Raikou Best Moveset
115 Sp. Atk at 115 Speed on Electric with AbilityInner Focus preventing flinching. Held ItemChoice Specs with NatureTimid pushes special Electric TermStab to devastating levels. The moveset outspeeds most of the format and hits from the special side with coverage options. 90 HP and 75 Defense are thin but the Speed usually means acting first.
115 Sp. Atk and 115 Speed made Raikou the fastest hard-hitting Electric-type in Gen II (Gold & Silver). Calm Mind sets became nearly unbreakable on the special side.
Best Moves
Best Build
Utility Moveset
- Rest
- Sleep Talk
- Thunder
- Hidden Power Ice
Recommended Teammates
Same Calm Mind formula in Gen III (Ruby & Sapphire). Boost, tank special hits, fire back with boosted Thunderbolt. Reliable and consistent.
Special Setup Sweeper Moveset
- Thunderbolt
- Calm Mind
- Hidden Power Grass
- Substitute
Recommended Teammates
115 Speed let Raikou run Calm Mind without being outsped in Gen IV (Diamond & Pearl). Three gens of consistent A-Tier performance.
Special Setup Sweeper Moveset
- Thunderbolt
- Hidden Power Ice
- Aura Sphere
- Calm Mind
Recommended Teammates
Consistent but not dominant in Gen V (Black & White). Other Electric-types with better coverage or utility started competing for Raikou's team slot.
Special Setup Sweeper Moveset
- Calm Mind
- Thunderbolt
- Hidden Power Ice
- Aura Sphere
Recommended Teammates
Back on top in Gen VI (X & Y). Assault Vest gave it special bulk, and Volt Switch pivoting made Raikou one of the best offensive Electric-types again.
Special Sweeper Moveset
- Hidden Power Ice
- Volt Switch
- Thunderbolt
- Shadow Ball
Recommended Teammates
Tapu Koko and terrain-boosted Electric-types pushed Raikou aside in Gen VII (Sun & Moon). 115/115 was still solid but no longer outstanding.
Special Setup Sweeper Moveset
- Thunderbolt
- Hidden Power Ice
- Calm Mind
- Reflect
Recommended Teammates
Same decline in Gen VIII (Sword & Shield). The stats hadn't changed in three gens while the competition kept evolving past them.
Special Setup Sweeper Moveset
- Thunderbolt
- Calm Mind
- Scald
- Aura Sphere
Recommended Teammates
Fell further in Gen IX (Scarlet & Violet). Raikou's formula was unchanged since Gen II, and the metagame had lapped it.
Special Setup Sweeper Moveset
- Scald
- Thunderbolt
- Volt Switch
- Calm Mind
Recommended Teammates
Raikou Weakness
Raikou's Electric typing leaves it vulnerable to Ground. Its Electric typing keeps the defensive matchups simple. Raikou's special bulk (base 100 Sp.Def) helps absorb special-type weaknesses, though physical moves exploit the lower Defense.
| Damage | Types |
|---|---|
| 2x (Weak) | Ground |
| 0.5x (Resist) | Electric, Flying, Steel |
What is Raikou Weak Against
GoodBest Pokemon Against Raikou
A | ||
Recommended Build AbilityRegenerator ItemHeavy-Duty Boots NatureRelaxed Moves
Damage vs Raikou View Alomomola builds →Flip Turn14-16% Scald9-11% | ||
B | ||
Recommended Build AbilityPressure ItemRocky Helmet NatureImpish Moves
Damage vs Raikou View Corviknight builds →U Turn18-21% | ||
B | ||
Recommended Build AbilityFlame Body ItemHeavy-Duty Boots NatureBold Moves
Damage vs Raikou View Moltres builds →Flamethrower25-29% U Turn18-21% | ||
C | ||
Recommended Build AbilityDrizzle ItemDamprock NatureRelaxed Moves
Damage vs Raikou View Pelipper builds →Hurricane12-14% U Turn12-14% | ||
Recommended Build AbilityNeutralizinggas ItemHeavy-Duty Boots NatureBold Moves View Weezing-Galar builds →
| ||
Evolution
You can't breed Raikou or evolve it into anything else. This Electric legendary packs 580 stats and doesn't need a chain to be relevant. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.
How to Evolve
Breeding
How to Get Raikou
Raikou can't be caught in Scarlet & Violet. Bring it over from Gold & Silver, Crystal, or Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon instead. The encounter info below covers the source games.
Raikou is not available as a wild encounter in this game.
Also Obtainable In:
Pokemon transfers only go forward through generations, never backward. Direct cross-gen trades aren't supported.
Raikou doesn't appear in Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl. Transfer it from Gold & Silver, Crystal, or Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon to add it to your collection. Check the source games below for encounter details.
Raikou is not available as a wild encounter in this game.
Also Obtainable In:
Pokemon transfers only go forward through generations, never backward. Direct cross-gen trades aren't supported.
Raikou can't be caught in Sword & Shield. Bring it over from Gold & Silver, Crystal, or Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon instead. The encounter info below covers the source games.
Raikou is not available as a wild encounter in this game.
Also Obtainable In:
Pokemon transfers only go forward through generations, never backward. Direct cross-gen trades aren't supported.
You'll find Raikou at Ultra Space Wilds as a set encounter. It's always there at that location, so come prepared for the battle. The location details below cover exact positioning.
How to Get Raikou in Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon
Base Stats
Raikou's built around special offense. Sp. Atk leads the charge, Defense pays for it. Near-impossible to catch, worth 3 Sp. Atk and Speed EVs. Follows a slow 1.25M XP grind.
It is said to have fallen with lightning. It can fire thunderbolts from the rain clouds on its back.
Raikou Guide
At 580 BST, Raikou is built different. We rank it B-Tier. As a Legendary Pokemon, the raw stats back up the reputation. Best used as a sweeper.
Watch for Rhydon (Ground) when using Raikou. They all hit it super-effectively with STAB. Only 1 weakness means fewer dedicated counters to worry about.
Pressure increases the PP cost of moves targetting the Pokémon by one. That's the one you want on Raikou. Inner Focus is the hidden ability. Niche, but it has its uses.
Raikou fills the sweeper role. It's a special attacker with base 115 Sp. Atk. Base 115 Speed lets it outrun most of the field. And it's enough bulk to take a hit or two.
Run Scald, Thunderbolt, Volt Switch, and Calm Mind on Raikou. Scald is the most common pick at 0% usage. Thunderbolt provides reliable STAB damage.
Game Availability
Raikou has appeared in 17 games since Gold & Silver, spanning 9 generations. As a Legendary, it's typically a one-per-save encounter tied to the story or post-game content.
Click a game to view version-specific details
- Gen 1RB
Red & Blue - Gen 1Y
Yellow - Gen 2GSDebut
Gold & Silver - Gen 2C
Crystal - Gen 3RS
Ruby & Sapphire - Gen 3E
Emerald - Gen 3FRLG
FireRed & LeafGreen - Gen 4DP
Diamond & Pearl - Gen 4Pt
Platinum - Gen 4HGSS
HeartGold & SoulSilver - Gen 5BW
Black & White - Gen 5B2W2
Black 2 & White 2 - Gen 6XY
X & Y - Gen 6ORAS
Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire - Gen 7SM
Sun & Moon - Gen 7USUM
Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon - Gen 7LGPE
Let's Go Pikachu & Eevee - Gen 8SwSh
Sword & Shield - Gen 8BDSP
Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl - Gen 8PLA
Legends: Arceus - Gen 9SV
Scarlet & Violet - Gen 9LZA
Legends: Z-A - Gen 10WW
Winds & Waves