QC: bludz / PK Gaming / p2
GP: P Squared
[OVERVIEW]
* Solid defensive typing and good bulk allow Zapdos to check threats such as Mega Pinsir, Tapu Bulu, Kartana, Mega Scizor, Bisharp, and Tornadus-T.
* Reliable recovery in Roost allows Zapdos to stay healthy and check the threats it needs to throughout the match.
* It is a good entry hazard remover that fits well on balance and stall builds.
* It has a great matchup against a number of hazard setters, such as Clefable, Landorus-T, Ferrothorn, and Skarmory.
* It has issues with its weakness to Stealth Rock, which forces it to be careful switching into the threats it checks if it is also trying to remove hazards at the same time, meaning it can get overwhelmed.
[SET]
name: Defensive
move 1: Discharge
move 2: Roost
move 3: Heat Wave / Hidden Power Ice
move 4: Defog / Toxic
item: Leftovers
ability: Pressure / Static
nature: Bold
evs: 252 HP / 240 Def / 16 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
* Discharge is a good spammable STAB move that Zapdos can use to wear down its targets and potentially cripple them due to its 30% paralysis chance.
* Roost is Zapdos's most reliable form of recovery, which makes up for the damage that it incurs from switching into Stealth Rock to remove it and helps keep it healthy to check the Pokemon that it needs to check.
* Heat Wave provides great coverage in conjunction with Discharge, hitting Steel- and Grass-types such as Mega Scizor, Bisharp, Ferrothorn, and Tapu Bulu.
* Hidden Power Ice is a useful alternative in order to hit Landorus-T, Garchomp, and Gliscor, and it works well in tandem with Defog so that you can force out the aforementioned threats from setting up Stealth Rock against you.
* Defog clears hazards from the field, which provides great utility for all teams to keep your teammates healthy throughout the match.
* Toxic is an alternative to help Zapdos break down defensive Pokemon that it normally is unable to break down itself such as Hippowdon and Landorus-T if it lacks Hidden Power Ice, as well as more offensive Pokemon that it normally has difficulty wearing down with its other moves.
* Volt Switch is another option that allows Zapdos to act more as a pivot, although you should be cautious and ensure that Stealth Rock has been cleared before using it.
Set Details
========
* Maximum HP and 240 Defense EVs with a Bold nature allow Zapdos to check the many physical attackers that it is usually tasked with handling such as Mega Pinsir.
* 16 Speed EVs allow Zapdos to outspeed maximum Speed Adamant Bisharp, although the Speed EVs can be altered for specific threats that your team wants Zapdos to outspeed, such as running 108 Speed EVs to outspeed positive-natured base 70 Pokemon such as Jolly Bisharp, Timid Volcanion, and Jolly Breloom while also having the benefit of outspeeding Adamant Tapu Bulu.
* A specially defensive spread is also a great option to better check strong special attackers like Keldeo, which it normally has issues taking hits from with a physically defensive set.
* Pressure is the preferred ability so that Zapdos can deal with opposing entry hazard setters, draining their PP down easily so that it can beat them in a one-on-one scenario if they choose to stay in and try to keep their hazards up.
* Static, although illegal with Defog, can be a nice option for physically defensive variants to potentially cripple opposing contact attackers; make sure to have a partner that can remove hazards for Zapdos if you choose to use this ability.
Usage Tips
========
* Provided that Stealth Rock is not on the field, Zapdos can safely switch into a variety of attackers that it checks such as Kartana, Mega Pinsir, Bisharp, and Mega Scizor.
* If Stealth Rock is up, however, then you cannot freely switch Zapdos into these Pokemon, since you will also have to remove the hazards first to avoid getting overwhelmed by these threats.
* Throwing out Discharge as a neutral move is a fine idea to try to wear down opposing threats.
* Try to avoid status, more specifically Toxic, which can cut greatly into Zapdos's longetivity throughout the match.
* It is safe to use Roost in situations where you force out a Pokemon that Zapdos checks such as Mega Scizor to stay healthy throughout the match.
Team Options
========
* Zapdos will primarily find itself on defensive builds due to its role compression between the threats that it checks and its hazard removal ability, so pairing it up with Pokemon that appreciate having hazards gone such as Will-O-Wisp Mega Charizard X is a great idea.
* Mega Sableye partners well with Zapdos, as it (unless you specifically mean non-Mega Sableye) can assist Zapdos in keeping hazards off of the field so that Zapdos can check threats more efficiently.
* Dugtrio is a great partner, as it is able to trap a number of threats that Zapdos has difficulty dealing with, such as Heatran and Chansey.
* Skarmory forms a nice hazard removal combination with Zapdos, which allows both of them to keep hazards off of the field while allowing each other to switch safely into the threats that they check.
* Pokemon that like having Steel-types dealt with in general, such as Tapu Bulu, appreciate Zapdos's ability to keep them in check.
* Bulky Water-types such as Tapu Fini and Toxapex can help Zapdos break past offensive Rock- and Ice-type Pokemon that it has difficulty dealing with; Tapu Fini can form a Defog core with Zapdos while also Taunting Chansey to wear it down for Zapdos while Toxapex can wear down opposing Pokemon for Zapdos with Toxic and Toxic Spikes damage if Zapdos is not in a need to Defog hazards away.
* Ferrothorn is able to check numerous offensive checks to Zapdos such as Tapu Lele by virtue of its defensive typing and Gyro Ball.
* Specially defensive Excadrill pairs up very well with Zapdos because it can take on Electric-types, (AC) which can give Zapdos issues, (AC) and spin away hazards for it, while Zapdos in return can handle Ground-types for Exacdrill if it has either Toxic or Hidden Power Ice.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
* Running Thunderbolt for more damage on the physically defensive set is an option, although you would then want to run 68 Special Attack EVs in order to OHKO Mega Pinsir, which can cut into Zapdos's bulk, making this a less appealing option.
* Substitute allows Zapdos to use Pressure to so it can wear down defensive builds with great ease and works very well in conjunction with Toxic to break down defensive threats and stall out low PP moves like Stone Edge.
* Roar can work to phaze the opposing team, although this works better on non-Defog sets to take advantage of hazards on the opposing side of the field.
* Other offensive sets are generally outclassed by the likes of Thundurus and Tapu Koko, which have better Speed tiers and coverage options such as Focus Blast in the case of Thundurus, which allows it to hit Tyranitar, something Zapdos cannot do.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Chansey**: Chansey is easily able to come in on Zapdos and either set up Stealth Rock or break down Zapdos with status, and it takes very little from Zapdos's moves if it does not run Toxic to try to wear Chansey down.
**Rock-types**: Tyranitar is one of the biggest threats to Zapdos, taking very little damage from Zapdos's moves while being able to threaten it out with a strong STAB Stone Edge or with Pursuit. Other Rock-types such as Terrakion can also force Zapdos out.
**Dragon-types**: Dragon-types such as Latios and Kyurem-B can easily take Zapdos's moves and hit it with strong Dragon-type attacks, or Ice Beam in the case of Kyurem-Black.
**Ice-types**: Weavile and Mamoswine can threaten Zapdos with their super effective STAB Icicle Crash; Kyurem-B also takes Zapdos on with ease with the threat of its super effective STAB Ice Beam.
**Electric-types**: Opposing Electric-types such as Tapu Koko, Xurkitree, and Thundurus are able to come in easily on Zapdos, resisting its main STAB type, and fire off strong neutral STAB hits of their own and can even set up on Zapdos.
**Strong Attackers**: Attackers such as Keldeo and Tapu Lele can easily break past Zapdos if it is not heavily invested in Special Defense, and faster attackers with super effective coverage such as Genesect and Pheromosa, which Zapdos would normally be able to check properly, can hit Zapdos with Ice Beam.
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