Original analysis written by TRC.. This analysis, among others, had to be completed and submitted in a hurry for Smogon's new dex. The OP here has been fully changed to reflect QC's version of this, written by Heysup. Corkscrew and Al_Alchemist have already QC checked this within the LC QC project and his changes have already been implemented.
Overview
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Belly Drum
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name: Belly Drum
move 1: Belly Drum
move 2: Extreme Speed
move 3: Thief
move 4: Protect / Rock Smash / Iron Tail
ability: Pickup
item: Berry Juice
evs: 132 HP / 196 Atk / 28 Def / 108 SpD / 36 Spe
nature: Adamant
Moves
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Set Details
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Usage Tips
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Team Options
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Other Options
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Checks & Counters
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**Ghost-types**: Resisting Extremespeed and usually outspeed, Misdreavus, Gastly and Drifloon can all give Zigzagoon trouble.
**Rock-types**: Rock-types resist Extremespeed and can usually deal good damage to Zigzagoon as it is quite frail. Examples include Lileep, Tirtouga, Archen, Dwebble, and Onix.
**Steel-types**: Steel-types such as Pawniard and Magnemite resist Extremespeed and can hit back hard, whereas Ferroseed can also survive a hit, and either Gyro Ball or Thunder Wave, as the latter will give Zigzagoon a 25% chance of not doing anything, allowing even a frail teammate to take it out (though it is unreliable).
**Fake Out**: If Zigzagoon is not carrying Protect, Fake Out Pokemon are very annoying as it usually cannot set up and remain at full health.
Overview
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- Zigzagoon is the only Pokemon in Little Cup gifted with the rare Belly Drum + Extreme Speed combination
- This allows it sweep with +2 priority with a maximized Attack stat
- However, its movepool is relatively sparse which doesn't allow many coverage options
- It is also quite slow, which means that things that resist Extreme Speed can easily revenge kill Zigzagoon
Belly Drum
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name: Belly Drum
move 1: Belly Drum
move 2: Extreme Speed
move 3: Thief
move 4: Protect / Rock Smash / Iron Tail
ability: Pickup
item: Berry Juice
evs: 132 HP / 196 Atk / 28 Def / 108 SpD / 36 Spe
nature: Adamant
Moves
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- Belly Drum is used to quadruple Zigzagoon's Attack, giving it an effective 52 Attack stat; this allows it to OHKO the majority of the tier.
- Extreme Speed is Zigzagoon's main STAB move; it is powerful and it has a priority of +2, which means it is almost always guaranteed to go first, and it does massive damage to anything at +6.
- Thief allows it to beat Misdreavus without Hidden Power Fighting if it's at 50%, and it steals Tirtouga's Berry Juice allowing it to take it on 1v1.
- Lots of options for last move. Seed Bomb hits Tirtouga, Onix, and other Rock-types. Rock Smash helps with Pawniard, Ferroseed, and Lileep. Iron Tail hits Spritzee (who survives Extreme Speed) and Lileep and other Rock-types. Protect helps stop Fake Out users such as Aipom and Mienfoo.
Set Details
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- The EV spread maximizes Zigzagoon's Attack, while also allowing it to survive a Misdreavus's Dazzling Gleam 94% of the time at 50% health, while also letting it live through a Fletchling's 110 BP Acrobatics at 100%. The rest is invested in Speed, which allows it to outspeed Jolly Tirtouga.
- Pickup is convenient to obtain more Berry Juices; while a rare occurence, it is still helpful in some situations
- Berry Juice is to heal back to 100% health after a Belly Drum.
Usage Tips
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- Zigzagoon is one of those Pokemon with limited mid-game use but incredible late-game power. It can be used as a revenge killer for very weak Pokemon with an unboosted Extreme Speed but almost everything can force it out so its not recommended.
- Zigzagoon is best used late in the game when the opponent's counters are weakened or gone, and the opponent sends out a Pokemon that can't otherwise hurt Zigzagoon enough to stop set up.
Team Options
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- Stealth Rock or Spikes are necessary to remove Sturdy or Focus Sash.
- Reflect, Light Screen, Encore, Safeguard and Memento greatly aid Zigzagoon in its setting up.
- It needs help with some of its counters. Pursuit users such as Pawniard or Houndour help in removing Ghost-types. Houndour can also weaken opposing Rock-types with its wall-breaking capabilities.
- Knock Off support from Mienfoo or Pawniard also help, as even at +6 Zigzagoon struggles to KO really bulky mons such as Vullaby and Spritzee.
- Zigzagoon appreciates the use of lures such as Heat Wave Vullaby to weaken counters such as Pawniard.
Other Options
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- Gluttony + Salac Berry + 196 Atk / 28 Def / 28 SpD / 196 Spe. This set uses Gluttony to get to +6,+1 straight away, allowing it to outspeed all unboosted Pokemon. This really helps against things such as Misdreavus who it can now outspeed and hit with Thief.
- Gunk Shot will OHKO Spritzee with a slightly greater accuracy than Iron Tail.
Checks & Counters
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**Ghost-types**: Resisting Extremespeed and usually outspeed, Misdreavus, Gastly and Drifloon can all give Zigzagoon trouble.
**Rock-types**: Rock-types resist Extremespeed and can usually deal good damage to Zigzagoon as it is quite frail. Examples include Lileep, Tirtouga, Archen, Dwebble, and Onix.
**Steel-types**: Steel-types such as Pawniard and Magnemite resist Extremespeed and can hit back hard, whereas Ferroseed can also survive a hit, and either Gyro Ball or Thunder Wave, as the latter will give Zigzagoon a 25% chance of not doing anything, allowing even a frail teammate to take it out (though it is unreliable).
**Fake Out**: If Zigzagoon is not carrying Protect, Fake Out Pokemon are very annoying as it usually cannot set up and remain at full health.
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