romanji
/ᐠ - ˕ -マ
monke
[OVERVIEW]
Zarude's great Speed alongside U-turn allows it to be an excellent pivot and revenge killer. Its Speed enables it to outspeed common Pokemon such as Nihilego and Thundurus-T, and its good bulk and defensive typing let it check many dangerous threats such as Crawdaunt and Krookodile. The ability to heal status conditions and HP with Jungle Healing can allow Zarude to consistently pivot around defensive Pokemon such as Seismitoad and Mew. However, it often struggles to break defensive Pokemon, such as Celesteela, Buzzwole, and Salamence, due to them resisting Power Whip and taking minimal damage from Darkest Lariat. Zarude also suffers from four-moveslot syndrome, potentially having to give up an important coverage move or the ability to heal off status conditions. Also, many teams run many Pokemon with a Grass-type resistance such as Scizor, Tangrowth, and Moltres, leaving Zarude with limited opportunities to click its strongest STAB attack. If it is running Choice Scarf, Zarude can risk being locked into an undesirable move, losing momentum. Flame Body from Moltres and Rocky Helmet from Amoonguss and Tangrowth can punish U-turn, forcing momentum to be sacrificed to use Jungle Healing.
[SET]
name: Heavy-Duty Boots
move 1: Power Whip
move 2: Darkest Lariat
move 3: U-turn
move 4: Jungle Healing
item: Heavy-Duty Boots
ability: Leaf Guard
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Jungle Healing allows Zarude to remove status conditions from moves such as Toxic from Aegislash and Will-O-Wisp from Rotom-W and Mew, while restoring 25% of its health. Rock Slide is an alternative option to hit Moltres and Salamence. U-turn grabs momentum on usual switch-ins such as Celesteela and Salamence. Heavy-Duty Boots allows Zarude to not worry about entry hazards, letting it constantly pivot throughout the game. Jolly is the required nature on the set so that Zarude can outspeed Nihilego and Salamence.
Heavy-Duty Boots Zarude is seen on balance and bulky offense due to the easy pivoting provided by Heavy-Duty Boots and its ability to act as a status sponge against Toxic from Aegislash and Will-O-Wisp from Mew and Rotom-W. Rotom-H and Rotom-W both deal with Scizor, Mamoswine, and Nidoqueen, with Rotom-H also taking on Tangrowth and Celesteela and Rotom-W checking Salamence. Buzzwole can pivot into U-turn from Scizor, and punish it with potential Rocky Helmet damage. Zarude appreciates teammates that can outspeed Pokemon faster than it such as Thundurus, Keldeo, and Lycanroc-D, so Noivern and Azelf can help, while also dealing with physical walls such as Buzzwole and Amoonguss. Primarina, Nidoqueen, and Chandelure are wallbreakers that appreciate Zarude bringing them in on Kommo-o, Tangrowth, and Amoonguss, as they often have trouble switching in safely due to their low Speed and frailty. Entry hazard setters such as Rhyperior and Nihilego can soften up Pokemon like Tangrowth with Stealth Rock so that Zarude can deal more damage as it pivots around. The hazard setters appreciate Zarude dealing with Water-types such as Rotom-W, while Zarude appreciates them dealing with Moltres and Salamence.
[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Power Whip
move 2: Darkest Lariat
move 3: Jungle Healing / Rock Slide
move 4: U-turn
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Leaf Guard
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Zarude's high Speed allows it to be a great user of Choice Scarf that can revenge kill Pokemon such as Keldeo and Thundurus in addition to boosted sweepers such as Gyarados and Dragon Dance Necrozma. Power Whip OHKOes Lycanroc-D and Keldeo. Darkest Lariat is Zarude's strongest Dark-type STAB move and can hit Jirachi and Aegislash for good damage. Jungle Healing can get rid of status conditions such as a burn from Moltres's Flame Body and Gastrodon and Seismitoad's Scald while regaining HP so that Zarude can be used in the long run in a battle but it is not ideal to lock into. Rock Slide allows Zarude to OHKO Moltres while also dealing good damage to Salamence. Close Combat hits other targets such as Cobalion that would not take much damage from its other moves. However, Cobalion is not very common, so Close Combat isn't common either. U-turn allows Zarude to pivot out on potential switch-ins such as Tangrowth, Celesteela, and Kommo-o, allowing it to gain momentum.
Choice Scarf Zarude is an excellent pivot and revenge killer on bulky offense. It appreciates additional pivots such as Mienshao, Rotom-W, and Scizor that can form VoltTurn cores and pivot out of unfavorable matchups. For example, Mienshao can bring Zarude in on Psychic-types such as Reuniclus and Galarian Slowbro. Entry hazard control allows Zarude to consistently pivot without worrying about hazard damage. Defog support from Rotom-H, Moltres, and Salamence is appreciated, and they can also check strong wallbreakers such as Mienshao, Scizor, and Kommo-o. Chandelure and Thundurus are wallbreakers that appreciate Zarude's pivot support and its ability to check Pokemon such as Rhyperior, with the wallbreakers KOing Pokemon such as Amoonguss, Scizor, and Celesteela in return. Nidoqueen is an entry hazard setter that appreciates Zarude dealing with revenge killers like Keldeo, Starmie, and Azelf for it while Nidoqueen can set Stealth Rock in return and also help deal with Pokemon like Tapu Bulu and Tangrowth. Primarina and Sylveon can help deal with some of Zarude's checks such as Salamence and Buzzwole, with Sylveon potentially also luring in Scizor and removing it with Mystical Fire.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Choice Band allows Zarude to function as a powerful wallbreaker. However, the lack of Speed from Choice Scarf and increased prediction-reliance are problematic, and it still struggles to break through Buzzwole, Kommo-o, and Salamence. A Bulk Up set with Jungle Healing, Power Whip, and Darkest Lariat allows Zarude to deal heavy damage and potentially tank super effective hits. However, it has no room for any coverage moves, so it is still not capable of breaking through checks like Tangrowth and Buzzwole. Psychic Seed alongside Bulk Up + Synthesis on Psychic Terrain teams allows it to be a fantastic Krookodile counter, greatly benefiting its teammates by allowing them to spam their Psychic-type moves more easily. Zarude can also become a better setup sweeper by taking hits from Salamence and Tangrowth more easily. Taunt is an option that can completely shut down Chansey's recovery and prevent Roost from Salamence, but Zarude would have to give up Jungle Healing or valuable coverage. Encore on Choice Scarf sets can be used to punish setup sweepers such as Galarian Moltres and Dragon Dance Salamence so that a teammate such as Mamoswine can safely switch in and threaten them. However, it is very situational, and Zarude is forced to switch afterwards.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Fast U-turn Users**: Faster Pokemon such as Noivern and Choice Scarf Mienshao are able to put Zarude in a tough spot. It either has to take heavy damage from U-turn, or switch out, meaning that Noivern and Mienshao can pivot freely.
**Grass-types**: Grass-types such as Amoonguss and Tangrowth take little damage from Zarude's STAB attacks, while Tapu Bulu resists both. Amoonguss and Tangrowth can threaten Zarude out with Sludge Bomb, with Tapu Bulu threatening it out with Close Combat, or set up on it with Swords Dance.
**Flying-types**: Salamence, Moltres, and Galarian Moltres can switch into Zarude's attacks easily. Salamence can weaken Zarude's hits with Intimidate, Moltres can threaten a burn with Flame Body, and Galarian Moltres resists both STAB attacks. They all must watch out for Rock Slide, though.
**Steel-types**: Steel-types can often check Zarude, due to the Grass-type resistance and good bulk. Scizor can pivot easily with U-turn and Celesteela can potentially set up on Zarude with Autotomize.
**Physical Walls**: Kommo-o, Buzzwole, and Salamence all take minimal damage from Zarude's STAB attacks, with the former two resisting both. They can all retaliate with their STAB moves.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[UrAverageHuman, 524894]]
- Quality checked by: [[Hilomilo, 313384], [Twilight, 344575], [Estarossa, 461329]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Lilburr, 481709], [The Dutch Plumberjack, 232216]]
Last edited: