Who is Objectively the Best Legendary Dog in 2024?
As a long-time Pokémon gaming fanatic, I‘ve had my fair share of adventures with the legendary beast trio – Raikou, Entei and Suicune. But it wasn‘t until recently when I sat down to critically analyze their abilities from a competitive battling lens that I realized Raikou stands out as the objectively best legendary dog.
Sure, game creators may have given Suicune the most lore importance. And Entei has some unique moveset strengths that can sweep unprepared teams. But when you combine stats, movepools and versatility within the core games and battling meta – Raikou wins paws down.
Let‘s break down why:
Suicune: Mystical Majesty Yet Lacking in Key Areas
There‘s no denying Suicune‘s graceful aesthetics invoke an aura of mysticism unparalled by other legendaries. And for that artistic contribution alone, GameFreak has spotlighted Suicune prominently across generations – even deeming it the mascot of Crystal Version.
In battle however, Suicune severely falls short:
Low Base Power: Suicune has the lowest base stat total among the trio at 580 – lagging behind Raikou‘s 580 and Entei‘s 580. Such low attacking potential limits its viability as a sweeper or wallbreaker.
Restrictive Movepool: Suicune‘s Water typing shoehorns it into specializing in moves of that type. And while it learns strong Hydro Pump and Scald options, coverage and variety is limited compared to other legendaries.
Underwhelming Signature Move: Aurora Beam simply pales against Raikou‘s Zap Cannon or Entei‘s Flare Blitz signature-wise. And it doesn‘t receive the boosting benefits of Calm Mind to reach threatening special attack levels.
Don‘t get me wrong – Suicune can still fill niche defensive or supportive roles in battle thanks to its bulk. But hampered firepower and speed caps its performance relative to more versatile legendaries.
Simply put, mystical majesty isn‘t enough to make up for competitively mediocre attributes.
Entei: Surprising Power Yet Overshadowed
As the embodiment of flames that is Entei, one expects high attacking potential. And with base 115 attack and access to tactical tools like Extremespeed, Entei seems primed to overpower opponents under the right conditions.
However, consider these counterbalancing factors:
Average Typing: The Fire typing does grant useful resists and STAB perks. But leaves Entei open to common attacks like Earthquake without boosting weather benefits others enjoy.
Unreliable Set Up: To truly sweep, Entei needs boosts from Calm Mind or Swords Dance. Yet with base 100 speed, it struggles to find safe set up opportunities against faster threats.
Overshadowed By Stronger Fire Types: Ho-Oh boasts equivalent bulk and a wider movepool including Sacred Fire. And Heatran possesses Steel typing and utility like Stealth Rock and Toxic to better support teams.
Make no mistake – I‘ve carved out my share of wins thanks to Entei surprise factor. But its stats, typing and options simply haven‘t aged well in face of power creep from more specialized fire legendary additions.
Raikou: Blazing Speed and Offensive Range
Now we get to my top dog Raikou. Storming into battle with blistering base speed of 115, Raikou outpaces nearly all opponents to land debilitating status and attacks. And with access to well-rounded special and physical options, it adapts to sweep, wallbreak or clean up late game.
Electric/Lightning Rod Perks: Electric STAB bolstered by rain and electric terrain pressure common pivot and wall options. Meanwhile, the Lightning Rod ability draws in opposing electric attacks for Raikou to absorb and turn into speed boosts.
Zap Cannon/Weather Ball Coverage: Raikou‘s signature moves provide excellent type coverage – one for spreading paralysis, the other exploiting weather field effects. Combined with Thunder for raw power, Volt Switch pivot potential and Signal Beam to check dark types, Raikou boasts amazing utility.
Outpaces Prominent Threats: Thanks to extreme speed, Raikou can outprace and dismantle the likes of offense-oriented Dragon Dance Salamence and Latios sets which otherwise overwhelm slower teams. This gives it a versatile niche over other electric legendaries.
Simply put, Raikou brings the complete elite offensive package – blazing speed to force exchanges on its terms backed by electric firepower and coverage to overturn individual matchups. That excellent synergy of attributes offers consistent performance where Suicune and Entei falter situationally.
The Electrifying Verdict
While all three legendary dogs have carved out lore legacies and combat niches, Raikou‘s well-rounded stats and movepool make it my pick for objectively the best. Its speed and electricity give it consistent early game pressure and late game cleaning potential to adapt against common team archetypes.
Of course as an avid gamer, I still breed my shiny Suicune for contests and have a soft spot for Entei‘s explosive potential. But from a data-driven perspective, Raikou takes the prize as my competitive legendary dog of choice for 2023 and beyond!
Over 700 wins and counting…here‘s to taking my passion for Pokémon gaming to the next level with the might of lightning by my side!
