Zapdos @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Static
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
IVs: 0 Atk
Timid Nature
- Hurricane / Heat Wave
- Volt Switch
- Heat Wave / Toxic
- Roost
[SET COMMENTS]
Thanks to its amazing typing, defensive utility, solid speed tier, and great coverage that can hit most of the metagame for at least neutral damage, Zapdos is a potent offensive pivot. Static is used to fish for paralysis, giving Zapdos a way to punish contact moves from Urshifu-R, Kartana, and Tornadus-T. Heat Wave is used to incinerate switch-ins to its STABs, notably Excadrill, Ferrothorn, and Melmetal. Toxic is used to put switch-ins like Landorus-T, Tapu Koko, Gastrodon and Hippowdon on a timer, wearing them down as the game progresses. This Zapdos set should be played cautiously, as it needs to be very healthy to effectively check the Grass and Flying types it's tasked to handle, while also fearing Knock Off from Rillaboom, Kartana, and Torn-T, letting them chip it down with Stealth Rock after losing its Heavy-Duty Boots. Moreover, it's also afraid of Toxic from other Pokemon Zapdos pivots into, like Melmetal, Toxapex, and Buzzwole.
[Team Options]
Zapdos fits best on offensive and balance teams that call for its firepower and role compression, with its Volt Switch support, Static to punish common breakers, and strong attacks finding a home on many teams. Excadrill is naturally a great partner, with its ability to pressure Zapdos's answers like Tapu Koko, Heatran, and Galarian Slowking and providing Rapid Spin support that Zapdos appreciates in the event of getting its Heavy-Duty Boots removed by Knock Off. Zapdos, in return, provides Volt Switch support to dent common Excadrill answers like Slowbro, Corviknight, and Skarmory, eliminating other Excadrill checks with its coverage in Hurricane and Heat Wave, such as Buzzwole, Ferrothorn, and Rillaboom, and using Toxic to cripple Landorus-T, Hippowdon, and opposing Zapdos. Tyranitar is also a good teammate, as Volt Switch gives Tyranitar many opportunities to hit the field safely and fire off powerful attacks, while Tyranitar appreciates Zapdos answering Buzzwole and Ferrothorn and wearing down Landorus-T and Garchomp with Toxic. Slowbro is a solid defensive partner, as Zapdos neatly complements Slowbro thanks to its ability to handle Grass-types like Kartana and Rillaboom, while Zapdos appreciates Slowbro's defensive prowess relieving much of the pressure put on it by powerful wallbreakers and offensive Ground-types, such as Urshifu-R, Victini, and Garchomp. Ferrothorn works well with Zapdos providing Knock Off and Spikes support to force chip damage on Zapdos's switch-ins like Hippowdon and Garchomp. Its also a sturdy check to Weavile, Melmetal, and Tyranitar. In return, Zapdos checks Kartana, Buzzwole, and Urshifu-R and pressures Moltres, Magnezone and opposing Ferrothorn. Heatran and Melmetal are effective partners thanks to their ability to check special attackers like Dragapult, opposing Zapdos, and Tapu Lele. Heatran, is a great partner due to Magma Storm's ability to trap and isolate Galarian Slowking and Blissey with the support of Taunt, being great in opening up Zapdos. Heatran also baits in the aforementioned Specially Defensive Ground-types and can Toxic them, and, if running Flame Body, can fish for burns against Weavile. Melmetal is a great partner due to its bulk and typing allowing it to answer a myriad of Pokemon that pressure Zapdos, such as Weavile, Tapu Lele, Tapu Koko, and Dragapult, all of which it threatens with Double Iron Bash. Melmetal also lures in Ground-types that pester Zapdos like Gastrodon, Hippowdon, and Garchomp and inflict them with Toxic. Weavile is a great partner thanks to how it benefits from Zapdos forcing out Skarmory, Corviknight, and Buzzwole, which all impede Weavile's ability to make progress, while also providing it with Volt Switch support. In return, Weavile is great for forcing Knock Off that cripples Zapdos's checks like Clefable, Melmetal, and Heatran, denying them of their Leftovers it needs to not be worn down by Volt Switch as the game progresses. Weavile also directly threatens the specially defensive Ground-Types like Hippowdon, Landorus-T, Gastrodon, and Garchomp, with its powerful Ice-type STABS. Powerful wallbreakers that can threaten special walls, like Urshifu-R, Tapu Lele, and Kartana, are also great picks, as they enjoy Volt Switch that can dent their answers like Slowbro, Tapu Fini, and Toxapex respectively. Finally, other consistent pivots go very well with Zapdos, Pokemon like Dragapult, Landorus-T, and Slowbro all fit this role well, allowing for the formation of pivot spam cores to safely invite wallbreakers, such as Tyranitar, Urshifu-R, and Tapu Lele onto the field.
[CREDITS]
Written by: https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/smg-notfunny.621033/
Quality Checked by: https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/slowpoke-fan.617219/
Grammar Checked by:
Ability: Static
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
IVs: 0 Atk
Timid Nature
- Hurricane / Heat Wave
- Volt Switch
- Heat Wave / Toxic
- Roost
[SET COMMENTS]
Thanks to its amazing typing, defensive utility, solid speed tier, and great coverage that can hit most of the metagame for at least neutral damage, Zapdos is a potent offensive pivot. Static is used to fish for paralysis, giving Zapdos a way to punish contact moves from Urshifu-R, Kartana, and Tornadus-T. Heat Wave is used to incinerate switch-ins to its STABs, notably Excadrill, Ferrothorn, and Melmetal. Toxic is used to put switch-ins like Landorus-T, Tapu Koko, Gastrodon and Hippowdon on a timer, wearing them down as the game progresses. This Zapdos set should be played cautiously, as it needs to be very healthy to effectively check the Grass and Flying types it's tasked to handle, while also fearing Knock Off from Rillaboom, Kartana, and Torn-T, letting them chip it down with Stealth Rock after losing its Heavy-Duty Boots. Moreover, it's also afraid of Toxic from other Pokemon Zapdos pivots into, like Melmetal, Toxapex, and Buzzwole.
[Team Options]
Zapdos fits best on offensive and balance teams that call for its firepower and role compression, with its Volt Switch support, Static to punish common breakers, and strong attacks finding a home on many teams. Excadrill is naturally a great partner, with its ability to pressure Zapdos's answers like Tapu Koko, Heatran, and Galarian Slowking and providing Rapid Spin support that Zapdos appreciates in the event of getting its Heavy-Duty Boots removed by Knock Off. Zapdos, in return, provides Volt Switch support to dent common Excadrill answers like Slowbro, Corviknight, and Skarmory, eliminating other Excadrill checks with its coverage in Hurricane and Heat Wave, such as Buzzwole, Ferrothorn, and Rillaboom, and using Toxic to cripple Landorus-T, Hippowdon, and opposing Zapdos. Tyranitar is also a good teammate, as Volt Switch gives Tyranitar many opportunities to hit the field safely and fire off powerful attacks, while Tyranitar appreciates Zapdos answering Buzzwole and Ferrothorn and wearing down Landorus-T and Garchomp with Toxic. Slowbro is a solid defensive partner, as Zapdos neatly complements Slowbro thanks to its ability to handle Grass-types like Kartana and Rillaboom, while Zapdos appreciates Slowbro's defensive prowess relieving much of the pressure put on it by powerful wallbreakers and offensive Ground-types, such as Urshifu-R, Victini, and Garchomp. Ferrothorn works well with Zapdos providing Knock Off and Spikes support to force chip damage on Zapdos's switch-ins like Hippowdon and Garchomp. Its also a sturdy check to Weavile, Melmetal, and Tyranitar. In return, Zapdos checks Kartana, Buzzwole, and Urshifu-R and pressures Moltres, Magnezone and opposing Ferrothorn. Heatran and Melmetal are effective partners thanks to their ability to check special attackers like Dragapult, opposing Zapdos, and Tapu Lele. Heatran, is a great partner due to Magma Storm's ability to trap and isolate Galarian Slowking and Blissey with the support of Taunt, being great in opening up Zapdos. Heatran also baits in the aforementioned Specially Defensive Ground-types and can Toxic them, and, if running Flame Body, can fish for burns against Weavile. Melmetal is a great partner due to its bulk and typing allowing it to answer a myriad of Pokemon that pressure Zapdos, such as Weavile, Tapu Lele, Tapu Koko, and Dragapult, all of which it threatens with Double Iron Bash. Melmetal also lures in Ground-types that pester Zapdos like Gastrodon, Hippowdon, and Garchomp and inflict them with Toxic. Weavile is a great partner thanks to how it benefits from Zapdos forcing out Skarmory, Corviknight, and Buzzwole, which all impede Weavile's ability to make progress, while also providing it with Volt Switch support. In return, Weavile is great for forcing Knock Off that cripples Zapdos's checks like Clefable, Melmetal, and Heatran, denying them of their Leftovers it needs to not be worn down by Volt Switch as the game progresses. Weavile also directly threatens the specially defensive Ground-Types like Hippowdon, Landorus-T, Gastrodon, and Garchomp, with its powerful Ice-type STABS. Powerful wallbreakers that can threaten special walls, like Urshifu-R, Tapu Lele, and Kartana, are also great picks, as they enjoy Volt Switch that can dent their answers like Slowbro, Tapu Fini, and Toxapex respectively. Finally, other consistent pivots go very well with Zapdos, Pokemon like Dragapult, Landorus-T, and Slowbro all fit this role well, allowing for the formation of pivot spam cores to safely invite wallbreakers, such as Tyranitar, Urshifu-R, and Tapu Lele onto the field.
[CREDITS]
Written by: https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/smg-notfunny.621033/
Quality Checked by: https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/slowpoke-fan.617219/
Grammar Checked by:
Last edited:
