Tea Guzzler
forever searching for a 10p freddo
[SET]
name: Defensive (Defense, HP)
move 1: Discharge / Volt Switch
move 2: Hurricane / Heat Wave
move 3: Roost
move 4: Defog
item: Heavy-Duty Boots
ability: Static
nature: Bold
evs: 248 HP / 124 Def / 136 Spe
Zapdos's good typing, movepool, and Static make it a strong defensive anchor on many teams when given an HP or Defense donation. Discharge provides a consistent STAB attack that can spread paralysis on opponents; Volt Switch can be used instead and allows Zapdos to maintain momentum and pivot out of checks. Hurricane is a secondary STAB attack that crucially targets Electric-resistant foes such as Landorus-T and Rillaboom and carries a non-trivial confusion chance. Heat Wave is an option that deals less damage but can reliably beat Kartana and invalidate Ferrothorn as a check. Defog lets Zapdos control entry hazards for its team, helped by the fact that it can threaten the 2 most common Spikes users in Ferrothorn and Skarmory. Static allows Zapdos to potentially paralyse users of common contact moves like Knock Off and U-turn such as Rillaboom and Tornadus-T. 136 Speed EVs are used to outspeed neutral natured Rillaboom.
Zapdos's best fit is on balance teams that need help checking Grass- and Fighting-type attackers like Rillaboom, Kartana, and Urshifu-R. Gods that provide high Defense donations like Zamazenta-C and Necrozma-DM are useful for maximising Zapdos's defensive capability. Zapdos's Defog means that it and Landorus-T can form a solid physically defensive Defogger core, with Landorus-T able to fit Toxic to wear down shared checks like Gastrodon. Having a secondary source of entry hazard removal also supports Zapdos after it loses its Heavy-Duty Boots to Knock Off Kartana. The threat of paralysis from Discharge and Static allows Zapdos to scare out many fast threats, such as Zamazenta-C and Kartana, so frail wallbreakers like Zygarde-10% and Weavile enjoy Zapdos's presence. These wallbreakers enjoy Zapdos's ability to clear entry hazards and pressure setters like Ferrothorn and Skarmory as well. Allies that help limit Ground-type switch-ins, such as Urshifu-R and Rotom-W, as well as Steel-types to help limit Ice- and Rock-type attackers, like Necrozma-DM or Heatran, are also appreciated.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Zapdos can use Toxic if one of its teammates is already carrying Defog or Rapid Spin, which allows Zapdos to wear down would-be checks like Tapu Koko and Hippowdon; however, this means potential Defogger teammates like Rotom-W have to drop coverage moves or recovery. Zapdos can also opt for a Choice Specs set given a Special Attack or Speed donation, which enables it to threaten common special walls like Tangrowth and Corviknight; however, this heavily compromises on Zapdos's valuable supportive role by leaving it vulnerable to Stealth Rock and making it more reliant on correct predictions and hitting Hurricane. U-turn is an option over Volt Switch that sacrifices damage but ensures Zapdos does not have its pivoting blocked.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Ground-types**: Ground-types with recovery like Hippowdon and Gastrodon can heal off any damage Zapdos does, block Volt Switch, and threaten it with Toxic, but do not appreciate Toxic themselves.
**Electric-types**: Electric-types like Tapu Koko and Zeraora are only threatened by Toxic and can use Zapdos as a chance to heal or set up, respectively. Thanks to Volt Absorb, Zeraora's presence alone can discourage Zapdos spamming Volt Switch.
**Ice-type Pokemon and Coverage**: Ice-type attacks from faster users like Weavile, Glastrier, and Ice Beam Mewtwo can threaten to 2HKO Zapdos; however, they dislike switching in directly, and Weavile must also watch out for Static.
**Special Attackers**: Zapdos not receiving Special Defense donations means strong Special Attackers like Tapu Koko, Blacephalon, and Nihilego can threaten signififcant damage.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Tea Guzzler, 577920]]
- Quality checked by: [[UT, 523866], [longhiep341, 500884]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Isaiah, 375662]]
name: Defensive (Defense, HP)
move 1: Discharge / Volt Switch
move 2: Hurricane / Heat Wave
move 3: Roost
move 4: Defog
item: Heavy-Duty Boots
ability: Static
nature: Bold
evs: 248 HP / 124 Def / 136 Spe
Zapdos's good typing, movepool, and Static make it a strong defensive anchor on many teams when given an HP or Defense donation. Discharge provides a consistent STAB attack that can spread paralysis on opponents; Volt Switch can be used instead and allows Zapdos to maintain momentum and pivot out of checks. Hurricane is a secondary STAB attack that crucially targets Electric-resistant foes such as Landorus-T and Rillaboom and carries a non-trivial confusion chance. Heat Wave is an option that deals less damage but can reliably beat Kartana and invalidate Ferrothorn as a check. Defog lets Zapdos control entry hazards for its team, helped by the fact that it can threaten the 2 most common Spikes users in Ferrothorn and Skarmory. Static allows Zapdos to potentially paralyse users of common contact moves like Knock Off and U-turn such as Rillaboom and Tornadus-T. 136 Speed EVs are used to outspeed neutral natured Rillaboom.
Zapdos's best fit is on balance teams that need help checking Grass- and Fighting-type attackers like Rillaboom, Kartana, and Urshifu-R. Gods that provide high Defense donations like Zamazenta-C and Necrozma-DM are useful for maximising Zapdos's defensive capability. Zapdos's Defog means that it and Landorus-T can form a solid physically defensive Defogger core, with Landorus-T able to fit Toxic to wear down shared checks like Gastrodon. Having a secondary source of entry hazard removal also supports Zapdos after it loses its Heavy-Duty Boots to Knock Off Kartana. The threat of paralysis from Discharge and Static allows Zapdos to scare out many fast threats, such as Zamazenta-C and Kartana, so frail wallbreakers like Zygarde-10% and Weavile enjoy Zapdos's presence. These wallbreakers enjoy Zapdos's ability to clear entry hazards and pressure setters like Ferrothorn and Skarmory as well. Allies that help limit Ground-type switch-ins, such as Urshifu-R and Rotom-W, as well as Steel-types to help limit Ice- and Rock-type attackers, like Necrozma-DM or Heatran, are also appreciated.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Zapdos can use Toxic if one of its teammates is already carrying Defog or Rapid Spin, which allows Zapdos to wear down would-be checks like Tapu Koko and Hippowdon; however, this means potential Defogger teammates like Rotom-W have to drop coverage moves or recovery. Zapdos can also opt for a Choice Specs set given a Special Attack or Speed donation, which enables it to threaten common special walls like Tangrowth and Corviknight; however, this heavily compromises on Zapdos's valuable supportive role by leaving it vulnerable to Stealth Rock and making it more reliant on correct predictions and hitting Hurricane. U-turn is an option over Volt Switch that sacrifices damage but ensures Zapdos does not have its pivoting blocked.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Ground-types**: Ground-types with recovery like Hippowdon and Gastrodon can heal off any damage Zapdos does, block Volt Switch, and threaten it with Toxic, but do not appreciate Toxic themselves.
**Electric-types**: Electric-types like Tapu Koko and Zeraora are only threatened by Toxic and can use Zapdos as a chance to heal or set up, respectively. Thanks to Volt Absorb, Zeraora's presence alone can discourage Zapdos spamming Volt Switch.
**Ice-type Pokemon and Coverage**: Ice-type attacks from faster users like Weavile, Glastrier, and Ice Beam Mewtwo can threaten to 2HKO Zapdos; however, they dislike switching in directly, and Weavile must also watch out for Static.
**Special Attackers**: Zapdos not receiving Special Defense donations means strong Special Attackers like Tapu Koko, Blacephalon, and Nihilego can threaten signififcant damage.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Tea Guzzler, 577920]]
- Quality checked by: [[UT, 523866], [longhiep341, 500884]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Isaiah, 375662]]
Last edited: