#0384 · Hoenn · Generation 3 · legendary

Rayquaza

Sky High Pokémon · Dragon/Flying-type

Rayquaza is a Dragon/Flying-type Pokémon, the Sky High Pokémon, number 384 (#0384) in the National Pokédex. It was introduced in Generation 3 and comes from the Hoenn region. It is 7 m tall and weighs 206.5 kg.

Rayquaza, the Sky High Pokémon, is a Dragon and Flying serpent that has lived in the ozone layer for hundreds of millions of years and is said to have ended the fight between Kyogre and Groudon. It is the mascot of Pokémon Emerald and the only Pokémon that can Mega Evolve without a Mega Stone.

How to pronounce Rayquaza

Rayquaza is pronounced ray-KWAY-zuh. The capital letters show the stressed syllable.

Listen to Rayquaza said out loud:

In Japanese it is レックウザ.

Hear every other name on the Pokémon pronunciation guide.

Lore

Biology

Rayquaza is a long, thin, emerald-green serpent, 7 m long and 206.5 kg, loosely resembling a missile. Yellow ring patterns run along its body, blade-like horns sweep back from its head, and it has two three-clawed arms and rudder-like fins. The Pokédex says it cannot be seen from the ground, and that in flight it looks like a meteor.

Behaviour

Rayquaza never comes down to the ground, and an Emerald entry says it is said to come down if Kyogre and Groudon ever fight. Legends credit it with ending their clash, and Bulbapedia's summary says the Draconid people worshipped it for that and built the Sky Pillar in its honour.

Habitat

The Pokédex puts it in the ozone layer, and in Hoenn it waits at the Sky Pillar. In Scarlet and Violet it appears only in The Indigo Disk's Great Crater of Paldea, after a Rayquaza Treat from Snacksworth, and in Legends: Z-A it comes by trade in the base game and appears in the Mega Dimension DLC's Hyperspace Sky Pillar.

Diet

A Ruby entry says it seems to live on water and tiny particles floating in the air, and an Alpha Sapphire entry says it consumes meteoroids.

Powers

Rayquaza's Ability Air Lock cancels the effects of weather, and Bulbapedia says no other Pokémon can have it. Its signature move Dragon Ascent is one no other Pokémon can learn, and a Rayquaza that knows it can Mega Evolve as long as it holds no Z-Crystal. Mega Rayquaza stretches to 10.8 m, weighs 392 kg and gains the Ability Delta Stream, and the Pokédex says the meteoroids inside its body supply the energy for the change. Normal Rayquaza has base Attack and Special Attack of 150, and it also has Extreme Speed, Outrage and Earthquake.

Name origin

Rayquaza may come from the Japanese 裂空 rekkū ('sky-rending') and 座 za ('seat'), as in 星座 seiza ('constellation'). It may also involve the Hebrew rāqī'a ('firmament'), 'ray' and 'quasar'. The Japanese name is Rayquaza (レックウザ).

Design inspiration

Hironobu Yoshida designed Rayquaza. Fans compare it to Chinese dragons, the lindworm and Quetzalcoatl, the Aztec flying serpent, and its arrival from space may nod to meteorites or the Draconids meteor shower. These are fan readings.

In the games

Rayquaza is the mascot of Pokémon Emerald, its first game, where it steps in to stop the two legends fighting. It plays a key part in the Delta Episode of Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire and is a central figure of the Mega Dimension DLC in Legends: Z-A.

In the anime

Debuted in the film 'Destiny Deoxys', where it fights Deoxys over its territory. A Shiny Rayquaza leaves Roy's Ancient Poké Ball in 'The Ancient Poké Ball' and becomes a recurring character in Pokémon Horizons, and in 'Mega Evolution Special II' a Mega Rayquaza quickly defeats Alain and Steven Stone.

Fun facts

• Its Mega Evolution has a battle message of its own: instead of a Mega Stone reacting to a Key Stone, the text says the Trainer's fervent wish has reached Rayquaza.
• In material leaked in 2020, Rayquaza was originally a white-scaled, beaked, pure Flying type called the White Dragon Pokémon, numbered 362.
• In the 2020 Pokémon of the Year poll, Rayquaza took 60,939 votes, making it the favourite from Generation III, eighth overall and the only Legendary in the top ten.

Sources: Bulbapedia: Rayquaza (Pokémon) · Serebii: Rayquaza (Scarlet/Violet Pokédex)

Base stats

• HP: 105
• Attack: 150
• Defense: 90
• Sp. Atk: 150
• Sp. Def: 90
• Speed: 95

Rayquaza’s base stat total is 680. Its highest stat is Attack and Sp. Atk.

Type matchups

What is Rayquaza weak to?

Rayquaza takes extra damage from Ice (4×), Rock (2×), Dragon (2×), Fairy (2×) moves.

It resists Grass (¼×), Fire (½×), Water (½×), Fighting (½×), Bug (½×).

It is immune to Ground moves.

Evolution

Rayquaza does not evolve, and it does not evolve from any other Pokémon.

Forms

• Mega Rayquaza (Mega): Dragon/Flying-type, base stat total 780 (HP 105, Attack 180, Defense 100, Sp. Atk 180, Sp. Def 100, Speed 115). Ability: Delta Stream.

Abilities

• Air Lock: Negates all effects of weather, but does not prevent the weather itself.

Moves

Moves Rayquaza learns by level up in Scarlet / Violet

TM moves (69)

Rayquaza can learn 69 moves from TMs in Scarlet / Violet: Take Down, Scary Face, Protect, Facade, Aerial Ace, Bulldoze, Swift, Icy Wind, Rock Tomb, Fling, Dragon Tail, Avalanche, Endure, Sunny Day, Rain Dance, Sandstorm, Brick Break, U-turn, Shadow Claw, Bulk Up, Air Slash, Body Slam, Sleep Talk, Waterfall, Dragon Claw, Thunder Wave, Rest, Rock Slide, Swords Dance, Fly, Iron Head, Dragon Dance, Substitute, Crunch, Tailwind, Dragon Pulse, Stealth Rock, Hyper Voice, Energy Ball, Surf, Flamethrower, Thunderbolt, Helping Hand, Earth Power, Ice Beam, Fire Blast, Hydro Pump, Blizzard, Wild Charge, Earthquake, Stone Edge, Giga Impact, Outrage, Overheat, Focus Blast, Hurricane, Hyper Beam, Thunder, Solar Beam, Draco Meteor, Tera Blast, Roar, Gyro Ball, Scale Shot, Double-Edge, Whirlpool, Meteor Beam, Breaking Swipe, Dragon Cheer.

Breeding & training

• Gender: genderless.
• Egg groups: Undiscovered.
• Egg cycles: 120 (steps to hatch, Scarlet/Violet: 15,360).
• Catch rate: 45 out of 255.
• Base friendship (Gen 8 onward): 0.
• Growth rate: Slow (1,250,000 experience points to reach level 100).
• Defeating it gives 2 Attack and 1 Sp. Atk effort values.
• Base experience yield: 306.

Pokédex entries

It flies forever through the ozone layer, consuming meteoroids for sustenance. The many meteoroids in its body provide the energy it needs to Mega Evolve. (Alpha Sapphire)

Rayquaza is said to have lived for hundreds of millions of years. Legends remain of how it put to rest the clash between Kyogre and Groudon. (Omega Ruby)

It flies in the ozone layer, way up high in the sky. Until recently, no one had ever seen it. (HeartGold, SoulSilver, Y)

It lives in the ozone layer far above the clouds and cannot be seen from the ground. (Diamond, Pearl, Platinum, Black, White, Black 2, White 2, X)

It has lived for hundreds of millions of years in the ozone layer. Its flying form looks like a meteor. (FireRed, LeafGreen)

A Pokémon that flies endlessly in the ozone layer. It is said it would descend to the ground if Kyogre and Groudon were to fight. (Emerald)

Names around the world

Trivia

• Highest Attack among Flying types: 150.
• Highest Sp. Atk among Flying types: 150.
• Highest Attack among Dragon types: 150, shared with 1 other.
• Highest Sp. Atk among Gen 3 Pokémon: 150, shared with 2 others.
• Highest base stat total among Gen 3 Pokémon: 680.
• Heaviest Flying type in Gen 3: 206.5 kg.
• Tallest Flying type in Gen 3: 7 m.
• Highest HP among Flying types in Gen 3: 105.
• Highest Attack among Flying types in Gen 3: 150.
• Highest Sp. Atk among Flying types in Gen 3: 150.
• Highest base stat total among Flying types in Gen 3: 680.
• Heaviest Dragon type in Gen 3: 206.5 kg.
• Tallest Dragon type in Gen 3: 7 m.
• Highest HP among Dragon types in Gen 3: 105.
• Highest Attack among Dragon types in Gen 3: 150.
• Highest Sp. Atk among Dragon types in Gen 3: 150.
• Highest base stat total among Dragon types in Gen 3: 680.
• Taller than 99% of all Pokémon (7 m).
• Heavier than 92% of all Pokémon (206.5 kg).
• Base stat total 680, ranked #3 of 1,025.
• Its best stat is Sp. Atk, ranked #4 of 1,025.
• One of 6 Pokémon that are both Dragon and Flying.
• One of 130 green Pokémon.
• Number 133 of 135 Pokémon introduced in Generation 3 (Hoenn).
• Can learn 73 different moves in Scarlet / Violet.
• Catch rate 45: about 5.9% per Poké Ball at full health.
• Has 1 alternate form.
• Appears in 8 distinct Pokédex entries.

Sources and fact-checking

• Stats, types, abilities, moves, evolutions, forms and Pokédex entries: PokéAPI open game data.
• Lore: written by pokee.si in our own words, researched from Bulbapedia: Rayquaza (Pokémon), Serebii: Rayquaza (Scarlet/Violet Pokédex).
• Pronunciation (ray-KWAY-zuh): it follows how the English anime, games or official videos say it.

Last checked: 20 October 2026. Every sentence of the lore was checked against Bulbapedia, Serebii and the game data.

Explore

Dragon-type Pokémon · Flying-type Pokémon · Dragon/Flying weaknesses and matchups · Rayquaza vs Kyogre · Rayquaza vs Groudon · Rayquaza vs Mewtwo · Rayquaza vs Garchomp · Rayquaza vs Dialga · Rayquaza vs Arceus · Hoenn region guide · Air Lock ability · Compare Rayquaza · Full Pokédex · Type chart · All moves

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