Draft Zapdos

[theuncultured]

[overview]
**Draft Order**: Round 2 onwards

**Price Range**: 16 points

**Overview**: Zapdos is a premier versatile option that fits onto many teams, offering good natural bulk across the board and a valuable defensive typing to check a plethora of foes in the meta. It mainly fulfils a defensive role, punishing contact attackers with Static, weakening foes with status effects, and removing entry hazards via Defog. It can also sometimes take on an offensive role to wear down threats and pivot more easily by investing into its base great Special Attack. Zapdos does not need to be a Z-Captain to function, and other Pokemon are usually more suitable, but it can benefit from using Z-Crystals. Unfortunately, it suffers from having a crippling Stealth Rock weakness, forcing it to waste a turn using Roost, as it likes to pivot in and out. Additionally, it struggles to fit all of the moves it wants to run to check specific foes, so it appreciates teammates that can take some of the burden by offering further utility and momentum.

[strategy comments]
Common Roles
========
**Defensive Wall**: Zapdos excels in being able to check a multitude of foes. It can maintain momentum with either Volt Switch or U-turn, cripple foes with either paralysis or Toxic, remove entry hazards using Defog, and keep itself healthy with Roost.

**Offensive**: Zapdos can invest more EVs in Speed and Special Attack in scenarios where its defensive capabilities are less important. Thanks to its good typing and natural bulk, it can still offer some defensive utility, but it becomes more of a threat that can deal more damage and pick off frailer foes.

**All-out Attacker**: By fully investing in its offensive capabilities, Zapdos can become a deadly wallbreaker, utilizing damage-boosting items such as Life Orb and Choice Specs to punch holes against opposing defensive walls and Pokemon that resist its attacks.

Common Moves
========
**Primary STAB Moves**: Discharge, Volt Switch, Thunderbolt, Thunder

**Setup Moves**: Agility

**Utility Moves**: Defog, Thunder Wave, Roost, Substitute, U-turn, Toxic, Whirlwind, Roar

**Coverage**: Hidden Power, Heat Wave, Ancient Power, Extrasensory, Signal Beam

Niche Moves
========
**Reflect / Light Screen**: Zapdos has access to both Reflect and Light Screen to boost its teams defenses, but it often struggles to fit these moves into its moveslots, and it prefers for another teammate to utilize these moves.

**Tailwind**: Zapdos can use Tailwind to make its offensive teammates more threatening by temporarily increasing their Speed, and then safely pivoting out to them to keep up momentum.

**Curse**: In certain matches, Zapdos can use Curse to become a setup sweeper, as it has a useable Attack stat to clean up weakened foes with enough setup.

Common Items
========
**Leftovers**: Leftovers is the go-to item on defensive Zapdos sets, providing longevity over the course of a match and making it become increasingly frustrating for foes to take down via direct damage.

**Rocky Helmet**: Zapdos can don a Rocky Helmet to further punish contact attackers and deal valuable chip damage to them, allowing itself or its teammates to take down them later in a match.

**Resistance Berries**: Charti or Yache Berry can be used to tank a super effective hit targeted towards Zapdos, letting it threaten heavy damage or status in return.

**Damage-boosting Items**: If the opportunity arises, Zapdos can don either a Life Orb or Choice Specs and go on the offensive. It appreciates the damage boost from Life Orb, and it can use Roost to heal back the damage recoil caused by the item. Meanwhile, Choice Specs is harder to pull off, but the damage output it gains is a good trade-off.

Niche Items
========
**Pinch Berries**: Pinch Berries, such as Iapapa Berry, give Zapdos a one-time immediate boost to its health to allow it to maintain its presence if it does not want to rely on the slow recovery of Leftovers in specific matchups.

**Light Clay**: Zapdos can use Light Clay to extend the duration of both Reflect and Light Screen.

**Choice Scarf**: Zapdos can utilize Choice Scarf to immediately threaten faster offensive threats without setup.

**Z-Crystal**: Zapdos can utilize Z-Crystals on offensive sets to give it the power it needs to muscle through opposing defensive threats. Electrium Z is the most common, dealing immense damage towards unresisted targets. Firium Z can also be used to guarantee a large amount of damage with its coverage without fearing a miss with Heat Wave.

Draft Strategy
========
Zapdos provides a solid anchor as part of a defensive core to a team, checking a variety of threats. It should be paired with fast offensive threats and wallbreakers that it can enable to pressure foes.

**Wallbreakers**: Zapdos can lure in bulky Pokemon then pivot to teammates with high offensive stats to keep pressure on them. Pokemon such as Mega Gallade, Mega Mawile, and Mega Diancie are good examples to consider.

**Late-game Sweepers**: Zapdos can pivot to offensive teammates such as Kartana, Weavile, and Greninja to give them the opportunity to clean up weakened foes. They appreciate foes being crippled by it either through paralysis or poison, setting up the right circumstances to set up and become almost impossible to stop.

**Other Entry Hazard Removers**: Despite having access to Defog, Zapdos appreciates teammates that can also remove entry hazards, as it likes to consistently switch in to fulfil its defensive role, and it appreciates freeing up a move slot for additional coverage. Latios, Serperior, and Starmie are good examples to consider.

**Ground-types**: Zapdos struggles to deal meaningful damage to opposing Electric-types, so it should be drafted alongside powerful Ground-types such as Mega Garchomp, Zygarde, and Krookodile to deal with them.

Checks and Counters
========
**Residual Damage**: Zapdos can be worn down quickly via Toxic, which has a very wide distribution. Furthermore, it is weak to Stealth Rock, forcing it to waste turns to recover using Roost. This can shift momentum to the opponent's favor, as they can use the opportunity to set up.

**Specially Defensive Pokemon**: Zapdos struggles to break through special walls, especially as it has no great way of boosting its Special Attack stat. Examples include Clefable, Snorlax, and Alolan Muk.

**Electric-resistant Pokemon**: Electric-types resist Zapdos's STAB combination, and Pokemon such as Zeraora and Thundurus-T can also block Volt Switch via their abilities. Additionally, Dragon-types such as Kyurem-B and Mega Charizard X resist its Electric-type moves and can threaten it back with their strong attacks.

[credits]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/theuncultured.629845/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/king-l5.440126/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/odinrm.613514/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/techno.527276/

 

[King L5]

Spoiler

[overview]
**Draft Order**: Round 2 onwards

**Price Range**: 16 points

**Overview**: Zapdos is a premier versatile option that fits onto many teams, offering good natural bulk across the board, a valuable defensive typing to check a plethora of foes in the meta. It mainly fulfils a defensive role, punishing contact attackers with Static, weaken foes with status and remove entry hazards via Defog. It can also sometimes take on an offensive role to wear down threats and pivot more easily with investment to its base 125 Special Attack. Zapdos does not need to be a Z Captain to function, and other Pokemon would be are usually more suitable, but it can benefit from using Z-Crystals. Unfortunately, Zapdos suffers from having a crippling Stealth Rock weakness, forcing it to waste a turn using Roost as it likes to pivots in and out. Additionally, Zapdos struggles to fit all of the moves it wants to run to check specific foes, requiring good teammates to offer support alongside it to enable its offensive teammates. wording is a bit weird, probably just talk about how Zapdos appreciates teammates to take some pressure off itself as it can do many things, but not all at the same time.

[strategy comments]
Common Roles
========
**Defensive Pivot**: Zapdos excels in being able to check a multitude of foes. It can maintain momentum with either STAB Volt Switch or U-turn, cripple foes with paralysis or Toxic, remove entry hazards using Defog, and keep itself healthy with Roost.

**Offensive Pivot**: Similar to the set above, Zapdos can invest more EVs in Speed and Special Attack to deal more damage against foes in scenarios where its defensive capabilities are less needed, and to give it an easier time to pick off frailer foes.

Defensive and Offensive sets do not have to be "Pivots" and can also just simply be a wall or an offensive threat. Often Zapdos will not fit volt or uturn on its sets in favor of coverage or utility

**All-out Attacker**: By fully investing in its offensive capabilities, Zapdos can become a deadly wallbreaker, utilizing damage-boosting items such as such as what? to punch holes against opposing defensive walls and resistances. Mention how Zapdos has the natural bulk to allow for full offensive sets to still maintain some defensive utility while also hitting hard. This could also probably be combined with the **Offensive** role

Common Moves
========
**Primary STAB Moves**: Discharge, Volt Switch, Thunderbolt, Thunder

**Setup Moves**: Agility

**Utility Moves**: Defog, Thunder Wave, Roost, Substitute, U-turn, Toxic, Whirlwind, Roar, Reflect, Light Screen

**Coverage**: Hidden Power Ice, Hidden Power Grass, Heat Wave, Ancient Power, Extrasensory, Signal Beam

Niche Moves
========
**Tailwind**: Zapdos can use Tailwind to make its offensive teammates more threatening by temporarily increasing their speed, and then safely pivoting out to them to keep up momentum.

**Rain Dance/Sunny Day**: Both Rain Dance and Sunny Day can be used to override weather, as well as make Zapdos more threatening with either Thunder or Heat Wave. not worth mentioning, the mon doesnt benefit enough from weather

**Curse** can function as win con in some matchups

Common Items
========
**Leftovers**: Leftovers is the go-to item on defensive Zapdos sets, providing longevity over the course of a match, and become increasingly frustrating to take down via direct damage.

**Rocky Helmet**: Zapdos can don a Rocky Helmet to further punish contact attackers and deal valuable chip damage to allow itself or its teammates to take down later in a match.

**Sitrus Berry**: Sitrus Berry gives Zapdos a one-time immediate boost to its health to allow it to maintain its presence if it does not want to rely on the slow recovery of Leftovers in specific matchups. This can move to niche items

**Resistance Berries**: Charti Berry or Yache Berry can be used to tank a super-effective hit targeted towards Zapdos, which it can then threaten heavy damage or status in return.

Niche Items
========
**Light Clay**: With access to both Reflect and Light Screen, Zapdos can use Light Clay to help increase its team's defensives. It's important to note however that Zapdos cannot utilise screens often, and it would prefer for another teammate to use these moves.

**Damage-boosting items**: If the opportunity arises, Zapdos can don either a Life Orb or Choice Specs and go on the offensive. Zapdos appreciates the damage boost from Life Orb, and it can use Roost to heal back the damage recoil caused by the item. Meanwhile Choice Specs provides a larger damaging boost at the cost of being locked into one-move, making it harder to pull off, but the damage output Zapdos gains is a good trade-off. This can move to common items

**Choice Scarf**: Zapdos can utilise Choice Scarf to immediately threaten faster offensive threats without setup.

**Z-Crystal**: Zapdos can utilise Z-Crystals on offensive sets to give it the power it needs to muscle through opposing defensive threats. Electrium Z powered up to Gigavolt Havoc is the most common, dealing immense damage towards unresisted targets. Firium Z upgraded to Inferno Overdrive can also be used once to guarantee a large amount of damage with its coverage without fearing a miss with Heat Wave.

Draft Strategy
========
Zapdos provides a solid anchor to a team, checking a variety of threats. Therefore, it should be paired with Pokemon that would keep up momentum with its pivoting, and position them well to wallbreak and cleanup foes over the course of a match. Sounds awkward, reword this, the mon should be paired with wallbreakers and fast offensive pokemon. It can also be part of a defensive core

**Physical Wallbreakers**: Zapdos can lure in specially defensive bulky Pokemon, to then pivot into teammates with a high Attack stat offensive stats to keep pressure on the opposing team. Pokemon such as Mega Gallade and Azumaril are good examples to consider.

**Late-game Sweepers**: Zapdos can pivot into offensive teammates such as Kartana, Weavile and Mega Mawile Mega Mawile is a breaker, not really a great cleaner. A better example would be Greninja. to give them the opportunity to clean up weakened foes. They appreciate foes being crippled by Zapdos either through paralysis or poison, setting up the right circumstances to setup and become almost impossible to stop.

**Other Entry Hazard Removers**: Despite having access to Defog, Zapdos appreciates teammates that can also remove hazards, as it likes to consistently switch in to fulfil its defensive role, and potentially free up a move slot for additional coverage. Ferrothorn Ferrothorn is not a hazard remover. Latios would be a better example. and Starmie are good examples to consider, due to their access to Rapid Spin.

Checks and Counters
========
**Residual Damage**: Zapdos can be worn down quickly via Toxic, which has very wide distribution. status or weather conditions. Tyranitar and Alolan Ninetales are notable counters, as they can both set up weather to deal chip damage, as well as threaten Zapdos with their STAB combination. Furthermore, Zapdos is weak to Stealth Rock, forcing it to waste turns to recover using Roost. This can shift momentum to the opponent's favor as they can use the opportunity to setup or get a free switch.

**Defensive Ground-types**: Zapdos struggles to handle opposing Ground-types, as they can block Volt Switch and force it to run U-turn and Hidden Power Ice as coverage. Examples include Landrous-T, Zygarde-50% and Nidoking. Additionally, Zapdos has be very wary of Zygarde-50% as it can deal super effective damage to it via Thousand Arrows. The unique thing about Zapdos is that it can defeat a majority of Ground types in the format thanks to its flying typing. You'll find Zapdos switching into Lando T much more often than the other way around for example.

**Specially Defensive Walls**: Zapdos struggles to break through special walls, especially as it has no other great way of boosting it's Special Attack stat. Examples include Clefable, Tyranitar and Deoxys-D.

**Electric-resistant Pokemon**: Electric-types resist Zapdos' STAB combination, with Pokemon such as Zeraora and Thundurus-T being able to block Volt Switch via their abilities. Additionally, Dragon-types such as Kyurem-Black and Mega Charizard X resist its Electric-type moves, and can threaten Zapdos back with their strong attacks.

[credits]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/theuncultured.629845/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/king-l5.440126/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user3.300000
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user4.400000

QC 1/2

 

[theuncultured]

Spoiler

[overview]
**Draft Order**: Round 2 onwards

**Price Range**: 16 points

**Overview**: Zapdos is a premier versatile option that fits onto many teams, offering good natural bulk across the board, a valuable defensive typing to check a plethora of foes in the meta. It mainly fulfils a defensive role, punishing contact attackers with Static, weaken foes with status and remove entry hazards via Defog. It can also sometimes take on an offensive role to wear down threats and pivot more easily with investment to its base 125 Special Attack. Zapdos does not need to be a Z Captain to function, and other Pokemon would be are usually more suitable, but it can benefit from using Z-Crystals. Unfortunately, Zapdos suffers from having a crippling Stealth Rock weakness, forcing it to waste a turn using Roost as it likes to pivots in and out. Additionally, Zapdos struggles to fit all of the moves it wants to run to check specific foes, requiring good teammates to offer support alongside it to enable its offensive teammates. wording is a bit weird, probably just talk about how Zapdos appreciates teammates to take some pressure off itself as it can do many things, but not all at the same time.

[strategy comments]
Common Roles
========
**Defensive Pivot**: Zapdos excels in being able to check a multitude of foes. It can maintain momentum with either STAB Volt Switch or U-turn, cripple foes with paralysis or Toxic, remove entry hazards using Defog, and keep itself healthy with Roost.

**Offensive Pivot**: Similar to the set above, Zapdos can invest more EVs in Speed and Special Attack to deal more damage against foes in scenarios where its defensive capabilities are less needed, and to give it an easier time to pick off frailer foes.

Defensive and Offensive sets do not have to be "Pivots" and can also just simply be a wall or an offensive threat. Often Zapdos will not fit volt or uturn on its sets in favor of coverage or utility

**All-out Attacker**: By fully investing in its offensive capabilities, Zapdos can become a deadly wallbreaker, utilizing damage-boosting items such as such as what? to punch holes against opposing defensive walls and resistances. Mention how Zapdos has the natural bulk to allow for full offensive sets to still maintain some defensive utility while also hitting hard. This could also probably be combined with the **Offensive** role

Common Moves
========
**Primary STAB Moves**: Discharge, Volt Switch, Thunderbolt, Thunder

**Setup Moves**: Agility

**Utility Moves**: Defog, Thunder Wave, Roost, Substitute, U-turn, Toxic, Whirlwind, Roar, Reflect, Light Screen

**Coverage**: Hidden Power Ice, Hidden Power Grass, Heat Wave, Ancient Power, Extrasensory, Signal Beam

Niche Moves
========
**Tailwind**: Zapdos can use Tailwind to make its offensive teammates more threatening by temporarily increasing their speed, and then safely pivoting out to them to keep up momentum.

**Rain Dance/Sunny Day**: Both Rain Dance and Sunny Day can be used to override weather, as well as make Zapdos more threatening with either Thunder or Heat Wave. not worth mentioning, the mon doesnt benefit enough from weather

**Curse** can function as win con in some matchups

Common Items
========
**Leftovers**: Leftovers is the go-to item on defensive Zapdos sets, providing longevity over the course of a match, and become increasingly frustrating to take down via direct damage.

**Rocky Helmet**: Zapdos can don a Rocky Helmet to further punish contact attackers and deal valuable chip damage to allow itself or its teammates to take down later in a match.

**Sitrus Berry**: Sitrus Berry gives Zapdos a one-time immediate boost to its health to allow it to maintain its presence if it does not want to rely on the slow recovery of Leftovers in specific matchups. This can move to niche items

**Resistance Berries**: Charti Berry or Yache Berry can be used to tank a super-effective hit targeted towards Zapdos, which it can then threaten heavy damage or status in return.

Niche Items
========
**Light Clay**: With access to both Reflect and Light Screen, Zapdos can use Light Clay to help increase its team's defensives. It's important to note however that Zapdos cannot utilise screens often, and it would prefer for another teammate to use these moves.

**Damage-boosting items**: If the opportunity arises, Zapdos can don either a Life Orb or Choice Specs and go on the offensive. Zapdos appreciates the damage boost from Life Orb, and it can use Roost to heal back the damage recoil caused by the item. Meanwhile Choice Specs provides a larger damaging boost at the cost of being locked into one-move, making it harder to pull off, but the damage output Zapdos gains is a good trade-off. This can move to common items

**Choice Scarf**: Zapdos can utilise Choice Scarf to immediately threaten faster offensive threats without setup.

**Z-Crystal**: Zapdos can utilise Z-Crystals on offensive sets to give it the power it needs to muscle through opposing defensive threats. Electrium Z powered up to Gigavolt Havoc is the most common, dealing immense damage towards unresisted targets. Firium Z upgraded to Inferno Overdrive can also be used once to guarantee a large amount of damage with its coverage without fearing a miss with Heat Wave.

Draft Strategy
========
Zapdos provides a solid anchor to a team, checking a variety of threats. Therefore, it should be paired with Pokemon that would keep up momentum with its pivoting, and position them well to wallbreak and cleanup foes over the course of a match. Sounds awkward, reword this, the mon should be paired with wallbreakers and fast offensive pokemon. It can also be part of a defensive core

**Physical Wallbreakers**: Zapdos can lure in specially defensive bulky Pokemon, to then pivot into teammates with a high Attack stat offensive stats to keep pressure on the opposing team. Pokemon such as Mega Gallade and Azumaril are good examples to consider.

**Late-game Sweepers**: Zapdos can pivot into offensive teammates such as Kartana, Weavile and Mega Mawile Mega Mawile is a breaker, not really a great cleaner. A better example would be Greninja. to give them the opportunity to clean up weakened foes. They appreciate foes being crippled by Zapdos either through paralysis or poison, setting up the right circumstances to setup and become almost impossible to stop.

**Other Entry Hazard Removers**: Despite having access to Defog, Zapdos appreciates teammates that can also remove hazards, as it likes to consistently switch in to fulfil its defensive role, and potentially free up a move slot for additional coverage. Ferrothorn Ferrothorn is not a hazard remover. Latios would be a better example. and Starmie are good examples to consider, due to their access to Rapid Spin.

Checks and Counters
========
**Residual Damage**: Zapdos can be worn down quickly via Toxic, which has very wide distribution. status or weather conditions. Tyranitar and Alolan Ninetales are notable counters, as they can both set up weather to deal chip damage, as well as threaten Zapdos with their STAB combination. Furthermore, Zapdos is weak to Stealth Rock, forcing it to waste turns to recover using Roost. This can shift momentum to the opponent's favor as they can use the opportunity to setup or get a free switch.

**Defensive Ground-types**: Zapdos struggles to handle opposing Ground-types, as they can block Volt Switch and force it to run U-turn and Hidden Power Ice as coverage. Examples include Landrous-T, Zygarde-50% and Nidoking. Additionally, Zapdos has be very wary of Zygarde-50% as it can deal super effective damage to it via Thousand Arrows. The unique thing about Zapdos is that it can defeat a majority of Ground types in the format thanks to its flying typing. You'll find Zapdos switching into Lando T much more often than the other way around for example.

**Specially Defensive Walls**: Zapdos struggles to break through special walls, especially as it has no other great way of boosting it's Special Attack stat. Examples include Clefable, Tyranitar and Deoxys-D.

**Electric-resistant Pokemon**: Electric-types resist Zapdos' STAB combination, with Pokemon such as Zeraora and Thundurus-T being able to block Volt Switch via their abilities. Additionally, Dragon-types such as Kyurem-Black and Mega Charizard X resist its Electric-type moves, and can threaten Zapdos back with their strong attacks.

[credits]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/theuncultured.629845/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/king-l5.440126/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user3.300000
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user4.400000

QC 1/2

implemented QC1, ty. Ready for qc2

 

[OdinRM]

Spoiler

[overview]
**Draft Order**: Round 2 onwards

**Price Range**: 16 points

**Overview**: Zapdos is a premier versatile option that fits onto many teams, offering good natural bulk across the board and a valuable defensive typing to check a plethora of foes in the meta. It mainly fulfils a defensive role, punishing contact attackers with Static, weaken foes with status and remove entry hazards via Defog. It can also sometimes take on an offensive role to wear down threats and pivot more easily with investment to its base 125 Special Attack. Zapdos does not need to be a Z Captain to function, and other Pokemon are usually more suitable, but it can benefit from using Z-Crystals. Unfortunately, Zapdos suffers from having a crippling Stealth Rock weakness, forcing it to waste a turn using Roost as it likes to pivots in and out. Additionally, Zapdos struggles to fit all of the moves it wants to run to check specific foes, so it appreciates teammates that can take some of the burden by offering further utility and mommentum.

[strategy comments]
Common Roles
========
**Defensive Wall**: Zapdos excels in being able to check a multitude of foes. It can maintain momentum with either STAB Volt Switch or U-turn, cripple foes with paralysis or Toxic, remove entry hazards using Defog, and keep itself healthy with Roost.

**Offensive Threat**: Similar to the set above, Zapdos can invest more EVs in Speed and Special Attack in scenarios where its defensive capabilities are less needed. Thanks to its good typing and natural bulk, it can still offer some defensive utility, but it becomes more of a threat that can deal more damage and pick off frailer foes.

**All-out Attacker**: By fully investing in its offensive capabilities, Zapdos can become a deadly wallbreaker, utilizing damage-boosting items such as Life Orb and Choice Specs to punch holes against opposing defensive walls and resistances.

Common Moves
========
**Primary STAB Moves**: Discharge, Volt Switch, Thunderbolt, Thunder

**Setup Moves**: Agility

**Utility Moves**: Defog, Thunder Wave, Roost, Substitute, U-turn, Toxic, Whirlwind, Roar, Reflect, Light Screen. Reflect and Light Screen can be moved to niche, as Light Clay is already in the Niche Item part.

**Coverage**: Hidden Power Ice, Hidden Power Grass, Heat Wave, Ancient Power, Extrasensory, Signal Beam

Niche Moves
========
**Tailwind**: Zapdos can use Tailwind to make its offensive teammates more threatening by temporarily increasing their speed, and then safely pivoting out to them to keep up momentum.

**Curse**: In certain matches, Zapdos can use Curse as a win condition, as it has a useable Attack stat to clean up weakened foes with enough setup.

Common Items
========
**Leftovers**: Leftovers is the go-to item on defensive Zapdos sets, providing longevity over the course of a match, and become increasingly frustrating to take down via direct damage.

**Rocky Helmet**: Zapdos can don a Rocky Helmet to further punish contact attackers and deal valuable chip damage to allow itself or its teammates to take down later in a match.

**Resistance Berries**: Charti Berry or Yache Berry can be used to tank a super-effective hit targeted towards Zapdos, which it can then threaten heavy damage or status in return.

**Damage-boosting items**: If the opportunity arises, Zapdos can don either a Life Orb or Choice Specs and go on the offensive. Zapdos appreciates the damage boost from Life Orb, and it can use Roost to heal back the damage recoil caused by the item. Meanwhile Choice Specs provides a larger damaging boost at the cost of being locked into one-move, making it harder to pull off, but the damage output Zapdos gains is a good trade-off.

Niche Items
========
**Sitrus Berry**: Sitrus Berry gives Zapdos a one-time immediate boost to its health to allow it to maintain its presence if it does not want to rely on the slow recovery of Leftovers in specific matchups. Replace this with Pinch/50% Berries or rename It with HP Recovering Berries.

**Light Clay**: With access to both Reflect and Light Screen, Zapdos can use Light Clay to help increase its team's defensives. It's important to note however that Zapdos cannot utilise screens often, and it would prefer for another teammate to use these moves.

**Choice Scarf**: Zapdos can utilise Choice Scarf to immediately threaten faster offensive threats without setup.

**Z-Crystal**: Zapdos can utilise Z-Crystals on offensive sets to give it the power it needs to muscle through opposing defensive threats. Electrium Z powered up to Gigavolt Havoc is the most common, dealing immense damage towards unresisted targets. Firium Z upgraded to Inferno Overdrive can also be used once to guarantee a large amount of damage with its coverage without fearing a miss with Heat Wave.

Draft Strategy
========
Zapdos provides a solid anchor as part of a defensive core to a team, checking a variety of threats. It should be paired with fast offensive threats and wallbreakers that it can enable to pressure foes.

**Wallbreakers**: Zapdos can lure in bulky Pokemon, then pivot into teammates with high offensive stats to keep pressure on the opposing team. Pokemon such as Mega Gallade, Mega Mawile and Azumaril are good examples to consider. Replace Azumarill with something more common like Mega Diancie

**Late-game Sweepers**: Zapdos can pivot into offensive teammates such as Kartana, Weavile and Greninja to give them the opportunity to clean up weakened foes. They appreciate foes being crippled by Zapdos either through paralysis or poison, setting up the right circumstances to setup and become almost impossible to stop.

**Other Entry Hazard Removers**: Despite having access to Defog, Zapdos appreciates teammates that can also remove hazards, as it likes to consistently switch in to fulfil its defensive role, and potentially free up a move slot for additional coverage. Latios, Latias and Starmie are good examples to consider. Replace Latias for something more common like Serperior.

Reliable Ground types deserves its own mention in this section since zapdos main weakness is not being able to deal with Electric types. Pokémon like Zygarde, Krookodile and Mega Garchomp are good options with It.

Checks and Counters
========
**Residual Damage**: Zapdos can be worn down quickly via Toxic, which has a very wide distribution. Furthermore, Zapdos is weak to Stealth Rock, forcing it to waste turns to recover using Roost. This can shift momentum to the opponent's favor as they can use the opportunity to setup.

**Specially Defensive Walls**: Zapdos struggles to break through special walls, especially as it has no great way of boosting it's Special Attack stat. Examples include Clefable, Tyranitar and Deoxys-D. Tyranitar isnt really a wall its more like a mon with natural bulk that can check It. Change this to Specially Defensive Pokémon and list Clefable, Snorlax and Alolan Muk.

**Electric-resistant Pokemon**: Electric-types resist Zapdos' STAB combination, with Pokemon such as Zeraora and Thundurus-T being able to block Volt Switch via their abilities. Additionally, Dragon-types such as Kyurem-Black and Mega Charizard X resist its Electric-type moves, and can threaten Zapdos back with their strong attacks.

QC 2/2

 

[theuncultured]

Spoiler

[overview]
**Draft Order**: Round 2 onwards

**Price Range**: 16 points

**Overview**: Zapdos is a premier versatile option that fits onto many teams, offering good natural bulk across the board and a valuable defensive typing to check a plethora of foes in the meta. It mainly fulfils a defensive role, punishing contact attackers with Static, weaken foes with status and remove entry hazards via Defog. It can also sometimes take on an offensive role to wear down threats and pivot more easily with investment to its base 125 Special Attack. Zapdos does not need to be a Z Captain to function, and other Pokemon are usually more suitable, but it can benefit from using Z-Crystals. Unfortunately, Zapdos suffers from having a crippling Stealth Rock weakness, forcing it to waste a turn using Roost as it likes to pivots in and out. Additionally, Zapdos struggles to fit all of the moves it wants to run to check specific foes, so it appreciates teammates that can take some of the burden by offering further utility and mommentum.

[strategy comments]
Common Roles
========
**Defensive Wall**: Zapdos excels in being able to check a multitude of foes. It can maintain momentum with either STAB Volt Switch or U-turn, cripple foes with paralysis or Toxic, remove entry hazards using Defog, and keep itself healthy with Roost.

**Offensive Threat**: Similar to the set above, Zapdos can invest more EVs in Speed and Special Attack in scenarios where its defensive capabilities are less needed. Thanks to its good typing and natural bulk, it can still offer some defensive utility, but it becomes more of a threat that can deal more damage and pick off frailer foes.

**All-out Attacker**: By fully investing in its offensive capabilities, Zapdos can become a deadly wallbreaker, utilizing damage-boosting items such as Life Orb and Choice Specs to punch holes against opposing defensive walls and resistances.

Common Moves
========
**Primary STAB Moves**: Discharge, Volt Switch, Thunderbolt, Thunder

**Setup Moves**: Agility

**Utility Moves**: Defog, Thunder Wave, Roost, Substitute, U-turn, Toxic, Whirlwind, Roar, Reflect, Light Screen. Reflect and Light Screen can be moved to niche, as Light Clay is already in the Niche Item part.

**Coverage**: Hidden Power Ice, Hidden Power Grass, Heat Wave, Ancient Power, Extrasensory, Signal Beam

Niche Moves
========
**Tailwind**: Zapdos can use Tailwind to make its offensive teammates more threatening by temporarily increasing their speed, and then safely pivoting out to them to keep up momentum.

**Curse**: In certain matches, Zapdos can use Curse as a win condition, as it has a useable Attack stat to clean up weakened foes with enough setup.

Common Items
========
**Leftovers**: Leftovers is the go-to item on defensive Zapdos sets, providing longevity over the course of a match, and become increasingly frustrating to take down via direct damage.

**Rocky Helmet**: Zapdos can don a Rocky Helmet to further punish contact attackers and deal valuable chip damage to allow itself or its teammates to take down later in a match.

**Resistance Berries**: Charti Berry or Yache Berry can be used to tank a super-effective hit targeted towards Zapdos, which it can then threaten heavy damage or status in return.

**Damage-boosting items**: If the opportunity arises, Zapdos can don either a Life Orb or Choice Specs and go on the offensive. Zapdos appreciates the damage boost from Life Orb, and it can use Roost to heal back the damage recoil caused by the item. Meanwhile Choice Specs provides a larger damaging boost at the cost of being locked into one-move, making it harder to pull off, but the damage output Zapdos gains is a good trade-off.

Niche Items
========
**Sitrus Berry**: Sitrus Berry gives Zapdos a one-time immediate boost to its health to allow it to maintain its presence if it does not want to rely on the slow recovery of Leftovers in specific matchups. Replace this with Pinch/50% Berries or rename It with HP Recovering Berries.

**Light Clay**: With access to both Reflect and Light Screen, Zapdos can use Light Clay to help increase its team's defensives. It's important to note however that Zapdos cannot utilise screens often, and it would prefer for another teammate to use these moves.

**Choice Scarf**: Zapdos can utilise Choice Scarf to immediately threaten faster offensive threats without setup.

**Z-Crystal**: Zapdos can utilise Z-Crystals on offensive sets to give it the power it needs to muscle through opposing defensive threats. Electrium Z powered up to Gigavolt Havoc is the most common, dealing immense damage towards unresisted targets. Firium Z upgraded to Inferno Overdrive can also be used once to guarantee a large amount of damage with its coverage without fearing a miss with Heat Wave.

Draft Strategy
========
Zapdos provides a solid anchor as part of a defensive core to a team, checking a variety of threats. It should be paired with fast offensive threats and wallbreakers that it can enable to pressure foes.

**Wallbreakers**: Zapdos can lure in bulky Pokemon, then pivot into teammates with high offensive stats to keep pressure on the opposing team. Pokemon such as Mega Gallade, Mega Mawile and Azumaril are good examples to consider. Replace Azumarill with something more common like Mega Diancie

**Late-game Sweepers**: Zapdos can pivot into offensive teammates such as Kartana, Weavile and Greninja to give them the opportunity to clean up weakened foes. They appreciate foes being crippled by Zapdos either through paralysis or poison, setting up the right circumstances to setup and become almost impossible to stop.

**Other Entry Hazard Removers**: Despite having access to Defog, Zapdos appreciates teammates that can also remove hazards, as it likes to consistently switch in to fulfil its defensive role, and potentially free up a move slot for additional coverage. Latios, Latias and Starmie are good examples to consider. Replace Latias for something more common like Serperior.

Reliable Ground types deserves its own mention in this section since zapdos main weakness is not being able to deal with Electric types. Pokémon like Zygarde, Krookodile and Mega Garchomp are good options with It.

Checks and Counters
========
**Residual Damage**: Zapdos can be worn down quickly via Toxic, which has a very wide distribution. Furthermore, Zapdos is weak to Stealth Rock, forcing it to waste turns to recover using Roost. This can shift momentum to the opponent's favor as they can use the opportunity to setup.

**Specially Defensive Walls**: Zapdos struggles to break through special walls, especially as it has no great way of boosting it's Special Attack stat. Examples include Clefable, Tyranitar and Deoxys-D. Tyranitar isnt really a wall its more like a mon with natural bulk that can check It. Change this to Specially Defensive Pokémon and list Clefable, Snorlax and Alolan Muk.

**Electric-resistant Pokemon**: Electric-types resist Zapdos' STAB combination, with Pokemon such as Zeraora and Thundurus-T being able to block Volt Switch via their abilities. Additionally, Dragon-types such as Kyurem-Black and Mega Charizard X resist its Electric-type moves, and can threaten Zapdos back with their strong attacks.

QC 2/2

implemented qc 2, ty. ello GP Team

 

[Techno]

1/1 GP Team done
add remove comment

Spoiler

[overview]
**Draft Order**: Round 2 onwards

**Price Range**: 16 points

**Overview**: Zapdos is a premier versatile option that fits onto many teams, offering good natural bulk across the board and a valuable defensive typing to check a plethora of foes in the meta. It mainly fulfils a defensive role, punishing contact attackers with Static, weaken weakening foes with status effects, (AC) and remove removing entry hazards via Defog. It can also sometimes take on an offensive role to wear down threats and pivot more easily with investment to by investing into its base 125 great Special Attack. Zapdos does not need to be a Z Captain Z-Captain to function, and other Pokemon are usually more suitable, but it can benefit from using Z-Crystals. Unfortunately, Zapdos it suffers from having a crippling Stealth Rock weakness, forcing it to waste a turn using Roost, (AC) as it likes to pivots pivot in and out. Additionally, Zapdos it struggles to fit all of the moves it wants to run to check specific foes, so it appreciates teammates that can take some of the burden by offering further utility and mommentum momentum.

[strategy comments]
Common Roles
========
**Defensive Wall**: Zapdos excels in being able to check a multitude of foes. It can maintain momentum with either STAB Volt Switch or U-turn, cripple foes with either paralysis or Toxic, remove entry hazards using Defog, and keep itself healthy with Roost.

**Offensive Threat**: Similar to the set above (RC) Zapdos can invest more EVs in Speed and Special Attack in scenarios where its defensive capabilities are less needed important. Thanks to its good typing and natural bulk, it can still offer some defensive utility, but it becomes more of a threat that can deal more damage and pick off frailer foes.

**All-out Attacker**: By fully investing in its offensive capabilities, Zapdos can become a deadly wallbreaker, utilizing damage-boosting items such as Life Orb and Choice Specs to punch holes against opposing defensive walls and resistances Pokemon that resist its attacks.

Common Moves
========
**Primary STAB Moves**: Discharge, Volt Switch, Thunderbolt, Thunder

**Setup Moves**: Agility

**Utility Moves**: Defog, Thunder Wave, Roost, Substitute, U-turn, Toxic, Whirlwind, Roar

**Coverage**: Hidden Power Ice, Hidden Power Grass, Heat Wave, Ancient Power, Extrasensory, Signal Beam

Niche Moves
========
**Reflect and / Light Screen**: Zapdos has access to both Reflect and Light Screen to boost its teams defences team's defenses, however but it often struggles to fit these moves into its move slot moveslots, and it would prefer prefers for another teammate to utilize these moves.

**Tailwind**: Zapdos can use Tailwind to make its offensive teammates more threatening by temporarily increasing their Speed (RC) and then safely pivoting out to them to keep up momentum.

**Curse**: In certain matches, Zapdos can use Curse as to become a win condition setup sweeper, as it has a useable Attack stat to clean up weakened foes with enough setup.

Common Items
========
**Leftovers**: Leftovers is the go-to item on defensive Zapdos sets, providing longevity over the course of a match (RC) and making it become increasingly frustrating for foes to take down via direct damage.

**Rocky Helmet**: Zapdos can don a Rocky Helmet to further punish contact attackers and deal valuable chip damage to allow them, allowing itself or its teammates to take them down later in a match.

**Resistance Berries**: Charti Berry or Yache Berry can be used to tank a super-effective super effective hit targeted towards Zapdos, which letting it can then threaten heavy damage or status in return.

**Damage-boosting Items**: If the opportunity arises, Zapdos can don either a Life Orb or Choice Specs and go on the offensive. Zapdos It appreciates the damage boost from Life Orb, and it can use Roost to heal back the damage recoil caused by the item. Meanwhile, (AC) Choice Specs provides a larger damaging boost at the cost of being locked into one-move, making it is harder to pull off, but the damage output Zapdos it gains is a good trade-off. removed dex info

Niche Items
========
**HP Recovering Pinch Berries**: Pinch Berries, (AC) such as Iapapa Berry, give gives Zapdos a one-time immediate boost to its health to allow it to maintain its presence if it does not want to rely on the slow recovery of Leftovers in specific matchups.

**Light Clay**: Zapdos should can use Light Clay to extend the duration of both Reflect and Light Screen.

**Choice Scarf**: Zapdos can utilise utilize Choice Scarf to immediately threaten faster offensive threats without setup.

**Z-Crystal**: Zapdos can utilise utilize Z-Crystals on offensive sets to give it the power it needs to muscle through opposing defensive threats. Electrium Z powered up to Gigavolt Havoc is the most common, dealing immense damage towards unresisted targets. Firium Z upgraded to Inferno Overdrive can also be used once to guarantee a large amount of damage with its coverage without fearing a miss with Heat Wave.

Draft Strategy
========
Zapdos provides a solid anchor as part of a defensive core to a team, checking a variety of threats. It should be paired with fast offensive threats and wallbreakers that it can enable to pressure foes.

**Wallbreakers**: Zapdos can lure in bulky Pokemon (RC) and then pivot into to teammates with high offensive stats to keep pressure on the opposing team them. Pokemon such as Mega Gallade, Mega Mawile, (AC) and Mega Diancie are good examples to consider.

**Late-game Sweepers**: Zapdos can pivot into to offensive teammates such as Kartana, Weavile, (AC) and Greninja to give them the opportunity to clean up weakened foes. They appreciate foes being crippled by Zapdos it either through paralysis or poison, setting up the right circumstances to setup set up and become almost impossible to stop.

**Other Entry Hazard Removers**: Despite having access to Defog, Zapdos appreciates teammates that can also remove entry hazards, as it likes to consistently switch in to fulfil its defensive role, and potentially free it appreciates freeing up a move slot for additional coverage. Latios, Serperior, (AC) and Starmie are good examples to consider.

**Ground-types**: Zapdos struggles to deal meaningful damage to opposing Electric-types, so it should be drafted alongside powerful Ground-types to deal with the aforementioned foes (RC) such as Mega Garchomp, Zygarde, (AC) and Krookodile to deal with them.

Checks and Counters
========
**Residual Damage**: Zapdos can be worn down quickly via Toxic, which has a very wide distribution. Furthermore, Zapdos it is weak to Stealth Rock, forcing it to waste turns to recover using Roost. This can shift momentum to the opponent's favor, (AC) as they can use the opportunity to setup set up.

**Specially Defensive Pokemon**: Zapdos struggles to break through special walls, especially as it has no great way of boosting it's its Special Attack stat. Examples include Clefable, Snorlax, (AC) and Alolan Muk.

**Electric-resistant Pokemon**: Electric-types resist Zapdos' Zapdos's STAB combination, with and Pokemon such as Zeraora and Thundurus-T being able to can also block Volt Switch via their abilities. Additionally, Dragon-types such as Kyurem-Black Kyurem-B and Mega Charizard X resist its Electric-type moves (RC) and can threaten Zapdos it back with their strong attacks.

[credits]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/theuncultured.629845/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/king-l5.440126/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/odinrm.613514/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/techno.527276/

 

[theuncultured]

1/1 GP Team done
add remove comment

Spoiler

[overview]
**Draft Order**: Round 2 onwards

**Price Range**: 16 points

**Overview**: Zapdos is a premier versatile option that fits onto many teams, offering good natural bulk across the board and a valuable defensive typing to check a plethora of foes in the meta. It mainly fulfils a defensive role, punishing contact attackers with Static, weaken weakening foes with status effects, (AC) and remove removing entry hazards via Defog. It can also sometimes take on an offensive role to wear down threats and pivot more easily with investment to by investing into its base 125 great Special Attack. Zapdos does not need to be a Z Captain Z-Captain to function, and other Pokemon are usually more suitable, but it can benefit from using Z-Crystals. Unfortunately, Zapdos it suffers from having a crippling Stealth Rock weakness, forcing it to waste a turn using Roost, (AC) as it likes to pivots pivot in and out. Additionally, Zapdos it struggles to fit all of the moves it wants to run to check specific foes, so it appreciates teammates that can take some of the burden by offering further utility and mommentum momentum.

