Rayquaza: The Sky High Pokémon Complete Guide
Complete guide to Rayquaza, the Sky High Pokémon. Learn about Rayquaza stats, moves, Mega Rayquaza, lore, how to catch it, and its role in competitive Pokémon.
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Complete guide to Rayquaza, the Sky High Pokémon. Learn about Rayquaza stats, moves, Mega Rayquaza, lore, how to catch it, and its role in competitive Pokémon.
Rayquaza is one of the most powerful and iconic Legendary Pokémon in the franchise. As the Sky High Pokémon, Rayquaza is the master of the skies, capable of calming the conflicts between Groudon and Kyogre. This complete guide covers everything about Rayquaza, from its lore and stats to Mega Rayquaza and competitive strategy.
Table of Contents
Rayquaza Lore and History
Rayquaza is a member of the Weather Trio, along with Groudon and Kyogre. In Hoenn mythology, Rayquaza is the being that maintains balance between the land (Groudon) and the sea (Kyogre). When Groudon and Kyogre clash, Rayquaza descends from the ozone layer to calm them.
In Pokémon Emerald, Rayquaza plays a central role in the story. It intervenes in the conflict between Team Magma and Team Aqua, stopping the battle between Groudon and Kyogre. Rayquaza is revered by the people of Sky Pillar, who worship it as a deity of the sky.
Rayquaza's design is inspired by Chinese dragons and the concept of the sky deity. Its serpentine body, green coloring, and yellow markings evoke the image of a celestial being. The yellow rings on its body are said to glow when Rayquaza is using its full power.
Base Stats and Typing
Rayquaza is a Dragon/Flying type with base stats that make it one of the most powerful Pokémon in the game:
- HP: 105
- Attack: 150
- Defense: 90
- Special Attack: 150
- Special Defense: 90
- Speed: 95
- Total: 680
Rayquaza's Attack and Special Attack are both 150, making it an incredibly versatile mixed attacker. Its Speed of 95 is decent, allowing it to outspeed many Pokémon. However, its Dragon/Flying typing gives it a 4x weakness to Ice, which is its main vulnerability.
Best Moves and Movesets
Rayquaza has access to an incredible movepool, covering Dragon, Flying, Fire, Water, Grass, Electric, and more. Here are the best movesets:
Physical Attacker Set
- Dragon Ascent (Flying STAB, 120 BP, required for Mega Evolution)
- Outrage or Dragon Claw (Dragon STAB)
- Earthquake (Ground coverage)
- Swords Dance or Extreme Speed (setup or priority)
Special Attacker Set
- Draco Meteor (Dragon STAB, 130 BP)
- Air Slash (Flying STAB)
- Flamethrower or Fire Blast (Fire coverage)
- Extreme Speed (priority)
Mixed Attacker Set
- Dragon Ascent (Physical Flying STAB)
- Draco Meteor (Special Dragon STAB)
- Extreme Speed (Priority)
- Earthquake or V-create (coverage)
Mega Rayquaza
Mega Rayquaza is the most powerful Pokémon in the franchise. Unlike other Mega Evolutions, Rayquaza does not need a Mega Stone. Instead, it only needs to know the move Dragon Ascent. This means Rayquaza can hold any item while Mega Evolving, giving it a massive advantage.
Mega Rayquaza's stats are incredible:
- Attack: 180
- Special Attack: 180
- Speed: 115
- Total: 754
Mega Rayquaza's Delta Stream ability creates the Strong Winds weather condition, which eliminates all Flying-type weaknesses. This means Rayquaza's 4x Ice weakness becomes a 2x weakness, and its Rock weakness becomes a 1x resistance.
Mega Rayquaza is so powerful that it was banned from the Uber tier and placed in its own tier called "Anything Goes." This is the only Pokémon to ever receive this distinction.
How to Catch Rayquaza
Rayquaza is available in several Pokémon games:
Generation 3 (Ruby, Sapphire, Emerald)
In Emerald, Rayquaza can be caught at Sky Pillar after the main story. In Ruby and Sapphire, it appears at the Sky Pillar after awakening Groudon/Kyogre. Rayquaza is at level 70.
Generation 6 (Omega Ruby, Alpha Sapphire)
Rayquaza is caught as part of the main story at Sky Pillar. After catching it, you can teach it Dragon Ascent to enable Mega Evolution. Rayquaza is at level 70.
Generation 7 (Ultra Sun, Ultra Moon)
Rayquaza can be caught at Ultra Space Wilds after becoming Champion. You need both Groudon and Kyogre in your party to encounter it.
Competitive Strategy
In competitive Pokémon, Rayquaza is a force to be reckoned with. Its versatility as a mixed attacker makes it difficult to counter, as opponents cannot predict whether it will use physical or special moves.
The most common strategy is to Mega Evolve Rayquaza immediately and use Dragon Ascent for massive damage. With Delta Stream active, Rayquaza's Flying typing becomes much more defensive, and its 4x Ice weakness is reduced to 2x.
However, Rayquaza's Ice weakness remains its biggest vulnerability. Be cautious of Ice Shard users like Mamoswine, who can deal significant damage even through Delta Stream. Pair Rayquaza with Fire or Steel types to handle Ice threats.
Use our random Pokémon generator to discover Pokémon to pair with Rayquaza, and check our type chart to understand type matchups. Visit our blog for more Legendary Pokémon guides!