[W.I.P.] Zapdos

[Jirachee]

[Pros]

<ul>
<li>Great offensive stats and coverage make it a powerful special attacker.</li>
<li>Wide array of resistances along with usable bulk allows it to handle a lot of threats.</li>
</ul>

[Cons]

<ul>
<li>Not a lot of offensive options (without Heat Wave).</li>
<li>Weak to Stealth Rock.</li>
<li>Can't do much to dedicated Special walls.</li>
<li>Faces competition defensively from Rotom-W</li>

[Set Recommendations]

<p>Zapdos @ Life Orb / Leftovers<br />
Ability: Pressure<br />
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe<br />
Timid Nature<br />
- Thunderbolt / Volt Switch<br />
- Hidden Power Ice<br />
- Roost<br />
- Substitute / Toxic</p>

• Solid Electric / Ice coverage coupled with base 125 SpA means Zapdos is going to be an effective Special attacker
• Thunderbolt is powerful and reliable STAB, while Volt Switch gives Zapdos the ability to scout the opponent's switches
• Hidden Power Ice hits Dragon, Grass, and Ground types that resist its Electric STAB
• Roost allows Zapdos to recover from Life Orb recoil and make use of its bulk
• Substitute allows Zapdos to avoid status and is great with its ability, Pressure, but should only be used with Thunderbolt. Toxic gives it the ability to cripple a counter like Assault Vest Tyranitar
• Likes a partner that can deal with bulkier Electric resists and Tyranitar, like Scizor
• Starmie is a great partner too since it can spin away Stealth Rock and hammer Ground types with Hydro Pump
• This set works best on offensive teams that are looking for some crucial resistances

<p>Zapdos @ Leftovers<br />
Ability: Pressure<br />
EVs: 248 HP / 244 Def / 16 Spe<br />
Bold Nature<br />
- Thunderbolt<br />
- Hidden Power Ice / Toxic<br />
- Roost<br />
- Roar</p>

• Great resistances with solid bulk and access to instant recovery gives Zapdos the ability to counter threats such as Scizor or Breloom
• Thunderbolt is its main weapon against things it can counter
• Hidden Power Ice hits Breloom and Ground types that Zapdos can check, and Toxic cripples bulkier Pokemon that would like to take advantage of a weaker set
• Roar gives it the ability to phaze boosting sweepers and makes sure Zapdos is not set up fodder
• The Speed investment allows it to outspeed Adamant Breloom which is useful if Zapdos runs HP Ice
• Likes teammates that can set up entry hazards so it can take advantage of them with Roar. Forretress is a very good partner since it can also use Rapid Spin
• This set is more effective on more balanced or defensive teams

[Checks and Counters]

• Most Tyranitar variants
  
• Blissey doesn't really care about zapper either
• Goodra, Dragalge
  
• Bulky Ground types like spdef Hippowdon
• Ferrothorn
• more

 

[PDC]

not much to say about zapdos. it is pretty limited for now and i don't see that changing, only thing i could suggest would be an AC mention of substitute + faster spread for your defensive set for some sort of sub + toxic version. i also believe that the defensive set should go as first set, then the offensive one listed second. lo zapdos is cool and all, but defensive just beats so much more and without heat wave you are limited even more in power. imo the defensive one deserves #1 on the list.

 

[G Royal]

I believe rocky helmet is worth a slash on the defensive build of zapdos, it gives zapdos the ability to take hits, roost of the dmg and still hurt the opponent. Also, in the future when it can learn heat wave, the def version of zapdos checks physical variations of mega lucario that use ice punch as the recoil dmg dealt to mega lucario plus the heatwave result in mega lucario's death while zapdos is capable of surviving even a +2 ice punch from mega luke. After using it just the other day in pokemon showdown I have already seen people imitate my item choice.

 

[Fuzznip]

Is this still being worked on Jirachi? It's been several weeks in WIP phase. If you can no longer do it, it will be reassigned to someone who can take care of it.