[OVERVIEW]
Spread attacks are extremely valuable in Doubles, and Zygarde possesses a fantastic one in Thousand Arrows, which allows it to hit even Flying-types and Levitate users with its Ground-type STAB attack. This leaves Zygarde with only a few Pokemon that can reliably take its attacks due to many otherwise resistant Bug- and Grass-types having a secondary typing weak to Ground. With such a fantastic spread move in its arsenal, Zygarde makes a great user of either Dragon Dance or Choice Band sets, with the former taking advantage of the strong spread damage to clean the opposition and the latter using Zygarde's tendency to need only Thousand Arrows for damage to its advantage. Zygarde's offensive stats aren't anything overly impressive, but its bulk provides it many chances to get attacks off or boost up with Dragon Dance, and access to Extreme Speed weakens the impact its mediocre Speed would otherwise have on its effectiveness. However, with an already average Attack stat and a primary STAB attack weakened by nature of being a spread move, Zygarde's damage output is quite dependent on it avoiding Intimidate, a difficult task with most teams carrying threats with that ability.
[SET]
name: Dragon Dance
move 1: Thousand Arrows
move 2: Substitute / Extreme Speed
move 3: Dragon Dance
move 4: Protect
item: Groundium Z / Mago Berry
ability: Aura Break
nature: Adamant
evs: 76 HP / 252 Atk / 180 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Thousand Arrows provides Zygarde with a fantastic tool for dealing damage to both foes, even circumventing Ground-immune targets. That alone serves as Zygarde's best way to attack, so the next moveslot is dedicated to patching up a few issues to make cleaning with Thousand Arrows easier, with Substitute shielding it from status and ensuring survival of most hits and Extreme Speed allowing Zygarde to pick off frail faster foes. Dragon Dance boosts Zygarde's power and Speed, making up for its mediocre Speed tier and the spread reduction on its main attack. Protect shields Zygarde from damage while it stalls out opposing field effects, scouts for the foe's attack, or waits for its teammate to take out a threat.
Set Details
========
With the given spread, Zygarde is able to outrun Mega Manectric and anything slower after using Dragon Dance. After maximizing Attack for general damage output, the remaining EVs are dumped into HP. The choice between Groundium Z and Mago Berry either gives Zygarde the ability to plow through a tanky target or gives it increased survivability. A Mago Berry is typically only used on Substitute sets; however, the reverse isn't necessarily true, as Substitute Groundium Z sets can be quite successful. A variety of bulkier sets are also viable. A spread of 80 HP / 204 Atk / 48 SpD / 176 Spe with an Adamant nature ensures Zygarde can take Mega Gengar's Hidden Power Ice and Choice Scarf Tapu Lele's Moonblast. An Impish spread using 144 HP / 96 Atk / 92 Def / 12 SpD / 164 Spe retains that benchmark and also allows Zygarde to beat Mega Metagross in a one-on-one situation by guaranteeing Zygarde's ability to take Mega Metagross's Ice Punch and OHKO in return with Tectonic Rage. This leaves Zygarde outsped by Mega Manectric but still faster than neutral-natured Deoxys-A after a Dragon Dance. For Substitute sets, 188 HP and 4 Defense EVs ensure that opposing Zygarde can't break its Substitute with an unboosted Thousand Arrows while also retaining the ability to tank Mega Gengar's Hidden Power Ice.
Usage Tips
========
Zygarde is best used late-game when it can set up and clean with its counters removed. However, Dragon Dance is also effective earlier on to apply pressure and either negate Intimidate drops or force a response from the opponent. If Zygarde isn't in a good position to clean, don't be afraid to switch Zygarde out of the field for another chance later, especially if the opponent's Intimidate users have left Zygarde with only its Speed boosted. As much as Dragon Dance helps Zygarde be more effective, sometimes simply attacking is the better play. If Zygarde is carrying Substitute, set that up to shield Zygarde from Intimidate and a potential stronger hit knocking it out. This is best done on a predicted status move or switch or against foes unlikely to be able to break it. In any other situation, this simply wastes Zygarde's valuable HP. Try to keep Zygarde's health high if it's your best way to win in the endgame, as its bulk is invaluable in aiding eventual setup.
Team Options
========
Volt Switch and U-turn users help Zygarde get in safely, with many popular users also offering added benefits. Genesect beats Kyurem-B, Landorus-T, and Tapu Bulu, Mega Manectric eases setup through Snarl and takes on Tapu Fini and Milotic, and Incineroar threatens multiple of Zygarde's checks including Wide Guard Aegislash and Celesteela as well as Choice Scarf Genesect. Steel-types like Mega Metagross, Mega Scizor, and Aegislash are among the most valuable teammates for Zygarde, as they take on threatening Ice- and Fairy-types and benefit from Zygarde's removal of opposing Fire- and Steel-types. To ease setup pressure, a redirection user such as Amoonguss or Togekiss can prevent a super effective attack from hitting Zygarde. Mega Gengar and Gothitelle offer a different kind of support for setup variants of Zygarde, ensuring the foes that would prevent it from safely setting up are unable to switch in. Mega Gengar also offers strong matchups against Fairy-types like Tapu Bulu and Tapu Fini, while Gothitelle takes a more passive route in aiding Zygarde through its access to Heal Pulse and Helping Hand. Milotic deters Intimidate users from switching in and removing Zygarde's boosts. Tapu Fini pairs especially well with Dragon Dance Zygarde, benefiting from its ability to take on Tapu Koko and Mega Gengar while also offering Heal Pulse support and some safety from Dragon-type moves, most notably Kommo-o's Clanging Scales and its Z-Move counterpart.
[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: Thousand Arrows
move 2: Extreme Speed
move 3: Superpower
move 4: Dragon Tail / Thousand Waves
item: Choice Band
ability: Aura Break
nature: Adamant
evs: 64 HP / 240 Atk / 28 SpD / 176 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Thousand Arrows operates as Zygarde's primary attack and the main reason its Choice Band set is effective, offering powerful spread damage that hits every foe. Extreme Speed picks off weakened foes and adds to Zygarde's late-game cleaning ability, hitting decently hard thanks to the Choice Band boost. The remaining moveslots are largely filler, and thus they are used for very specific targets or matchups that the team struggles with. Unlike Thousand Arrows, Superpower OHKOes Tyranitar, and it also hits Ferrothorn harder and takes a chunk out of Kyurem-B. Dragon Tail forces the target to switch, making it useful for preventing opposing setup—primarily of Trick Room. Thousand Waves offers redundant coverage with Thousand Arrows and can't hit Flying-type foes, but it is a superior move in some situations due to its ability to trap targets.
Set Details
========
A Choice Band offers impressive power behind Zygarde's moves without the need to set up, which is especially useful thanks to Zygarde's rare need to use any attacks other than Thousand Arrows. With the given spread, Zygarde is guaranteed to outspeed Modest Kingdra in neutral conditions, either with its own Tailwind up in the rain or with no field effect present. The split between HP and Special Defense EVs prevents Choice Scarf Tapu Lele's Moonblast from OHKOing Zygarde, and the remaining investment is dumped into Attack.
Usage Tips
========
The only move Zygarde should be using most of the time is Thousand Arrows, with its other moves best reserved for specific threats. With its other moves, Zygarde risks being locked into a move the opponent can take advantage of later. If this happens, you should switch Zygarde out to regain momentum. After incurring Intimidate drops, Zygarde's damage output will become very disappointing, so it should be switched out to reset those drops. This particular set works during all points in the game, either breaking down threats for a teammate to close out the game or cleaning up weakened foes. Retaining Zygarde's HP isn't overly important for this set to do its job, but playing too recklessly is never advisable.
Team Options
========
Grass-types like Tapu Bulu and Ludicolo are some of the few foes that resist Thousand Arrows, so Kyurem-B, Genesect, and Mega Gengar are solid partners. Since sets lacking Dragon Dance have mediocre Speed, Tailwind support from Zapdos or Suicune allows Zygarde to take on faster foes without resorting to Extreme Speed. With Choice Band locking Zygarde into an attack, it will need teammates to pivot in; Steel-types, such as Aegislash, Mega Metagross, and Mega Scizor, are the best options for this role, as they can take the Ice- and Fairy-type attacks aimed at Zygarde. Milotic helps preserve Zygarde's power by deterring Intimidate users from switching in, also appreciating Zygarde's handling of Electric-types. Wide Guard users block Zygarde's most valuable move, so Taunt users such as Tapu Koko and Mega Gengar are helpful to have on Zygarde's side.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Leftovers offers Substitute Zygarde sets passive recovery after it cuts its own HP, and Protect also helps Zygarde stall for recovery. Zygarde's impressive bulk for such an offensive Pokemon makes a Weakness Policy set worth consideration, as the +2 boost following its ability to take a super effective attack makes Zygarde especially threatening. With Choice Band sets' flexibility, a variety of other moves have some niche on select teams. Stone Edge offers extra coverage, Stomping Tantrum hits Wide Guard Aegislash, and Iron Tail surprises Tapu Bulu, which would otherwise be a fantastic check to Zygarde. Iron Tail can also be used on Dragon Dance sets along with Steelium Z, as Corkscrew Crash allows Zygarde to do significant damage to erstwhile answers like Tapu Bulu, Kyurem-B, and Tapu Lele. With the popularity of various metagame threats that are 4x weak to Ice, Ice-type coverage is everywhere; a Yache Berry provides a bit of security there, most notably improving Zygarde's matchup against Mega Metagross and Mega Gengar. Fightinium Z with Superpower offers Zygarde a way to take out Ferrothorn and Assault Vest Kyurem-B, which may be helpful for some rain teams.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Ice-types**: Kyurem-B and Alolan Ninetales easily take out Zygarde with their Ice-type STAB attacks. Ice-type coverage is also fairly common thanks to the popularity of Zygarde and Landorus-T, so various other threats can scare out Zygarde. Most notably, this list includes Choice Scarf Genesect and Ice Punch Mega Metagross, which can outrun and OHKO most variants of Zygarde, with the former even taking on +1 Zygarde.
**Grass-types**: Thousand Arrows circumvents Ground-type moves' inability to hit Flying-types, but Grass-types still take the attack easily thanks to their resistance. Thus, Tapu Bulu and Ludicolo are two of the few reliable switch-ins to Zygarde, with both also commonly carrying ways to deal with Zygarde offensively.
**Fairy-types**: Even without a Dragon-type move in its arsenal for them to take advantage of, Fairy-types still tend to have the bulk to stomach at least one hit from Zygarde, and their STAB attacks hit it hard. Tapu Lele and Tapu Fini are two of the most prevalent examples in this category, with the former even blocking Extreme Speed thanks to Psychic Surge.
**Speed Control**: Tailwind and Trick Room circumvent especially Dragon Dance Zygarde's ability to move first, removing that advantage and lessening Zygarde's effectiveness. Suicune and Mew are common users of the former, while the latter is especially threatening from Porygon2 and Cresselia.
**Intimidate**: Intimidate users including Landorus-T and Scrafty are threatening for every physical attacker, and Zygarde is no exception. Their effect is somewhat mitigated by Dragon Dance, but each time an Intimidate Pokemon enters the field, Zygarde is forced to use Dragon Dance again to regain its previous power levels.
**Wide Guard**: Thousand Arrows is by far Zygarde's most useful attack, and Wide Guard users, especially Araquanid and Celesteela, block it. They are especially powerful against Choice Band Zygarde sets, as those are unable to circumvent Wide Guard.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[talkingtree, 232101]]
- Earlier versions by: [[miltankmilk, 224087]]
- Quality checked by: [[Level 51, 118474], [Memoric, 215000]]
- Grammar checked by: [[The Dutch Plumberjack, 232216], [A Cake Wearing A Hat, 388157]]
Spread attacks are extremely valuable in Doubles, and Zygarde possesses a fantastic one in Thousand Arrows, which allows it to hit even Flying-types and Levitate users with its Ground-type STAB attack. This leaves Zygarde with only a few Pokemon that can reliably take its attacks due to many otherwise resistant Bug- and Grass-types having a secondary typing weak to Ground. With such a fantastic spread move in its arsenal, Zygarde makes a great user of either Dragon Dance or Choice Band sets, with the former taking advantage of the strong spread damage to clean the opposition and the latter using Zygarde's tendency to need only Thousand Arrows for damage to its advantage. Zygarde's offensive stats aren't anything overly impressive, but its bulk provides it many chances to get attacks off or boost up with Dragon Dance, and access to Extreme Speed weakens the impact its mediocre Speed would otherwise have on its effectiveness. However, with an already average Attack stat and a primary STAB attack weakened by nature of being a spread move, Zygarde's damage output is quite dependent on it avoiding Intimidate, a difficult task with most teams carrying threats with that ability.
[SET]
name: Dragon Dance
move 1: Thousand Arrows
move 2: Substitute / Extreme Speed
move 3: Dragon Dance
move 4: Protect
item: Groundium Z / Mago Berry
ability: Aura Break
nature: Adamant
evs: 76 HP / 252 Atk / 180 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Thousand Arrows provides Zygarde with a fantastic tool for dealing damage to both foes, even circumventing Ground-immune targets. That alone serves as Zygarde's best way to attack, so the next moveslot is dedicated to patching up a few issues to make cleaning with Thousand Arrows easier, with Substitute shielding it from status and ensuring survival of most hits and Extreme Speed allowing Zygarde to pick off frail faster foes. Dragon Dance boosts Zygarde's power and Speed, making up for its mediocre Speed tier and the spread reduction on its main attack. Protect shields Zygarde from damage while it stalls out opposing field effects, scouts for the foe's attack, or waits for its teammate to take out a threat.
Set Details
========
With the given spread, Zygarde is able to outrun Mega Manectric and anything slower after using Dragon Dance. After maximizing Attack for general damage output, the remaining EVs are dumped into HP. The choice between Groundium Z and Mago Berry either gives Zygarde the ability to plow through a tanky target or gives it increased survivability. A Mago Berry is typically only used on Substitute sets; however, the reverse isn't necessarily true, as Substitute Groundium Z sets can be quite successful. A variety of bulkier sets are also viable. A spread of 80 HP / 204 Atk / 48 SpD / 176 Spe with an Adamant nature ensures Zygarde can take Mega Gengar's Hidden Power Ice and Choice Scarf Tapu Lele's Moonblast. An Impish spread using 144 HP / 96 Atk / 92 Def / 12 SpD / 164 Spe retains that benchmark and also allows Zygarde to beat Mega Metagross in a one-on-one situation by guaranteeing Zygarde's ability to take Mega Metagross's Ice Punch and OHKO in return with Tectonic Rage. This leaves Zygarde outsped by Mega Manectric but still faster than neutral-natured Deoxys-A after a Dragon Dance. For Substitute sets, 188 HP and 4 Defense EVs ensure that opposing Zygarde can't break its Substitute with an unboosted Thousand Arrows while also retaining the ability to tank Mega Gengar's Hidden Power Ice.
Usage Tips
========
Zygarde is best used late-game when it can set up and clean with its counters removed. However, Dragon Dance is also effective earlier on to apply pressure and either negate Intimidate drops or force a response from the opponent. If Zygarde isn't in a good position to clean, don't be afraid to switch Zygarde out of the field for another chance later, especially if the opponent's Intimidate users have left Zygarde with only its Speed boosted. As much as Dragon Dance helps Zygarde be more effective, sometimes simply attacking is the better play. If Zygarde is carrying Substitute, set that up to shield Zygarde from Intimidate and a potential stronger hit knocking it out. This is best done on a predicted status move or switch or against foes unlikely to be able to break it. In any other situation, this simply wastes Zygarde's valuable HP. Try to keep Zygarde's health high if it's your best way to win in the endgame, as its bulk is invaluable in aiding eventual setup.
Team Options
========
Volt Switch and U-turn users help Zygarde get in safely, with many popular users also offering added benefits. Genesect beats Kyurem-B, Landorus-T, and Tapu Bulu, Mega Manectric eases setup through Snarl and takes on Tapu Fini and Milotic, and Incineroar threatens multiple of Zygarde's checks including Wide Guard Aegislash and Celesteela as well as Choice Scarf Genesect. Steel-types like Mega Metagross, Mega Scizor, and Aegislash are among the most valuable teammates for Zygarde, as they take on threatening Ice- and Fairy-types and benefit from Zygarde's removal of opposing Fire- and Steel-types. To ease setup pressure, a redirection user such as Amoonguss or Togekiss can prevent a super effective attack from hitting Zygarde. Mega Gengar and Gothitelle offer a different kind of support for setup variants of Zygarde, ensuring the foes that would prevent it from safely setting up are unable to switch in. Mega Gengar also offers strong matchups against Fairy-types like Tapu Bulu and Tapu Fini, while Gothitelle takes a more passive route in aiding Zygarde through its access to Heal Pulse and Helping Hand. Milotic deters Intimidate users from switching in and removing Zygarde's boosts. Tapu Fini pairs especially well with Dragon Dance Zygarde, benefiting from its ability to take on Tapu Koko and Mega Gengar while also offering Heal Pulse support and some safety from Dragon-type moves, most notably Kommo-o's Clanging Scales and its Z-Move counterpart.
[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: Thousand Arrows
move 2: Extreme Speed
move 3: Superpower
move 4: Dragon Tail / Thousand Waves
item: Choice Band
ability: Aura Break
nature: Adamant
evs: 64 HP / 240 Atk / 28 SpD / 176 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Thousand Arrows operates as Zygarde's primary attack and the main reason its Choice Band set is effective, offering powerful spread damage that hits every foe. Extreme Speed picks off weakened foes and adds to Zygarde's late-game cleaning ability, hitting decently hard thanks to the Choice Band boost. The remaining moveslots are largely filler, and thus they are used for very specific targets or matchups that the team struggles with. Unlike Thousand Arrows, Superpower OHKOes Tyranitar, and it also hits Ferrothorn harder and takes a chunk out of Kyurem-B. Dragon Tail forces the target to switch, making it useful for preventing opposing setup—primarily of Trick Room. Thousand Waves offers redundant coverage with Thousand Arrows and can't hit Flying-type foes, but it is a superior move in some situations due to its ability to trap targets.
Set Details
========
A Choice Band offers impressive power behind Zygarde's moves without the need to set up, which is especially useful thanks to Zygarde's rare need to use any attacks other than Thousand Arrows. With the given spread, Zygarde is guaranteed to outspeed Modest Kingdra in neutral conditions, either with its own Tailwind up in the rain or with no field effect present. The split between HP and Special Defense EVs prevents Choice Scarf Tapu Lele's Moonblast from OHKOing Zygarde, and the remaining investment is dumped into Attack.
Usage Tips
========
The only move Zygarde should be using most of the time is Thousand Arrows, with its other moves best reserved for specific threats. With its other moves, Zygarde risks being locked into a move the opponent can take advantage of later. If this happens, you should switch Zygarde out to regain momentum. After incurring Intimidate drops, Zygarde's damage output will become very disappointing, so it should be switched out to reset those drops. This particular set works during all points in the game, either breaking down threats for a teammate to close out the game or cleaning up weakened foes. Retaining Zygarde's HP isn't overly important for this set to do its job, but playing too recklessly is never advisable.
Team Options
========
Grass-types like Tapu Bulu and Ludicolo are some of the few foes that resist Thousand Arrows, so Kyurem-B, Genesect, and Mega Gengar are solid partners. Since sets lacking Dragon Dance have mediocre Speed, Tailwind support from Zapdos or Suicune allows Zygarde to take on faster foes without resorting to Extreme Speed. With Choice Band locking Zygarde into an attack, it will need teammates to pivot in; Steel-types, such as Aegislash, Mega Metagross, and Mega Scizor, are the best options for this role, as they can take the Ice- and Fairy-type attacks aimed at Zygarde. Milotic helps preserve Zygarde's power by deterring Intimidate users from switching in, also appreciating Zygarde's handling of Electric-types. Wide Guard users block Zygarde's most valuable move, so Taunt users such as Tapu Koko and Mega Gengar are helpful to have on Zygarde's side.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Leftovers offers Substitute Zygarde sets passive recovery after it cuts its own HP, and Protect also helps Zygarde stall for recovery. Zygarde's impressive bulk for such an offensive Pokemon makes a Weakness Policy set worth consideration, as the +2 boost following its ability to take a super effective attack makes Zygarde especially threatening. With Choice Band sets' flexibility, a variety of other moves have some niche on select teams. Stone Edge offers extra coverage, Stomping Tantrum hits Wide Guard Aegislash, and Iron Tail surprises Tapu Bulu, which would otherwise be a fantastic check to Zygarde. Iron Tail can also be used on Dragon Dance sets along with Steelium Z, as Corkscrew Crash allows Zygarde to do significant damage to erstwhile answers like Tapu Bulu, Kyurem-B, and Tapu Lele. With the popularity of various metagame threats that are 4x weak to Ice, Ice-type coverage is everywhere; a Yache Berry provides a bit of security there, most notably improving Zygarde's matchup against Mega Metagross and Mega Gengar. Fightinium Z with Superpower offers Zygarde a way to take out Ferrothorn and Assault Vest Kyurem-B, which may be helpful for some rain teams.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Ice-types**: Kyurem-B and Alolan Ninetales easily take out Zygarde with their Ice-type STAB attacks. Ice-type coverage is also fairly common thanks to the popularity of Zygarde and Landorus-T, so various other threats can scare out Zygarde. Most notably, this list includes Choice Scarf Genesect and Ice Punch Mega Metagross, which can outrun and OHKO most variants of Zygarde, with the former even taking on +1 Zygarde.
**Grass-types**: Thousand Arrows circumvents Ground-type moves' inability to hit Flying-types, but Grass-types still take the attack easily thanks to their resistance. Thus, Tapu Bulu and Ludicolo are two of the few reliable switch-ins to Zygarde, with both also commonly carrying ways to deal with Zygarde offensively.
**Fairy-types**: Even without a Dragon-type move in its arsenal for them to take advantage of, Fairy-types still tend to have the bulk to stomach at least one hit from Zygarde, and their STAB attacks hit it hard. Tapu Lele and Tapu Fini are two of the most prevalent examples in this category, with the former even blocking Extreme Speed thanks to Psychic Surge.
**Speed Control**: Tailwind and Trick Room circumvent especially Dragon Dance Zygarde's ability to move first, removing that advantage and lessening Zygarde's effectiveness. Suicune and Mew are common users of the former, while the latter is especially threatening from Porygon2 and Cresselia.
**Intimidate**: Intimidate users including Landorus-T and Scrafty are threatening for every physical attacker, and Zygarde is no exception. Their effect is somewhat mitigated by Dragon Dance, but each time an Intimidate Pokemon enters the field, Zygarde is forced to use Dragon Dance again to regain its previous power levels.
**Wide Guard**: Thousand Arrows is by far Zygarde's most useful attack, and Wide Guard users, especially Araquanid and Celesteela, block it. They are especially powerful against Choice Band Zygarde sets, as those are unable to circumvent Wide Guard.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[talkingtree, 232101]]
- Earlier versions by: [[miltankmilk, 224087]]
- Quality checked by: [[Level 51, 118474], [Memoric, 215000]]
- Grammar checked by: [[The Dutch Plumberjack, 232216], [A Cake Wearing A Hat, 388157]]
Last edited:
qc 2/2