[strategy comments]
Common Roles
========
**Defensive Wall**: Zapdos excels in being able to check a multitude of foes. It can maintain momentum with either STAB Volt Switch or U-turn, cripple foes with either paralysis or Toxic, remove entry hazards using Defog, and keep itself healthy with Roost.

**Offensive Threat**: Similar to the set above (RC) Zapdos can invest more EVs in Speed and Special Attack in scenarios where its defensive capabilities are less needed important. Thanks to its good typing and natural bulk, it can still offer some defensive utility, but it becomes more of a threat that can deal more damage and pick off frailer foes.

**All-out Attacker**: By fully investing in its offensive capabilities, Zapdos can become a deadly wallbreaker, utilizing damage-boosting items such as Life Orb and Choice Specs to punch holes against opposing defensive walls and resistances Pokemon that resist its attacks.

Common Moves
========
**Primary STAB Moves**: Discharge, Volt Switch, Thunderbolt, Thunder

**Setup Moves**: Agility

**Utility Moves**: Defog, Thunder Wave, Roost, Substitute, U-turn, Toxic, Whirlwind, Roar

**Coverage**: Hidden Power Ice, Hidden Power Grass, Heat Wave, Ancient Power, Extrasensory, Signal Beam

Niche Moves
========
**Reflect and / Light Screen**: Zapdos has access to both Reflect and Light Screen to boost its teams defences team's defenses, however but it often struggles to fit these moves into its move slot moveslots, and it would prefer prefers for another teammate to utilize these moves.

**Tailwind**: Zapdos can use Tailwind to make its offensive teammates more threatening by temporarily increasing their Speed (RC) and then safely pivoting out to them to keep up momentum.

**Curse**: In certain matches, Zapdos can use Curse as to become a win condition setup sweeper, as it has a useable Attack stat to clean up weakened foes with enough setup.

Common Items
========
**Leftovers**: Leftovers is the go-to item on defensive Zapdos sets, providing longevity over the course of a match (RC) and making it become increasingly frustrating for foes to take down via direct damage.

**Rocky Helmet**: Zapdos can don a Rocky Helmet to further punish contact attackers and deal valuable chip damage to allow them, allowing itself or its teammates to take them down later in a match.

**Resistance Berries**: Charti Berry or Yache Berry can be used to tank a super-effective super effective hit targeted towards Zapdos, which letting it can then threaten heavy damage or status in return.

**Damage-boosting Items**: If the opportunity arises, Zapdos can don either a Life Orb or Choice Specs and go on the offensive. Zapdos It appreciates the damage boost from Life Orb, and it can use Roost to heal back the damage recoil caused by the item. Meanwhile, (AC) Choice Specs provides a larger damaging boost at the cost of being locked into one-move, making it is harder to pull off, but the damage output Zapdos it gains is a good trade-off. removed dex info

Niche Items
========
**HP Recovering Pinch Berries**: Pinch Berries, (AC) such as Iapapa Berry, give gives Zapdos a one-time immediate boost to its health to allow it to maintain its presence if it does not want to rely on the slow recovery of Leftovers in specific matchups.

**Light Clay**: Zapdos should can use Light Clay to extend the duration of both Reflect and Light Screen.

**Choice Scarf**: Zapdos can utilise utilize Choice Scarf to immediately threaten faster offensive threats without setup.

**Z-Crystal**: Zapdos can utilise utilize Z-Crystals on offensive sets to give it the power it needs to muscle through opposing defensive threats. Electrium Z powered up to Gigavolt Havoc is the most common, dealing immense damage towards unresisted targets. Firium Z upgraded to Inferno Overdrive can also be used once to guarantee a large amount of damage with its coverage without fearing a miss with Heat Wave.

Draft Strategy
========
Zapdos provides a solid anchor as part of a defensive core to a team, checking a variety of threats. It should be paired with fast offensive threats and wallbreakers that it can enable to pressure foes.

**Wallbreakers**: Zapdos can lure in bulky Pokemon (RC) and then pivot into to teammates with high offensive stats to keep pressure on the opposing team them. Pokemon such as Mega Gallade, Mega Mawile, (AC) and Mega Diancie are good examples to consider.

**Late-game Sweepers**: Zapdos can pivot into to offensive teammates such as Kartana, Weavile, (AC) and Greninja to give them the opportunity to clean up weakened foes. They appreciate foes being crippled by Zapdos it either through paralysis or poison, setting up the right circumstances to setup set up and become almost impossible to stop.

**Other Entry Hazard Removers**: Despite having access to Defog, Zapdos appreciates teammates that can also remove entry hazards, as it likes to consistently switch in to fulfil its defensive role, and potentially free it appreciates freeing up a move slot for additional coverage. Latios, Serperior, (AC) and Starmie are good examples to consider.

**Ground-types**: Zapdos struggles to deal meaningful damage to opposing Electric-types, so it should be drafted alongside powerful Ground-types to deal with the aforementioned foes (RC) such as Mega Garchomp, Zygarde, (AC) and Krookodile to deal with them.

Checks and Counters
========
**Residual Damage**: Zapdos can be worn down quickly via Toxic, which has a very wide distribution. Furthermore, Zapdos it is weak to Stealth Rock, forcing it to waste turns to recover using Roost. This can shift momentum to the opponent's favor, (AC) as they can use the opportunity to setup set up.

**Specially Defensive Pokemon**: Zapdos struggles to break through special walls, especially as it has no great way of boosting it's its Special Attack stat. Examples include Clefable, Snorlax, (AC) and Alolan Muk.

**Electric-resistant Pokemon**: Electric-types resist Zapdos' Zapdos's STAB combination, with and Pokemon such as Zeraora and Thundurus-T being able to can also block Volt Switch via their abilities. Additionally, Dragon-types such as Kyurem-Black Kyurem-B and Mega Charizard X resist its Electric-type moves (RC) and can threaten Zapdos it back with their strong attacks.

[credits]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/theuncultured.629845/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/king-l5.440126/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/odinrm.613514/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/techno.527276/

implemented GP, ty. Big bird Zapdos is done.

 

[Maia]

Uploaded, thank you!

https://www.smogon.com/dex/sm/pokemon/zapdos/draft/