Battle Spot Zapdos

This is a substantially edited version of RNGisFatal's previous tackle at it. Implemented what had been my QC of it and made many other smaller changes.


[OVERVIEW]

Unlike other Electric-types, such as Tapu Koko and Thundurus-T, Zapdos has the ability to run defensive sets to take on dangerous attackers, including Mega Salamence, Mega Gyarados, and Mega Lucario. Zapdos is one of the few Electric-types with access to reliable recovery in the form of Roost, which helps it stay healthy and perform its defensive role. In addition, Zapdos has a unique niche with its access to Heat Wave, allowing it to threaten Steel-types, particularly Mega Scizor and Ferrothorn, making it a good fit in a variety of team archetypes.

However, Zapdos's defensive capability is sometimes hindered by Stealth Rock; furthermore, Zapdos's defensive stats are not stellar, so it is reliant on its typing to effectively function as a wall.

[SET]
name: Defensive
move 1: Volt Switch / Thunderbolt / Discharge
move 2: Heat Wave
move 3: Hidden Power Ice / Toxic
move 4: Roost
item: Rocky Helmet / Wiki Berry / Leftovers
ability: Static / Pressure
nature: Bold
evs: 244 HP / 244 Def / 20 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

* Volt Switch functions as a STAB move that hits Water- and Flying-types super effectively while helping Zapdos's team gain momentum and bring in a teammate safely. However, being forced to switch is not always a positive trait of this move, as damage from Stealth Rock can build quickly with the additional pivoting.
* Thunderbolt is Zapdos's strongest accurate Electric-type move.
* Discharge has a considerable chance to paralyze foes, which can leave them significantly more vulnerable to being revenge killed.
* Heat Wave is one of Zapdos's primary selling points as a defensive tank; the coverage it provides alongside Zapdos's Electric-type STAB move is invaluable. It allows Zapdos to effectively check Kartana, Excadrill, Mega Lucario, and Mega Scizor.
* Hidden Power Ice heavily damages Mega Salamence, Landorus-T, and Garchomp. This keeps them from setting up further, forcing them to launch a last-ditch effort attack or to simply switch out.
* Toxic is a good utility move that puts a timer on defensive behemoths such as Porygon2 and Cresselia. In combination with Roost, Zapdos is able to stall for additional poison damage.
* Roost is a vitally important move for Zapdos to stay healthy so it can fulfill its role as a defensive wall.

Set Details
========

* EVs are used to maximize HP and Defense, and a Bold nature is chosen to maximize Zapdos's physical bulk, letting it handle physical threats such as Mega Salamence with a Dragon Dance boost. 20 Speed EVs allow Zapdos to outspeed neutral base 70 Pokemon, most notably Breloom.
* Rocky Helmet punishes physical attackers every time they use a contact move; this is particularly useful against Mega Gyarados, Mega Salamence, and Mega Blaziken.
* Wiki Berry provides a single-use burst of recovery, healing 50% of Zapdos's max HP. This can be particularly useful when Zapdos has to switch frequently while Stealth Rock is active, as it will activate automatically when Zapdos is put below 25% of its max HP.
* Leftovers provides a steady and much-welcomed source of passive recovery. This can help alleviate the damage taken from harmful weather and status on a turn-by-turn basis.
* Static punishes contact attacks with a significant chance to paralyze. This can be particularly useful when Zapdos is being used to take on certain physical attackers that are either naturally fast or boost their own Speed, such as Kartana, Mega Gyarados, and Mega Salamence.
* Pressure helps Zapdos use Roost to stall out foes that rely on low-PP moves such as Stone Edge and Fire Blast. It also allows for a means of checking the foe's Speed; when Zapdos is led or brought in after a double KO, take note of whether Pressure activates before a foe's ability to determine which Pokemon is faster.

Usage Tips
========

* Since this set aims to use Zapdos as a physical wall, use it to switch into the dangerous physical attackers it can handle such as Mega Salamence, Mega Gyarados, Azumarill, and Mega Scizor.
* When using Toxic in combination with either Discharge or Static, be careful not to paralyze Pokemon you need to badly poison. Accidentally paralyzing a Porygon2, for instance, could leave it significantly harder to KO than if it were badly poisoned.
* Even without much Speed investment, Zapdos is still faster than many bulky attackers. It can use its naturally high Speed to its advantage and attempt to stall out the PP of certain Rock-, Ice-, and Electric-type moves with Pressure and Roost.

Team Options
========

* Zapdos is often paired with Pokemon that struggle with Mega Salamence or bulky Water-types, appreciating Zapdos handling them. Mega Blaziken in particular is a common partner; alongside Ferrothorn, this forms a popular core.
* Zapdos also finds itself as a fairly common option on sand teams, being able to tackle bulky Water-types and Celesteela, which Tyranitar and Excadrill can struggle with, and switch into the Fighting- and Ground-type attacks that threaten them both.
* Steel-types, such as Mega Metagross and Heatran, can switch into Toxic, which cripples Zapdos, and Ice-type attacks, which hit Zapdos super effectively. Mega Metagross and Heatran can also benefit from having Zapdos as a teammate, as it can comfortably switch into Ground-type attacks.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
* Specially defensive Zapdos can be a good fit for some teams; it trades being able to handle Dragon Dance Mega Salamence and Mega Gyarados for being significantly better at taking on offensive Tapu Fini and Primarina, especially their Z-move variants.
* Offensive sets using either Choice Scarf or Electrium Z can be effective options, utilizing Zapdos's access to Heat Wave to provide it a niche over the generally preferred Thundurus-T.
* Substitute can be used in conjunction with Pressure and Roost to further exhaust a foe's PP. This style of Zapdos is best played with high Speed investment, allowing the Substitute to take the brunt of most strong attacks. However, fitting Substitute in will mean giving up on valued coverage moves, which significantly changes how Zapdos is played.
* Roar allows Zapdos to phaze foes that are setting up to dangerous levels or rack up damage with Stealth Rock set by another member of your team. Though, as with Substitute, it can be difficult to find the space in an already tight moveset.

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

**Mega Venusaur**: While being resistant to Electric-type moves and immune to Toxic, Mega Venusaur's ability in Thick Fat lets it handle Heat Wave and Hidden Power Ice with ease. It can also wear down Zapdos quite quickly with Leech Seed and Sludge Bomb.

**Strong Rock- and Ice-type Attacks**: Pokemon such as Mamoswine, Cloyster, and Protean Greninja are able to super effectively hit Zapdos using their Ice-type STAB moves and substantially weaken it. Likewise, Pokemon like Mega Tyranitar can threaten Zapdos with Stone Edge.

**Strong Neutral Hits**: Zapdos is often reliant on its typing to take on various threats. Due to its mediocre defensive stats, strong neutral hits can overwhelm Zapdos. For example, Mega Charizard X can OHKO Zapdos with Flare Blitz or Outrage after Stealth Rock damage and a Dragon Dance boost. Mega Charizard Y can also easily 2HKO Zapdos with a Drought-boosted Fire-type STAB move of its choice, and terrain boosts allow Tapu Lele to 2HKO it with Psychic and Tapu Koko to 2HKO it using Thunderbolt.

**Stealth Rock**: Zapdos loses 25% of its max HP every time it switches in on Stealth Rock; this can seriously hinder its ability to wall certain threats.

**Status**: Due to the fact that Zapdos has to keep itself healthy throughout the match to function as a wall, it dislikes any residual damage—especially Toxic, which will put a timer on Zapdos, leaving it unable to stay active for many consecutive turns without taking substantial amounts of damage.
 
Last edited:

Psynergy

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Going to try and get some stuff checked while I have the time. Starting with Zapdos because that's long overdue and there's not really much to say, so consider this 1/2. Kept grammar/typo comments to a minimum since GP can handle that more thoroughly later.



[OVERVIEW]

Unlike other Electric-types, such as Tapu Koko and Thundurus-T, Zapdos has the ability to run defensive sets to take on dangerous attackers, such as Mega Salamence, Mega Gyarados, Mega Lucario, and others. In addition, Zapdos has unique niche that comes from access to the move Heat Wave, which threatens Steel-types, particularly Mega Scizor and Ferrothorn, making it a good fit in a variety of team archetypes, and Roost that helps Zapdos stay healthy over the match.

However, Zapdos' defensive capability is sometimes hindered by Stealth Rock; furthermore, Zapdos' defensive stats are not stellar and finds itself reliant on its typing to function as a wall.

[SET]
name: Defensive
move 1: Volt Switch / Thunderbolt / Discharge
move 2: Heat Wave
move 3: Hidden Power Ice / Toxic
move 4: Roost
item: Rocky Helmet / Wiki Berry / Leftovers
ability: Static / Pressure
nature: Bold
evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD Might be worth making 20 Spe Zapdos the standard just for Adamant Breloom, though there's a significant amount of Jolly ones nowadays so possibly not necessary.

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

* Volt Switch functions as a STAB move that hits Water-types and Flying-types super effectively, and a move that helps Zapdos' team to gain momentum and bring in its team in safety. However, being forced to switch is not always a positive trait of this move. Stealth rock Rock damage can build quickly with the additional switching.
* Thunderbolt is simply the strongest, accurate, Electric-type move Zapdos has.
* Discharge has a considerable chance of paralyzing foes which can leave them significantly more vulnerable to being revenge killed.
* Heat Wave is one of Zapdos's primary selling points as a defensive tank. The coverage it provides alongside Zapdos's Electric-type STAB is invaluable. It allows Zapdos to effectively check Kartana, Excadrill, Mega Lucario, and Mega Scizor.
* Toxic is a good utility move that puts a timer on defensive behemoth such as Porygon2 and Cresselia. In combination with Roost, Zapdos is able to stall for additional poison damage.
* Hidden Power Ice does immediate damage to Mega Salamence, Landorus-T, and Garchomp. This keeps them from setting up further and forcing them to launch last-ditch effort attack or to simply switch out.
* Roost is vitally important move for Zapdos to fulfill its role as a defensive wall and stay healthy.

Set Details
========

* EVs are used to maximize HP and Defense, and Bold nature is chosen to maximize Zapdos's defensive bulk, letting it handle physical threats such as Mega Salamence with Dragon Dance boost. If you don't change the main spread then definitely mention the 20 Spe option here.
* Rocky Helmet punishes physical attackers every time they use a contact move, and this is particularly useful against Mega Gyarados, Mega Salamence, and Mega Blaziken.
* Wiki Berry provides a single use burst of recovery, healing equal to 50% of Zapdos's max HP. This can be particulalrly useful when Zapdos has to switch frequently while Stealth Rock are active as it will activate automatically when Zapdos is put below 25% of its max HP.
* Leftovers provides a steady and much welcomed passive recovery. This can help alleviate the damage taken from harmful weather and status on a turn-by-turn basis.
* Static punishes contact attacks with a significant chance to paralyze. This can be particularly useful when Zapdos is being used to take on certain physical attackers which are either naturally fast or boost their own speed, such as Kartana, Mega Gyarados, and Mega Salamence.
* Pressure helps Zapdos stall out foes that rely on low PP moves such as Stone Edge and Fire Blast along with Roost. Might be worth noting the scouting potential that Pressure gives for stuff like a fast Fini or Landorus-T.

Usage Tips
========

* Since this set aims to use Zapdos as a physical wall, using it to switch into the dangerous physical attackers it can handle such as Mega Salamence, Mega Gyarados, Azumarill, and Mega Scizor is the ideal way to use it.
* When using Toxic in combination with either Discharge or Static, be careful not to paralyse pokemon Pokemon you need to poison. Accidentally paralysing a Porygon2, for instance, could leave it significantly harder to KO than if it where poisoned.
* Even without speed investment, Zapdos still finds itself faster than many bulky attackers. It can use this speed to its advantage and attempt to stall out certain Rock-, Ice-, and Electric-type moves's PP with Pressure and Roost.

Team Options
========

* Zapdos is often paired with pokemon Pokemon which struggle with Mega Salamence or bulky waters. In particular Mega Blaziken is a common partner; the two of them alongside Ferrothorn form a popular core.
* Zapdos also finds itself as a fairly common option on sand teams. Being able to tackle the bulky waters and Celesteela which Tyranitar and Excadrill can struggle with while being able to switch into the Fighting- and Ground-type attacks which threaten them both.
* Steel-types, such as Mega Metagross and Heatran among others, can switch in to Toxic which cripples Zapdos or Ice-type attacks which hit Zapdos super effectively. While they can benefit from Zapdos as it can comfortably switch into Ground-type attacks.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Missing this section even though Scarf and Electrium Z sets are really the only things worth mentioning here.


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

**Mega Venusaur**: While being resistant to Electric-type moves and immune to Toxic, Mega Venusaur's ability in Thick Fat lets it handle Heat Wave and Hidden Power Ice with ease. It can also wear down Zapdos quite quickly with Leech Seed and Sludge Bomb.

**Strong Rock- and Ice-type attacks**: Mamoswine, Cloyster and Protean Greninja are able to super effectively hit Zapdos using their STAB Ice-type moves and substantially weaken it. Likewise, Mega Tyranitar can threaten Zapdos with Stone Edge.

**Strong neutral hits**: Zapdos is often reliant on its typing to take on various threats. Because of its mediocre defensive stats strong neutral hits can overwhelm Zapdos. For example, Mega Charizard X can OHKO Zapdos with Flare Blitz or Outrage after Stealth Rock damage and a Dragon Dance, Mega Charizard Y can easily 2HKO Zapdos with Drought-boosted STAB Fire-type move of its choice, Tapu Lele 2HKOs it using Psychic, and Tapu Koko 2HKOs it using Thunderbolt without any item.

**Stealth Rock**: Zapdos loses 25% of its max HP everytime it switches in on Stealth Rock. This can seriously hinder its ability to wall certain threats.

**Status**: Due to the fact that Zapdos has to keep itself healthy throughout the match to function as a wall, it dislikes any residual damage. Especially Toxic which will put a timer on Zapdos, leaving it unable to stay active for many consecutive turns without taking substantial amounts of damage.
 
