This reminds me of something Solid Snake once said...
[SET]
name: Bulky Offense
move 1: Thunderclap
move 2: Draco Meteor
move 3: Thunderbolt / Volt Switch / Discharge
move 4: Volt Switch / Tera Blast / Heavy Slam
item: Rocky Helmet / Booster Energy / Weakness Policy
tera type: Fairy / Ice / Steel
ability: Protosynthesis
nature: Modest / Quiet
EVs: 148 HP / 156 Def / 204 SpA
[SET COMMENTS]
* Raging Bolt's decent defensive typing, hefty bulk, and booming priority in Thunderclap make it an excellent bulky offensive Pokemon.
* **Thunderbolt versus Discharge versus Volt Switch**: Volt Switch makes Raging Bolt a great pivot, but it does mean that Raging Bolt lacks a reliable Electric-type STAB move or has worse coverage, making Thunderbolt a reasonable alternative. Discharge's higher paralysis chance can make the power drop worth it if using slow teammates like Ursaluna-B.
* **Heavy Slam**: When used with a Quiet nature, Heavy Slam OHKOes offensive Flutter Mane! If using Modest, it'll still put most Flutter Mane into Thunderclap's KO range as well.
* **Modest versus Quiet**: Quiet is mainly used for OHKOing offensive Flutter Mane with Heavy Slam, but even with that move, Modest makes sense if your team requires Speed investment.
Tera Types
========
* **Tera Dependency - Medium**: Raging Bolt's good typing means Terastallization does have some drawbacks, such as making Urshifu-R harder to switch-into, but it has enough common weaknesses to types like Ground and Fairy that mean Terastallization will often be optimal.
* **Fairy**: Tera Fairy is a fantastic defensive typing, making Raging Bolt a spectacular check to most Urshifu-S and prancing around strong Dragon attacks.
* **Steel**: Retaining the common Ground weakness is unfortunate, but Tera Steel makes up for it by tanking Fairy-type attacks and shredding Flutter Mane with Heavy Slam.
* **Ice**: When used with Tera Blast, Tera Ice chills Landorus-T to the bone and deals tremendous damage to Ursaluna-B without firing off Draco Meteor.
* **Water**: Tera Water gives Raging Bolt a cool resistance to Ice-type attacks from the likes of Chien-Pao while still retaining the Surging Strikes resistance against Urshifu-R. Just watch out for Tera Electric Chien-Pao.
* **Electric**: Tera Electric makes sense for making Thunderclap an even more effective revenge killing tool and ridding Raging Bolt of its Fairy and Dragon weaknesses.
* **Bug**: This niche Tera type grants Raging Bolt a resistance to Ground without making it weak to Ice.
EV Spread Examples
========
* **148 HP / 156 Def / 204 SpA with Modest or Quiet**: This survives both Adamant Landorus-T's Earthquake and Adamant Chien-Pao's Icicle Crash on all but the highest roll of damage, and it also OHKOes offensive Flutter Mane with +2 Thunderbolt.
* **148 HP / 20 Def / 180 SpA / 4 SpD / 156 Spe with Modest**: This spread outspeeds the rare but dangerous Timid Ursaluna-B while avoiding an OHKO from Timid Flutter Mane's unboosted Moonblast and +1 Ogerpon-H's Play Rough.
* **140 HP / 236 SpA / 132 SpD with Modest or Quiet**: These EVs are optimized for Assault Vest, letting Terastallized Raging Bolt to avoid a 2HKO from Timid Choice Specs Flutter Mane's Moonblast after Stealth Rock damage.
Items
========
* **Rocky Helmet**: Rocky Helmet lets Raging Bolt punish Urshifu-R that lack Punching Glove for using Surging Strikes, since most Urshiu-R will switch out from Raging Bolt.
* **Booster Energy**: Booster Energy gives Raging Bolt a useful increase in power, with Thunderbolt now OHKOing Primarina that lack Assault Vest. However, it doesn't work well with Volt Switch and will usually tell your opponent that you aren't carrying it.
* **Weakness Policy**: Raging Bolt is bulky enough to take full advantage of Weakness Policy, turning Thunderclap into a vicious cleaning tool!
* **Assault Vest**: Raging Bolt's excellent bulk and pivoting prowess make it a great user of Assault Vest.
* **Sitrus Berry**: Sitrus Berry's quick burst of recovery is especially helpful when Terastallized into a type that doesn't resist Water against Urshifu-R. Just make sure to use an even HP number to eat the Berry after being hit by Ruination once.
* **Choice Specs**: Choice Specs transforms Raging Bolt into a fearsome wallbreaking pivot! However, it makes Thunderclap even riskier to use.
[SET]
name: Calm Mind
move 1: Calm Mind
move 2: Thunderclap
move 3: Dragon Pulse / Draco Meteor
move 4: Thunderbolt / Discharge / Volt Switch
item: Leftovers / Rocky Helmet / Sitrus Berry
tera type: Fairy / Water / Electric
ability: Protosynthesis
nature: Modest
EVs: 140 HP / 180 Def / 44 SpA / 140 SpD / 4 Spe
IVs: 20 Atk
[SET COMMENTS]
* Raging Bolt's incredible bulk and access to the crackling Thunderclap make it one of the most dangerous special attackers in the metagame!
* **Dragon Pulse versus Draco Meteor**: Dragon Pulse is a reliable STAB attack against Ground-type foes. Draco Meteor is harder to sweep teams with, but it severely damages Assault Vest Ursaluna-B enough that it's worth considering.
* **Thunderbolt versus Discharge**: A reliable Electric-type attack ensures that the risky Thunderclap isn't Raging Bolt's only option against Water-types, with Thunderbolt offering a tad more power, while Discharge's 30% paralysis rate is helpful for slow teammates like Ursaluna-B and Basculegion.
* **Volt Switch with Draco Meteor**: Volt Switch may seem completely contrary to sweeping with Calm Mind boosts, but it can be combined with Draco Meteor to transform Raging Bolt into a wallbreaking pivot rather than a bulky sweeper.
Tera Types
========
* **Tera Dependency - Medium**: Raging Bolt's common weaknesses like Ground and Fairy, combined with its awesome bulk, makes it a good candidate for Terastallization to prevent revenge kills.
* **Fairy**: Tera Fairy is a brilliant defensive typing, ruining Dragon-type attacks and transforming Raging Bolt into a good Urshifu-S check in a pinch.
* **Water**: Tera Water is perfect for soaking up Ice-type attacks from Chien-Pao while still resisting Urshifu-R's Surging Strikes.
* **Electric**: In addition to removing the annoying Fairy and Dragon weaknesses, Tera Electric makes Thunderclap an even more fearsome priority attack!
* **Ice**: Tera Ice is awful defensively, but when paired with Tera Blast, Raging Bolt can freeze specially defensive Landorus-T's smug grin off with an OHKO!
* **Steel** Steel unfortunately retains that annoying Ground weakness, but the resistance to Dragon and Fairy is good enough to consider it against threats like Flutter Mane and offensive Archaludon.
* **Bug**: This niche Tera type gives Raging Bolt a Ground resistance without an Ice weakness that would doom it against Chien-Pao like Tera Flying would.
Items
========
* **Leftovers**: Leftovers rewards Raging Bolt's longevity more than any item, making it the prime cut of items.
* **Rocky Helmet**: With Rocky Helmet, Raging Bolt can consistently punish Choice Scarf Urshifu-R for using Surging Strikes, giving it the perfect chance to set up Calm Mind as Urshifu-R switches out.
* **Sitrus Berry**: Sitrus Berry can be used with specalized EV spreads to prevent some useful 2HKOs. Just make sure to use an even HP stat so it's eaten after Raging Bolt is hit by Ruination one time.
* **Booster Energy**: Booster Energy is a more immediately offensive approach to Raging Bolt, letting it deal good damage without needing to set up Calm Mind.
* **Figy, Aguav, Mago, Iapapa, or Wiki Berry**: These berries restore more health than Sitrus Berry, though the 25% HP activation does make them riskier.
EV Spread Examples
========
* **140 HP / 180 Def / 44 SpA / 140 SpD / 4 Spe**: This spread survives Annihilape's Final Gambit, Adamant Landorus-T's Earthquake, and Adamant Chien-Pao's Icicle Crash. It also OHKOes offensive Urshifu-R with Thunderclap and survives Timid Flutter Mane's Moonblast after Stealth Rock damage.
* **148 HP / 20 Def / 180 SpA / 4 SpD / 156 Spe with Modest**: This Raging Bolt is fast enough to outspeed Timid Ursaluna-B, a rare but potentially game-ending threat! The defensive investment ensures that Raging Bolt survives a +1 Play Rough from Jolly Ogerpon-H and Moonblast from Timid Flutter Mane.
* **140 HP / 4 Def / 244 SpA / 76 SpD / 44 Spe**: This lets Sitrus Berry Raging Bolt avoid a 2HKO from Timid Flutter Mane's Moonblast after Raging Bolt boosts with Calm Mind, and it also outspeeds minimum Speed Dragonite.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Offensive EV Benchmarks
=======
* **44 SpA**: This lets Thunderclap OHKO offensive Urshifu-R.
* **140 SpA**: This 2HKOes Modest Ursaluna-B that have maximum HP and Special Defense investment with Tera Blast + Draco Meteor if using Booster Energy.
* **204 SpA**: This lets +2 Thunderbolt OHKO offensive Flutter Mane.
Defensive EV Benchmarks
========
* **140 HP** This is the minimum amount of HP needed to survive Annihilape's Final Gambit.
* **148 HP / 20 Def**: This lets Raging Bolt survive +1 Jolly Ogerpon-H's Play Rough.
* **140 HP / 76 SpD**: This avoid a 2HKO from Timid Flutter Mane after Sitrus Berry Raging Bolt has a Calm Mind boost.
* **140 HP / 108 Def**: This survives Adamant Choice Band Chien-Pao's Tera-boosted Crunch.
* **140 HP / 180 Def**: This survives Adamant Landorus-T's Earthquale and Adamant Chien-Pao's Icicle Crash.
* **20 HP / 172 Def**: This is the most EV efficient way to survive Adamant Choice Band Chien-Pao's Tera-boosted Crunch, at the cost of being OHKOed by Annihilape's Final Gambit.
Assault Vest EV Benchmarks
==========
* **140 HP / 92 SpD**: This survives Modest Choice Specs Flutter Mane's Moonblast.
* **140 HP / 132 SpD**: This avoids a 2HKO from Timid Choice Specs Flutter Mane's Moonblast after Stealth Rock damage if Raging Bolt is Terastallized.
Speed EV Benchmarks
========
* **44 Spe**: This outspeeds minimum Speed Dragonite.
* **76 Spe**: This outspeeds maximum Speed Modest Ursaluna-B.
* **132 Spe**: This outspeeds Jolly Ursaluna, a rare but powerful threat against Raging Bolt.
* **156 Spe**: This outspeeds Timid Ursaluna-B.
* **220 Spe**: This outspeeds Adamant Breloom, a rare threat that can stop Raging Bolt's sweeps with Spore.
* **196+ Spe**: This outspeeds Adamant Basculegion.
* **204+ Spe**: This outspeeds Adamant Dragonite.
* **244+ Spe**: This outspeeds Modest Archaludon.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/theorymon.29010
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/thick-fat-azumarill.330577/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/autumn.384270/
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