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Christmas has arrived in Pokémon Scarlet & Violet, and with it comes the highly anticipated Shiny Rayquaza! For a limited time, players can capture this elusive Pokémon as a special gift from GameFreak this holiday season. However, this gift requires some effort to obtain.
True to its legendary status, Rayquaza is not an easy foe to defeat in a five-star tera raid battle. While it may not be the toughest tera battle available, it still poses a significant challenge. Make sure to bring your best Pokémon to its lair, or you might just end up with a lump of coal in your stocking!
Details About the Shiny Rayquaza Raid Event
You can catch Shiny Rayquaza until Sunday, January 5, 2025, at 3:59 p.m. PST. This event is particularly notable because Rayquaza cannot typically be found in Scarlet & Violet, and it features its unique shiny black coloration.
You are allowed to catch only one Shiny Rayquaza during the event, but if you manage to defeat it multiple times, you’ll receive extra rewards, which may include:
- Dragon Tera Shards
- TM115: Dragon Pulse
- Ability Capsules
- Ability Patches
If you’re having trouble locating Rayquaza’s tera den, try accessing your PokePortal and selecting the Tera Raid Battle option. Rayquaza should appear as an option in the following menu.
You can also team up with friends by first finding Rayquaza’s den (marked by a shining Dragon Tera symbol), then creating a group and a Link Code. Friends can join using the Link Code option found in the Tera Raids section of the Poke Portal.
Rayquaza’s Abilities and Moves
This Rayquaza has the following specifications:
| Level | Normal Typing | Tera Typing | Ability | Moves to Worry About |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 75 | Dragon/Flying | Dragon | Air Lock – Cancels all active weather effects | Dragon Ascent, Hurricane, Earthquake, Extreme Speed, Draco Meteor |
Rayquaza is most dangerous due to its versatility. It has balanced physical and special attack stats, slightly depending on its random nature.
Its three most threatening moves are:
- Earthquake, which can counter Steel, Ice, and Electric-type Pokémon.
- Extreme Speed, posing a challenge for fragile Pokémon.
- Hurricane, which can inflict the Confusion status effect.
Because it’s a high-ranked raid, Rayquaza’s base HP stat is multiplied by 35, giving it significant bulk. You will need at least one strong offensive Pokémon on your raid team to stand a chance against it.
Best Pokémon to Use Against Shiny Rayquaza
While you can defeat Shiny Rayquaza using various strong Pokémon, here’s a list of the top choices:
| Pokémon | Special Notes |
|---|---|
| Sylveon | A solid, all-around choice. |
| Gardevoir | Should use a Shell Bell for survivability. |
| Zacian | Avoid using the Rusted Sword due to Earthquake; opt for another item. |
| Azumarill | A versatile Pokémon that can switch between offense and defense. |
| Fluttermane | Also should use a Shell Bell. Its Ghost and Fairy typing makes it immune to Rayquaza’s Extreme Speed and Dragon-type moves. |
| Mimikyu | Offers greater survivability with its ability, allowing it to take one hit without damage. |
| Clefairy | Leans more towards support than offense, similar to Azumarill. |
| Grimmsnarl | Can apply status effect moves quickly, potentially outspeeding Rayquaza’s Extreme Speed. |
| Arceus (Fairy Plate) | High balanced stats; Judgment becomes a Fairy move with higher damage than Moonblast. |
All these Pokémon share Fairy typing, but not every Fairy type is ideal due to Rayquaza’s Earthquake being a strong counter to usually powerful Fairy-types with Steel typing, like Iron Valiant, Tinkaton, and Magearna.
The most effective choices will be those capable of lowering Rayquaza’s stats while raising their own efficiently.
You can utilize Steel-based Fairies equipped with an Air Balloon. This combination protects them from Earthquake if they have Levitate, or you might bring a supportive Pokémon with moves like Life Tear, Heal Pulse, or team stat boosts.
Dragon and Ice types can also succeed in this tera raid, but they should be wary, as their offensive advantages against Rayquaza could come with risks to their teammates.
If you lack a robust Fairy-type from your options above, consider the following alternative strategies:
- Change a Pokémon’s Tera Type to Fairy, even without a Fairy-type move, to gain immunity to Draco Meteor and Dragon Ascent.
- Team up with Pokémon that can inflict status conditions.
- Bring in a sturdy Pokémon like Milotic that can support others effectively.
Tips and Strategies for Battling Shiny Rayquaza
On the first turn of encountering Shiny Rayquaza, it will always launch Dragon Ascent. This makes Fairy-type Pokémon the best choice since Dragon Ascent deals no damage to them.
Your initial aim should be to lower Rayquaza’s stats using moves like Fake Tears, Screech, Tickle, or Snarl.
Do not use any stat-boosting moves on your Pokémon until Rayquaza drops below 80% health because it resets stat changes for your team. After that point, feel free safely to buff your Pokémon.
Once Rayquaza has cleared the field, focus on enhancing your team. Work towards raising your stats and preparing for Terastallization. Aim to boost your stats three times or until you feel your Pokémon are at risk.
Whenever you can safely Terastallize, you should take that opportunity.
At 50% health, Rayquaza will use Dragon Dance. At this point, you will want to play aggressively to avoid taking unnecessary damage, getting knocked out, and wasting precious time.
Be aware, there will also be two Draco Meteors at 60% and 30% health. If you’re using a Fairy type, this is not a significant concern.
If you’re struggling to stay alive long enough to Terastallize, consider giving your Pokémon a Shell Bell or using recovery moves like Draining Kiss.
By adhering to this basic strategy, you can tackle this tera raid solo if you prefer not to team up:
- Debuff Rayquaza until it hits 80% health.
- Buff your own stats.
- Attack and Terastallize at the earliest opportunity (unless at low health; in that case, wait until the reset).
- Catch your much-deserved prize.
Even though you can only catch Rayquaza once, you can challenge it as many times as you want. This is a great way to farm Herba Mystica, Tera Shards, and Ability Patches while also assisting your friends.
Although Rayquaza’s IVs and nature will be randomly generated, you can expect it to have the following moves once caught:
- Dragon Pulse
- Hurricane
- Earthquake
- Extreme Speed
With your shiny, legendary Rayquaza in hand, we hope you have a wonderful holiday season filled with exciting adventures!
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