[OVERVIEW]
Zygarde has numerous positive attributes that make it stand out as one of the premier threats in Anything Goes. Its signature attacking move, Thousand Arrows, hits most relevant Pokemon—including Flying-types—for at least neutral damage. Access to excellent utility options such as Glare and Dragon Tail lets it punish its checks and makes it very difficult to take advantage of. A solid defensive typing of Ground / Dragon and colossal bulk gained after activating Power Construct buy offensive variants of Zygarde plenty of opportunities to set up and let defensive sets act as a blanket check to many of the tier's most dangerous physical attackers, including Primal Groudon, Marshadow, Ho-Oh, Necrozma-DM, Swords Dance Arceus formes, and some Mega Rayquaza variants. However, Zygarde's offensive presence is rather lackluster even with Attack investment; it typically requires support from teammates or the use of a boosted Z-Move in order to pressure its common checks in support Arceus formes and Fairy-types. Offensive sets face competition from Mega Rayquaza as a setup sweeper, as it offers more immediate firepower, has higher base Speed, and finds setup opportunities on largely the same threats. Zygarde's effectiveness during a match can also vary depending on whether it manages to activate Power Construct or not: base forme Zygarde has only decent bulk, and a smart opponent can play around it so that Zygarde is KOed before Power Construct activates. Nevertheless, Zygarde's versatility and ability to contend against top threats in the metagame make it one of the best Pokemon in the tier.
[SET]
name: Defensive
move 1: Rest
move 2: Thousand Arrows
move 3: Glare / Toxic / Dragon Tail
move 4: Dragon Tail / Coil / Haze
item: Leftovers
ability: Power Construct
nature: Impish
evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Rest is Zygarde's only source of recovery. It has the benefit of removing status incurred from Pokemon like Ho-Oh, defensive Primal Groudon, and Arceus-Poison that cannot otherwise punish Zygarde. Thousand Arrows provides Zygarde with a STAB attack that targets most of the metagame for at least neutral damage and hits important targets like Primal Groudon and Mega Gengar super effectively. Glare paralyzes foes that attempt to switch into Zygarde and force it out; it's also useful for slowing down setup sweepers such as Dragon Dance Mega Rayquaza, allowing teammates to deal with them more easily. Toxic can be used instead of Glare if the residual damage it inflicts is more beneficial for your team; it should be used alongside Coil so that Zygarde can force out bulky Pokemon like Ferrothorn and support Necrozma-DM. The final moveslot gives Zygarde a method of dealing with setup sweepers: Dragon Tail phazes Pokemon that are not Fairy-types or behind Substitute, racks up damage from entry hazards, and prevents Zygarde from being trapped by Gothitelle. Most importantly, it enables Zygarde to handle Dragon Dance Mega Rayquaza more effectively than other options; a paralyzed Mega Rayquaza will still outspeed Zygarde if it's already at +1, and Zygarde will still be overwhelmed by boosted hits if it tries to use Coil alongside a Life Orb variant. Alternatively, Coil boosts Zygarde's Attack and Defense by one stage each, letting it go toe-to-toe with Swords Dance users (including ones behind Substitute) and possibly pull off a late-game sweep once its checks have been weakened or eliminated. Haze is an option that allows Zygarde to deal with Baton Pass teams, opposing Zygarde, and Substitute + Bulk Up Marshadow and possibly waste Xerneas's Power Herb.
Set Details
========
Maximum investment in HP and Defense alongside an Impish nature maximizes Zygarde's already impressive physical bulk. This allows it to withstand very strong neutral hits prior to transformation, including +1 Dragon Ascent from Life Orb Mega Rayquaza and +2 Precipice Blades from Primal Groudon, so that it can activate Power Construct. Leftovers provides Zygarde with a source of passive recovery that leaves it less reliant on Rest.
Usage Tips
========
Oftentimes, using Glare or Toxic has the fewest drawbacks. Electric-types are virtually nonexistent in Anything Goes, and Zygarde naturally scares them away along with Steel- and Poison-types, so its status moves can be spammed quite liberally. Use Rest to keep Zygarde healthy and rid it of status; however, do so sparingly unless Zygarde's team provides cleric support, since it will leave Zygarde very exploitable for two turns. Variants with Coil should avoid trying to sweep until revenge killers such as Xerneas and support Arceus formes have been crippled or removed. A healthy Marshadow can also punish the use of excessive Coil boosts with Spectral Thief; this is particularly undesirable if Zygarde is the team's primary switch-in to Marshadow. Finally, Zygarde should be wary of coverage moves like Draco Meteor from Mega Rayquaza, Outrage from Ultra Necrozma, and Hidden Power Ice from Marshadow.
Team Options
========
Mega Gengar is a great partner for Zygarde, since it can trap and remove the Fairy-types and support Arceus formes that threaten it. It can also revenge kill threats like mixed Mega Rayquaza and Outrage Ultra Necrozma that are capable of muscling past Zygarde, ensuring that they do not deal further damage to the team. In return, Zygarde can easily switch into Primal Groudon and Ho-Oh for Mega Gengar, and the paralysis it spreads via Glare boosts the power of Mega Gengar's Hex and can potentially buy it free turns to use Substitute. Alternatively, Mega Rayquaza has an easier time breaking through Fairy-types and support Arceus formes once Zygarde lures them in and cripples them with status. It also appreciates Zygarde's ability to threaten Flying-type switch-ins like Arceus-Steel, Tyranitar, and Celesteela. Steel-types possess natural defensive synergy with Zygarde: Celesteela checks Arceus-Fairy, Arceus-Ground, and Choice Scarf Xerneas for it, while Zygarde switches into Fire-types like Primal Groudon and Ho-Oh for Celesteela. Ferrothorn can switch into the majority of support Arceus formes and Primal Kyogre, and it can set Spikes to help wear down Zygarde's grounded checks. Support Necrozma-DM and Magearna perform similar roles, but they also reliably check Xerneas. Arceus-Fairy and Choice Scarf Xerneas make for effective partners, as they can pivot into Dragon-type moves such as Draco Meteor from Mega Rayquaza and provide extra security against Marshadow in case it's running Hidden Power Ice or Substitute + Bulk Up. Xerneas and Magearna also provide cleric support so that Zygarde can wake up quickly after it uses Rest. In return, Zygarde can very easily switch into and take advantage of Fairy-type switch-ins like Arceus-Poison, Necrozma-DM, and Ho-Oh. Arceus-Poison checks Fairy-types and provides extra security against Marshadow in case it's running Hidden Power Ice, while Zygarde can deal with common switch-ins to Arceus-Poison like Steel-types and Primal Groudon. Primal Groudon checks both Primal Kyogre and Xerneas for Zygarde, while Zygarde can check opposing Primal Groudon and some Mega Rayquaza variants. It's worth noting that despite sharing a Ground typing, the two don't stack any type weaknesses. Slow wallbreakers and setup sweepers including Life Orb or Choice Band Mega Rayquaza, Life Orb Yveltal, Calm Mind Primal Kyogre, and Swords Dance Necrozma-DM can take advantage of the paralysis that Zygarde spreads.
[SET]
name: Dragon Dance
move 1: Dragon Dance
move 2: Thousand Arrows
move 3: Substitute
move 4: Dragon Tail / Glare / Toxic
item: Leftovers / Groundium Z
ability: Power Construct
nature: Adamant
evs: 12 HP / 216 Atk / 48 SpD / 232 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Dragon Dance turns Zygarde into an offensive threat by boosting its Attack and Speed by one stage. Thousand Arrows is Zygarde's primary attacking move that hits most relevant Pokemon in the tier for at least neutral damage. Substitute shields Zygarde from status moves like Toxic, Will-O-Wisp, and Leech Seed. It also allows Zygarde to set up on any Pokemon that cannot break its Substitute in one hit; once it's in its Complete forme, this list includes various passive Pokemon such as support Necrozma-DM, Ferrothorn, and Celesteela. Dragon Tail allows Zygarde to circumvent checks such as Giratina, Lugia, and opposing Zygarde that rely on phazing to deal with it, as they will be phazed by Dragon Tail themselves before they can do the same to Zygarde. Glare punishes offensive foes that attempt to switch in and check Zygarde, and paralysis can occasionally give Zygarde a free turn to set up or attack. Toxic is more effective at pressuring bulky foes such as support Arceus formes and Lugia; after Zygarde poisons one of its checks, it can use Substitute repeatedly to stall out Toxic damage on said check until it is in range of being knocked out by Thousand Arrows.
Set Details
========
12 HP EVs ensure that Zygarde survives Life Orb Mega Rayquaza's Dragon Ascent prior to transformation, and they maximize Zygarde's Leftovers recovery in its Complete forme. If Zygarde is holding Groundium Z, they make Zygarde's HP number divisible by four so that Power Construct will activate after two uses of Substitute. 48 Special Defense EVs ensure that Zygarde survives an uninvested Ice Beam from support Arceus formes or Judgment from Arceus-Fairy prior to transformation. 232 Speed EVs allow Zygarde-C to outspeed Mega Gengar after a Dragon Dance boost. The rest of the EVs are placed into Attack with an Adamant nature to ensure that Zygarde hits as hard as possible. Leftovers provides Zygarde with passive recovery, increasing the number of times it can use Substitute and aiding its attempts to stall out foes with Glare or Toxic. Groundium Z allows Zygarde to use Tectonic Rage, which lets it bypass some of its usual checks. At +1, the Z-Move OHKOes Geomancy Xerneas after Stealth Rock damage and takes out defensive Arceus formes after they have been hit by Thousand Arrows.
Usage Tips
========
Zygarde should be brought in via a free switch into Pokemon that it forces out, like Primal Groudon and Necrozma-DM, or passive Pokemon that are unable to break its Substitute, like Ferrothorn and Celesteela. Switching directly into these Pokemon is risky, however, since they can set up or cripple Zygarde with status moves before it can use Substitute. Once Zygarde is safely in, use Substitute initially to scout for status moves or a switch from the opponent; even if the foe is likely to attack, it can still be useful for safely activating Power Construct. After Zygarde is behind a Substitute, it can start setting up if the opponent's Pokemon does not pose a significant threat to it. Alternatively, Glare or Toxic can be used to cripple the opponent's check to Zygarde so that it will be harder to deal with later in the game. Zygarde should not attempt to sweep until its checks and revenge killers have been weakened or removed. Have a plan to deal with support Arceus formes; crippling them with status or setting entry hazards is usually a good idea. Try to secure prior damage on offensive checks like Primal Kyogre and Xerneas, as they can tank a boosted Thousand Arrows from full HP and proceed to OHKO back if Zygarde is not behind a Substitute. Scout for potential Choice Scarf users like Mega Rayquaza, Xerneas, and Yveltal, as they outspeed a +1 Zygarde and can revenge kill it with Draco Meteor, Moonblast, or Foul Play. This set is not especially bulky due to the lack of defensive investment, so do not attempt to use it as a check to setup sweepers like Mega Rayquaza and Swords Dance Primal Groudon, especially prior to transformation. Zygarde can sometimes beat said threats in a one-on-one scenario thanks to Glare and Power Construct, but it cannot do so if they are given a free turn of setup.
Team Options
========
Mega Gengar is one of the best partners for Zygarde, as it can trap and remove the Fairy-types and support Arceus formes that stand in the way of a sweep. It takes advantage of the status Zygarde spreads via Glare and Toxic, which boosts the power of its Hex and can potentially buy it free turns to use Substitute. Entry hazard support is crucial for pressuring Zygarde's checks. Primal Groudon, Necrozma-DM, and Arceus-Poison can set Stealth Rock and also check Fairy-types for Zygarde. Ferrothorn and Skarmory can set Spikes and switch into many of Zygarde's checks. Toxapex provides Toxic Spikes support, which enables Zygarde to stall out foes indefinitely with Substitute and Protect. More offensive teams can employ dedicated entry hazard leads such as Deoxys-S and Excadrill. Wallbreakers like Life Orb or Choice Band Mega Rayquaza and Life Orb Yveltal break down checks they share with Zygarde and take advantage of paralysis spread by Glare. Fairy-types can pivot into Dragon-type attacks from Pokemon like Mega Rayquaza, and they tend to lure in Fire-, Steel-, and Poison-types that Zygarde can use as setup fodder. Defensive Arceus-Fairy checks dangerous physical attackers such as Mega Rayquaza and Marshadow and can set Stealth Rock for Zygarde's team. Xerneas and Magearna provide invaluable cleric support, curing this set of status ailments inflicted by Pokemon like Ho-Oh, Primal Groudon, and Arceus-Poison, allowing Zygarde to switch into said foes more liberally. Gothitelle can neutralize passive foes like support Arceus formes and provide Zygarde a safe environment in which to set up; unlike Mega Gengar, it can switch into most of them rather comfortably provided they don't use boosting moves like Calm Mind.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Sleep Talk on the defensive set prevents Zygarde from being wholly passive while it is asleep and can be useful on teams that do not provide cleric support, but Zygarde loses its ability to check setup sweepers. Extreme Speed on the Dragon Dance set gives Zygarde some utility in revenge killing boosted threats like Mega Rayquaza and allows it to pick off weakened Choice Scarf users that attempt to revenge kill it like Xerneas, Yveltal, and Mega Rayquaza. Protect grants Zygarde an extra turn of Leftovers recovery while possibly racking up more residual damage on a foe; the combination of Substitute + Protect can be lethal if Zygarde is paired with a Toxic Spikes setter. Outrage used with Dragonium Z OHKOes opposing Zygarde and Giratina after a Dragon Dance boost and has a slightly higher Base Power than Tectonic Rage, but Fairy-types are commonly used to check Zygarde and Outrage takes up an extra moveslot, making Groundium Z the generally superior option. Coil can be used on the Dragon Dance set to boost Zygarde's defenses, making it even harder for physical attackers to break its Substitute. For example, simply adding 24 Defense EVs ensures that defensive Primal Groudon can never do so once Zygarde is at +1 Defense in its Complete forme. However, forgoing another move for Coil will mean that Zygarde completely lacks an option to punish support Arceus formes. Iron Tail used with Steelium Z deals massive damage to Arceus-Fairy and defensive Xerneas after a Dragon Dance boost, but it does not help with Zygarde's matchup against other threats. A set of Dragon Dance, Thousand Arrows, Thousand Waves, and Rest with a spread of 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD aims to trap passive foes that cannot 4HKO Zygarde with Thousand Waves and then fully set up on them with Dragon Dance. However, it lacks an option to punish the support Arceus formes that tend to switch into Zygarde and force it out with Ice Beam.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Fairy-types**: Arceus-Fairy and defensive Xerneas are among the best checks to Zygarde, as they can easily withstand its attacks and retaliate with their super effective STAB moves; Xerneas can also heal off the status Zygarde inflicts with Aromatherapy. Offensive sets require at least three Dragon Dance boosts before these Pokemon can be knocked out with Tectonic Rage.
**Support Arceus Formes**: Support Arceus formes typically run quite a lot of Defense investment and wall Zygarde to no end. Zygarde requires many Dragon Dance boosts before it can start to threaten the likes of Arceus-Ground, Arceus-Water, and Arceus-Dark, and in the meantime, they can retaliate with Ice Beam, neuter it with Toxic and Will-O-Wisp, phaze it with Roar, or put it on a timer with Perish Song. Arceus-Grass gets a special mention, since it resists Thousand Arrows.
**Other Bulky Pokemon**: Giratina, Lugia, defensive Zygarde, and defensive Primal Kyogre can easily withstand a boosted Thousand Arrows from Zygarde. The first two can phaze Zygarde to cut its sweep short, defensive Zygarde can remove its boosts with Haze, and Primal Kyogre can threaten it with Ice Beam. Most of them also carry Rest, so they aren't really bothered by status moves like Glare and Toxic. However, Zygarde can circumvent attempts at phazing with its own Dragon Tail, evade status conditions with Substitute or Rest, and muscle past Giratina and Zygarde with a boosted Devastating Drake.
**Revenge Killers**: Choice Scarf users are able to outspeed a +1 Zygarde and revenge kill it; Mega Rayquaza, Xerneas, Yveltal, Kyogre, and Lunala are all notable examples. If Mega Rayquaza has a Speed-boosting nature, it can even outspeed a +2 Zygarde-C. Very fast Pokemon like Mega Mewtwo Y and Deoxys-A can do the same without a boosting item (although the former gets outsped at +1 if Zygarde has not activated Power Construct yet), and they can OHKO Zygarde with Ice Beam. None of these Pokemon really want to switch into Zygarde, however, as they are crippled by Glare.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[bigtalk, 466663]]
- Quality checked by: [[pichus, 374620], [Catalystic, 314467], [Megazard, 202117]]
- Grammar checked by: [[The Dutch Plumberjack, 232216], [Empress,175616]]
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