Zekrom (Analysis)

Jibaku

Who let marco in here????
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Zekrom Dex

[Overview]
<p>With a monstrously high base 150 Attack stat, combined with powerful and complementary Electric- and Dragon- type STAB moves, Zekrom has the power to devastate many teams. Zekrom's signature move, Bolt Strike, will leave enormous dents on even those who resist it, and forces people to run a Ground-type Pokemon or a very bulky Electric-type resister in their teams. Even then, they will have to tread carefully against its extremely powerful Dragon-type STAB moves. While Zekrom does not have much to offer defensively, it is an excellent check to Ho-Oh and defensive Kyogre due to its resistances to Fire-, Flying-, and Water-type moves. However, Zekrom does have notable flaws in its rather middling Speed, common weaknesses, an almost useless ability, and a very limited movepool. Regardless, Zekrom's incredible strength is definitely something to watch out for.</p>

[SET]
name: Mixed Attacker
move 1: Bolt Strike
move 2: Draco Meteor
move 3: Dragon Claw / Outrage
move 4: Focus Blast / Volt Switch
nature: Lonely / Naughty
item: Life Orb
evs: 104 HP / 148 Atk / 252 SpA / 4 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Zekrom is quite a formidable mixed attacker, sporting a great 120 base Special Attack in addition to its obscenely high 150 base Attack. STAB Draco Meteor, bolstered by Life Orb and 339 Special Attack, is a frightening move to switch into. Groudon, a Pokemon that typically easily switches into Zekrom, takes a painful 75%-88% from it, assuming that Groudon has 252 HP / 4 SpD. Bolt Strike complements Draco Meteor very well, providing almost unresisted coverage as well striking extremely hard on the physical side. Its immense strength and excellent type allow Zekrom to blast through Kyogre, Blissey, Eviolite Chansey, Lugia, Ho-Oh, and most Steel-type Pokemon, in addition to giving most Arceus formes a very tough time stalling and setting up. Dragon Claw is Zekrom's most reliable attack, but Outrage can be used if the extra power is needed, such as against Grass or Electric Arceus. Focus Blast allows Zekrom to hit the few Pokemon that resist its STABs, most notably Ferrothorn, but Volt Switch can be used to break Shaymin-S' Substitute and to escape from Wobbuffet.</p>

<p>The Attack EVs allow Zekrom to OHKO the standard Giratina-O with Dragon Claw after Stealth Rock damage. They also allow Bolt Strike to have a high chance of KOing Eviolite Chansey at 75% HP (achieved by two Stealth Rock switch-ins) and to always OHKO 248 HP Scizor after Stealth Rock damage. Furthermore, assuming neutrality, 4 HP / 0 Def Arceus will take 71% minimum. The Special Attack EVs maximize the amount of damage Draco Meteor and Focus Blast can do. The rest are thrown into HP to give Zekrom a bit of bulk, and 4 Speed EVs allow it to outrun other base 90 Speed Pokemon that lack any investment. You may find it insufficient, however, so feel free to invest more in Speed until you feel comfortable.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>If Focus Blast is too unreliable for your taste, Hidden Power Fire can also nail down Ferrothorn, and OHKO Forretress through its Sturdy ability thanks to Teravolt. This comes at the cost of one Speed and one Special Attack IV, and of being stuck with a pathetically weak move in rain. Thunder Wave is an option to paralyze potential non-Ground-type switch-ins and cripples Lugia, who could actually be a pain to fight against due to Pressure, Reflect, and Roost. As far as EV spreads go, if you're a speed freak, you may consider using maximum Speed and Special Attack, with Hasty or Naive nature. Although it loses a considerable amount of power, the extra Speed helps it minimize the amount of attacks it will have to take or fear. </p>

<p>The first thing you want to consider is what role would Zekrom serve on your team. Zekrom can act as a magnificent Groudon bait, and as such it makes a great partner to Pokemon such as Kyogre and Ho-Oh, both of whom would love to have the opposing Groudon gone. Zekrom also serves as a check to bulky Kyogre (watch out for Scald burns!) and Ho-Oh, and can fit in well in sun teams that struggle against them. </p>

<p>As with literally almost every Pokemon in the game, Zekrom appreciates entry hazards to aid in killing its targets. Forretress, Deoxys-S, Ferrothorn, and Skarmory can all set up Spikes and Stealth Rock. All of them but Deoxys-S also resist Dragon, and Skarmory is immune to Ground as well. Forretress also provides Toxic Spikes and Rapid Spin support. Groudon can set up Stealth Rock and use its high Defense to sponge Earthquakes and Outrages, and appreciates Zekrom's ability to remove defensive Kyogre. Since Zekrom will be taking 10% damage every time it launches an attack, Wish support can be helpful. Blissey, Chansey, and Jirachi are all capable of passing Wishes to Zekrom; the former two can pass absolutely massive Wishes, while Jirachi resists Zekrom's Dragon- and Ice-type weaknesses. Also, keep in mind that Zekrom cannot handle offensive Kyogre well, and as such Palkia is a great partner.</p>

[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: Bolt Strike
move 2: Dragon Claw
move 3: Outrage
move 4: Fusion Bolt / Volt Switch
nature: Adamant / Jolly
item: Choice Band
evs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Tremble in fear of Zekrom's Choice Banded and powerful, complementary STAB attacks, bolstered by an Attack stat of 438 (or 399 if you are running Jolly). Its Bolt Strike is powerful enough to terrorize even most of the Pokemon that resist it, dealing a solid 41%-49% to max HP Dialga and 44%-52% to the standard Naughty Giratina-O. With that in mind, Bolt Strike will absolutely murder those who do not resist it. However, as tempting as it is to spam Bolt Strikes, it is unwise if any Ground-types are present, as they will absorb the blow and leave Zekrom helpless. Dragon Claw is a safe move to throw out to damage the Ground-type switch ins, and is a safe move to spam in general. However, it is somewhat weak and doesn't do a lot of damage against defensive Groudon. Outrage provides Zekrom with the ability to 2HKO even 404 HP / 416 Defense Groudon with ease after Stealth Rock damage, and allows it to clean up slower teams, but can leave it very vulnerable to revenge killing. The sole reason Fusion Bolt takes up the fourth slot is for reliability, because Bolt Strike can miss at the worst times. Volt Switch can be used to break Shaymin-S' Substitute so a faster Pokemon can switch in safely.</p>

<p>Unlike the previous set, the EVs are quite simple. It promotes maximum power and gives Zekrom a fair amount of bulk. Similarly to the previous set, some Speed EVs can be added to outrun other Pokemon of similar Speed, such as Kyogre and Ho-Oh. Obviously, if you decide to use Jolly, use 252 Speed instead of HP.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Despite Outrage being able to 2HKO defensive Groudon, it will still be a big pain to fight as it walls the rest of Zekrom's moveset. Luckily, it isn't too hard to counter - defensive Kyogre, Giratina-O, and Grass Arceus are some examples of excellent switch-ins to Groudon. Conversely, Zekrom could lure in Groudon and severely injure or KO it with Outrage (make sure to invest some Speed for this purpose), making it easier for other attackers, like Dragon Dance Rayquaza and Swords Dance Arceus, to sweep. Physically defensive Ferrothorn is an issue as well, resisting both of Zekrom's STAB moves, and as such, Pokemon with access to Fire-type moves are great partners. Forretress can set up entry hazards on Ferrothorn while Rapid Spinning Ferrothorn's away. Unlike the previous set, this Zekrom does not drain its own health every time it attacks, and Wish support is not as demanded (though it is still useful). Otherwise, the partners from the previous set all work well here. </p>

[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Bolt Strike
move 2: Outrage
move 3: Dragon Claw
move 4: Volt Switch / Fusion Bolt
nature: Jolly / Adamant
item: Choice Scarf
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Zekrom's middling Speed can be patched up with a Choice Scarf, allowing it to act as a revenge killer. Zekrom possesses a couple of traits that separate it from its fellow Choice Scarfers Palkia, Dialga, and Garchomp. For one, its high Attack and Bolt Strike allow it to take down Mewtwo from 80% health down (73% with Jolly) and to murder Kyogre, Ho-Oh, and Lugia, all of whom can give Choice Scarf Palkia, Dialga, and Garchomp issues. With Adamant nature, it can also 2HKO maximum HP Arceus (assuming neutrality, of course), while Palkia, Dialga, and Garchomp are turned into set-up bait. Finally, it has access to Volt Switch, which allows it to keep up the momentum against the opponent so long as a Ground-type doesn't switch in.</p>

<p>Bolt Strike and Outrage are the bread and butter moves of this set, both possessing immense power and STAB, hitting nearly everything for neutral damage. As a matter of fact, Zekrom's Outrage is strong enough to 2HKO offensive Groudon, something Garchomp is incapable of doing. Dragon Claw is a safe move to use should locking into Outrage or Electric-type moves be risky, but it is rather weak. Finally, Fusion Bolt can be used over Volt Switch if you find Volt Switch's utility to be too little for you, and is 100% accurate, unlike Bolt Strike.</p>

<p>Adamant and Jolly are equally viable on Zekrom. With Adamant, Zekrom gains the ability to 2HKO maximum HP Arceus and to OHKO Mewtwo after Stealth Rock damage and one round of Life Orb recoil. However, it loses the Speed tie against other base 90 Choice Scarfers and +1 Speed Ho-Oh and Reshiram (due to Flame Charge). Adamant also means Deoxys-A will outrun Zekrom.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Although Zekrom is an effective revenge killer, it is incapable of handling Dragon Dance Rayquaza and Salamence, and thus, defensive Groudon is a decent partner. Since Choice Scarf Zekrom lacks the raw power of the other two sets, an anti-Groudon or Dialga is more necessary than before. Giratina-O, Grass Arceus, Kyogre, and Lugia (who also counters Dragon Dance Rayquaza) are all great choices for countering defensive Groudon. Dialga is trickier to handle, but Fighting Arceus, Lugia, Ho-Oh, Groudon, and sturdy Steel-type Pokemon that can absorb its obscenely powerful Dragon-type attacks are all decent checks. As with most Choice Scarfers in the game, Zekrom is quite vulnerable to Wobbuffet, who can trap it and OHKO back with Counter, but at this point there is not much you can do.</p>

[Other Options]
<p>As stated before, Zekrom's movepool is lackluster, and there aren't a lot of options for it to play around with. Thunder Wave can be used to slow down Lugia so it cannot stall Zekrom's Bolt Strikes with Reflect and Roost. Imprison can be used to block Draco Meteor and Outrage, but will still leave it vulnerable to Spacial Rend and Earthquake. Zekrom learns Reflect and Light Screen, and can use Volt Switch to aid in safely sending in its target teammate, but its rather low Speed and common weaknesses hinder it from setting them up easily. Finally, Zekrom learns Dragon Tail for phazing.</p>

<p>Haban Berry is an interesting option to use over Life Orb on the mixed set, which allows Zekrom to take a hit from opposing Dragons and OHKO them back with its own attacks. Balloon can be used to avoid Earthquake and escape Dugtrio, but will pop after getting hit by a single attack. Groudon can simply Dragon Tail Zekrom away while Garchomp can penetrate Zekrom with Outrage or Dragon Claw. Dragon Fang is an option over Life Orb for the mixed attacker if you despise taking 10% each turn due to Life Orb, but should only be used with the slower variants, as it requires investment in both Attack and Special Attack to deal a good amount of damage in the absence of Life Orb.</p>

[Checks and Counters]
<p>Zekrom is difficult to counter due to its immense strength and coverage, but there are several Pokemon in the game that can annoy it. Ferrothorn resists both Electric and Dragon, but needs to be wary of Focus Blast from the mixed set. Also be aware that Choice Band Outrage or Bolt Strike 3HKOes specially defensive Ferrothorn. Although Groudon needs to be wary of Draco Meteor and Outrage, it can take on Zekrom's other physical attacks and retaliate with Earthquake. The best counter to Zekrom, however, is Ground Arceus, as it can take a hit and outrun Zekrom, KOing it with Earthquake or Judgment.</p>

<p>Zekrom is fairly easy to revenge kill due to its low Speed and weaknesses to Ground-, Ice-, and Dragon-type attacks. Garchomp can switch into a predicted Bolt Strike and KO Zekrom back with Earthquake or Outrage. Keep in mind, however, that maximum HP Zekrom takes only 81% maximum from Garchomp's Earthquake. Palkia, Rayquaza, Dragon Arceus, and Choice Scarf Dialga are all faster than Zekrom and OHKO it with their Dragon-type attacks. Mewtwo is much faster than Zekrom and can knock it out with Ice Beam, provided Zekrom has taken a bit of residual damage. Wobbuffet can to an extent pose problems for Zekrom, as it revenge kills the Choice Scarf set, and the Choice Band set if Zekrom is not locked into Bolt Strike or Outrage. Dugtrio, though rare, can trap revenge kill Zekrom. Choiced Zekrom in particular needs to be wary of this, as Dugtrio can set up Hone Claws on a locked Electric move. Although practically nonexistent in the Uber metagame, Steelix is the best Choice Band / Choice Scarf Zekrom counter in the game, sporting a base 200 Defense to go along with its resistance to Dragon and immunity to Electric.</p>

<p>There are other ways to play around Zekrom. For the Mixed Attacker, you can attempt to lure out its Draco Meteor and send in a Steel-type Pokemon to take the hit and weaken Zekrom's Special Attack, then send in Groudon to wall it. Zekrom in general hates Toxic Spikes, so laying it down will cut its rampage short (moreso on the Mixed Attacker as it would take at least 22.5% every time it launches a successful hit).</p>

Tacky, but this gets the job done quicker
QC approved 1/3

 
Don't know if its worth adding but I've been testing a set on PO thats been working well

Zekrom@Leftovers
4HP/252Atk/252Spe
-Lightning Strike
-Outrage
-Claw Sharpen
-Substitute

Basically works by exploiting Zekroms 4x Resistance to Electric attacks, 2x resistance to water attacks. It comes in on one of these and sets up a sub, allowing it to defeat many of its main checks. Also means that if nattorei(one of its few counters) comes in you can proceed to set up on it.

Also means that behind a sub, with enough entry hazards you have a chance of 2HKOing offensive Groudon.
 
Why Claw Sharpen? What good does that do? I personally would rather have a third attack, like Draco Meteor, or at least Focus Blast for hitting Doryuuzu. >.>
 
Hey Jibaku, while Steelix is almost non-existence in ubers, shouldn't it be the best counter to physical Zekrom? Base 200 defense and stab earthquake to strike back. Dugtrio is incredibly rare too.
 
GP Check 2/2

[Overview]
<p>With a monstrously high base 150 Attack stat, combined with powerful and complementary Electric- and Dragon- type STAB moves, Zekrom has the power to devastate many teams. Zekrom’s signature move, Lightning Strike, will leave enormous dents on even those who resist it, and forces people to run a Ground-type Pokemon or a very bulky Electric-type resister in their teams. Even then, they will have to tread carefully against its extremely powerful Dragon-type STAB moves. While Zekrom does not have much to offer defensively, it is an excellent check to Ho-Oh and defensive Kyogre due to its resistances to Fire-, Flying-, and Water-type moves. However, Zekrom does have notable flaws in its rather middling Speed, common weaknesses, a somewhat useless ability, and a very limited movepool. Despite these setbacks, Zekrom is a menace and should not be underestimated.</p>

[SET]
name: Mixed Attacker
move 1: Lightning Strike
move 2: Draco Meteor
move 3: Dragon Claw / Outrage
move 4: Focus Blast / Volt Change
item: Life Orb
nature: Lonely / Naughty
evs: 104 HP / 148 Atk / 252 SpA / 4 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Zekrom is quite a formidable mixed attacker, sporting a great 120 base Special Attack in addition to its obscenely high 150 base Attack. STAB Draco Meteor, bolstered by Life Orb and 339 Special Attack, is a frightening move to switch into. Groudon, a Pokemon that typically easily switches into Zekrom, takes a painful 75%-88% from it, assuming that Groudon has 252 HP / 4 SpD. Lightning Strike complements Draco Meteor very well, providing almost unresisted coverage as well as striking extremely hard on the physical side. Its immense strength and excellent type typing allow Zekrom to blast through Kyogre, Blissey, Evolution Stone Chansey, Lugia, Ho-Oh, and most Steel-type Pokemon, in addition to giving most Arceus formes a very tough time stalling and setting up. Dragon Claw is Zekrom’s most reliable attack, but Outrage can be used if the extra power is needed, such as against Grass or Electric Arceus. Focus Blast allows Zekrom to hit the few Pokemon that resist its STABs, most notably Nattorei, but Volt Change can be used to break Shaymin-S’ Substitute and to escape from Wobbuffet.</p>

<p>The Attack EVs allow Zekrom to OHKO the standard Giratina-O with Dragon Claw after Stealth Rock damage. They also allow Lightning Strike to have a high chance of KOing Evolution Stone Chansey at 75% HP (achieved by two Stealth Rock switch-ins) and to always OHKO 248 HP Scizor after Stealth Rock damage. Furthermore, assuming neutrality, 4 HP / 0 Def Arceus will take 71% minimum. The Special Attack EVs maximize the amount of damage Draco Meteor and Focus Blast can do. The rest are thrown into HP to give Zekrom a bit of bulk, and 4 Speed EVs allow it to outrun other base 90 Speed Pokemon that lack any investment. You may find it insufficient, however, so feel free to invest more in Speed until you feel comfortable.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>If Focus Blast is too unreliable for your taste, Hidden Power Fire can also nail down Nattorei, and OHKO Forretress through its Sturdy ability thanks to Teravoltage. This comes at the cost of one Speed and one Special Attack IV, and of being stuck with a pathetically weak move in rain. Thunder Wave is an option to paralyze potential non-Ground-type switch-ins and cripples Lugia, who could actually be a pain to fight against due to Pressure, Reflect, and Roost. As far as EV spreads go, if you’re a speed freak, you may consider using maximum Speed and Special Attack, with Hasty or Naive nature. </p>

<p>The first thing you want to consider is what role would Zekrom serve on your team. Zekrom can act as a magnificent Groudon bait, and as such it makes a great partner to Pokemon such as Kyogre and Ho-Oh, both of whom would love to have the opposing Groudon gone. Zekrom also serves as a check to bulky Kyogre (watch out for Boiling Water burns!) and Ho-Oh, and can fit in well in sun teams that struggle against them. </p>

<p>As with literally almost every Pokemon in the game, Zekrom appreciates entry hazards to aid in killing its targets. Forretress, Deoxys-S, Nattorei, and Skarmory can all set up Spikes and Stealth Rock. All of them but Deoxys-S also resist Dragon, and Skarmory is immune to Ground as well. Forretress also provides Toxic Spikes and Rapid Spin support. Groudon can set up Stealth Rock and use its high Defense to sponge Earthquakes and Outrages, and appreciates Zekrom’s ability to remove defensive Kyogre. Since Zekrom will be taking 10% damage every time it launches an attack, Wish support can be helpful. Blissey, Chansey, and Jirachi are all capable of passing Wishes to Zekrom; the former two can pass absolutely massive Wishes, while Jirachi resists Zekrom’s Dragon- and Ice-type weaknesses. Also, keep in mind that Zekrom cannot handle offensive Kyogre well, and as such Palkia is a great partner.</p>

[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: Lightning Strike
move 2: Dragon Claw
move 3: Outrage
move 4: Cross Thunder / Volt Change
item: Choice Band
nature: Adamant / Jolly
evs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Tremble in fear of Zekrom’s Choice Banded and powerful, complementary STAB attacks, bolstered by an Attack stat of 438 (or 399 if you are running Jolly). Its Lightning Strike is powerful enough to terrorize even most of the Pokemon that resist it, dealing a solid 41%-49% to max HP Dialga and 44%-52% to the standard Naughty Giratina-O. With that in mind, Lightning Strike will absolutely murder those who do not resist it. However, as tempting as it is to spam Lightning Strikes, it is unwise if any Ground-types are present, as they will absorb the blow and leave Zekrom helpless. Dragon Claw is a safe move to throw out to damage the Ground-type switch ins, and is a safe move to spam in general. However, it is somewhat weak and doesn’t do a lot of damage against defensive Groudon. Outrage provides Zekrom with the ability to 2HKO even 404 HP / 416 Defense Groudon with ease after Stealth Rock damage, and allows it to clean up slower teams, but can leave it very vulnerable to revenge killing. The sole reason Cross Thunder takes up the fourth slot is for reliability, because Lightning Strike can miss at the worst times. Volt Change can be used to break Shaymin-S’ Substitute so a faster Pokemon can switch in safely.</p>

<p>Unlike the previous set, the EVs are quite simple. It promotes maximum power and gives Zekrom a fair amount of bulk. Similarly to the previous set, some Speed EVs can be added to outrun other Pokemon of similar Speed, such as Kyogre and Ho-Oh. Obviously, if you decide to use Jolly, use 252 Speed instead of HP.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Despite Outrage being able to 2HKO defensive Groudon, it will still be a big pain to fight as it walls the rest of Zekrom’s moveset. Luckily, it isn’t too hard to counter - defensive Kyogre, Giratina-O, and Grass Arceus are some examples of excellent switch-ins to Groudon. Conversely, Zekrom could lure in Groudon and severely injure or KO it with Outrage (make sure to invest some Speed for this purpose), making it easier for other attackers, like such as Dragon Dance Rayquaza and Swords Dance Arceus, to sweep. Physically defensive Nattorei is an issue as well, resisting both of Zekrom's STAB moves, and as such, Pokemon with access to Fire-type moves are great partners. Forretress can set up entry hazards on Nattorei while Rapid Spinning Nattorei's away. Unlike the previous set, this Zekrom does not drain its own health every time it attacks, and Wish support is not as demanded (though it is still useful). Otherwise, the partners from the previous set all work well here. </p>

[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Lightning Strike
move 2: Outrage
move 3: Dragon Claw
move 4: Volt Change / Cross Thunder
item: Choice Scarf
nature: Jolly / Adamant
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Zekrom’s middling Speed can be patched up with a Choice Scarf, allowing it to act as a revenge killer. Zekrom possesses a couple of traits that separate it from its fellow Choice Scarfers Palkia, Dialga, and Garchomp. For one, its high Attack and Lightning Strike allow it to take down Mewtwo from 80% health down (73% with Jolly) and to murder Kyogre, Ho-Oh, and Lugia, all of whom can give Choice Scarf Palkia, Dialga, and Garchomp issues. With Adamant nature, it can also 2HKO maximum HP Arceus (assuming neutrality, of course), while Palkia, Dialga, and Garchomp are turned into set-up bait. Finally, it has access to Volt Change, which allows it to keep up the momentum against the opponent so long as a Ground-type doesn’t switch in.</p>

<p>Lightning Strike and Outrage are the bread and butter moves of this set, both possessing immense power and STAB, hitting nearly everything for neutral damage. As a matter of fact, Zekrom's Outrage is strong enough to 2HKO offensive Groudon, something Garchomp is incapable of doing. Dragon Claw is a safe move to use should locking into Outrage or Electric-type moves be risky, but it is rather weak. Finally, Cross Thunder can be used over Volt Change if you find Volt Change’s utility to be too little for you, and is 100% accurate, unlike Lightning Strike.</p>

<p>Adamant and Jolly are equally viable on Zekrom. With Adamant, Zekrom gains the ability to 2HKO maximum HP Arceus and to OHKO Mewtwo after Stealth Rock damage and one round of Life Orb recoil. However, it loses the Speed tie against other base 90 Choice Scarfers and +1 Speed Ho-Oh and Reshiram (due to Nitro Charge). Adamant also means Deoxys-A will outrun Zekrom.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Although Zekrom is an effective revenge killer, it is incapable of handling Dragon Dance Rayquaza and Salamence, and thus, defensive Groudon is a decent partner. Since Choice Scarf Zekrom lacks the raw power of the other two sets, an anti-Groudon or Dialga is more necessary than before. Giratina-O, Grass Arceus, Kyogre, and Lugia (who also counters Dragon Dance Rayquaza) are all great choices for countering defensive Groudon. Dialga is trickier to handle, but Fighting Arceus, Lugia, Ho-Oh, Groudon, and sturdy Steel-type Pokemon that can absorb its obscenely powerful Dragon-type attacks are all decent checks. As with most Choice Scarfers in the game, Zekrom is quite vulnerable to Wobbuffet, who can trap it and OHKO back with Counter, but at this point there is not much you can do.</p>

[Team Options]
<p>Look in the previous sets to check what teammates will make Zekrom run effectively. This section will focus on covering Zekrom’s weaknesses.</p>

<p>From a defensive standpoint, Zekrom’s flaws are its weaknesses to Ground-, Ice- and Dragon-type moves, as well as its middling base 90 Speed, which make it quite easy to revenge kill. Bronzong resists all of those types and can set up Stealth Rock, while Zekrom resists Bronzong’s sole weakness to Fire-type moves. Skarmory resists Dragon (it must be wary of powerful Draco Meteors, however), (comma) and is immune to Ground, and can set up Spikes. Lugia, though weak to Ice and lacking a resistance to Dragon, possesses extremely high defenses that allow it to wall most Dragon-type attacks fired at it, and can also take care of Ground-types such as Groudon and Garchomp. Defensive Kyogre can take care of defensive Groudon, Choice Scarf Garchomp, and offensive Groudon to an extent. Blissey and Chansey can handle powerful special attacks from the likes of Dialga and Palkia, and pass Wishes to Zekrom. Wobbuffet can be used to trap opposing Choice Scarf Pokemon that may plague Zekrom.</p>

[Optional Changes]
<p>As stated before, Zekrom’s movepool is lackluster, and there aren’t a lot of options for it to play around with. Claw Sharpen boosts Zekrom’s already high Attack stat and makes Lightning Strike more accurate, but Zekrom is too slow to pull it off effectively. Thunder Wave can be used to slow down Lugia so it cannot stall Zekrom’s Lightning Strikes with Reflect and Roost. Imprison can be used to block Draco Meteor and Outrage, but will still leave it vulnerable to Spacial Rend and Earthquake. Zekrom learns Reflect and Light Screen, and can use Volt Change to aid in safely sending in its target teammate, but its rather low Speed and common weaknesses hinder it from setting them up easily. Finally, Zekrom learns Dragon Tail for phazing.</p>

<p>Haban Berry is an interesting option to use over Life Orb on the mixed set, which allows Zekrom to take a hit from opposing Dragons and OHKO them back with its own attacks. Balloon can be used to avoid Earthquake and escape Dugtrio, but will pop after getting hit by a single attack. Groudon can simply Dragon Tail Zekrom away while Garchomp can penetrate Zekrom with Outrage or Dragon Claw.</p>

[Counters]
<p>Zekrom is difficult to counter due to its immense strength and coverage, but there are several Pokemon in the game that can annoy it. Nattorei resists both Electric and Dragon, but needs to be wary of Focus Blast from the mixed set. Also be aware that Choice Band Outrage or Lightning Strike 3HKOes specially defensive Nattorei. Although Groudon needs to be wary of Draco Meteor and Outrage, it can take on Zekrom's other physical attacks and retaliate with Earthquake. The best counter to Zekrom, however, is Ground Arceus, as it can take a hit and outrun Zekrom, KOing it with Earthquake or Judgment.</p>

<p>Zekrom is fairly easy to revenge kill due to its low Speed and weaknesses to Ground-, Ice-, and Dragon-type attacks. Garchomp can switch into a predicted Lightning Strike and KO Zekrom back with Earthquake or Outrage. Keep in mind, however, that maximum HP Zekrom takes only 81% maximum from Garchomp's Earthquake. Palkia, Rayquaza, Dragon Arceus, and Choice Scarf Dialga are all faster than Zekrom and OHKO it with their Dragon-type attacks. Mewtwo is much faster than Zekrom and can knock it out with Ice Beam, provided Zekrom has taken a bit of residual damage. Wobbuffet can to an extent pose problems for Zekrom, as it revenge kills the Choice Scarf set, and the Choice Band set if Zekrom is not locked into Lightning Strike or Outrage. Dugtrio, though rare, can trap revenge kill Zekrom. Choiced Zekrom in particular needs to be wary of this, as Dugtrio can set up Claw Sharpen on a locked Electric move. Although practically nonexistent in the Uber metagame, Steelix is the best Choice Band / Choice Scarf Zekrom counter in the game, sporting a base 200 Defense to go along with its resistance to Dragon and immunity to Electric.</p>

<p>There are other ways to play around Zekrom. For the Mixed Attacker, you can attempt to lure out its Draco Meteor and send in a Steel-type Pokemon to take the hit and weaken Zekrom's Special Attack, then send in Groudon to wall it. Zekrom in general hates Toxic Spikes, so laying it down will cut its rampage short (moreso on the Mixed Attacker as it would take at least 22.5% every time it launches a successful hit).</p>

[Dream World]
<p>Zekrom does not receive a Dream World ability. However, its ability, Teravoltage, can be put to use in this environment. Teravoltage nullifies Dream World Lugia’s Multiscale and lets Zekrom strike it hard with Lightning Strike. Coupled with Multiscale's illegality with Roost, Zekrom stands a good chance of winning against Lugia.</p>


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shrang

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Wouldn't 4 speed EVs count as speed creep?
Not really, the 4 EVs can go anywhere, and as long as you don't say "the remaining 4 EVs go into Speed to outspeed 0 EVed Pokemon", it should be fine.

As long as the EVs are not specifically tailored to a Pokemon that can choose to beat the subsequent outspeeding, it shouldn't be considered speed creep.
 
wait I just noticed something

<p>Zekrom does not receive a Dream World ability. However, its ability, Teravolt, can be put to use in this environment. Teravoltage nullifies Dream World Lugia’s Multiscale and lets Zekrom strike it hard with Lightning Strike. Coupled with Multiscale's illegality with Roost, Zekrom stands a good chance of winning against Lugia.</p>
Shouldn't that say Teravoltage?
 

cosmicexplorer

pewpewpew
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(moreso on the Mixed Attacker as it would at least 22.5% every time it launches a successful hit).
Shouldn't this read "...take at least 22.5% every time it launches an attack?"

EDIT: Whoops, didn't mean to necrobump this. Sorry about that.
 

Jibaku

Who let marco in here????
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Fixed

Also whenever Theorymon gets back, either he or me will add a Substitute + Hone Claws set
 
Also whenever Theorymon gets back, either he or me will add a Substitute + Hone Claws set
When the Hone Claws set is added, Steelix definitely needs to be popularized :P . Steelix takes nothing from Lightning Strike and little damage from Dragon Claw. Zekrom can't even learn Earthquake. Roar, Earthquake and Dragon Tail will stop Zekrom.

I think the Hone Claws set needs Toxic Spikes support to wear down Groudon. Theorymon always use the Hone Claws Zekrom with Roserade.
 

cosmicexplorer

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The first thing you want to consider is what role would Zekrom serve on your team.
Second paragraph of AC, mixed set. That should probably be, "The first thing you want to consider is what role Zekrom would serve on your team."
 
Extremely late bump, I'm aware, but "Lighting Strike" should be Bolt Strike, while "Cross Thunder" is now Fusion Bolt. "Volt Change" is also Volt Switch.
 

Oglemi

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What Icyman said, and you're going to have to replace all of those curly apostrophes with regular ones at some point. Sorry Jiba. :(
 

Theorymon

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Just want to let you guys know, THIS ISN'T DEAD! I've just taken it over from Jibaku. I'll post the updated version of this thread sometime tomorrow!

Edit: Crap, real life stuff came up AGAIN. I guess I'll have to get this done today then! Sorry for the short delay!
 

shrang

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Hey, is Zekrom getting a Specs set by any chance? Sure, its SpA isn't as flashy, but base 120 is still pretty decent, and he has two really great STABs. This is coupled by the fact that most of Zekrom's checks are more physically inclined. Something like (?):

[SET]
name: Choice Specs
move 1: Draco Meteor
move 2: Thunder
move 3: Focus Blast
move 4: Volt Switch / Dragon Pulse
nature: Modest / Timid
item: Choice Specs
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe

Between DM and Thunder, not much can switch in apart from Blissey and Ferrothorn, while the latter gets creamed by Focus Blast. You can also Volt Switch to gain momentum if you have a free switch into Scizor or something like that, provided you've nailed opposing Ground-types.
 

Great Sage

Banned deucer.
I'm not sure what the Choice Specs set would offer that the other sets wouldn't. The decrease in power is probably noticeable, and it's a bit of a shame to waste that nice 150 base Attack. You don't even OHKO Kyogre after one Calm Mind, for example; Zekrom tends to be useful because it is a strong physical presence in a metagame that is still rather specially oriented. Besides, Choice Band Zekrom is strong enough to just smash through even physically-oriented checks; it 2HKOes the most defensive Groudon possible with Outrage if Stealth Rock is on the field, and even getting one hit in is enough to allow something like Extreme Killer to sweep later.
 

Fireburn

BARN ALL
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Hey, is Zekrom getting a Specs set by any chance? Sure, its SpA isn't as flashy, but base 120 is still pretty decent, and he has two really great STABs. This is coupled by the fact that most of Zekrom's checks are more physically inclined. Something like (?):

[SET]
name: Choice Specs
move 1: Draco Meteor
move 2: Thunder
move 3: Focus Blast
move 4: Volt Switch / Dragon Pulse
nature: Modest / Timid
item: Choice Specs
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe

Between DM and Thunder, not much can switch in apart from Blissey and Ferrothorn, while the latter gets creamed by Focus Blast. You can also Volt Switch to gain momentum if you have a free switch into Scizor or something like that, provided you've nailed opposing Ground-types.
I don't really see what this accomplishes the mixed set doesn't.

And what GreatSage said.
 

Theorymon

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fyi shrang, Zekrom doesn't even get Dragon Pulse, its only other special dragon move is Dragon Breath lol... in fact Im not even going to mention Specs in other options, I don't really see the point when you can just use mixed Zekrom. Its not like Zekrom has 150 base Draco Meteors to spam like Dialga.

Anyways the only set that will be added is Sub Hone Claws. This will be done soon!
 
I've been using Zekky alot. Love this dude. I would mention 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe Timid / Jolly spread for the Mixed and Choice Sets because outspeeding / tying your fellow base 90 dudes comes in handy more often than just accepting the loss. I never find Bolt Strike too weak on the mixed set at all with that spread.
 

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