Psynergy
evs: 244 HP / 244 Def / 20 Spe
EVs are used to maximize HP and Defense, and Bold nature is chosen to maximize Zapdos's defensive bulk, letting it handle physical threats such as Mega Salamence with Dragon Dance boost. 20 Speed EVs allow Zapdos to outspeed neutral base 70 Pokemon, most notably Breloom.
kinda iffy on the wording, 'neutral base 70' is how we talk normally, but not sure it's normal for analysis.
* Pressure helps Zapdos stall out foes that rely on low PP moves such as Stone Edge and Fire Blast along with Roost. It also allows for a means of speed checking; when Zapdos is led or brought in after a double KO take note of whether Pressure activates before an opponent's ability to determine who is faster.
Alright as this, or should Fini/Lando be mention specifically?
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
* Specially defensive Zapdos can be a good fit for some teams. It trades being able to handle Dragon Dancing Mega Salamence and Mega Gyarados for being significantly better at taking on offensive Tapu Fini and Primarina, in particular their Z move varients.
* Offensive sets using either Choice Scarf or Electrium Z can be effective options, utilising Zapdos' access to Heat Wave to provide it a niche over the generally preffered Thundurus-T.
Added SpDef to this since it does see use and desn't leave it as a sort of weird looking single point section.
 

Theorymon

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Got a metric fuckton of studying to do for finals, but I need to chill for like 2 hours, might as well check this!

This is a substantially edited version of RNGisFatal's previous tackle at it. Implemented what had been my QC of it and made many other smaller changes.


[OVERVIEW]

Unlike other Electric-types, such as Tapu Koko and Thundurus-T, Zapdos has the ability to run defensive sets to take on dangerous attackers, such as Mega Salamence, Mega Gyarados, Mega Lucario, and others. In addition, Zapdos has unique niche that comes from access to the move Heat Wave, which threatens Steel-types, particularly Mega Scizor and Ferrothorn, making it a good fit in a variety of team archetypes, and Roost that helps Zapdos stay healthy over the match. I'd mention the instant recovery move (Roost) when you mention its defensive qualities, since that's pretty rare for an Electric-type!

However, Zapdos' defensive capability is sometimes hindered by Stealth Rock; furthermore, Zapdos' defensive stats are not stellar and finds itself reliant on its typing to function as a wall.

[SET]
name: Defensive
move 1: Volt Switch / Thunderbolt / Discharge
move 2: Heat Wave
move 3: Hidden Power Ice / Toxic
move 4: Roost
item: Rocky Helmet / Wiki Berry / Leftovers
ability: Static / Pressure
nature: Bold
evs: 244 HP / 244 Def / 20 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

* Volt Switch functions as a STAB move that hits Water-types and Flying-types super effectively, and a move that helps Zapdos' team to gain momentum and bring in its team in safety. However, being forced to switch is not always a positive trait of this move. Stealth rock damage can build quickly with the additional switching. This is a bit of an edge case, but I like that Volt Switch can let Zapdos escape Tyranitar's Pursuit, which can be nice for avoiding some damage or even a trapped KO.
* Thunderbolt is simply the strongest, accurate, Electric-type move Zapdos has.
* Discharge has a considerable chance of paralyzing foes which can leave them significantly more vulnerable to being revenge killed.
* Heat Wave is one of Zapdos's primary selling points as a defensive tank. The coverage it provides alongside Zapdos's Electric-type STAB is invaluable. It allows Zapdos to effectively check Kartana, Excadrill, Mega Lucario, and Mega Scizor.
* Toxic is a good utility move that puts a timer on defensive behemoth such as Porygon2 and Cresselia. In combination with Roost, Zapdos is able to stall for additional poison damage.
* Hidden Power Ice does immediate damage to Mega Salamence, Landorus-T, and Garchomp. This keeps them from setting up further and forcing them to launch last-ditch effort attack or to simply switch out.
* Roost is vitally important move for Zapdos to fulfill its role as a defensive wall and stay healthy.

Set Details
========

* EVs are used to maximize HP and Defense, and Bold nature is chosen to maximize Zapdos's defensive bulk, letting it handle physical threats such as Mega Salamence with Dragon Dance boost. 20 Speed EVs allow Zapdos to outspeed neutral base 70 Pokemon, most notably Breloom.
* Rocky Helmet punishes physical attackers every time they use a contact move, and this is particularly useful against Mega Gyarados, Mega Salamence, and Mega Blaziken.
* Wiki Berry provides a single use burst of recovery, healing equal to 50% of Zapdos's max HP. This can be particulalrly useful when Zapdos has to switch frequently while Stealth Rock are active as it will activate automatically when Zapdos is put below 25% of its max HP.
* Leftovers provides a steady and much welcomed passive recovery. This can help alleviate the damage taken from harmful weather and status on a turn-by-turn basis.
* Static punishes contact attacks with a significant chance to paralyze. This can be particularly useful when Zapdos is being used to take on certain physical attackers which are either naturally fast or boost their own speed, such as Kartana, Mega Gyarados, and Mega Salamence.
* Pressure helps Zapdos stall out foes that rely on low PP moves such as Stone Edge and Fire Blast along with Roost. It also allows for a means of speed checking; when Zapdos is led or brought in after a double KO take note of whether Pressure activates before an opponent's ability to determine who is faster.

Usage Tips
========

* Since this set aims to use Zapdos as a physical wall, using it to switch into the dangerous physical attackers it can handle such as Mega Salamence, Mega Gyarados, Azumarill, and Mega Scizor is the ideal way to use it.
* When using Toxic in combination with either Discharge or Static, be careful not to paralyse Pokemon you need to poison. Accidentally paralysing a Porygon2, for instance, could leave it significantly harder to KO than if it where poisoned.
* Even without speed investment, Zapdos still finds itself faster than many bulky attackers. It can use this speed to its advantage and attempt to stall out certain Rock-, Ice-, and Electric-type moves's PP with Pressure and Roost.

Team Options
========

* Zapdos is often paired with Pokemon which struggle with Mega Salamence or bulky waters. In particular Mega Blaziken is a common partner; the two of them alongside Ferrothorn form a popular core.
* Zapdos also finds itself as a fairly common option on sand teams. Being able to tackle the bulky waters and Celesteela which Tyranitar and Excadrill can struggle with while being able to switch into the Fighting- and Ground-type attacks which threaten them both.
* Steel-types, such as Mega Metagross and Heatran among others, can switch in to Toxic which cripples Zapdos or Ice-type attacks which hit Zapdos super effectively. While they can benefit from Zapdos as it can comfortably switch into Ground-type attacks.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
* Specially defensive Zapdos can be a good fit for some teams. It trades being able to handle Dragon Dancing Mega Salamence and Mega Gyarados for being significantly better at taking on offensive Tapu Fini and Primarina, in particular their Z move varients.
* Offensive sets using either Choice Scarf or Electrium Z can be effective options, utilising Zapdos' access to Heat Wave to provide it a niche over the generally preffered Thundurus-T.

I have a two moves to suggest here that I've seen or used effectively before!

-Substitute + Pressure can let Zapdos stall out some extra stuff, but Substitute can be hard to fit in otherwise (It'd go over the HP Ice or Toxic slot most of the time, and have to be used with Toxic support)

-Roar lets Zapdos phaze, which can be nice with Stealth Rock support. Again, hard to fit in though.

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

**Mega Venusaur**: While being resistant to Electric-type moves and immune to Toxic, Mega Venusaur's ability in Thick Fat lets it handle Heat Wave and Hidden Power Ice with ease. It can also wear down Zapdos quite quickly with Leech Seed and Sludge Bomb.

**Strong Rock- and Ice-type attacks**: Mamoswine, Cloyster and Protean Greninja are able to super effectively hit Zapdos using their STAB Ice-type moves and substantially weaken it. Likewise, Mega Tyranitar can threaten Zapdos with Stone Edge. I'd mention that it can pick you off with Pursuit too if you lack Volt Switch. Well, Tyranitar in general

**Strong neutral hits**: Zapdos is often reliant on its typing to take on various threats. Because of its mediocre defensive stats strong neutral hits can overwhelm Zapdos. For example, Mega Charizard X can OHKO Zapdos with Flare Blitz or Outrage after Stealth Rock damage and a Dragon Dance, Mega Charizard Y can easily 2HKO Zapdos with Drought-boosted STAB Fire-type move of its choice, Tapu Lele 2HKOs it using Psychic, and Tapu Koko 2HKOs it using Thunderbolt without any item.

**Stealth Rock**: Zapdos loses 25% of its max HP everytime it switches in on Stealth Rock. This can seriously hinder its ability to wall certain threats.

**Status**: Due to the fact that Zapdos has to keep itself healthy throughout the match to function as a wall, it dislikes any residual damage. Especially Toxic which will put a timer on Zapdos, leaving it unable to stay active for many consecutive turns without taking substantial amounts of damage.
Just some minor nitpicks, otherwise I think this is good to go after thats done!
 
I'd mention the instant recovery move (Roost) when you mention its defensive qualities, since that's pretty rare for an Electric-type!
Unlike other Electric-types, such as Tapu Koko and Thundurus-T, Zapdos has the ability to run defensive sets to take on dangerous attackers, such as Mega Salamence, Mega Gyarados, Mega Lucario, and others. Zapdos is one of the few Electric-types with access to reliable recovery, in the form of Roost, which helps it stay healthy and perform its defensive role. In addition, Zapdos has unique niche that comes from access to the move Heat Wave, which threatens Steel-types, particularly Mega Scizor and Ferrothorn, making it a good fit in a variety of team archetypes.
This is a bit of an edge case, but I like that Volt Switch can let Zapdos escape Tyranitar's Pursuit, which can be nice for avoiding some damage or even a trapped KO.
Pursuit still traps U-turn and Volt. Only Baton Pass escapes it (which Zap could still have if they were generous about reintroducing some XD tutor stuff).
* Substitute can be used in conjunction with Pressure and Roost to exhaust an opponent's PP. This style of Zapdos is best played with high Speed investment, allowing the quickly made substitutes to take the brunt of the strong attacks. However, fitting Substitute in will mean giving up on valued coverage moves, this changes how Zapdos is played significantly.
Roar I'm tentative on, it currently has <1% usage.
 

Theorymon

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Lol guess you can tell that I haven’t seen Pursuit in a while, that was silly of me :p

Anyways, I don’t mind mentioning obscure moves in other options as long as they aren’t terrible if that makes it easier for you. Roar is tough to fit in, but it can be really annoying to face with Stealth Rock support.
 
Anyways, I don’t mind mentioning obscure moves in other options as long as they aren’t terrible if that makes it easier for you. Roar is tough to fit in, but it can be really annoying to face with Stealth Rock support.
Aight, added it in.
* Roar allows Zapdos to phaze foes who are setting up to dangerous levels or rack up damage with Stealth Rock set by another member of your team. Though, as with Substitute, it can be difficult to find the space in an already tight moveset.
 

deetah

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[OVERVIEW]

Unlike other Electric-types, such as Tapu Koko and Thundurus-T, Zapdos has the ability to run defensive sets to take on dangerous attackers, such as Mega Salamence, Mega Gyarados, Mega Lucario, and others. Zapdos is one of the few Electric-types with access to reliable recovery, in the form of Roost, which helps it stay healthy and perform its defensive role. In addition, Zapdos has a unique niche that comes from access to the move Heat Wave, which threatens Steel-types, particularly Mega Scizor and Ferrothorn, making it a good fit in a variety of team archetypes.

However, Zapdos' defensive capability is sometimes hindered by Stealth Rock; furthermore, Zapdos' defensive stats are not stellar and finds itself reliant on its typing to function as a wall.

[SET]
name: Defensive
move 1: Volt Switch / Thunderbolt / Discharge
move 2: Heat Wave
move 3: Hidden Power Ice / Toxic
move 4: Roost
item: Rocky Helmet / Wiki Berry / Leftovers
ability: Static / Pressure
nature: Bold
evs: 244 HP / 244 Def / 20 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

* Volt Switch functions as a STAB move that hits Water-types and Flying-types super effectively, and a move that helps Zapdos' team to gain momentum and bring in its team in safety safely. However, being forced to switch is not always a positive trait of this move, (AC) Stealth rock damage as damage from Stealth Rock can build quickly with the additional switching.
* Thunderbolt is simply the strongest, most accurate, Electric-type move Zapdos has.
* Discharge has a considerable chance of paralyzing foes which can leave them significantly more vulnerable to being revenge killed.
* Heat Wave is one of Zapdos's primary selling points as a defensive tank. The coverage it provides alongside Zapdos's Electric-type STAB is invaluable. It allows Zapdos to effectively check Kartana, Excadrill, Mega Lucario, and Mega Scizor.
* Toxic is a good utility move that puts a timer on defensive behemoth such as Porygon2 and Cresselia. In combination with Roost, Zapdos is able to stall for additional poison damage.
* Hidden Power Ice does immediate damage to Mega Salamence, Landorus-T, and Garchomp. This keeps them from setting up further and forcing them to launch a last-ditch effort attack or to simply switch out.
* Roost is a vitally important move for Zapdos to fulfill its role as a defensive wall and stay healthy.

Set Details
========

* EVs are used to maximize HP and Defense, and Bold nature is chosen to maximize Zapdos's defensive bulk, letting it handle physical threats such as Mega Salamence with Dragon Dance boost. 20 Speed EVs allow Zapdos to outspeed neutral base 70 Pokemon, most notably, (AC) Breloom.
* Rocky Helmet punishes physical attackers every time they use a contact move, and this is particularly useful against Mega Gyarados, Mega Salamence, and Mega Blaziken.
* Wiki Berry provides a single use burst of recovery, healing equal to 50% of Zapdos's max HP. This can be particulalrly particularly useful when Zapdos has to switch frequently while Stealth Rock are is active as it will activate automatically when Zapdos is put below 25% of its max HP.
* Leftovers provides a steady and much welcomed passive recovery. This can help alleviate the damage taken from harmful weather and status on a turn-by-turn basis.
* Static punishes contact attacks with a significant chance to paralyze. This can be particularly useful when Zapdos is being used to take on certain physical attackers which are either naturally fast or boost their own speed, such as Kartana, Mega Gyarados, and Mega Salamence.
* Pressure helps Zapdos stall out outstall foes that rely on low PP moves such as Stone Edge and Fire Blast along with Roost. It also allows for a means of speed checking; when Zapdos is led or brought in after a double KO take note of whether Pressure activates before an opponent's ability to determine who is faster.

Usage Tips
========

* Since this set aims to use Zapdos as a physical wall, using it to switch into the dangerous physical attackers it can handle such as Mega Salamence, Mega Gyarados, Azumarill, and Mega Scizor is the ideal way to use it.
* When using Toxic in combination with either Discharge or Static, be careful not to paralyse paralyze Pokemon you need to poison. Accidentally paralysing paralyzing a Porygon2, for instance, could leave it significantly harder to KO than if it where were poisoned.
* Even without speed investment, Zapdos still finds itself faster than many bulky attackers. It can use this speed to its advantage and attempt to stall out certain Rock-, Ice-, and Electric-type moves's PP with Pressure and Roost.

Team Options
========

* Zapdos is often paired with Pokemon which struggle with Mega Salamence or bulky waters. In particular Mega Blaziken in particular is a common partner; the two of them alongside Ferrothorn form a popular core.
* Zapdos also finds itself as a fairly common option on sand teams, (AC) being able to tackle the bulky waters Water-types and Celesteela which Tyranitar and Excadrill can struggle with while as well as being able to switch into the Fighting- and Ground-type attacks which threaten them both.
* Steel-types, such as Mega Metagross and Heatran among others, can switch in to into Toxic which cripples Zapdos, (AC) or Ice-type attacks which hit Zapdos super effectively. While Mega Metagross and Heatran can also they can benefit from Zapdos as it can comfortably switch into Ground-type attacks.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
* Specially defensive Zapdos can be a good fit for some teams. It trades being able to handle Dragon Dancing Mega Salamence and Mega Gyarados for being significantly better at taking on offensive Tapu Fini and Primarina, in particular their Z move varients.
* Offensive sets using either Choice Scarf or Electrium Z can be effective options, utilising Zapdos' access to Heat Wave to provide it a niche over the generally preffered Thundurus-T.
* Substitute can be used in conjunction with Pressure and Roost to exhaust an opponent's PP. This style of Zapdos is best played with high Speed investment, allowing the quickly made substitutes Substitute to take the brunt of the strong attacks. However, fitting Substitute in will mean giving up on valued coverage moves, this significantly changes how Zapdos is played. (AP) significantly.
* Roar allows Zapdos to phaze phase foes who are setting up to dangerous levels or rack up damage with Stealth Rock set by another member of your team. Though, as with Substitute, it can be difficult to find the space in an already tight moveset.

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

Mega Venusaur: While being resistant to Electric-type moves and immune to Toxic, Mega Venusaur's ability in Thick Fat lets it handle Heat Wave and Hidden Power Ice with ease. It can also wear down Zapdos quite quickly with Leech Seed and Sludge Bomb.

Strong Rock- and Ice-type attacks: Pokemon such as Mamoswine, Cloyster, (AC) and Protean Greninja are able to super effectively hit Zapdos using their STAB Ice-type moves and substantially weaken it. Likewise, Mega Tyranitar can threaten Zapdos with Stone Edge.

Strong neutral hits: Zapdos is often reliant on its typing to take on various threats. Because of Due to its mediocre defensive stats, (AC) strong neutral hits can overwhelm Zapdos. For example, Mega Charizard X can OHKO Zapdos with Flare Blitz or Outrage after Stealth Rock damage and a Dragon Dance. (RC) (AP) Also, Mega Charizard Y can easily 2HKO Zapdos with a Drought-boosted STAB Fire-type move of its choice, Tapu Lele 2HKOs it using with Psychic, and Tapu Koko 2HKOs it using Thunderbolt without any item.

Stealth Rock: Zapdos loses 25% of its max HP everytime every time it switches in on Stealth Rock. This can seriously hinder its ability to wall certain threats.

Status: Due to the fact that Zapdos has to keep itself healthy throughout the match to function as a wall, it dislikes any residual damage. Especially Toxic, (AC) which will put a timer on Zapdos, leaving it unable to stay active for many consecutive turns without taking substantial amounts of damage.
 
Last edited:
Applied all of that except
* Roar allows Zapdos to phaze phase foes who are setting up to dangerous levels or rack up damage with Stealth Rock set by another member of your team. Though, as with Substitute, it can be difficult to find the space in an already tight moveset.
'phaze' here is psuedo-Haze. Though, now it's been brought up, I do feel like the term has generally fallen out of use. It may not be as commonly or immiedately understood as it once was. So I'll look to rephrase the point.
 

deetah

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Applied all of that except

'phaze' here is psuedo-Haze. Though, now it's been brought up, I do feel like the term has generally fallen out of use. It may not be as commonly or immiedately understood as it once was. So I'll look to rephrase the point.
Oh I understand now, thanks for the clarification!
 

Aaronboyer

Something Worth Fighting For
is a Contributor to Smogon
This is an AM GP Check, so only implement what you want...
ADD REMOVE (COMMENTS)
[OVERVIEW]

Unlike other Electric-types, such as Tapu Koko and Thundurus-T, Zapdos has the ability to run defensive sets to take on dangerous attackers, such as Mega Salamence, Mega Gyarados, Mega Lucario, and others. Zapdos is one of the few Electric-types with access to reliable recovery, in the form of Roost, which helps it stay healthy and perform its defensive role. In addition, Zapdos has a unique niche that comes from access to the move Heat Wave, which threatens Steel-types, particularly Mega Scizor and Ferrothorn, making it a good fit in a variety of team archetypes.

However, Zapdos' defensive capability is sometimes hindered by Stealth Rock; furthermore, Zapdos' defensive stats are not stellar and finds itself reliant on its typing to function as a wall.

[SET]
name: Defensive
move 1: Volt Switch / Thunderbolt / Discharge
move 2: Heat Wave
move 3: Hidden Power Ice / Toxic
move 4: Roost
item: Rocky Helmet / Wiki Berry / Leftovers
ability: Static / Pressure
nature: Bold
evs: 244 HP / 244 Def / 20 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

* Volt Switch functions as a STAB move that hits Water-types and Flying-types super effectively, and a move that helps Zapdos' team to gain momentum and bring in its team safely. However, being forced to switch is not always a positive trait of this move, as damage from Stealth Rock can build quickly with the additional switching.
* Thunderbolt is simply the strongest, most accurate, Electric-type move Zapdos has.
* Discharge has a considerable chance of paralyzing foes which can leave them significantly more vulnerable to being revenge killed.
* Heat Wave is one of Zapdos's primary selling points as a defensive tank. The coverage it provides alongside Zapdos's Electric-type STAB is invaluable. It allows Zapdos to effectively check Kartana, Excadrill, Mega Lucario, and Mega Scizor.
* Toxic is a good utility move that puts a timer on defensive behemoth behemoths such as Porygon2 and Cresselia. In combination with Roost, Zapdos is able to stall for additional poison damage.
* Hidden Power Ice does immediate damage to Mega Salamence, Landorus-T, and Garchomp. This keeps them from setting up further and forcing them to launch a last-ditch effort attack or to simply switch out.
* Roost is a vitally important move for Zapdos to fulfill its role as a defensive wall and stay healthy.

Set Details
========

* EVs are used to maximize HP and Defense, and Bold nature is chosen to maximize Zapdos's defensive bulk, letting it handle physical threats such as Mega Salamence with Dragon Dance boost. 20 Speed EVs allow Zapdos to outspeed neutral base 70 Pokemon, most notably Breloom.
* Rocky Helmet punishes physical attackers every time they use a contact move, and this is particularly useful against Mega Gyarados, Mega Salamence, and Mega Blaziken.
* Wiki Berry provides a single use burst of recovery, healing equal to 50% of Zapdos's max HP. This can be particulalrly particularly useful when Zapdos has to switch frequently while Stealth Rock is active as it will activate automatically when Zapdos is put below 25% of its max HP.
* Leftovers provides a steady and much welcomed passive recovery. This can help alleviate the damage taken from harmful weather and status on a turn-by-turn basis.
* Static punishes contact attacks with a significant chance to paralyze. This can be particularly useful when Zapdos is being used to take on certain physical attackers which are either naturally fast or boost their own speed, such as Kartana, Mega Gyarados, and Mega Salamence.
* Pressure helps Zapdos outstall foes that rely on low PP moves such as Stone Edge and Fire Blast along with Roost. It also allows for a means of speed checking; when Zapdos is led or brought in after a double KO take note of whether Pressure activates before an opponent's ability to determine who is faster.

Usage Tips
========

* Since this set aims to use Zapdos as a physical wall, using it to switch into the dangerous physical attackers it can handle such as Mega Salamence, Mega Gyarados, Azumarill, and Mega Scizor is the ideal way to use it.
* When using Toxic in combination with either Discharge or Static, be careful not to paralyze Pokemon you need to poison. Accidentally paralyzing a Porygon2, for instance, could leave it significantly harder to KO than if it were poisoned.
* Even without speed investment, Zapdos still finds itself faster than many bulky attackers. It can use this speed to its advantage and attempt to stall out certain Rock-, Ice-, and Electric-type moves's moves' PP with Pressure and Roost.

Team Options
========

* Zapdos is often paired with Pokemon which struggle with Mega Salamence or bulky waters. Mega Blaziken in particular is a common partner; the two of them alongside Ferrothorn form a popular core.
* Zapdos also finds itself as a fairly common option on sand teams, being able to tackle the bulky Water-types and Celesteela which Tyranitar and Excadrill can struggle with as well as being able to switch into the Fighting- and Ground-type attacks which threaten them both.
* Steel-types, such as Mega Metagross and Heatran among others, can switch into Toxic which cripples Zapdos, or Ice-type attacks which hit Zapdos super effectively. Mega Metagross and Heatran can also benefit from Zapdos as it can comfortably switch into Ground-type attacks.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
* Specially defensive Zapdos can be a good fit for some teams. It trades being able to handle Dragon Dancing Mega Salamence and Mega Gyarados for being significantly better at taking on offensive Tapu Fini and Primarina, in particular their Z move varients variants.
* Offensive sets using either Choice Scarf or Electrium Z can be effective options, utilising utilizing Zapdos' access to Heat Wave to provide it a niche over the generally preffered preferred Thundurus-T.
* Substitute can be used in conjunction with Pressure and Roost to exhaust an opponent's PP. This style of Zapdos is best played with high Speed investment, allowing the quickly made Substitute to take the brunt of the strong attacks. However, fitting Substitute in will mean giving up on valued coverage moves, this significantly changes how Zapdos is played.
* Roar allows Zapdos to phaze foes who are setting up to dangerous levels or rack up damage with Stealth Rock set by another member of your team. Though, as with Substitute, it can be difficult to find the space in an already tight moveset.

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

**Mega Venusaur**: While being resistant to Electric-type moves and immune to Toxic, Mega Venusaur's ability in Thick Fat lets it handle Heat Wave and Hidden Power Ice with ease. It can also wear down Zapdos quite quickly with Leech Seed and Sludge Bomb.

**Strong Rock- and Ice-type attacks**: Pokemon such as Mamoswine, Cloyster, and Protean Greninja are able to super effectively hit Zapdos using their STAB Ice-type moves and substantially weaken it. Likewise, Mega Tyranitar can threaten Zapdos with Stone Edge.

**Strong neutral hits**: Zapdos is often reliant on its typing to take on various threats. Due to its mediocre defensive stats, strong neutral hits can overwhelm Zapdos. For example, Mega Charizard X can OHKO Zapdos with Flare Blitz or Outrage after Stealth Rock damage and a Dragon Dance. Also, Mega Charizard Y can easily 2HKO Zapdos with a Drought-boosted STAB Fire-type move of its choice, Tapu Lele 2HKOs it with Psychic, and Tapu Koko 2HKOs it using Thunderbolt without any item.

**Stealth Rock**: Zapdos loses 25% of its max HP every time it switches in on Stealth Rock. This can seriously hinder its ability to wall certain threats.

**Status**: Due to the fact that Zapdos has to keep itself healthy throughout the match to function as a wall, it dislikes any residual damage. Especially Toxic, which will put a timer on Zapdos, leaving it unable to stay active for many consecutive turns without taking substantial amounts of damage.
 

talkingtree

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GP 1/2
add remove comments


[OVERVIEW]

Unlike other Electric-types, such as Tapu Koko and Thundurus-T, Zapdos has the ability to run defensive sets to take on dangerous attackers, such as including Mega Salamence, Mega Gyarados, and Mega Lucario, and others. Zapdos is one of the few Electric-types with access to reliable recovery, (RC) in the form of Roost, which helps it stay healthy and perform its defensive role. In addition, Zapdos has a unique niche that comes from access to the move Heat Wave, which threatens allowing it to threaten Steel-types, particularly Mega Scizor and Ferrothorn, making it a good fit in a variety of team archetypes.

However, Zapdos' defensive capability is sometimes hindered by Stealth Rock; furthermore, Zapdos' defensive stats are not stellar and so it finds itself reliant on its typing to effectively function as a wall.

[SET]
name: Defensive
move 1: Volt Switch / Thunderbolt / Discharge
move 2: Heat Wave
move 3: Hidden Power Ice / Toxic
move 4: Roost
item: Rocky Helmet / Wiki Berry / Leftovers
ability: Static / Pressure
nature: Bold
evs: 244 HP / 244 Def / 20 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

* Volt Switch functions as a STAB move that hits Water-types and Flying-types super effectively, and a move that helps while helping Zapdos's team to gain momentum and bring in its team a teammate safely. However, being forced to switch is not always a positive trait of this move, as damage from Stealth Rock can build quickly with the additional switching pivoting.
* Thunderbolt is simply the strongest, (RC) and most accurate, (RC) Electric-type move Zapdos has.
* Discharge has a considerable chance of paralyzing to paralyze foes, (AC) which can leave them significantly more vulnerable to being revenge killed.
* Heat Wave is one of Zapdos's primary selling points as a defensive tank; (period -> semicolon) the coverage it provides alongside Zapdos's Electric-type STAB is invaluable. It allows Zapdos to effectively check Kartana, Excadrill, Mega Lucario, and Mega Scizor.
* Toxic is a good utility move that puts a timer on defensive behemoths such as Porygon2 and Cresselia. In combination with Roost, Zapdos is able to stall for additional poison damage.
* Hidden Power Ice does immediate damage to Mega Salamence, Landorus-T, and Garchomp. This keeps them from setting up further and forcing them to launch a last-ditch effort attack or to simply switch out.
* Toxic is a good utility move that puts a timer on defensive behemoths such as Porygon2 and Cresselia. In combination with Roost, Zapdos is able to stall for additional poison damage. (moved to fit slash order)
* Roost is a vitally important move for Zapdos to fulfill its role as a defensive wall and stay healthy.

Set Details
========

* EVs are used to maximize HP and Defense, and a Bold nature is chosen to maximize Zapdos's defensive physical bulk, letting it handle physical threats such as Mega Salamence with a Dragon Dance boost. 20 Speed EVs allow Zapdos to outspeed neutral base 70 Pokemon, most notably Breloom.
* Rocky Helmet punishes physical attackers every time they use a contact move; (comma -> semicolon) and this is particularly useful against Mega Gyarados, Mega Salamence, and Mega Blaziken.
* Wiki Berry provides a single-use (AH) burst of recovery, healing equal to 50% of Zapdos's max HP. This can be particularly useful when Zapdos has to switch frequently while Stealth Rock is active, (AC) as it will activate automatically when Zapdos is put below 25% of its max HP.
* Leftovers provides a steady and much-welcomed (AH) source of passive recovery. This can help alleviate the damage taken from harmful weather and status on a turn-by-turn basis.
* Static punishes contact attacks with a significant chance to paralyze. This can be particularly useful when Zapdos is being used to take on certain physical attackers which are either naturally fast or boost their own speed, such as Kartana, Mega Gyarados, and Mega Salamence.
* Pressure helps Zapdos outstall foes that rely on low PP moves such as Stone Edge and Fire Blast along with Roost. It also allows for a means of speed checking; when Zapdos is led or brought in after a double KO, (AC) take note of whether Pressure activates before an opponent's ability to determine who which Pokemon is faster.

Usage Tips
========

* Since this set aims to use Zapdos as a physical wall, using use it to switch into the dangerous physical attackers it can handle such as Mega Salamence, Mega Gyarados, Azumarill, and Mega Scizor is the ideal way to use it.
* When using Toxic in combination with either Discharge or Static, be careful not to paralyze Pokemon you need to poison. Accidentally paralyzing a Porygon2, for instance, could leave it significantly harder to KO than if it were poisoned.
* Even without much Speed investment, Zapdos still finds itself faster than many bulky attackers. It can use this speed to its advantage and attempt to stall out the PP of certain Rock-, Ice-, and Electric-type moves' PP with Pressure and Roost.

Team Options
========

* Zapdos is often paired with Pokemon which struggle with Mega Salamence or bulky waters Water-types, appreciating Zapdos handling them. Mega Blaziken in particular is a common partner; the two of them alongside Ferrothorn, (AC) this forms a popular core.
* Zapdos also finds itself as a fairly common option on sand teams, being able to tackle the bulky Water-types and Celesteela, (AC) which Tyranitar and Excadrill can struggle with, (AC) as well as being able to and switch into the Fighting- and Ground-type attacks which threaten them both.
* Steel-types, such as Mega Metagross and Heatran among others, can switch into Toxic, (AC) which cripples Zapdos, or Ice-type attacks, (AC) which hit Zapdos super effectively. Mega Metagross and Heatran can also benefit from having Zapdos as a teammate, as it can comfortably switch into Ground-type attacks.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
* Specially defensive Zapdos can be a good fit for some teams; (period -> semicolon) it trades being able to handle Dragon Dancing Dance Mega Salamence and Mega Gyarados for being significantly better at taking on offensive Tapu Fini and Primarina, in particular their Z move variants.
* Offensive sets using either Choice Scarf or Electrium Z can be effective options, utilizing Zapdos' access to Heat Wave to provide it a niche over the generally preferred Thundurus-T.
* Substitute can be used in conjunction with Pressure and Roost to exhaust an opponent's PP. This style of Zapdos is best played with high Speed investment, allowing the quickly made Substitute to take the brunt of the most strong attacks. However, fitting Substitute in will mean giving up on valued coverage moves, this which (or change comma -> semicolon and keep original word) significantly changes how Zapdos is played.
* Roar allows Zapdos to phaze foes who that are setting up to dangerous levels or rack up damage with Stealth Rock set by another member of your team. Though, as with Substitute, it can be difficult to find the space in an already tight moveset.

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

**Mega Venusaur**: While being resistant to Electric-type moves and immune to Toxic, Mega Venusaur's ability in Thick Fat lets it handle Heat Wave and Hidden Power Ice with ease. It can also wear down Zapdos quite quickly with Leech Seed and Sludge Bomb.

**Strong Rock- and Ice-type attacks**: Pokemon such as Mamoswine, Cloyster, and Protean Greninja are able to super effectively hit Zapdos using their STAB Ice-type moves and substantially weaken it. Likewise, Mega Tyranitar can threaten Zapdos with Stone Edge.

**Strong Neutral Hits**: Zapdos is often reliant on its typing to take on various threats. Due to its mediocre defensive stats, strong neutral hits can overwhelm Zapdos. For example, Mega Charizard X can OHKO Zapdos with Flare Blitz or Outrage after Stealth Rock damage and a Dragon Dance boost. Also, Mega Charizard Y can also easily 2HKO Zapdos with a Drought-boosted STAB Fire-type move of its choice, and terrain boosts allow Tapu Lele to 2HKOs it with Psychic, (RC) and Tapu Koko to 2HKOs it using Thunderbolt without any item. (this is assumed if you don't specify)

**Stealth Rock**: Zapdos loses 25% of its max HP every time it switches in on Stealth Rock; (period -> semicolon) this can seriously hinder its ability to wall certain threats.

**Status**: Due to the fact that Zapdos has to keep itself healthy throughout the match to function as a wall, it dislikes any residual damage&mdash;especially Toxic, which will put a timer on Zapdos, leaving it unable to stay active for many consecutive turns without taking substantial amounts of damage.
 

A Cake Wearing A Hat

moist and crusty
is a Community Leaderis a Community Contributoris a Top Contributoris a Smogon Media Contributoris a Dedicated Tournament Hostis a Battle Simulator Moderatoris a Site Content Manager Alumnusis a Top Social Media Contributor Alumnus
Community Leader
Jhon this shouldn't be in bullet points, as far as I can tell from looking at the other BSS analyses. Please put this into paragraph form.

E: i'm an idiot nvm
 
Last edited:

A Cake Wearing A Hat

moist and crusty
is a Community Leaderis a Community Contributoris a Top Contributoris a Smogon Media Contributoris a Dedicated Tournament Hostis a Battle Simulator Moderatoris a Site Content Manager Alumnusis a Top Social Media Contributor Alumnus
Community Leader
deleted my above post by reflex oops

add remove comments
[OVERVIEW]

Unlike other Electric-types, such as Tapu Koko and Thundurus-T, Zapdos has the ability to run defensive sets to take on dangerous attackers, including Mega Salamence, Mega Gyarados, and Mega Lucario. Zapdos is one of the few Electric-types with access to reliable recovery in the form of Roost, which helps it stay healthy and perform its defensive role. In addition, Zapdos has a unique niche that comes from with its access to Heat Wave, allowing it to threaten Steel-types, particularly Mega Scizor and Ferrothorn, making it a good fit in a variety of team archetypes.

However, Zapdos' Zapdos's defensive capability is sometimes hindered by Stealth Rock; furthermore, Zapdos' Zapdos's defensive stats are not stellar, (AC) so it finds itself is reliant on its typing to effectively function as a wall.

[SET]
name: Defensive
move 1: Volt Switch / Thunderbolt / Discharge
move 2: Heat Wave
move 3: Hidden Power Ice / Toxic
move 4: Roost
item: Rocky Helmet / Wiki Berry / Leftovers
ability: Static / Pressure
nature: Bold
evs: 244 HP / 244 Def / 20 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

* Volt Switch functions as a STAB move that hits Water- and Flying-types super effectively while helping Zapdos's team gain momentum and bring in a teammate safely. However, being forced to switch is not always a positive trait of this move, as damage from Stealth Rock can build quickly with the additional pivoting.
* Thunderbolt is simply Zapdos's the strongest and most accurate Electric-type move Zapdos has.
* Discharge has a considerable chance to paralyze foes, which can leave them significantly more vulnerable to being revenge killed.
* Heat Wave is one of Zapdos's primary selling points as a defensive tank; the coverage it provides alongside Zapdos's Electric-type STAB move is invaluable. It allows Zapdos to effectively check Kartana, Excadrill, Mega Lucario, and Mega Scizor.
* Hidden Power Ice does immediate damage to heavily damages Mega Salamence, Landorus-T, and Garchomp. This keeps them from setting up further and, (AC) forcing them to launch a last-ditch effort attack or to simply switch out.
* Toxic is a good utility move that puts a timer on defensive behemoths such as Porygon2 and Cresselia. In combination with Roost, Zapdos is able to stall for additional poison damage.
* Roost is a vitally important move for Zapdos to stay healthy so it can fulfill its role as a defensive wall and stay healthy.

Set Details
========

* EVs are used to maximize HP and Defense, and a Bold nature is chosen to maximize Zapdos's physical bulk, letting it handle physical threats such as Mega Salamence with a Dragon Dance boost. 20 Speed EVs allow Zapdos to outspeed neutral base 70 Pokemon, most notably Breloom.
* Rocky Helmet punishes physical attackers every time they use a contact move; this is particularly useful against Mega Gyarados, Mega Salamence, and Mega Blaziken.
* Wiki Berry provides a single-use burst of recovery, healing 50% of Zapdos's max HP. This can be particularly useful when Zapdos has to switch frequently while Stealth Rock is active, as it will activate automatically when Zapdos is put below 25% of its max HP.
* Leftovers provides a steady and much-welcomed source of passive recovery. This can help alleviate the damage taken from harmful weather and status on a turn-by-turn basis.
* Static punishes contact attacks with a significant chance to paralyze. This can be particularly useful when Zapdos is being used to take on certain physical attackers which that are either naturally fast or boost their own speed Speed, such as Kartana, Mega Gyarados, and Mega Salamence.
* Pressure helps Zapdos outstall use Roost to stall out foes that rely on low PP low-PP moves such as Stone Edge and Fire Blast along with Roost. It also allows for a means of speed checking the foe's Speed; when Zapdos is led or brought in after a double KO, take note of whether Pressure activates before an opponent's a foe's ability to determine which Pokemon is faster.

Usage Tips
========

* Since this set aims to use Zapdos as a physical wall, use it to switch into the dangerous physical attackers it can handle such as Mega Salamence, Mega Gyarados, Azumarill, and Mega Scizor.
* When using Toxic in combination with either Discharge or Static, be careful not to paralyze Pokemon you need to badly poison. Accidentally paralyzing a Porygon2, for instance, could leave it significantly harder to KO than if it were badly poisoned.
* Even without much Speed investment, Zapdos is still finds itself faster than many bulky attackers. It can use this speed its naturally high Speed to its advantage and attempt to stall out the PP of certain Rock-, Ice-, and Electric-type moves with Pressure and Roost.

Team Options
========

* Zapdos is often paired with Pokemon which that struggle with Mega Salamence or bulky Water-types, appreciating Zapdos handling them. Mega Blaziken in particular is a common partner; alongside Ferrothorn, this forms a popular core.
* Zapdos also finds itself as a fairly common option on sand teams, being able to tackle bulky Water-types and Celesteela, which Tyranitar and Excadrill can struggle with, and switch into the Fighting- and Ground-type attacks which that threaten them both.
* Steel-types, such as Mega Metagross and Heatran among others, can switch into Toxic, (AC) which cripples Zapdos, or and Ice-type attacks, which hit Zapdos super effectively. Mega Metagross and Heatran can also benefit from having Zapdos as a teammate, as it can comfortably switch into Ground-type attacks.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============

* Specially defensive Zapdos can be a good fit for some teams; it trades being able to handle Dragon Dance Mega Salamence and Mega Gyarados for being significantly better at taking on offensive Tapu Fini and Primarina, in particular their Z move especially their Z-Move variants.
* Offensive sets using either Choice Scarf or Electrium Z can be effective options, utilizing Zapdos' Zapdos's access to Heat Wave to provide it a niche over the generally preferred Thundurus-T.
* Substitute can be used in conjunction with Pressure and Roost to further exhaust an opponent's a foe's PP. This style of Zapdos is best played with high Speed investment, allowing the quickly made Substitute to take the brunt of most strong attacks. However, fitting Substitute in will mean giving up on valued coverage moves, which significantly changes how Zapdos is played.
* Roar allows Zapdos to phaze foes that are setting up to dangerous levels or rack up damage with Stealth Rock set by another member of your team. Though, as with Substitute, it can be difficult to find the space in an already tight moveset.

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

**Mega Venusaur**: While being resistant to Electric-type moves and immune to Toxic, Mega Venusaur's ability in Thick Fat lets it handle Heat Wave and Hidden Power Ice with ease. It can also wear down Zapdos quite quickly with Leech Seed and Sludge Bomb.

**Strong Rock- and Ice-type attacks Attacks**: Pokemon such as Mamoswine, Cloyster, and Protean Greninja are able to super effectively hit Zapdos using their STAB Ice-type STAB moves and substantially weaken it. Likewise, Pokemon like Mega Tyranitar can threaten Zapdos with Stone Edge.

**Strong Neutral Hits**: Zapdos is often reliant on its typing to take on various threats. Due to its mediocre defensive stats, strong neutral hits can overwhelm Zapdos. For example, Mega Charizard X can OHKO Zapdos with Flare Blitz or Outrage after Stealth Rock damage and a Dragon Dance boost. Mega Charizard Y can also easily 2HKO Zapdos with a Drought-boosted STAB Fire-type STAB move of its choice, and terrain boosts allow Tapu Lele to 2HKO it with Psychic and Tapu Koko to 2HKO it using Thunderbolt.

**Stealth Rock**: Zapdos loses 25% of its max HP every time it switches in on Stealth Rock; this can seriously hinder its ability to wall certain threats.

**Status**: Due to the fact that Zapdos has to keep itself healthy throughout the match to function as a wall, it dislikes any residual damage&mdash;especially Toxic, which will put a timer on Zapdos, leaving it unable to stay active for many consecutive turns without taking substantial amounts of damage.

2/2
 

Theorymon

Have a wonderful day, wahoo!
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Blame sleep for this coming up late. Turns out doing 3 tests in one day is exhausting after studying-nonstop!

Oh well, it's up now! Good job Jhon !
 

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