Zapdos
Dec 21, 2011 14:49:47 GMT -8
Post by t3h Icy on Dec 21, 2011 14:49:47 GMT -8
General
HP: 383
Attack: 278
Defense: 268
Speed: 298
Special: 348
CH Chance: ~19.5%
Type: Electric/Flying
Weaknesses: Electric, Ice, Rock, Water
Neutrals: Ghost, Grass, Psychic
Resistances: Bug, Fire, Flying, Normal, Poison
Immunities: Ground
Movepool: Agility, Bide, Double Team, Double-Edge, Drill Peck, Flash, Fly, Hyper Beam, Light Screen, Mimic, Rage, Razor Wind, Reflect, Rest, Sky Attack, Substitute, Swift, Take Down, Thunder, Thunder Wave, Thunderbolt, Thundershock, Toxic, Whirlwind
Overview
Zapdos is a very fast, offensive powerhouse, and one of the game's few effective hybrid sweepers. Zapdos has very high Speed, HP and Special, while Attack and Defense are still both above average, and Zapdos also has a nice movepool filled with useful moves. Like most Electrics, Zapdos has to worry about Grounds, and while Zapdos is extremely powerful, he is more versatile than totally destructive, such as Tauros or Alakazam, as Electric and Flying are not super-effective against many OU Pokemon.
Usage
Thunderbolt
Drill Peck
Thunder Wave
Light Screen / Agility / Reflect
Zapdos should always have Thunderbolt and Drill Peck, which are his two key moves to sweeping. Thunderbolt is the main move used, while Drill Peck covers for Specialists that are Physically weak such as Chansey and Alakazam. Drill Peck is also helpful for Exeggutor and Dugtrio. Thunder Wave is the main support move so that Zapdos can spread Paralysis while he sweeps. Zapdos is fairly fast though and doesn't necessarily have to use it, but there are faster Pokemon than he is.
The last move is very debatable and the best choice is the one that helps for the rest of the team. Light Screen is great if Zapdos is more focused on taking out Specialists, and Reflect if Zapdos wants to defeat Physicals instead. Agility is more generalized, which allows Zapdos to outspeed all Pokemon. Light Screen is usually the best choice as the Physicals that Reflect would help for, want to avoid taking heavy damage and Paralysis, like Tauros. Again though, either support move can be the best, depending on how the rest of the team is shaped to handle the opponents.
It's also possible to remove Thunder Wave and use two of the support moves for additional sweeping abilities. Zapdos doesn't necessarily need his opponents Paralyzed, but it does help. If other Pokemon can Paralyze the opponents for him, Zapdos won't need Thunder Wave and can double up with Agility and Reflect for example. Using double support moves is more difficult to use effectively, and more situation specific, but can make Zapdos an even better sweeper than he is normally, and significantly more difficult to take out.
Thunder is also a possibility for even more power and is actually useful. Thunder can OHKO Starmie 2/3rds of the time if it hits, can OHKO Slowbro 1/3rd of the time, and does over 50% against Tauros. Its risk is the accuracy, but can be helpful for certain Pokemon with a little luck.
While Zapdos has a lot of other moves, most of them are gimmicky and not recommended.
Counters
Zapdos is countered by Golem and Rhydon and completely walled. Zapdos should usually switch out against them immediately, unless the opponent decides to use Earthquake for the switch-in, where Zapdos can do light damage with Drill Peck and force a weaker move being used for a switch (Rock Slide). This is only recommended if the player is confident Golem/Rhydon will use Earthquake
Excluding the Rocks, Zapdos can have some difficulty against Alakazam with Reflect up, Jolteon and others. Zapdos is superb for sweeping, but will take moderate damage and/or Paralysis in one-on-ones against healthy Pokemon. Because of this, Zapdos is best saved for near the end of the game, when most of the opponent's Pokemon are weakened and/or Paralyzed. Zapdos otherwise has a lot of even and losing match-ups against common OU Pokemon, due to being weak to Ice and not often having super-effective attacks.
HP: 383
Attack: 278
Defense: 268
Speed: 298
Special: 348
CH Chance: ~19.5%
Type: Electric/Flying
Weaknesses: Electric, Ice, Rock, Water
Neutrals: Ghost, Grass, Psychic
Resistances: Bug, Fire, Flying, Normal, Poison
Immunities: Ground
Movepool: Agility, Bide, Double Team, Double-Edge, Drill Peck, Flash, Fly, Hyper Beam, Light Screen, Mimic, Rage, Razor Wind, Reflect, Rest, Sky Attack, Substitute, Swift, Take Down, Thunder, Thunder Wave, Thunderbolt, Thundershock, Toxic, Whirlwind
Overview
Zapdos is a very fast, offensive powerhouse, and one of the game's few effective hybrid sweepers. Zapdos has very high Speed, HP and Special, while Attack and Defense are still both above average, and Zapdos also has a nice movepool filled with useful moves. Like most Electrics, Zapdos has to worry about Grounds, and while Zapdos is extremely powerful, he is more versatile than totally destructive, such as Tauros or Alakazam, as Electric and Flying are not super-effective against many OU Pokemon.
Usage
Thunderbolt
Drill Peck
Thunder Wave
Light Screen / Agility / Reflect
Zapdos should always have Thunderbolt and Drill Peck, which are his two key moves to sweeping. Thunderbolt is the main move used, while Drill Peck covers for Specialists that are Physically weak such as Chansey and Alakazam. Drill Peck is also helpful for Exeggutor and Dugtrio. Thunder Wave is the main support move so that Zapdos can spread Paralysis while he sweeps. Zapdos is fairly fast though and doesn't necessarily have to use it, but there are faster Pokemon than he is.
The last move is very debatable and the best choice is the one that helps for the rest of the team. Light Screen is great if Zapdos is more focused on taking out Specialists, and Reflect if Zapdos wants to defeat Physicals instead. Agility is more generalized, which allows Zapdos to outspeed all Pokemon. Light Screen is usually the best choice as the Physicals that Reflect would help for, want to avoid taking heavy damage and Paralysis, like Tauros. Again though, either support move can be the best, depending on how the rest of the team is shaped to handle the opponents.
It's also possible to remove Thunder Wave and use two of the support moves for additional sweeping abilities. Zapdos doesn't necessarily need his opponents Paralyzed, but it does help. If other Pokemon can Paralyze the opponents for him, Zapdos won't need Thunder Wave and can double up with Agility and Reflect for example. Using double support moves is more difficult to use effectively, and more situation specific, but can make Zapdos an even better sweeper than he is normally, and significantly more difficult to take out.
Thunder is also a possibility for even more power and is actually useful. Thunder can OHKO Starmie 2/3rds of the time if it hits, can OHKO Slowbro 1/3rd of the time, and does over 50% against Tauros. Its risk is the accuracy, but can be helpful for certain Pokemon with a little luck.
While Zapdos has a lot of other moves, most of them are gimmicky and not recommended.
Counters
Zapdos is countered by Golem and Rhydon and completely walled. Zapdos should usually switch out against them immediately, unless the opponent decides to use Earthquake for the switch-in, where Zapdos can do light damage with Drill Peck and force a weaker move being used for a switch (Rock Slide). This is only recommended if the player is confident Golem/Rhydon will use Earthquake
Excluding the Rocks, Zapdos can have some difficulty against Alakazam with Reflect up, Jolteon and others. Zapdos is superb for sweeping, but will take moderate damage and/or Paralysis in one-on-ones against healthy Pokemon. Because of this, Zapdos is best saved for near the end of the game, when most of the opponent's Pokemon are weakened and/or Paralyzed. Zapdos otherwise has a lot of even and losing match-ups against common OU Pokemon, due to being weak to Ice and not often having super-effective attacks.