Mix and Mega

Analysis written by Funbot28.
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Zygarde Zygarde-C

Overview

Zygarde-C is one of the bulkiest walls in the metagame thanks to its amazing bulk, letting it be a great defensive pivot for many teams. It also has a great Dragon / Ground defensive typing that allows it to check offensive threats such as Primal Groudon, Terrakion, and Raikou. Zygarde can also act as a great offensive threat in its base forme with a Pinsirite, allowing it to hit many threats hard with Aerilate-boosted Extreme Speed and Thousand Arrows.

However, Zygarde possesses a detrimental 4x Ice-type weakness that allows offensive threats such as Weavile, Manaphy, and Glalilite Genesect to revenge kill it much more easily. It also lacks any form of reliable recovery, meaning that Zygarde must rely on Rest to sustain its longevity. Its Pinsirite set also faces competition from other setup sweepers such as Lucario, Genesect, and Arceus-Ghost, leaving it harder to justify on many teams.

Physically Defensive Wall

Set Comments

Moves

Thousand Arrows is Zygarde-C's main STAB move that allows it to hit every relevant threat in the Mix and Mega metagame due to it bypassing non-grounded Pokemon. However, Thousand Waves can be used instead to trap and stall out threats such as Primal Groudon, Arceus-Ground, and Blissey. Toxic is a great tool to cripple and whittle down incoming switch-ins such as opposing Zygarde-C, Arceus-Fairy, and Zapdos, leaving Zygarde-C a bit less passive. Dragon Tail is another STAB move that allows Zygarde-C to phaze threats that can otherwise threaten it such as Swords Dance Primal Groudon, Swords Dance Cobalion, and Nasty Plot Thundurus. Rest is Zygarde-C's only form of reliable recovery, allowing it to restore its health to full and aids it when stalling out defensive threats in conjunction with Toxic, since Rest allows it not to use up PP while asleep.

Set Details

EVs are maxed out in HP and Defense to turn Zygarde-C into a defensive behemoth, avoiding the 2HKO from powerful physical attacks such as Precipice Blades from Primal Groudon and Close Combat from Terrakion. Power Contruct allows Zygarde to transform into its Complete forme when at 50% health or less at the end of the turn. Leftovers is equipped to give Zygarde-C some passive recovery each turn, allowing it to switch in more easily.

Usage Tips

Zygarde-C is a great blanket check to many physical attackers in the metagame such as Primal Groudon, Kartana, Arceus-Ghost, and Terrakion, so try and switch it in against these threats as much as possible to profit from the defensive utility that it provides. However, certain physical attackers may threaten it out after setting up or by running mixed coverage such as Swords Dance Primal Groudon and Ice Beam Pheromosa. If Zygarde-C is fallen asleep by Rest, your opponent may take advantage of this and start setting up against it with threats such as Swords Dance Mimikyu and Tail Glow Manaphy. Optimal switching is key to prevent Zygarde-C from being used as setup fodder. This is especially highlighted when using Rest; therefore, it should only be used when necessary. Zygarde-C also struggles to check many special attackers such as Hoopa-U, Yveltal, and Lunala due to its lower special bulk, which is why it should be pivoting out against these threats.

Team Options

Due to Zygarde-C's nasty 4x Ice-type weakness, Pokemon that are able to sustain Ice-type attacks such as Arceus-Water and Vaporeon can be great teammates, especially with the former's ability to remove entry hazards and the latter's ability to pass Wishes to Zygarde-C. Specially defensive walls such as Blissey, Togekiss, Cresselia, and Magearna can also be useful partners, as they are able to check special attackers such as Tapu Lele, Genesect, and Xerneas, which all threaten Zygarde-C. Zygarde-C also possesses a Fairy-type weakness, meaning that Fairy-types such as Tapu Koko, Arceus-Fairy, and Togekiss can all threaten it out. Pokemon such as Primal Groudon, Arceus-Steel, and Toxapex can be used as switch-ins against these threats. Entry hazard removal from Pokemon such as Mandibuzz, Arceus-Fairy, and Skarmory can also be useful for Zygarde-C, as it can otherwise be weakened down heavily by entry hazards. Heal Bell support from clerics such as Togekiss and Blissey can also be advantageous, as they can cure Zygarde-C's status, especially since it is usually asleep when using Rest.

Pinsirite Sweeper

Set Comments

Moves

Dragon Dance is Zygarde's main setup move that allows it to hit hard and become a fast threat simultaneously. Extreme Speed is Zygarde's main STAB move, as it is boosted by Aerilate. It also allows it to revenge kill faster threats such as Pheromosa, Hoopa-U, and Deoxys-A, which would otherwise threaten to KO it. Outrage is Zygarde's other STAB option that allows it to hit threats that resist Flying-type attacks such as Zapdos. It also allows Zygarde to hit defensive threats such as Zygarde-C, Mandibuzz, and Arceus-Ground for more damage. Return can be used instead as another STAB option that allows Zygarde to deal consistent damage, avoiding the effects of Outrage locking it in into a Dragon-type move. This can help prevent it from being used as setup fodder versus Fairy- and Steel-types such as Mimikyu, Xerneas, and Metagross. Thousand Arrows is a great coverage option that allows Zygarde to target key defensive threats such as Arceus-Rock, Skarmory, and Celesteela, with the last two examples having their Ground-type immunities nullified, which allows Zygarde to hit them for more damage the following turn.

Set Details

EVs have been maxed out in Attack in Speed with a Jolly nature in order to maximize Zygarde's sweeping capabilities to their fullest capabilities. An Adamant nature can also be used to increase Zygarde's damage output, giving it the chance to OHKO faster threats such as Absolite Hoopa-U and Mega Gengar with Extreme Speed after Stealth Rock damage. However, it leaves Zygarde outsped by opposing Jolly Zygarde and Pinsirite Lucario.

Usage Tips

Due to the combination of both Dragon Dance and Extreme Speed, Zygarde can become a pain for opposing offensive teams to deal with once specific checks such as Zapdos and Zygarde-C have been worn down. This is why setting up with Zygarde late-game may be more optimal against less defensive teams. Certain priority users such as Feint Weavile and Arceus can threaten to outprioritize Zygarde with their own priority attacks if Zygarde does not garner any boosts—however, Weavile can still outspeed it with either Fake Out even after a boost—so be wary of leaving Zygarde in against these threats. Many offensive threats such as Pheromosa, Manaphy, Zapdos, and Genesect tend to carry Ice-type coverage to hit Zygarde, so be careful when switching in Zygarde against these threats. Zygarde can also be quite weak without any setup boosts, failing to even 3HKO targets such as Blissey, Mandibuzz, and Suicune, so setting up Dragon Dance is the main priority when using Zygarde. Zygarde can choose not to Mega Evolve immediately to conserve the STAB boost on Thousand Arrows, allowing it to deal more damage against targets such as Zapdos and Arceus-Rock.

Team Options

Team members that can switch-in on Ice-type attacks such as Magearna, Manaphy, and Suicune can all be beneficial due to Zygarde having such a crippling weakness to these attacks. Entry hazard setters such as Primal Groudon, Skarmory, and Blissey can all be useful, as they allow Zygarde to have an easier time with breaking down bulkier threats such as Lunala, Ho-Oh, Zapdos, and Lugia. Entry hazard removers are also vital due to Zygarde possessing a Stealth Rock weakness upon Mega Evolving. Examples include Arceus-Fairy, Zapdos, Mandibuzz, and Skarmory. Status absorbers such as Primal Groudon and Sablenite Blissey can also be useful partners to have, due to them being able to switch-in on certain status moves such as Will-O-Wisp and Thunder Wave, which would otherwise severely cripple Zygarde. Pokemon with similar checks and counters such as Cobalion, Archeops, and Lucario pair well with this to wear down shared answers.

Groundium Z Sweeper

Set Comments

Moves

Dragon Dance is the main setup move of this set, allowing Zygarde-C to become a potent wallbreaker that is difficult to check. Thousand Arrows is an amazing STAB move, allowing Zygarde-C to hit every popular threat in the metagame. It also enables it to fire off a powerful 180-Base Power Tectonic Rage. Extreme Speed is a great utility move that allows Zygarde-C to pick off weakened foes that can outspeed it, preventing them from dealing significant damage against Zygarde-C. Rest can be used instead, allowing Zygarde-C to sustain itself, which can especially be useful when trapping defensive walls that can threaten to status it. However, Zygarde-C can easily be overwhelmed by many offensive threats in the two turns that it is asleep, making the option very much lackluster. Thousand Waves is a secondary Ground-type STAB move that helps Zygarde-C trap and set up versus more passive threats. Outrage is another STAB option for Zygarde-C, allowing it to hit threats that resist Ground-type attacks such as Golisopod. It also allows Zygarde-C to hit defensive threats such as other Zygarde-C, Zapdos, and Arceus-Ground for more damage.

Set Details

Groundium Z enables Zygarde-C to use Tectonic Rage, allowing it to break past common checks such as Arceus-Fairy and 2HKOing other common defensive walls such as Blissey, Suicune, and Cresselia at +1. Power Construct is needed to let Zygarde transform into its Complete forme after being at below 50% HP at the end of a turn. EVs have been invested into Attack and Speed with an Adamant nature in order to amplify Zygarde's sweeping capabilities. 24 EVs have been placed in Special Defense to ensure that Zygarde survives a Judgment from Arceus-Fairy. A Jolly nature with full Speed investment can also be used to allow Zygarde-C to outspeed threats such as Jolly Zygarde and Timid Deoxys-A after a +1 boost.

Usage Tips

Dragon Dance Zygarde-C is such a formidable threat due to it possessing such great bulk, which lets it be a very difficult target to revenge kill. Groundium Z also helps boost its wallbreaking capabilities, meaning that common defensive answers cannot check it as easily. Tectonic Rage should be used when Zygarde-C is facing defensive walls such as Arceus-Fairy, Vaporeon, and other Zygarde-C, due to Zygarde-C having a difficult time breaking through such answers without the use of this Z-Move. Offensive threats such as Glalilite Weavile and Arceus-Ghost still threaten to revenge kill Zygarde-C due to the former's access to Refrigerate-boosted Fake Out and Feint and the latter's immunity to Extreme Speed. However, Zygarde-C can still threaten to OHKO Arceus-Ghost with a Tectonic Rage if it acquires a Dragon Dance boost beforehand. Thousand Waves should be used to trap passive walls such as Blissey, Vaporeon, and Zapdos (after it has been knocked down by Thousand Arrows), as Zygarde-C can proceed to start setting up without fearing to be dented too much by the aforementioned Pokemon. Zygarde-C can be quite weak without any boosts, failing to even 3HKO targets such as Blissey, Zapdos, and Cresselia with any unboosted attacks, so setting up Dragon Dance is the main priority when using Zygarde-C.

Team Options

Zygarde-C's 4x Ice-type weakness necessitates the use of team members that can switch comfortably into these attacks. Therefore, Pokemon such as Suicune, Magearna, and Red Orb Togekiss can be great partners. Entry hazard setters such as Primal Groudon, Skarmory, and Blissey can all be useful, as they allow Zygarde to have a much more easier time breaking down bulkier threats such as Lunala, Ho-Oh, Zapdos, and Lugia. Status absorbers such as Toxapex and Sablenite Blissey can also be useful partners to have due to them being able to switch in on certain status moves such as Toxic and Will-O-Wisp, which would otherwise severely cripple Zygarde if it chooses to not run Rest. Lastly, wallbreakers such as Pheromosa, Genesect, Hoopa-U, and Tapu Koko are all great partners, as they can wear down common defensive threats such as Blissey, Skarmory, and Arceus-Ghost, which all have the potential to wall Zygarde-C if it has already used its Z-Move, while in return, Zygarde-C can help break through offensive threats after a Dragon Dance boost.

Strategy Comments

Other Options

A more defensive Coil RestTalk Zygarde-C set can also work, as it acts as a great bulky wincon for defensive teams, but it is generally outclassed by other defensive setup sweepers such as Calm Mind Blissey and Suicune. Core Enforcer can also act as a nice STAB option for defensive Zygarde-C sets, especially in conjunction with Toxic and Thousand Waves, as it allows Zygarde-C to trap and stall out common Sablenite users such as Blissey and Cresselia on the switch in. Dragonium Z can be used over Groundium Z to ensure that Zygarde-C OHKOes threats such as other Zygarde-C and Zapdos with a +1 Devestating Drake; however, Tectonic Rage generally provides Zygarde-C with more capabilities to sweep due to it being better offensive coverage.

Checks and Counters

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