[OVERVIEW]
Fighting
========
Galarian Zapdos's high Attack stat combined with its excellent STAB combination and a great ability in Defiant allows it to act as a fearsome wallbreaker on Fighting-type teams. Its typing allows it to help in the Bug-, Fighting-, and Grass-type matchups, notably checking Pokemon such as Buzzwole, Urshifu-S, and Rillaboom. Its STAB combination allows to hit a large portion of the metagame for neutral or super effective damage, while U-turn pivots out of tough matchups and maintains momentum. However, its reliance on Brave Bird to beat troublesome Pokemon such as Toxapex and Galarian Weezing wears it down quickly, thus affecting its wallbreaking potential. Despite its fine Speed tier allowing it to outspeed Pokemon like Mimikyu and Nidoking while Speed tying with Pokemon such as Choice Band Victini, it can be easily revenge killed by faster threats such as Alolan Ninetales, Tornadus-T, and Zeraora or Choice Scarf users such as Galarian Darmanitan and Tapu Lele.
[SET]
name: Choice Band (Fighting)
move 1: Brave Bird
move 2: Close Combat / Thunderous Kick
move 3: U-turn
move 4: Blaze Kick
item: Choice Band
ability: Defiant
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Brave Bird acts as Galarian Zapdos's main STAB move, dealing massive damage to any Pokemon not resisting it, OHKOing Pokemon such as Amoonguss, Buzzwole, and Choice Specs Tapu Lele and 2HKOing Pokemon like Clefable and Toxapex after Stealth Rock damage. STAB Close Combat complements Brave Bird nicely, helping it hit Rock- and Steel-type Pokemon like Celesteela, Jirachi, and Tyrantiar. Thunderous Kick can be used over Close Combat to avoid Defense drops and deal with physical walls like Klefki and Mandibuzz a bit better. U-turn helps Galarian Zapdos pivot out of tough matchups or pick off weakened Pokemon while maintaining momentum alongside Pokemon like Volt Switch Cobalion and Flip Turn Keldeo. Blaze Kick acts as coverage move to hit Pokemon like Aegislash and Zapdos better. Defiant is a great ability that allows it to punish Intimidate and Defog users such as Landorus-T and Galarian Weezing, respectively. Maximum Speed investment along with a Jolly nature helps Galarian Zapdos outspeed threats such as Choice Specs Tapu Lele, non-Choice Scarf Urshifu-R, and Mimikyu, while maximum Attack investment along with Choice Band makes it a fearsome wallbreaker.
Galarian Zapdos does a great job at weakening teams for cleaners such as Buzzwole and Urshifu-S. It should avoid directly switching into walls, as they could inflict status conditions that greatly harm its wallbreaking potential, or into most attacks, which can hurt its longevity when combined with Brave Bird recoil. Fighting teams appreciate its ability to switch into Fighting- and Ground-type attacks like Close Combat and Earthquake from Choice Scarf Buzzwole and Excadrill, respectively. Cobalion acts as a great partner for Galarian Zapdos with its ability to switch into Fairy- and Ice-type attacks, provide Stealth Rock support, and provide Thunder Wave support so it can outspeed threats like Dragapult, Latios, and Tornadus-T. It can also bring Galarian Zapdos in with Volt Switch, and, in return, it appreciates Galarian Zapdos switching into Fighting- and Ground-type attacks. Urshifu-S provides Psychic immunity and further aids Galarian Zapdos in wallbreaking as a Choice Band wallbreaker or Bulk Up setup sweeper. It also beats Ghost- and Psychic-types like Galarian Corsola and Slowbro while dealing with faster threats like Alolan Raichu and Choice Scarf Latias with Sucker Punch. Keldeo can help Galarian Zapdos in dealing with physical walls like Hippowdon and Skarmory a bit better, and it appreciates Galarian Zapdos's ability to deal with special walls such as Blissey and Slowking. Choice Scarf Terrakion can clean through teams weakened by Galarian Zapdos and also helps in dealing with Flying-types such as Zapdos and Tornadus-T, which would otherwise trouble Galarian Zapdos, or weakening shared checks with a Swords Dance set. Choice Scarf Buzzwole can clean through teams weakened by Galarian Zapdos thanks to Beast Boost while also having Earthquake and Leech Life to beat Electric- and Psychic-types like Zeraora and Choice Specs Latios. Hawlucha can be used alongside Galarian Zapdos for dual Flying-type STAB move spam.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Fighting
--------
A Choice Scarf set can be used to outspeed foes such as Choice Scarf Galarian Darmanitan, Keldeo, and Alakazam, but Fighting teams already have access to better Choice Scarf users in Terrakion and Buzzwole, the former having a higher Speed tier and the latter being able to boost its Attack stat with Beast Boost. A Bulk Up set alongside Substitute or Agility with Thunderous Kick and Brave Bird can be utilized, but Choice Band's immediate power is preferred.
Checks and Counters
===================
Fighting
--------
**Revenge Killers**: Galarian Zapdos is prone to being revenge killed by faster Pokemon such as Tornadus-T, Alakazam, and Choice Scarf Darmanitan; however, they can't directly switch into Galarian Zapdos.
**Status**: Galarian Zapdos is pretty vulnerable to status effects, with burn greatly lowering its damage, paralysis making it easy to revenge kill, and poison further hurting its longevity.
**Aegislash**: Aegislash can be tough to break past for Galarian Zapdos, as it can easily come in on its STAB moves. Aegislash can scout for its moves with King's Shield and can also badly poison it with Toxic. However, it has to be careful of Galarian Zapdos locked into Blaze Kick, as Defiant can give it an Attack boost if Aegislash uses King's Shield. Galarian Corsola on Ghost-type teams and Heatran on Steel-type teams can help Aegislash against Blaze Kick.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[The Thunderbirds, 475881]]
- <Fighting> analysis by: [[The Thunderbirds, 475881]]
- Quality checked by: [[Havens, 391540], [Harpp, 320110], [maroon, 305839]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Milak, 262594], [Finland, 517429]]
Fighting
========
Galarian Zapdos's high Attack stat combined with its excellent STAB combination and a great ability in Defiant allows it to act as a fearsome wallbreaker on Fighting-type teams. Its typing allows it to help in the Bug-, Fighting-, and Grass-type matchups, notably checking Pokemon such as Buzzwole, Urshifu-S, and Rillaboom. Its STAB combination allows to hit a large portion of the metagame for neutral or super effective damage, while U-turn pivots out of tough matchups and maintains momentum. However, its reliance on Brave Bird to beat troublesome Pokemon such as Toxapex and Galarian Weezing wears it down quickly, thus affecting its wallbreaking potential. Despite its fine Speed tier allowing it to outspeed Pokemon like Mimikyu and Nidoking while Speed tying with Pokemon such as Choice Band Victini, it can be easily revenge killed by faster threats such as Alolan Ninetales, Tornadus-T, and Zeraora or Choice Scarf users such as Galarian Darmanitan and Tapu Lele.
[SET]
name: Choice Band (Fighting)
move 1: Brave Bird
move 2: Close Combat / Thunderous Kick
move 3: U-turn
move 4: Blaze Kick
item: Choice Band
ability: Defiant
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Brave Bird acts as Galarian Zapdos's main STAB move, dealing massive damage to any Pokemon not resisting it, OHKOing Pokemon such as Amoonguss, Buzzwole, and Choice Specs Tapu Lele and 2HKOing Pokemon like Clefable and Toxapex after Stealth Rock damage. STAB Close Combat complements Brave Bird nicely, helping it hit Rock- and Steel-type Pokemon like Celesteela, Jirachi, and Tyrantiar. Thunderous Kick can be used over Close Combat to avoid Defense drops and deal with physical walls like Klefki and Mandibuzz a bit better. U-turn helps Galarian Zapdos pivot out of tough matchups or pick off weakened Pokemon while maintaining momentum alongside Pokemon like Volt Switch Cobalion and Flip Turn Keldeo. Blaze Kick acts as coverage move to hit Pokemon like Aegislash and Zapdos better. Defiant is a great ability that allows it to punish Intimidate and Defog users such as Landorus-T and Galarian Weezing, respectively. Maximum Speed investment along with a Jolly nature helps Galarian Zapdos outspeed threats such as Choice Specs Tapu Lele, non-Choice Scarf Urshifu-R, and Mimikyu, while maximum Attack investment along with Choice Band makes it a fearsome wallbreaker.
Galarian Zapdos does a great job at weakening teams for cleaners such as Buzzwole and Urshifu-S. It should avoid directly switching into walls, as they could inflict status conditions that greatly harm its wallbreaking potential, or into most attacks, which can hurt its longevity when combined with Brave Bird recoil. Fighting teams appreciate its ability to switch into Fighting- and Ground-type attacks like Close Combat and Earthquake from Choice Scarf Buzzwole and Excadrill, respectively. Cobalion acts as a great partner for Galarian Zapdos with its ability to switch into Fairy- and Ice-type attacks, provide Stealth Rock support, and provide Thunder Wave support so it can outspeed threats like Dragapult, Latios, and Tornadus-T. It can also bring Galarian Zapdos in with Volt Switch, and, in return, it appreciates Galarian Zapdos switching into Fighting- and Ground-type attacks. Urshifu-S provides Psychic immunity and further aids Galarian Zapdos in wallbreaking as a Choice Band wallbreaker or Bulk Up setup sweeper. It also beats Ghost- and Psychic-types like Galarian Corsola and Slowbro while dealing with faster threats like Alolan Raichu and Choice Scarf Latias with Sucker Punch. Keldeo can help Galarian Zapdos in dealing with physical walls like Hippowdon and Skarmory a bit better, and it appreciates Galarian Zapdos's ability to deal with special walls such as Blissey and Slowking. Choice Scarf Terrakion can clean through teams weakened by Galarian Zapdos and also helps in dealing with Flying-types such as Zapdos and Tornadus-T, which would otherwise trouble Galarian Zapdos, or weakening shared checks with a Swords Dance set. Choice Scarf Buzzwole can clean through teams weakened by Galarian Zapdos thanks to Beast Boost while also having Earthquake and Leech Life to beat Electric- and Psychic-types like Zeraora and Choice Specs Latios. Hawlucha can be used alongside Galarian Zapdos for dual Flying-type STAB move spam.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Fighting
--------
A Choice Scarf set can be used to outspeed foes such as Choice Scarf Galarian Darmanitan, Keldeo, and Alakazam, but Fighting teams already have access to better Choice Scarf users in Terrakion and Buzzwole, the former having a higher Speed tier and the latter being able to boost its Attack stat with Beast Boost. A Bulk Up set alongside Substitute or Agility with Thunderous Kick and Brave Bird can be utilized, but Choice Band's immediate power is preferred.
Checks and Counters
===================
Fighting
--------
**Revenge Killers**: Galarian Zapdos is prone to being revenge killed by faster Pokemon such as Tornadus-T, Alakazam, and Choice Scarf Darmanitan; however, they can't directly switch into Galarian Zapdos.
**Status**: Galarian Zapdos is pretty vulnerable to status effects, with burn greatly lowering its damage, paralysis making it easy to revenge kill, and poison further hurting its longevity.
**Aegislash**: Aegislash can be tough to break past for Galarian Zapdos, as it can easily come in on its STAB moves. Aegislash can scout for its moves with King's Shield and can also badly poison it with Toxic. However, it has to be careful of Galarian Zapdos locked into Blaze Kick, as Defiant can give it an Attack boost if Aegislash uses King's Shield. Galarian Corsola on Ghost-type teams and Heatran on Steel-type teams can help Aegislash against Blaze Kick.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[The Thunderbirds, 475881]]
- <Fighting> analysis by: [[The Thunderbirds, 475881]]
- Quality checked by: [[Havens, 391540], [Harpp, 320110], [maroon, 305839]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Milak, 262594], [Finland, 517429]]
Last edited:
