bird
[SET]
name: Classic SubRoost
move 1: Substitute
move 2: Roost
move 3: Thunderbolt
move 4: Hidden Power Ice / Hidden Power Flying
item: Leftovers
nature: Timid
evs: 248 HP / 84 Def / 176 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>With this set, Zapdos can both take a lot of hits and immediately pressure your opponent offensively. It can avoid a 2HKO from a majority of attackers and threaten them with high-powered attacks, forcing many switches, and leaving you opportunities to get free Substitutes, which are great for easing prediction and facilitating Pressure stalls. These things in conjunction with Roost make Zapdos an absolute terror to remove the game once it has hit the battlefield. The most common answers to Zapdos are Ice- and Rock-type attacks, however but with Pressure and its good bulk, Zapdos can easily outslast the PP of common moves like Ice Beam and Stone Edge, leaving your opponent few options to break it. Substitute also provides a dual purpose in that it staves off the one thing this Zapdos hates more than anything: status. Because of these attributes, SubRoost Zapdos makes a great candidate for use on balanced and stall teams as a defensive pivot.</p>
<p>Thunderbolt is a staple on any Zapdos set, hitting everything but Ground-types for respectable damage, even without any Special Attack investment. Hidden Power Ice is an excellent coverage move alongside Thunderbolt, nailing many common Ground-type switch-ins, like such as Flygon and Nidoqueen, for super effective damage. On the other hand, Hidden Power Flying allows Zapdos to easily dispatch Swords Dance Heracross and 2HKO offensive Shaymin and Roserade, both things that Hidden Power Ice fails to do (though you'll need 252 SpA EVs in order to 2HKO specially defensive Roserade with Hidden Power Flying with Stealth Rock). Additionally, it hits all Ground-type Pokemon (outside of Rhypeiror) in the UU tier for neutral damage and is only marginaly weaker than a super effective Hidden Power Ice. Lastly, if Swampert or Rhyperior are exceptionally large threats to your team, Hidden Power Grass can be used to good effect. However, Electric and Grass do not have great type synergy, so this is an extremely niche option.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The EVs listed allow Zapdos to outrun all non-Choice Scarf base 90 Pokemon with a positive nature. If you'd like to invest more, maximum Speed is recommended in order to tie with the base 100 squad of Pokemon. The rest of the EVs are invested into defenses in order to optimize Zapdos' bulk, maximizing HP while putting the rest into either Defense or Special Defense depending on your team's particular needs. A more offensive version of this set is viable and should run an EV spread of 252 SpA / 4 Def / 252 Spe with a Modest nature. Leftovers should be replaced with a Life Orb. These changes leave Zapdos far less bulky but let it put even more offensive pressure on an opposing team, as common special walls such as Mew are now 2HKOed with Stealth Rock and a layer of Spikes in play. Do note, however that your Zapdos' Speed will drop as a result of this change, so additional coverage against Pokemon sitting in the base 90 range, like Roserade, will need to be added ot your team.</p>
<p>Toxic can be used in place of Hidden Power to more effectively stall out foes with reliable recovery, but this renders Zapdos completely useless against common Poison-type Pokemon, such as Roserade, Nidoqueen, and Nidoking. Thus, it maybe a good idea to pair Zapdos with a teammate that carries Toxic Spikes. A defensive Qwilfish is the best candidate for this job, as it resists Ice-type moves aimed at Zapdos and has Intimidate to soften the blow of physical Rock-type moves that might come Zapdos' way. Nidoqueen is another option, mainly because it routinely counters Raikou, which can come in on this Zapdos easily with impunity, especially if it lacks Toxic. Nidoqueen also hits all Poison-types in the tier for super effective damage with its Sheer Force-boosted STAB Earth Power and Ice Beam should they attempt to absorb your Toxic Spikes.</p>
<p>Specially defensive Rhyperior is one of the best Zapdos counters in general, but it is particularly effective against this set because it can utilize Rock Blast to damage Zapdos even if it has a Substitute up, while taking miniscule damage from Hidden Power Ice and Hidden Power Flying. Raikou also makes an excellent counter to this set, especially if this Zapdos lacks Toxic, as it can come in freely against Thunderbolt or Hidden Power, set up a Substitute, and facilitate a Calm Mind sweep. Lastly, unless you've opted to use the more offensive variant, Mew, Umbreon, and Snorlax are all hard counters to this set. Mew can shrug off Thunderbolts with Softboiled, Taunt Zapdos so it you cannot use Roost or Substitute, and then begin to chip away at Zapdos' health bar with a combination of Will-O-Wisp and Psyshock. Umbreon can stall Zapdos out of all of its Thunderbolt PP with a combination of Wish and Protect, and if Zapdos paralyzes with Thunderbolt or uses Toxic, your precious Zapdos will get statused itself, all completely for naught as Umbreon will just use Heal Bell in the coming turn. Snorlax can avoid getting 3HKOed by Thunderbolt from the pivot spread and spam Body Slams to fish for a paralysis, setting up a 3HKO should Zapdos ever be fully paralyzed and miss an opportunity to Roost.</p>
