Rayquaza Best Moveset
150/150 mixed offenses at 95 Speed on Dragon/Flying with AbilityAir Lock canceling all weather effects. Held ItemLife Orb with NatureJolly runs physical Dragon and Flying TermStab at staggering power. The moveset overwhelms from either side. MoveDragon Dance boosts Attack and Speed for a devastating setup sweep. S-Tier with the stats to back it up.
Dragon/Flying with 150 Attack and 150 Sp. Atk in Gen III (Ruby & Sapphire). Air Lock negated weather. The most offensively versatile legendary of its generation.
Best Moves
Best Build
Rayquaza best EVs are Attack and Speed
Physical Setup Sweeper Moveset
- Extreme Speed
- Earthquake
- Hidden Power Flying
- Dragon Dance
Recommended Teammates
Swords Dance, Dragon Dance, and mixed sets in Gen IV (Diamond & Pearl). Opponents never knew which Rayquaza was coming, and every version was lethal.
Physical Setup Sweeper Moveset
- Extreme Speed
- Outrage
- Earthquake
- Dragon Dance
Recommended Teammates
V-create gave it a 180-power Fire move in Gen V (Black & White). Combined with 150/150 offenses and Air Lock. Always a top threat at the highest level.
Physical Sweeper Moveset
- Extreme Speed
- Outrage
- V Create
- Earthquake
Recommended Teammates
Mega Rayquaza was banned from even the restricted format in Gen VI (X & Y). So broken it needed its own tier above everything else. Delta Stream negated Flying weaknesses entirely.
Utility Moveset
- Dragon Ascent
- Extreme Speed
- Draco Meteor
- Dragon Dance
Recommended Teammates
One of only two Pokemon ever banned from the restricted format in Gen VII (Sun & Moon). Mega Rayquaza didn't even need a Mega Stone to Mega Evolve, freeing its item slot.
Physical Setup Sweeper Moveset
- Dragon Ascent
- Extreme Speed
- Dragon Dance
- Earthquake
No Mega form in Gen VIII (Sword & Shield). Base Rayquaza with 150/150 offenses, Dragon Dance, and V-create was still top-tier restricted format material.
Physical Setup Sweeper Moveset
- Dragon Ascent
- Extreme Speed
- Dragon Dance
- V Create
Recommended Teammates
Seven gens of top-tier dominance in Gen IX (Scarlet & Violet). The only Pokemon ever banned from the ban list. That says everything.
Physical Sweeper Moveset
- Dragon Ascent
- Dragon Ascent
- Extreme Speed
- Extreme Speed
Recommended Teammates
Rayquaza Weakness
Rayquaza is weak to Ice, Rock, Dragon, and Fairy. Watch out for Ice attacks, those deal 4x damage. On the flip side, it's immune to Ground-type moves entirely. It resists 5 types, giving it decent defensive coverage. Rayquaza's overall bulk (105/90/90) lets it take a hit or two from most weaknesses before going down.
| Damage | Types |
|---|---|
| 4x (Critical) | Ice |
| 2x (Weak) | Rock, Dragon, Fairy |
| 0.5x (Resist) | Fire, Water, Fighting, Bug |
| 0.25x (Resist) | Grass |
| 0x (Immune) | Ground |
What is Rayquaza Weak Against
GoodBest Pokemon Against Rayquaza
B | ||
Recommended Build AbilityNatural Cure ItemLeftovers NatureCalm Moves View Blissey builds →
| ||
B | ||
Recommended Build AbilityWaterbubble ItemCustapberry NatureModest Moves
Damage vs Rayquaza View Araquanid builds →Liquidation6-8% Surf9-11% | ||
B | ||
Recommended Build AbilityDrought ItemHeatrock NatureBold Moves
Damage vs Rayquaza View Torkoal builds →Rapid Spin9-11% | ||
B | ||
Recommended Build AbilityRegenerator ItemHeavy-Duty Boots NatureJolly Moves
Damage vs Rayquaza View Cyclizar builds →Rapid Spin14-17% U Turn10-11% Knock Off18-21% Draco Meteor 2x46-54% | ||
C | ||
Recommended Build AbilityRegenerator ItemHeavy-Duty Boots NatureBold Moves
Damage vs Rayquaza View Amoonguss builds →Giga Drain3-4% | ||
Evolution
Rayquaza is a powerhouse with 680 total stats as a Dragon/Flying legendary. Can't breed it, so you're locked to whatever you catch or receive. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.
How to Evolve
Breeding
How to Get Rayquaza
Rayquaza doesn't appear in Scarlet & Violet. Transfer it from Ruby & Sapphire, Emerald, or Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon to add it to your collection. Check the source games below for encounter details.
Rayquaza 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.
Rayquaza can't be caught in Legends: Z-A. Bring it over from Ruby & Sapphire, Emerald, or Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon instead. The encounter info below covers the source games.
Rayquaza 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.
No wild encounters for Rayquaza in Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl. It's available in Ruby & Sapphire, Emerald, or Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon and can be transferred over. The details below show where to find it.
Rayquaza 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.
No wild encounters for Rayquaza in Sword & Shield. It's available in Ruby & Sapphire, Emerald, or Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon and can be transferred over. The details below show where to find it.
Rayquaza 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.
Base Stats
Rayquaza's built around mixed offense. Attack leads the charge, Defense pays for it. Tough to catch, worth 3 Attack and Sp. Atk EVs. Follows a slow 1.25M XP grind.
It lives in the ozone layer far above the clouds and cannot be seen from the ground.
Rayquaza Guide
Rayquaza is a Legendary Pokemon rated S-Tier. At 680 BST, it hits hard. It excels as a wallbreaker. Base 150 Attack is where it shines.
Yes. Mega Rayquaza hits 780 BST, a solid jump from the base 680. Hold the Mega Stone, trigger it in battle, and it lasts the whole fight. One Mega per team.
Air Lock is the go-to ability for Rayquaza. It negates all effects of weather, but does not prevent the weather itself. It's Rayquaza's only ability.
Rayquaza fills the wallbreaker role. It's a physical attacker with base 150 Attack. Base 95 Speed is workable. Faster than some, slower than many. And it's tanky enough to absorb a few hits.
Game Availability
Rayquaza has appeared in 16 games since Ruby & Sapphire, spanning 8 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 2GS
Gold & Silver - Gen 2C
Crystal - Gen 3RSDebut
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 6ORASMega
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