What is a good moveset for Rayquaza?

Question

If you have a good competitive moveset for Rayquaza, post an answer below and upvote the best ones. Movesets for any of its pre-evolutions can also be shared on this thread.

Be sure to include full set details in your post, e.g. items, abilities, natures and EVs. Some detail, including the intended game mode for your set, is also appreciated. Access the full list of guidelines here.

Rayquaza Pokédex and learnset for reference.

Answer 1

Rayquaza @ Life orb
Ability: Air Lock
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 SpA / 4 Spe
Naive Nature / Hasty Nature
- Extreme Speed
- Draco Meteor
- Brick Break / Iron Head / Iron Tail / Focus Blast
- Fly

Extreme Speed: Nice to have a priority on anything pretty much so yeah.
Draco Meteor: Always nice to have coverage for other Dragons, STAB and special move.
Brick Break / Iron tail / Iron Head takes care of Rock and Ice types. Iron Tail for power but risky accuracy. Iron Head for hopefully lucky flinch. Brick Break for removing screens like reflect and light screen. Your pick I'd say again or best focus is Focus Blast as its higher power takes cares of Steel types but doesn't break Light Screen or Reflect and accuracy is a problem too. Solution is to put in Hone Claws Baton Pass Gliscor and you're prepared for the worst.
Fly dodges a move but beware Stone Edge and nice STAB power.

Do yeah used this so many times never been disappointed.
Rest Talk set sometimes disappoints as sometimes you get slept condition.
Amazing when my Smeargle uses 6 Cosmic Power, 3 Shell Smash and 3 Cosmic Power.

If you need to recover stall I recommend Max SpD and Max Def, 4 HP or 170 HP, 170 SpD and 170 HP works too (mostly recommended) then baton pass as this saves a move slot as well as keeping Rayquaza at high HP instead of losing HP while setting up and wasting a move slot and yeah hope this helps.

Answer 2

Rayquaza @ Choice Specs
Ability: Air Lock
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Draco Meteor
- Flamethrower / Fire Blast / Earth Power
- Focus Blast / Thunderbolt/ Surf
- Dragon Pulse / Earth Power

Now a Specs rayquaza may seem odd, it has several unique features that make it notable. First of all, Rayquaza's movepool is exceptional. Second, with his ability and the appropriate move, it can take on all weather starters, weather threats, and prominent Uber Pokemon. Third, it is highly unexpected, and highly unpredictable.

Basically the recommended attacks are Draco Meteor, the overpowered standard fare of most choiced special dragons. Next come Fire Blast and Flamethrower, which take care of Steel types, as well as Abomasnow. Earth Power hits Dialga, Heatran and Tyranitar without the accuracy issues of Focus Blast. Focus Blast is more Steel coverage, and also takes out Tyranitar. Now Thunderbolt hits Lugia and Ho-Oh, but more importantly nails Kyogre. Surf gets Groudon, Ttar and Hippowdon. Finally, Dragon Pulse can provide STAB without the Special Attack drop.

This guy loves a rapid spinner on the team, and as he will likely force Pokemon out, will enjoy hazard support. As such, forretress is a good teammate. Pokemon who can handle choice scarfed threats like kyurem white and kyogre, are also helpful. Remember this set is for niche uses, so don't just go throwing it on any team.

Comments

Oh, I was gonna do specs Rayquaza!

---

The idea of an Abomasnow getting anywhere near a Rayquaza is laughable.

Answer 3

Gen V

Rayquaza @ Life Orb / Lum Berry
Ability: Air Lock
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Dragon Dance
- Earthquake
- Outrage
- Extreme Speed

Answer 4

Rayquaza @ Wise Glasses
Ability: Air Lock
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
- Draco Meteor / Dragon Pulse
- Air Slash
- Focus Blast
- Earth Power

Draco Meteor / Dragon Pulse - STAB, covers Dragon weakness
Air Slash - STAB, coverage decent power and a good chance of causing the foe to flinch.
Focus Blast - Covers 2 weaknesses, and crazy power and a chance to lower the foe's Special Defense.
Earth Power - Large range of coverage, chance to decrease foe's Special Defense.

Rayquaza is an absolute beauty, this set is about coverage and decreasing the foes Special Defense, which is either useful and/or needed dependent on if you choose Draco Meteor or Dragon Pulse, you're gonna have to choose between the two but either is fine.

Rayquaza @ Persim Berry / Choice Scarf
Ability: Air Lock
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Outrage / Dragon Claw
- Stone Edge
- Earthquake
- Swords Dance / Dragon Dance

Outrage / Dragon Claw - STAB, crazy power, covers Dragon weakness
Stone Edge - great power, high critical hit ratio, coverage.
Earthquake - great power, accuracy, coverage.
Swords Dance / Dragon Dance - sharply raises Atk, or raises Atk and Spe

This set is also pretty good, covers all weaknesses and allows for a boost in Atk and/or Spd, really a power set. If you choose Outrage, then pick the Persim Berry as your item, otherwise Choice Scarf to make for a dangerous sweeper.

Rayquaza @ King's Rock
Ability: Air Lock
EVs: 128 Atk / 128 SpA / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Draco Meteor
- Iron Tail / Iron Head
- Earthquake
- Air Slash

Draco Meteor - STAB, covers dragon weakness.
Iron Tail / Iron Head - coverage of weaknesses (including Fairy).
Earthquake - it's Earthquake dude...
Air Slash - STAB, decent power and decent chance to flinch the foe.

This set is aimed for Rayquaza to be fast as heck and flinch the foe and just kill anything it crosses, because a Dragon type move is hardly called for, Draco Meteor works in this set for a powerful fast strike, plus the decrease in the Sp.atk doesn't affect the rest of the set. Air Slash is there just to flinch the opponent, and to handle Pokemon with the ability Sturdy. This set is just there for competitive purposes, it's is an annoying set to face that does crazy damage and covers a lot of types.

Comments

I love those sets, however, on the mixed set I'd swap air slash for dragon ascent. Also I'd swap stone edge for dragon ascent on the physical set.

---

At the time of this answer, I believe ORAS was not out yet and therefore Rayquaza could not have Dragon Ascent.

---

The boost Wise Glasses gives us so small it's not worth using. King's Rock is gimmicky and unreliable. Why Jolly Nature on a mixed set?

Answer 5

The Celestial Beast:

Rayquaza @ Life Orb
Ability: Air Lock
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Outrage
- Dragon Ascent
- Iron Head
- Earthquake

Outrage (Assassination time is here)
Dragon Ascent (Great move + enables Mega-Evolution)
Iron Head (BAM! All weaknesses covered)
Earthquake (Coverage and power)

^All the moves above boosted by Life Orb too.
Note: You can only use this killer in the "Anything Goes" tier......

Answer 6

Rayquaza @ Lum Berry
Ability: Air Lock
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Outrage
- Dragon Ascent / Fly
- Earthquake
- Extreme Speed

Outrage - Attacks savagely every turn for the Dragon types
Dragon Ascent (ORAS) / Fly - Dragon Ascent is really powerful only on ORAS and Fly is good for avoiding attacks.
Earthquake - For Rock types and most other types like Electric etc.
Extreme Speed - Moves first

Answer 7

Rayquaza @ Life Orb
Ability: Air Lock
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 8 Spe
Hardy Nature
- Swords Dance
- Dragon Claw
- Dragon Ascent
- Iron Head

Swords Dance - Attack boost for this bulky physical sweeper
Dragon Claw - Dragon coverage (The reason I did not choose Outrage is confusion)
Dragon Ascent - Unlock the power within, Mega Evolve
Iron Head - Rock and Fairy coverage

Please leave me some suggestions for attack replacements too.

EDIT: Thanks to someone in the comments, I would say maybe replace HP EVs with Special Defense EVs. Then surely replace Iron Head with Extreme Speed, and Swords Dance with Bulk Up.

Counters: Fairy types: When going against a fairy, switch out immediately, because a STAB Moonblast with max Special Attack EVs could take out Rayquaza easily.

Another Counter: Choiced Deoxys-Attack: When this guy comes out, he will absolutely wreck Rayquaza with his 180 base stats for both Attack and Special Attack. Mega Rayquaza's base stats for both defenses are only 110. It will pack one heck of a punch.

Please note that Rayquaza has 180 base stats for both of his attack stats, AND base 115 speed stat.

Comments

I suggest replacing Iron Head with Extreme Speed otherwise run Dragon Dance. There are things that can outspeed it, such as Rock Polish Groudon which isn't seen too much but just enough to take precautions against. Also, for Fairy-types, staying in is a bad idea and if you're at +2 Extreme Speed would do decent damage anyway and give another Pokemon the opportunity to take it out. If you're going for a bulky-ish approach, I suggest using Bulk Up raising you're defense and investing in Sp.Def therefore allowing you to take hits from both sides.

---

Okay then. I'll take notes. Thank you

Answer 8

Rayquaza @ Life Orb
Ability: Air Lock
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Dragon Ascent
- Outrage / Dragon Claw
- Overheat / V-create
- Dragon Dance / Extreme Speed

Dragon Ascent for STAB, high power, and for mega evolution
Outrage / Dragon Claw for Dragon STAB
Overheat / V-create for Ice coverage, and for taking care of Genesect/Scizor
Dragon Dance / Extreme Speed as a filler, dragon dance if V-create is picked, extreme speed if Overheat is picked.

Answer 9

Rayquaza @ Lum Berry / Yache Berry
Ability: Air Lock
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature / Adamant Nature
- Dragon Dance
- Dragon Claw / Draco Meteor
- Extreme Speed
- Dragon Ascent / Rock Slide

Dragon Dance: Raises attack and speed each by one stage.
Dragon Claw / Draco Meteor: Either power and special attack or higher Accuracy and no stat drops and Physical move.
Extreme Speed: +2 priority and decent power and high Accuracy.
Dragon Ascent / Rock Slide: Either power or get rid of Ice types that deal 4x damage to Rayquaza.

Comments

Ice types don't resist anything except Ice.

Answer 10

My Rayquaza:

Rayquaza @ Life Orb
Ability: Air Lock
EVs: 130 Atk / 128 SpA / 252 Spe
Naive Nature
- Draco Meteor
- Earthquake
- Dragon Ascent
- Extreme Speed

Draco Meteor for STAB damage
Earthquake for reliability and more type coverage
Dragon Ascent for Mega Evolution and STAB
Extreme Speed for low health opponents

Answer 11

Well... I'm not really scared of dragons so let's do this!

Rayquaza @ Weakness Policy
Ability: Air Lock
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Dragon Dance
- Extreme Speed
- Earthquake
- Iron Head

Dragon Dance (Needed for a physical attacker)
Extreme Speed (D-Dance gives it POWER)
Earthquake (POWER, coverage)
Iron Head (Hits Ice, Rock and Fairy types)

The only thing that ever walled me was the Drifblim used on the Elite Four. Also, use PP Maxes on Extreme Speed for more priority power.

Answer 12

Rayquaza @ Lum Berry
Ability: Air Lock
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Outrage
- Dragon Dance
- Dragon Ascent
- Earthquake/Extreme Speed

Answer 13

Rayquaza was always my favorite legendary poke. He was too badass for the Ubers, so smogon created him his own tier since he was too OP. I already posted a set for him, but I feel like there's no Rayquaza's with Life Orbs around.. So here ya go:

Rayquaza @ Life Orb
Ability: Air Lock
EVS: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 SpA
- Dragon Ascent
- Dragon Claw
- Iron Head / Iron Tail
- Earthquake

Dragon Ascent (STAB, and for mega evolving)
Dragon Claw (His main STAB)
Iron Head / Iron Tail (Coverage)
Earthquake (None of us need explaination for EQ..)

Dragon Ascent is a nice STAB to have, and his phenomenal stats and Life Orb makes so he doesn't actually need a DD. Dragon Claw is his main STAB, and does just as well as Dragon Ascent. You can choose Iron Head or Iron Tail, based on if you most for accuracy or power. Earthquake is just earthquake. It's nice for steels, as it's only attack that isn't resisted by steel. He is litterally guaranteed to 2HKO yours foes, so go ahead and sweep!

Comments

Why Modest just why

Answer 14

I use this:

Rayquaza-Mega @ Focus Sash
Ability: Air Lock
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Dragon Ascent
- Outrage
- Iron Head
- V-create

I like to use a Fast Physical Sweeper, that is, a Rayquaza with maximum physical attack and maximum speed. Focus Sash helps him to tank attacks like Blizzard, Moonblast, etc. I use it as my only Mega Pokemon. Delta Stream ability (he gains this ability after mega evolve) helps him lose weakness to Rock-type moves, and make his Ice weakness x4 drop to 2x, leaving him with only 3 weaknesses, 2x Dragon, 2x Ice, and 2x Fairy.

Dragon Ascent is the move that makes mega evolve, has a great power and accurary, but down your defense and special defense. Outrage has a perfect accurary and power, however the fact that he gets 2 to 3 turns using this same attack and leaves him confused is a small disadvantage. Iron Head has a good power, and a good accurary to mainly attack Rock and Fairy types. V-create, although it diminishes its defense and its speed, is powerful and is perfect to attack Ice types. Used this Rayquaza a long time and I never regretted it, it's great.

Answer 15

Rayquaza @ Sky Plate / Dragon Plate
Ability: Air Lock
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 Spe / 4 SpD
Jolly Nature
- Dragon Ascent
- Dragon Dance
- Dragon Claw
- Extreme Speed

Sky Plate is for those who want a high power Dragon Ascent and Dragon Plate is for those who want to use Dragon Claw as their main move. Combining STAB and the Plate, Dragon Claw would get 144 power if my sources are correct, which is a lot for one move.

Dragon Ascent however, would get 216 power. It's kind of a trade between power and PP.

This moveset revolves around Dragon Dance. All of the damage-dealing moves are physical, so it gets great synergy with the rest of the moveset. Even though the speed boost from Dragon Dance is really useful, Rayquaza can still be outsped by a few Pokémon, mainly Speed Deoxys. This is why Extreme Speed is there.

Alternatively, Dragon Claw could be replaced with Outrage. However, you get confused and lose control over Rayquaza, so Dragon Claw is the safer option. Likewise, Dragon Dance can be replaced with Swords Dance for that nice extra boost to your Attack instead of Speed.

Answer 16

Well I was looking through these and I didnt see many with DD and DA together. So guess what I did folks.

Rayquaza @ Leftovers
Ability: Air Lock
EVs: 252 Atk / 6 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Dragon Ascent
- Dragon Dance
- Earthquake
- Extreme Speed

Dragon Ascent - Arguably Rayquaza's most powerful move, plus includes Mega Evolution. Win win!
Dragon Dance: Increases this insane beast to even more insanity
Earthquake: Go away, electrics!
Extreme Speed: If you need something gone fast.

Comments

Good but there are no dragon attacking moves

---

Also 4 HP.

Answer 17

Gen 7: Physical

Rayquaza @ Weakness Policy / Life Orb
Ability: Air Lock
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Dragon Claw / Dragon Tail / Outrage: STAB, + coverage.
- Dragon Ascent: Necessary for Mega Evolution, + STAB, + 120 POWER.
- Earthquake: Steel-type coverage, also Earthquake.
- Iron Tail / Iron Head: (This thing knows Iron Tail?!)

(Feedback is appreciated.)

Answer 18

Rayquaza @ Life Orb
Ability: Air Lock
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Swords Dance / Dragon Dance
- Dragon Ascent
- Extreme Speed
- V-create / Earthquake

Comments

The ability Delta Stream was only allowed when it’s mega, yet now in gen 8, no mega was available

Answer 19

Rayquaza @ Power Herb
Ability: Air Lock
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Meteor Beam
- Dragon Pulse
- Surf
- Flamethrower

Power Herb + Meteor Beam gives a Special Attack boost. Dragon Pulse is STAB. Surf covers Rock. Flamethrower covers Steel and Ice.

Comments

This one for Gen 8?

---

Yep (filler)

---

Hurricane over dragon pulse.

---

Yeah so that Max Airstream increases its Speed.

Answer 20

Role: Physical Sweeper
Rayquaza @ Choice Band / Choice Scarf
Ability: Air Lock
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 Spe / 4 HP
Adamant Nature
- Shadow Claw / Rock Slide
- Crunch / Waterfall / Iron Head
- Extreme Speed
- Scale Shot / Dragon Claw