I've used this mon many many times over the last few years (which may not surprise people),and I loved using it since I started playing the game.It always was pretty fast, powerful,had nice coverage and had a really useful abilit
y ( it now has reckless as well...I'll get there).Also, great design.
Concerning abilities:I would personally opt for intimidate, the team support it provides by pressuring opposing physical attackers creates more opportunities for you to switch your party around. Reckless does kill things more easily, but- by default- it kills you more easily too, with that extra 33% residual damage
This is not great when stealth rock,rocky helmet, and weather abilities etc are also kicking around, meaning you have to play more cautiously (The irony).Add the fact you no longer have the intimidate weakening incoming attacks.
In short: Reckless sacrifices the bulk of intimidate for more power and recoil, which isn't worth it.
Retaliate is worth a mention, because Brave Bird and Double Edge are the effectively the same attack (but Brave Bird hits more things super effectively), and hits harder in certain situations whilst avoiding recoil altogether.
Retaliate is a 140 BP move immediately after an ally faints. With a choice band, this hits about as hard as LO reckless double edge, but with no recoil, immensely improving survivability. On following turns it's base 70 however, so you need to be aware of how healthy your opponent's setup sweepers are before locking yourself into the attack. But it's highly useful due to its ability to KO healthier bulky mons that return / double edge cannot, whilst also avoiding tons of residual damage. Also - cooler move animation
A Banded set I've had success with:
Staraptor@Choice Band
252Atk/252Spe
Intimidate
Jolly nature
-Retaliate / Return / Double Edge
-Brave Bird
-Close Combat
-Quick Attack
Intimidate is preferred due to the ability to switch Staraptor in at any time throughout the match and weaken the opponent's offensive position.
Retaliate is preferred for the reasons stated above, but return or double edge can also go here if you want reliability.
Brave Bird offers similar coverage to double edge however and hits more types super effectively. Brave bird doesn't hit electrics for much damage,but electrics tend to outspeed and ohko anyway,as do many special attackers that outspeed.
Which is why you want a priority move to pressure weakened fastmons Tapu koko,starmie,keldeo etc. Nowadays you must be wary of psychic terrain however.
Close Combat is great - neither double edge or brave bird hurts rock or steel types.Use sparingly though,since the defence drops caused by its usage counteract the effective defence boost granted by intimidate.
So banded raptor is a great set, but I use the Z-Mirror move set more this gen because it hits waaay harder.
Raptor isn't the best mon for Z-Mirror Move. Physical attackers will generally switch out due to intimidate so Staraptor will usually copy a z special move. And reckless variants aren't fast or bulky enough to revenge kill with it against most things. Banded or tailwind attacker sets tend to work better. I've had some fun with this variant before though:
I feel that's more an issue of using mirror move in general.Physical attackers that do tend to stay in are setup sweepers who feel they can tank a +2 z-move, or are in fact special attackers with a mixed moveset. And if a special attack is used, you can always use z-bravebird instead and lose less momentum. But the great part about z-mirror move is that Raptor gets the +2 boost to its attack regardless, so the opponent switching into a 'wall' is only postponing the OHKO until the following turn, unless said wall can take any of +2 120 BasePower flying,normal or fighting attack (and even if they somehow can do this,they won't be very healthy afterwards).
A Flynium-Z set:
Staraptor@ FlyniumZ
Intimidate
jolly nature
252atk/252spe
-Mirror Move
-Brave Bird
-Close Combat
-Quick Attack
Basically click Z-mirror move vs something weakened to ensure a KO on the event they stay in, or a safe setup should they switch out. Alternatively, Z-Brave Bird does loads of damage and avoids recoil,which allows staraptor to last longer than usual.
Close Combat for rocks/steels,Quick attack for faster threats ( which really stings at +2 atk).