Raikou Analysis BSS GroudonEmpire Draft

Overview
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Pros
-90/100 HP and SpDef base stats coupled with Substitute and Calm mind allow it to set up on and stall Special attacking Pokemon out of PP coupled with the ability Pressure
-Turns the premier walls of the format (Porygon2 and Cresselia) into setup fodder.
-Excellent 115 base Speed tier (faster than Mega Lucario, Thundurus-I, and Adamant Talonflame) and natural 115 special attack with a fantastic STAB Electric typing with Hidden Power Ice to 4x super effectively hit common metagame electric-immune Pokemon
-Can be a powerful Volt Switching offesnive pivot not requiring a Mega slot like Manectric to be used
- Super cool and adorable kitty-cat Pokemon ^_^

Cons
-Does not pack immediate punch offensively unless running Specs.
-Without any boosts and/or hazards support, common Ice-weak Pokemon like Sashed Garchomp can survive and kill it off with Earthquake
-Common Scarfers like Landorus-T can outspeed and OHKO it.
-Pokemon like M-Kangaskhan and M-Blaziken can OHKO it without a Sub up and even with a Sub up without boosts in the case of Kangaskhan
-Can be set up fodder for Dragon Dance Mega Tyranitar, Salamence, Charizard X, Altaria, and Gyarados and Calm Mind M-Sableye, and Mega-Gardevoir as well as Quiver Dance Volcarona.
-Your Life span shortens every time you witness it fall in battle.

Sub Calm Mind
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name: Sub Calm Mind
move 1: Substitute
move 2: Calm Mind
move 3: Thunderbolt
move 4: Hidden Power [Ice] / Hidden Power [Grass]
ability: Pressure
item: Leftovers
evs: 236 HP / 4 SpA / 12 SpD / 252 Spe
nature: Timid

Moves
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- Substitute is good for blocking Raikou from status, it helps to ease prediction against more defensive Pokemon and can let Raikou set up on weaker Pokemon.  It is also a good move to go for when predicting a switch as it helps to ease prediction against an opponent.
- Calm Mind lets Raikou bolster its special defensive bulk and attack letting it stay behind Substitutes vs special moves, getting Leftovers recovery as turns pass, and becoming a big offensive presence being able to sweep through teams after enough boosts.
- Thunderbolt is the STAB move of choice as it has a nice 90 base power and 100% accuracy also having a nice 10% chance to paralyze opponents.
- Hidden Power Grass is the hidden power type you want to run if Quagsire, Swampert, and Mamoswine trouble you and you don't want to be forced to switch out vs them especially when you have a good number of boosts up or you don't have other teammates to deal with them.
- Hidden Power Ice coupled with Thunderbolt makes for pseudo-BoltBeam coverage which is fantastic neutral coverage and also lets you snipe many metagame threats for 4x damage such as Salamence, Garchomp, and Landorus-Therian.

Set Details
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-236 HP gives Raikou an HP stat of 195 which allows it to make 5 Substitutes in a row due to how much HP each Substitute costs and the recovery from Leftovers over 4 turns.
-Leftovers is used for passive recovery which can allow you to heal up vs special attacking Pokemon after you acquire a boost or few from Calm Mind.
-20 evs in SpDef do not increase SpDef bulk from 12 evs so 12 evs is invested into SpDef only and the rest is put into SpAtt to reach an even stat number for maximum Calm Mind boost. 30 def IV doesn't benefit from 4 evs investment at level 50.
-For Hidden Power Grass, 8 IVs can be put into SpAtt since 8 is necessary with 30 IVs in SpAtt to get an additional stat point at level 50 resulting in the same stat number as 4 SpAtt Hidden power Ice set.

Usage Tips
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- Raikou can set up on common bulky Pokemon and walls in this format notably Porygon2, Cresselia, and Zapdos as well as Pressure stalling the likes of SubToxic Magma Storm Heatran out of Magma Storm and setting up in return.
- While Raikou can set up on many bulky Pokemon, it is important to note that Raikou will not be hitting particularly hard until after 3 boosts so you must play cautiously as to not lose your health to meaningless Substitutes and waste Calm Minds when your opponent has switch-ins.
- Hidden Power Grass is more situational than Hidden Power Ice but it lets you tear up Pokemon that would counter you otherwise, especially when you have other teammates to deal with the 4x Ice weak Pokemon.
- Versus bulk/stall teams be sure to pay attention to the timer and your opponent’s number of Pokemon remaining and remaining HP percentages as you can be timer stalled and lose the game even if you could have made a comeback after setting up to plus 6 if your opponent plays the timer correctly.

Team Options
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-Since Mamoswine, Quagsire, and Swampert counter the Hidden Power Ice set, Mega Venusaur, Breloom, Chesnaught, Ferrothorn, and Amoonguss are especially great partners with their Grass typing, utility, and bulk in regards to all except for Breloom who provides a great offensive punch instead.
-Teammates such as Quagsire, Swampert, and Slowbro who can deal with Pokemon who can’t be KOd until you have a Substitute and plus 1 boost such as Scarf Landorus-T are good for when you can’t set up. All mentioned Pokemon can also help to deal with Rhyperior and Tyranitar (who buffers Special attacks with the Sand) who can both KO and/or set up on Raikou.
-Fire types such as Talonflame, both Mega Charizards, Blaziken, Heatran, and Volcarona are great teammates as they both benefit from mutual teammates and Raikou can help deal with the walls and Water-type Pokemon they struggle vs.
-Porygon2 and Cresselia are great teammates as they can brush off Earthquakes and counter Garchomp, Landorus-T, Mamoswine, and defeat Ground-type walls 1v1 with Ice Beam and/or Toxic and are especially more important for  Hidden Power Grass sets.
-Mega-Salamence loves Raikou due to Raikou’s ability to counter and set up vs all 3 of M-Salamence’s counters: Porygon2, Cresselia, and Zapdos. And Mega-Salamence can tear planets up once those 3 are gone. Mega Kangaskhan appreciates Raikou for similar reasons.
-Stealth Rock setters from the above mentioned Pokemon are great in that Garchomps Gengar, and Breloom lose their Sashes and can be OHKOd with minimal retaliation after getting set up. Also helps break Skarmory’s Sturdy and OHKO it avoiding loss of boosts from Whirlwind.
-Fairy-Types such as Sylveon, Gardevoir, and Azumarill are great team options as they can deal with M-Sableye who would otherwise stop Raikou from setting up and instead set up vs it and sweep the entire team.



Other Options
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-Light Clay Dual Screener
-Life Orb or Specs all-out Attacker


Checks & Counters
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 **Ground-types**: Ground-types such as Mamoswine, Quagsire, and Swampert counter the Hidden Power Ice set as Quagsire ignores boosts, Swampert is 3hkod by Hidden Power Ice at plus 6 (with Sitrus Berry activation but 2hkod otherwise), and Mamoswine resists Hidden Power Ice due to Thick Fat and all are immune to Thunderbolt and have STAB Earthquake.
**Bulky Grass-types**: M-Venusaur can counter Raikou and Poison it thanks to the high Poison chance of Sludge Bomb and the fact that Raikou needs 2 boosts before its Sub won’t be broken by M-Venusaur, this helps Venusaur put Raikou on a timer. M-Venusaur can also Leech Seed Raikou as it Calm Minds and stall out the boosts. However M-Venusaur that does not nail the Poison or doesn’t get a Leech Seed off on Raikou can turn into set up fodder. Ferrothorn breaks Sub every time with Knock Off (and can potentially take Lefties away) and it is in Ferrothorn's favor to constantly use Power Whip breaking each Sub even with a few misses to eventually KO the Raikou.
**Mega-Kangaskhan**: Mega Kangaskhan can check a non-boosted Raikou with Parental Bond Earthquakes to break Sub and KO next turn as it survives 2 Tbolts.
**Choice Scarf / Focus Sash Pokemon**: Scarfers or Sashed Pokemon like Landorus-T, Mamoswine, and Garchomp can outspeed/survive and OHKO Raikou that lacks a Substitute
**Mega Gengar**: Mega Gengar can Destiny Bond through Substitute taking out Raikou as Raikou attacks Gengar or Perish Trap with Sub, Protect, Perish Song as it can live 1 unboosted Thunderbolt.