Zapdos [QC 0/2]

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[SET]
name: Sablenite Defog Pivot
move 1: Hurricane
move 2: Volt Switch
move 3: Roost
move 4: Defog
item: Sablenite
ability: Pressure
nature: Relaxed
evs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD
ivs: 0 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
With its well rounded stats and a great typing in Electric/Flying, Sablenite Zapdos is able to check common offensive threats such as Solgaleo, Kartana, Landorus-T and Zeraora in Mix and Mega. Hurricane is a powerful STAB that allows it to hit Ground-types while also 2HKOing majority of offensive Pokemons. Volt Switch allows Zapdos to bring Faster Threats like Phermosa and Spectrier safely in the field and also generates momentum against switch-ins like Eternatus, Lunala and Blissey. It also threatens slower pivots such as Mandibuzz and Slowbro, thus ensuring that Zapdos is able to chip them significantly, incase they decide to stay in and gain momentum against it. Roost provides Zapdos with reliable recovery, enabling it to stay healthy throughout the duration of the game. Defog allows Zapdos to function as a form of hazard control and works greatly in combination with Magic Bounce, as now it is also able to deny Stealth Rocks to common setters like Swampert and Landorus-T. However, Zapdos itself being weak to Stealth Rocks may sometimes result in it being overwhelmed in this regard.

Thanks to its bulk and ability to function as a slow pivot and hazard control, Zapdos is able to fit in a variety of teams. Pokemon such as Zeraora and Kartana who appreciate its ability to bring them safely into the field and can also take advantage of the momentum it generates are ideal team-members for it. Being weak to Rock-types like Terrakion and Rhyperior, Sablenite Zapdos forms a strong defensive core with Altarianite Hippowdon or Manectite/Slowbronite Slowbro as both are able to check Lucarionite Zygarde in addition to the previously mentioned Rock-types.
Toxapex is a solid partner to Zapdos as it can switch into and threaten Eternatus and Lunala, two Pokemon Zapdos struggles to break while in turn Zapdos is able to check Zeraora and Ground-types. Eternatus appreciates Zapdos checking Solgaleo and Landorus-T while in turn helps Zapdos by threatening Blissey. This duo however is weak to Lucarionite Zygarde. Lastly, Altarianite Entei is greatly helped by Zapdos being able to remove Stealth Rock and is a great revenge killer for Zapdos to pivot into.


[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Zapdos may run Toxic over Defog on teams with other means of hazard control allowing it to punish switch-ins such as Lunala, Ampharosite Blissey and Tyranitarite Rhyperior. If Sablenite is being used on other Pokemon, Zapdos may run Slowbronite or Manectite which actually makes it check Physical Threats better but this comes at the cost of it being susceptible to Toxic from Solgaleo or Entei thus affecting its ability to check them reliably. An offensive set with Hurricane and Thunderbolt/Thunder using Cameruptite or Manectite can be considered but Zapdos's inability to get past Blissey or Lunala in addition to this set being prone to getting revenge killed easily makes it inferior to other offensive Electric-types in the tier.

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

**Rock-types**: Rock-types such as Lucarionite Terrakion, Tyranitarite Rhyperior and Tyranitar immediately Threaten Zapdos out and thus can set Stealth Rocks against it. Rhyperior in particular stops Zapdos from gaining momentum via Volt Switch and can easily tank any attack from it.

**Eternatus**: Defensive Eternatus can shrug off any attack from Zapdos and recover from it while also threatening Zapdos with a potential poison from Sludge Bomb thereby affecting its longevity and ability to check offensive threats.

**Stealth Rock**: Zapdos ability to function as a wall is severely hindered by Stealth Rock. With Stealth Rock present, Zapdos is no longer able to check Altarianite Entei, Choice Band Ho-oh, Zeraora or even Solgaleo reliably which may pave the way for an Entei or Zeraora sweep.

**Other Offensive Threats**: Phermosa gets a clean 2hko on Zapdos with Triple Axel. Lucarionite Spectrier is able to do the same with a little bit of chip. Lucarionite Zygarde can set up against Zapdos and threaten it via Thousand Arrows. Regieleki is another threat which can gain momentum against Zapdos while also chipping it with Volt Switch.

[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Redflix, 499468]]
- Quality checked by: [[username1, userid1], [username2, userid2]]
- Grammar checked by: [[username1, userid1], [username2, userid2]]
 
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[SET]
name: Sablenite Defog Pivot
move 1: Hurricane
move 2: Volt Switch
move 3: Roost
move 4: Defog
item: Sablenite
ability: Pressure
nature: Relaxed
evs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD
ivs: 0 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
With its well rounded stats and a great typing in Electric/Flying, Sablenite Zapdos is able to check common offensive threats such as Solgaleo, Kartana, Landorus-T and Zeraora in Mix and Mega. Hurricane is a powerful STAB that allows it to hit Ground-types while also 2HKOing majority of offensive Pokemons. Volt Switch allows Zapdos to bring Faster Threats like Phermosa and Spectrier safely in the field and also generates momentum against switch-ins like Eternatus, Lunala and Blissey. It also threatens slower pivots such as Mandibuzz and Slowbro, thus ensuring that Zapdos is able to chip them significantly, incase they decide to stay in and gain momentum against it. Regarding this: The examples shown here actually have good counterplay to Zapdos using Volt Switch - most of them are bulky enough to tank two Volt Switches and are capable of blocking momentum in the same way that Zapdos can by being a slower pivot theirselves. I'd recommend adding this as a point to the Zeraora & Kartana as teammates. Roost provides Zapdos with reliable recovery, enabling it to stay healthy throughout the duration of the game. Defog allows Zapdos to function as a form of hazard control and works greatly in combination with Magic Bounce, as now it is also able to deny Stealth Rocks to common setters like Swampert and Landorus-T. However, Zapdos itself being weak to Stealth Rocks may sometimes result in it being overwhelmed in this regard. Mention other setters Zapdos cannot beat, such as Rhyperior and Ampharosite Blissey - these two are pretty detrimental to its overall effectiveness.

Thanks to its bulk and ability to function as a slow pivot and hazard control, Zapdos is able to fit in a variety of teams. Pokemon such as Zeraora and Kartana who appreciate its ability to bring them safely into the field and can also take advantage of the momentum it generates are ideal team-members for it. These Pokemon are also capable of reliably forcing out slow pivots like Slowbro and Blissey, which Zapdos is otherwise unable to force out effectively. Being weak to Rock-types like Terrakion and Rhyperior, Sablenite Zapdos forms a strong defensive core with Altarianite Hippowdon or Manectite/Slowbronite Slowbro as both are able to check Lucarionite Zygarde in addition to the previously mentioned Rock-types.
Toxapex is a solid partner to Zapdos as it can switch into and threaten Eternatus and Lunala, The assumption here is that we're talking about Gyaradosite specifically, right? Both otherwise have ways of breaking past Toxapex which makes it a rather unreliable partner imo. two Pokemon Zapdos struggles to break while in turn Zapdos is able to check Zeraora and Ground-types. Eternatus appreciates Zapdos checking Solgaleo and Landorus-T while in turn helps Zapdos by threatening Blissey. This duo however is weak to Lucarionite Zygarde. Lastly, Altarianite Entei is greatly helped by Zapdos being able to remove and prevent Stealth Rock from being set and is a great revenge killer for Zapdos to pivot into. Note that this core is extremely weak to Rhyperior and may mandate other sources of removal such as Latiosite Excadrill.


[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Zapdos may run Toxic over Defog on teams with other means of hazard control allowing it to punish switch-ins such as Lunala, Ampharosite Blissey and Tyranitarite Rhyperior. If Sablenite is being used on other Pokemon, Zapdos may run Slowbronite or Manectite which actually makes it check Physical Threats better but this comes at the cost of it being susceptible to Toxic from Solgaleo or Entei thus affecting its ability to check them reliably. An offensive set with Hurricane and Thunderbolt/Thunder using Cameruptite or Manectite can be considered but Zapdos's inability to get past Blissey or Lunala in addition to this set being prone to getting revenge killed easily makes it inferior to other offensive Electric-types in the tier.

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

**Rock-types**: Rock-types such as Lucarionite Terrakion, Tyranitarite Rhyperior and Tyranitar immediately Threaten Zapdos out and thus can set Stealth Rocks against it. Rhyperior in particular stops Zapdos from gaining momentum via Volt Switch and can easily tank any attack from it.

**Eternatus**: Defensive Eternatus can shrug off any attack from Zapdos and recover from it while also threatening Zapdos with a potential poison from Sludge Bomb thereby affecting its longevity and ability to check offensive threats.

I believe this should just include offensive Dragon-types altogether - most of the relevant ones (Eternatus, both Zygardes, offensive Dragonite) are significant hurdles that Zapdos can't really ignore in a metagame state, especially when Zygarde is paired with another threat that Zapdos is aiming to check like Landorus-Therian.

**Stealth Rock**: Zapdos ability to function as a wall is severely hindered by Stealth Rock. With Stealth Rock present, Zapdos is no longer able to check Altarianite Entei, Choice Band Ho-oh, Zeraora or even Solgaleo reliably which may pave the way for an Entei or Zeraora sweep.

**Other Offensive Threats**: Phermosa gets a clean 2hko on Zapdos with Triple Axel. Lucarionite Spectrier is able to do the same with a little bit of chip. Lucarionite Zygarde can set up against Zapdos and threaten it via Thousand Arrows. Should be removed in accordance with the above comment. Regieleki is another threat which can gain momentum against Zapdos while also chipping it with Volt Switch.

[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Redflix, 499468]]
- Quality checked by: [[username1, userid1], [username2, userid2]]
- Grammar checked by: [[username1, userid1], [username2, userid2]]
Good work, though I'd like to go over this again before I stamp this.
 

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