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

Gen 6

Why is there still no moveset for this monster?

Rayquaza @ Life Orb
Ability: Air Lock
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature / Adamant Nature
- Dragon Ascent
- Dragon Dance / Swords Dance
- Extreme Speed
- Earthquake / Outrage / V-create (event move) / Draco Meteor / Overheat / Whatever you want to run dammit.

Groudon created the Land. Kyogre created the Sea. What about Rayquaza? It created a whole new tier in Smogon. This thing is insane, all you need to do is use Dragon Dance once or twice (or Swords Dance once) and sweep. Dragon Ascent is as powerful as Outrage and it deals a ton of damage to everything not resisting it. Whats could be more badass than to fly to the heavens and smash into your enemies like a meteor? Delta Stream removes its flying weaknesses and leaves it only weak to Fairy, Dragon and Ice (2x) type moves. Earthquake is Earthquake. It kills Steels and that's what it does. Faster threats? Just ExtremeSpeed it in the face. Mega Rayquaza has transcended Ubers and gone to Anything Goes. A tier made just to house it. In other words, godmode.

Comments

I like this because he doesn't need a stone to mega evolve, so life orb can be held.

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This thing's a beast!

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HES A SUPER SAIYAN

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Or Flyinium Z on the dragon ascent to cancel defense drop on z-move

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Personally, I'm a person for lasting longer in battles rather than sheer up front damage, so If you have life orb, I would ev health a lot, or you could use Expert Belt, which makes super-effective attacks even STRONGER.

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i love this set. use this everytime on ag

Answer 2

Rayquaza @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Air Lock
EVs: 196 Atk / 196 SpA / 116 Spe
Naive Nature
- Thunderbolt
- Outrage
- Surf
- Earthquake

My Ubers lead, and I love 'em.

He clears out Kyogre's weather, then outspeeds the Modest scarf set by 1 speed point. Hits hard with Thunderbolt.

He later can clear out threats like Adamant Zekrom (still outspeeding by 1 point ^^) Modest Reshiram (same boat!), or Dialga with Modest.

The only dragons that I have to worry about are Palkia or a faster Rayquaza.

Anyway, he outspeeds those threats to nail with STAB Outrage.
Surf is for Groudon leads. (Once again, no sun is out due to Air Lock)

Earthquake is for general coverage. Takes out the seemingly rare Arceus-Electric, the ever so common Dialga, and lets me hit that troll Ferrothorn for some neutral damage.

It's easily replaceable with a Fire move. Heck, I'll probably run this with V-Create when it's released :D (V-Create > Earthquake that is. Keep in mind that Flamethrower, Fire Blast, and Overheat are all still great choices for that slot.)

Comments

Its a good set but i think you should have a priority move like Extremespeed

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have it hold lum berry and you can avoid toxic, parahacks and burn. it also wont get confused.

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I like your Picture, Named it Swiggidy Rayquaza in my files!

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Is mega Rayquaza in Ubers?

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Very creative. I love it.

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I'd go max speed, 128 attack 128 special attackk.

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Great but swap earthquake for dragon ascent.

Answer 3

Simple Dragon Dance set

AG Creator (Rayquaza-Mega) @ Life Orb
Ability: Delta Stream
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Extreme Speed
- Dragon Ascent
- V-create
- Dragon Dance

Dragon Ascent is needed to Mega-Evolve. Extreme Speed is priority and targets faster Pokemon. V-Create melts Ice-type along with Necrozma-Dusk Mane. Dragon Dance is set-up, and at +1, only the bulkiest Pokemon in this whole world can take its hit. Adamant is chosen over Jolly since you already outsped a lot of things after a +1 Dragon Dance. Life Orb is chosen, and for other weird choices would be Lum Berry (Lol) and other things.
BUT FOR THE FUTURE OF THIS WORLD DON'T USE SASH RAY!

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Calculations

At +1 Atk, without Life Orb, see your damage input against Ho-Oh.
- +1 252+ Atk Rayquaza-Mega Dragon Ascent vs. 248 HP / 208+ Def Ho-Oh: 331-391 (79.7 - 94.2%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

Now, you shall see yourself getting a burn from Sacred Fire or Whirlwind-ed back while Ho-Oh gets that HP back from Regenerator.

AND if you held Life Orb, it surely would have been a KO.
- +1 252+ Atk Life Orb Rayquaza-Mega Dragon Ascent vs. 248 HP / 208+ Def Ho-Oh: 430-508 (103.6 - 122.4%) -- guaranteed OHKO

Now, VS opposing M-Ray.
- 252+ Atk Rayquaza-Mega Dragon Ascent vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Rayquaza-Mega: 274-324 (78 - 92.3%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

You don't get the KO without Life Orb. On the other hand;
- 252+ Atk Life Orb Rayquaza-Mega Dragon Ascent vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Rayquaza-Mega: 356-421 (101.4 - 119.9%) -- guaranteed OHKO

VS Yveltal
- 252+ Atk Rayquaza-Mega Dragon Ascent vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Yveltal: 288-339 (73.2 - 86.2%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

While if you had Life Orb;
- 252+ Atk Life Orb Rayquaza-Mega Dragon Ascent vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Yveltal: 374-441 (95.1 - 112.2%) -- 68.8% chance to OHKO

This explains why Life Orb is possibly the best item on it. Using Focus Sash on it is totally bad; it doesn't get a lot of important KOes where it would have done. As such, there arises no reason to use Focus Sash.

Thanks for reading.

Comments

Why not sash ray?

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But if u give it a muscle band it shld be enuff to score kos at +1 lol.

Say no to sash ray

Answer 4

Gen 8 Dynamax user

Rayquaza @ Life Orb
Ability: Air Lock
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Dragon Dance
- Dragon Ascent
- Dragon Claw
- Brick Break
Dragon Dance is setup. Dragon Ascent is powerful STAB, and in Dynamax gives you a speed boost. Dragon Claw is STAB. Brick Break gives you an attack boost when it becomes Max Knuckle.

Answer 5

VGC 2019

Rayquaza @ Focus Sash / Life Orb
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
Hasty Nature
- Protect
- Dragon Ascent
- Extreme Speed
- Earth Power

Focus Sash is better if you find Xerneas more of a problem, but Life Orb causes it to increase it’s already amazing attacking power even higher. Protect is mandatory, Dragon Ascent is your main attacking move, with 120 BP and STAB. Extreme Speed helps pick off KOs on Sashes and faster Pokemon. Earth Power is used over Earthquake to not hit allies and to do more damage to Primal Groudon.

Answer 6

Rayquaza @ Choice Band / Choice Scarf
Ability: Air Lock
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature / Adamant Nature
- Outrage
- Stone Edge
- Fly
- Earthquake

Rayquaza is already really fast. Choice Band is mainly for Outrage, however, other moves can work. If you want extra speed go with Choice Scarf, and if you're going scarfed, use Adamant.

Comments

Why on earth would you put fly over dragon ascent? More accuracy and power - essentially a close combat

Answer 7

Rayauaza @ Life Orb / Expert Belt
Ability: Air Lock
EVs: 252 Atk / 128 SpA / 128 Spe
Lonely Nature
- Dragon Claw
- Earthquake / Stone Edge
- Thunderbolt
- Flamethrower

Generally you should attack with Dragon Claw & if there is one a super effective move. Ice is covered by Flamethrower, Dragon is covered by Dragon Claw & Rock by Earthquake.

Comments

Well you could always swap dragon claw for draco meteor or dragon pulse, then swap earthquake for earth power or even dragon ascent, and ev it 252 speed, 128 sp attack and 128 attack/HP.

Answer 8

So Rayquaza is just OP:

Rayquaza @ Choice Specs
Ability: Air Lock
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
- Dragon Ascent
- Dragon Pulse
- Ice Beam
- Flamethrower

Ok so this is a special sweeper move set. As you can see I run Choice Specs Rayquaza. Here is my explanation of Moves:
Dragon Ascent: Signature move, why not? + STAB
Dragon Pulse: STAB
Ice Beam: Coverage
Flamethrower: Coverage

Hope this helps!! :)

Comments

Boom this is my PERFCTO move set

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No offense, but this set is bs. Let's start on the item. Choice Specs? Really? Rayquaza can have any item. Want a Sitrus Berry? You do you. How about Leftovers? That can fly free too. But really? Choice Specs? It can only use one move until you switch. Ice Beam and Flamethrower is useless as on first turn you mega evolve and Delta Stream protects Rayquaza from super effective moves. Dragon Pulse is terrible with Dragon Ascent. Why not is not a reason to use a move.

Answer 9

Anyone for Choice Band Rayquaza?

Rayquaza @ Choice Band
Ability: Air Lock
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Dragon Ascent
- Dragon Claw
- Earthquake / V-Create
- Extreme Speed

This set might receive a lot of hate for not running Dragon Dance or Swords Dance, but the sheer power of Choice Band without a boost makes up for it. Dragon Ascent allows mega evolution and is Flying type STAB, Dragon Claw for STAB, Earthquake for coverage, and V-Create allows him to not be walled by Skarmory, at the cost of stat drops. Extreme Speed for priority.

Answer 10

Rayquaza is a MONSTER. Especially when it's Mega-Evolved. Except it doesn't fare well against Scarfers. (Preferably White Kyurem with a Choice Scarf.) We are fixing that today by giving Mega-Rayquaza a Choice Scarf of its own.

Rayquaza @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Air Lock
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Outrage
- Dragon Ascent
- Earthquake
- Iron Tail / Iron Head

Outrage is big Dragon STAB and OHKOs most Dragon Pokemon from Ubers. Dragon Ascent is Flying STAB and the way to mega-evolve Rayquaza. Earthquake hits Rock, Steel, Poison, and Electric types. Iron Tail picks off White-Kyurem and Xerneas, but Iron Head does the same thing and has better accuracy, though it has less power than Iron Tail.

Comments

Extreme Speed though, maybe over Iron Tail or Iron Head?

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yeaaah I made this when I wasn't that good at competitive. You could try E Speed or V-Create imo

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I actually like Iron Head/Tail on it, since it covers its main weaknesses, Fairy and Ice (especially Geomancy+ Moonblast Xerneas, which the scarf helps with).

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True. On my original set, I had Iron Head. For competitive, you don't always need a dragon type move though.

Answer 11

National Dex AG

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

Explanation: Use Dragon Dance to boost your Speed and Attack. Dragon Ascent is powerful STAB. V-create is a powerful moves that provides coverage for Fairy/Steel types like Zacian-Crowned. You can also use Earthquake for slightly more accuracy and to avoid Stat reduction. Extreme Speed is priority and helps you quickly finish foes.

Answer 12

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

This is the first Mega-Rayquaza set you would expect. Adamant is the extra push to get a chance to OHKO Primal Groudon.

Jolly Nature against Defensive Primal Groudon:
+1 252 Atk Life Orb Rayquaza-Mega Earthquake vs. 252 HP / 56+ Def Groudon-Primal: 315-372 (77.9 - 92%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

Adamant Nature against Primal Groudon:
+1 252+ Atk Life Orb Rayquaza-Mega Earthquake vs. 252 HP / 56+ Def Groudon-Primal: 348-411 (86.1 - 101.7%) -- 12.5% chance to OHKO

Yes, the chance to OHKO is small but with rocks up, it goes up to an 87.5% chance to OHKO.
Dragon Dance or Sword Dance is to boost that attack stat to over 1000 and not many mons can survive that.
After a Swords Dance, it does this to Bulky Arceus Fairy:
+2 252+ Atk Life Orb Rayquaza-Mega Dragon Ascent vs. 248 HP / 244+ Def Arceus-Fairy: 456-538 (102.9 - 121.4%) -- guaranteed OHKO

Earthquake is for coverage against steel types and V-Create is another option but that speed drop will hurt its sweeping potential.

Extreme Speed is for valuable priority and can kill faster mons apart from Marshadow.

Answer 13

Rayquaza-Mega @ Life Orb
Ability: Air Lock
Evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Dragon Dance / Swords Dance
- Dragon Ascent
- Extreme Speed
- Earthquake / V-create (Event) / Dragon Claw

This thing is an absolute monster and even created a new tier in Smogon. Dragon Dance is to boost its attack and speed to absolutely insane levels. Dragon Ascent is a Flying Type Close Combat and is broken on Mega Ray. Extreme Speed is for valuable priority and hits really hard with M-Ray's 180 base Attack stat. Earthquake is for Steel mons that resist flying.

V-create (if you can get your hands on it) also smashes Steel mons and can also hit mons like Celesteela. Dragon Claw is for your other STAB move and this is better than outrage because locking yourself to one move is not good for ray. Life Orb grabs valuable OHKOes and if you use Sash you are big dumb cause after they set up rocks, you just lost your item.

Answer 14

Ever wanted to use a Mega Ray that beats common physically defensive checks?

Mixed Mega Ray destroys common checks like defensive Zygarde.

National Dex AG

Rayquaza-Mega @ Life Orb
Ability: Air Lock
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
Naive Nature / Naughty Nature
- Dragon Ascent
- V-create
- Extreme Speed
- Draco Meteor

Dragon Ascent is brutal STAB and is needed for Mega Rayquaza to Mega Evolve. V-Create does more damage to Dusk Mane and slaughters Ferrothorn. Extreme Speed revenge-kills weakened faster Pokemon. Draco Meteor absolutely destroys defensive Zygarde, and gets rid of Primal Groudon who think they can switch in since Ray is using V-create over Earthquake.

252 Atk Life Orb Rayquaza-Mega V-create vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Prism Armor Necrozma-Dusk-Mane: 298-351 (74.8 - 88.1%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

4 SpA Life Orb Rayquaza-Mega Draco Meteor vs. 204 HP / 0 SpD Zygarde: 640-751 (156.8 - 184%) -- guaranteed OHKO

252 Atk Life Orb Rayquaza-Mega V-create vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Ferrothorn: 775-915 (220.1 - 259.9%) -- guaranteed OHKO

4 SpA Life Orb Rayquaza-Mega Draco Meteor vs. 252 HP / 200 SpD Groudon-Primal: 270-320 (66.8 - 79.2%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

252 Atk Life Orb Rayquaza-Mega Dragon Ascent vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Kyogre-Primal: 355-419 (104.1 - 122.8%) -- guaranteed OHKO

Have fun!

Answer 15

Gen 8 Doubles Ubers

Rayquaza @ Life Orb
Ability: Air Lock
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Dragon Ascent
- Swords Dance / Dragon Dance
- Protect
- V-create

Dynamax attacker. Dragon Ascent is Flying STAB and, when used as Max Airstream (in Dynamax), boosts both Rayquaza and it's ally's speed. Swords Dance and Dragon Dance are options for setup. Protect allows Rayquaza to scout for attacks while being mostly safe for a turn. When used as Max Guard, it can be used to stall out the opponent's Dynamax. V-Create / Max Flare hits the majority of the steel types in the metagame hard, including an OHKO on Zacian-C, and, when at +1 attack, OHKO's non-Dynamaxed Necrozma-DM and Calyrex-Ice. Sadly, Air Lock prevents the Sun boost from coming into effect, but also makes it so Venusaur doesn't receive it's Chlorophyll boost and shut down Rayquaza with Sleep Powder. The Life Orb boosts Rayquaza's damage output, notably allowing it to always OHKO Kyogre with an unboosted Max Airstream. Jolly Nature should be used in order to outspeed Calyrex-Shadow and Choice Scarf Kyogre when at +1 speed.

Answer 16

National Dex AG

Rayquaza-Mega @ Life Orb
Ability: Air Lock
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Dragon Ascent
- Extreme Speed
- Protect
- Swords Dance

Impostor-proof Mega Ray. Dragon Ascent is STAB. Extreme Speed is priority and can revenge-kill transformed Ditto that have locked themselves into Dragon Ascent. Protect is to block Ditto's move and KO with Extreme Speed if they lock into Ascent or switch to the mandatory Ghost type teammate if they lock themselves into Espeed. The 4th slot goes to Swords Dance, which lets Rayquaza OHKO Ditto-ray with Extreme Speed.

Teammates

Calyrex-Shadow is immune to Extreme Speed and beats defensive Necrozma-Dusk Mane and does fairly well against Zygarde if it's a Substitute set, while Calyrex-Shadow's worst matchup in specially defensive Yveltal gets destroyed by Rayquaza. Thehy share a common check in Tyranitar, which has no recovery outside of Rest, so with entry hazards, they can wear Tyranitar down and get rid of it.

Gothitelle traps and removes checks such as Necrozma-Dusk Mane and Zygarde-C for good, which makes this Rayquaza's lack of V-create or Earthquake not so bad. For safety against Zygarde, you can use HP Ice Gothitelle (posting the set here soon)

Answer 17

Rayquaza @ Life Orb / White Herb
Ability: Air Lock
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Dragon Claw
- V-Create
- Extreme Speed

Swords Dance - Boosts Attack

Dragon Claw - STAB

V-Create - Awesome move, huge power, Ice coverage

Extreme Speed - Good priority move, great with Swords Dance
and awesome to use when speed falls with V-Create

Comments

Those last 2 HP EVs aren't doing anything, might as well not list them

Answer 18

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 19

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!

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

Answer 20

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