In-battle formes
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| HP: | 90 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| Attack: | 90 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Defense: | 85 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Sp. Atk: | 125 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Sp. Def: | 90 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Speed: | 100 |
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Strategies
- en
Overview
Though Zapdos competes with Rotom-W, it has several notable traits that separate it. Zapdos can threaten Ferrothorn while also checking Breloom and Scizor due to its access to Heat Wave. Its access to reliable recovery in Roost grants it much more longevity than Rotom-W, despite its vulnerability to Stealth Rock and sand. These traits allow it to see some use on sand teams as a Ground-immune Volt Switch user with good longevity. However, despite these promising traits, Rotom-W is generally used over Zapdos due to its Stealth Rock neutrality and resistance to Water- and Ice-type moves, allowing it to check Pokemon like Keldeo and Mamoswine. Zapdos also frequently gets forced out by strong special attackers like Latios, Alakazam, Reuniclus, Thundurus-T, and Volcarona. Outside of sand teams, Zapdos faces heavy competition with Thundurus-T, who is faster, stronger, and is immune to Electric courtesy of Volt Absorb.
Physically Defensive
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Moves
Volt Switch allows Zapdos to preserve momentum while keeping bulky Water- and Flying-types at bay. However, Discharge better threatens Skarmory and Jellicent since they cannot recover their health as safely as they would from taking a Volt Switch. Discharge also comes with the benefit of being able to paralyze checks like Latios, Tyranitar, and Kyurem-B. Heat Wave threatens Ferrothorn, Breloom, Scizor, and Excadrill, while Hidden Power Ice covers Garchomp, Landorus-T, Gliscor, and Dragonite.
Set Details
The given EV spread allows Zapdos to survive Latios's unboosted Draco Meteor and Keldeo's rain-boosted Surf after Stealth Rock and outspeed Jolly Breloom and Cloyster. The Defense EVs hit a jump point and let Zapdos answer physical attackers like Scizor and Breloom reliably.
Team Options
Zapdos fits well on sand teams due to its ability to handle common physical attackers found on hyper offense that give sand teams trouble. Tyranitar appreciates Zapdos pivoting it in against Latios and Reuniclus with Volt Switch to more safely Pursuit trap them, while Zapdos covers Breloom, Scizor, Excadrill, and Ferrothorn. Additionally, Tyranitar can set up Stealth Rock to wear down Zapdos's checks. While Hippowdon doesn't benefit from Volt Switch pivoting the same way Tyranitar does, it does check Tyranitar, Thundurus-T, and Terrakion. Excadrill can keep Stealth Rock off the field with Rapid Spin, allowing Zapdos to consistently check Breloom, Scizor, and opposing Excadrill. Gastrodon forms a solid defensive core with Zapdos, as it appreciates Zapdos's ability to check Breloom and Ferrothorn, while it can check Tyranitar, Keldeo, and Thundurus-T. Heatran forms a solid defensive core with Zapdos, able to set Stealth Rock, cripple Tyranitar with burn or poisonToxic, and check Dragon-types like Latios and Kyurem-B, while Zapdos checks Breloom. Ferrothorn checks Dragon- and Water-types like Kyurem-B, Latios, and Starmie, sets entry hazards, and can remove Leftovers from checks like Heatran with Knock Off. Latios checks Keldeo and Thundurus-T, can act as a backup check against Breloom, and is able to keep other faster threats in check with a Choice Scarf set, while Zapdos checks Scizor and pivots it in with Volt Switch. Jellicent checks offensive Fire- and Water-types like Heatran and Keldeo, burns checks like Tyranitar with Will-O-Wisp, and appreciates Zapdos's ability to check Pokemon like Breloom and Gliscor.
Other Options
Toxic cripples checks like Gastrodon, Tyranitar, Latios, and Thundurus-T. However, it forces Zapdos to give up Heat Wave or Hidden Power Ice, both of which are important to check what it's supposed to. A Substitute + Roost set may seem appealing to punish switches and PP stall Pokemon like Tyranitar, but, like Toxic, Zapdos would have to give up crucial coverage. An offensive set can act like Thundurus-T with better defensive utility. However, it's not worth using since it's weaker, slower, and has worse coverage than Thundurus-T while giving up Zapdos's main niche of checking strong physical attackers.
Checks and Counters
Residual Damage: Stealth Rock wears Zapdos down and puts it into range of attacks it could otherwise survive, like Tyranitar's Crunch. Zapdos is also vulnerable to status, particularly poison and burn, from Pokemon like Heatran, Jellicent, and Rotom-Wash, which exacerbates Zapdos's inability to passively heal under sand.
Ice-type Attacks: Kyurem-B, Mamoswine, and Cloyster force Zapdos out with their STAB attacks and use it switching out to set up Substitute and Shell Smash. However, Kyurem-B has to be wary of Discharge's paralysis chance, Mamoswine can't take too many Heat Waves, and Cloyster is OHKOed by both Volt Switch and Discharge.
Ground-Types: Gastrodon blocks Volt Switch, takes minimal damage from Hidden Power Ice, has reliable recovery, and can cripple Zapdos with Toxic and burn. Seismitoad similarly walls Zapdos but doesn't have reliable recovery, meaning it can get overwhelmed over the course of a game. Excadrill, Gliscor, Garchomp, and Landorus-T all have to be wary of Zapdos's coverage but can block Volt Switch.
Strong Special Attackers: Strong special attackers like Latios, Reuniclus, Alakazam, Keldeo, Volcarona, and Thundurus-T can come in and force Zapdos out, using it as an opportunity to set up or cripple whatever teammate switches in with Trick and status.
Credits
- Written by Gamer1234556
- Quality checked by BluBirD
- Grammar checked by dex
