rayquaza.
- Poison Heal set up users such as Regigigas and Primal Kyogre appreciate the ability Mega Rayquaza has to take down powerful attackers. In return they can absorb status for Mega Rayquaza.
- Innards Out users such as Chansey and Zygarde-C appreciates the ability Mega Rayquaza has to revenge kill sweepers as it can then be saved for bigger threats. In return they can take down a threatening pokemon that Mega Rayquaza cannot kill, for example Contrary V-Create uers.
- Fast attackers such as Choice Scarf Primal Kyogre and Pheromosa can take down fast attackers that are under Psychic Terrain or has Dazzling/Queenly Majesty.
=== Aerilate ===
Rayquaza-Mega @ Sky Plate / Safety Goggles / Choice Specs
Ability: Aerilate
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Naive Nature
- Boomburst
- Extreme Speed / Volt Switch / Moongeist Beam
- Fake Out / Blue Flare / Magma Storm
- Spore / King's Shield / Earth Power / Secret Sword
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
- Aerilate boosted Boomburst allows it to effectively achieve 2HKO to almost every Pokemon with Choice Specs, making it a threatening wallbreaker. It also deals massive damage without item boost.
- Extreme Speed is used to grant Mega Rayquaza a powerful +2 priority STAB attack, making it a great revenge killer.
- Volt Switch allows switch out and gain momentum when opponent sends in Pokemon that can wall Mega Rayquaza such as Registeel, Chansey and Assault Vest Solgaleo.
- Moongeist Beam provides a great Ghost-type coverage that ignores opposing abilities which can be extremely useful for Mega Rayquaza.
- Blue Flare can be used to hit Steel type switchins such as Registeel and Assault Vest Solgaleo for immense damage. Magma Storm can be used instead to trap Steel-type Pokemon as well as KO Sturdy Shedinja.
- Spore is used to cripple opposing switchins such as certain variants of Chansey and Solgaleo. King's Shield can be used instead to scout for opposing coverage move and punish opposing Pokemon with Attack stat drop if they used a contact move.
- Secret Sword can be used to hit Chansey and Rock-types with super effective damage as well as targeting their often weaker Defense stat.
- Earth Power can be used on Mega Rayquaza to deal massive damage to Flash Fire Steel-type pokemon such as Registeel and OHKO Nihilego that would otherwise be able to take Boomburst from it.
Set Details
========
- Naive Nature allows it to outspeed Mega Diancie as it is the other most common fast -ate ability user as well as taking less priority move damage.
- Aerilate is used to grant flying STAB to Normal-type attacks as well as boosting their power.
- Sky Plate is used to maximise damage output without losing the ability to change moves or suffering recoil damage.
- Safety Goggles is used to prevent Spore from crippling Mega Rayquaza as well as preventing it to take weather damage. If bringing Spore, Mega Rayquaza also does not have to be careful with opposing Magic Bounce pokemon.
- Choice Specs is used to grant a power boost for special moves, allowing it to deal immense damage to most Pokemon.
Usage Tips
========
- Aerilate Mega Rayquaza has lost some of its power in Gen7 due to the -ate abilities being nerfed. It is best used as a scouting pokemon and revenge killer rather than relying on the power of boomburst and try to be a wallbreaker. The new factors Dazzling, Queenly Majesty and Psychic Terrain also limits its ability to serve as a revenge killer against faster threats.
- When pared with Choice Specs, Mega Rayquaza should be brought in often against pokemon that lacks offensive presence to deal as much damage as possible.
- Boomburst is the primer choice when attacking as it often deals more damage than an appropriate coverage move.
- Be aware of Stealth Rocks! Aerilate Mega Rayquaza has no way to heal its HP, make it even more vulnerable to passive damage and limits the amount of times it can afford to switchin.
- When you are trying to finish off a target, be aware that it may have Dazzling / Queenly Majesty with them. If you are not sure about what abilities it has and Mega Rayquaza is a pokemon you cannot afford to lose in the battle, use another pokemon to pick it off.
- It is necessary to have a pokemon that hard counters your Mega Rayquaza set in your team as itself is not Imposterproof.
- Some Physical defensive Pokemon such as Mega Slowbro and Mega Audino can run Soundproof to wall Mega Rayquaza and trap it with their own moves if Mega Rayquaza is bringing Boomburst over Techno Blast.
Team Options
========
- Registeel is a great teammate of Mega Rayquaza as it can block opposing Imposter pokemon copying Mega Rayquaza from punching holes in the team. When not using Moongeist Beam, Aegislash can also be an option to replace Registeel. They both resist and can take common attacking types Mega Rayquaza is weak to such as Ice, Dragon and Fairy.
- Pivots with Defog / Rapid Spin and / or Magic Bounce can prevent Stealth Rocks from being on players field as well as bringing Mega Rayquaza in with a slow pivot move, therefore minimizing the damage Mega Rayquaza need to take.
- Set up sweepers such as Mega Mewtwo Y, Primal Kyogre, and Regiggigas appreciates Mega Rayquaza's ability to take down strong attackers and force opponents to switch, giving them a free turn to set up if predicted correctly.
=== Contrary ===
Rayquaza-Mega @ Leftovers / Focus Sash
Ability: Contrary
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Naive Nature
- Draco Meteor
- V-create
- Spore / Oblivion Wing / Superpower
- Substitute / Spore
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
- Draco Meteor is the primary STAB for Mega Rayquaza that allows it to hit extremely hard while boosting it's Special Attack.
- V-create boosts Mega Rayquaza's defenses and speed, making it hard to take down. It also grants Mega Rayquaza a 180 BP Fire-type coverage that hit Steel-type Pokemon super effectively.
- Spore is used against Pokemon that can stop it from sweeping such as Unaware Mega Audino. It can also check Imposter sets if it is bringing Safety Goggles.
- Oblivion Wing is an alternative option to give Mega Rayquaza a method of recovery.
- Superpower can be used to hit specially defensive Rock-type pokemon such as Mega Tyranitar with super effective damage as well as providing a method to boost its Attack.
- Substitute can be used to prevent Imposter from copying itself, block status from affecting it as well as blocking Topsy-Turvy.
Set Details
========
- Naive nature grants Mega Rayquaza a boost in speed and lets it set up against slower Pokemon, keep its power and lets it take minimal damage from priority moves.
- Leftovers grant Mega Rayquaza passive recovery, while Focus Sash lets it take a hit when at full HP.
- Life Orb can be used to boost it's damage, however it is not as useful due to the recoil damage and Mega Rayquaza being to boost it's offense easily.
- Contrary makes the set powerful, as all these high base power moves it uses can now also boost its stats.
Usage Tips
========
- Do not bring it in too many times when Stealth Rock is present, as the chip damage cripples Mega Rayquaza a lot. Try to minimize the times you bring Mega Rayquaza in when it is unlikely to set up and sweep.
- This set is frail when not setted up yet. Send Mega Rayquaza in only when against a pokemon without immediate power.
- This set needs some time to set up and does not appreciate Prankster status moves such as Haze that can often neuter it easily. Therefore, it is best to remove all Prankster pokemon before bring it in.
- Innards Out is a great stop to this set, therefore it is also recommended to take these pokemon down before sweeping.
- Mega Rayquaza has advantage against and can surprise Dazzling / Queenly Majesty pokemon that come up to wall it as they usually expect it to use priority. Therefore it can fit into a team that rely a lot on priorities.
- Be aware of potential Unaware walls as they can easily wall Mega Rayquaza not running Sunsteel Strike / Moongeist Beam.
Team Options
========
- Pivots that can counter set up sweepers such as Prankster Registeel and Unaware Tapu Fini work great with Mega Rayquaza as they can easily let Mega Rayquaza be in favorable matchups. They can also help wall Imposter users that had grabbed Mega Rayquaza's boosts.
- Priority users such as Mega Diancie, Kyurem-Black and Zekrom can pressure and force out Pokemon that outspeed Mega Rayquaza such as Mega Mewtwo Y.
