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Zapdos dropped to UU? Obviously I have to build a team around that!! I wanted to build a balanced/Volt-Turning team around an offensive (not defensive like the OU version) Zapdos. Without further ado, here is the team:
Thor (Zapdos) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 30 Def
- Volt Switch
- Heat Wave
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Thunderbolt
I wanted to build around Zapdos as I said. But I wanted to build offensive as Zapdos hits fairly hard with it's 125 SpA and a decent speed tier at 100. A Choice Scarf allows Zapdos to outspeed many common UU Pokemon and hit them hard. M-Aerodactyl and bulky Crobat both get outsped and OHKOd by Thunderbolt most of time (all of the time after rocks). Thunderbolt is the main STAB move, hitting Water and Flying types very hard, Volt Switch is a great hit and run move, Heat Wave hits Steel, Bug, and Grass types hard, and HP Ice is for the Dragon and Ground types. The EV spread is standard for an offensive mon.
Walnut (Forretress) @ Leftovers
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD
Relaxed Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Stealth Rock
- Rapid Spin
- Volt Switch
- Gyro Ball
Zapdos favors rocks on the opponent's side and none on his side. Rocks help him pick up some OHKOs and 2HKOs and also hurt him if they're up on my side since he likes getting in and out. So why not choose a very common Pokemon that can set up and remove hazards? Forretress fits this bill while also giving me a good defensive wall. The EVs are standard for Forretress, maximizing bulk while minimizing Speed to make Gyro Ball hit harder. Volt Switch allows me to maintain momentum.
The Cro (Suicune) @ Leftovers
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Calm Mind
- Rest
- Sleep Talk
- Scald
At this point I decided I wanted a FWG for this team. While I had many water type to choose from in Empoleon, Tentacruel, and Vaporeon, I thought Suicune would work best. This gives me plenty of bulk on both sides as well as giving me a good setup sweeper. Max HP and max Def to take hits as best as possible, with the remaining 8 in speed to outspeed other 85s such as Suicune and Gligar as well as outspeeding anything that wants to speed creep standard Crocune. Calm Mind for sweeping, RestTalk for Recovery, and Scald is the best option. It's STAB, it hits hard, and it ruins lives.
Axl (Roserade) @ Assault Vest
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 232 HP / 252 SpA / 24 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Dazzling Gleam
- Extrasensory
- Giga Drain
- Sludge Bomb
At this point I wanted more special bulk and I needed the second part of my FWG core. While not a normal Poke you put an Assault Vest on, I found it works very well as strong bulky tank. It bluffs a specially defensive set when it takes a hit and surprises opponents when it fires back a strong STAB or coverage move. 24 Spe EVs outspeeds uninvested the 220 speed tier by 2 points to stop speed creeps. Max SpA and a Modest nature allow Roserade to hit very hard! The rest goes into HP to take hits as best as possible. Giga Drain gives Roserade STAB recovery. Sludge Bomb is Roserade a secondary STAB option that hits Grass and Fairy types. Dazzling Gleam is for the Dragons and Fighting types in the tier (especially Hydreigon). Extrasensory is mainly there for other Roserades, although I've considered HP Fire in this slot. Natural Cure allow Roserade to take statuses easily.
Lonely (Infernape) @ Life Orb
Ability: Blaze
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- U-turn
- Flare Blitz
- Close Combat
- Stone Edge
At this point I need the Fire type for my core. I was also looking for Fighting coverage and one more VoltTurner. I considered Darmanitan but overall liked Infernape better. Infernape is great for many reasons: STAB Close Combat, U-Turn initiative, and surprises opponents when it leads as most people expect Focus Sash/Rocks. Flare Blitz and Close Combat are very good STAB moves, U-Turn was one of the big reasons I wanted Infernape, Stone Edge provides a great coverage option to hit Flying and Fire types. The EV spread is standard for an offensive mon.
Hala Miguel (Hydreigon) @ Life Orb
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Hasty Nature
- Draco Meteor
- Dark Pulse
- Iron Tail
- Superpower
Mixed Hydreigon. A set I wish I got the chance to run more often as it is amazing for wallbreaking. Draco Meteor and Dark Pulse as his STAB moves hitting very hard with a Life Orb. Iron Tail hits the Fairies hard and Superpower is for Steel and Rock types hard. EV spread is very standard. This set tends to very surprising to my opponents as my team in the preview leads most to believe that Hydreigon is the scarfer of the team. Hydreigon overall is a great part of this team.
Importable:
Edit: After posting this I started looking around at some of the RMTs for fun and realized there is a similar team on this page. I'd like to say that the team was not influenced by that one in any way! I built this team the day Zapdos dropped and after playing around and tweaking it, this is the team I ended with. So please hold any comments saying I copied. Thank you!
Zapdos dropped to UU? Obviously I have to build a team around that!! I wanted to build a balanced/Volt-Turning team around an offensive (not defensive like the OU version) Zapdos. Without further ado, here is the team:
Thor (Zapdos) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 30 Def
- Volt Switch
- Heat Wave
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Thunderbolt
I wanted to build around Zapdos as I said. But I wanted to build offensive as Zapdos hits fairly hard with it's 125 SpA and a decent speed tier at 100. A Choice Scarf allows Zapdos to outspeed many common UU Pokemon and hit them hard. M-Aerodactyl and bulky Crobat both get outsped and OHKOd by Thunderbolt most of time (all of the time after rocks). Thunderbolt is the main STAB move, hitting Water and Flying types very hard, Volt Switch is a great hit and run move, Heat Wave hits Steel, Bug, and Grass types hard, and HP Ice is for the Dragon and Ground types. The EV spread is standard for an offensive mon.
Walnut (Forretress) @ Leftovers
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD
Relaxed Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Stealth Rock
- Rapid Spin
- Volt Switch
- Gyro Ball
Zapdos favors rocks on the opponent's side and none on his side. Rocks help him pick up some OHKOs and 2HKOs and also hurt him if they're up on my side since he likes getting in and out. So why not choose a very common Pokemon that can set up and remove hazards? Forretress fits this bill while also giving me a good defensive wall. The EVs are standard for Forretress, maximizing bulk while minimizing Speed to make Gyro Ball hit harder. Volt Switch allows me to maintain momentum.
The Cro (Suicune) @ Leftovers
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Calm Mind
- Rest
- Sleep Talk
- Scald
At this point I decided I wanted a FWG for this team. While I had many water type to choose from in Empoleon, Tentacruel, and Vaporeon, I thought Suicune would work best. This gives me plenty of bulk on both sides as well as giving me a good setup sweeper. Max HP and max Def to take hits as best as possible, with the remaining 8 in speed to outspeed other 85s such as Suicune and Gligar as well as outspeeding anything that wants to speed creep standard Crocune. Calm Mind for sweeping, RestTalk for Recovery, and Scald is the best option. It's STAB, it hits hard, and it ruins lives.
Axl (Roserade) @ Assault Vest
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 232 HP / 252 SpA / 24 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Dazzling Gleam
- Extrasensory
- Giga Drain
- Sludge Bomb
At this point I wanted more special bulk and I needed the second part of my FWG core. While not a normal Poke you put an Assault Vest on, I found it works very well as strong bulky tank. It bluffs a specially defensive set when it takes a hit and surprises opponents when it fires back a strong STAB or coverage move. 24 Spe EVs outspeeds uninvested the 220 speed tier by 2 points to stop speed creeps. Max SpA and a Modest nature allow Roserade to hit very hard! The rest goes into HP to take hits as best as possible. Giga Drain gives Roserade STAB recovery. Sludge Bomb is Roserade a secondary STAB option that hits Grass and Fairy types. Dazzling Gleam is for the Dragons and Fighting types in the tier (especially Hydreigon). Extrasensory is mainly there for other Roserades, although I've considered HP Fire in this slot. Natural Cure allow Roserade to take statuses easily.
Lonely (Infernape) @ Life Orb
Ability: Blaze
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- U-turn
- Flare Blitz
- Close Combat
- Stone Edge
At this point I need the Fire type for my core. I was also looking for Fighting coverage and one more VoltTurner. I considered Darmanitan but overall liked Infernape better. Infernape is great for many reasons: STAB Close Combat, U-Turn initiative, and surprises opponents when it leads as most people expect Focus Sash/Rocks. Flare Blitz and Close Combat are very good STAB moves, U-Turn was one of the big reasons I wanted Infernape, Stone Edge provides a great coverage option to hit Flying and Fire types. The EV spread is standard for an offensive mon.
Hala Miguel (Hydreigon) @ Life Orb
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Hasty Nature
- Draco Meteor
- Dark Pulse
- Iron Tail
- Superpower
Mixed Hydreigon. A set I wish I got the chance to run more often as it is amazing for wallbreaking. Draco Meteor and Dark Pulse as his STAB moves hitting very hard with a Life Orb. Iron Tail hits the Fairies hard and Superpower is for Steel and Rock types hard. EV spread is very standard. This set tends to very surprising to my opponents as my team in the preview leads most to believe that Hydreigon is the scarfer of the team. Hydreigon overall is a great part of this team.
Importable:
Thor (Zapdos) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 30 Def
- Volt Switch
- Heat Wave
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Thunderbolt
Walnut (Forretress) @ Leftovers
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD
Relaxed Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Stealth Rock
- Rapid Spin
- Volt Switch
- Gyro Ball
The Cro (Suicune) @ Leftovers
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Calm Mind
- Rest
- Sleep Talk
- Scald
Axl (Roserade) @ Assault Vest
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 232 HP / 252 SpA / 24 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Dazzling Gleam
- Extrasensory
- Giga Drain
- Sludge Bomb
Lonely (Infernape) @ Life Orb
Ability: Blaze
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- U-turn
- Flare Blitz
- Close Combat
- Stone Edge
Hala Miguel (Hydreigon) @ Life Orb
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Hasty Nature
- Draco Meteor
- Dark Pulse
- Iron Tail
- Superpower
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 30 Def
- Volt Switch
- Heat Wave
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Thunderbolt
Walnut (Forretress) @ Leftovers
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD
Relaxed Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Stealth Rock
- Rapid Spin
- Volt Switch
- Gyro Ball
The Cro (Suicune) @ Leftovers
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Calm Mind
- Rest
- Sleep Talk
- Scald
Axl (Roserade) @ Assault Vest
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 232 HP / 252 SpA / 24 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Dazzling Gleam
- Extrasensory
- Giga Drain
- Sludge Bomb
Lonely (Infernape) @ Life Orb
Ability: Blaze
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- U-turn
- Flare Blitz
- Close Combat
- Stone Edge
Hala Miguel (Hydreigon) @ Life Orb
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Hasty Nature
- Draco Meteor
- Dark Pulse
- Iron Tail
- Superpower
Edit: After posting this I started looking around at some of the RMTs for fun and realized there is a similar team on this page. I'd like to say that the team was not influenced by that one in any way! I built this team the day Zapdos dropped and after playing around and tweaking it, this is the team I ended with. So please hold any comments saying I copied. Thank you!
Last edited:
