Pokemon Scarlet & Violet: How to beat 5-Star Shiny Rayquaza Tera Raid

Game Freak surprised fans by bringing Shiny Rayquaza to Pokemon Scarlet & Violet 5-star Tera Raids, so here are the best counters to beat this incredible Legendary with the Dragon-Tera Type.

Pokemon Scarlet & Violet was released over two years ago, but Game Freak kept the fans interested in the game with constant Tera Raid events and Mass Outbreaks.

From regular Pokemon to plenty of Starters, and more, the game is ending the year on a high note with the most incredible 5-star Tera Raid yet: Shiny Rayquaza.

Shiny Rayquaza cannot be normally encountered in the game, so plenty of trainers will jump in at the opportunity to catch this mighty Legendary in its Shiny form, and here is how they can do so.

When will Shiny Rayquaza appear in Tera Raids?

Pokemon Scarlet & Violet 5-star Dragon-Tera Type Shiny Rayquaza will appear in the game from Thursday, December 19, 2024, at 4:00 PM until Sunday, January 5, 2025, at 3:59 PM PST.

Keep in mind that no matter how many times you defeat Dragon-Tera Type Shiny Rayquaza, you’ll only be allowed to catch one per save file.

Additionally, during this time, Pokemon that have black coloration when Shiny will appear in Mass Outbreaks. This means players will get the chance to capture the following creatures too:

• Cetoddle (Paldea)
• Carbink (Kitakami)
• Fraxure (Blueberry Academy)

The three Pokemon will also have increased chances of appearing in their Shiny versions.

5-star Shiny Rayquaza moves, Tera Type, and Ability

GAME FREAK

During its run as a 5-star Raid boss, Shiny Rayquaza will have the Dragon-Tera Type. Despite not being part of the grueling 7-star Tera Raids, this is still a formidable foe that will give you a run for your money, so check our recommended Pokemon to counter Shiny Rayquaza’s power and secure a win.

Shiny Rayquaza base stats

POKEMON	ABILITY	HP	ATTACK	DEFENSE	SP. ATTACK	SP. DEFENSE	SPEED
	Air Lock	105	150	90	150	90	95

Shiny Rayquaza moves

The move pool for this 5-star Tera Raid boss hasn’t been revealed yet. However, these are some of the attacks that Shiny Rayquaza might use during the encounter:

• Dragon Ascent (Flying/STAB)
• Outrage (Dragon/STAB)
• Extreme Speed (Normal)
• Dragon Dance (Dragon/STAB)
• Hydro Pump (Water)
• Earthquake (Ground)
• Iron Head (Steel)
• Aerial Ace (Flying/STAB)

As a dual Dragon/Flying-type Pokemon, Shiny Rayquaza is weak to Rock, Ice, Dragon, and Fairy creatures. However, due to it yielding the Dragon-Tera Type during the fight, it will only be weak against Ice, Dragon, and Fairy.

It has been confirmed its Ability will be Air Lock, which eliminates the effects of weather. This means you can change the weather by using moves such as Sunny Day, Rain Dance, Sandstorm, and others. However, doing so won’t have any effect – buff or debuff – on the Pokemon standing on the field.

Shiny Rayquaza is as good as a Physical attacker as it is a Special attacker, so expect this Pokemon to hit very hard no matter what it uses. Plus, the Dragon-Tera Type gives it a double STAB for Dragon-type moves.

Best counters

THE POKEMON COMPANY

Due to Dragons being weak against their same type, it’s not recommended to use them in this particular battle. More so, because you cannot rely on the weather to boost your Ice-type Pokemon, the best way to go is with Fairy creatures as they are immune against Dragon attacks.

To help you defeat Shiny Rayquaza, here are the best counters you should take to battle, along with their full builds:

Magearna

The Gen 7 Mythical Magearna is not an easy Pokemon to get your hands on, but if you do have one, it’s a great option for countering Shiny Rayquaza. This is thanks to its uncommon Steel/Fairy dual typing, which makes it immune to Dragon-type moves and resistant to nine types, including Flying.

In addition to this, Magearna has an impressive Sp. Attack stat that’ll help it hit Shiny Rayquaza hard with super effective STAB Fairy-type moves. Plus, thanks to its Ability Soul-Heart, every time a teammate faints, Magearna’s Sp. Attack will get a boost.

Start the encounter by using Reflect to reduce damage from physical moves for five turns. Then, boost your Sp. Atk and Sp. Defense with Calm Mind and lower Shiny Rayquaza’s Sp. Defense with Metal Sound.

Once Shiny Rayquaza’s Sp. Defense is down and your Sp. Atk is very high thanks to Calm Mind and Soul-Heart, hit it with Dazzling Gleam, which will also help you regain some health thanks to the Shell Bell.

POKEMON	LEVEL	MOVES	ABILITY	NATURE	HELD ITEM	TERA TYPE
	100	– Calm Mind – Dazzling Gleam – Reflect – Metal Sound	Soul-Heart	Modest	Shell Bell	Fairy

Zacian

The Legendary Zacian is the most powerful Physical Fairy-type attacker, and it even gets an extra boost to its Attack stat when entering the battle arena thanks to its Ability Intrepid Sword.

When fighting Shiny Rayquaza, you’ll want to hit it first with Snarl, as it will deal damage, charge your Tera orb, and lower your opponent’s offensive stats all at the same time.

After you Terastallize, use Play Rough to deal damage and lower Shiny Rayquaza’s Attack stat even more. Then, use Swords Dance to boost your Attack and after stats reset, go with Iron Defense to raise your Defense and start all over again.

If Shiny Rayquaza has Earth Power or Earthquake, then you should go another way.

POKEMON	LEVEL	MOVES	ABILITY	NATURE	HELD ITEM	TERA TYPE
	100	– Play Rough – Swords Dance – Snarl – Iron Defense	Intrepid Sword	Adamant	Rusted Sword	Fairy

Azumarill

As a Fairy-type, Azumarill is immune to Dragon attacks, plus it’s resistant to other moves Shiny Rayquaza can use like Fire, Water, and Ice. However, players must have good timing with this Pokemon, mostly when using Belly Drum.

To properly exploit Azumarill’s potential, start the combat by using Charm to lower the opponent’s Attack and then spam Chilling Water. This will deal damage but also charge your tera orb while lowering Shiny Rayquaza’s Attack even further.

Once the stats reset, use Belly Drum (only if you have full health) to maximize your Attack stat, and finish it off with Play Rough. Azumarill’s Ability Huge Power will double your Attack stat, so that should be enough to deal plenty of damage.

When going with Azumarill, it’s important to have a teammate who will heal or at least protect you during the encounter, as the Shell Bell won’t be enough to keep you alive until you can hit the target.

POKEMON	LEVEL	MOVES	ABILITY	NATURE	HELD ITEM	TERA TYPE
	100	– Belly Drum – Play Rough – Chilling Water – Charm	Huge Power	Adamant	Shell Bell	Fairy

Tera Raid rewards

GAME FREAK

Players who defeat this 5-star Tera Raid boss can catch Shiny Rayquaza with the Dragon-Tera Type and claim a bunch of useful rewards:

• Herba Mystica (Bitter, Salty, Spice, Sour, or Sweet)
• Ability Capsule
• Ability Patch
• Bottle Cap
• Comet Shard
• Exp. Candy L
• Exp. Candy XL
• Nugget
• PP UP
• Rare Candy
• Star Piece
• Vitamins
• Tera Shards
• Mint
• TM156 (Outrage)

That’s all you need to take down Dragon-Tera Type Shiny Rayquaza in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet 5-star Tera Raids. Be sure to check out more of our coverage, including guides on Mass Outbreak events and all Pokemon Scarlet & Violet Shiny sandwich recipes.