Zebstrika [QC: 3/3]

[Keiran]

[Overview]

<p>Once ignored in favour of its Electric-type brethren, due to its average attacking stats and barren movepool, however, the arrival of Ludicolo, Charizard, and Sawsbuck—and consequently weather's uprise in popularity—finally bestowed Zebstrika with a niche to seperate it from its peers. Zebstrika could finally make use of its amazing Speed stat, alongside a Choice Scarf to outspeed various weather sweepers, such as Gorebyss, Exeggutor and Victreebel. Even without a Choice Scarf, Zebstrika's excellent Speed tier places it above the likes of Cinccino, Swoobat and Serperior. Zebstrika has two excellent abilities at its disposal; Lightningrod and Sap Sipper. The former graces Zebstrika with an immunity to Electric-types moves, as well as a much need power boost, while the latter bestows Zebstrika with an immunity to Grass-types moves, such as Amoonguss's Spore or Cinccino's Bullet Seed, as well as an Attack boost.</p>

<p>Despite Zebstrika's excellent Speed, it still faces stiff competition from its fellow Electric-types. Rotom-S's secondary Flying typing gifts it with an additional STAB move, which allows it to dispatch Grass-types such as Amoonguss and Tangela more reliably. However, Rotom-S's Flying typing is double-edged sword, as it make Rotom-S vunerable to Stealth Rock. Additionally, Rotom-S is forced use Timid to outrun +2 Gorebyss, while Zebstrika can run Modest with no drawbacks. Electabuzz and Raichu give Zebstrika a run for its money, as their access to Focus Blast enables them to beat Rock-types such as Probopass and Golem super effectively without relying on Hidden Power, and in Electabuzz's case, boasts an immunity to Sleep.</p>

[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Thunderbolt
move 2: Volt Switch
move 3: Overheat
move 4: Hidden Power Ice / Hidden Power Grass
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Lightningrod / Sap Sipper
nature: Modest
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

• Seems silly equipping a Pokemon who is blazing fast a Choice Scarf, however outspeeding weather sweepers is incredibly useful. (such as)
• As well as non-weather dependant Pokemon such as Swoobat, Dragon Dancers such as Fraxure and Altaria and Combusken, even when it has a few speed boosts under its belt
• Thunderbolt is a reliable STAB move.
• Volt Switch grabs momentum, while doing solid damage.
• Overheat hits Grass-types such as Exeggutor, Victreebel and Amoonguss hard, who all resist Zebstrika's Electric-type moves.
• The choice of Hidden Power is up to the player; Ice hit Dragon-types such Altaria and Fraxure hard. While Grass on the other hand hits Seismitoad and Golem hard.
• Timid is uneccessary because Zebstrikaalready outspeeds every common rain sweeper, so Modest is used for extra power.
• Lightningrod lets Zebstrika switch into Electric-type attacks such as Rotom-s' Thunderbolt, and receives a Special Attack boost in the process.
• Sap Sipper enables Zebstrika to switch into moves such as Amoonguss's Spore or Cinccino's Bullet Seed

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

• Due to Zebstrika's inability to break past strong Specially Defensive walls, such as Lickilicky. It is recommended to carry a Fighting-type such as Emboar or Sawk
• Absol is a cool teammate to hit psychic types which do pretty well. Sucker Punch also hits most electrics hard who dont care about Zebstrika
• Grass- and Water-types such as Amoonguss, Gorebyss and Torterra are recommended partners due to their ability to take on Ground-types such as Golem. Torterra more so because its typing resists EdgeQuake, an attacking combination often used on Ground-types.
• Stealth Rock is neccesary to gurantee KOs on Pokemon such as Charizard and Braviary. So Golem, Regirock, Piloswine and Probopass are all recommended partners, however they're weak to Ground-type attacks like Zebstrika.
• Signal Beam can be used to deal damage to Psychic-types such as Gardevoir, Musharna and Beheeyem

[Other Options]

• Barren movepool.
• A Choice Band / Life Orb physical set with Wild Charge / Flame Charge / Pursuit / Return. Why not use Eelektross?
• Life Orb / Choice specs special set, outclassed by Electrode for y reason as well as x reason (extend this keiran)
• Charge Beam to boost its mediocre Special Attack, however Zebstrika's only good coverage move is Overheat, which reduces its Special Attack by -2
• Substitute
• Rain Dance / Thunder rain setter.
• Discharge can used over Thunderbolt as a last ditch attempt to paralyse your opponent, so hopefully you next mon can take it out. The power drop isn't really noticable because it's already so weak.
• Motor Drive, Zebstrika greatly appreciates

[Checks and Counters]

• Zebstrika isn't that strong, so anything with decent Special Defense will be able to take it on just fine
• Lickilicky and Flareon can both beat Zebstrika due to their excellent Special Defense and reliable recovery in Wish.
• Gardevoir can trace Lightning and has the Special Defense to take anything else.
• Camerupt is immune to Thunderbolt, resists Overheat and takes jack shit from Hidden Power.
• Dragon-types such as Altaria, Fraxure and Shelgon, sans Hidden Power Ice
• Musharna can set up on Zebstrika with Calm Mind and recovery off any damage thanks to Moonlight
• Ground-types in general, such as Seismitoad can block both Thunderbolt and Volt Switch. Hidden Power is a poor move to be locked into. Seismitoad is noticeable because it can take anything sans Hidden Power Grass.
• Probopass
• Cradily
• Throh / Gurdurr
• bulky electrics like Ampharos
• Regirock

I'm not a big fan of anything other than Choice Scarf on Zebstrika, but I'll Choice Specs/Life Orb if you guys want.

Neeeeed more AC stuff, I can't really think atm

 

[DTC]

• Mention Ground-types in c&c, especially Seismitoad, because they can block Volt Switch and most won't take much from Overheat. In addition, Hidden Power is a pretty bad move to be locked into. Seismitoad is noticeable for being able to easily tank any of Zebstrika's attacks besides Hidden Power Grass.
• Mention that Zebstrika is arguably the best revenge killer in the tier in Overview
• Give more examples of what Zebstrika can revenge besides weather sweepers. Gorebyss, Rotom-S, Cinccino, etc.
• Mention that Lightningrod gives Zebstrika a Special Attack boost which Sap Sipper doesn't as a reason why it's first on the set (you mention this in the overview but not in the set comments)

There really isn't that much to add here; good job. Try finding more teammates for AC but otherwise there isn't anything to add there.

Make these changes and find more teammates and
[qc]1/3[/qc]

 

[erisia]

You need to mention a special LO set in Other Options at least. I don't care if Electrode outspeeds Swellow, or gets Foul Play. Special LO Zebstrika is at least good enough to not be completely ignored, even if you're saying "use Electrode instead". Personally, I think it's better than Electrode, but whatever. You can't ignore that, outside of Swellow being faster than it, Zebstrika has Lightningrod and Sap Sipper over Electrode, letting it switch in far more easily, even into stuff like Thunder Waves / Spores respectively. A +1 from Lightningrod is awesome, and will pretty much let Zebstrika sweep once bulky walls are removed. Overheat is also pretty good for finishing off Amoonguss; it's niche, but no more so than friggin' Foul Play on Electrode. Zeb also gets Signal Beam too now, so that's not a niche for Electrode any more.

I don't see why Electrode deserves an LO set and Zebstrika doesn't because Electrode beats a single extra Pokemon, which Zebstrika can actually switch into a few things without dying (and maybe even boost its SpA in the process).

At the very, VERY, least, explain why a special LO set is "outclassed" by Electrode when you come to writing the OO. Otherwise, people will (rightly) wonder where on earth it is, and someone will no doubt post it as a set in a few months time.

 

[Raseri]

[overview]

• mention gorebyss as a weather sweeper

[Choice Scarf]

• Mention some stuff that Thunderbolt hits hard, stuff that Zebstrika can revenge kill(Braviary / samurott etc)

[Additional Comments]

• Mention something other than Lickilicky that doesn't care about this set, maybe Probopass or something
• Expand on the teammates here, I think Absol is a cool teammate to hit psychic types which do pretty well. Sucker Punch also hits most electrics hard who dont care about Zebstrika
• I don't think Discharge is worth mentioning here, OO it

[OO]

• Special LO set
• Mention Motor Drive and why its inferior
• Discharge

[Checks and Counters]

• Probopass
• Cradily
• Throh
• bulky electrics like Ampharos
• Regirock
• Gurdurr

Should all be added imo.

 

[watashi]

[Overview]

• Mention that it faces stiff competition from Rotom-S, who has a dual typing, and Raichu or Electabuzz, which have Focus Blast, as a Choice Scarf user.

QC APPROVED 2/3

 

[Django]

QC APPROVED 3/3

 

[alexwolf]

Why no LO set? Yes Electrode is faster, but Zebstirka has Overheat, Lightningrod, Sap Sipper, and Flame Charge, which allows it to sweep weakened teams much better than Electrode.

 

[Swamp-Rocket]

Yeah, I agree with alexwolf. Electrode has an even more barren movepool (yes, its possible), and Electrode is only faster than Swellow while Zebstrika can get through things Electrode has no hope of doing such as Amoonguss.

 

[Raseri]

This has been taken over