AAA Primordial Sea Zapdos [QC: 1/2]

[GlalieGoesBoom]

[SET]
Primordial Sea (Zapdos) @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Primordial Sea
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe or 252 HP / 72 SpA / 184 Spe
Timid Nature
- Thunder
- Hurricane / Weather Ball
- U-turn / Weather Ball
- Roost

[SET COMMENTS]
Zapdos leverages Primordial Sea to boost the accuracy of its Thunders and Hurricanes, letting it be a threatening special Special attacker and offensive pivot. Weather Ball is another move that has fantastic synergy with Primordial Sea, although Zapdos would have to give up either Hurricane or U-turn, both of which are essential. Weather Ball allows Zapdos to wear down Volt Absorb Corviknight and non-Bulletproof Iron Treads, while Roost keep Zapdos healthy to check Fire-types when Primordial Sea is active like Cinderace, Heatran, and Ogerpon-H, as well as Ground-types like Great Tusk and Landorus-Therian. Zapdos can opt for either a bulky or offensive EV spread, although it needs 184 Speed with a Timid nature to outspeed max speed Landorus-Therian and Zarude.

Zapdos fits on balance and bulky offense teams that appreciate it's its mix of offensive pressure and defensive utility. Wallbreaking teammates like Choice Specs Gholdengo, Ogerpon-H and Latios appreciate the U-turn support to get them safely on the field as well as semi-(add hyphen)reliable paralysis support offered by Thunder, which lets them outspeed Roaring Moon. Zapdos also threatens two of the most common RegenVest users in Primarina and Manaphy, which helps other breakers such as Chien-Pao and Roaring Moon. Zapdos is walled by Bulletproof Iron Treads and RegenVest users like Ting-Lu, Iron Hands, and Swampert, so teammates like Garchomp and Zamazenta can help break through them; In exchange, Zapdos can force out physical walls like Corviknight and Great Tusk. Zapdos can be suceptible to Stealth Rocks if it gets Knocked Off by Great Tusk, so hazard removal like Corviknight or Iron Treads is important, while Zapdos can handle the Fire-types that threaten them. Zapdos is also a solid midground into Zamazenta if it's Choice Band, although it does have to be wary of Stone Edge on the switch or from non-Choiced sets.

[SET CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/glaliegoesboom.539679/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/pandemonium.475288/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user4.103/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user5.104/

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============

Zapdos can opt for a phyically defensive set with Intimidate or Fluffy, although it would often be switching into Knock Off and therefore requires strong hazard control. Zapdos can also run Choice Specs to be a stronger wallbreaker or Choice Scarf for speed control, although it would also be weak to Stealth Rocks and still lack the power to beat common checks like Iron Treads, Ting-Lu, and Swampert. Volt Switch is another pivoting option over U-turn, although it can be blocked and is far less consistent.

Checks and Counters
===================

**Electric Immunities*: Groud-types like Swampert, Iron Treads, and Ting-Lu, as well as Volt Absorb users like Corviknight all wall Zapdos easily.

**Special Attackers**: Strong special attackers like Choice Specs Latios, Deoxys-S, and Gholdengo can potentially outspeed and threaten Zapdos.

**RegenVest Users**: Zapdos also struggle with breaking through RegenVest users such as Iron Hands, Roaring Moon, and Goodra-H.

[CREDITS] note: this should be for OO, C&C, and overview; sets without those do not need this
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/glaliegoesboom.539679/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/pandemonium.475288/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user4.103/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user5.104/

 

[Pandemonium]

Copyedit

[SET]
Primordial Sea (Zapdos) @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Primordial Sea
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe or 252 HP / 72 SpA / 184 Spe
Timid Nature
- Thunder
- Hurricane / Weather Ball
- U-turn / Weather Ball
- Roost

[SET COMMENTS]
Zapdos leverages Primordial Sea to boost the accuracy of its Thunders and Hurricanes, letting it be a threatening special Special attacker and offensive pivot. Weather Ball is another move that has fantastic synergy with Primordial Sea, although Zapdos would have to give up either Hurricane or U-turn, both of which are essential. Weather Ball allows Zapdos to wear down Volt Absorb Corviknight and non-Bulletproof Iron Treads, while Roost keep Zapdos healthy to check Fire-types when Primordial Sea is active like Cinderace, Heatran, and Ogerpon-H, as well as Ground-types like Great Tusk and Landorus-Therian. Zapdos can opt for either a bulky or offensive EV spread, although it needs 184 Speed with a Timid nature to outspeed max speed Landorus-Therian and zarude i guess.

Zapdos fits on balance and bulky offense teams that appreciate it's its mix of offensive pressure and defensive utility. Wallbreaking teammates like Choice Specs Gholdengo, Ogerpon-H and Latios appreciate the U-turn support to get them safely on the field as well as semi-(add hyphen)reliable paralysis support offered by Thunder, which lets them outspeed Roaring Moon. A sentence mentioning that zapdos really puts pressure on teams with Primarina or Manaphy as the RegenVest could be added, as it benefits Roaring Moon/Pao for prim and Stuff walled by mana greatly. Zapdos is walled by Bulletproof Iron Treads and RegenVest users like Ting-Lu, Iron Hands, and Swampert, so teammates like Garchomp and Zamazenta can help break through them; In exchange, Zapdos can force out physical walls like Corviknight and Great Tusk. Zapdos can be suceptible to Stealth Rocks if it gets Knocked Off by Great Tusk, so hazard removal like Corviknight or Iron Treads is important, while Zapdos can handle the Fire-types that threaten them. Zapdos is also a solid midground into Zamazenta, although it does have to be scared of Stone Edge I think for this here would have to mention scouting the set, if it's life orb, zapdos is cooked, if it's banded or something else not so much.

[SET CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/glaliegoesboom.539679/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/pandemonium.475288/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user4.103/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user5.104/

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============

Zapdos can opt for a phyically defensive set with Intimidate or Fluffy, although it would often be switching into Knock Off and therefore requires strong hazard control. Zapdos can also run Choice Specs or choice scarf for speed control to be a stronger wallbreaker, although it would also be weak to Stealth Rocks and still lack the power to beat common checks like Iron Treads, Ting-Lu, and Swampert. Volt Switch is another pivoting option over U-turn, although it can be blocked and is far less consistent. Mention no guard for zap cannon shenanigans

Checks and Counters
===================

**Electric Immunities*: Groud-types like Swampert, Iron Treads, and Ting-Lu, as well as Volt Absorb users like Corviknight all wall Zapdos easily.

**Special Attackers**: Strong special attackers like Choice Specs Latios, (ac) Deoxys-S, and Gholdengo can potentially outspeed and OHKO Zapdos.

**RegenVest Users**: Zapdos also struggle with breaking through RegenVest users such as Iron Hands, Roaring Moon, and Goodra-H.

[CREDITS] note: this should be for OO, C&C, and overview; sets without those do not need this
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/glaliegoesboom.539679/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/pandemonium.475288/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user4.103/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user5.104/

QC 1/2