Metagame Sword and Shield Data and Speculation

[かたわれ時]

Thanks goodness we have Necrozma-DM though: if TR is up, it ouspeeds and OHKOes:

0 Atk Necrozma-Dusk-Mane Sunsteel Strike vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Zacian-Hero-of-Many-Battles: 284-336 (87.3 - 103.3%) -- 18.8% chance to OHKO (note that this is a Specially Defensive Necrozma-DM with 0 Atk: it OHKOes!)
+1 252+ Atk Zacian-Crowned Crunch vs. 252 HP / 4 Def Prism Armor Necrozma-Dusk-Mane: 213-252 (53.5 - 63.3%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
0 Atk Necrozma-Dusk-Mane Searing Sunraze Smash vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Zacian-Crowned: 282-333 (86.7 - 102.4%) -- 18.8% chance to OHKO
252+ Atk Necrozma-Dusk-Mane Earthquake vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Zacian-Crowned: 244-288 (75 - 88.6%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
+1 252+ Atk Zacian-Crowned Crunch vs. 252 HP / 4 Def Prism Armor Necrozma-Dusk-Mane: 213-252 (53.5 - 63.3%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
+1 252+ Atk Zacian-Hero-of-Many-Battles Crunch vs. 252 HP / 4 Def Prism Armor Necrozma-Dusk-Mane: 175-207 (43.9 - 52%) -- 12.5% chance to 2HKO
252+ Atk Necrozma-Dusk-Mane Sunsteel Strike vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Zacian-Hero-of-Many-Battles: 366-432 (112.6 - 132.9%) -- guaranteed OHKO

 

[Joseph Gomes]

Thanks goodness we have Necrozma-DM though: if TR is up, it ouspeeds and OHKOes:

0 Atk Necrozma-Dusk-Mane Sunsteel Strike vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Zacian-Crowned: 284-336 (87.3 - 103.3%) -- 18.8% chance to OHKO
+1 252+ Atk Zacian-Hero-of-Many-Battles Crunch vs. 252 HP / 4 Def Prism Armor Necrozma-Dusk-Mane: 213-252 (53.5 - 63.3%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
0 Atk Necrozma-Dusk-Mane Searing Sunraze Smash vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Zacian-Hero-of-Many-Battles: 282-333 (86.7 - 102.4%) -- 18.8% chance to OHKO
252+ Atk Necrozma-Dusk-Mane Earthquake vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Zacian-Hero-of-Many-Battles: 244-288 (75 - 88.6%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
+1 252+ Atk Zacian-Hero-of-Many-Battles Crunch vs. 252 HP / 4 Def Prism Armor Necrozma-Dusk-Mane: 213-252 (53.5 - 63.3%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
+1 252+ Atk Zacian-Crowned Crunch vs. 252 HP / 4 Def Prism Armor Necrozma-Dusk-Mane: 175-207 (43.9 - 52%) -- 12.5% chance to 2HKO
252+ Atk Necrozma-Dusk-Mane Sunsteel Strike vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Zacian-Crowned: 366-432 (112.6 - 132.9%) -- guaranteed OHKO

Nice, is this for regular or Sword Form?

 

[Rasengan777]

I think scarf marshadow might see some usage. Im also almost positive someone will build a really good trick room team, and that trick room will see more usage.

 

[かたわれ時]

Nice, is this for regular or Sword Form?

Both.
Regular is Zacian-Crowned Zacian-Hero-of-Many-Battles, Sword is Zacian-Hero-of-Many-Battles Zacian-Crowned.

 

[Joseph Gomes]

I think scarf marshadow might see some usage. Im also almost positive someone will build a really good trick room team, and that trick room will see more usage.

Trick Room won't hurt Zacian that much honestly. Unlike other fast mon like say Mewtwo (whose typing is pretty bad), Zacian Sword has 9 resistances and two immunities. Zacian can prolly invest in bulk and run Agility and Swords Dance along with two coverage moves (Crunch and Play Rough, maybe).

 

[Rasengan777]

Trick Room won't hurt Zacian that much honestly. Unlike other fast mon like say Mewtwo (whose typing is pretty bad), Zacian Sword has 9 resistances and two immunities. Zacian can prolly invest in bulk and run Agility and Swords Dance along with two coverage moves (Crunch and Play Rough, maybe).

you may be right, but itd be fun wouldnt it

 

[Guard]

Both.
Regular is Zacian-Crowned, Sword is Zacian-Hero-of-Many-Battles.

Nope, it is contrary to what you assume

 

[Rarycaris]

Shedinja is something I want to try out as the metagame develops, with the removal of Pursuit and Hidden Power and the addition of Boots giving it a much easier time as a wincon. Its success will depend largely on how the rest of the metagame shakes up, particularly in regard to whether standard Zacians/Zekroms/Kyurem-Bs run the coverage to hit Shed.

Zekrom and Kyurem-B have Teravolt, which blanks Wonder Guard. Kyurem-B also has Icicle Spear to get around Sash.

I don't see Shedinja doing well when 8 of the 16 presumed ubers (Reshiram, Zekrom, both Kyurem, Solgaleo, Lunala, both Necrozma) have either Mold Breaker as an ability or the same effect on one of their moves, two more (Marshadow and Aegislash) hit it super-effectively with its STAB, and four of the remaining six (Mewtwo, Eternatus, both Zamazenta) will always be carrying coverage for it. Zacian's forms are the only Pokemon uber by tiering that Shedinja can hope to wall, and even then, they will be carrying Crunch frequently.

 

[Jibaku]

Spoilers (Zacian)

Spoilers (Eternatus)

It seems that Zacian and Eternatus (and presumably Zamazenta) can't Dynamax? Unless there's an additional requirement that the game's not telling.

 

[Rarycaris]

Spoilers (Zacian)

Spoilers (Eternatus)

It seems that Zacian and Eternatus (and presumably Zamazenta) can't Dynamax? Unless there's an additional requirement that the game's not telling.

Makes sense balance-wise, given that their whole gimmick is beating down opposing Dynamaxes.

Someone should test whether this applies generally to legendaries, or if it's specifically those three.

 

[metal box]

Zekrom and Kyurem-B have Teravolt, which blanks Wonder Guard. Kyurem-B also has Icicle Spear to get around Sash.

oh you're right, i completely forgot about mold breaker on gen 5 legends. i guess its back to OU for shed then

 

[AR_Harlock]

Zamazenta: Metal burst ---> Zacian : Suicide

as of now Zacian buffed at best can 2Hko Zamazenta, at turn two metal burst 1HKO Zacian (if Zacian is already buffed Zamazenta need only 1 turn to 1HKO Zacian)

 

[Rarycaris]

as of now Zacian buffed at best can 2Hko Zamazenta, at turn two metal burst 1HKO Zacian (if Zacian is already buffed Zamazenta need only 1 turn to 1HKO Zacian)

+3 252 Atk Zacian-Crowned Sacred Sword vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Zamazenta-Crowned: 468-552 (120.6 - 142.2%) -- guaranteed OHKO

(Sacred Sword will ignore Zamazenta's ability and any other stat boosts, and is thus better than Close Combat here)

 

[AR_Harlock]

+3 252 Atk Zacian-Crowned Sacred Sword vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Zamazenta-Crowned: 468-552 (120.6 - 142.2%) -- guaranteed OHKO

(Sacred Sword will ignore Zamazenta's ability and any other stat boosts, and is thus better than Close Combat here)

yeah if you got him to + 3 ( and that's easy to do i guess) just throw the switch out the window at this point

 

[Zrp200]

If Zacian can't dynamax, that means that Reshiram consistently deals with Rusted Sword Zacian as long as its speed isn't boosted. Obviously the matchup against regular Zacian is a lot more sketchy thanks to Zacian's loss of the Fire weakness, but at that point you can just use a bulky steel (defensive Dusk Mane perhaps?)

Defensive Dusk Mane, however, while it can live +3 crunch with HEAVY investment, has trouble OHKOing Zacian thanks to loss of Searing Sunraze Smash.

 

[Iceydude168]

Might be talking out of my ass here, but Hippowdon sand teams could be decent in Ubers. Resetting weather will be more difficult than simply swapping in pogre or pdon (still not entirely sure how Dynamax works but from what I've heard you need to use a move to summon weather), Hippowdown has decent phys bulk (it can survive a +3 Play Rough from base 170 atk Zacian), Zacian won't really want to set up on it because of STAB EQ, and it makes the already-decent Excadrill even better. A shame that we don't have any usable Sand Force pokemon anymore after Mega Chomp and Lando got snapped though.

 

[GundamExia]

yeah if you got him to + 3 ( and that's easy to do i guess) just throw the switch out the window at this point

that wont be hard if you predict well, switch into some dragon or resisted attack. then sword dance to GG....

also will base zacian even have use?? their crowned forms are just superior for the most part.

 

[かたわれ時]

also will base zacian even have use?? their crowned forms are just superior for the most part.

I’m sure there will. After all, with Xerneas gone (I think) Zacian will be the premier Fairy-type Pokemon. It also has this little niche: its pure Fairy-type makes it better able to handle Fire Ground and Fighting types that the Crowned version may struggle with (actually this distinction is only for a NatDex version as there are effectively none of those here). Of course there’s Eternatus... welp Normal Zacian is actually worse than the Crowned form.

 

[Colekdaking]

So foofootoo made a video about Polteageist yesterday, and yeah, it's gonna be wild in OU. Flapple seems subpar, while Thick Fat Appletun fills a similar role to mega venusaur, albeit a little worse, so it may find its niche in BLOU or UU. Grimsnarl has prankster thunder wave. It's just physical Klefki.

 

[Ray713]

that wont be hard if you predict well, switch into some dragon or resisted attack. then sword dance to GG....

also will base zacian even have use?? their crowned forms are just superior for the most part.

Yes due to Zacian having a great offensive movepool to take advantage of, having a free item slot definitely has some advantage over its Steel form as the guy above has mentioned some of the traits.

I know this thread is just speculation but IMO but some of the people including myself has suggested a Choice Band set for its base form which I think Zacian is a great user of as it is likely to force switches. Being one the fastest mon with the appropriate coverage to neutrally hit almost the entire tier plus having twice boosted in attack stat to be unleashed right off the bat is going to do some serious damage to its switch-ins and perhaps get a KO before they can retaliate back - it is definitely going to be a pain for offense and bulky teams to deal with.

Zacian @ Choice Band
Ability: Intrepid Sword
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Play Rough
- Close Combat / Sacred Sword
- Psychic Fangs
- Crunch

Although it may sound out of the ordinary compare to Zacian's typical role of a wallbreaker or set-up sweeper, I also hypothesized a Choice Scarf set which enables Zacian to take the route of a revenge killer even capable of revenging some of the set up sweepers from running amok - it is capable of out-speeding a +2 DD Adamant Zekrom. This set is particularly handy vs opposing Scarfers that is utilised to foil Zacian's sweeping attempts. Even without the tool to raise its attack even further, this thing still hits reasonably hard thanks to the boost from Intrepid Sword, this is especially threatening for mons in offensive teams that is potentially getting 2HKOd. Although you'll have a hard time against bulkier teams regardless I think Zacian is better suited to being a wallbreaker or sweeper making this set sort of niche.

Zacian @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Intrepid Sword
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Play Rough
- Close Combat
- Psychic Fangs
- Crunch

 

[AR_Harlock]

seeing a bit of casual wifi battle is there in the two base game anyway that can counter zacian? every time she is out she wipe everything ... any suggestion?

 

[Joseph Gomes]

seeing a bit of casual wifi battle is there in the two base game anyway that can counter zacian? every time she is out she wipe everything ... any suggestion?

Sand Rush Excadrill in Sandstorm (with Hippowdown as team partner) and Jolly Scarfed Reshiram are checks. Other than these 2, nothing.

 

[AR_Harlock]

Sand Rush Excadrill in Sandstorm (with Hippowdown as team partner) and Jolly Scarfed Reshiram are checks. Other than these 2, nothing.

So ,leaving Reshiram out, excadrill and hippo (why not Ttar ? ) or just kill it before if you can? In couple year if they admit it in vgc (like they did for other legendaries) will be pretty boring lol.... all zacian or all excadrill mmm

 

[Joe Career]

why not Ttar ?

Ttar is weak to both STAB, it's not a check at all.

 

[Cobalt Empoleon]

Ttar is weak to both STAB, it's not a check at all.

They meant “why not have Tyranitar as your Sand Stream Pokémon instead of Hippowdon?”