Rayquaza and Breaking Swipe in PvP

Alright, chopping proper to the chase… RAYQUAZA is BACK, and it’s introduced a brand new transfer with it! RayRay has by no means risen to stardom in PvP, however would possibly that lastly be about to vary? We’ve bought our PvE/Raid attacker evaluation right here, so let’s check out PvP.

First we’ll kick it off with our Backside Line Up Entrance after which dive into the small print….

B.L.U.F.

• Sure, new transfer Breaking Swipe is an enormous boon to Rayquaza in PvP, at ALL ranges, however particularly the place it might instantly emerge as a real meta choice: Grasp League.

• HOW good is Rayquaza now? Let’s simply say that it might quickly discover itself standing tall with different PvP Dragon superstars like Dragonite and Kyurem. Actually, with the addition of Breaking Swipe, solely these two and Altered Giratina rank forward of Rayquaza in Grasp League, with Ray now clocking in at #12 in Master!

• So good is Rayquaza now that it even enters the dialogue in Extremely League, and even doubtlessly Nice League for the fortunate gamers who’ve managed to commerce into one beneath 1500 CP!

• Breaking Swipe is discovered on a TON of attention-grabbing Pokémon in MSG, and we check out just a few of them on the finish of this text.

Yep, that is gonna be a very good one, people! Let’s goooooo.

RAYQUAZA Stats and Strikes

Rayquaza

DragonFlying

Extremely League Stats

Grasp League Stats

On a private word, RIP needing to put up the Degree 40 numbers for Grasp League anymore. Pour one out for Traditional.

ANYway, onward we go. Rayquaza’s typing must be fairly acquainted by now, because it’s the identical Dragon/Flying as Dragonite. On the plus facet, resistances to many of the “components” stay, with Fireplace and Water resisted, Grass ends double resisted due to the double up from Flying, although Electrical turns into impartial. The Flying facet additionally brings in resistances to Preventing, Bug, and Floor (2x on that final one). On the draw back, like different Dragons, Rayquaza is weak to Fairy and different Dragons, and the Flying facet brings in a weak point to Rock and, maybe most famously, a double vulnerability to Ice, the Achilles’ Heel of Dragonite.

Stats-wise, Dragonite has the clear benefit, having practically as a lot HP and over 20 extra Protection than Rayquaza. RayRay is extra Assault-heavy, outpacing Dragonite by practically 20 in that stat. The top result’s that Rayquaza trails in general stat product by 400 factors (7460 as in comparison with Nite’s 7861) when each are totally maxed.

Rayquaza might be a more in-depth comparability to issues like Haxorus, Darkrai, and Therian Landorus, who all have comparable Assault, although Ray is a bit bulkier than the primary two amd finally ends up with larger CP because of this (and the reverse is true with Lando, which could be very barely bulkier than Ray and has a barely larger CP as properly). For pure Assault prowess, Rayquaza is at present fifteenth in Grasp League… however 53rd by way of general stat product.

Yeah, it’s glassy. Not as drastically in order you would possibly assume, however glassy nonetheless.

Can its new transfer overcome that ball and chain? Let’s have a look and see.

Quick Strikes

• Dragon Tail – Dragon sort, 4.33 DPT, 3.0 EPT, 1.5 CoolDown
• Air Slash – Flying sort, 3.0 DPT, 3.0 EPT, 1.5 CD

So again when Dragon Tail was buffed at first of GBL Season 8, one of many extra under-the-radar beneficiaries was Rayquaza. Whereas issues like Dragonite and Gyarados and Steelix and Lugia and Dragalge had been extra celebrated (and for good cause, as they’ve lengthy been extra helpful in PvP than Ray), poor Rayquaza was left feeling higher about itself however nonetheless unused. However trying again, had that replace by no means occurred, it may have very properly been lef on the surface trying in even all this time later, when (Spoiler Alert) Niantic lastly gave it a cost transfer that makes it PvP-relevant. However it began proper right here.

And yeah, we don’t discuss Air Slash. I already beat up on it lately within the Noivern Neighborhood Day evaluation. Suffice to say… it’s not a very good PvP transfer. Satisfactory with some issues, however no cause to make use of it over something above common, as Dragon Tail most definitely is.

However you’re right here for the brand new cost transfer, so let’s not hold you ready any longer!

ᴱ – Occasion Unique Transfer

ᴸ – Legacy Transfer

Cost Strikes

• Breaking Swipeᴱ – Dragon sort, 50 harm, 35 power, Lowers Opponent Assault -1 Stage
• Historic Energy – Rock sort, 60 harm, 45 power, 10% Probability: Increase Consumer Assault/Protection +1 Stage
• Aerial Ace – Flying sort, 55 harm, 45 power
• Outrage – Dragon sort, 110 harm, 60 power
• Hurricaneᴸ – Flying sort, 110 harm, 65 power

Sure, new transfer Breaking Swipe is a strictly higher Dragon Claw… good eye! Similar price, identical harm, AND an opponent debuff stapled on. And right here I assumed we’d be fortunate simply to get precise Dragon Claw on Rayquaza.

With RayRay’s low bulk and utterly common power technology (Dragon Tail is a superb PvP quick transfer, however nonetheless solely generates 3.0 Power Per Flip), it has suffered so far on account of having no cost strikes beneath 45 power, and each of these cheap strikes (Historic Energy and Aerial Ace) are additionally underpowered. A more in-depth like Outrage or Legacy Hurricane is hardly out of attain, however anybody who was caught with pre-Superpower Dragonite can inform you how painful it might be making an attempt to race to a Hurricane, and that was with an affordable bait transfer (Dragon Claw). With much less bulk AND costlier bait choices, Ray has simply by no means been on the identical stage. Like, in any respect. Simply evaluate Rayquaza’s to-date best in Grasp League to Dragonite, even before Superpower. No contest.

However now it might be Ray that will get the final snicker. Let’s see the way it seems NOW in Grasp League (and elsewhere) with Breaking Swipe within the combine.

MASTER LEAGUE

Yep, beginning with Grasp and dealing backwards, as a result of it’s when Rayquaza can flex its excessive CP that it will possibly finest masks its flaws and hit stuff exhausting. As famous above, Rayquaza’s pre-Breaking Swipe success is much wanting issues like Dragonite, however it wasn’t utterly nugatory or something. It may nonetheless beat stuff you’d anticipate like Waters (Kyogre, Swampert, Palkia) and Grounds (Groudon, Landorus, and the aforementioned Swampert), Mewtwo (assuming no Ice Beam, a minimum of), Garchomp, Yveltal, Zarude, even Zacian (typically, a minimum of). It’s not an terrible efficiency, only one that falls far wanting different already-established Dragons.

Nicely, that is no more. That outdated win whole can practically double with Breaking Swipe now within the combine. It now outraces many of the Dragons — mainly ALL meta ones besides Dialga — due to outracing them (Origin Giratina, Zekrom, Reshiram, Dragon Tail Garchomp), overpowering them (Altered Giratina), or simply having a higher Attack and winning CMP (Dragonite). It may additionally bury Snorlax, Therian Landorus, Ho-Oh, and Gyarados now, and even Mamoswine!

A part of this success is simply the pace of Breaking Swipe, however a part of it additionally the Assault debuffer that comes with it. With a flimsy Pokémon like Rayquaza, lowering the opponent’s Assault power could make a BIG distinction in whether or not or not Ray can cling round and ship a killing blow earlier than succumbing to its wounds. Breaking Swipe is almost an ideal resolution for what Rayquaza has been lacking due to its pace and that debuff to increase Ray’s personal life AND make it simpler to get to later closing harm. You may see this (considerably) by Rayquaza with a Breaking Swipe that doesn’t debuff (AKA Rayquaza with Dragon Claw), which represents fairly a fall in efficiency. (Seven much less listed wins.) In fact, it’s really not THAT unhealthy, as sims attempt to pressure Hurricane the place Ray can win by sticking with straight Dragon Claw, resembling versus Landorus and Mamoswine. However towards others like Reshiram, Dragon Tail Garchomp, and Ho-Oh, the debuffing is totally key to Rayquaza hanging on lengthy sufficient to emerge victorious… the pace and harm of Dragon Claw usually are not sufficient by themselves. As I mentioned a minute in the past, the mixture of that PLUS the debuff is what makes this transfer SO good for RayRay. It couldn’t have requested for any higher, actually.

That success largely continues if BOTH shields are used, although Ray’s lack of bulk does catch as much as it a bit as Reshiram, Zekrom, and Dragonite can now (barely) outlast it, although Zacian (even with Play Tough) and Xerneas enter the win column to even issues out a bit. It is just when Ray doesn’t have a shield to hide behind that it nonetheless falters, although even then it’s still right on Dragonite’s heels by way of general effectiveness… and it nonetheless bests Dragonite and different Dragons (not named ‘Dialga’, a minimum of) one on one.

I’m not going to exit and say that Rayquaza is strictly higher than Dragonite or every other established Dragon, even though Ray does have a better ceiling than most. However I believe I WILL say with no small quantity of confidence that Rayquaza is prone to now carve out its personal place amongst them. Not ought to one really feel they can not take their maxed-for-PvE RayRay into battle in PvP. And as a fast apart, as mentioned intimately by my colleague and buddy u/Teban54, Breaking Swipe can largely exchange Outrage in PvE now too. At all times good when you possibly can max out one thing for double responsibility like that!

The one draw back, maybe, is that Hurricane used within the sims above can be a Legacy transfer, requiring an Elite TM to both add Breaking Swipe to your current Hurricane Rayquaza, or so as to add Hurricane to your shiny (maybe actually!) new Breaking Swipe Rayquaza. So that you’ll be completely happy to listen to that Outrage can work too, being solely barely worse in 1v1 shielding (dropping to Zacian, as Ray’s all-Dragon moveset is now resisted) and 2v2 shielding (dropping Gyarados and, once more on account of Dragon being resisted, Xerneas), and really a bit higher than Hurricane with shields down, outracing Incarnate Lando and Gyarados due to Outrage being 5 power cheaper than Hurricane. So don’t fret when you can’t get each Legacy strikes on RayRay simply but… Outrage can get you thru in a pinch!

ULTRA LEAGUE

So whereas I do assume that, when you’re going to make use of Rayquaza in PvP, Grasp League continues to be your finest wager, it’s not the one manner you possibly can go along with it. Whereas pre-Breaking Swipe Rayquaza was simply a pitiful mess in Ultra, the development with Breaking Swipe now could be nothing short of remarkable. Its complete winlist up to now was a pair Grasses (and carefully associated Greedent), Swampert, Buzzwole, and typically Mandibuzz. However NOW? Now it will possibly take down each Giratinas and a large swath of Fighters, Fires, Waters, Grasses, and Bugs, in addition to overpower many mostly-neutral-on-neutral opponents like Umbreon, Snorlax, Gliscor, Drapion, Protection Deoxys, Dubwool and extra.

And as in Grasp League, the efficiency stays spectacular in 2v2 shielding, although drops (not utterly off the radar, a minimum of) with shields down.

General, it’s a minimum of a efficiency that may make you maintain onto your lesser-than-hundo RayRays, no? (Particularly since even raid level Ray is similarly successful!)

GREAT LEAGUE?

I imply, technically one CAN get a Rayquaza into Nice League, through buying and selling the one-time Analysis (AKA Degree 15) Rayquaza from the Hoenn Celebration Occasion in January 2021. One thing with, like, 4-4-4 IVs simply sneaks beneath 1500 CP at Degree 15. Is such a tough feat price making an attempt to drag off? Mmmm… maybe? It positively falls down flat without shields (no shock by now, proper?), however with one or ideally two shields to cover behind, it seems relatively spicy. It’s similiar to Dragonite, dropping to stuff like Lickitung and Stunfisk however as a substitute whooping stuff like A-Wak, Lanturn, Mandibuzz, and even Scrafty that ‘Nite surprisingly can not beat. Not a brand new meta-definer right here or something, however Nice League RayRay might be some enjoyable spice. Right here’s hoping the chance comes once more sooner or later.

OTHER SWIPERS?

“Swiper, no swiping!”

Ahem. Sorry about that.

Anyway, very briefly, I wished to debate the potential of another issues with Breaking Swipe, whereas we’re on the subject. That is an AMAZING PvP transfer general that, once more, is strictly higher than Dragon Claw. For these causes, I’m going to go away out issues that study each Breaking Swipe and Dragon Claw (as I’d be relatively shocked for Niantic to grant any of them a strict improve like that). These embody issues like Flygon, Charizard, Giratina, Garchomp, Dragonite and others. I’m ALSO going to go away out issues which are already wonderful in PvP and would change into painfully busted with Breaking Swipe, resembling Dialga (can you imagine?! ), Altaria, Palkia, and Dragonair, in addition to issues that simply bought different massive upgrades within the latest previous, like Reshiram, Kyurem, Hydreigon, and even Steelix. (I believe Psychic Fangs was am wonderful improve in and of itself!) I take into account all of these extremely unlikely to get Breaking Swipe, now or ever… however I’ve been unsuitable earlier than, in fact.

That also leaves us with some gems price mentioning….

Exeggutor (Alola)

GrassDragon

• Lengthy-neglected ALOLAN EXEGGUTOR would actually stand to learn from a transfer like this. Maybe greater than the rest under, THIS one I might like to see occur. It could even change into attention-grabbing in Great League!

Kingdra

WaterDragon

• I do know there are a whole lot of Kingdra fanboys (and gals, and different friends!) on the market, regardless of it being pretty middling, if we’re being utterly sincere. Breaking Swipe would… properly, blow the competition out of the water! This one may be a bit of TOO good to ever really occur, however hey, now people can dream.

Milotic

Water

• Breaking Swipe can be a boon for private favourite MILOTIC, who’s in any other case trapped behind slow closing moves within the right here and now. This one can be attention-grabbing!

Goodra

Dragon

• GOODRA is one other Dragon that simply flits about on the sting of viability, trapped behind a self-debuffing Draco Meteor and the frankly terrible Muddy Water. Give it Breaking Swipe, Niantic cowards, and unleash the beast, in multiple leagues!

Rhyperior

FloorRock

• It’s bought a ton of various cost strikes already, however RHYPERIOR would get a critical enhance in Grasp League from having the ability to attain out and swipe all of the Dragons already.

Tyranitar

RockDarkish

• It nonetheless wouldn’t be wonderful, however TYRANITAR will surely recognize Breaking Swipe for very comparable causes as Rayquaza.

That’s only a brief checklist to whet your urge for food. For a full checklist of the various issues (Dragon and in any other case) that may study Breaking Swipe in MSG, check out Bulbapedia and dream massive!

For at present, although, that’s all I bought. Breaking Swipe Rayquaza is arriving for our Oceania associates only a couple hours after I end this, so it’s time to get this out the door and transfer on to different initiatives within the works (like Hoenn Cup, Hoenn World Tour Area Information, and a few raid-related writings after latest information). So till subsequent time, you possibly can at all times discover me on Twitter with common GO evaluation nuggets or Patreon, when you’re feeling further beneficiant.

Glad raiding, people! Be secure on the market, and catch you subsequent time, Pokéfriends!

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