[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Knock Off
move 3: Power Whip / Trailblaze
move 4: Jungle Healing
item: Leftovers / Heavy-Duty Boots
ability: Leaf Guard
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
tera type: Poison / Fairy
[SET COMMENTS]
Swords Dance Zarude gives a team a strong breaker with a solid defensive typing that allows it to check threatening foes such as Excadrill and Polteageist. Swords Dance allows Zarude to become a dangerous threat with the capability to break past slow defensive walls like Toxapex while
also being able to beat out Strength Sap from Sinistcha and Polteageist. Power Whip is the usually option for a Grass STAB due to its high power, notably giving it a chance to OHKO Excadrill after Spikes, Rotom-W, and guaranteeing and OHKO on Sandy Shocks. However, Trailblaze is an option that gives Zarude better sweeping potential by allowing it to outspeed foes that threaten it like Tornadus-T and Latios. Jungle Healing provides Zarude with more longevity that also allows it to shrug off status from the bulky Waters it tends to switch into like Rotom-W, Slowking, and Toxapex, as well as Clodsire and Mew. Leftovers gives Zarude passive recovery, allowing it to stay on the field longer to be a stronger threat while also letting it better check opposing threats, while Heavy-Duty Boots protect Zarude from hazards that can otherwise wear it down over the course of the game. Both Tera Poison and Tera Fairy provide Zarude with a resistance to fighting, notably allowing it to set up on Cobalion and Conkeldurr. Both options also remove its quadruple Bug weakness so that it is less susceptible to Lokix's First Impression, as well as resisting U-turns from the foes like Tornadus-T and the aforementioned Lokix. Tera Fairy also gives Zarude a Dragon immunity so that it can avoid Draco Meteors from Latios and Hydrapple, while maintaining its Dark resistance. Tera Poison gives Zarude an immunity to Toxic so that it can break through Toxapex more efficiently, while also keeping its Grass resistance. However, both of these options make Zarude considerably worse at checking Excadrill, as it loses its Ground-resistance while also becoming weak to one of Excadrill's STABs. Tera Fairy's Steel weakness also makes Zarude susceptible to Scizor's Bullet Punch and Tinkaton's Gigaton Hammer, while Tera Poison's Psychic weakness allows Latios and Deoxys-Speed to revenge Zarude far more easily. Therefore, Zarude should usually only be Terastallized in an emergency or if doing so secures the game.
Zarude is well fitted on bulky offense and balance, where its combined offensive and defensive capabilities are most appreciated. Its quad weakness to U-turn means that Zarude prefers to be paired with punishes such as Pickpocket Tinkaton, Rocky Helmet Cobalion and Skarmory, and Flame Body Heatran. All of these options can also provide Stealth Rock, which pairs well with Zarude's Knock Off. Other teammates that fit well with Zarude are ones that can assist in pressuring defensive checks like Hydrapple and Skarmory. Examples of these teammates are Tornadus-T or Skeledirge, the former of which can also bring Zarude in on the bulky waters it pressures, while the latter can spread burns to give Zarude more opportunities to set up. Teammates that can set spikes such as Gastrodon and Clodsire, as well as the previously mentioned Skarmory, are also appreciated as they accelerate the rate at which checks like opposing Cobalion and Tinkaton get worn down, making it easier for Zarude to break through. Removal like Excadrill and Defensive Quaquaval is useful for Zarude as they allow it to more easily to slot Leftovers, with Excadrill providing additional offensive pressure on foes like Hydrapple and Mandibuzz while Defensive Quaquaval can pivot to bring Zarude in on opposing bulky waters.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/thatoneapple.620325/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user3.102/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user4.103/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user5.104/
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Knock Off
move 3: Power Whip / Trailblaze
move 4: Jungle Healing
item: Leftovers / Heavy-Duty Boots
ability: Leaf Guard
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
tera type: Poison / Fairy
[SET COMMENTS]
Swords Dance Zarude gives a team a strong breaker with a solid defensive typing that allows it to check threatening foes such as Excadrill and Polteageist. Swords Dance allows Zarude to become a dangerous threat with the capability to break past slow defensive walls like Toxapex while
also being able to beat out Strength Sap from Sinistcha and Polteageist. Power Whip is the usually option for a Grass STAB due to its high power, notably giving it a chance to OHKO Excadrill after Spikes, Rotom-W, and guaranteeing and OHKO on Sandy Shocks. However, Trailblaze is an option that gives Zarude better sweeping potential by allowing it to outspeed foes that threaten it like Tornadus-T and Latios. Jungle Healing provides Zarude with more longevity that also allows it to shrug off status from the bulky Waters it tends to switch into like Rotom-W, Slowking, and Toxapex, as well as Clodsire and Mew. Leftovers gives Zarude passive recovery, allowing it to stay on the field longer to be a stronger threat while also letting it better check opposing threats, while Heavy-Duty Boots protect Zarude from hazards that can otherwise wear it down over the course of the game. Both Tera Poison and Tera Fairy provide Zarude with a resistance to fighting, notably allowing it to set up on Cobalion and Conkeldurr. Both options also remove its quadruple Bug weakness so that it is less susceptible to Lokix's First Impression, as well as resisting U-turns from the foes like Tornadus-T and the aforementioned Lokix. Tera Fairy also gives Zarude a Dragon immunity so that it can avoid Draco Meteors from Latios and Hydrapple, while maintaining its Dark resistance. Tera Poison gives Zarude an immunity to Toxic so that it can break through Toxapex more efficiently, while also keeping its Grass resistance. However, both of these options make Zarude considerably worse at checking Excadrill, as it loses its Ground-resistance while also becoming weak to one of Excadrill's STABs. Tera Fairy's Steel weakness also makes Zarude susceptible to Scizor's Bullet Punch and Tinkaton's Gigaton Hammer, while Tera Poison's Psychic weakness allows Latios and Deoxys-Speed to revenge Zarude far more easily. Therefore, Zarude should usually only be Terastallized in an emergency or if doing so secures the game.
Zarude is well fitted on bulky offense and balance, where its combined offensive and defensive capabilities are most appreciated. Its quad weakness to U-turn means that Zarude prefers to be paired with punishes such as Pickpocket Tinkaton, Rocky Helmet Cobalion and Skarmory, and Flame Body Heatran. All of these options can also provide Stealth Rock, which pairs well with Zarude's Knock Off. Other teammates that fit well with Zarude are ones that can assist in pressuring defensive checks like Hydrapple and Skarmory. Examples of these teammates are Tornadus-T or Skeledirge, the former of which can also bring Zarude in on the bulky waters it pressures, while the latter can spread burns to give Zarude more opportunities to set up. Teammates that can set spikes such as Gastrodon and Clodsire, as well as the previously mentioned Skarmory, are also appreciated as they accelerate the rate at which checks like opposing Cobalion and Tinkaton get worn down, making it easier for Zarude to break through. Removal like Excadrill and Defensive Quaquaval is useful for Zarude as they allow it to more easily to slot Leftovers, with Excadrill providing additional offensive pressure on foes like Hydrapple and Mandibuzz while Defensive Quaquaval can pivot to bring Zarude in on opposing bulky waters.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/thatoneapple.620325/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user3.102/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user4.103/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user5.104/
Last edited: