ZoroAWESOME!
QC: [PK Gaming] [Snunch] [Heysup]
GP: [jc104] [NixHex]
[Overview]
<p>Zoroark is one of the most unusual Pokemon introduced in the 5th generation, due to its exclusive ability, Illusion. Its ability allows it to masquerade as the Pokemon in the last slot of your party, and can often surprise the opponent if Zoroark is played well. In addition, Zoroark can be used to fool the opponent multiple times, as it is virtually impossible to tell the difference between Zoroark and another Pokemon with the exception of abnormal entry hazard damage; Zoroark takes damage from Spikes even if disguised as a Flying-type, and will always take neutral damage from Stealth Rock. Zoroark has a small but precise movepool, allowing it to hit most Pokemon of importance with its STAB and coverage moves. Zoroark sports excellent Special Attack and Attack stats as well as an above average Speed stat, beating base 100 Speed Pokemon as well as tying with Mismagius. Its access to a powerful STAB priority move in Sucker Punch only makes it more dangerous, and allows it to check common threats such as Victini. Zoroark may seem like a gimmicky Pokemon at first, but can be devastating in the right hands.</p>
[SET]
name: All-Out Attacker
move 1: Dark Pulse / Night Daze
move 2: Flamethrower
move 3: Grass Knot / U-turn
move 4: Sucker Punch
item: Life Orb
nature: Naive / Rash
evs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Zoroark's element of surprise works well with its phenomenal type coverage. Dark Pulse is Zoroark's main STAB move, and does decent damage to anything that doesn't resist it. In addition, the flinch chance can come in handy, as Zoroark cannot afford to take a hit. Night Daze is an option over Dark Pulse for slightly more power and a chance to lower accuracy; however, the 95% accuracy of Night Daze can prove to be incredibly infuriating, and potentially game-changing, not to mention that it is a dead giveaway for Zoroark, as it is its signature move. Flamethrower provides decent coverage in conjunction with Dark Pulse, hitting Steel-, Bug-, and Grass-types for super effective damage, the most notable of which include Escavalier, Heracross, and Abomasnow. Grass Knot is another move that Zoroark can use, hitting Rhyperior, Milotic, Suicune, and the other bulky Water-types littering the UU metagame. If Grass Knot is not for your team, U-turn can be used to scout switch-ins. In the last moveslot, Sucker Punch is the best option to finish off weakened targets. As many of Zoroark's targets will be fooled by Illusion, the switch-in will not usually resist Zoroark's STAB moves and can be finished off by Sucker Punch even if it is faster.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The EV spread is fairly straightforward, maximizing Special Attack and Speed with the last few EVs thrown in Attack to bolster Sucker Punch. However, an alternate spread of 40 Atk / 252 SpA / 216 Spe along with a Naive nature can be used to power up Sucker Punch even more while still outspeeding base 100s. Along those lines, a Rash nature is an option to provide more power to Zoroark's special attacks, but it loses the ability to outspeed positive-natured base 100s. Focus Blast is an option over Zoroark's listed coverage moves, but Flamethrower hits every target harder bar Houndoom and Snorlax. Despite Zoroark's excellent type coverage, providing the correct teammates is crucial to its success. The Pokemon which Zoroark is to masquerade must share some specific qualities; most importantly, they must take normal damage from Stealth Rock and Spikes. In many ways, Fighting-types are great partners to Zoroark as they resist Bug-type moves, and encourage the use of Psychic-type moves, which Zoroark happens to be immune to. However, it is important to keep in mind that the only Fighting-type neutral to Stealth Rock is Heracross, thanks to its Bug typing. Heracross is arguably the best teammate to Zoroark, as it resists both Fighting- and Bug-type moves, Zoroark's weaknesses, and is weak to Psychic-type moves, to which Zoroark is immune. Heracross can also easily eliminate Chansey, which serves as a complete stop to this variant of Zoroark.</p>
[SET]
name: Nasty Plot
move 1: Nasty Plot
move 2: Dark Pulse
move 3: Focus Blast
move 4: Flamethrower / Grass Knot
item: Life Orb
nature: Timid
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Nasty Plot is a boosting move allocated to a few select Pokemon, Zoroark being one of them. Zoroark also has the perfect stats to abuse Nasty Plot with its amazing base 120 Special Attack and great base 105 Speed. It is able to reach an astounding 698 Special Attack after a Nasty Plot boost. In addition, Zoroark attains perfect neutral coverage with just three moves. Dark Pulse is Zoroark's STAB move of choice and does enormous amounts of damage to anything that doesn't resist it, and even those that do will struggle after Zoroark obtains a Nasty Plot boost. Focus Blast provides near-perfect neutral coverage along with Dark Pulse, only missing out on Heracross. Although Flamethrower has slightly redundant coverage with Focus Blast, it hits Heracross and Escavalier harder, and both are quite significant threats in the UU metagame. However, since Heracross usually carries a Choice Scarf, Zoroark will rarely have the chance to make good use of Flamethrower, so Grass Knot is another option to hit the many bulky Water-types in BW UU including Suicune, Milotic, Gastrodon, and Quagsire.</p>
<p>In order for Zoroark to pull off a sweep, abusing Illusion properly is of the utmost importance. Illusion essentially gives Zoroark a free turn to boost with Nasty Plot and attack the unsuspecting opponent when used correctly. However, Zoroark could be considered a one-trick pony; it will often only get one chance to set up and sweep. For this reason, having the right teammates to fool the opponent is essential for a Zoroark sweep. Fortunately, thanks to Zoroark's excellent offensive stat distribution and great coverage, it is still fully capable of doing major damage to the opponent's team even after its identity has been revealed.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Because this set has no priority moves, Zoroark depends highly on its teammates to pull off a Nasty Plot sweep. As with the All-Out Attacker set, Heracross is a great teammate for Zoroark. The two have excellent synergy type-wise, and take the same amount of damage from entry hazards, allowing Zoroark to masquerade as Heracross effectively. However, there are several other Pokemon that can help specifically with Nasty Plot Zoroark. Mew is an excellent teammate for Zoroark to imitate, as it deters Fighting-types from switching in, and also has access to Nasty Plot, letting Zoroark keep up its facade even while setting up. It also has decent synergy with Zoroark, but lures in Bug-types such as Escavalier; these can be taken care of with a quick Flamethrower to the face. Yet another good teammate for Zoroark is Spiritomb, which also has access to Nasty Plot and deters Fighting-types from switching in. Although the previously mentioned teammates all have access to Nasty Plot, Pokemon without Nasty Plot can still serve as good teammates to Zoroark.</p>
<p>Since the point of this set is to set up with Nasty Plot and sweep, Zoroark greatly appreciates dual screens support. Xatu is a great option to set up dual screens due to its ability, Magic Bounce. Magic Bounce basically guarantees the setup of dual screens, as it reflects almost all support moves such as Taunt and status moves. Xatu also boasts a 4x resistance to Fighting-type moves, allowing it to come in on nearly any Fighting-type and threaten it with a STAB Psychic. Zoroark also appreciates entry hazard support, as Chansey may be OHKOed by +2 Focus Blast with Stealth Rock and Spikes support. As for other move options, Zoroark can choose to run Extrasensory over Flamethrower or Grass Knot to hit Fighting-types such as Hitmontop, but Hitmontop can smack Zoroark with a super effective priority STAB Mach Punch, and Heracross is hit harder by Flamethrower anyway. Night Daze is an option over Dark Pulse for its slightly higher Base Power and chance to lower the target's accuracy, but after a Nasty Plot boost, the difference in Base Power is negligible.</p>
<p>The EVs are quite straightforward, maximizing Zoroark's Speed and Special Attack stats. A Modest nature is an option over a Timid nature, but Zoroark prefers the ability to outrun base 100 Speed Pokemon and tie with Mismagius. Life Orb is the preferred item, as it substantially increases the power of Zoroark's attacks. Leftovers is an option over Life Orb, but is generally not worth the item slot due to Zoroark's frailty; any remotely powerful neutral hit will 2HKO or even OHKO Zoroark.</p>
[SET]
name: Choice
move 1: Dark Pulse / Night Daze
move 2: Flamethrower
move 3: Grass Knot
move 4: U-turn
item: Choice Specs / Choice Scarf
nature: Timid / Modest
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Rather than trying to sweep, this aims to deal heavy damage from the get-go or to revenge kill with Zoroark's amazing type coverage. As with the previous sets, Dark Pulse is Zoroark's STAB move of choice, dealing heavy damage to things that don't resist it. However, Night Daze is an option over Dark Pulse because of its higher Base Power and chance to lower accuracy. Zoroark attains excellent coverage with just the Dark- and Fire-type attack combination, since Flamethrower destroys Heracross, one of the most common Fighting-types in the UU metagame. In the third moveslot, Grass Knot can be used to hit bulky Water-types such as Milotic and allows Zoroark to hit more than half of the types for super effective damage. U-turn, which works well with Choice items, is the move of choice in the last moveslot for scouting purposes.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Choice Specs provides Zoroark with an instant power boost, letting it hit opponents much harder off the bat than any other set. Choice Scarf turns Zoroark into a very effective revenge killer, outrunning Choice Scarf base 100 Speed Pokemon and anything slower. The EV spread is typical of a special sweeper, maximizing Speed and Special Attack, but in the event that U-turn is used, an EV spread of 40 Atk / 252 SpA / 216 Spe with a Naive nature can be used for the Choice Scarf set to give more power to U-turn while still letting Zoroark outrun base 100 Speed Pokemon that also carry Choice Scarf. In addition, a Modest nature can be used when Zoroark is equipped with a Choice Scarf, as the increase in power is always appreciated. As Zoroark attains the best type coverage with the given moveset, there aren't many other viable move options. Focus Blast hits Houndoom and Normal-types harder, but has terrible accuracy, and nearly everything else is hit harder by Flamethrower already. Extrasensory is always an option over one of Zoroark's listed coverage moves to hit Fighting-types hard, but being locked into a non-STAB 80 Base Power attack is undesirable.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, even with the Choice Specs boost, Hitmontop can come in on Zoroark with impunity (with the exception of the rare Choice Specs-boosted Extrasensory) and proceed to take it out with a powerful priority Mach Punch. Choice Scarf Heracross can come in on anything but Flamethrower and Extrasensory, can outrun the Choice Specs variant, and OHKO with either of its powerful, super effective STAB moves. For this reason, this set also requires the right teammates to score surprise KOs against the opponent. Teammates such as Mew, that can deter Fighting-types from switching in, can help Zoroark survive much longer. Other Pokemon who utilize U-turn can help Zoroark maintain its facade longer.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>Although Zoroark has many interesting options move-wise, it lacks either the Speed or the bulk to make good use of them. Zoroark has access to Taunt, but due to its frailty, most opponents will tend to attack Zoroark rather than attempting to use status moves. Extrasensory is an option on any specially based set to hit Fighting-types hard, but has poor coverage otherwise. Zoroark can attempt to trap Ghost-types with Pursuit, but it is so frail that a single hit can mean the end if the opponent decides to stay in. Calm Mind is another boosting move Zoroark has access to, but is nearly pointless as its frailty will render the defensive boosts useless; Nasty Plot is a much better option in almost all situations. Agility is yet another boosting option, but Zoroark is already fast, and prefers an offensively oriented boosting move such as Nasty Plot. While Zoroark has a good enough Attack stat for a Choice Band set or a Swords Dance set, unfortunately, its physical movepool is complete and utter garbage outside of its physical STAB moves.</p>
[Checks and Counters]
<p>Illusion makes a well-played Zoroark nearly impossible to counter, as even with team preview, Zoroark is perfectly disguised barring abnormal entry hazard damage. It is easiest to counter Zoroark after its Illusion has been broken, though a well-played Zoroark can easily fool the unsuspecting opponent multiple times. However, Fighting-types such as Choice Scarf Heracross and Hitmontop can easily destroy Zoroark. Because of Zoroark's frailty, almost any powerful STAB move can easily destroy it. Chansey is the premier special wall in UU, and can take anything Zoroark can throw at it with the exception of a Swords Dance-boosted Fighting-type move. It can then choose to status Zoroark or simply wear it down with Seismic Toss.</p>
