[SET]
name: Pivot
move 1: Volt Switch
move 2: Hurricane
move 3: Heat Wave
move 4: Roost
item: Heavy-Duty Boots
ability: Static
nature: Modest
evs: 252 HP / 64 Def / 56 SpA / 136 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Details
===================
Zapdos's ability to combine numerous critical offensive and defensive traits into one teamslot situates it to be an effective option among the tier's many pivots. Zapdos has one of the hardest Volt Switches to block in the tier; its powerful Hurricane acts as a spammable STAB option and punishes Ground-types like Garchomp and Landorus-T that attempt to stop it from pivoting, while Heat Wave allows it to actively counter other Ground-types like Equilibra. Heat Wave is also necessary to prevent opposing Cawmodore from successfully sweeping. The given EV spread allows Heat Wave to always knock out uninvested Cawmodore from full health while investing enough in Speed to outspeed Rillaboom and putting the remainder in Defense to better take on physical wallbreakers like Rillaboom and Melmetal.
Zapdos is best paired with strong wallbreakers that appreciate being brought in for free via Volt Switch. Pokemon like Heatran, Galarian Slowking, and Tyranitar will often attempt sponging Zapdos's Volt Switch, so attackers such as Landorus-T, Colossoil, and Urshifu-R that can force these Pokemon out are good partners. Zapdos can still struggle against other special walls like specially defensive Clefable and even Slowking, which makes wallbreakers like Rillaboom powerful teammates; Rillaboom, Landorus-T, and Urshifu-R are also capable of forming potent VoltTurn cores with Zapdos. Zapdos is effective at weakening common Ground-types like Landorus-T, so Pokemon who appreciate this like Swords Dance Garchomp, Heatran, and Victini are strong partners as well. Because Zapdos can easily paralyze Pokemon like Rillaboom and Landorus-T that carelessly pivot with U-turn on it, partners like Hex Dragapult and Protective Pads Melmetal that can take advantage of this are useful to have on Zapdos's team.
[SET]
name: Utility
move 1: Defog
move 2: Discharge / Hurricane
move 3: Heat Wave
move 4: Roost
item: Heavy-Duty Boots
ability: Static
nature: Timid
evs: 248 HP / 220 Def / 40 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Details
===================
Defog transforms Zapdos into a strong utility option for many CAP teams, although it still tends to be crippled by Knock Off and Toxic from common Stealth Rock setters like Landorus-T in the process. This set additionally acts as a more durable check to Pokemon like Rillaboom, Tornadus-T, and common Steel-types like Swords Dance Scizor. Discharge is generally preferred for reliably answering Tornadus-T and enables Zapdos to spread paralysis multiple times per game in conjunction with Static, although Volt Switch can be chosen instead if one values its ability to regularly grab momentum. Hurricane is an option that lets Zapdos pressure common Stealth Rock setters like Landorus-T and Garchomp better at the cost of being unable to significantly threaten Heatran and Slowking. Heat Wave is necessary to answer Steel-type like Equilibra, Scizor, Melmetal, and Cawmodore; however, if Cawmodore invests 24 EVs into Special Defense and uses Drain Punch at +6 Attack then Zapdos can still lose. 40 Speed EVs with a Timid nature allow Zapdos to outspeed Rillaboom, while the rest of its EVs maximize its physical bulk for attackers like Rillaboom and Urshifu-R.
Zapdos's ability to spread paralysis with Discharge and Static is heavily appreciated by its teammates, especially slower wallbreakers like Melmetal, Urshifu-R, and Tapu Lele that may be easily revenge killed otherwise. Hex Dragapult is another incredible partner that can take advantage of paralysis, additionally providing Zapdos with entry hazard removal opportunities by using U-turn against passive Pokemon like Mandibuzz and Blissey. Because Zapdos is an excellent answer to Rillaboom and Tornadus-T, Urshifu-R and common Ground-types like Landorus-T are effective teammates. Scizor is another good partner that can ease Zapdos's burden in checking offensive Grass-types like Rillaboom and Jumbao, with Scizor also acting as a great answer to Ice-types like Kyurem and Weavile that would trouble Zapdos. It's incredibly common for Zapdos to be hit with Knock Off by a Pokemon like Zeraora, Landorus-T, Rillaboom, or Tornadus-T early in the game, so having a Knock Off absorber or secondary answer to some of these Pokemon like Clefable is advisable. Defog Zapdos also has a particularly difficult time against defensive Ground-types, so teammates that easily pressure them like Rillaboom and Tapu Fini are good to have around.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Checks and Counters
===================
**Knock Off**: Many of the threats Zapdos wants to switch into such as Rillaboom, Zeraora, Landorus-T, Tornadus-T, Kartana, and Scizor are also capable of crippling it with Knock Off. Without its Heavy-Duty Boots, Zapdos becomes far less reliable in dealing with these threats in the long term and is much more prone to being offensively overwhelmed.
**Ground-types**: While some Ground-types like Landorus-T, Colossoil, and Garchomp struggle against more offensive Zapdos sets, they have little to fear from defensive Defog variants and can still effectively stop Zapdos from pivoting when played aggressively. Other Ground-types like specially defensive Hippowdon and Gastrodon are strong counters to any Zapdos set.
**Specially Defensive Walls**: Special walls such as Galarian Slowking, Blissey, Heatran, and Tyranitar can usually pivot into Zapdos with ease. Galarian Slowking is especially effective due to Regenerator providing free health with every interaction.
**Ice-types**: Syclant and Weavile are massively threatening to Zapdos and can easily force it out; however, they can't safely switch in due to Heat Wave, and Syclant can even become inflicted with paralysis if it uses U-turn on Zapdos carelessly. Kyurem is another threatening Ice-type that can stand to switch into Zapdos due to its great natural bulk, though it must be careful of being paralyzed by Discharge.
**Toxic**: Common Toxic users like Landorus-T, Colossoil, Hippowdon, and occasionally Zeraora and Tornadus-T can permanently limit Zapdos's defensive value by inflicting it with status.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[spoo, 251944]]
- Quality checked by: [[snake_rattler, 227784], [quziel, 297859]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Estronic, 240732]]
name: Pivot
move 1: Volt Switch
move 2: Hurricane
move 3: Heat Wave
move 4: Roost
item: Heavy-Duty Boots
ability: Static
nature: Modest
evs: 252 HP / 64 Def / 56 SpA / 136 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Details
===================
Zapdos's ability to combine numerous critical offensive and defensive traits into one teamslot situates it to be an effective option among the tier's many pivots. Zapdos has one of the hardest Volt Switches to block in the tier; its powerful Hurricane acts as a spammable STAB option and punishes Ground-types like Garchomp and Landorus-T that attempt to stop it from pivoting, while Heat Wave allows it to actively counter other Ground-types like Equilibra. Heat Wave is also necessary to prevent opposing Cawmodore from successfully sweeping. The given EV spread allows Heat Wave to always knock out uninvested Cawmodore from full health while investing enough in Speed to outspeed Rillaboom and putting the remainder in Defense to better take on physical wallbreakers like Rillaboom and Melmetal.
Zapdos is best paired with strong wallbreakers that appreciate being brought in for free via Volt Switch. Pokemon like Heatran, Galarian Slowking, and Tyranitar will often attempt sponging Zapdos's Volt Switch, so attackers such as Landorus-T, Colossoil, and Urshifu-R that can force these Pokemon out are good partners. Zapdos can still struggle against other special walls like specially defensive Clefable and even Slowking, which makes wallbreakers like Rillaboom powerful teammates; Rillaboom, Landorus-T, and Urshifu-R are also capable of forming potent VoltTurn cores with Zapdos. Zapdos is effective at weakening common Ground-types like Landorus-T, so Pokemon who appreciate this like Swords Dance Garchomp, Heatran, and Victini are strong partners as well. Because Zapdos can easily paralyze Pokemon like Rillaboom and Landorus-T that carelessly pivot with U-turn on it, partners like Hex Dragapult and Protective Pads Melmetal that can take advantage of this are useful to have on Zapdos's team.
[SET]
name: Utility
move 1: Defog
move 2: Discharge / Hurricane
move 3: Heat Wave
move 4: Roost
item: Heavy-Duty Boots
ability: Static
nature: Timid
evs: 248 HP / 220 Def / 40 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Details
===================
Defog transforms Zapdos into a strong utility option for many CAP teams, although it still tends to be crippled by Knock Off and Toxic from common Stealth Rock setters like Landorus-T in the process. This set additionally acts as a more durable check to Pokemon like Rillaboom, Tornadus-T, and common Steel-types like Swords Dance Scizor. Discharge is generally preferred for reliably answering Tornadus-T and enables Zapdos to spread paralysis multiple times per game in conjunction with Static, although Volt Switch can be chosen instead if one values its ability to regularly grab momentum. Hurricane is an option that lets Zapdos pressure common Stealth Rock setters like Landorus-T and Garchomp better at the cost of being unable to significantly threaten Heatran and Slowking. Heat Wave is necessary to answer Steel-type like Equilibra, Scizor, Melmetal, and Cawmodore; however, if Cawmodore invests 24 EVs into Special Defense and uses Drain Punch at +6 Attack then Zapdos can still lose. 40 Speed EVs with a Timid nature allow Zapdos to outspeed Rillaboom, while the rest of its EVs maximize its physical bulk for attackers like Rillaboom and Urshifu-R.
Zapdos's ability to spread paralysis with Discharge and Static is heavily appreciated by its teammates, especially slower wallbreakers like Melmetal, Urshifu-R, and Tapu Lele that may be easily revenge killed otherwise. Hex Dragapult is another incredible partner that can take advantage of paralysis, additionally providing Zapdos with entry hazard removal opportunities by using U-turn against passive Pokemon like Mandibuzz and Blissey. Because Zapdos is an excellent answer to Rillaboom and Tornadus-T, Urshifu-R and common Ground-types like Landorus-T are effective teammates. Scizor is another good partner that can ease Zapdos's burden in checking offensive Grass-types like Rillaboom and Jumbao, with Scizor also acting as a great answer to Ice-types like Kyurem and Weavile that would trouble Zapdos. It's incredibly common for Zapdos to be hit with Knock Off by a Pokemon like Zeraora, Landorus-T, Rillaboom, or Tornadus-T early in the game, so having a Knock Off absorber or secondary answer to some of these Pokemon like Clefable is advisable. Defog Zapdos also has a particularly difficult time against defensive Ground-types, so teammates that easily pressure them like Rillaboom and Tapu Fini are good to have around.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Checks and Counters
===================
**Knock Off**: Many of the threats Zapdos wants to switch into such as Rillaboom, Zeraora, Landorus-T, Tornadus-T, Kartana, and Scizor are also capable of crippling it with Knock Off. Without its Heavy-Duty Boots, Zapdos becomes far less reliable in dealing with these threats in the long term and is much more prone to being offensively overwhelmed.
**Ground-types**: While some Ground-types like Landorus-T, Colossoil, and Garchomp struggle against more offensive Zapdos sets, they have little to fear from defensive Defog variants and can still effectively stop Zapdos from pivoting when played aggressively. Other Ground-types like specially defensive Hippowdon and Gastrodon are strong counters to any Zapdos set.
**Specially Defensive Walls**: Special walls such as Galarian Slowking, Blissey, Heatran, and Tyranitar can usually pivot into Zapdos with ease. Galarian Slowking is especially effective due to Regenerator providing free health with every interaction.
**Ice-types**: Syclant and Weavile are massively threatening to Zapdos and can easily force it out; however, they can't safely switch in due to Heat Wave, and Syclant can even become inflicted with paralysis if it uses U-turn on Zapdos carelessly. Kyurem is another threatening Ice-type that can stand to switch into Zapdos due to its great natural bulk, though it must be careful of being paralyzed by Discharge.
**Toxic**: Common Toxic users like Landorus-T, Colossoil, Hippowdon, and occasionally Zeraora and Tornadus-T can permanently limit Zapdos's defensive value by inflicting it with status.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[spoo, 251944]]
- Quality checked by: [[snake_rattler, 227784], [quziel, 297859]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Estronic, 240732]]
Last edited:
