[SET]
name: Defensive
move 1: Spirit Break / Play Rough / Fishious Rend
move 2: Recover
move 3: Spectral Thief
move 4: Rapid Spin
item: Rocky Helmet / Leftovers
ability: Primordial Sea / Flash Fire / Magic Bounce
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Spirit Break’s special attack drop allows Zacian to stay in against special attackers like Choice Specs Lunala and Kyurem-W, making it more appealing than Play Rough’s extra power, although it does miss out on some benchmarks like not 2HKOing Zekrom and Poison Heal Zamazenta. Fishious Rend is an alternate move that is boosted by Primordial Sea, making it more powerful than either Fairy move and providing good neutral coverage, but allows Zekrom to switch in relatively unscathed. Spectral Thief deters setup moves such as Quiver Dance and Cotton Guard from Pokemon such as Poison Heal Reshiram and Zamazenta so Zacian can reliably check them. Rapid Spin is a great option to clear hazards set by Pokemon Zacian checks, such as the aforementioned Reshiram and Zamazenta, and the Speed boost is also useful to ease prediction on setup moves like Quiver Dance. With Spectral Thief and Fairy-type STAB Zacian is capable of forcing out most spinblockers. Scald is an option to punish Steel-types like Melmetal that otherwise switch-in unscathed with burns, and also helps chip Pokemon like Eternatus down. V-create is another option that in conjunction with Flash Fire provides powerful coverage against Steel-types. Rocky Helmet is the preferred item to punish contact moves, especially U-turn, although Leftovers can be run to mitigate chip damage. Primordial Sea provides an immunity to Fire-type moves and is not bypassed by Mold Breaker, allowing Zacian to be an excellent check to Reshiram and Galarian Darmanitan-Z. Flash Fire is an alternative that doesn't announce nor boost Water-type moves, and also prevents Zacian from being burned by Will-O-Wisp from Pokemon like Poison Heal Zamazenta. Magic Bounce can prevent entry hazards and status conditions, making Zacian a solid utility Pokemon capable of switching in against annoying Pokemon like Poison Heal Zamazenta and Umbreon, but the loss of a Fire-immunity means Reshiram can defeat Zacian with Lava Plume burns. A Jolly nature speed-ties Zamazenta while outspeeding Barraskewda, Eternatus, and Mewtwo.
Choice Specs Lunala and Necrozma-DW appreciates Zacian checking Dark-type Pokemon like Umbreon while it can pressure sturdy Fairy checks such as Melmetal and Darmanitan-Z. Choice Band Galarian Darmanitan-Z threatens Steel-types like Melmetal and Steelix while Zacian can provide a sturdy switch-in for transformed Imposter users or provide Magic Bounce support to prevent Stealth Rock from going up and heavily chipping Galarian Darmanitan-Z. Reshiram is a fantastic teammate, as Zacian can easily Imposter-proof it and provide hazard-removal while it checks Steel-types like Zacian-C and Melmetal as well as Zekrom without Dragon-STAB. If Zacian has Magic Bounce, it can Imposter-proof certain entry hazard setters like Poison Heal Golisopod and Zamazenta, in return the former checks Zacian-C and harass Melmetal while the latter can use defensive Steel-type switch-ins to set up entry hazards. Sturdy walls like Melmetal and Fur Coat Seismitoad check dangerous wallbreakers like Zacian-C and Zeraora which can OHKO Zacian, while Zacian checks annoying Pokemon like Poison Heal Reshiram and Mold Breaker Galarian Darmanitan-Z for them.
[SET]
name: Poison Heal
move 1: Spirit Break / Play Rough
move 2: U-turn / Spectral Thief
move 3: Spikes / Rapid Spin / Spectral Thief
move 4: Glare / Will-O-Wisp
item: Toxic Orb
ability: Poison Heal
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Zacian has solid bulk and a good defensive typing that when combined with the status immunity and passive recovery offered by Poison Heal makes it very difficult to wear down. Spirit Break helps against special attackers like Reshiram and Lunala while Play Rough's extra power can be useful for situations like 2HKOing Zekrom and Poison Heal Zamazenta. U-turn lets Zacian gain momentum on switches and also allows it to escape trapping moves like Anchor Shot and ease prediction on Dynamax. Zacian's longevity and abundant opportunities to switch in makes it a solid Spikes setter, although it can also run Rapid Spin to clear hazards from Pokemon it check like Poison Heal Zamazenta. The Speed boost from Rapid Spin also eases its predictions against certain setup attackers like Poison Heal Reshiram. Alternatively, Spectral Thief deters setup, and makes Zacian a more reliable answer to threats like Cotton Guard Zamazenta and Quiver Dance Reshiram. Glare is very useful for cripping opposing Pokemon, reducing their Speed for teammates and also opening up opportunities for wallbreaker teammates to fish for paralysis. Will-O-Wisp weakens physical attacks such as Anchor Shot and wears down checks in the long term. A Jolly nature speed-ties Zamazenta while outspeeding Barraskewda, Eternatus, and Mewtwo.
Zacian is capable of switching into Dark-types and absorbing status moves and Knock Off, so Ghost- and Psychic-type wallbreakers such as Lunala and Mewtwo are very good partners. In return Lunala pressures Melmetal and both Pokemon pressure Poison-type and specially bulky Pokemon that could try to switch-in against Zacian. Defensive Steel-types like Melmetal and Zamazenta-C appreciate Zacian checking Fighting-types, and help answer threatening physical wallbreakers like Zacian-C and Zeraora. They can also provide slow pivoting to activate Zacian's Toxic Orb safely or provide free passive recovery. Choice Band Zamazenta is a great partner as it breaks past the Steel-types that switch-in against Zacian while Zacian can check Impostered Zamazenta and absorb status conditions like Will-O-Wisp.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Chessking345, 355040]]
- Quality checked by: [[GL Volkner, 330455], [username2, userid2]]
- Grammar checked by: [[username1, userid1]]
name: Defensive
move 1: Spirit Break / Play Rough / Fishious Rend
move 2: Recover
move 3: Spectral Thief
move 4: Rapid Spin
item: Rocky Helmet / Leftovers
ability: Primordial Sea / Flash Fire / Magic Bounce
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Spirit Break’s special attack drop allows Zacian to stay in against special attackers like Choice Specs Lunala and Kyurem-W, making it more appealing than Play Rough’s extra power, although it does miss out on some benchmarks like not 2HKOing Zekrom and Poison Heal Zamazenta. Fishious Rend is an alternate move that is boosted by Primordial Sea, making it more powerful than either Fairy move and providing good neutral coverage, but allows Zekrom to switch in relatively unscathed. Spectral Thief deters setup moves such as Quiver Dance and Cotton Guard from Pokemon such as Poison Heal Reshiram and Zamazenta so Zacian can reliably check them. Rapid Spin is a great option to clear hazards set by Pokemon Zacian checks, such as the aforementioned Reshiram and Zamazenta, and the Speed boost is also useful to ease prediction on setup moves like Quiver Dance. With Spectral Thief and Fairy-type STAB Zacian is capable of forcing out most spinblockers. Scald is an option to punish Steel-types like Melmetal that otherwise switch-in unscathed with burns, and also helps chip Pokemon like Eternatus down. V-create is another option that in conjunction with Flash Fire provides powerful coverage against Steel-types. Rocky Helmet is the preferred item to punish contact moves, especially U-turn, although Leftovers can be run to mitigate chip damage. Primordial Sea provides an immunity to Fire-type moves and is not bypassed by Mold Breaker, allowing Zacian to be an excellent check to Reshiram and Galarian Darmanitan-Z. Flash Fire is an alternative that doesn't announce nor boost Water-type moves, and also prevents Zacian from being burned by Will-O-Wisp from Pokemon like Poison Heal Zamazenta. Magic Bounce can prevent entry hazards and status conditions, making Zacian a solid utility Pokemon capable of switching in against annoying Pokemon like Poison Heal Zamazenta and Umbreon, but the loss of a Fire-immunity means Reshiram can defeat Zacian with Lava Plume burns. A Jolly nature speed-ties Zamazenta while outspeeding Barraskewda, Eternatus, and Mewtwo.
Choice Specs Lunala and Necrozma-DW appreciates Zacian checking Dark-type Pokemon like Umbreon while it can pressure sturdy Fairy checks such as Melmetal and Darmanitan-Z. Choice Band Galarian Darmanitan-Z threatens Steel-types like Melmetal and Steelix while Zacian can provide a sturdy switch-in for transformed Imposter users or provide Magic Bounce support to prevent Stealth Rock from going up and heavily chipping Galarian Darmanitan-Z. Reshiram is a fantastic teammate, as Zacian can easily Imposter-proof it and provide hazard-removal while it checks Steel-types like Zacian-C and Melmetal as well as Zekrom without Dragon-STAB. If Zacian has Magic Bounce, it can Imposter-proof certain entry hazard setters like Poison Heal Golisopod and Zamazenta, in return the former checks Zacian-C and harass Melmetal while the latter can use defensive Steel-type switch-ins to set up entry hazards. Sturdy walls like Melmetal and Fur Coat Seismitoad check dangerous wallbreakers like Zacian-C and Zeraora which can OHKO Zacian, while Zacian checks annoying Pokemon like Poison Heal Reshiram and Mold Breaker Galarian Darmanitan-Z for them.
[SET]
name: Poison Heal
move 1: Spirit Break / Play Rough
move 2: U-turn / Spectral Thief
move 3: Spikes / Rapid Spin / Spectral Thief
move 4: Glare / Will-O-Wisp
item: Toxic Orb
ability: Poison Heal
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Zacian has solid bulk and a good defensive typing that when combined with the status immunity and passive recovery offered by Poison Heal makes it very difficult to wear down. Spirit Break helps against special attackers like Reshiram and Lunala while Play Rough's extra power can be useful for situations like 2HKOing Zekrom and Poison Heal Zamazenta. U-turn lets Zacian gain momentum on switches and also allows it to escape trapping moves like Anchor Shot and ease prediction on Dynamax. Zacian's longevity and abundant opportunities to switch in makes it a solid Spikes setter, although it can also run Rapid Spin to clear hazards from Pokemon it check like Poison Heal Zamazenta. The Speed boost from Rapid Spin also eases its predictions against certain setup attackers like Poison Heal Reshiram. Alternatively, Spectral Thief deters setup, and makes Zacian a more reliable answer to threats like Cotton Guard Zamazenta and Quiver Dance Reshiram. Glare is very useful for cripping opposing Pokemon, reducing their Speed for teammates and also opening up opportunities for wallbreaker teammates to fish for paralysis. Will-O-Wisp weakens physical attacks such as Anchor Shot and wears down checks in the long term. A Jolly nature speed-ties Zamazenta while outspeeding Barraskewda, Eternatus, and Mewtwo.
Zacian is capable of switching into Dark-types and absorbing status moves and Knock Off, so Ghost- and Psychic-type wallbreakers such as Lunala and Mewtwo are very good partners. In return Lunala pressures Melmetal and both Pokemon pressure Poison-type and specially bulky Pokemon that could try to switch-in against Zacian. Defensive Steel-types like Melmetal and Zamazenta-C appreciate Zacian checking Fighting-types, and help answer threatening physical wallbreakers like Zacian-C and Zeraora. They can also provide slow pivoting to activate Zacian's Toxic Orb safely or provide free passive recovery. Choice Band Zamazenta is a great partner as it breaks past the Steel-types that switch-in against Zacian while Zacian can check Impostered Zamazenta and absorb status conditions like Will-O-Wisp.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Chessking345, 355040]]
- Quality checked by: [[GL Volkner, 330455], [username2, userid2]]
- Grammar checked by: [[username1, userid1]]
Last edited:
