|
-
Immunity
- This Pokémon cannot be poisoned.
|
Statistics
|
Min- |
Min |
Max |
Max+ |
| HP |
73
|
- |
287 |
350 |
- |
| Atk |
115
|
239 |
266 |
329 |
361 |
| Def |
60
|
140 |
156 |
219 |
240 |
| SpA |
60
|
140 |
156 |
219 |
240 |
| SpD |
60
|
140 |
156 |
219 |
240 |
| Spe |
90
|
194 |
216 |
279 |
306 |
Zangoose abuses high Speed and even higher Attack to try to sweep with Swords Dance. The STAB on Frustration makes it a powerful move to sweep with, Shadow Ball hits any Ghosts that try and block your sweep, and the last move can end Pokémon that try and abuse Endure + Salac Berry (as well seriously hurt Ninjask) by using Quick Attack, or hit Rocks and Steels with Brick Break or Hidden Power Ground. Brick Break hits Tyranitar harder (potentially OHKOing if you're Adamant), whereas Hidden Power Ground will hit Metagross and Jirachi harder than Frustration. Brick Break has slightly more power on Pokémon like Steelix and Rhydon.
Zangoose has the attack power to sweep unboosted, but not with Skarmory in the way. You can Taunt Skarmory's Spikes and Roars and Counter the Drill Peck right back in its face. Certainly an original alternative.
Fire Blast will kill Skarmory in 2-3 hits, provided it hits, making it do far more than Focus Punch. Focus Punch has the advantage when it comes to various Rock types, like Tyranitar, however. Swords Dance can be used to make Zangoose's Flail even more powerful, as Zangoose's Flail at 1 HP is the same power as Focus Punch on Skarmory, anyway. Shadow Ball is to hit Ghosts.
The EVs given assume you are using Fire Blast. If you are not, then just go Adamant with max Attack and Speed.
For Pokémon like Aerodactyl that think you're going to try and set up, this Zangoose can give them a bit of a surprise when hits hard right out of the gates. This set is made for those of you who find Zangoose's poor defenses too difficult to set up with.
Other Options
Although Zangoose learns a ton of moves, there isn't really much else for it to do. You could pair Counter with Focus Punch, except that Zangoose has to survive the physical hit to be able to Counter. It could kill Skarmory in the same way the Taunt set does, however, while still allowing you to do stuff like Focus Punch Tyranitar on the switch.
EVs
Flail Zangoose should have 270 Speed minimum, but this only matters if you use Fire Blast (those with only physical Attacks should just max Speed with an Adamant nature); the rest should have 300 Speed. One of the beautiful things about Zangoose is that it out-speeds Heracross. Rest goes in Attack, or maybe a tad of HP for Countering Zangoose.
Opinion
It's one of the fastest Swords Dancers that gets physical STAB, and has a beefy Attack stat to boot. Zangoose is a tad underused in standard; he was, however, used in 200 quite a bit.
Counters
Any Normal resist, depending on your moveset. Gengar, Dusclops and other Ghosts are pricks if you don't pack Shadow Ball. Tyranitar can take a Swords Danced Hidden Power Ground, but not a boosted Brick Break, and hurts back (though may not KO usually). His Sand Stream can really get in the way of Flail versions. Metagross shrugs off anything, even Hidden Power Ground doesn't OHKO him, while Meteor Mash will usually KO Zangoose. Rhydon does the same except he's also weak to Brick Break. Golem to a lesser extent, he might not OHKO you with Earthquake. Anything faster than Zangoose with good offenses can hurt him, though they may have to eat a Swords Danced Quick Attack first.