Calyrex, the King Pokémon. Calyrex is a merciful Pokémon, capable of providing healing and blessings. It reigned over the Galar region in times of yore. Calyrex is known in legend as a king that ruled over Galar in ancient times. It has the power to cause hearts to mend and plants to spring forth.
Overview
A King without a Kingdom. A Rider without a Ride. Both are apt descriptors of base form Calyrex. The potential for excellence is there. It has the wide supportive movepool of most Psychic types coupled with a few gems like Aromatherapy, Leech Seed and Pollen Puff. Base 100 HP is certainly above average and would help Calyrex take a hit.
However, that is all that is good. Flat 80 stats everywhere else is devastation -other mythical Pokémon like Mew, Celebi and Victini all struggle to get by with flat 100 in ever stat, and poor Calyrex is saddled with a poor stat total than that. Grass Psychic typing is equally horrid. While there are good resistances, the numerous weaknesses make Calyrex a simple target to eliminate. In the end, what Calyrex struggles from is competition. Yes, it has a good support movepool, but so do so many other Pokémon. It isn’t truly bad in any category, but it is outclassed by many other established threats.
Positives
Great Support movepool. Aromatherapy, Leech Seed, Trick, Encore, Taunt, Baton Pass are all great picks.
Good base HP and a solid selection of resistances gives Calyrex several pivot opportunities.
Negatives
Grass Psychic is still over all a bad typing with numerous weaknesses that make staying up difficult.
Below Average stats aside from HP prevent Calyrex from excelling at any particular role.
Outclassed by many Pokémon that do its job better.
Movesets
Emergency Accession
-Calm Mind
-Baton Pass
-Future Sight
-Giga Drain
Item Attached: Focus Sash
Ability: Unnerve
EVs and Nature:
252 HP / 4 SDef / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
Calyrex takes a supporting role as a Calm Mind Baton Passer, pivoting into a resisted move, setting up Calm Minds and passing them own to a teammate more capable of abusing the boosts. Future Sight enable Calyrex to apply further pressure while Baton Passing, making sure that the opponent is even less prepared to deal with Calyrex’s passing partner while also being boosted by Calm Mind. Giga Drain rounds out the set, preventing Calyrex from being completely passive while keeping it healthy to attempt multiple times.
DYNAMAX:
Do not Dynamax this Calyrex. The entire point is to enable Calyrex’s teammate, which you can’t do while Dynamaxed.
EVs and Items
Max HP for the most bulk and Max Speed to ensure Calyrex can get its boosts off as quickly as possible. Focus Sash is the preferred item to ensure Calyrex lives at least one hit, though Weakness Policy can be abused to have Calyrex pass on a rather powerful if one-time boost.
Partners
Any teammates that can take advantage of Calyrex’s boosts are greatly preferred. Inteleon is an example of an excellent recipient, unable to boost on its own and having phenomenal speed and power to abuse a Calm Mind boost in addition to being able to pivot into Fire types. Salazzle also qualifies, and is greatly appreciated for its ability to pivot into Poison, Fire and Bug moves. Other good recipients include Magmortar, Jolteon, Charizard, Dragalge, etc.
Other Options
Agility -pairs well with Weakness Policy for a Pseudo-Smash Pass.
Growth -excellent boosting option in the sun, but that requires even more setup that can be difficult to pull off.
Aromatherapy -Calyrex can act as a Cleric, keeping its teammates healthy.
Choice Specs -Calyrex can run a viable Choice Specs set with its Choice for STABs, Pollen Puff and Trick, though it is outclassed by other users.
Countering Calyrex
A few Pokémon readily counter Calyrex. Incineroar, Mandibuzz, Xatu, Skuntank, and most steel types can all readily wall Calyrex and tear it to pieces, if not outright OHKO it.
Checking Calyrex is rather simple -thanks to its myriad of weaknesses and lackluster stats, finding a Pokémon that readily outspeeds and OHKOs it is simple. Scyther, Accelgor, Heracross, and Galvantula all easily outspeed and OHKO Calyrex with their STABs as would any Pokémon with First Impression.
Overview
Calyrex Ice Rider is a Pokémon of extremes, with some of the highest highs in Pokémon, but with very noticeable flaws that do hold it back. Calyrex Ice Riders offense is monstrous, Base 165 Attack with As-One enabled snowballing on one of the best offensive type in the game with a superb STAB in Glacial Lance is terrifying on its own. Add in wide coverage, and a great boosting option in Swords Dance and Calyrex Ice Rider is just as poised to run away with battles as its Shadow Riding brother. Absurd defenses compliment's Ice Rider's Base 100 HP nicely, enabling it to take multiple hits, even super effective ones and keep on going. All the while being one of the best abusers of Trick Room in the game, able to utilize its poor Speed to terrifying effect, especially given the normal strength of faster Pokémon.
Ice typing remains as a double-edged sword as ever, cutting into Calyrex Ice Rider's tremendous bulk with a litany of weaknesses that are easy to exploit including exposure to all entry hazards. Poor Speed is crippling outside of Trick Room, further compromising Calyrex Ice Rider's bulk by forcing it to take hits before it can act. Don't mistake Calyrex Ice Rider's flaws for weakness, however. It remains a supreme offensive threat able to stand proudly by the other titans in Pokémon.
PositivesBase 165 Attack and boosting options in As-One and Swords Dance guarantees that Calyrex Ice Rider is going to hit absurdly hard.
Fantastic STAB in Glacial Lance alongside numerous coverage and support options greatly limits reliable pivots into its attacks.
Absurd 100/150/130 Defenses gives Calyrex Ice Rider a good deal of staying power, able to tank multiple attacks.
Negatives
Ice Psychic typing is laden with weaknesses that sabotage Calyrex Ice Rider's excellent Bulk and offers little to no resistances to pivot in on.
Poor Base 50 Speed means that Calyrex Ice Rider struggles to act without taking damage, which Trick Room's short timer does not do enough to alleviate.
Movesets
Hoarfrost Czar
-Swords Dance
-Glacial Lance
-High Horsepower
-Trick Room
Item Attached: Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: As-One (Unnerve + Chilling Neigh)
EVs and Nature:
252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SDef
Brave Nature
Swords Dance Calyrex Ice Rider is a potent setup sweeper. Come in on something that Calyrex Ice Rider scares out, setup and go for, if not a sweep, eliminating key members of the opposing team. Glacial Lance is an amazing perfect accuracy Base 120 Ice STAB move that few can pivot into safely, especially after a Swords Dance. And the few that can can't take a High Horsepower, covering the Fire and Steel types that would otherwise Stymie an assault. Trick Room rounds out the set, enabling Calyrex Ice Rider to play mind games in the early game, setting up Trick Room instead of Swords Dance to enable a partner or just to apply immediate pressure against more offensive teams.
DYNAMAX:
Calyrex Ice Rider loves Dynamaxing, turning its above average bulk to utterly ludicrous, able to tank repeated assaults without issue. Glacial Lance empowered Max Hailstorm provides further issues for Calyrex's opponent, able to provide key chip damage to break Sash's, Sturdy, Multiscale or just reach that extra distance for a KO. Max Quake providing a boost to Calyrex Ice Rider's weaker Special Defense. And this is on top of any Chilling Neigh boosts Calyrex Ice Rider will likely get while Dynamaxed.
EVs and Items
Max HP and Attack for as much bulk and power as possible, though if you want to rely more on Swords Dance, you can move the Attack investment into Special Defense for extra bulk and ease of setup. As with any Trick Room sweeper, bottoming out Calyrex Ice Rider's Speed is paramount to outslow the competition. Heavy Duty Boots is heavily recommended as an item. Losing 25%+ HP to Stealth Rock and other entry hazards cuts in Calyrex Ice Rider's bulk too much. If you are confident in your entry Hazard Control, Colbur Berry is a great back up option to guard against Knock Off.
Partners
Having a partner that can abuse Trick Room alongside Calyrex Ice Rider is ideal in case the worst happens. Magearna can pivot into Dark, Bug and Steel attacks that threaten Ice Rider as well as offer Special Offense to compliment Ice Rider's physical. Grastrodon and Dracovish can also make for good partners, able to pivot into Steel and Fire moves as well as the former checking Kyogre. Hatterene is a fellow Trick Room setter and provides both complimentary Special Offense and Entry Hazard Control with Magic Bounce. Kyogre weakens Fire moves targeted at Ice Rider in addition to it providing valuable pivot options as well as an potential solution against opposing Kyogre. Yveltal makes for a great partner, pivoting into Dark and Ghost moves while appreciating Calyrex Ice Rider's ability to turn the tables on opposing Yveltal (Colbur Berry) and Zekrom.
Other Options
Substitute + Leech Seed -gives Calyrex Ice Rider badly needed recovery and status protection to maximize its bulk.
Seed Bomb -great in Dynamax for Max Overgrowth and answers the otherwise problematic Kyogre.
Choice Band + Trick -Offers Immediate Power and can cripple normal would be checks with Trick.
Doubles and VGC Options
As one of the best Trick Room abusers in Single battles, it takes no surprise to hear Calyrex Ice Rider flourishes in doubles where Trick Room is much stronger. Incredible Offensive Typing, Attack, spread Glacial Lance and As-One enabled snowballing, Calyrex Ice Rider is near unstoppable in Trick Room able to escalate out of control and win games very easily. The relative lack of switching in Doubles benefits Calyrex Ice Rider as well, as entry hazards are a near non-factor and can enable strategies like Weakness Policy which turns Calyrex Ice Rider's numerous weaknesses into a boon. However, doubles also brings new problems. Intimidate being so prevalent severely cuts into Calyrex Ice Rider's attack, which does not help with Glacial Lance's power drop for being a spread move. Additionally, Calyrex Ice Riders phenomenal bulk means a lot less when taking multiple attacks a turn. Ice Rider needs a bit more care and cannot be slotted into every team, but with a little support it can pay dividends to an often game winning effect.
Army of Ice
-Glacial Lance
-High Horsepower
-Heavy Slam
-Protect
Item Attached: Weakness Policy
Ability: As-One (Unnerve + Chilling Neigh)
EVs and Nature:
252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SDef
Brave Nature
Calyrex Ice Rider relies on its partner to setup Trick Room while it Dynamaxes to easily eat a super effective attack for a Weakness Policy boost and go for the sweep. Glacial Lance/Max Hailstorm is terrifying, able to strike down many popular Pokémon like Rillaboom, Thundurus, Landorus-Therian, etc. at +2/+1, earning Calyrex Ice Rider even more boosts with As One. High Horsepower/Max Quake answers many popular threats like Incineroar, Zacian Crowned and Solgaleo while buffing Calyrex Ice Rider's Special Defense. Heavy Slam is a niche coverage option against Grimmsnarl and Xerneas, but more importantly, buffs Defense as Max Steelspike. In conjunction with Max Quake, Calyrex Ice Rider can snowball into an unstoppable defensive behemoth even if Trick Room ends, sealing out the game. Protect is as important as ever, stalling out turns, scouting, and protecting Calyrex Ice Rider as Trick Room is setup.
EVs and Items
Max HP and Attack for as much bulk and power as possible, though if you want to rely more on Swords Dance, you can move the Attack investment into Special Defense for extra bulk and ease of setup. As with any Trick Room sweeper, bottoming out Calyrex Ice Rider's Speed is paramount to outslow the competition. Heavy Duty Boots is heavily recommended as an item. Losing 25%+ HP to Stealth Rock and other entry hazards cuts in Calyrex Ice Rider's bulk too much. If you are confident in your entry Hazard Control, Colbur Berry is a great back up option to guard against Knock Off.
Partners
Having a partner that can abuse Trick Room alongside Calyrex Ice Rider is ideal in case the worst happens. Magearna can pivot into Dark, Bug and Steel attacks that threaten Ice Rider as well as offer Special Offense to compliment Ice Rider's physical. Grastrodon and Dracovish can also make for good partners, able to pivot into Steel and Fire moves as well as the former checking Kyogre. Hatterene is a fellow Trick Room setter and provides both complimentary Special Offense and Entry Hazard Control with Magic Bounce. Kyogre weakens Fire moves targeted at Ice Rider in addition to it providing valuable pivot options as well as an potential solution against opposing Kyogre. Yveltal makes for a great partner, pivoting into Dark and Ghost moves while appreciating Calyrex Ice Rider's ability to turn the tables on opposing Yveltal (Colbur Berry) and Zekrom.
Other Options
Helping Hand -If the writing is on the wall and Calyrex Ice Rider is about to be KO'd, Helping Hand enables it to support a teammate, regardless of Trick Room and priority.
Mimikyu and Dusclops are by far some of the best Trick Room setters for Calyrex Ice Rider, able to setup Trick Room without fear of Fake Out. Furthermore, both have Shadow Sneak, an easy way to set off Weakness Policy if your opponent is unwilling to. Other Trick Room setters like Porygon2 also suffice, though not to as great an extent.
Incineroar unsurprisingly makes for a great partner. Crippling opposing targets with Intimidate, Snarl, and Parting Shot, able to pivot into any of Calyrex Ice Rider's weaknesses, able to check the terrifying Zacian Crowned, there is little not to like about Incineroar.
Checks & Counters
Necrozma Dusk Mane is a reliable check if not outright counter to Calyrex Ice Rider, able to tank even Banded High Horsepower and heal off and counter back with its own Iron Head. Specs Kyogre fares similarly, using its own Ice Resistance to eat a Glacial Lance or High Horsepower and just outright OHKO back with Origin Pulse.
Other attackers with strong Super Effective moves can also shatter Calyrex Ice Rider's impressive defense. Stellar examples include Ho-oh's Sacred Fire if it doesn't outright OHKO Calyrex Ice Rider, can cripple it with a Burn, while Marshadow can use Spectral Thief to steal boosts for itself and tear Calyrex Ice Rider apart. Zacian Crowned can eviscerate even a Dynamaxed Calyrex Ice Rider, reliably outspeeding and OHKOing it.
Overview
Calyrex Shadow Rider casts a long shadow over its competition. Deoxys Normal’s Speed on top of Mewtwo eclipsing Special Attack is already a fearsome combination. However, actually having an extremely spammable STAB in Astral Barrage, and the ability to outright ignore weakness Berries and snowball out of control after picking up a KO turns Calyrex Shadow Rider into a game ending machine. And to make Calyrex Shadow Rider even more maddening is its wide movepool. With options like Trick, Substitute, Leech Seed and Aromatherapy, Calyrex Shadow Rider can cripple or even outright counter would be checks.
Sadly, Calyrex-Shadow Rider has a significant achilles heel. Having two quadruple weaknesses in Ghost and Dark, the latter even no selling both STABs can make Calyrex Shadow Rider trivial to OHKO with Shadow Sneak and Sucker Punch. Its bulk, while thankfully not Deoxys Attack paper thin is only above average at best and offers little defensive utility to a team. However, such issues are minor in the face of the Shadow King’s power and it must be respected lest it takes the entire game and run with it.
Positives
Base 150 Speed is utterly insane, with the number of Pokémon that natively outspeed Shadow Rider can be counted on one hand.
Base 165 Special Attack is the 5th highest in the game and with its Astral Barrage only resisted and nulled by Dark and the rare Normal types respectively making it very difficult to resist.
As One is incredible ability, stopping resist berries and enabling Shadow Rider to snowball out of control if it picks up even a single KO.
Wide movepool with many support options gives Calyrex a ton of flexibility and methods to cripple targets it can’t KO.
Negatives
Ghost Psychic typing providing two Quadruple weaknesses in Ghost and Dark, both types with priority moves that can easily revenge KO Calyrex Shadow Rider.
Average at best Defenses prevent Calyrex Shadow Rider from taking multiple hits and poor typing gives Calyrex Shadow Rider few opportunities to outright switch in.
Movesets
Ruler of Shadows
-Nasty Plot
-Astral Barrage
-Psyshock
-Draining Kiss
Item Attached: Focus Sash
Ability: As-One (Unnerve + Grim Neigh)
EVs and Nature:
4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
Nasty Plot Sweeper Calyrex Shadow Rider is simple as it is effective. Come in for free on a KO, use Nasty Plot to setup (relying on Focus Sash to survive setting up) and tear apart the opposing team, further escalating in power with As-One. Astral Barrage is a phenomenal STAB, incredible base power, wide neutral coverage in an environment where Dark types are rare and Normal types are near non-Existant. Psyshock is a great secondary STAB, and in addition strikes out against dedicated special sponges like Blissey and Ho-oh who can normally take Special Attacks all day. Draining Kiss rounds out the set, hitting Yveltal and other Dark types hard while providing recovery to help Calyrex Shadow rider take neutral attacks.
DYNAMAX:
Calyrex Shadow Rider enjoys Dynamaxing. Its good HP becomes great and being able to live longer means more opportunities to grab a Grim Neigh boost. While Astral Barrage empowered Max Phantasm is just a minor buff in power, the real star of the show is Max Mindstorm. Calyrex Shadow Rider’s biggest problem is priority and the Psychic Terrain setup by Max Mindstorm remedies that perfectly.
EVs and Items
Standard Sweeper array of Max Speed and Special Attack to get the most power out of Calyrex Shadow Rider. Timid Nature is preferred to get the jump on other Calyrex Shadow Riders, or at the very least, force a speed tie. Focus Sash is recommended to ensure Calyrex lives setting up, though an Argument can be made for Spell Tag to get the most power out of Astral Barrage.
Partners
This set fits in naturally on Hyper offense teams. As such, Sticky Web setters such as Shuckle and Slurpuff make great partners, absolutely ensuring Calyrex Shadow Rider cannot be outsped.
Answers to Dark types who tank both Astral Barrage and Psyshock make for great partners, especially if they can answer Yveltal. Xerneas, Magearna and Zacian stand out thanks to their fantastic bulk and power ensuring they make for a reliable pivot into them. Magearna even gets bonus points for being a slow Pivot with Volt Switch to get Calyrex Shadow Rider in safely.
Pheremosa on the other hand can’t switch in safely and has to rely on Triple Axel to answer Yveltal, but its high natural speed and access to Throat Chop makes it a reliable answer to opposing Ghost types like Giratina and opposing Shadow Riders.
Other Options
Pollen Puff- Calyrex Shadow Rider’s other answer to Dark types and it does hit most of them stronger than Draining Kiss, but its neutrality against Yveltal hurts a lot.
Choice Item + Trick -Calyrex can easily use a Choice Scarf of Choice Specs for unmatched Speed/instant power plus having the option to Trick and utterly cripple defensive walls.
Substitute + Leech Seed -Sub Seed Shadow Rider is an interesting pick -it gets a lot of mileage out of Astral Barrage, and Substitute + Leech Seed can completely invalidate normal checks and counters like Giratina and Yveltal thanks to the passive damage and protection that SubSeed provides.
Doubles and VGC Options
Speed and power like Calyrex Shadow Rider’s is truly difficult to pass up, even with its relative lack of bulk compared to other staples. Astral Barrage + Grim Neigh is absolutely terrifying in doubles, the former being an immensely powerful spread move and the latter boosting Calyrex Shadow Rider whenever it scores a KO, which, with Astral Barrage means a potential free Nasty Plot just by attacking. However, unlike the normal legends Calyrex has to contend with, there are many, many popular Dark types in Doubles formats that utterly stuff Calyrex like Incineroar, Urshifu-Single and Grimmsnarl. Additionally, the power drop when Astral Barrage becomes a spread move is noticeable, making it harder to reach KOs than it would be in singles. Nevertheless, Calyrex Shadow Rider is a potent win condition in doubles and must be respected and planned for.
Together We Ride
-Astral Barrage
-Expanding Force
-Mud Shot
-Protect
Item Attached: Focus Sash
Ability: As-One (Unnerve + Grim Neigh)
EVs and Nature:
4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
Calyrex Shadow Rider provides immediate pressure as soon as it hits the field and your opponent must respect it for Calyrex can run away with a game quickly. Astral Barrage’s laurels have been sung time and time again and are part of what enables Calyrex Shadow Rider to escalate so quickly. Expanding Force is an interesting secondary STAB. Pair with a Psychic Terrain setter like Tapu Lele or Indeedee and Expanding Force eclipses Astral Barrage in power on top of the protective benefits of Psychic Terrain. Mud Shot is here purely as an option for Incineroar, who otherwise blanks every attack that Shadow Rider has and can easily OHKO back with Darket Lariat. Protect is as standard for doubles sets. Stall out conditions, scout for moves, protect from friendly fire, Protect remains invaluable in a doubles format.
Other Options
Hyper Beam -if planning to Dynamax Calyrex Shadow Rider, Hyper Beam Max strike is a fantastic option, providing neutral coverage against most Dark types as well as invaluable speed control. Tapu Lele and Indeedee -As mentioned before,they make fantastic partners for Calyrex Shadow Rider, easily setting up Psychic Terrain for expanding force and priority protection. Indeedee also provides invaluable redirection support, enabling Calyrex Shadow Rider to attack unhindered. Incineroar and Grimmsnarl -ironically, as much as they counter Calyrex Shadow Rider, they also make for great partners, being reliable pivot options into Shadow Rider’s weaknesses and reduce the damage the opponent is dealing, giving Calyrex Shadow Rider more time to shine. Whimsicott makes for a terrifying partner for Calyrex Shadow Rider, able to setup Tailwind to make Shadow Rider completely impossible to outspeed and Fake Tears to make Shadow Rider impossible to resist.
Checks & Counters
Yveltal is as close to a counter to Calyrex Shadow Rider as it gets, with numerous Dark STABs able to OHKO Shadow Rider, Sucker Punch for priority and Taunt to shutdown any shenanigans Shadow Rider may get up to, while having the bulk to tank any attack. However, Yveltal sets without Taunt can be beaten by SubSeed variants and Sucker Punch Yveltal needs to predict wisely against Nasty Plot Shadow Rider lest it get eaten by a +4 Draining Kiss.
Other Dark types like Tyranitar and Weavile also fare well, but must be wary of Pollen Puff and can be worn down with repeated hits.
Blissey performs great against any set lacking Psyshock, but loathes that and being Tricked a Choice Item. Other Special walls like Ho-oh and Kyogre fare similarly, but they don’t resist Astral Barrage.
Shadow Sneak and Sucker Punch users make for great checks for Calyrex Shadow Rider. Marshadow and Giratina stand out in this regard, though none of them can switch in Safely. Outspeed Shadow Rider with Pheremosa or opposing Choice Scarf users can force out any set except Choice Scarf Shadow Rider.
Locations in Games
Red/Blue/Yellow:
Not in Game
Gold/Silver/Crystal:
Not in Game
Ruby/Sapphire/Emerald:
Not in Game
FireRed/LeafGreen:
Not in Game
Colosseum/XD:
Not in Game
Diamond/Pearl/Platinum:
Not in Game
HeartGold/SoulSilver:
Not in Game
Black/White:
Not in Game
Black 2/White 2:
Not in Game
X/Y:
Not in Game
Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire:
Not in Game
Sun/Moon:
Not in Game
Ultra Sun/Ultra Moon:
Not in Game
Let's Go, Pikachu!/Let's Go, Eevee!:
Not in Game
Sword/Shield: Crown Shrine
Brilliant Diamond/Shining Pearl:
Not in Game
Legends: Arceus:
Not in game
Animé Appearences
|
Calyrex has yet to make an appearance in the anime
|
|