Kyogre, the Sea Basin Pokémon. It is said to have widened the seas by causing downpours. It had been asleep in a marine trench.
Overview
One title Legendaries of the third Generation, Kyogre has been the byword for power, taking KOs on even the bulkiest of Pokémon despite generations of rampant power creep. Easy to see why too, Base 150 Special Attack coupled with Water STAB that is further boosted by the Rain Kyogre sets is a huge amount of damage multiplication that few Pokémon can withstand, especially with the incredible Water Spout. Kyogre’s offensive coverage compliments its Water STAB nicely, Ice and Electric hitting all of Water’s resists on top of the famed wide neutral coverage the two types boast, leaving shockingly few Pokémon that are safe switch ins to Kyogre. Impressive 140 Special Defense isn’t something to scoff at either on top of Water’s great base defensive typing, giving Kyogre some defensive utility as well.
Kyogre’s 90 Speed, coupled with the speed creep of each passing generation, has led Kyogre more vulnerable to the many faster threats introduced. Water Spout requiring Kyogre to be at max HP further exposes Kyogre’s unimpressive speed, making it far more difficult to exercise its full power. Kyogre’s Defense is at an underwhelming Base 90 leaving it significantly exposed to physical attacks from its peers such as Arceus, Zacian Crowned, and Kyurem Black, making it surprisingly easy to KO on that side despite its phenomenal Special Bulk otherwise. The introduction of the Raidons does little to help Kyogre either both able to easily switch in on a Water STAB and eliminate Kyogre with their non-Dragon STABs in turn, with Koraidon being a Water-resistant Sun setter particularly aggravating. That isn’t to say they can switch in freely, with Ice Beams from Kyogre doing serious damage if not knocking them out on the switch. Kyogre’s world drowning power specifically relies on Rain boosted Water STABs, and while it is no slouch offensively without them, the power drop when going to coverage moves is stark. Kyogre remains as eternal as the sea and when heading into the upper echelons of Pokémon, it still washes away all who stand against it.
Positives
Base 150 Special Attack was a standard of legendary power set by Kyogre, blasting away most foes regardless of investment.
Drizzle is game defining ability, defining entire team archetypes and pushing Kyogre’s Water STABs to the point where immunity or quadruple resistance is required to withstand it.
Excellent coverage in Thunder and Ice Beam allows Kyogre to hit a wide range of targets neutrally on top of hitting every mono Water resistant type for super effective damage.
Base 140 Special Defense is impressive, allowing Kyogre to shrug off mammoth special attacks
Negatives
Base 90 Speed is wholly unimpressive, forcing Kyogre to rely on its bulk to tank hits or Choice Scarf to handle most offensive threats.
Base 90 Defense is lackluster for the tier of power Kyogre resides in, leaving it struggling to tank hits on the physical side.
Reliant on Rain and Water STAB to deal catastrophic damage, and is less threatening when unable to exercise them.
Movesets
Torrential Downpour
-Thunder Wave
-Origin Pulse
-Ice Beam
-Thunder
Ability: Drizzle
Item: Heavy Duty Boots
EVs and Nature:
240 HP / 252 SAtk / 16 Spe
Modest Nature
This Kyogre excels as a bulky attacker and speed control, using its rain boosted STAB and wide coverage to threaten the opposing team, while Thunder Wave is brutal for punishing any potential faster switch in, making them slower and vulnerable to Kyogre’s follow up assault. Origin Pulse is the preferred Water STAB, being effectively a slightly more accurate Hydro Pump, and Kyogre’s main source of damage, pulling off stunts like ripping out half of Miraidon’s HP on a switch, three fourths to all of Necrozma Dusk Mane’s depending on the EV distribution, OHKOing famed special wall Ho-oh, and all but doing the same to Ting-Lu. The short of it is, if the target doesn’t resist, or have a stupid amount of bulk, it is going to drop. Ice Beam is for the targets that don’t drop to Origin Pulse, hitting Dragons such as the Raidons, as well as Grass and Tera Grass types and Water Absorb Clodsire. Thunder compliments Ice Beam wonderfully, provided the famed Ice-Electric coverage and annihilating opposing Water and Tera Water types like Dondozo, Urshifu-Rapid, and Calyrex-Ice Rider. This Kyogre set naturally slots on balanced and bulky offense teams that can provides partners for Kyogre to naturally pivot to while greatly appreciating the Speed control it provides against more offensive teams.
Tera Types:
This Kyogre set struggles greatly against the Raidon’s, especially Miraidon, so Teras that improve the match up should be considered. Tera Fairy is great, providing an immunity to Miraidon’s Draco Meteor and Koraidon’s Scale Shot, while all but stopping Koraidon’s Low Kick and allowing Kyogre to exercise its great Special Defense against Miraidon’s Electric STAB. Tera Electric is a more offensive option, providing a resistance to Miraidon’s Electric STABs, while also bolstering Kyogre’s own Thunders, though requires more careful play in the Koraidon matchup.
EVs and Items:
This set emphasizes Kyogre’s role as a bulky attacker, placing almost everything into HP and Special Attack. Some speed investment is recommended; the 16 Speed EVs is necessary to outspeed base 150 Speed Pokémon once they are paralyzed like Calyrex-Shadow Rider and Deoxys Attack, as well as speed creep other bulky Kyogre and Groudon. Heavy Duty Boots is recommended as the item, ensuring Kyogre’s bulk isn’t shredded by entry hazards so it can tank the hits it must to strike back. If hazards aren’t a concern, item choice becomes incredibly flexible, from Life Orb for more damage, Leftovers for more recovery, Mystic Water for a costless STAB boost, Custap Berry to turn the tables on a faster attacker or Waccan Berry for a one-time answer against Miraidon.
Partners:
Miraidon makes for a great partner for Kyogre despite all the grief opposing Miraidon give it. Kyogre loves the Electric Terrain boost for Thunder, and Miraidon often draws in Ground types to fend off its Electric STAB that are just fodder for Kyogre. Miraidon's absurd speed also makes it a great revenge killer, cleaning removing threats that Kyogre invariably softens with its own STABs. In less inclusive formats, Archaludon makes for a fine ersatz Miraidon, drawing in Ground attackers thanks to its typing and providing intense Electric coverage with its Rain Boosted Electro Shot.
Allies that can handle Miraidon are invaluable for Kyogre. The Ground and Fairy forms of Arceus make for reliable switch-ins, able to null half Miraidon's blistering STABs. While Ground Arceus is better suited for the Electric attacks thrown Kyogre's way, Fairy Arceus in Kyogre's rain is one of the best answers to Koraidon. Ting-Lu also works as a reliable pivot into Miraidon and a lesser extent, Eternatus, though it is a bit on the passive side. Rillaboom is a go to option in single restricted formats, its Grassy terrain fantastic disruption against Miraidon while providing Kyogre badly needed healing.
Other Options:
Surf is reliable alternative to Origin Spout, whose imperfect accuracy can be maddening at times.
Calm Mind enables Kyogre to escalate both offensively and defensively, greatly punishing more passive teams.
Flash Flood
-Water Spout
-Origin Pulse
-Thunder
-Ice Beam
Ability: Drizzle
Item: Choice Scarf
EVs and Nature:
4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
Scarf Kyogre is the bane of offensive teams, its Water Spouts obliterating many Pokémon before they can even act, and its boosted speed making it horrifically efficient at drowning chipped targets. Water Spout is signature to this set, being a surprisingly brutal hit with Choice Scarf’s speed making it unlikely that Kyogre will be hit before attacking, which is normally what makes Water Spout so difficult for Kyogre to use. With Water Spout, Kyogre cleanly picks up one hit KOs on Necrozma Dusk Mane, and Zacian Crowned, while cleaning up chipped Pokémon like Calyrex Ice Rider, and any non Water resistant Arceus form/ Origin Pulse is secondary STAB, a reliable fallback once Kyogre’s health drops below three fourths of max. Thunder and Ice Beam return as necessary coverage, answering almost all of Water’s resists while boasting broad neutral coverage in the process.
Tera Types:
Unlike more defensive sets, Scarf Kyogre is almost always Tera Water to get the most out of its Water STABs. The power boost is significant, Water Spout now OHKOing Arceus, and Calyrex Ice Rider while reliably 2HKOing Pokémon as bulky as Eternatus, Giratina Origin, and Blissey. The sheer power Tera Water Kyogre boasts turns it into a pseudo wallbreaker regardless of item, and can outright win games if the opposing team is compromised.
EVs and Items:
As expected for a Choice Scarf user, max Speed and Special attack investment are required to get the most out of Scarf Kyogre. Bulk investment is superfluous; you don’t want Kyogre getting hit for as long as you can to keep Water Spout’s power up. The argument about natures is more interesting. Timid is generally recommended, as it does enable Scarf Kyogre to outspeed Base 150 Speed Pokémon like Calyrex-Shadow Rider and Deoxys Attack. While the Scarf user on one’s team is meant to check all faster Pokémon, the argument could be made for Modest, whose power boost enables a OHKO on Koraidon with Tera Water Water Spout, a small chance to OHKO on bulky Arceus and Calyrex Ice without Tera Water. Choice Scarf is the item built for this set and due to the mechanics of Water Spout, plays significantly different from a Specs Kyogre despite the moveset being viable for both items.
Partners:
Answers to hazards and priority are paramount given both can blunt Water Spout’s power and prevent Kyogre from reaching those oh so important KOs. For this, Giratina Origin and Corviknight are unparalleled in their ability to both clear hazards with Defog and easily switch into Extreme Speed from Arceus, Deoxys Attack, and Rayquaza. In Single Restricted formats, Flutter Mane is an excellent partner for pivoting into Dragonite’s Extremespeed, while Archaludon is vital for absorbing Rillaboom’s Grassy Glides.
Doubles and VGC Options
Kyogre has long been a mainstay of restricted formats, its Water Spouts often ending games from the word go, and the pronounced power of weather in Doubles meant Drizzle enabled Kyogre’s team as much as Kyogre itself. Despite this, the current has been one of the most unfriendly to Kyogre since the days of Primal Groudon. Bulky Grass types are everywhere, especially Rillaboom, whose priority Grassy Glides tear Kyogre apart. Its not just the Grass types either, new bulky Electric types in Raging Bolt and Iron Hands, both incredibly fond of running Assault Vest further add to the number of threats that can take Kyogre’s hits and deal them back in return. With all the obscene spread moves being thrown about (Kyogre's Water Spout and Origin Pulse included), Wide Guard has become incredibly popular, stopping Kyogre's primary offense in its tracks. Koraidon as a water resistant Sun setter further compounds Kyogre’s woes, further obstructing Kyogre’s offense. Kyogre still thrives despite all this, new rain beneficiaries such as the Genies and Archaludon alongside returning standbys such as Tsareena, has helped Kyogre remain a threat.
Deep Sea Eruption
-Water Spout
-Origin Pulse
-Thunder
-Ice Beam
Ability: Drizzle
Item: Choice Specs
Tera Type: Water
EVs and Nature:
4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
Specs Kyogre pushes Kyogre's famed power to the limits, punishing bad positioning from the opponent to pick up KOs left and right. Specs Water Spout is ludicrously strong for such a spread move, and the doubles format allows for Speed control to enable Kyogre to launch its Water Spouts first despite Kyogre's own lacking speed, a far simpler task in doubles as opposed to singles. Water Spout is what you want to select most of the time, with any other move being rather begrudgingly. Origin Pulse is for when damage is unavoidable or Kyogre has already sustained too many hits and Water Spout's power has sunk. Thunder covers Pelipper, Urshifu-Rapid, Walking Wake and Tera Water Calyrex Ice Rider, while Ice Beam handles Rillaboom, Raging Bolt, Gastrodon, Miraidon, and Koraidon.
EV distribution is unsurprising for a Choice Specs user, being max Speed and Special Attack. Timid Nature is recommended, allowing Kyogre to outspeed even Speed Booster Energy Pokémon and Scarf users like Flutter Mane in Tailwind, or Calyrex-Shadow Rider after an Electroweb or Icy Wind speed drop, though Modest's extra boost in power should not be discounted. Tera Water is to push Kyogre's damage to the limit, capable of OHKOing Terapagos through Tera Shell, OHKOing non-Assault Vest Rillaboom, and fourth fifths of Miraidon's HP.
Other Options & Partners:
Speed control is everything with this Kyogre set. You want it to go first to launch those world ending floods, and Kyogre is flush with ideal partners. Tornadus immediately comes to mind, between Prankster Tailwind to enable Kyogre to outspeed everything while boasting an always accurate Bleakwind Storm in Kyogre's rain, fantastic for thrashing Grass and Tera Grass types looking to survive Kyogre and place everything into Water Spout range. Farigiraf and Tsareena are notable for their anti-Priority support, preventing Fake Outs, Thunder Claps and Grassy Glides from ruining Kyogre's day. Tsareena is more of a direct answer to Rillaboom and Raging Bolt thanks to Triple Axel, while Farigiraf is a massive headache for Trick Room teams, able to remove or seal it. Both offer Helping Hand support which is enough to reach OHKOs on the few normally able to stomach a Water Spout. Regieleki is also notable for its insane speed and Electroweb, which provides Speed Control and breaks Focus Sashes enabling Kyogre to pickup the easy knock out.
Hydro Pump is single target Water STAB, for when you can't remove Wide Guard.
From Down Under
-Water Spout
-Hydro Pump
-Ice Beam
-Protect
Ability: Drizzle
Item: Mystic Water
Tera Type: Ghost
EVs and Nature:
244 HP / 156 SAtk / 108 Spe
Modest Nature
This is a more defensive Kyogre set, equal parts bolstering its partners and being the star of the show, while showing several adaptations against common threats. The strength of Water Spout cannot be over stated and while yes, this Kyogre isn’t picking up KOs through resists left and right, Water Spout still deals considerable damage that will often compromise anything not immune to further follow up. Hydro Pump is seoncdary Water STAB that isn’t stopped by Wide Guard, enabling preventing such users from stymying Kyogre’s STAB and allowing it to continuously apply pressure. Ice Beam threatens the Raidons, Raging Bolt and Rillaboom, all major threats that can tank Kyogre’s Water STAB fairly well. Protect is invaluable in doubles, enabling Kyogre to safely wait for Tailwind setup, stall out opposing field conditions, scout out opposing Terastalizations and switches, Protect is absurd in Doubles.
EVs mean to mix bulk and speed, improving Kyogre’s durability, while still enabling it to outspeed key threats. The given distribution outspeeds Calyrex-Shadow Rider while in Tailwind while surviving Timid Specs Miraidon’s STABs post Terastalization. Tera Ghost is recommended as a tech against Fake Out, prevent opponents from disrupting Kyogre turn one, and even punishing them for trying, since such Pokémon (except Rillaboom) struggle to stomach Kyogre’s Water Spouts, even with partial investment.
Other Options & Partners:
Tornadus and Kyogre is a tried and true combo for good reason, and between the Speed control of Tailwind, and Anti Grass Flying STAB it is hard to justify any other Tailwind setter over Tornadus, even before getting into niches like backup Rain setter, Taunt disruption, further Speed control with Scary Face and Icy Wind, etc.
Landorus Incarnate has also proven to be an invaluable partners for Kyogre, easily dealing with both the many Electric and Grass types people naturally field in preparation for Kyogre between its Ground STAB and Sludge Bomb.
Thunder ruins opposing Water types and is Kyogre’s strongest answer against Wellspring Ogerpon.
Countering Kyogre
Kyogre’s fame as the de facto Water type attacker is well deserved, but its offense is by no means impregnable. Pokémon that can take Water attacks should be considered, given the large percentage of Kyogre’s power does come from its Rain Boosted Water STAB. Water Absorb Clodsire is notable for this, its high Special Defense servicing well against Kyogre’s coverage moves, while steadily wearing it down with Earthquake and Toxic, though Tera Steel is required to handle Ice Beam effectively. Specially Defensive Eternatus also excels, able to out heal Ice Beam damage with Recover and too Toxic Kyogre. Wellspring Ogerpon is also notable and places Kyogre on a much faster clock, while balancing out the lower bulk with Horn Leech recovery. Assault Vest Raging Bolt and Rillaboom also endure both boosted Water Spouts and Ice Beam remarkably well
Excepting the Choice Scarf set, Kyogre’s poor Speed is readily exploitable, and nowhere is that more apparent than the Raidons. While neither Koraidon or Miraidon enjoy switching into Ice Beam (or Thunder Wave for the former), they can be reasonable expected to survive any other attack and both threaten OHKOs with their STABs. Koraidon is especially nightmarish given it not only resists Water, but deprives Kyogre of its rain, almost certain forcing it out while switching it in. Zacian Crowned also does well against any non Scarf set, easily outspeeding and OHKOing with Wild Charge, though Play Rough can dispatch more offensive Kyogre sets.
Against Scarf Kyogre, priority is paramount for preventing it from getting out of hand, gutting Water Spout’s power. Extreme Speed Arceus, as well as Rillaboom’s Grassy Glide and Raging Bolt’s Thunder Clap all fit this criteria well. Entry hazards also work well, with a single layer of Spikes and Stealth Rock all but pushing Water Spout down to Origin Pulse’s level of power.
Locations in Games
Red/Blue/Yellow:
Not in game
Gold/Silver/Crystal:
Not in game
Ruby/Sapphire/Emerald:
Cave of Origin (Sapphire)
Marine Cave (Emerald)
FireRed/LeafGreen:
Trade from Sapphire/Emerald
Colosseum/XD:
Not in game
Diamond/Pearl/Platinum:
Trade from SoulSilver
HeartGold/SoulSilver:
Embedded Tower (SoulSilver)
Black/White:
Transfer from Gen 4
Black 2/White 2:
Transfer from Gen 4
X/Y:
Trade from Alpha Sapphire
Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire:
Cave of Origin (Alpha Sapphire)
Sun/Moon:
Trade from Ultra Moon
Ultra Sun/Ultra Moon:
Ultra Space Wilds (Ultra Moon)
Let's Go, Pikachu!/Let's Go, Eevee!:
Not in game
Sword/Shield:
Dynamax Adventures
Brilliant Diamond/Shining Pearl:
Ramanas Park
Legends: Arceus:
Not in game
Scarlet/Violet:
North Paldean Sea
Anime Appearences
