Reignited'Light Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 [[: OU SHOWCASE WITH DESTRUCTIVE SKITTY :]] Pokemon of the week is... Raikou Viability in OU: B+ Rank- With its Electric typing, it is only weak to ground types; however, Raikou has just enough moves to hold its own against them. Raikou has a devastating combo of electric and ice, in the form of Thunderbolt + Hidden Power [ice]. Only a few Pokemon can resist that dual attack. While its offense is really solid, its defenses are not something to be impressed about. That said, it can boost its special defense with a Calm Mind set! Raikou may seem like a mediocre pokemon compared to popular OU threats like Thundurus, but Raikou has just enough tools to threaten many pokemon in the OU metagame. Recommended Movesets Raikou @ Choice Specs / Choice Scarf Ability: Pressure EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe Timid Nature - Volt Switch - Thunderbolt - Hidden Power [ice] - Shadow Ball / Extrasensory Raikou is an amazing pokemon. With its powerful special attack and great speed, nothing can check Raikou safely unless your prediction is off the charts. The choice between Choice Specs and Choice Scarf depends on what you need. If you want to pressure opponents with devastating power, use Specs. Choice Scarf is a valuable item if your team needs to have a revenge killer. The moveset for Raikou is pretty simple. Volt Switch and Thunderbolt are a must, since Volt switch grabs momentum for your team, while Thunderbolt is the most reliable and powerful STAB move on this set. Hidden Power Ice is also a must, since you would get walled by Ground types such as Landorus, Garchomp, and Gliscor. It also hits some Grass types such as Breloom and Serperior. The last slot is usually what your team needs covered. Shadow Ball is the main move choice, since it breaks Landorus-Therian on the switch, and also hits Mega Metagross pretty hard. It's a great coverage move. Extransensory hits the likes of Amoonguss and Mega Venusaur if you are otherwise unable to hit them reliably. Also has a small chance to flinch! Raikou @ Leftovers Ability: Pressure EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe Timid Nature - Substitute - Calm Mind - Thunderbolt - Hidden Power [ice] Here's a pretty cool Raikou set. It's similar to the Sub+CM Keldeo, but Raikou can easily set up with it's great speed and powerful presence. Behind a Substitute, you don't have to rely on much prediction. Calm Mind adds more power and bulk on the special side. It makes Raikou take on Latias/Latios, Manaphy, and Thundurus a bit easier. Finally, Thunderbolt and Hidden Power Ice are significant coverage moves, which makes this set so damn good. Something should always go down against Raikou, since it forces a lot of switches. By the time the opponent could break the sub, Raikou can easily finish them off with enough boosts from Calm Mind. Making plays Raikou generally forces so many switches with its threatening coverage moves, so predict accordingly. It's usually best to spam Volt Switch unless the opponent has a ground type. Try to take advantage of Raikou's threatening presence and predict. Raikou can perform well in any part of the game, but it shines really well early to mid game, where mind games are at the peak. With the Sub+CM set, patience is required. If you force your opponent to switch, go for Substitute and proceed to set up Calm Minds. To enable a sweep, all counters must be removed such as Chansey and Unaware users like Quagsire and Clefable. This set requires less prediction, since the opponent has to remove the substitute, rather than predicting coverage moves. This set shines mid to late game, as Raikou cannot break through everything with Thunderbolt and Hidden Power Ice alone. Team Synergy Raikou has really great offensive power, so you should pair Raikou with Pokemon with similar team-breaking strength. Keldeo is a good partner, as it takes on the Ground and Dark types that can trouble Raikou, while in return Raikou can defeat the pesky Flying and water types that threaten Keldeo. Latios is a great offensive partner as well, since it can utilize Defog to get rid of the entry hazards that limit Raikou's switch-ins. Also, Volt-Turn users are really great for Raikou, since Raikou needs a safe way to come into the game. Some partners that work are Landorus-Therian, Scizor, Rotom-wash, and Celebi. They have great synergy with Raikou, and can rack up some significant damage really fast! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DungeonWolves Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 Raikou is quite a good Electric type pokemon, it's helped me get through the Johto league many times in the past, until I maxed out it's level! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hypa Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 im really enjoying these keep them coming Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raindrop Valkyrie Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 Good complements to the CM set are anything that can take out Pink Blobs and Unaware users. Gengar is pretty adept at it as he decimates both Chansey and Clefable. Having something for Mega Venusaur is also a must as it pretty much laughs at the pittance of damage that comes from HP Ice after Thick Fat. Strong Psychic type attacks or Flying type moves are what you are looking for here. ((alternatively, Raikou can run Extrasensory over Substitute for Mega Venu, but you will sorely miss having Subs. Subs really ease Raikou's set-up so losing them can be a pretty big deal. Strongly consider this choice before doing it. I really just recommend having something else that can deal with Mega Venu as Raikou really only runs Extrasensory exclusively for it.)) With T-bolt and HP Ice, Raikou has psuedo BoltBeam coverage which is nearly perfect coverage on all but 5 pokemon that resist it ((6 if counting Shedninja, but I personally don't cause you never see that thing.)). 3 of these mons are in the Same Evo line being the Magneton Family, however Magnezone won't really have anything of it's own to hit back. The other 2 are Rotom-Frost and Rotom-Heat. You won't really see either of them either though Heat is more likely. Heat also can't really do anything as the only move it really has to hit you with will drop it's SpAtk Just letting you get off a bunch more boosts etc. So your coverage is basically Perfect and you can at least hit everything in the game. CM Raikou is pretty scary if it sets up and can demolish teams that are unprepared. It is a force to be recoked with and don't take it lightly. Thunder-cat HO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slant Posted February 3, 2015 Share Posted February 3, 2015 no mention of the AV set?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reignited'Light Posted February 3, 2015 Author Share Posted February 3, 2015 Nah. I think the only reason why the AV set existed was because back in X/Y, Greninja became popular. I think it was supposed to check Greninja better. Now that Greninja is gone, I don't see a need for AV Raikou. Plus, I think Raikou should be a hard hitting attacker or a revenge killer, rather than trying to tank special attacks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickCrash Posted February 3, 2015 Share Posted February 3, 2015 The only reason Raikou is not in OU, it's because it's not got a better ability yet --> volt absorb. Could you do one for M-Gyarados and M-Scizor? Cool mons that definitely need some recognition. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Studly Frog Posted February 3, 2015 Share Posted February 3, 2015 ^^^ agree with the need for scizor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reignited'Light Posted February 3, 2015 Author Share Posted February 3, 2015 I promise at some point, I will cover most of the OU Megas. Gyarados and Scizor as well. They won't be anytime soon, but they will be covered! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shadow Tack Posted February 9, 2015 Share Posted February 9, 2015 make sure to showcase stunfisk, that thing screams power. /shot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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