ChrisPBacon
idola deus
[SET]
name: SubRoost
move 1: Substitute
move 2: Roost
move 3: Hurricane
move 4: Discharge
item: Heavy-Duty Boots
ability: Pressure
nature: Calm
evs: 240 HP / 196 SpD / 72 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
With a potent STAB combination and Pressure, SubRoost Zapdos can become an excellent wincon on bulky teams, compensating for its low damage output by slowly wearing down counters such as Ferrothorn and Clefable. In addition, it can stall out the low-PP of moves used to target it, such as Tyranitar's Stone Edge and Heatran's Magma Storm. Its excellent special bulk allows it to answer threats such as opposing Zapdos, Serperior, and Galarian Moltres, although a lack of Defense investment means it falters against the likes of Kartana and Mega Lopunny. Also, since it plans to stall, it must beware stray burn or poison from otherwise free switchins into foes like Toxapex, Tapu Fini and Rotom-W. Substitute lets Zapdos safely attack passive Pokemon like Clefable, Toxapex, and Slowbro. Discharge spreads paralysis, with the reduction in Speed and potential full paralysis giving it more opportunities to use Substitute and chip foes. Meanwhile, Hurricane provides strong coverage, hitting Ferrothorn, Garchomp, and Gastrodon neutrally and Serperior super effectively. Hurricane's confusion chance compounds with Discharge's paralysis in limiting the foes' opportunities to move. The given EV spread allows Zapdos to outpace Modest Heatran, with the rest of the EVs ensuring Moonblast from uninvested Clefable never breaks its Substitute.
SubRoost Zapdos excels on balance and semi-stall teams, which aid in slowly weakening its checks with residual damage. Spikes support from Skarmory, Mew, and Ferrothorn wears down Tyranitar, Chansey, Garchomp, Ferrothorn, and Heatran, all of which take little damage from Zapdos's attacks. Similarly, Toxapex provides Toxic Spikes to wear down the former three while limiting the opportunities of revenge killers such as Weavile, Kyurem, and Mega Diancie to force Zapdos out. Mega Latias is another fantastic partner that baits in Zapdos checks like Tyranitar, Heatran, and Chansey. It wears them down, limiting Tyranitar's chances to nail Zapdos with Pursuit, stifling Heatran's long-term Leftovers recovery, and forcing Chansey to burn Soft-Boiled PP in longer games. Additionally, Mega Latias answers Kartana effectively, reducing the risk of Zapdos losing its item, while Ice Beam variants threaten to KO Gliscor, which walls Zapdos. Pokemon that can cripple Weavile such as the aforementioned Toxapex holding Rocky Helmet, Volcarona, and Colbur Berry Mew help, as Weavile's Triple Axel can KO even Zapdos behind a Substitute. Knock Off support from Gliscor, Clefable, Ferrothorn, and Toxapex removes items such as Chansey's Eviolite, Heatran's Leftovers, and Tapu Koko's and Gastrodon's Heavy-Duty Boots, making them take more damage when switching into Zapdos.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
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Merge
Checks and Counters
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Merge i think
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Zneon, 487629]], [[ChrisPBacon, 544502]]
- Quality checked by: [[Solaros & Lunaris, 471780]], [[Kaede, 483087]], [[Milo, 540138]], [[adem, 529732]]
- Grammar checked by: [[UT, 523866]], [[Adeleine, 517429]]
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