• Check out the relaunch of our general collection, with classic designs and new ones by our very own Pissog!

Quality Control Offensive Zapdos QC 1/2

Heatranator

Heatranator

The Magma before the Storm
is a Forum Moderatoris a Community Contributoris a Tiering Contributoris a Contributor to Smogon
[SET]
name: Offensive Zapdos
move 1: Hurricane
move 2: Volt Switch
move 3: Heat Wave
move 4: Roost
item: Heavy-Duty Boots
tera type: Fire
ability: Static
nature: Timid
evs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
ivs: 0 Atk

[SET COMMENTS]
Paragraph 1
Offensive Zapdos stands out as a very proactive Pokemon that can help gain momentum and chip down important walls for its team while taking on dangerous Pokemon such as Great Tusk and Zamazenta. Volt Switch allows Zapdos to get out of difficult matchups safely such as against Galarian Slowking while chipping them for good damage. Heat Wave allows Zapdos to hit Iron Treads for super effective damage, which can otherwise completely wall Zapdos, while also severely damaging other Steel-types such as Gholdengo and Kingambit that might be able to take a hit or two from it. Roost allows Zapdos to keep itself healthy over the course of a game to keep checking Pokemon like Scizor while continuing to batter opposing defensive cores. Weather Ball can be used alongside either Galarian Slowking or Pelipper to give Zapdos an option to hit Ground-types such as Gliscor and especially Ting-Lu for massive damage. If it is paired with Galarian Slowking, Weather ball can also hit Raging Bolt. Heavy-Duty Boots allow Zapdos to ignore Stealth Rock so it can switch in easier against Pokemon such as Kingambit. 216 Speed EVs can be used to outspeed Kyurem while 240 Speed EVs can outspeed Iron Crown. However, Zapdos doesn't get much benefit from the small amount of HP EVs it can invest, and thus 252 Speed EVs is preferred to speed tie opposing Offensive Zapdos. Tera Fire allows Zapdos to OHKO Iron Treads with Heat Wave while also allowing it to resist Ice-type attacks from Pokemon such as Weavile and Kyurem in a pinch.

Paragraph 2
Offensive Zapdos fits best on balance teams, who heavily appreciate its ability to output great damage while checking Pokemon such as Zamazenta and Kingambit. Due to its lack of bulk investment, Zapdos can no longer reliably switch into Pokemon such as Ogerpon-W and Dragon Dance Dragonite. Thus, Pokemon such as Corviknight and Pecharunt are crucial to help it take on these powerful Pokemon. Pokemon that can take on special attackers such as Galarian Slowking and Iron Crown are incredibly useful for Zapdos, as not only can they form pivot cores to weaken opposing defensive structures, but Zapdos can help take on Pokemon such as Kingambit that they may otherwise struggle with. Pokemon such as Kyurem and Rillaboom that struggle with Steel-types such as Iron Treads and Kingambit heavily appreciate Zapdos luring them in with Heat Wave, while in return they can take on Pokemon such as Ting-Lu that Zapdos may struggle with. Unless it is running Weather Ball, Zapdos struggles immensely with Raging Bolt. Therefore, Pokemon such as Ting-Lu and Iron Treads that can answer it are very much appreciated, while in return Zapdos can handle Pokemon such as Zamazenta and Great Tusk that might threaten out its partners. Zapdos can effectively lure in and KO Pokemon such as Hisuian Samurott, Gholdengo, and Kyurem by using its high speed and powerful attacks, which means Pokemon such as Iron Crown, Dragonite, and Gholdengo that typically struggle a lot into them heavily appreciate its support. Ice-type attackers such as Weavile and Kyurem are great teammates for Zapdos, as they can take on common Ground-types such as Ting-Lu and Gliscor that Zapdos otherwise can struggle against, while in return Zapdos can help them get in through Volt Switch and help take on Fighting-types such as Zamazenta and Keldeo they may struggle against. Pokemon such as Dragapult like the damage extra damage that Zapdos outputs with Hurricane to help chip down Pokemon such as Ting-Lu while being able to switch into threats such as Ogerpon-W that Zapdos may struggle to switch into as often.

[SET CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/username.XXXXXX/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/username.XXXXXX/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/username.XXXXXX/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/username.XXXXXX/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/username.XXXXXX/
 
Last edited:
add remove highlight comment

Feel free to DM me on discord or PM if you have any questions or want to discuss something in more depth.

[SET]
name: Offensive Zapdos
move 1: Hurricane
move 2: Volt Switch
move 3: Heat Wave
move 4: Roost
item: Heavy-Duty Boots
tera type: Fire
ability: Static
nature: Timid
evs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
ivs: 0 Atk

[SET COMMENTS]
Paragraph 1
Offensive Zapdos stands out as a very difficult Pokemon to switch in to (Not sure how true this is, Ting and Glowking still come in just fine. It's more about the momentum and proactivity as opposed to the more defensive sets.) that still retains its ability to take on dangerous Pokemon such as Great Tusk and Zamazenta. (Would add a comment about Volt Switch, it is just a STAB move but there is still reasoning for picking it over Thunderbolt/Discharge/etc.) Heat Wave allows Zapdos to hit Iron Treads for super effective damage while also severely damaging other Steel-types such as Gholdengo and Kingambit (Kind of weird phrasing, all of these are hit by Heat Wave for super effective damage.). Roost allows Zapdos to keep itself healthy over the course of a game to keep checking valuable Pokemon like Scizor while continuing to batter opposing defensive cores. Weather Ball can be used alongside either Galarian Slowking or Pelipper to give Zapdos an option to hit Ground-types such as Gliscor and especially Ting-Lu for massive damage,. and If it is paired with Galarian Slowking, Weather Ball can also hit hitting Raging Bolt. Heavy-Duty Boots allows Zapdos to ignore Stealth Rock so it can switch in easier against Pokemon such as Kingambit. Tera Fire allows Zapdos to OHKO Iron Treads with Heat Wave while also allowing it to resist Ice-type attacks from Pokemon such as Weavile and Kyurem in a pinch. (I might want to put other spreads in as text mentions, like enough speed to creep Kyu or Crown, or at least touch on why this spread is chosen in particular.)

Paragraph 2
Offensive Zapdos fits best on offense and bulky offense teams, who heavily appreciate its ability to output great damage while checking Pokemon such as Zamazenta and Kingambit. (Is this true? I thought it might paradoxically be the opposite, offensive likes defensive Zap to deal with anti-offence mons like Zama, spread para for breakers to function, and slow pivot in breakers. Balance likes offensive Zap to be less passive into breakers like Kyu and SD Gliscor.) Due to its lack of bulk investment, Zapdos can no longer reliably switch into Pokemon such as Ogerpon-W and Dragon Dance Dragonite. Thus, Pokemon such as Hydrapple and Pecharunt are crucial to help it take on these powerful Pokemon. (Hydrapple definitely does not seem to be a good example - it doesn't appear in teammate usage stats, it isn't on sample teams with offensive Zap, and I can't find a recent SCL match with the two on the same team. Pech also doesn't appear on usage stats or sample teams with offensive Zap, but at least there are some SCL matches with the two.) Pokemon that can take on special attackers such as Galarian Slowking and Iron Crown are incredibly useful for Zapdos, as not only can they form pivot cores to weaken down (weaken or wear down) opposing defensive structures, but Zapdos can help take on Pokemon such as Kingambit that they may otherwise struggle with. Unless it is running Weather Ball, Zapdos struggles immensly (immensely) with Raging Bolt. Therefore, Pokemon such as Ting-Lu and Iron Treads that can answer it are very much appreciated, while in retun (return) Zapdos can handle Pokemon such as Zamazenta and Great Tusk that might threaten out its partners. Ice-type attackers such as Weavile and Kyurem are great for Zapdos, as they can take on common Ground-types such as Ting-Lu and Gliscor that Zapdos otherwise can struggle against, while in return Zapdos can help them get in through Volt Switch and help take on Fighting-types such as Zamazenta and Keldeo they may struggle against.
(In general these are good teammates, but there is absolutely nothing here distinguishing offensive Zapdos from defensive sets. Offensive Zap can use Heat Wave on Steels - what teammates appreciate this in particular? Offensive Zap outspeeds Ghold/Hrott/Tusk/Pech/Lando/Kyu, what teammates appreciate this in particular? Which teammates like the extra chip damage from invested Hurricane, and don't mind Zap being less able to switch into certain threats? This section should be reworked to answer these key questions.)
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top