[SET]
name: Defensive
move 1: Roost
move 2: Volt Switch / Discharge
move 3: Hurricane
move 4: Heat Wave / Discharge
item: Heavy-Duty Boots
ability: Static / Pressure
nature: Timid
evs: 252 HP / 104 Def / 152 Spe
tera type: Steel / Fairy
[SET COMMENTS]
Zapdos is one of the best defensive pivots in the metagame due to its bulk and typing, which allow it to check and force out threats such as Great Tusk, Zamazenta, and Hisuian Samurott. Additionally, its excellent offensive presence lets it generate momentum for its team with Volt Switch, which is quite difficult to block due to Zapdos's ability to nail Ground-types such as Great Tusk and Landorus-T with a powerful Hurricane. Heat Wave 2HKOes Iron Treads, which otherwise blocks Volt Swich with impunity, and it pressures other Steel-types such as Kingambit and Gholdengo. Discharge is an option over Volt Switch or Heat Wave as an Electric-type attack that doesn't force Zapdos out, allowing it to fish for paralysis against Pokemon such as Heatran and Dragonite. Zapdos can also opt to use U-turn alongside Discharge for unblockable pivoting, which is particularly useful against Ground-types that don't fear Hurricane such as Ting-Lu and Clodsire, but it usually prefers the power and role compression of Volt Switch. Thunder Wave is another option that reliably paralyzes opposing Pokemon but makes Zapdos significantly more passive. The given EV spread allows Zapdos to outspeed Great Tusk and Baxcalibur. A more defensive spread of 248 HP / 240 Def / 20 Spe with a Bold nature sacrifices Zapdos's ability to outspeed key threats, such as Great Tusk and Gholdengo, but makes it a much more formidable wall; for example, this spread avoids the 2HKO from Great Tusk's Ice Spinner and is likely to avoid the OHKO from +2 Sneasler's Gunk Shot. Static is the preferred ability to punish physical attackers such as Great Tusk and Sneasler; however, Pressure can be used to allow Zapdos stall out low-PP moves such as Great Tusk's Close Combat, Dragapult's Draco Meteor, and Heatran's Magma Storm. Tera Steel helps Zapdos check many common sweepers in a pinch, most notably letting it take Fairy-, Ice-, and Poison-type attacks from Iron Valiant, Enamorus, Baxcalibur, and Sneasler. Tera Fairy is another strong option that improves Zapdos's matchup against dangerous Dark- and Dragon-types, such as Kingambit, Hisuian Samurott, Dragapult, and Walking Wake, while maintaining its Fighting-type resistance.
Zapdos is an excellent fit on bulky offense teams that appreciate its ability to keep dangerous sweepers in check and pivot powerful offensive threats into play. Entry hazard support from Pokemon such as Great Tusk, Ting-Lu, Garganacl, and Hisuian Samurott can make it much harder for Pokemon such as Heatran and Ting-Lu to continuously check Zapdos. Great Tusk is a particularly good partner that can also threaten Zapdos's switch-ins, such as Garganacl, Ting-Lu, and Galarian Slowking, and remove Stealth Rock if Zapdos loses its Heavy-Duty Boots. Gholdengo handles offensive threats that may overwhelm Zapdos, such as Sneasler, Iron Valiant, and Baxcalibur, while Zapdos covers it against Great Tusk and Hisuian Samurott. Setup sweepers such as Kingambit, Baxcalibur, and Iron Valiant can make great use of Zapdos's ability to generate free turns by pivoting them into play and spreading paralysis; Kingambit especially has brilliant synergy with Zapdos, taking on Galarian Slowking, Garganacl, and Clodsire, while Zapdos handles Great Tusk, Zamazenta, and Dondozo. Similarly, Zapdos can provide free entry for powerful wallbreakers such as Volcanion, Hoopa-U, Dragapult, and Heatran.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/memesketch.537558/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/bt89.487308/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/setsusetsuna.548068/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/ken.594478/
name: Defensive
move 1: Roost
move 2: Volt Switch / Discharge
move 3: Hurricane
move 4: Heat Wave / Discharge
item: Heavy-Duty Boots
ability: Static / Pressure
nature: Timid
evs: 252 HP / 104 Def / 152 Spe
tera type: Steel / Fairy
[SET COMMENTS]
Zapdos is one of the best defensive pivots in the metagame due to its bulk and typing, which allow it to check and force out threats such as Great Tusk, Zamazenta, and Hisuian Samurott. Additionally, its excellent offensive presence lets it generate momentum for its team with Volt Switch, which is quite difficult to block due to Zapdos's ability to nail Ground-types such as Great Tusk and Landorus-T with a powerful Hurricane. Heat Wave 2HKOes Iron Treads, which otherwise blocks Volt Swich with impunity, and it pressures other Steel-types such as Kingambit and Gholdengo. Discharge is an option over Volt Switch or Heat Wave as an Electric-type attack that doesn't force Zapdos out, allowing it to fish for paralysis against Pokemon such as Heatran and Dragonite. Zapdos can also opt to use U-turn alongside Discharge for unblockable pivoting, which is particularly useful against Ground-types that don't fear Hurricane such as Ting-Lu and Clodsire, but it usually prefers the power and role compression of Volt Switch. Thunder Wave is another option that reliably paralyzes opposing Pokemon but makes Zapdos significantly more passive. The given EV spread allows Zapdos to outspeed Great Tusk and Baxcalibur. A more defensive spread of 248 HP / 240 Def / 20 Spe with a Bold nature sacrifices Zapdos's ability to outspeed key threats, such as Great Tusk and Gholdengo, but makes it a much more formidable wall; for example, this spread avoids the 2HKO from Great Tusk's Ice Spinner and is likely to avoid the OHKO from +2 Sneasler's Gunk Shot. Static is the preferred ability to punish physical attackers such as Great Tusk and Sneasler; however, Pressure can be used to allow Zapdos stall out low-PP moves such as Great Tusk's Close Combat, Dragapult's Draco Meteor, and Heatran's Magma Storm. Tera Steel helps Zapdos check many common sweepers in a pinch, most notably letting it take Fairy-, Ice-, and Poison-type attacks from Iron Valiant, Enamorus, Baxcalibur, and Sneasler. Tera Fairy is another strong option that improves Zapdos's matchup against dangerous Dark- and Dragon-types, such as Kingambit, Hisuian Samurott, Dragapult, and Walking Wake, while maintaining its Fighting-type resistance.
Zapdos is an excellent fit on bulky offense teams that appreciate its ability to keep dangerous sweepers in check and pivot powerful offensive threats into play. Entry hazard support from Pokemon such as Great Tusk, Ting-Lu, Garganacl, and Hisuian Samurott can make it much harder for Pokemon such as Heatran and Ting-Lu to continuously check Zapdos. Great Tusk is a particularly good partner that can also threaten Zapdos's switch-ins, such as Garganacl, Ting-Lu, and Galarian Slowking, and remove Stealth Rock if Zapdos loses its Heavy-Duty Boots. Gholdengo handles offensive threats that may overwhelm Zapdos, such as Sneasler, Iron Valiant, and Baxcalibur, while Zapdos covers it against Great Tusk and Hisuian Samurott. Setup sweepers such as Kingambit, Baxcalibur, and Iron Valiant can make great use of Zapdos's ability to generate free turns by pivoting them into play and spreading paralysis; Kingambit especially has brilliant synergy with Zapdos, taking on Galarian Slowking, Garganacl, and Clodsire, while Zapdos handles Great Tusk, Zamazenta, and Dondozo. Similarly, Zapdos can provide free entry for powerful wallbreakers such as Volcanion, Hoopa-U, Dragapult, and Heatran.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/memesketch.537558/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/bt89.487308/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/setsusetsuna.548068/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/ken.594478/
Last edited:
