Zorua (Analysis)

#9 :')


http://veekun.com/dex/pokemon/zoroa
^ lol @ veekun misspelling it

they translated/romanized everything separately, no shock if they got a different result ~ete

ok eric, thanks for the clarification :)

Status: Done

Overview:

-Zorua has decent offensive stats, especially Special Attack
-Illusion may cause your opponent to think Zorua is a different Pokemon, allowing it to keep Fighting- and Bug- type moves away
-Zorua gets some cool moves like U-turn
-Somewhat shallow movepool is its problem

[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Night Burst
move 2: U-turn
move 3: Sucker Punch / Trickery
move 4: Hidden Power Fighting
item: Choice Scarf
nature: Rash / Naive
evs: 36 HP / 200 SpA / 240 Spe

Set Comments:

-Decent Scarfer
-Has 14 Attack, 17/18 Special Attack, and 24/25 Speed
-Night Burst is Zorua’s strongest move and its accuracy-lowering side effect could kick in dire times
-U-turn is a great scouting move and does damage to the Dark- types that resist Night Burst
-Sucker Punch can kill faster Scarfers and Pokemon that have Speed boosts
-Hidden Power Fighting has good coverage with Night Burst and is mainly there for lack of better moves

Additional Comments:

-Trickery is stronger than Sucker Punch and more reliable in case you need a strong physical attack for some reason
-Rash gives you more power
-Naïve gives you 25 Speed, enough to outspeed Scarf Chinchou and several other scarfers
-EVs max Special Attack and Speed while throwing a point in HP

[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Sucker Punch
move 3: Return
move 4: Trickery
item: Life Orb
nature: Jolly
evs: 236 Atk / 36 Def / 236 Spe

Set Comments:

-Illusion helps this get a Swords Dance
-Reaches 32 Attack and 17 Speed after a Swords Dance
-Sucker Punch makes up for Zorua’s average speed
-Return is Zorua’s best secondary option
-Trickery hits very hard and will OHKO most Pokemon stronger than Zorua

Additional Comments:

-U-turn could be used to grab a Swords Dance on an Illusion switch and then switch to a counter while landing a big hit
-EVs max Attack and Speed
-Jolly is used for extra Speed

Team Options:

-Entry hazard support is helpful to assist Zorua in its sweep
-Gligar is helpful to take out Croagunk
-Wynaut helps Zorua set up and also can take out Croagunk

Optional Changes:

-Zorua could use Nasty Plot and its special movepool to some effect
-Agility could also be used on a mixed set
-Zorua could use Substitute on its set-up sets

Counters:

-Croagunk easily takes down Zorua with Vacuum Wave
-Steel types wall Zorua’s moves
-Faster Scarfers can prey on Zorua’s frail defenses
-Munchlax walls non-SD Zorua

Dream World:

-Zorua does not have a Dream World ability.

This is done.

I find it strange that there's no Nasty Plot set, considering Zorua's ability will apparently force switches like crazy (I don't know the details besides it looks like a different Pokemon). It also has an incredibly usable SpA stat. Why not have a set like this:


[SET]
name: Nasty Plot
move 1: Substitute / Sucker Punch
move 2: Night Burst
move 3: Hidden Power Fighting
move 4: Nasty Plot
item: Life Orb
nature: Modest / Rash
evs: 40 Def / 200 SpA / 240 Spe
ivs: 2 HP

You come in on a Pokemon that you force out, and set up Nasty Plot. Rash / Modest +2 Hidden Power Fighting OHKOes Munchlax while Sucker Punch OHKOes Diglett and other revenge killers.

You could even use a Substitute set without Nasty Plot. I just think it's strange that a set that capitalizes on switches is not included on a Pokemon that forces switches.

Also, please get that Sucker Punch off the Choice Scarf set -_____-

Agility/Nasty Plot should be Zorua's flagship set, as you can easily bluff a multitude of agility sweepers, almost none of which are actually specially-based allowing you to easily get at least an agility and one KO. Zorua is the only pokemon that I can recall to have this combination, and night burst/hp fight offer near-perfect coverage. From using it briefly on Pokemon Online, I can safely say it is very effective at what it does.

Also, veekun didn't misspell it; the kana translate to zo-ro-a, but it has a really weird romanization.

Er, mention of HP Fighting/Fire on the SD set, just for hitting Steels? Some other analysis' did that.

Also, never never never use Choiced Sucker Punch?

Also, does Rash do something on the Scarf set? Cause Naive is usually better. Unless it gets significant OHKOs/2HKOs with one more SpA point.