Pokémon Scarlet & Violet: How to beat the shiny Rayquaza Tera-Raid event

Full moveset and counters for the shiny Rayquaza tera-raid event

Pokemon Scarlet & Violet / Nintendo

To celebrate the festive season and the end of the year, the team at Game Freak is giving us quite a big gift, but we have to fight for it. From 20th December to the 5th January, you can now find a special 5-star tera-raid in Pokémon Scarlet & Violet, and your opponent will be a shiny Rayquaza, which you will be allowed to catch if you defeat it.

We’ll break down the details of Rayquaza’s moveset and tell you some of the strong Pokémon that we know will be perfect to counter whatever this powerful legendary can throw at you. If you want to know what else is new in the Pokémon world, check out our list of the best new TCG Pocket cards from Mythical Island.

5-Star Rayquaza moveset

Pokemon Scarlet & Violet / Nintendo

As this is a 5-star raid rather than a 7-star one, you’ll only be facing Rayquaza at Level 75. This makes thing a little easier than normal but don’t underestimate just how powerful this legendary can be, as it packs one heck of a punch.

Its standard moveset has a decent variety with Normal, Flying, Ground, and Dragon-type attacks, but it also packs a couple of powerful extra moves that it will use at scripted points during the battle like Dragon Dance, Draco Meteor, and its signature move, Dragon Ascent. It will also pop its shield early, at either 80% HP or 75% time remaining in the battle, you need to build sets that can deal with that right away.

Here is Rayquaza’s full set for this raid:

• Level 75
• Nature – Naughty
• Ability – Air Lock
• Item – None
• Tera type – Dragon
• Moves – Dragon Pulse, Hurricane, Earthquake, Extreme Speed, Dragon Ascent, Draco Meteor, Dragon Dance

Azumarill

Azumarill / The Pokémon Company International

As you’d expect for a Dragon-type battle, Fairies are going to be your best bet here, making you immune to a couple of Rayquaza’s most powerful attacks, and Azumarill can bring the bulk while still dishing out from powerful attacks in return.

Huge Power is a simple but effective choice that boosts the power of all Azumarill’s moves, which you can then further boost with the use of Belly Drum to make your Play Roughs hit like a truck. While Rayquaza will frequently shake off stat buffs early on, if you avoid doing too much damage you can cripple it with Mud-Slaps and Chilling Waters that will lower its accuracy and attack respectively.

Here’s the full set we recommend:

• Nature – Adamant
• Ability – Huge Power
• Item – Shell Bell
• Tera type – Fairy
• Moves – Belly Drum, Play Rough, Mud-Slap, Chilling Water

Alolan Ninetales

Alolan Ninetales / The Pokémon Company International

Sticking with Fairy-types, A-Ninetales can also exploit Dragon’s other weakness, Ice. While Snow Warning and Snow Cloak would be useful in this fight, but Rayquaza’s Air Lock makes changing the weather impossible, so its abilities are completely nerfed. However, what it lacks in that department it makes up for with powerful Ice and Fairy attacks than can be significantly boosted in just a few moves, while keeping Rayquaza soft in the process.

Here’s the full set:

• Nature – Bold
• Ability – Snow Warning
• Item – Shell Bell
• Tera type – Fairy
• Moves – Nasty Plot, Icy Wind, Moonblast, Fake Tears

Primarina

Primarina / The Pokémon Company International

Going back to the bulky Fairy/Water combo, Primarina is a straightforward attacker who can buff themselves, deal substantial damage, and even heal themselves if needs-be. Setting up Calm Mind will quickly make Moonblast a force to be reckoned with, and while Life Dew isn’t the best healing move, 25% healing is better than no healing.

Its biggest downside is that neither of its abilities are helpful. Torrent can boost Chilling Water a bit, but you shouldn’t be using that as your main attack anyway, and Liquid Voice is entirely useless for similar reasons. However, thanks to its moveset, it’s still one of the best possible options for this battle.

Here’s the full set:

• Nature – Bold
• Ability – Torrent
• Item – Shell Bell
• Tera type – Fairy
• Moves – Calm Mind, Moonblast, Chilling Water, Life Dew