Zapdos @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Static
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
IVs: 0 Atk
Timid Nature
- Hurricane / Heat Wave
- Volt Switch
- Heat Wave / Toxic
- Roost
[SET COMMENTS]
Thanks to its amazing typing, defensive utility, solid Speed tier, and great coverage that can hit most of the metagame for at least neutral damage, Zapdos is a potent offensive pivot. Static is used to fish for paralysis, giving Zapdos a debilitating way to punish contact and pivot moves from Urshifu-R, Kartana, Melmetal, Rillaboom, and Tornadus-T, forcing progress by merely switching in. Heat Wave is used to incinerate switch-ins to Zapdos's STAB moves, notably Excadrill, Ferrothorn, and Melmetal. Toxic is used to put switch-ins like Landorus-T, Tapu Koko, Gastrodon, and Hippowdon on a timer, wearing them down as the game progresses. When dropping Hurricane, it should be noted that Zapdos lacks a way to directly pressure defensive Ground-types, so switch-ins to their attacks should be included on the team. This Zapdos set should be played cautiously, as it needs to be very healthy to effectively check the Grass- and Flying-types it's tasked with handling and also fears Knock Off from Rillaboom, Kartana, and Tornadus-T, which lets them chip it down with Stealth Rock by removing its Heavy-Duty Boots. Moreover, it's also afraid of Toxic from other Pokemon it pivots into, like Melmetal, Toxapex, and Buzzwole.
[TEAM OPTIONS]
Zapdos fits best on offense and balance teams that call for its firepower and role compression, with its Volt Switch support, Static to punish common wallbreakers, and strong attacks letting it find a home on many teams. Excadrill is naturally a great partner with its ability to pressure Zapdos's answers like Tapu Koko, Heatran, and Galarian Slowking and provide Rapid Spin support, which Zapdos appreciates if its Heavy-Duty Boots are removed by Knock Off. Zapdos, in return, provides Volt Switch support to dent common Excadrill answers like Slowbro, Corviknight, and Skarmory or bring Excadrill in to pressure its own answers like Heatran, Galarian Slowking, and Tapu Koko, all while eliminating other Excadrill checks such as Buzzwole, Ferrothorn, and Rillaboom with its coverage in Hurricane and Heat Wave and using Toxic to cripple Landorus-T, Hippowdon, and Garchomp. Tyranitar is also a good teammate, as Volt Switch gives it many opportunities to hit the field safely and fire off powerful attacks, while it appreciates Zapdos answering Buzzwole and Ferrothorn and wearing down Landorus-T and Garchomp with Toxic. Zapdos also provides Volt Switch support to let Tyranitar come in on Zapdos checks like Blissey, Galarian Slowking, and Heatran. Slowbro is a solid defensive partner, as Zapdos neatly complements it thanks to handling Grass-types like Kartana and Rillaboom; in turn, Zapdos appreciates Slowbro's defensive prowess relieving much of the pressure put on it by powerful wallbreakers and offensive Ground-types, such as Urshifu-R, Victini, and Garchomp. Ferrothorn works well with Zapdos providing, Knock Off and Spikes support to force chip damage on Zapdos's switch-ins like Hippowdon and Garchomp. It's also a sturdy check to Weavile, Melmetal, and Tyranitar. In return, Zapdos checks Kartana, Buzzwole, and Urshifu-R and pressures Magnezone and opposing Ferrothorn. Heatran and Melmetal are effective partners thanks to their ability to check special attackers like Dragapult, opposing Zapdos, and Tapu Lele. Heatran in particular is a great partner due to Magma Storm's ability to trap and isolate Galarian Slowking and Blissey with the support of Taunt, opening up Zapdos. Heatran also baits in the aforementioned Ground-type Zapdos switch-ins and can poison them with Toxic. If running Flame Body, it can also fish for burns against Weavile. Melmetal is a great partner due to its bulk and typing allowing it to answer a myriad of Pokemon that pressure Zapdos, such as Weavile, Tapu Lele, Tapu Koko, and Dragapult, all of which it also threatens with Double Iron Bash. Melmetal also lures in Ground-types that pester Zapdos like Gastrodon, Hippowdon, and Garchomp and afflicts them with Toxic. Weavile is a great partner thanks to how it benefits from Zapdos forcing out Skarmory, Corviknight, and Buzzwole, which all impede Weavile's ability to make progress, while also providing it with Volt Switch support. In return, Weavile is great for crippling Zapdos's checks like Clefable, Melmetal, and Heatran with Knock Off, denying them of the Leftovers they need to not be worn down by Volt Switch as the game progresses. Weavile also directly threatens specially defensive Ground-types like Hippowdon, Landorus-T, Gastrodon, and Garchomp with its powerful Ice-type STAB moves. Powerful wallbreakers that can threaten special walls, like Urshifu-R, Tapu Lele, and Kartana, are also great picks, as they enjoy Volt Switch denting their answers like Slowbro, Tapu Fini, and Toxapex, respectively. Finally, other consistent pivots go very well with Zapdos; Pokemon like Dragapult, Landorus-T, and Slowbro all fit this role well, forming pivot spam cores to safely invite wallbreakers such as Tyranitar, Urshifu-R, and Tapu Lele onto the field.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/smg-notfunny.621033/
Quality Checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/slowpoke-fan.617219/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/veti.612907/
Grammar Checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/solarbeam.470115/
Ability: Static
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
IVs: 0 Atk
Timid Nature
- Hurricane / Heat Wave
- Volt Switch
- Heat Wave / Toxic
- Roost
[SET COMMENTS]
Thanks to its amazing typing, defensive utility, solid Speed tier, and great coverage that can hit most of the metagame for at least neutral damage, Zapdos is a potent offensive pivot. Static is used to fish for paralysis, giving Zapdos a debilitating way to punish contact and pivot moves from Urshifu-R, Kartana, Melmetal, Rillaboom, and Tornadus-T, forcing progress by merely switching in. Heat Wave is used to incinerate switch-ins to Zapdos's STAB moves, notably Excadrill, Ferrothorn, and Melmetal. Toxic is used to put switch-ins like Landorus-T, Tapu Koko, Gastrodon, and Hippowdon on a timer, wearing them down as the game progresses. When dropping Hurricane, it should be noted that Zapdos lacks a way to directly pressure defensive Ground-types, so switch-ins to their attacks should be included on the team. This Zapdos set should be played cautiously, as it needs to be very healthy to effectively check the Grass- and Flying-types it's tasked with handling and also fears Knock Off from Rillaboom, Kartana, and Tornadus-T, which lets them chip it down with Stealth Rock by removing its Heavy-Duty Boots. Moreover, it's also afraid of Toxic from other Pokemon it pivots into, like Melmetal, Toxapex, and Buzzwole.
[TEAM OPTIONS]
Zapdos fits best on offense and balance teams that call for its firepower and role compression, with its Volt Switch support, Static to punish common wallbreakers, and strong attacks letting it find a home on many teams. Excadrill is naturally a great partner with its ability to pressure Zapdos's answers like Tapu Koko, Heatran, and Galarian Slowking and provide Rapid Spin support, which Zapdos appreciates if its Heavy-Duty Boots are removed by Knock Off. Zapdos, in return, provides Volt Switch support to dent common Excadrill answers like Slowbro, Corviknight, and Skarmory or bring Excadrill in to pressure its own answers like Heatran, Galarian Slowking, and Tapu Koko, all while eliminating other Excadrill checks such as Buzzwole, Ferrothorn, and Rillaboom with its coverage in Hurricane and Heat Wave and using Toxic to cripple Landorus-T, Hippowdon, and Garchomp. Tyranitar is also a good teammate, as Volt Switch gives it many opportunities to hit the field safely and fire off powerful attacks, while it appreciates Zapdos answering Buzzwole and Ferrothorn and wearing down Landorus-T and Garchomp with Toxic. Zapdos also provides Volt Switch support to let Tyranitar come in on Zapdos checks like Blissey, Galarian Slowking, and Heatran. Slowbro is a solid defensive partner, as Zapdos neatly complements it thanks to handling Grass-types like Kartana and Rillaboom; in turn, Zapdos appreciates Slowbro's defensive prowess relieving much of the pressure put on it by powerful wallbreakers and offensive Ground-types, such as Urshifu-R, Victini, and Garchomp. Ferrothorn works well with Zapdos providing, Knock Off and Spikes support to force chip damage on Zapdos's switch-ins like Hippowdon and Garchomp. It's also a sturdy check to Weavile, Melmetal, and Tyranitar. In return, Zapdos checks Kartana, Buzzwole, and Urshifu-R and pressures Magnezone and opposing Ferrothorn. Heatran and Melmetal are effective partners thanks to their ability to check special attackers like Dragapult, opposing Zapdos, and Tapu Lele. Heatran in particular is a great partner due to Magma Storm's ability to trap and isolate Galarian Slowking and Blissey with the support of Taunt, opening up Zapdos. Heatran also baits in the aforementioned Ground-type Zapdos switch-ins and can poison them with Toxic. If running Flame Body, it can also fish for burns against Weavile. Melmetal is a great partner due to its bulk and typing allowing it to answer a myriad of Pokemon that pressure Zapdos, such as Weavile, Tapu Lele, Tapu Koko, and Dragapult, all of which it also threatens with Double Iron Bash. Melmetal also lures in Ground-types that pester Zapdos like Gastrodon, Hippowdon, and Garchomp and afflicts them with Toxic. Weavile is a great partner thanks to how it benefits from Zapdos forcing out Skarmory, Corviknight, and Buzzwole, which all impede Weavile's ability to make progress, while also providing it with Volt Switch support. In return, Weavile is great for crippling Zapdos's checks like Clefable, Melmetal, and Heatran with Knock Off, denying them of the Leftovers they need to not be worn down by Volt Switch as the game progresses. Weavile also directly threatens specially defensive Ground-types like Hippowdon, Landorus-T, Gastrodon, and Garchomp with its powerful Ice-type STAB moves. Powerful wallbreakers that can threaten special walls, like Urshifu-R, Tapu Lele, and Kartana, are also great picks, as they enjoy Volt Switch denting their answers like Slowbro, Tapu Fini, and Toxapex, respectively. Finally, other consistent pivots go very well with Zapdos; Pokemon like Dragapult, Landorus-T, and Slowbro all fit this role well, forming pivot spam cores to safely invite wallbreakers such as Tyranitar, Urshifu-R, and Tapu Lele onto the field.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/smg-notfunny.621033/
Quality Checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/slowpoke-fan.617219/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/veti.612907/
Grammar Checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/solarbeam.470115/
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