Doubles ADV Zapdos

zee

zee

Then so be it.
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[SET]
name: Offensive
move 1: Thunderbolt
move 2: Hidden Power Grass / Hidden Power Ice
move 3: Thunder Wave / Drill Peck / Substitute
move 4: Protect
item: Lum Berry
ability: Pressure
nature: Timid
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe

  • Zapdos's powerful Thunderbolt makes it one of the most fearsome special attackers in ADV Doubles. Additionally, it boasts one of the best Metagross matchups in the tier, as it is immune to Earthquake and takes little damage from Meteor Mash, often forcing Metagross to predictably use Explosion.
  • Hidden Power Grass 2HKOes Ground-types like Swampert and Marowak. Hidden Power Ice is Zapdos's best option for hitting Latias.
  • Thunder Wave can be used to attempt to slow down faster Pokemon it otherwise doesn't enjoy facing like Gengar and Latias, but Zapdos is always at risk of encountering an opposing Lum Berry. Drill Peck OHKOes Heracross, 2HKOes Sceptile, and hits Latias for slightly more damage than Thunderbolt. Substitute can be used to scout for Explosion from Metagross and Steelix, which struggle to threaten Zapdos with their other moves.
  • A Timid Nature allows Zapdos to outspeed max Speed Arcanine and bulky Gengar. Lum Berry is used to keep it temporarily safe from any potential Thunder Waves. Magnet can be used as an option to add more firepower to Zapdos's Thunderbolts, but it doesn't change any 2HKOs into OHKOs.
  • Tyranitar and Steelix make excellent partners for Zapdos, as Zapdos's immunity to their Earthquakes and ability to pressure Water-types is greatly appreciated. Conversely, Zapdos appreciates their positive matchup into Raikou and opposing Tyranitar. Zapdos struggles to threaten faster special attackers like Starmie, Latias, and Gengar, which Snorlax can do with ease. Metagross and Swampert also make great teammates as they deal with Tyranitar with Meteor Mash and Earthquake, respectively.
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Last edited:
zee said:
[SET]
name: Offensive
move 1: Thunderbolt
move 2: Hidden Power Grass
move 3: Drill Peck / Thunder Wave (put Thunder Wave first as it is more commonly used; see ADVPL stats)
move 4: Protect
item: Lum Berry
ability: Pressure
nature: Timid
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
  • Zapdos's powerful Thunderbolts make it one of the most fearsome special attackers in ADV Doubles. Additionally, it boasts one of the best Metagross matchups in the tier, as it is immune to Earthquake and takes little damage from Meteor Mash, often forcing it Metagross to predictably use Explosion.
  • Hidden Power Grass hits 2HKOs Ground-types (or say "common Thunderbolt switch-ins"/"electric-type immune foes" so you can omit everything after marowak) such as Swampert and Marowak which are immune to Thunderbolt. Drill Peck's (make this its own bullet point or merge w/ Thunder Wave as they're slashed) damage isn't very impressive, but does hit Latias for slightly more than Thunderbolt as well as Grass-types like Sceptile and Exeggutor. Notably, it does OHKO Heracross. (important point; move to front e.g. "Drill Peck lacks power but notably OHKOes Heracross and hits Latias... etc")
  • Thunder Wave can be used to attempt to slow down faster Pokemon it otherwise doesn't enjoy facing like Gengar and Latias, but Zapdos is always at risk of attacking hitting into an opposing Lum Berry.
  • A Timid Nature allows Zapdos to outspeed max Speed Arcanine and bulky Gengar. Lum Berry is used to keep it temporarily safe from any potential Thunder Waves it may encounter.
  • Tyranitar and Steelix make excellent partners for Zapdos, as Zapdos's immunity to their Earthquakes and ability to pressure Water-types is greatly appreciated. Conversely, Zapdos appreciates their positive matchup into Raikou and opposing Tyranitar. Zapdos struggles to pressure faster special attackers like Starmie, Latias, and Gengar, which Snorlax can do with ease. Metagross and Swampert also make great teammates as they pressure Tyranitar with Meteor Mash and Earthquake respectively.
  • magnet may be worth mentioning as a fringe item that boosts zapdos' thunderbolts if it chooses to invest in atk for drill peck; this fails to achieve any notable benchmarks that i know of but it's still represented on the current (outdated) sample teams. up to you -- it's a very reasonable omission
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Click to expand...

wyk5pnm.png

1/2
 
Only "problem" I have here is the line about Drill Peck -
zee said:
Drill Peck OHKOs Heracross and hits Latias and Sceptile.
Click to expand...
There is a very sizable difference in damage done to Latias and Sceptile, one being a 4-5HKO and 2HKO respectively. I know Drill Peck is a considerable amount more than Thunderbolt and mainly is for chip/to be able to touch it all, but I think it's a meaningful distinction for the reader. Clarify this for 2/2.

Something else that could be changed is the diversity of word choice in the final paragraph, could use some alternative phrases in the places you use pressure like deal with / handle / etc, just for some additional flavor, up to you on that one.
Uy6too4.png
 
1/1 GP Team done
add remove comment
[SET]
name: Offensive
move 1: Thunderbolt
move 2: Hidden Power Grass / Hidden Power Ice
move 3: Thunder Wave / Drill Peck / Substitute
move 4: Protect
item: Lum Berry
ability: Pressure
nature: Timid
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
  • Zapdos's powerful Thunderbolts makes it one of the most fearsome special attackers in ADV Doubles. Additionally, it boasts one of the best Metagross matchups in the tier, as it is immune to Earthquake and takes little damage from Meteor Mash, often forcing Metagross to predictably use Explosion.
  • Hidden Power Grass 2HKOes Ground-types like unless you mean specifically these two alone, then no like Swampert and Marowak. Hidden Power Ice is Zapdos's best option for hitting Latias.
  • Thunder Wave can be used to attempt to slow down faster Pokemon it otherwise doesn't enjoy facing like Gengar and Latias, but Zapdos is always at risk of hitting into encountering an opposing Lum Berry. Drill Peck OHKOes Heracross, 2HKOes Sceptile, and hits Latias for slightly more damage than Thunderbolt. Substitute can be used to scout for Explosion from Metagross and Steelix, which struggle to threaten Zapdos with their other moves.
  • A Timid Nature allows Zapdos to outspeed max Speed Arcanine and bulky Gengar. Lum Berry is used to keep it temporarily safe from any potential Thunder Waves. Magnet can be used as an option to add more firepower to Zapdos's Thunderbolts, but it doesn't change any 2HKOs into OHKOs.
  • Tyranitar and Steelix make excellent partners for Zapdos, as Zapdos's immunity to their Earthquakes and ability to pressure Water-types is greatly appreciated. Conversely, Zapdos appreciates their positive matchup into Raikou and opposing Tyranitar. Zapdos struggles to threaten faster special attackers like Starmie, Latias, and Gengar, which Snorlax can do with ease. Metagross and Swampert also make great teammates as they deal with Tyranitar with Meteor Mash and Earthquake, (ac) respectively.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/zee.501951/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/bunnyy.192134/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/smudge.550367/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/ken.594478/
 
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