Doubles Zygarde


Already further than Ablast got, I understand why he left it

Overview
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At first glance, Zygarde looks like a bad Dragon-type Pokemon. Although it has good bulk, it has very few support moves and a mediocre Attack stat, so it cannot even hit hard. It faces heavy competition from other Dragon-types, which boast better offensive and Speed stats. It doesn't even have a useful ability — Aura Break only works on the banned Xerneas and Yveltal. However, Zygarde has a niche as it possesses Glare and Land's Wrath. Land's Wrath is a spread Ground-type attack unique to Zygarde that doesn't hit Zygarde's ally. Glare lets Zygarde paralyze Ground-types, which are immune to Thunder Wave. This means it can paralyze Landorus-T, Garchomp, and Excadrill, all common Pokemon in the metagame. Zygarde's nice 108 / 121 / 95 bulk and good base 95 Speed let it paralyze much of the opposing team before being taken down and pose a major threat to the opponent mid- and late-game.

Bulky Attacker
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name: Bulky Attacker
move 1: Glare / Substitute
move 2: Land's Wrath
move 3: Stone Edge
move 4: Protect / Substitute
ability: Aura Break
item: Leftovers
evs: 112 HP / 248 Atk / 148 Spe
nature: Adamant

Moves
========
Glare is Zygarde's main niche and the move in the first slot, being able to paralyze Ground-types, slowing the opponent down so that Zygarde's ally can outspeed them and hit hard. Substitute aims to keep Zygarde on the field for as long as possible, making it functionally immune to status moves and allowing it to soak up attacks. Zygarde's good bulk and resistance to Fire-type attacks allows it to easily set up a Substitute and proceed to stay behind it for a few turns. Land's Wrath, Zygarde's signature move, is the next move on the set, as it is a powerful STAB attack and doesn't force Zygarde's ally to be a Flying-type or have Levitate to not be hit, making it good for teams with more Pokemon weak to Ground-type attacks and fewer switch-ins to Earthquake. Stone Edge is used over Rock Slide as it bypasses Wide Guard and also has much more power than Rock Slide. It is most useful for hitting Mega Charizard Y and Talonflame hard. Protect is a staple move in Doubles, as it can guard Zygarde from a potentially fatal attack while it's ally KOes the threat or stall out weather conditions and Trick Room/Tailwind turns. However, Substitute can be used here as Zygarde will find it easier to set up on a slower, paralyzed opponent.

Set Details
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The investment in Speed lets Zygarde paralyze Breloom or set up a Substitute before being put to sleep with Spore. Zygarde should also be heavily invested in Attack to hit hard once opponents have been slowed down with Glare. The remaining EVs should be put in HP for overall bulk to give Zygarde an easier time paralyzing the opponent. If Substitute is used over Glare or Protect, an EV spread of 144 HP / 216 Atk / 148 Spe should be used, as this still outspeeds Jolly 252 Speed Breloom to set up a Substitute before being put to sleep with Spore, but is invested less in Attack to just guarantee an OHKO on Modest 176 / 0 Heatran, with the remaining EVs put into bulk. However, the Substitute set is outclassed by Garchomp, which can reach the exact same stats in defenses, Attack, and Speed while still having 8 leftover EVs. An Adamant nature is used on both spreads for maximum Attack. A Jolly nature can be used for greater Speed, but is not recommended because Zygarde doesn't outspeed anything else significant and it misses out on the OHKO on Heatran with Land's Wrath. Leftovers is the item used because it can gain a lot of HP back over time and greatly increase Zygarde's longevity, which aids it in paralyzing the opposing team or setting up Substitutes.

Usage Tips
========
As Zygarde's best stats are in bulk, it can switch into resisted attacks and even some neutral attacks and either paralyze the opponent or deal some damage. Once Zygarde is on the field, proceed to paralyze as much of the opposing team as possible, use Protect when necessary or to get a bit more health from Leftovers, or just hit a Heatran or Flying-type for good damage with the correct STAB attack. Zygarde can also act as an effective pivot and switch to an ally to let them get solid damage off on its checks such as Landorus. Zygarde is most effective mid-game, as it struggles to sweep late-game due to its relatively low base Speed and the set having no boosting moves. Zygarde can neutralize fast threats with Glare or deal damage when opposing Pokemon have been weakened a little for faster sweepers to clean up, because its bulk helps it stay for a long time.

Team Options
========
Pokemon that can deal with Dragon-, Ice-, and Fairy-types make good partners, so Zygarde can last for longer to paralyze more of the opposing team. Mega Mawile is a good option as it resists Ice- and Fairy-type attacks and is immune to Dragon-type attacks, and can hit them all for super effective damage. It isn't hit by Zygarde's Land's Wrath and also appreciates Heatran being removed by Zygarde. Other Pokemon that appreciate Heatran being taken care of are good partners; both Mega Charizard X and Y have their STAB attacks walled by Heatran, and Mega Charizard Y also resists Fairy-type attacks. Wide Guard users are also good partners as Zygarde is very vulnerable to Hyper Voice, which even bypasses Substitute. Aegislash resists all of Zygarde's weaknesses and also has great bulk to be able to use Wide Guard for many turns. Fake Out users make good partners as they can potentially give Zygarde a free turn to paralyze an opponent or set up a Substitute. Hitmontop is a notable choice as it has Intimidate to weaken physical attackers as well as Wide Guard. It also gets Feint to let Zygarde hit Heatran and Charizard that are using Protect as well as bypass Wide Guard and attack with Land's Wrath. Pokemon that appreciate the opponents being slowed down are good partners, as it is Zygarde's main niche. Aegislash can outspeed and deal heavy damage to Landorus and Garchomp once they have been slowed down by Zygarde. Pokemon that can take out Intimidate users which weaken Zygarde's physical attacks work as partners. Rotom-W easily takes care of Landorus-T and Talonflame beats Hitmontop and Scrafty with its Flying-type STAB attacks. Land's Wrath is one of the main reasons to use Zygarde over other Ground-types, so Pokemon that appreciate not being hit by Earthquake are good partners. Heatran is deserves a mention here as it can use Heat Wave and not have to worry about using Protect.

Other Options
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Extreme Speed can work for a strong priority attack or to pick off weakened opponents, but it doesn't hit very hard as it is not boosted by STAB and Zygarde doesn't have an Attack-boosting item. Rock Slide is an alternative over Stone Edge as it hits both opponents, but the power drop from Stone Edge is noticeable. Coil can work as a boosting option with Substitute as the Defense boost lets Zygarde's Substitute last longer, the Accuracy boost makes Stone Edge more accurate, and the Attack boost makes Zygarde's attacks hit harder. Dragon Dance is another setup option as the increase in Attack and Speed can aid Zygarde in a potential sweep. However, this means Glare, Zygarde's main niche, must be foregone. If Stone Edge is replaced, Zygarde is walled by Flying-types and Pokemon with the Levitate ability. A Chesto Berry with Rest can be used to give Zygarde one-time full health recovery and to heal status conditions like burn. Safeguard is a team support option to protect allies from burns and paralysis. Yache Berry helps Zygarde survive one Ice-type attack and paralyze the opponent or KO a weakened threat.

Checks & Counters
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**Attack Control**: Intimidate users and fast Will-O-Wisp users can check Zygarde as they can weaken its physical attacks. However, Zygarde is not affected by either of these behind a Substitute. Sableye has priority Will-O-Wisps, and so can burn Zygarde before it sets up a Substitute. Landorus-T and Rotom are both immune to Zygarde's STAB Land's Wrath and can Intimidate or burn it, respectively.

**Offensive Typing Advantage**: Sylveon and Mega Gardevoir can hit Zygarde extremely hard with super effective Pixilate-boosted Hyper Voices ,which bypass Substitutes. Dragon-types can also switch in on Zygarde as it doesn't usually carry a STAB Dragon-type attack. Latios is immune to Land's Wrath and Garchomp resists Stone Edge. However, both must be wary of Glare as they can be slowed down for Zygarde's ally to KO them. Ice-types like Mamoswine can easily OHKO Zygarde with a 4x super effective STAB attack. However, many Ice-types are weak to Rock-type attacks and Mamoswine can be paralyzed, so they must be careful. Ice-type coverage is also common on many Pokemon. Ludicolo can outspeed Zygarde in rain and OHKO with Ice Beam and resist Land's Wrath. Electric-types such as Thundurus and Mega Manectric can outspeed Zygarde and hit it hard with Hidden Power Ice, but Thundurus is weak to Stone Edge and Mega Manectric is weak to Land's Wrath, even though it has Intimidate.

**Utility Moves**: Wide Guard users can block Zygarde's Land's Wrath while a partner KOes it without taking damage. Hitmontop and Aegislash are the best choices here. Hitmontop has Intimidate and Fake Out to hinder Zygarde's capabilities beyond just Wide Guard and Aegislash can hit hard with its base 150 Special Attack. Both also resist Zygarde's Rock-type coverage attack, and can even block it with Wide Guard if Zygarde opts for Rock Slide. Cresselia can use Trick Room and turn Zygarde's Glare into a disadvantage. It can also use Ice Beam to hit Zygarde for 4x super effective damage.
 
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jrrrrrrr

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This needs to mention ExtremeSpeed somewhere, probably in the set comments. Zygarde doesn't have much going for it over Garchomp (or any other Dragon), so ExtremeSpeed + Glare + Land's Wrath should get mentions. Maybe this will see more use if Yveltal or Xerneas get unbanned in doubles.
 
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Ready for qc, probably missed a lot in checks and counters.

EDIT: after irc discussion, changed main set to to glare / sub. Pls qc now with changes
 
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Darkmalice

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Don't have time yet for a full analysis, but I have some pointers

You can call the set Bulky Attacker

  • Despite these flaws, it has a niche as one of the best Heatran counters in the game.
If I had to describe one thing why to use Zygarde over its competition, this would not be it. Garchomp is almost as good at beating Heatran, and with a Yache Berry, it's better than Zygarde. And of course Garchomp can EV itself to survive the attack without Yache Berry whilst still being faster and harder-hitting than Zygarde. 128 HP / 4 SpD lets it always survive Shuca Berry HP Ice for example. (Btw Shuca Berry is the only common set that uses HP Ice and is as such the only common set that can actually trouble Garchomp).

The main reasons to use Zygarde are its better bulk in combination with access to specific moves like Glare and Land's Wrath. You can mention that the bulk lets it survive HP Ice, but if that's the only reason I'd always pick Garchomp over Zygarde

should be used mid game, as it cannot sweep at end game, but can neutralise fast threats or deal damage when opposing pokes have been weakened a little for fast sweepers to clean up, as it stays for so long.
Mention why it cannot sweep late game

dd an option over sub, as attack and speed can increase sweeping power, but sub is the only reason to use zygarde over chomp.
Remove - this is false
 

Darkmalice

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Something I found out. Garchomp can EV itself to have exactly the same stats as your Zygarde spread but with 8 leftover EVs.

So when using Substitute with your spread, Land's Wrath is literally the only thing stopping Zygarde from being 100% outclassed by Garchomp. Mention this in Set comments

The sad thing about Zygarde is that it would like to invest more in bulk to differentiate itself from its competition, but in practice, it really needs the attack investment so it can actually threaten things

 
O.o thats quite bad for zygarde, but i think we all know zygarde is pretty trashy. Change made.

Btw, chomp only has 4 leftover evs, it needs to invest 4 in spatk to have the same stat there, but it is irrelevant.
 

Audiosurfer

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some things
  • ice types mess it up, so mention that in c&c
  • cress can maul it, takes nothin from its attacks and sometimes carries ice beam or icy wind. rotom-w also goes to town on zygarde
  • mention yache berry in OO along with chestorest and safeguard
  • say how ice coverage is v common so it has to be careful, such as with ludicolo under rain outspeedin and KOing with ice beam
  • "and also has slightly more power than Land's Wrath against one opponent." <--- this should be revised to say that the main thing is that it has much more power than rock slide, not that it has slightly more than land's wrath against one opponent lol
  • add pokemon that can take out intimidators like lando-t and top under team options
  • mention scarf lando-t in the overview as it is a notable ground-type that gets crippled by glare
decent otherwise, qc 1/3
 
Overview:
  • I wouldn't call scarf landoge the most common. just call it a common threat.
Set:
  • Rock Slide is 2 Weak for Zygarde imo. Good for oo tho. I think Substitute could also be slashed behind Stone Edge or Protect, because I can see SubGlare having potential.
Moves:
  • Land's Wrath isn't better than Earthquake, as most teams would prefer just switching into a Levatating/Flying partner and dealing more damage. Just say it lets Zygarde fit on teams that have more Ground weak partners than partners that can switch into Earthquake.
Set Details:
  • Don't say substitute is not good. Say it is mainly outclassed by Garchomp so the new EV spread focuses on it's only niche of more bulk.
  • No Earth Plate or Life Orb mention here (save them for OO) if there is no extra KOs
Team Options:
  • If you agree with the slash of Substitute behind Stone Edge, put partners that can take out the Flying (such as Thundurus, Terrakion etc.) and Levitate Pokemon (Stuff like Scrafty, Escavalier and Weavile really screw them over).
  • I wouldn't add Follow Me/Rage Powder users for Zygarde because it doesn't offer enough offensive pressure on its own so the opp can easily take advantage of the lack of power on its side and set up/switch around to a favorable matchup.
Checks & Counters:
  • List specific Intimidators and fast Burners.
  • Floaters if the set lacks Stone Edge.
  • Thundurus, Thundurus-T, and Mega Manectric outspeed and have HP Ice.
 
Thanks Lolk! If im really honest, i dont think sub can be put over SE or protect. It needs SE or it is walled by too many pokes and requires too much support to be viable. Protect is kinda necessaery on zygarde too as because it has a lot of common weaknesses.

I would like other input on this Mizuhime, Pwnemon, BLOOD TOTEM, Audiosurfer
 

BLOOD TOTEM

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I think Substitute can probably be slashed with Protect, you say it's weak to a lot of common types but there are only 3 weaknesses, Ice, Dragon and Fairy all 3 of which are conveniently walled by a Steel-type Pokemon which is something I believe to be staple for most teams. This means you aren't too hard pressed to Protect all the time since it's likely you'll have a switchin.

I think Stone Edge is pretty important since it slays Zard Y which is something Zygarde comes in on well, EdgeQuake coverage is pretty nice too.

tl;dr slashing sub with Protect is fine, just don't oversell it.
 
Overview:
  • list the other two fast ground types (garchomp, excadrill) in the overview too as things Zygarde can paralyze, cause it is its biggest niche.

Team Options:
  • heatran can safely spam heat waves as a partner and not worry about EQ
Checks & Counters
  • Can't beat Wide Guard Hitmontop and Aegislash.
QC 2/3
 

Darkmalice

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Zygarde's good bulk and great defensive typing, giving it many resistances, allows it to easily set up a Substitute and proceed to stay behind it for a few turns
Zygarde doesn't have many resistances, in fact it only has 2 resistances (one being Poison) and one immunity, and in practice only the Fire-type resistance helps gets Subs up (the users of Electric-type and Poison-type moves carry other moves that break Subs). Rather it's its large bulk that gets Subs up and predicted switches

However, the Substitute set is outclassed by Garchomp, who can reach the exact same stats in defenses, Attack and Speed while still having 8 leftover EVs. Therefore, the suggested spread focuses on greater bulk Zygarde possesses
The last sentence is false. The only advantage that the Sub set has over Sub Garchomp is Land's Wrath. As you've said, Garchomp can react the exact stats and as such can obtain the same bulk as Zygarde.

You should mention in Team Options Land's Wrath is one of the main reasons to use Zygarde over other Ground-type Pokemon. As such, Zygarde is a better fit on teams that have many Pokemon that want to avoid being hit by their partner's EQ. Then you can mention Heatran as an example

In OO
However, Protect must be foregone for Coil, and this leaves it vulnerable to super effective Hyper Voices.
If I were to use Coil, I'd probably use it over Glare / Sub. I rather that you include it in the reason that Glare must be removed, make up a new reason or remove this altogether. You can also mention Substitute with Glare being removed.

Add Cresselia to Counters. Can use Ice Beam and doesn't fear anything Zygarde can do, including Glare. Glare can actually be used against Zygarde if if Cresselia uses Trick Room.

This is well-written. Good job. It's been a while since I used Zygarde and I think it sucks, so I'll let someone else give it the final QC check.
 
Changes made. I would really appreciate a qc today so i can get this to gp. I have to leave on monday and wont be back for 4 weeks
 

Darkmalice

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Alright then. Very minor edits.

This means it Can paralyze Choice Scarf Landorus-T, Garchomp and Excadrill, all common Pokemon in the metagame
Can remove Choice Scarf - you can paralyse it with or without it. I know Lando-T is better to paralyse when scarfed, but it can still be helpful to paralyse nonScarfed Landoge

The investment in Speed EVs lets Zygarde outspeed Jolly 252 Speed Breloom, so it can paralyze Breloom before being put to sleep with Spore. Zygarde has also been heavily invested in Attack to hit hard once opponents have been slowed down with Glare. The remaining EVs have been put in HP for overall bulk to give Zygarde and easier time paralyzing the opponent. If Substitute is used over Glare or Protect, an EV spread of 144 HP / 216 Atk / 148 Spe should be used, this still outspeeds Jolly 252 Speed Breloom to set up a Substitute before being put to sleep with Spore, but is invested less in Attack to just guarantee an OHKO on Modest 176 / 0 Heatran, with the remaining EVs put into bulk.
Can mention in the first sentence that the speed lets Zygarde paralyse or set up a Sub before being put to sleep with Spore. Then in the 2nd bolded part, just say it still outspeeds Jolly Breloom. It flows better this way.

It also gets Feint to let Zygarde hit Heatrans and Charizards that are using Protect.
And let Zygarde bypass opposing Wide Guard

QC 3/3

Get these changes done fast :)
 
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Lord Alphose

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Overview
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At first glance, Zygarde looks like a bad Dragon-type Pokemon. WhileAlthough it has good bulk, it has very few support moves to make the most of it and has a mediocre Attack stat so it cannot even hit hard. It faces heavy competition from other Dragon-types, which boast better offensive and Speed stats. It doesn't even have a useful ability - Aura Break only works on the banned Xerneas and Yveltal. Despite these flaws, Zygarde has a niche as it possesses Glare and Land's Wrath. Land's Wrath is a spread Ground-type attack unique to Zygarde that doesn't hit Zygarde's ally, and is a unique move to it. Glare lets Zygarde paralyze Ground-types, which are immune to Thunder Wave. This means it can paralyze Landorus-T, Garchomp,(AC) and Excadrill, all common Pokemon in the metagame. Zygarde's nice 108 / 121 / 95 bulk and good base 95 Speed let it paralyze much of the opposing team before being taken down and pose a major threat to the opponent mid- (Add a space here) to-late game.

Bulky Attacker
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name: Bulky Attacker
move 1: Glare / Substitute
move 2: Land's Wrath
move 3: Stone Edge
move 4: Protect / Substitute
ability: Aura Break
item: Leftovers
evs: 112 HP / 248 Atk / 148 Spe
nature: Adamant

Moves
========
Glare is Zygarde's main niche and the first choice for this slot, being able to paralyze Ground-types, slowing the opponent down forso that Zygarde's ally tocan outspeed them and hit hard. Substitute aims to keep Zygarde on the field for as long as possible, making it functionally immune to status moves and soakallowing it to soak up attacks from behind a Substitute. Zygarde's good bulk and resistance to Fire-type attacks allows it to easily set up a Substitute and proceed to stay behind it for a few turns. Land's Wrath, Zygarde's signature move, is the next move on the set, as it is a powerful STAB attack and doesn't force Zygarde's ally to be a Flying-type or have Levitate to not be hit, making it good for teams with more Pokemon weak to Ground-type attacks and fewer switch-ins to Earthquake. Stone Edge is used over Rock Slide as it bypasses Wide Guard and can hit Mega Charizard Y and Talonflame for 4x super effective damage while alsoand havings much more power than Rock Slide on one opponent. Protect is a staple move in Doubles, as it can guard Zygarde from a potentially fatal attack while it's ally KOs the threat, or stall out weather conditions and Trick Room / Tailwind turns. However, Substitute can be used here as Zygarde will find it easier to set up on a slower, paralyzed opponent.

Set Details
========
The investment in Speed EVs lets Zygarde paralyze Breloom or set up a Substitute before being put to sleep with Spore. 148 Speed EVs lets Zygarde outspeed Jolly 252 Speed Breloom. Zygarde has also should been heavily invested in Attack to hit hard once opponents have been slowed down with Glare. The remaining EVs haveshould been put in HP for overall bulk to give Zygarde an easier time paralyzing the opponent. If Substitute is used over Glare or Protect, an EV spread of 144 HP / 216 Atk / 148 Spe should be used, as this still outspeeds Jolly 252 Speed Breloom to set up a Substitute before being put to sleep with Spore, but is invested less in Attack to just guarantee an OHKO on Modest 176 / 0(Only Defense matters, correct? All you need to say is "Modest 176 Defense Heatran," and you should be fine. Unless QC said otherwise, I'd like for you to change that.) Heatran, with the remaining EVs put into bulk. However, the Substitute set is outclassed by Garchomp, who can reach the exact same stats in defenses, Attack,(AC) and Speed while still having 8 leftover EVs. An Adamant Nature is used on both spreads for maximum Attack power. A Jolly Nature can be used for greater Speed, but is not recommended because Zygarde doesn't outspeed anything else significant and it misses out on the OHKO on Heatran with Land's Wrath. Leftovers is the item used because it can gain a lot of HP back over time and greatly increase Zygarde's(Add apostrophe) longevity, which aids it in paralyzing the opposing team or setting up Substitutes.

Usage Tips
========
As Zygarde's best stats are in bulk, it can switch into resisted attacks and even some neutral attacks and either paralyze the opponent or deal some damage. Once Zygarde is on the field, proceed to paralyze as much of the opposing team as possible, using Protect when necessary or to get a bit more health from Leftovers, or just hit a Heatran or Flying-type for good damage with the correct STAB attack. Zygarde can also act as an effective pivot and switch to an ally to let them get solid damage off on its checks such as Landorus. Zygarde is most effective in the mid-game, as it struggles to sweep in the late-game due to Zygarde'its relatively low base Speed and the set having no boosting moves. Zygarde can neutralize fast threats with Glare or deal damage when opposing Pokemon have been weakened a little for faster sweepers to clean up, because its bulk helps it stay for a long time.

Team Options
========
Pokemon that can deal with Dragon-, Ice-, and Fairy-types, so Zygarde can last for longer to paralyze more of the opposing team. Mega Mawile is a good option as it resists Ice- and Fairy-type attacks and is immune to Dragon-type attacks, while and can hitting them all for super effective damage. It isn't hit by Zygarde's Land's Wrath and also appreciates Heatran being removed by Zygarde. Other Pokemon that appreciate Heatran being taken care of are good partners, both Mega Charizard X and Y have their STAB attacks walled by Heatran, and Mega Charizard Y also resists Fairy-type attacks. Wide Guard users are also good partners as Zygarde is very vulnerable to super effective Hyper Voices, which even bypass Substitute. Aegislash resists all of Zygarde's weaknesses and also has great bulk to be able to use Wide Guard for many turns. Fake Out users make good partners as they can can potentially give Zygarde a free turn to paralyze an opponent or set up a Substitute, so are naturally good partners. Hitmontop is a notable choice as it has Intimidate to weaken physical attackers as well as Wide Guard. It also gets Feint to let Zygarde hit Heatrans and Charizards(Plurals are just singular. It's just Heatran when describing multiple Heatran.) that are using Protect as well as bypass Wide Guard and attack with Land's Wrath. Pokemon that appreciate Ground-types being slowed down are good partners as it is Zygarde's main niche(Frankly, I think that Pokemon that appreciate any of their enemies slowed down, not just Ground-types, would make good allies.). Aegislash can outspeed and deal heavy damage to Landorus and Garchomp once they have been slowed down by Zygarde.
Pokemon that can take out Intimidate users which weaken Zygarde's physical attacks work as partners. Rotom-W easily takes care of Landorus-T whileand Talonflame beats Hitmontop and Scrafty with its Flying-type STAB attacks. Land's Wrath is one of the main reasons to use Zygarde over other Ground-types, so Pokemon that appreciate not being hit by Earthquake are good partners. Heatran is deserves a mention here as it can use Heat Wave and not have to worry about using Protect.

Other Options
########
Extreme Speed can work for a strong priority attack or to pick off weakened opponents, but it doesn't hit very hard as it is not boosted by STAB and Zygarde doesn't have an Attack-boosting item. Rock Slide is an alternative over Stone Edge as it hits both opponents, but the power drop from Stone Edge is noticeable. Coil can work as a boosting option with Substitute as the Defense boost lets Zygarde's Substitute last for longer, the Accuracy boost makes Stone Edge more accurate,(AC) and the Attack boost makes Zygarde's attacks hit harder. Dragon Dance is another setup option as the increase in Attack and Speed can aid Zygarde in a potential sweep. However, this means Glare, Zygarde's main niche, must be foregone. If Stone Edge is replaced, Zygarde is walled by Flying-types and Pokemon with the Levitate ability. A Chesto Berry with Rest can be used to give Zygarde a one-time full health recovery and to heal status conditions like burn. Safeguard is a team support option to protect allies from burns and paralysis. Yache Berry helps Zygarde survive one Ice-type attack and paralyze the opponent or KO a weakened threat.

Checks &amp; Counters
########
**Attack Control**: Intimidate users and fast Will-O-Wisp users can check Zygarde as they can weaken its physical attacks. However, Zygarde is not affected by either of these behind a Substitute. Sableye has priority Will-O-Wisps, and so can burn Zygarde before it sets up a Substitute. Landorus-T and Rotom are both immune to Zygarde's STAB Land's Wrath and can Intimidate or burn it, respectively.

**Offensive Typing Advantage**: Sylveon and Mega Gardevoir can hit Zygarde extremely hard with super effective Pixilate-boosted Hyper Voices which bypass Substitutes. Dragon-types can also switch in on Zygarde's as it doesn't usually carry a STAB Dragon-type attack. Latios is immune to Land's Wrath whileand Garchomp resists Stone Edge. However, both must be wary of Glare as they can be slowed down for Zygarde's ally to KO them. Ice-types like Mamoswine can easily OHKO Zygarde with a 4x super effective STAB attack. However, many Ice-types are weak to Rock-type attacks and Mamoswine can be paralyzed, so they must be careful. Ice-type coverage is also common on many Pokemon. Ludicolo can outspeed Zygarde in rain and OHKO with Ice Beam as well as resist Land's Wrath. Electric-types like Thundurus and Mega Manectric can outspeed Zygarde and hit it hard with Hidden Power Ice, but Thundurus is weak to Stone Edge and Mega Manectric is weak to Land's Wrath, even if it has Intimidate.

**Utility Moves**: Wide Guard users can block Zygarde's Land's Wrath while a partner KOs it without taking damage. Hitmontop and Aegislash are the best choices here. Hitmontop has Intimidate and Fake Out to hinder Zygarde's capabilities beyond just Wide Guard whileand Aegislash can hit hard with base 150 Special Attack. Both also resist Zygarde's Rock-type coverage attack, and can even block it with Wide Guard if Zygarde opts for Rock Slide. Cresselia can use Trick Room and turn Zygarde's Glare into a disadvantage. It can also use Ice Beam to hit Zygarde for 4x super effective damage.

AuraRayquaza, ask and ye shall receive.
1/2
 
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GatoDelFuego

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Overview
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At first glance, Zygarde looks like a bad Dragon-type Pokemon. Although it has good bulk, it has very few support moves and a mediocre Attack stat, (AC) so it cannot even hit hard. It faces heavy competition from other Dragon-types, which boast better offensive and Speed stats. It doesn't even have a useful ability&mdash;Aura Break only works on the banned Xerneas and Yveltal. Despite these flaws However, Zygarde has a niche as it possesses Glare and Land's Wrath. Land's Wrath is a spread Ground-type attack unique to Zygarde that doesn't hit Zygarde's ally. Glare lets Zygarde paralyze Ground-types, which are immune to Thunder Wave. This means it can paralyze Landorus-T, Garchomp, and Excadrill, all common Pokemon in the metagame. Zygarde's nice 108 / 121 / 95 bulk and good base 95 Speed let it paralyze much of the opposing team before being taken down and pose a major threat to the opponent mid- and late-game.

Bulky Attacker
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name: Bulky Attacker
move 1: Glare / Substitute
move 2: Land's Wrath
move 3: Stone Edge
move 4: Protect / Substitute
ability: Aura Break
item: Leftovers
evs: 112 HP / 248 Atk / 148 Spe
nature: Adamant

Moves
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Glare is Zygarde's main niche and the move in the first choice for this slot, being able to paralyze Ground-types, slowing the opponent down so that Zygarde's ally can outspeed them and hit hard. Substitute aims to keep Zygarde on the field for as long as possible, making it functionally immune to status moves and allowing it to soak up attacks. Zygarde's good bulk and resistance to Fire-type attacks allows it to easily set up a Substitute and proceed to stay behind it for a few turns. Land's Wrath, Zygarde's signature move, is the next move on the set, as it is a powerful STAB attack and doesn't force Zygarde's ally to be a Flying-type or have Levitate to not be hit, making it good for teams with more Pokemon weak to Ground-type attacks and fewer switch-ins to Earthquake. Stone Edge is used over Rock Slide as it bypasses Wide Guard and can hit Mega Charizard Y and Talonflame for 4x super effective damage and also has much more power than Rock Slide. It is most useful for hitting Mega Charizard Y and Talonflame hard. Protect is a staple move in Doubles, as it can guard Zygarde from a potentially fatal attack while its ally KOes the threat, (RC) or stall out weather conditions and Trick Room/Tailwind turns. However, Substitute can be used here as Zygarde will find it easier to set up on a slower, paralyzed opponent.

Set Details
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The investment in Speed EVs lets Zygarde paralyze Breloom or set up a Substitute before being put to sleep with Spore. 148 Speed EVs lets Zygarde outspeed Jolly 252 Speed Breloom. Zygarde should also be heavily invested in Attack to hit hard once opponents have been slowed down with Glare. The remaining EVs should be put in HP for overall bulk to give Zygarde an easier time paralyzing the opponent. If Substitute is used over Glare or Protect, an EV spread of 144 HP / 216 Atk / 148 Spe should be used, as this still outspeeds Jolly 252 Speed Breloom to set up a Substitute before being put to sleep with Spore, but is invested less in Attack to just guarantee an OHKO on Modest 176 / 0 Heatran, with the remaining EVs put into bulk. However, the Substitute set is outclassed by Garchomp, who which can reach the exact same stats in defenses, Attack, and Speed while still having 8 leftover EVs. An Adamant nature is used on both spreads for maximum Attack power. A Jolly nature can be used for greater Speed, but is not recommended because Zygarde doesn't outspeed anything else significant and it misses out on the OHKO on Heatran with Land's Wrath. Leftovers is the item used because it can gain a lot of HP back over time and greatly increase Zygarde's longevity, which aids it in paralyzing the opposing team or setting up Substitutes.

Usage Tips
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As Zygarde's best stats are in bulk, it can switch into resisted attacks and even some neutral attacks and either paralyze the opponent or deal some damage. Once Zygarde is on the field, proceed to paralyze as much of the opposing team as possible, using use Protect when necessary or to get a bit more health from Leftovers, or just hit a Heatran or Flying-type for good damage with the correct STAB attack. Zygarde can also act as an effective pivot and switch to an ally to let them get solid damage off on its checks such as Landorus. Zygarde is most effective in the mid-game, as it struggles to sweep in the late-game due to its relatively low base Speed and the set having no boosting moves. Zygarde can neutralize fast threats with Glare or deal damage when opposing Pokemon have been weakened a little for faster sweepers to clean up, because its bulk helps it stay for a long time.

Team Options
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Pokemon that can deal with Dragon-, Ice-, and Fairy-types make good partners, so Zygarde can last for longer to paralyze more of the opposing team. Mega Mawile is a good option as it resists Ice- and Fairy-type attacks and is immune to Dragon-type attacks, and can hit them all for super effective damage. It isn't hit by Zygarde's Land's Wrath and also appreciates Heatran being removed by Zygarde. Other Pokemon that appreciate Heatran being taken care of are good partners; (SC) both Mega Charizard X and Y have their STAB attacks walled by Heatran, and Mega Charizard Y also resists Fairy-type attacks. Wide Guard users are also good partners as Zygarde is very vulnerable to super effective Hyper Voices, which even bypasses Substitute. Aegislash resists all of Zygarde's weaknesses and also has great bulk to be able to use Wide Guard for many turns. Fake Out users make good partners as they can potentially give Zygarde a free turn to paralyze an opponent or set up a Substitute, so are naturally good partners. Hitmontop is a notable choice as it has Intimidate to weaken physical attackers as well as Wide Guard. It also gets Feint to let Zygarde hit Heatran and Charizard that are using Protect as well as bypass Wide Guard and attack with Land's Wrath. Pokemon that appreciate the opponents being slowed down are good partners, (AC) as it is Zygarde's main niche. Aegislash can outspeed and deal heavy damage to Landorus and Garchomp once they have been slowed down by Zygarde. Pokemon that can take out Intimidate users which weaken Zygarde's physical attacks work as partners. Rotom-W easily takes care of Landorus-T and Talonflame beats Hitmontop and Scrafty with its Flying-type STAB attacks. Land's Wrath is one of the main reasons to use Zygarde over other Ground-types, so Pokemon that appreciate not being hit by Earthquake are good partners. Heatran is deserves a mention here as it can use Heat Wave and not have to worry about using Protect.

Other Options
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Extreme Speed can work for a strong priority attack or to pick off weakened opponents, but it doesn't hit very hard as it is not boosted by STAB and Zygarde doesn't have an Attack-boosting item. Rock Slide is an alternative over Stone Edge as it hits both opponents, but the power drop from Stone Edge is noticeable. Coil can work as a boosting option with Substitute as the Defense boost lets Zygarde's Substitute last longer, the Accuracy boost makes Stone Edge more accurate, and the Attack boost makes Zygarde's attacks hit harder. Dragon Dance is another setup option as the increase in Attack and Speed can aid Zygarde in a potential sweep. However, this means Glare, Zygarde's main niche, must be foregone. If Stone Edge is replaced, Zygarde is walled by Flying-types and Pokemon with the Levitate ability. A Chesto Berry with Rest can be used to give Zygarde a one-time full health recovery and to heal status conditions like burn. Safeguard is a team support option to protect allies from burns and paralysis. Yache Berry helps Zygarde survive one Ice-type attack and paralyze the opponent or KO a weakened threat.

Checks & Counters
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**Attack Control**: Intimidate users and fast Will-O-Wisp users can check Zygarde as they can weaken its physical attacks. However, Zygarde is not affected by either of these behind a Substitute. Sableye has priority Will-O-Wisps, and so can burn Zygarde before it sets up a Substitute. Landorus-T and Rotom are both immune to Zygarde's STAB Land's Wrath and can Intimidate or burn it, respectively.

**Offensive Typing Advantage**: Sylveon and Mega Gardevoir can hit Zygarde extremely hard with super effective Pixilate-boosted Hyper Voices, (AC) which bypass Substitutes. Dragon-types can also switch in on Zygarde's as it doesn't usually carry a STAB Dragon-type attack. Latios is immune to Land's Wrath and Garchomp resists Stone Edge. However, both must be wary of Glare as they can be slowed down for Zygarde's ally to KO them. Ice-types like Mamoswine can easily OHKO Zygarde with a 4x super effective STAB attack. However, many Ice-types are weak to Rock-type attacks and Mamoswine can be paralyzed, so they must be careful. Ice-type coverage is also common on many Pokemon. Ludicolo can outspeed Zygarde in rain and OHKO with Ice Beam as well as and resists Land's Wrath. Electric-types like such as Thundurus and Mega Manectric can outspeed Zygarde and hit it hard with Hidden Power Ice, but Thundurus is weak to Stone Edge and Mega Manectric is weak to Land's Wrath, even if though it has Intimidate.

**Utility Moves**: Wide Guard users can block Zygarde's Land's Wrath while a partner KOes it without taking damage. Hitmontop and Aegislash are the best choices here. Hitmontop has Intimidate and Fake Out to hinder Zygarde's capabilities beyond just Wide Guard and Aegislash can hit hard with its base 150 Special Attack. Both also resist Zygarde's Rock-type coverage attack, and can even block it with Wide Guard if Zygarde opts for Rock Slide. Cresselia can use Trick Room and turn Zygarde's Glare into a disadvantage. It can also use Ice Beam to hit Zygarde for 4x super effective damage.

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