
Hey everyone, the NatDex UU tiering council has decided to suspect test Zapdos-Galar!
Suspect Test Reasoning
Galarian Zapdos has cemented itself as one of the top breakers ever since Hawlucha left the tier. Just like the previous Fighting / Flying user, Galarian Zapdos takes advantage of the tier's little amount of counterplay vs this STAB combination. The only relevant Pokemon that resists this STAB combo, Aegislash, does often not have a favorable matchup. Bulk Up + Taunt sets force Aegislash into its Blade form, being unable to properly keep Galarian Zapdos in check anymore. Not to mention Galarian Zapdos will receive an Attack boost if it attacks into King's Shield due to Defiant. Besides all this, Throat Chop sets on 3atks still deals with Aegislash perfectly well.
Bulk Up sets can pretty much nuke most defensive walls in the tier with Z-Brave Bird at +1, such as Mew, Slowking, Hippowdon and Mega Altaria without any drawback. Close Combat hits pretty much everything else noteworthy, such as Skarmory, Celesteela, and Melmetal. Choiced sets also have scary potential, such as the Choice Band sets. Choice Banded Brave Birds, Close Combats and U-turns can be extremely hard to pivot into if not pivoting correctly.
Galarian Zapdos' main issue is its vulnerability to chip damage and the speed tier. Top tier threats like Mega Manectric, Zeraora, Alakazam and Specs Keldeo outspeed and kill, taking advantage of Galarian Zapdos' lower base speed tier. Baiting the Z-Move and letting Galarian Zapdos chip itself with Brave Bird can be a good way to chip it heavily and pick it off with a faster threat.
Suspect Test Information
- **This is new to National Dex UU suspect tests** Reading this is mandatory to participate in the suspect test. The voting requirements are a minimum GXE of 79 with at least 40 games played. In addition, you may play 1 less game for every 0.2 GXE you have above 79 GXE, down to a minimum of 20 games at a GXE of 83. Also, needing more than 40 games to reach 79 GXE will suffice.
GXE minimum games 79 40 79.2 39 79.4 38 79.6 37 79.8 36 80 35 80.2 34 80.4 33 80.6 32 80.8 31 81 30 81.2 29 81.4 28 81.6 27 81.8 26 82 25 82.2 24 82.4 23 82.6 22 82.8 21 83 20
- You must use a fresh account that begins with the given prefix for this suspect test. That prefix is NDUUGAP. For example, I could signup and qualify with the name NDUUGAP N_Mareanie.
- You may not impersonate or mock another user with your account name. If there is any slight hesitation, you're probably better off picking a different name. We reserve the right to null your voting requisites if you are found impersonating or mocking another user with your account name. Moderator discretion will be applied.
- If you are found trying to manipulate voting requisites in any way, you will be met with a harsh infraction. Manipulating voting requisites ranges from faking your screenshot to asking another user to forfeit.
- The Pokemon that's being suspect tested, Zapdos-Galar, will be allowed on the National Dex UU ladder for the next two weeks so that we can properly assess its position in the metagame.
- This suspect test will go on for two weeks. It will last until March the 26th at 11:59 PM GMT+1.