Genuinely I don't understand the pushback against AT LEAST testing Zamazenta-C in OU. It really feels like people are putting this mon on a pedestal just because it's a box legendary. The stats on paper are the only impressive thing about it and they're not backed by a good movepool. Not being able to hold an item is a huge hindrance on what sets Zama can actually get away with. Also to put in perspecive how much a damage boosting item actually helps a wallbreaker, Zamazenta-C's 130 base attack is roughly equal to a mon with base 87 attack running a choice band.
252+ Atk Zamazenta-Crowned Wild Charge vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Toxapex: 116-138 (38.1 - 45.3%)
252+ Atk Choice Band Seaking Wild Charge vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Toxapex: 136-162 (44.7 - 53.2%)
This is just laughable (base 92 attack btw)
A lot of the argument against Zamazenta-C that I have seen centers around it being too much of a threat to offense. That it's going to get behind dual screens and set up howl or agility and become a serious threat. Can someone explain to me how Kyurem-B, Zygarde, Magearna, or even dual dance Galar Zapdos aren't able to do the exact same thing to an arguably better degree? I mean I get that Zama is bulky but howl is just a pathetic boosting move compared to dd, coil, cm + shift gear, etc...
We absolutely should test it, but it kind of gets tiring to hear the same counter argument every single time it's brought up.
"Look the fighting / steel can't even beat this defensive poison / water type LOL"
First off 128 base speed should probably let it run Adamant. That outpaces the base 110s which means you lose out on Cinderace and Tornadus... I think that's it right? Anyway back to Toxapex Adamant Howl easily 2HKOs with Psychic Fangs or Wild Charge. With some fuckery via rocks, sand, knock off, or basically any chip damage Pex is getting 2HKOed through Haze. Oh cute comparison to Seaking, a Pokemon with 450 base stats. Try comparing it to Zamazenta-C with effective base 801 stat total (816 with defense investment).
Let me say it again. Even without an item this thing goes far beyond Uber level base stats. Even Arceus forms, taking into account the 20% STAB bonus, caps at around 750 BST. You can use cute damage calcs about how easy this piece of broken shit can't handle some carefully picked wall match ups but lets really throw around some calcs. I'm going to go through all of OU and see how absolutely horrifying this is for the average team to handle. You can make anything look broken / fair with the right damage calcs but in the real world this thing has over 800 BST, two great STABs, enough coverage, and a less than optimal but still potent setup move in Howl. For the following I'm going to assume Howl + 3 attacks (3rd is Wild Charge but I'll explore alternate options) and I will consider both switching in on, and 1v1ing Zama.
Edit: I believe Showdown's damage calc displays Zama's shield as +1 def but doesn't actually calc it. For the following I'm using a Lucario at +1 def with Zama's stats.
Blaziken: If you run Jolly Blaziken is outrun and usually OHKOed by +0 Close Combat. Blaziken can't OHKO with anything.
Blissey: lol
Cinderace: It is outrun and takes 82% min from CC. Adamant LO Libero High Jump Kick deals 99% max.
Clefable: lol
Corviknight: Sp Def is 2HKOed by a raw CC / Wild Charge, phys Def is 2HKOed by +1 versions of the same thing. Can do absolutely nothing back unless it has Iron Defense.
Ditto: Ditto is Ditto.
Dragapult: Pult requires Specs to 2HKO with Flamethrower while Behemoth Bash easily 2HKOs. Twave Hex usually 3HKOs though WoW + Hex might win 1v1. DD Pult gets smashed unless LO Lonely Fire Blast hits twice and rolls high. Also worth noting is Jolly Zama outruns Modest Pult.
Dragonite: +1 Behemoth Bash 2HKOs through multiscale and with Jolly you outrun Dnite after a DD. Jolly Dnite EQ has a very slim chance to only 4HKO.
Excadrill: Obviously dies but even with Adamant LO Sand Rush EQ fails to KO.
Ferrothorn: Body Press 4HKOs while +1 CC easily OHKOs back. If Ferro is Sp Def raw +0 CC OHKOs.
Garchomp: Zama Howls in its face, eats an EQ, then KOs with CC. Chomp's EQ isn't even a guaranteed 2HKO.
Heatran: lol
Kartana: Scarf Sacred Sword deals like 55% (ignores +1 def) but without scarf it's always slower, even slower than Adamant Zama.
Kyu-B: +1 Adamant LO Fusion Bolt does 49.8 % max while Zama CC KOs back. That's of course the worst case scenario, normally Zama just KOs outright.
Lando-T: Zama usually loses but EQ doesn't actually KO while BB is doing about 40% to Scarf Lando and if defensive Lando comes in on Howl BB will do a solid 45%. Obviously Lando will win generally but the thing to take away from this is it takes a LOT of damage doing so and Zama can just tech Ice Fang to humiliate it. Also defensive Lando-T only 3HKOs with EQ and will generally not successfully counter Zama.
Latios: Specs Aura Sphere is IIRC the strongest move Latios has vs Zama and it does about 60%. Pretty much anything Zama has 2HKOs and +1 BB OHKOs. Adamant Zama is faster than Timid Latios.
Magearna: Needs Specs Focus Blast to get a OHKO and that isn't guaranteed even against 0/0 Zama. Behemoth Bash + CC almost always KOs max HP Mag.
Mandibuzz: +1 Adamant Foul Play 6HKOs.
Melmetal: If Zama has a Howl it OHKOs and nothing Melmetal can do, not even Banded EQ, can OHKO.
Moltres: 252/252 takes around 75% from +1 Wild Charge and even with recoil Zama will survive the Flamethrower. Granted Flame Body has a solid chance to activate and Moltres can Roost spam. Moltres is a good counter overall.
Pelipper: Wild Charge
Pheramosa: Needs Adamant Life Orb Jump Kick to have favorable odds of a OHKO.
Regielectric: Unless it's using Electric Terrain Specs Rising Voltage Zama is going to survive and retaliate with a CC OHKO.
Rillaboom: Banded Wood Hammer 4HKOs surprisingly, and Banded Drain Punch 3HKOs. Without Band everything 4HKOs at best and Howl into +1 CC OHKOs back.
Slowbro: +1 Wild Charge 2HKOs but it's still overall a bad match up for Zama.
Spectrier: Specs Shadow Ball has a decent chance to 2HKO while Behemoth Bash doesn't OHKO back at +0. Surprisingly this can actually 1v1 Zama at full, though it can't switch in and can die to BB after sandstorm chip.
Swampert: 1v1 Pert wins but if it switches in on Howl, or takes basically any chip over 20% it risks dying to two Adamant CCs. Zama survives an EQ followed by a post CC defense drop EQ most of the time.
Tapu Fini: Behemoth Bash can 2HKO sp def sets and Fini 5HKOs back.
Tapu Koko: Specs Tbolt does lol 55% while +0 BB does 80% and +1 KOs.
Tornadus-T: Heat Wave 3HKOs unless Specs or LO while Behemoth Bash easily 2HKOs. If you run Jolly Zama can Howl in its face.
Toxapex: This might win with Haze thus Zama is a balanced and fair 800+ BST Pokemon.
Tyranitar: fucking lol
Urshifu-Dark: Banded Adamant Urshifu Close Combat OHKOs... only 75% of the time. Not that you have a chance to do so, as Zama already KOed you.
Urshifu-Wet: Probably wins 1v1 but is OHKOed by +1 Zama Adamant CC.
Zapdos: Hard walls the shit out of this. +1 Ice Fang 2HKOs but you probably end up paralyzed.
Zapdos-G: +1 Wild Charge or Behemoth Bash should KO. You survive anything besides a high roll from Banded CC.
Zygarde: Thousand Arrows 3HKOs lol so you Howl in its face and 2HKO with BB. If Zygarde is defensive Thousand Arrows usually only 4HKOs.
tl;dr Zapdos is a hard counter, Moltres and Toxapex are good under most conditions, and Slowbro probably comes out on top. Otherwise for the most part Zama just fucks most of the tier 1v1 and if it can force a switch it has very few, if any true counters (besides Zapdos). And that's just looking at this thing in a 1v1 vacuum. What happens when your Zapdos eats a Toxic, or if Zama has Wish support, or if it's paired with other ridiculous breakers such as Rillaboom. You imagine a handful of checks on every team that hold Zama back on paper but in reality just how much of a push would it take for Zama to run you down? Unban this just to get the ZaMaZeNtA iS bAlAnCeD crowd to see how good the meta is with Zapdos / Moltres / Quagsire on every team. This thing has far better stats than Arceus rofl it has no place in OU.