Quality Control DPP Zapdos [QC 1/2]

ned04817

formerly nadando
[SET]
Bulky Special Attacker (Zapdos) @ Sitrus Berry
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 248 HP / 128 SpA / 24 SpD / 108 Spe
Modest Nature
- Thunderbolt
- Hidden Power [Ice] / Hidden Power [Grass] / Heat Wave
- Heat Wave / Roost
- Protect

[SET COMMENTS]
  • Zapdos is a strong and versatile bulky attacker thanks to its excellent typing, solid bulk, and valuable offensive coverage.
  • Thunderbolt is Zapdos’s primary STAB move, dealing consistent damage and threatening common Water-types like Suicune and Empoleon.
  • Hidden Power Ice pairs well with Thunderbolt, notably hitting Dragon-types like Latias and Salamence, while Hidden Power Grass targets four times weak Ground-types such as Swampert and Rhyperior.
  • Heat Wave provides spread damage and is particularly useful for OHKOing Scizor.
  • Roost improves Zapdos’s longevity by letting it recover health throughout the match, especially useful in drawn-out games.
  • Protect allows Zapdos to shield itself from Fake Out, stall out field effects like Trick Room, and scout opposing moves while its partner deals with threats.
  • Alternate move options such as Tailwind can support teammates with speed control, Roar can disrupt opposing setup or Trick Room attempts, and Rain Dance can be used on weather-based teams.
  • The given EV spread allows Zapdos to outspeed positive-natured base 70s such as Metagross, survive a Choice Specs Draco Meteor from Latias, and invest the remaining EVs into Special Attack for solid offensive output.
  • Zapdos fits well on a variety of team archetypes but particularly appreciates partners that can reliably check Tyranitar, such as Hitmontop or Metagross. It also matches up poorly into Latias, so it appreciates teammates like Tyranitar and Metagross.

[SET]
Choice Scarf (Zapdos) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 2 Atk / 30 Def
- Thunderbolt
- Heat Wave
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- U-turn

[SET COMMENTS]
  • Choice Scarf Zapdos acts as a fast attacker on offensive teams, leveraging its high Speed and wide coverage to pressure a range of threats.
  • Thunderbolt serves as its main STAB move, dealing strong single-target damage.
  • Heat Wave offers spread damage and lets Zapdos pressure common Steel-types such as Metagross and Scizor.
  • Hidden Power Ice provides coverage against Dragon- and Ground-types like Latias and Rhyperior that shrug off Thunderbolt.
  • U-turn enables Zapdos to pivot out of unfavorable matchups and maintain momentum for its team.
  • Choice Band Scizor is a strong partner that forms a potent pivoting core with Zapdos with U-turn. Zapdos also benefits from teammates that can handle Tyranitar, such as Hitmontop.
  • Choice Scarf Zapdos doesn't appreciate Stealth Rock, which whittles it down over time as it pivots with U-turn. If possible, prevent Stealth Rock from going up by pressuring the opponent's Stealth Rock setter or bring a lead with Taunt, like Infernape or Gengar.

[SET CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/nadando.353628/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user2.102/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user3.103/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user4.104/
 
Last edited:
Ready for QC. A couple notes on the bulky Zapdos set:
  • I wasn't sure what physically defensive benchmarks it should hit. I'm not sure if Kangaskhan is the most relevant one either, as suggested on Discord, but if that's the consensus from QC then it's all good with me.
  • HP Ice and HP Grass require different IVs, how do I format those two options so it will show up on the Smogon Dex when it's uploaded?
  • If there are more teammates suggestions, let me know. I couldn't think of anything else aside from Tyranitar checks.
 
all good notes, just a few minor nitpicks on the scarf set section

-worth specifying the scizor core is for CB scizor
-even if it's a little monotonous it is worth restating the hp ice targets

to address the 2nd post

-i think the spread you landed on is great, i've probably got exactly that somewhere in my builder
-i want to say the dex takes care of this automatically, but if not one of us will handle it on upload
-zapdos's poor latias matchup requires one or multiple strong teammates into it, mostly looking at tyranitar, metagross, or scizor as partners

1/2 ned04817
 
zee said:
all good notes, just a few minor nitpicks on the scarf set section

-worth specifying the scizor core is for CB scizor
-even if it's a little monotonous it is worth restating the hp ice targets

to address the 2nd post

-i think the spread you landed on is great, i've probably got exactly that somewhere in my builder
-i want to say the dex takes care of this automatically, but if not one of us will handle it on upload
-zapdos's poor latias matchup requires one or multiple strong teammates into it, mostly looking at tyranitar, metagross, or scizor as partners

1/2 ned04817
Click to expand...
Thank you! QC implemented, ready for a second check.
 
Zapdos is so versatile, what you have there is good already. Only nitpick is I think there should be a sentence about teammates that benefits from zapdos beating bulky water types, such as SD scizor or heatran.

Otherwise everything there looks great like always!

1755224734203.png
 
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