Rayquaza (Pokémon)

For Pokémon GO information on this species, see the game's section.
← #383: Groudon	Pokémon	#385: Jirachi →
This article is about the species. For a specific instance of this species, see Rayquaza (disambiguation).

Rayquaza Sky High Pokémon レックウザ Rayquaza #384 Rayquaza Mega Rayquaza Images on the Bulbagarden Archives
Type Dragon Flying Unknown Unknown Mega Rayquaza Unknown Unknown Unknown Unknown Unknown Unknown Unknown Unknown
Abilities Air Lock Rayquaza Cacophony Mega Rayquaza Cacophony Cacophony Hidden Ability Cacophony Hidden Ability Delta Stream Mega Rayquaza Cacophony
Gender ratio Gender unknown	Catch rate 45 (11.9%)
Breeding Egg Group Undiscovered Hatch time 120 cycles Egg not obtainable
Height 23'00" 7.0 m Rayquaza 35'05" 10.8 m Mega Rayquaza 0'0" 0 m {{{form3}}} 0'0" 0 m {{{form4}}}	Weight 455.2 lbs. 206.5 kg Rayquaza 864.2 lbs. 392.0 kg Mega Rayquaza 0 lbs. 0 kg {{{form3}}} 0 lbs. 0 kg {{{form4}}}
Mega Stone None [[|]]
Base experience yield 220 Gen. III-IV Unknown IV 306 V+	Leveling rate Slow
EV yield Total: 3 Rayquaza 0 HP 2 Atk 0 Def 1 Sp.Atk 0 Sp.Def 0 Speed Mega Rayquaza 0 HP 0 Atk 0 Def 0 Sp.Atk 0 Sp.Def 0 Speed 0 HP 0 Atk 0 Def 0 Sp.Atk 0 Sp.Def 0 Speed 0 HP 0 Atk 0 Def 0 Sp.Atk 0 Sp.Def 0 Speed
Shape	Footprint Mega Rayquaza
Pokédex color   Green	Base friendship 0
External Links On Smogon Pokédex: Generation III Generation IV Generation V Generation VI Generation VII Generation VIII Generation IX Artwork on Bulbagarden Archives

Rayquaza (Japanese: レックウザ Rayquaza) is a dual-type Dragon/Flying Legendary Pokémon introduced in Generation III.

While it is not known to evolve into or from any other Pokémon, Rayquaza can Mega Evolve into Mega Rayquaza if it knows Dragon Ascent, but only if it is not holding a Z-Crystal. In Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, the Rayquaza featured in the Delta Episode must be caught (which requires it to eat the Meteorite) before the player can Mega Evolve any Rayquaza.

Rayquaza is the game mascot of Pokémon Emerald, appearing on the boxart of the game. It serves to end the conflict between Kyogre and Groudon when Team Magma's leader Maxie and Team Aqua's leader Archie awakened them.

Along with Kyogre and Groudon, Rayquaza is a part of the weather trio, serving as its trio master. In Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, it plays an important role during the Delta Episode and is required to be caught there to fight Deoxys.

Biology

Rayquaza is a large, green, serpentine creature. It has red-tipped, rudder-like wings on its shoulders and down its body, and similarly patterned fins on the tip of its tail. Yellow ring-like symbols run across the length of Rayquaza's body and it has an additional yellow ring on top of its head. Rayquaza has two limbs with three-clawed hands, and two long, flat, horn-like structures on its head, with two shorter horns along its jawline. It has small, yellow eyes with black pupils, prominent pink gums, and two discernible fangs in its upper jaw.

As Mega Rayquaza, its body becomes longer and gains more features. Its head becomes longer with the Δ symbol appearing on its forehead. Its eyes now contain yellow pupils and red irises, and black, tree-like markings trail behind its eyes. Its red lips and teeth become gold, and the gold lines connect to those on its lower horns, which take on a broad, triangular shape. At the outer edges of its lower horns are long, golden, glowing tendrils that each extend to a green, fin-like structure; these tendrils have ring patterns that strongly resemble the yellow markings running along the length of Rayquaza's normal form. Its two upper horns become longer with a gold line running over them in a V shape, and each upper horn has another glowing tendril that ends in a circular shape with a spike. Along the length of its body are golden, glowing orbs placed where its ring patterns used to be. The chin, part of the neck, and parts of its serpentine body are changed to the color black. The fins running along its body are now marked with gold lines; the fins on its tail become entirely yellow and substantially longer. Particles stream from the long tendrils that extend from its jutting jaw; these particles can control the density and humidity of the air, allowing Mega Rayquaza to manipulate the weather. Its green hide sparkles with an emerald-like quality.^[1]

Inside Rayquaza's body lies an organ that contains the same power as a Mega Stone. A Devon Corporation scientist named this organ the mikado organ (Japanese: ミカド器官). By consuming meteoroids as it flies through the stratosphere, the mikado organ will be filled with enough energy to enable Rayquaza's Mega Evolution.

It is able to soothe the other members of the weather trio, even in their Primal Forms. Rayquaza is said to have lived for hundreds of millions of years in the ozone layer, where it feeds on water and other particles. Rayquaza is rarely seen by people; even in flight, its appearance is indistinguishable from that of a meteor. Rayquaza preys on the Minior in the Alola region. Rayquaza possesses some of the strongest attack power out of any Pokémon. Rayquaza is the only known Pokémon capable of learning the move Dragon Ascent.

In the anime

In the main series

Rayquaza in the anime

Shiny Rayquaza in the anime

Mega Rayquaza in the anime

Shiny Mega Rayquaza in the anime

Major appearances

Rayquaza (M07)

Rayquaza debuted in Destiny Deoxys. It fought Deoxys, believing it to be invading the Sky High Pokémon's territory when Deoxys was in fact looking for its friend, another Deoxys.

Rayquaza (anime)

In Mega Evolution Special II, a Rayquaza showed up and Mega Evolved. Alain and Steven tried to battle it, but they were quickly defeated by the Sky High Pokémon. In Mega Evolution Special III, it tried to stop the destructive battle between Primal Groudon and Primal Kyogre as both were trying to obtain the Giant Rock, and eventually succeeded.

Other

In Malice In Wonderland!, Cynthia appeared to own a Rayquaza, but it was only an illusion created by Mismagius. Whenever Mismagius fuses with Rayquaza, it becomes the same color as the Mismagius, making it look like a Shiny Rayquaza.

Rayquaza made its physical main series debut in Where No Togepi Has Gone Before!. It used Hyper Beam on the rocket ship Ash, his friends, and Team Rocket were on, presumably in order to protect its territory from them.

In BWS02, Iris saw a Rayquaza and decided to follow it and see where it would go next.

In Hoopa and the Clash of Ages, a Shiny Rayquaza capable of Mega Evolving was summoned alongside Latios and Latias by Hoopa to protect it from the shadow Hoopa Unbound. The trio protected Hoopa from the shadow Hoopa and its reinforcements, Primal Groudon, Primal Kyogre, Dialga, Palkia, Giratina, and Kyurem, in Dahara City. Eventually, the battle ended after the shadow Hoopa was sealed in a Prison Bottle, and Rayquaza departed for its home.

In Living on the Cutting Edge!, a Rayquaza was battling Deoxys in outer space. The battle accidentally caused one of the meteors to head towards Alola, though it was ultimately cut up by a Kartana, saving the region from harm.

Minor appearances

In the opening sequence of Pokémon Ranger and the Temple of the Sea, a Rayquaza was captured by Team Rocket operatives and experimented on.

A Rayquaza appeared in the opening sequence of Lucario and the Mystery of Mew.

In the opening sequence of The Rise of Darkrai, a Rayquaza fired a Hyper Beam at a Lucario.

A Rayquaza appeared in the opening sequence of Zoroark: Master of Illusions.

In Showering the World with Love!, Ash and his classmates saw a Rayquaza in the sky at Starfall Hill after saying goodbye to Minior.

A Rayquaza appeared in a fantasy in JN032.

In the Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire Animated Trailer

In the Pokémon Omega Ruby and Pokémon Alpha Sapphire Animated Trailer, a Rayquaza descended from the ozone layer and Mega Evolved.

In Pokémon Generations

Mega Rayquaza in Pokémon Generations

In The Scoop, a Trainer's Mega Rayquaza destroyed the Grand Meteor Delta. It later battled a wild Deoxys that appeared from inside the Meteor, allowing its Trainer to catch it.

In the manga

Rayquaza in Pokémon Adventures

A Shiny Rayquaza in the movie adaptations

Mega Rayquaza in Pokémon Adventures

A Shiny Mega Rayquaza in the movie adaptations

In the Let's Play the Pokémon Card Game XY! manga

Manabu was seen with a Rayquaza.

In the movie adaptations

Main article: Rayquaza (M07)

Rayquaza plays a major role in the manga adaptation of Destiny Deoxys.

A Shiny Rayquaza appears in Hoopa and the Clash of Ages.

In the Pocket Monsters DP manga

A Rayquaza appeared in PMDP29.

In the Pokémon Adventures manga

Main article: Rayquaza (Adventures)

To stop the battle between Kyogre and Groudon, Wally and Norman trained at the Sky Pillar and woke up Rayquaza. Five years earlier, Ruby's victory over a Salamence was the reason Norman was banned from the Gym Leader test as the wounded Salamence rampaged in a lab, accidentally letting Rayquaza, who was in captivity at that time, free. Having been ordered to recapture Rayquaza in the five years he was prohibited from attaining a Gym Leader position, Norman attended the Mossdeep Space Center and scrutinized its tracks, finally discovering that it slumbered atop the Sky Pillar when it wasn't scouring beyond Earth's atmosphere. With Wally's help, he was able to awaken and take command of Rayquaza, using it to calm Groudon and Kyogre in conjunction with Ruby's Red and Blue Orbs. When Norman fell under the strain of controlling Rayquaza without a proper medium, it escaped once again. It first appeared in Rayquaza Redemption I.

In the Pokémon Pocket Monsters manga

A Rayquaza appears in Pokémon Task Force In Action!!, where Red, Clefairy, Pikachu, and Tyrogue try to stop it from destroying the city.

In the TCG

Main article: Rayquaza (TCG)

Other appearances

Super Smash Bros. Brawl

Rayquaza in Super Smash Bros. Brawl

Rayquaza appears in The Subspace Emissary mode as a boss. After Diddy Kong lands in The Lake, Rayquaza lunges out of the water and grabs him, angry at being disrupted. Before it can further attack, Fox ejects out of his ship, which had crashed and been destroyed by Rayquaza earlier, and rescues Diddy Kong. Enraged, Rayquaza attacks Fox with Dragon Pulse, but Fox reflects its attack back at it, sending it reeling back into the water. Rayquaza soon launches back out and engages in battle against Fox and Diddy Kong.

Like all other Subspace Emissary bosses, Rayquaza is later battled again in The Great Maze, and can be fought in the Boss Battles mode after the latter is unlocked. Its attacks in battle include ExtremeSpeed, Thunder, Dig*, Iron Tail, and Fly.

Trophy information

A Sky High Pokémon. It normally resides high up in the ozone layer where it flies endlessly, so it is rarely seen. However, when Groudon and Kyogre began to fight, it appeared to calm them down. It has the ability Air Lock, which blocks all weather-condition effects. It has exceedingly strong abilities, and its attack power is especially remarkable.

Super Smash Bros. for Wii U

Rayquaza in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U

Rayquaza appears as an occasional stage hazard in the Dragonmark Chamber of the Kalos Pokémon League stage. Appearing rarely, it flies across the stage at various angles, dealing damage to fighters. Its path is shown briefly by lightning before it appears, giving players time to avoid it.

Trophy information

This Dragon- and Flying-type Pokemon usually dwells high in the ozone layer, so it can't be seen from the ground. In the Kalos Pokemon League stage, it occasionally flies at great speed through the Elite Four's Dragon-type chamber, where any fighters in its path will be damaged and launched with great force.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

Rayquaza appears as a Spirit, as well as retaining its rare appearance in the Dragonmark Chamber on the Kalos Pokémon League stage

Game data

NPC appearances

• Pokémon Pinball: Ruby & Sapphire: Rayquaza is the focus of the third and final Bonus Field. It can only be challenged after capturing Groudon or Kyogre and will then join the circuit of bonus fields. Rayquaza will bounce along from left to right, allowing the ball to roll under it if it is up. It will sometimes use Thunder to paralyze the ball if it is not moving fast enough, though it does stay still while it is unleashing the attack. Rayquaza will also sometimes use ExtremeSpeed to create two tornadoes that cause the ball to fly up into the air for several seconds if contact is made. Rayquaza must be hit 15 times in three minutes to win. After beating the round twice, Rayquaza will be captured.
• Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Rayquaza acts as the final boss, living on the Sky Tower. After it is defeated, Rayquaza helps save the world from a meteor. After the credits roll, the player can re-battle Rayquaza to recruit it.
• Pokémon Ranger: Rayquaza can be captured in a bonus mission after the credits.
• Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time and Darkness: Rayquaza is the guardian of the Sky Melodica.
• Pokémon Super Mystery Dungeon: Rayquaza first appears early into the game, fleeing to space in fear of Dark Matter's influence. When Dark Matter attempts to take the Tree of Life to space, Rayquaza and Deoxys use their energy to try and slow its ascent from above, with Rayquaza even Mega Evolving. Ultimately, when Dark Matter regenerates itself for the first time, it unleashes even more energy, turning both Rayquaza and Deoxys to stone. At the conclusion of the event, Rayquaza turns back to normal and takes residence at Dragon Gate and guards the Wind Looplet.

Pokédex entries

Game locations

In side games

In events

Games	Event	Language/Region	Location	Level	Distribution period
DP	Nintendo of Korea Rayquaza	Korean	South Korea	50	May 31 to July 17, 2008
BW	15th Anniversary Rayquaza	Japanese	Japan	100	February 10 to 27, 2012
BW	Nobunaga's Black Rayquaza	Japanese	Japan Wi-Fi	70	March 17 to April 16, 2012
XYORAS	Winter 2015 World Hobby Fair Rayquaza	All	Japan	70	January 18 to February 8, 2015
XYORAS	CoroCoro Rayquaza	Japanese region	Online	70	March 14 to May 15, 2015
ORAS	Pokémon Spring Carnival 2015 Rayquaza	All	South Korea	70	May 2 to 5, 2015
XYORAS	Singapore Summer 2015 Rayquaza	Japanese region	Online	70	May 6 to July 31, 2015
XYORAS	Singapore Summer 2015 Rayquaza	American region	Online	70	May 6 to July 31, 2015
ORAS	Galileo Rayquaza	PAL region	Online	70	August 10, 2015 to January 27, 2016
ORAS	Galileo Rayquaza	American region	Online	70	August 12 to September 14, 2015
XYORAS	Nintendo Hong Kong Rayquaza	Japanese region	Online	70	September 11 to October 31, 2015
XYORAS	Nintendo Hong Kong Rayquaza	PAL region	Online	70	September 11 to October 31, 2015
XYORAS	Nintendo Hong Kong Rayquaza	Taiwanese region	Online	70	September 11 to October 31, 2015
ORAS	Pokémon Center Hiroshima Rayquaza	All	Japan	70	February 1 to 29, 2016
ORAS	Pokémon Center Skytree Town Rayquaza	All	Japan	100	July 5, 2016 July 6 to September 4, 2016

Pokémon Global Link promotions

Held items

Game		Held Item(s)
Events*		Dragon Scale (100%)	Life Orb (100%)
		Dragon Fang (100%)

Stats

Base stats

Mega Rayquaza

Pokéathlon stats

Type effectiveness

Learnset

Side game data

Pokémon Pinball RS   Acquisition: Catch			Pokémon Trozei! Rarity: Rare
Pokémon Mystery Dungeon Red Rescue Team and Blue Rescue Team Body size: 4 Recruit rate: -10% Friend Area: Stratos Lookout Phrases 51%-100% HP Like a star blazing in the sky, I shall help you! 26%-50% HP How is this possible? My health is reduced to a mere half? 1%-25% HP I've had enough... The ozone layer calls for my return... Level up I've leveled up! The vast power of the skies fills me!
Pokémon Mystery Dungeon Explorers of Time, Explorers of Darkness, and Explorers of Sky Body size: 4 Recruit rate: -10% IQ group: D
Pokémon Ranger Group: Dragon Poké Assist: Flying Field move: None Loops: 13 Min. exp.: 600 Max. exp.: - Browser entry R-210 Rayquaza rampages while spitting energy. It is said to be impossible to capture.
Pokémon Rumble Blast Attack ●●●●● Defense ●●●● Speed ●●●
PokéPark Wii: Pikachu's Adventure PokéPark Pad entry: Rayquaza is a Zone Keeper. He protects the Granite Zone and the Flower Zone. He's also the Attraction Chief of Rayquaza's Balloon Panic. He values promises.
Pokémon Conquest HP: ★★★★★ Move: Dragon Pulse Attack: ★★★★★ Ability 1: Nomad Defense: ★★★★ Speed: ★★★★ Does not evolve into or from anything Range: 4 Perfect Links: Nobunaga
Pokémon Battle Trozei Dragon Attack Power: ★★★★★
Pokémon Shuffle Dragon Attack Power: 70 - 110 5 #162 Dragon Talon Sometimes increases damage. Swappable Skill(s): Shot Out Mega Effects 20 Erases a Pokémon of a different type than Mega Rayquaza (max 10).			Pokémon Shuffle Flying Attack Power: 80 - 115 5 #162 Dragon Talon Sometimes increases damage. Mega Effects 15 Erases Pokémon and disruptions around two spots you tap.
Pokémon GO Base HP: 213 Base Attack: 284 Base Defense: 170 Egg Distance: N/A Buddy Distance: 20 km Evolution Requirement: N/A Fast Attacks: Air Slash, Dragon Tail Charged Attacks: Outrage, Aerial Ace, Ancient Power

Evolution

Unevolved Rayquaza  Dragon  Flying

Forms

Mega Evolution

Default Rayquaza Rayquaza  Dragon  Flying

None ↔

Know Dragon Ascent Mega Rayquaza Rayquaza  Dragon  Flying

Sprites

This Pokémon was unavailable prior to Generation III.
Generation III Ruby Sapphire Emerald FireRed LeafGreen Front Back Front Back Front Back
Generation IV Diamond Pearl Platinum HeartGold SoulSilver Front Back Front Back Front Back
Generation V Black White Black 2 White 2 Front Back Front Back
Generation VI X Y Omega Ruby Alpha Sapphire Front Back Front Back
Generation VII Sun Moon Ultra Sun Ultra Moon Front Back Front Back

For other sprites and images, please see Rayquaza images on the Bulbagarden Archives.

Trivia

• Rayquaza is the only member in its trio:
  • Without a Primal form, instead having the ability to Mega Evolve.
  • Not to be directly sought after by a specific villainous team.
  • That cannot learn a one-hit knockout move.
  • That cannot learn its signature move by level-up, as it must learn it by Move Tutor.
  • That didn't appear in the episodes Gaining Groudon and The Scuffle of Legends.
  • That can participate in Sky Battles.
• Mega Rayquaza has the highest base Attack and Special Attack stats and the highest base stat total of all Dragon-type and Flying-type Pokémon.
• Mega Rayquaza is the tallest Mega Evolved Pokémon.
  • It is also the tallest Flying-type Pokémon.
• Rayquaza's catch rate was raised from its original value of 3 to 45 in Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire.
• Rayquaza was the most voted Pokémon of all pre-Generation V Pokémon in the Korean Pokémon Global Link promotion poll.
  • Rayquaza was also the most voted on the 15th anniversary poll, which was for the game mascots of the core series games, making it Japan's favorite game mascot.
• Rayquaza is misspelled as "Rayquayza" in Pokémon Team Turbo in every instance.
• Rayquaza is the only Pokémon capable of Mega Evolving that does not require a Mega Stone to do so in the games.
  • Therefore, it is the only Pokémon that can have a different held item (apart from Z-Crystals) while Mega Evolved, since Mega Stones cannot be taken off their proper holder during battle.
• Mega Rayquaza is tied with Mewtwo's Mega Evolutions for the highest base stat total of all Pokémon, with 780, excluding non-playable Eternamax Eternatus.
  • This makes it the only Pokémon with a base stat total above 720 that doesn't require a specific held item.
• When Mega Evolving Rayquaza, the game will state, "<player>'s fervent wish has reached Rayquaza", instead of the normal message.
• Rayquaza was designed by Hironobu Yoshida.^[2]
• In the Pokémon of the Year poll held by The Pokémon Company in 2020, Rayquaza was voted the most popular Generation III Pokémon, receiving 60,939 votes. It was also the eighth-most popular Pokémon overall.
  • It was also voted as the most popular Legendary Pokémon, as well as being the only Legendary to make the top ten results.

Origin

Rayquaza's design is probably based on the Chinese dragon and the Lindworm. Its role is similar to that of Ziz in Hebrew legends. Rayquaza matches the description of the Aztec god Quetzalcoatl, who was depicted as a flying serpent, and created the boundary between the earth (including the oceans) and the sky. Its trait of being capable of inhabiting the skies, and living there while subsisting on nothing but dew and particles for centuries, also bears aspects of the legendary Chinese xian hermit sages and East Asian dragons.

Name origin

Rayquaza most likely refers to Raqiya, the Hebrew word for "firmament". It also may be a combination of ray and quasar. Alternatively, it may be a combination of 烈 retsu (violent or furious), 空 kū (sky), and 座 za (seat or location), which can be taken to mean "one that sits in the ferocious heavens".

Rayquaza's mikado organ refers to 帝 mikado (emperor), another name for the Emperor of Japan or 天皇 tennō in Japanese, which can be translated as either "heavenly sovereign" or "king of the heaven/sky".

In other languages

Language Title Meaning Japanese レックウザ Rayquaza Possibly from ray and quasar. Alternatively, it may be a combination of 烈 retsu (violent or furious), 空 kū (sky), and 座 za (seat or location), which can be taken to mean "one that sits in the ferocious heavens". French Rayquaza Same as Japanese name Spanish Rayquaza Same as Japanese name German Rayquaza Same as Japanese name Italian Rayquaza Same as Japanese name Korean 레쿠쟈 Rayquaza Transliteration of the Japanese name Mandarin Chinese 烈空坐 Lièkōngzuò From its Japanese name. Can also be taken as "one who sits in the fierce heavens". Cantonese Chinese 烈空坐 Lihthūngjoh Same as Mandarin name

More languages Russian Райкваза Raikvaza Transcription of English/Japanese name Thai เร็คควอซา Rekquaza Transcription of trademarked Japanese name

Related articles

• Rayquaza (M07)
• Rayquaza (anime)
• Rayquaza (Adventures)
• Weather trio
• Mega Evolution
• Legendary Pokémon
• Delta Episode
• Myths and legends involving Legendary Pokémon

Notes

External links

• Article on Wikipedia
• Rayquaza's encounter in The Subspace Emissary

Legendary Pokémon

Generation I

Generation II

Generation III

Generation IV

Generation V

Generation VI

Generation VII

Generation VIII

Generation IX

See also: Mythical Pokémon

← #383: Groudon

Pokémon

#385: Jirachi →

This Pokémon article is part of Project Pokédex, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on each Pokémon as a species.