[OVERVIEW]
Zapdos is a powerful threat in the metagame due to its high stats and access to strong STABs in Thunderbolt and Drill Peck. With one of the highest Special stats around and a solid Attack stat to go along with it, Zapdos can threaten damage on both sides of the attacking spectrum. Zapdos's bulk is also quite good, allowing it to take hits from strong attackers like Tauros and Alakazam.
[SET]
name: Offensive
move 1: Thunderbolt
move 2: Drill Peck
move 3: Thunder
move 4: Thunder Wave / Reflect
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========
Thunderbolt is Zapdos's main STAB, significantly threatening Pokemon weak to it like Starmie, Slowbro, and Articuno, while still doing significant damage to neutral targets like Tauros and Snorlax. Drill Peck helps against Exeggutor and Venusaur that resist Zapdos's Electric-type attacks, while hitting Gengar and Alakazam harder than Thunderbolt due to their naturally high Special stat and low Defense stat. Thunder is a useful tool alongside Thunderbolt if you need the extra damage to score a KO. This is relevant especially against Tauros, as Thunderbolt into Thunder can KO them before they can KO you. It also helps in the mirror, and further increases Snorlax matchup. Zapdos's last move is dedicated to a useful status move. Thunder Wave is a useful tool for increasing the odds into Tauros, along with turning the Alakazam matchup into a winning one. Reflect is another solid option which improves your odds against non Blizzard Snorlax.
Zapdos likes pairing with Pokemon like Blizzard Snorlax and Tauros that can take on Pokemon like Rhydon and Jolteon that resist Zapdos's STABs. Hitmonlee and Articuno are also great partners, since they can beat Chansey and help with Zapdos's shaky Snorlax matchup.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Zapdos can run a Stall set with the combination of Toxic, Reflect, and Rest, which can beat Rhydons lacking Rest. However, this severly weakens your matchups into Tauros and Exeggutor, so it is rarely run. Light Screen is also a novel option to improve your matchup into certain special attackers, though it is only relevant if Zapdos can threaten to KO them through their recovery moves.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Electric-types**: Jolteon and Raichu resist both Electric and Flying and can hit Zapdos hard with a neutral Thunderbolt and Thunder.
**Ice-type Moves**: Special attackers like Chansey and Jynx can hit Zapdos hard with Ice Beam or Blizzard. Snorlax can also utilize Amnesia along with those attacks to have an alright matchup.
**Rhydon**: Rhydon is immune to Zapdos's Electric moves and takes minimal damage from Drill Peck, and can hit it hard in return with a super-effective Rock Slide. Stall Zapdos can try to use Toxic to beat Rhydon, but Rest can be used to heal.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/murm.520168/
Quality checked by:
Grammar checked by:
Zapdos is a powerful threat in the metagame due to its high stats and access to strong STABs in Thunderbolt and Drill Peck. With one of the highest Special stats around and a solid Attack stat to go along with it, Zapdos can threaten damage on both sides of the attacking spectrum. Zapdos's bulk is also quite good, allowing it to take hits from strong attackers like Tauros and Alakazam.
[SET]
name: Offensive
move 1: Thunderbolt
move 2: Drill Peck
move 3: Thunder
move 4: Thunder Wave / Reflect
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========
Thunderbolt is Zapdos's main STAB, significantly threatening Pokemon weak to it like Starmie, Slowbro, and Articuno, while still doing significant damage to neutral targets like Tauros and Snorlax. Drill Peck helps against Exeggutor and Venusaur that resist Zapdos's Electric-type attacks, while hitting Gengar and Alakazam harder than Thunderbolt due to their naturally high Special stat and low Defense stat. Thunder is a useful tool alongside Thunderbolt if you need the extra damage to score a KO. This is relevant especially against Tauros, as Thunderbolt into Thunder can KO them before they can KO you. It also helps in the mirror, and further increases Snorlax matchup. Zapdos's last move is dedicated to a useful status move. Thunder Wave is a useful tool for increasing the odds into Tauros, along with turning the Alakazam matchup into a winning one. Reflect is another solid option which improves your odds against non Blizzard Snorlax.
Zapdos likes pairing with Pokemon like Blizzard Snorlax and Tauros that can take on Pokemon like Rhydon and Jolteon that resist Zapdos's STABs. Hitmonlee and Articuno are also great partners, since they can beat Chansey and help with Zapdos's shaky Snorlax matchup.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Zapdos can run a Stall set with the combination of Toxic, Reflect, and Rest, which can beat Rhydons lacking Rest. However, this severly weakens your matchups into Tauros and Exeggutor, so it is rarely run. Light Screen is also a novel option to improve your matchup into certain special attackers, though it is only relevant if Zapdos can threaten to KO them through their recovery moves.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Electric-types**: Jolteon and Raichu resist both Electric and Flying and can hit Zapdos hard with a neutral Thunderbolt and Thunder.
**Ice-type Moves**: Special attackers like Chansey and Jynx can hit Zapdos hard with Ice Beam or Blizzard. Snorlax can also utilize Amnesia along with those attacks to have an alright matchup.
**Rhydon**: Rhydon is immune to Zapdos's Electric moves and takes minimal damage from Drill Peck, and can hit it hard in return with a super-effective Rock Slide. Stall Zapdos can try to use Toxic to beat Rhydon, but Rest can be used to heal.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/murm.520168/
Quality checked by:
Grammar checked by:
Last edited: