Raticate Movesets & Competitive Sets

Moves U-turn allows Raticate to keep momentum for the team. Facade inflicts heavy damage due its STAB and Guts boosts. Sucker Punch allows Raticate to move first against faster targets, as its base 97 Speed stat isn't too great, and hits Ghost-types immune to Facade. Crunch is an alternative to Sucker Punch to remove the need to predict around Ghost-types such as Gourgeist-XL and Misdreavus, but it comes at the cost of the chance to attack first. Protect allows Raticate to freely activate Toxic Orb without taking damage or if it is unable to KO a Pokemon the first turn without Guts activated. Swords Dance allows Raticate to bluff a Protect or freely set up on a forced switch, as a base 81 Attack stat doesn't allow it to truly unlock it's true potential in sweeping and wallbreaking. Revenge could be used to hit common Rock-, Ice- and Steel-types on the switch such as Golem, Avalugg, and Probopass. Set Details 252 EVs invested in Speed ensures that Raticate outspeeds as much as possible, including base 95 Speed Pokemon such as Sawsbuck. Guts is chosen over Hustle to take advantage of its synergy with Facade. Toxic Orb is ran over Flame Orb because the first two turns of Toxic deal less damage to Raticate than a burn. A Jolly nature is chosen over an Adamant nature to take advantage of Raticate's higher Speed stat that Ursaring doesn't have. Usage Tips Take advantage of Guts by switching into moves such as Toxic and Will-O-Wisp and using them to Raticate's advantage. Be wary of switching Raticate in on possible attacks, however, as Raticate is not only very frail but it takes damage from its status. Watch out for Steel- and Rock-types. as Raticate cannot do very much damage to them; it's good to U-turn or switch out into a Pokemon with a favorable match up unless Raticate is set up and the opposing Steel- and Rock-types have taken damage. Try to activate Raticate Toxic Orb as soon as possible without having to take a hit, as it is very weak without the boost, which can be done by using Protect, revenge killing a foe, forcing a switch, or having a teammate bringing Raticate in with a pivoting move such as U-turn. Although Raticate has Sucker Punch, be careful of Pokemon with priority moves such as Monferno, as Raticate is very frail. Many people assume Raticate will use Protect, so use this to your advantage when it comes to predicting and use Swords Dance as Pokemon such as Roselia and Fraxure are forced out. Team Options Any Pokemon with Spikes or Stealth Rock such as Roselia, Venipede, Quilladin, or Probopass will allow Raticate to KO Pokemon with Sturdy and KO other Pokemon, such as Avalugg more easily, as a +2 Raticate with Facade knocks it out after Stealth Rock damage. Raticate has trouble with Steel-, Rock-, and bulky Ghost-types such as Misdreavus, making Magnet Pull Probopass and Monferno great teammates. The only type of team you would put Raticate on is on a VoltTurn team, so a Pokemon such as Raichu and Purugly pairs well with Raticate. Slow pivots such as Pelipper are also great for absorbing damage and allowing Raticate to get its Toxic Orb activated for free. Stallbreaker Misdreavus and Raticate make a great pairing, as Misdreavus can counter or check Pokemon that wall Raticate such as Avalugg, Golem, and Gourgeist-XL. Misdreavus can burn opposing physical attackers as well as walls to wither them down, allowing Raticate to clean up easily, as well as Taunt walls to make sure they cannot use utility moves. Carry a Pokemon with Rapid Spin or Defog, as Raticate will be switching in and out often and therefore taking lots of entry hazard damage, making Pokemon such as Armaldo, Swanna, and Vullaby great teammates. Smeargle and Leavanny are great on teams with Raticate because Sticky Web allows Raticate to outspeed almost all grounded Pokemon in the tier. Wallbreakers such as Marowak and Simipour help to weaken the enemy team so that Raticate to come in and clean up.

Raticate's decent Attack and unique Speed make it a formidable Guts user. As with several other Guts users, Facade is Raticate's most powerful STAB move, with its whopping 210 Base Power allowing Raticate to break through walls such as Alomomola and Tangela after a Swords Dance boost. Sucker Punch is Raticate's main draw over other Guts users, as it allows Raticate to bypass Choice Scarf users that other Guts users have trouble with. U-turn is used to maintain momentum against counters such as Probopass. Pursuit is the preferred option in the final slot, as it allows Raticate to checkmate Pokemon such as Haunter. However, Swords Dance is an also option, as it is Raticate's only way of boosting its Attack and allows it to clean up against weakened teams. However, Raticate is extremely frail, meaning that it can only set up a Swords Dance if it forces a switch or takes advantage of foes using Protect, such as Alomomola and Lickilicky. The choice between Flame Orb and Toxic Orb depends on the user. If you would like Raticate to act as a wallbreaker and stay in for longer, then Flame Orb is the better item, as it does not deal as much residual damage over time. However, if you prefer Raticate to act as a scout, switching in and out of the battle with U-turn, then Toxic Orb is the item of choice, as it deals less residual damage than Flame Orb in this situation. Crunch is a very usable option over Sucker Punch, as it allows Raticate to hit much of its Ghost-type prey reliably. However, its lack of priority makes it an inferior option overall. Reversal is an option, being Raticate's best way to hit Rock- and Steel-types. However, its unreliable damage output makes it an inferior option to the moves listed above. Taunt is an option on this set, as it cripples common walls such as Roselia and Probopass, but Raticate is too frail to use it effectively. Raticate can use Protect over either U-turn or Pursuit and Swords Dance to guarantee Guts activation, but it has little use outside of that. While not needed, dual screens support from Pokemon such as Gardevoir and Serperior can be useful, as it mitigates Raticate's pitiful bulk. Entry hazard support from Pokemon such as Golem, Roselia, and Garbodor is also recommended to increase Raticate's sweeping potential. For example, Pokemon such as Metang and Alomomola are 2HKOed by Facade after Stealth Rock and two layers of Spikes. These hazard setters also have good synergy with Raticate. Garbodor and Roselia offer resistances to Raticate's Fighting-type weakness, and Golem is able to defeat Rock- and Steel-types such as Probopass. Choice Band Sawk is another good partner to remove Rock- and Steel-types from the match.

Depending on how one wants to use Raticate's Guts-boosted power, with this set, Raticate can be played in two ways: as either a scout or a late-game sweeper. If played as a scout, Raticate should come in during early-game on something it forces out, such as Chansey, and activate its ability. When the opponent reveals their Raticate counter, Raticate should use U-turn to switch to the appropriate teammate and keep momentum on your side of the battle. Facade is the STAB move of choice because after the Flame or Toxic Orb has been activated, its Base Power reaches 210 (with STAB factored in). To demonstrate Facade's power, Raticate is able to 2HKO Milotic and OHKO Chansey after Stealth Rock with a Guts boost under its belt. Sucker Punch is the recommended choice for the second slot as it allows Raticate to deal good damage to Pokemon that are faster than it, such as Sceptile, Alakazam, and Mismagius. Crunch can be used in place of Sucker Punch since it is Raticate's strongest and most reliable move against Rotom and Spiritomb. If using Raticate as a late-game sweeper, Reversal can be used in U-turn's spot to hit Rhyperior and Registeel for super effective damage once Raticate's health has been diminished sufficiently through poison or burn damage. Finally, Swords Dance can be used in the last slot over Protect to provide Raticate with the power to OHKO the majority of the UU metagame that doesn't resist Facade. However, Protect is the recommended choice to allow Raticate to safely activate its Orb of choice and scout the opponent's next move. The choice between Toxic Orb and Flame Orb is rather arbitrary in Raticate's case. Flame Orb is more appealing if you plan on keeping Raticate on the battlefield for an extended period of time; Toxic Orb is the more attractive option if you plan on keeping Raticate in for less than three turns, as after that, the damage from Toxic Orb will outweigh the damage from Flame Orb. Thanks to Raticate's ability, Guts, it is not affected by the Attack drop normally induced by the burn from its Flame Orb, so either option is a safe bet. Jolly is the required nature as it allows Raticate to outspeed base 95s and below such as Houndoom and Rotom. Pursuit can be used in place of Crunch or Sucker Punch, but odds are that most Pokemon will not be immediately threatened by Raticate and won't switch out, so the reliability of the other moves is preferred. Grass Knot can be used to 2HKO Omastar, Kabutops, and Rhyperior, but other than that, offers little coverage and damage output. Super Fang can be used in the last slot to strip Registeel, Weezing, Rhyperior, and Regirock switch-ins of half their health, but then Raticate is forced to simply U-turn out afterward. Raticate is utterly walled by Rock- and Steel-types, so providing it with good teammates to eliminate them is recommended. Dugtrio and Hitmontop are prime examples of such teammates; Dugtrio is able to trap its victims, such as Registeel, and cleanly dispose of them with Earthquake, while Hitmontop can buffer any physical attacks with Intimidate and proceed to unleash STAB Close Combats on the opposing Pokemon. Raticate is also stopped cold by physically defensive Weezing. Claydol is an excellent teammate to scare out Weezing with STAB Psychic, while also providing Stealth Rock or Rapid Spin support. Ghost-types such as Mismagius and Spiritomb are valuable teammates as they are immune to Fighting-type attacks that Raticate will likely encounter. Finally, Registeel makes a great partner as it can switch into a multitude of faster threats, such as Sceptile, Swellow, Scyther, Manectric, and Mismagius, and paralyze them with Thunder Wave. Registeel can also provide useful Stealth Rock support.

The idea of this set is pretty simple; get Raticate down to 1 HP and unleash hell the likes of which your opponent has never seen. The best way to accomplish this is to bring Raticate in on something that can likely OHKO it, like Hitmonchan without Mach Punch, use Substitute during the proceeding attacks or Endure the hit, and attack with Reversal from 1 HP, which after a Liechi Berry boost OHKOes even fully physically defensive Relicanth, and watch as your opponent's team just crumbles before you. This set is best used late-game so that switching Raticate in on something that will likely annihilate it doesn't look as suspicious. The choice between Substitute and Endure comes down to personal preference and your team build: if you are positive you can keep Spikes off the field or won't have to switch Raticate in on anything to eat a hit, using Substitute is probably the safer option; if you are confident in your prediction skills and don't want to have to accommodate for Rapid Spin on your team, Endure is probably the better option. Shadow Ball is needed so that Haunter, Chimecho, and Sableye don't just completely wall this set. The choice between Quick Attack and Return is tough. Quick Attack is a better option than any other STAB move apart from Return because a full-powered Reversal is nearly as strong as a full-powered Facade (which is hard to use on this set considering if Raticate is poisoned or burned, it won't be at 1 HP for long, and if it's paralyzed it's too slow to sweep anyway). Quick Attack also protects Raticate from Mach Punch and other Quick Attacks thrown its way. Return is still an option if having a strong STAB move when not at 1 HP is desired, and Return is Raticate's best option for Poison-types if you're scared of your opponent packing an Arbok or Swalot. Liechi Berry with a Jolly nature is the main option due to the fact that Raticate is the fastest unboosted Pokemon in the tier when Jolly, meaning a Speed boost from Salac Berry will usually be unwarranted. Salac Berry does have its use when used with an Adamant nature, as Raticate is then able to hit slightly harder when unboosted as well as outspeed Sunny Day Bellossom and Rain Dance Huntail once boosted. However, Raticate loses a ton of power without the Liechi Berry boost. Endeavor is an option on the set as well in place of Quick Attack, which can bring any one Pokemon down to 1 HP before Raticate goes down itself. This will rarely be helpful, but if you're unable to remove the opponent's Swalot, this will be Raticate's best option to help the rest of team. Taunt can be used to force the opponent into attacking Raticate and activating its Berry, which eliminates any mind games the opponent can play with you and prevents Raticate from getting hit by status, but if the opponent attacks the turn Raticate uses Taunt and OHKOes it, all will have been for naught. Physically defensive Swalot is about the only major block to this set, making Chimecho and Ground-types like Piloswine good teammates. Diglett deserves a special mention for basically ensuring Swalot is removed or at least weakened enough for Raticate to break through. Physically defensive Whiscash and Wailord can tank a +1 Reversal, meaning Grass-types are good partners as well to eliminate or weaken them before sweeping. Defensive Pelipper is another good check to Raticate, making Plusle a good teammate (and Hidden Power Grass Plusle will blow past Whiscash as well). Finally, Venomoth and defensive Tangela can check this set as well, making Flareon a good teammate.

Raticate is the fastest Choice Band user in the tier, and it is still just as strong as Pidgeot, cementing it as an undeniably scary offensive presence in the tier. With just Double-Edge, Shadow Ball, and Hidden Power Ground, Raticate covers every Pokemon in the tier that it needs to, meaning the last moveslot will mostly be filler. Quick Attack is probably the most useful of Raticate's options, protecting it from getting picked off by a weakened Hitmonchan's Mach Punch and weakened weather sweepers like Bellossom and Huntail. Facade is another option that becomes stronger than Double-Edge without the recoil should you be able to switch Raticate into a Toxic, which also powers up Raticate's other moves thanks to Guts. A Jolly nature is needed to outpace the base 95 Speed tier, which includes dangerous threats such as Plusle and Haunter, both of which Raticate OHKOes with the appropriate move. Super Fang is a good option for the last slot to spread around damage on the opponent's team if you can support Raticate well enough to get in and out quickly, and it is Raticate's best option for wearing down Relicanth and Mawile. However, Super Fang should only be used if you can expect to be able to switch Raticate out immediately, as being locked into Super Fang can create clear setup opportunities for dangerous threats like Huntail. When playing with Raticate, do all in your power to switch it into a Toxic to activate Guts, which takes Raticate from a moderately dangerous, semi-truck of an attacker to a nuclear-warhead-attached-to-a-wrecking-ball-being-launched-off-a-rocket sweeping powerhouse. This requires playing a bit riskily and predicting your opponent heavily, but the reward is worth the risk tenfold, and when playing against stall-centric teams, where Toxic is most likely to get thrown at your team, the risk level for playing hard and fast with Raticate is usually pretty low. Haunter is immune to three of the four moves on this set, so you need to bring a decent switch-in to it when using Choice Band Raticate, preferably something very specially bulky like Flareon or Chimecho. Spikes support is exceptionally good with this set as well, as nearly every check or counter to Raticate, apart from Haunter, is grounded, making Glalie and Roselia good teammates to lead off the team with. Rock- and Steel-types easily tank even a Guts-boosted Facade, making Water- and Grass-types good offensive teammates to bring with and wallbreak for Raticate. Finally, physically defensive Swalot and Lickitung can tank a Double-Edge from full health, making other physical attackers like Piloswine good teammates to bring with Raticate as well.