Pokémon Raikou

[InvisibleWater]

Raikou

Base Stats: 90 HP | 85 Atk | 75 Def | 115 SAtk | 100 SDef | 115 Spd

Abilities: Pressure | Inner Focus (H)

Notable Moves:
- Thunderbolt
- Volt Switch
- Scald
- Calm Mind
- Aura Sphere
- Discharge
- Shadow Ball
- Extrasensory
- Thunder
- Agility
- Light Screen
- Reflect
- Thunder Wave

All Moves

Level Up Moves:
- [01] Leer
- [01] Charge
- [01] Extreme Speed
- [01] Thunder Shock
- [01] Quick Attack
- [06] Spark
- [12] Bite
- [18] Calm Mind
- [24] Roar
- [30] Thunder Fang
- [36] Howl
- [42] Crunch
- [48] Extrasensory
- [54] Discharge
- [60] Reflect
- [66] Rain Dance
- [72] Thunder
- [78] Zap Cannon

TMs:
- [TM001] Take Down
- [TM004] Agility
- [TM005] Mud-Slap
- [TM006] Scary Face
- [TM007] Protect
- [TM009] Thunder Fang
- [TM020] Trailblaze
- [TM023] Charge Beam
- [TM025] Facade
- [TM030] Snarl
- [TM032] Swift
- [TM047] Endure
- [TM048] Volt Switch
- [TM049] Sunny Day
- [TM050] Rain Dance
- [TM051] Sandstorm
- [TM066] Body Slam
- [TM070] Sleep Talk
- [TM072] Electro Ball
- [TM074] Reflect
- [TM075] Light Screen
- [TM082] Thunder Wave
- [TM085] Rest
- [TM096] Eerie Impulse
- [TM099] Iron Head
- [TM103] Substitute
- [TM108] Crunch
- [TM112] Aura Sphere
- [TM114] Shadow Ball
- [TM126] Thunderbolt
- [TM129] Calm Mind
- [TM130] Helping Hand
- [TM136] Electric Terrain
- [TM147] Wild Charge
- [TM152] Giga Impact
- [TM163] Hyper Beam
- [TM166] Thunder
- [TM171] Tera Blast
- [TM172] Roar
- [TM173] Charge
- [TM188] Scald
- [TM193] Weather Ball
- [TM204] Double-Edge
- [TM210] Supercell Slam
- [TM211] Electroweb
- [TM221] Throat Chop

Pros:
- Okay special bulk
- Has access to coverage for Ground-types in Scald, freeing up your Tera type options.

Cons:
- Neither of its abilities really do anything for it outside of incredibly niche circumstances.
- Base 115 speed isn't quite what it used to be, and still leaves you outsped by some key threats
- Outside of some quirky coverage options, its movepool is a bit shallow.

Tera Possibilities:

: Provides a Sucker Punch resistance, and allows Tera Blast hits Great Tusk, Dragapult, and Meowscarada all in one slot.

: Boosts Aura Sphere and provides a Dark resistance.

: Uses Tera Blast to hit Steel-types, but maintains your Steel resistance. May help in some matchups. It also resists Fairy, and thus Iron Valiant's Moonblast, which is nice.

: Allows Tera Blast to hit most Ground-types that don't mind Scald. It also turns your Ground weakness into a resistance, which is nice.

: While Raikou needs this a lot less than many other Electric-types, BoltBeam is still BoltBeam.

Possible Movesets:
Offensive Pivot
Raikou @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Inner Focus
Tera Type: Fairy / Grass / Fighting
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
- Thunderbolt
- Volt Switch
- Scald
- Aura Sphere / Tera Blast

Raikou's main niche over other Volt Switch users is its access to Scald -- most of the tier's Ground-types are hit super-effectively by it, and even the ones that aren't don't particularly like being burned. The last moveslot is filler that can be used to round out Raikou's coverage, with Aura Sphere or an appropriate Tera Blast being the best options for that. Other options may be worth trying, though, at least as lures.

Calm Mind + 3 Attacks
Raikou @ Leftovers / Expert Belt / Shuca Berry
Ability: Inner Focus
Tera Type: Fairy / Fighting / Fire
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Calm Mind
- Thunderbolt
- Scald
- Aura Sphere / Tera Blast

(WIP)

Agility + 3 Attacks
Raikou @ Expert Belt / Shuca Berry
Ability: Inner Focus
Tera Type: Fairy / Fighting / Fire
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
- Agility
- Thunderbolt
- Scald
- Aura Sphere / Tera Blast

Roughly the same as the previous set, but with Agility instead of Calm Mind. Focuses more on cleaning instead of outright sweeping.