- Defensive Fairy-type Pokemon such as Fur Coat Tapu Fini and Unaware Mega Audino can not only counter Imposters that copied Mega Rayquaza but also counter Mega Rayquaza itself. It is recommended to bring Pokemon that can counter these counters, such as Steelworker Kartana and Dialga.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
========
- Judgement along with an appropriate type of Plate allows Mega Rayquaza to hit pokemon that otherwise walls it such as Aegislash and Registeel while still being able to wall Imposter users using these pokemon.
- A Quick Feet Tail Glow set can be used to counter quicker pokemon immune to priority and prevent Imposter from beating it with Ice Beam, however the set does not have access to priority and is vulnerable to it.
- Dazzling / Queenly Majesty Shell Smash can be a decent set for Mega Rayquaza, however the set limited by Mega Rayquaza's rather average STAB coverages. Pokemon such as Yveltal and Marshadow are much better pokemons to utilize this set.
- Choice Scarf is a great item when pared with Contrary, as it allows Mega Rayquaza to spam it's powerful attack at a greater speed. It can also beat Imposter that try to copy it's stats, and can cripple defensive switchins by using trick.
Checks and Counters
========
**Dazzling/Queenly Majesty/Psychic Terrrain**: Pokemon with these abilities or under the affects Psychic Terrain such as Mega Mewtwo Y, Mega Gengar and Deoxys-Attack are immune to Mega Rayquaza's priority attacks and can set-up or deal massive damage if the team lacks a switch-in for it.
**Imposter**: Imposter is a huge threat to Mega Rayquaza as the majority of its standard set cannot beat imposter Pokemon. However, it is not easy to switch in without taking massive damage, and Mega Rayquaza almost always have a teammate that counters its set. Mega Rayquaza also have options such as Quick Feet Tail Glow set or Choice Scarf Contrary set to beat Imposter.
**Prankster**: Prankster users can nullify Mega Rayquaza's boost using Haze, invert its stat boosts using Topsy-Turvy, steal its stat boosts with Heart Swap or cripple it with status.
**Innards Out**: Innards Out users are greats threats to Mega Rayquaza as they can bring it down when Mega Rayquaza KO's them. However, they have to be wary of Mega Rayquaza lowering its HP to a safe range before killing it.
**Defensive Steel-types**: Defensive Steel-type pokemon such as Registeel, Solgaleo, Celesteela, and Aegislash can tank its STAB, usually survive a coverage and cripple Mega Rayquaza status move or Knock Off or deal massive damage to it using Ice Beam or Metal Burst. However, it is not easy to take a hit from Mega Rayquaza if it is already boosted or if it is using appropriate coverage against them.
**Mega Diancie**: Mega Diancie both resists Flying-type attacks, Mega Rayquaza's main STAB-type, and is immune to its Dragon STAB. Both Mega Diancie's STAB are super effective against Mega Rayquaza, and an Pixilate boosted Extreme Speed has roughly 30% chance of OHKOing Mega Rayquaza. However, Mega Rayquaza can take a hit from Mega Diancie's Extreme Speed if it has a defense boost on the Contrary set and KO back with appropriate move, or threaten to OHKO Mega Diancie with +3 SpA boosted Oblivion Wing.
**Spectral Thief**: Spectral Thief users that can survive a hit can steal Mega Rayquaza's boosts and utilize it. However they can often be KO'd by the following priority move if they don't have a way to defend it.
**Sturdy Shedinja**: Sturdy Shedinja can be a problem for certain variants of Mega Rayquaza due to its ability to take all direct attacks. However it does have to be aware of possible moves Mega Rayquaza brought to KO it such as Moongeist Beam and Magma Storm, making it rely on prediction.
**Specially Defensive Rock-types** Specially defensive Rock-type Pokemons such as Mega Tyranitar, Nihilego, and Regirock resist Mega Rayquaza's flying STAB and is able to tank almost any Special attack moves under Sandstorm due to the Special defense boost. However, they have to be aware of coverage moves such as Secret Sword and Earth Power.
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