Raging Bolt, the Paradox Pokémon. It's said to incinerate everything around it with lightning launched from its fur. Very little is known about this creature. It bears resemblance to a Pokémon that became a hot topic for a short while after a paranormal magazine touted it as Raikou's ancestor.

Overview

Upon the release of Walking Wake, Paradox versions of Entei and Raikou were expected, and upon their release in the Indigo Disk neither disappoint. Even with the high accolades Walking Wake and Gouging Fire have acclaimed, Raging Bolt exceeds both. Base 137 Special Attack is absurd and with Protosynthesis, Raging Bolt is one of the strongest attackers in the game without any setup. Add in the excellent Electric Dragon STAB combination, which as Miraidon has proven is incredibly difficult to wall, and Raging Bolt is a force unto itself. Raging Bolt even has access to priority in its signature Thunderclap, an Electric type Sucker Punch that does wonders for rectifying its speed. Power isn’t everything Raging Bolt has either. A mammoth Base 125 HP backed up by respectable defenses make it quite tanky as well, able to soak multiple hits thanks to its great bulk that can be further bolstered by Calm Mind. All of this has enabled Raging Bolt to flourish a la Kingambit as Pokémon that fits on every non hard Stall team as a reverse sweep artist able to roll over teams once its few checks have been eliminated.

Raging Bolt also runs into several of the same issues as Kingambit. Base 75 Speed is wholly unimpressive for such an offensive Pokémon, leaving Raging Bolt to take hits or lean on the prediction reliant Thunderclap. This is unfortunate as while Raging Bolt’s hit taking ability is great, its typing leaves a bit to be desired, having common Ground, Fairy, and Ice weaknesses to exploit. While this can be addressed by the appropriate Terastalization, it makes Raging Bolt a rather Tera hungry Pokémon, which can constrain teambuilding. Being a Dragon type is also unfortunate given the large number of excellent Dragons running around, causing intense competition for a team slot. Between Thunderclap and the many Electric immune Ground types running around, Raging Bolt is not the easiest Pokémon to use, requiring good reading of your opponent to make the most out of it. This does not stop Raging Bolt from being a lethal win condition, its bulk and power carrying many a trainer back from the brink.
Positives
Base 137 Special Attack is incredible, on par with some of the strongest attackers around and can be easily boosted by Calm Mind and Protosynthesis.
Electric Dragon STAB is incredible, providing an incredibly complimentary offense that is hard to play around.
Base 125 HP backed by 91/89 defenses makes Raging Bolt incredibly bulky, able to absorb multiple hits with ease.
Signature Thunderclap gives an excellent answer to faster attackers

Negatives
Common weaknesses make Raging Bolt’s bulk far less impressive without Terastalizing and can strain teambuilding.
Awkward base 75 Speed forces Raging Bolt to take hits before acting, further cutting into its bulk.
Reliance on Thunderclap makes it prediction reliant.

Movesets

Eye of the Storm

-Thunderclap
-Dragon Pulse
-Thunderbolt
-Calm Mind
Ability: Protosynthesis
Item: Booster Energy
EVs and Nature:
64 HP / 28 Def / 252 SAtk / 164 Spe
Modest Nature

Raging Bolt’s flagship set which has it act as a bulky attacker and game ending sweeper when its checks are removed. Thunderclap is Raging Bolt’s signature move and key to its function, this Electric type Sucker Punch invaluable in getting the jump on normally faster attackers, attackers who tend to be frail enough that they can’t take a Thunderclap. Dragon Pulse is recommended for Dragon STAB as a reliable Dragon STAB attack that doesn’t obliterate the boosts you get from Protosynthesis and Calm Mind. Thanks to Dragon’s massive neutral coverage, few Pokémon can switch in safely. Thunderbolt is backup Electric STAB for more passive targets that are unlikely to proc Thunderclap while not minding Dragon Pulse (like Clefable, Hatterene, and Corviknight on top of Tera Fairy/Steel walls). Calm Mind is what makes this set so terrifying, pushing Raging Bolt’s Special Attack to frankly absurd heights and shoring up its Special Defense. With a Single Calm Mind, Raging Bolt is more than capable of finishing games, with attackers chipped to the point of being KO’d by Thunderclap.

Tera Types:
As fantastic as Electric Dragon is offensively, it has major defensive shortcomings, so defensive Teras are heavily recommended to help Raging Bolt survive to setup or just become impossible to break. Tera Fairy is utterly insane for Raging Bolt, providing an immunity to Dragon and neutrality to all of Raging Bolt’s other weaknesses, while being incredibly hard to breakthrough after a Calm Mind thanks to the rarity of Poison and Steel coverage. Tera Flying is also popular, given the many popular Ground types running around such as Gliscor, Landorus-Therian and Great Tusk. This enables Raging Bolt to turn the table on them, and either use them as setup fodder or strike them down on their weaker Special Defense with Dragon Pulse.

EVs and Items:
As an attacker, placing everything into Special Attack is a given, getting the most out of Protosynthesis and Calm Mind. Bulk and Speed can be mixed and matched depending on what one wants to cover. The given spread survives an uninvested Headlong Rush from Great Tusk, while outspeeding most Gliscor and defensive Great Tusk. If looking for less speed and more bulk, 132 Speed EVs guarantees outspeeding Jolly Kingambit, while 60 Speed covers Adamant Max Speed Kingambit and other Pokémon looking to speed creep Kingambit like Primarina and bulky Heatran. Booster Energy is the recommended item, giving Raging Bolt immediate power when it comes in, ensuring it isn’t beholden to Calm Mind to be able to KO with Thunderclap. If not going all out on the game ending sweep set, item options open up. Leftovers is fantastic for Calm Mind setup, giving Raging Bolt extra staying power and punishing opponents who aren’t aggressive against Raging Bolt, while Shuca Berry is fantastic for guaranteeing setup or survival against the many specially frail Ground types that otherwise threaten Raging Bolt. Choice Specs and Assault Vest are also worthwhile considerations, leaning more into Raging Bolt as a bulky attacker, with extra power and bulk respectively.

Partners:
Allies that can eliminate or compromise sponges like Blissey, Ting-Lu and Clodsire are invaluable for Raging Bolt, clearing the way for a sweep. Great Tusk is notable for this, is powerful Fighting and Ground STABs making quick work of all the listed targets while providing incredible team support in Stealth Rock, Knock Off and Rapid Spin, preventing Raging Bolt from being ravaged by Hazards on the way in while chipping targets into KO range. Landorus-Therian also deserves mention, its Intimidate fantastic for both enabling Calm Mind setup and making Assault Vest variants of Raging Bolt very difficult to break with its U-Turn great for getting Raging Bolt in safely while doing appreciable damage to Wellspring Ogerpon. Galarian Slowking is another excellent partner, being a slow pivot that is fantastic for getting in Raging Bolt safely, enabling Ice typed Weather Ball with Chilly Reception, threatening opposing Fairy and Grass types with Poison STAB and applying pressure even on the switch with Future Sight, making it far easier for Raging Bolt to setup or pick up KOs.

Other Options:
Draco Meteor offers immense immediate power even without Calm Mind and capable of deleting most Ground types regardless of health, offering pressure against opponents that could shrug off a Dragon Pulse, though somewhat anti-synergistic with Booster Energy and Calm Mind. Weather Ball is great if running a weather team, the additional Fire/Water coverage doing wonders in helping Raging Bolt devastate everything in its path. Taunt pairs well with Thunderclap forcing opponents to set it off or get shocked, as well as mess with more passive Pokémon’s disruption. Volt Switch is great if running Choice Specs or Assault Vest, offering Raging Bolt a pivoting move that racks up a respectable amount of damage rather quickly.

Doubles and VGC Options

Raging Bolt’s dominance has extended to VGC as well. While in Regulation F, Calm Mind Raging Bolt could literally take over games once its few checks were removed or be a consistent wall with its Assault Vest sets, owing to its insane Special Attack meaning much like Flutter Mane, Raging Bolt could better afford to invest in defenses without losing to much meaningful power. Access to Snarl and Electroweb mean Raging Bolt’s utility extends far beyond bulk and damage, providing invaluable damage mitigation and speed control all in one handy package. Regulation G has slowed down Raging Bolt a little, with many new Special Attackers ruling the roost. In particular Terapagos and Miraidon, who respectively outclass it as a Calm Mind win condition and overwhelming Special Electric Dragon attacker. Raging Bolt still has plenty of utility left to offer, being an excellent partner in crime to Calyrex Ice Rider as another fierce Trick Room attacker while being an excellent deterrent into Kyogre. Excellent matchups into other non-Restricted Pokémon such as Tornadus, Urshifu-Rapid, and Pelipper while being impossible for other popular picks like Rillaboom and Ogerpon to remove without specific coverage further adds to the value Raging Bolt provides.

Surge Protector

-Thunderclap
-Thunderbolt
-Draco Meteor
-Electroweb
Ability: Protosynthesis
Item: Assault Vest
Tera Type: Electric
EVs and Nature:
196 HP / 60 Def / 192 SAtk / 60 SDef
Modest Nature

Assault Vest Raging Bolt is indispensable against the many restricted Special Attackers in the picture, being only 4HKO’d by Calyrex Shadow Rider’s Astral Barrage, taking little over 50% from Tera Water Specs Kyogre's Water Spout in the Rain, and being favored to survive 2 hits of Terapagos-Terastal's Tera Starstorm after it Calm Minds. This durability goes hand in hand with Raging Bolts own immense power threatening considerable damage back to the opposing team in turn. Thunderclap is as mandatory as ever, providing excellent priority damage regardless of active Speed control. Thunderbolt as secondary Electric STAB is highly recommended, given how many passive Electric weak targets Raging Bolt is tasked to handle, such as Pelipper and Tornadus, while not failing complete against redirection from Amoongus, Ogerpon and Indeedee. Draco Meteor is a tool of mass destruction, obliterating Electric resists, especially Rillaboom, and Ogerpon, while doing considerable damage to Amoonguss, Bloodmoon Ursaluna and Assault Vest Tsareena, not to mention threatening Miraidon and Koraidon. Electroweb may seem as an odd inclusion on a Pokémon designed to work with Trick Room, but the Speed control is invaluable, especially if you can’t get Trick Room up.

EVs provide a mix of bulk and offense. The HP and Special Defense are for hitting the aforementioned thresholds, while the Defense investment ensures Max Attack Rillaboom’s Woodhammer is a 3HKO after Grassy Terrain, while Mienshao’s Close Combat is an unlikely 2HKO. If running a TailRoom team some speed investment can be considered. 60 Speed is enough to outspeed the base 135 crowd (Miraidon, Koraidon, Flutter Mane, and Chien-Pao) in Tailwind, while 132 Speed is required to outspeed Calyrex-Shadow Rider (or 52 Speed if running a Timid Nature). Tera Electric is amazing for removing Raging Bolt's Ice and Dragon weaknesses, greatly improving matchups into opposing Ice Riders and the Raidons, while providing a solid damage boost that pushes Thunderbolt close to Draco Meteor while turning Thunderclap into a tool of mass destruction. Tera Grass is also worth considering, for removing Raging Bolt's Ground weakness and improving the matchup into Amoonguss, a popular Anti Trick Room answer.

Other Options & Partners:
Calyrex Ice Rider is the restricted of choice for Raging Bolt, its Trick Room working well with Raging Bolt's middling Speed and vicious Glacial Lance removing Grass and Ground types, while valuing Raging Bolt's amazing matchup into the many Water types that would blunt its Ice STAB as well as a good matchup into Fire types like Incineroar and Chi-yu. Amoonguss slots well onto any Trick Room team and thus works well with the relatively slow Raging Bolt. Pollen Puff is especially invaluable, providing recovery that Raging Bolt does not natively have access to, preventing it from being worn down.

Volt Switch is an amazing option, either in replacement for Thunderbolt, or as a 3 Electric + Draco Meteor moveset, offering invaluable repositioning while still making progress in wearing down an opponent’s team. Get in a key Terrain or Weather setter safely, pivot a fast sweeper in right when Trick Room ends, the utility Volt Switch provides is incredible. Snarl is another facet of support that Raging Bolt can provide, that of damage mitigation, making Raging Bolt near impossible to break through specially.

Countering Raging Bolt

Raging Bolt is rather Miraidon-esque in both STAB coverage and sheer power, leaving safe switch ins, few and far in between, though it lacks the true stacking boosts that make Miraidon such an overwhelming force.

Dedicated sponges are the best answer to Raging Bolt, their sheer special bulk able to soak attacks and wear Raging Bolt down. Ting-Lu excels by far against most Raging Bolt, with even a boosted Draco Meteor doing little over half while Ting-Lu can blast Raging Bolt down with Earthquake and Ruination and wipe away any Calm Mind boosts with Whirlwind, though it must be wary of Snow and Rain fueled Weather Balls. Clodsire struggles to switch into Draco Meteor, and can’t stand Rain or Snow Weather Balls, but doesn’t care about any boosts Raging Bolt has and places Raging Bolt on a hard clock with Toxic, regardless of Tera. Blissey can match Raging Bolt Calm Mind for Calm Mind and possesses the recovery to outlast Raging Bolt. Specially Defensive Heatran can work well, but needs to Taunt Raging Bolt before Raging Bolt outpaces Heatran with Calm Mind. Iron Treads does resist Draco Meteor while boasting an immunity to Electric, but is quickly worn down by repeated Draco Meteors.

Other Ground types tend to work well into Raging Bolt, being able to switch into Raging Bolt’s Electric STAB and threaten back with their own without concern for Thunderclap. Landorus-Therian, Gliscor, and Great Tusk all fit this role nicely. However, Raging Bolt is often well prepared for such matchups, and their poor Special Defense means a Draco Meteor or boosted Dragon Pulse means a KO in turn if they can’t reach it a KO through Shuca Berry or defensive Tera.

Revenge KOing Raging Bolt is more reliable, provided one can play around Thunderclap. Encore users like Ogerpon and Iron Valiant can prove ruinous, locking Raging Bolt into Thunderclap and using it like setup fodder. Opposing Dragon types like Roaring Moon, Dragapult and Gouging Fire are more than capable of outspeeding and if not OHKOing, picking off a chipped Raging Bolt, but must be wary of Tera Fairy enabling Raging Bolt to flip the script and KO them instead.

Anime Appearences

Raging Bolt has yet to make any appearances in the anime # -English Episode Name- -Jp. Episode Name- Pics