Gen 9 National Dex
Zapdos @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Static
Tera Type: Dragon / Fairy / Steel
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Bold Nature
- Volt Switch
- Hurricane / Heat Wave
- Defog / Hidden Power Ice
- Roost
Zapdos has returned to prominence in the National Dex metagame as people rediscover its huge defensive capabilities and team support. An Electric-Flying typing gives it notable resistances to Fighting, Flying, Grass, Steel, U-turn, and a Ground immunity; combined with good natural bulk, Static, reliable recovery and a general lack of passivity Zapdos is able to check threatening Pokemon like Scarf Urshifu-R, Great Tusk, Kartana, and Mega Scizor.
Volt Switch has decent power behind it and allows it to switch out on negative matchups like Heatran, Tapu Koko and Garganacl and pivot in a teammate that can threaten its checks. Hurricane is a strong STAB move that lets it threaten Great Tusk and Mega Swampert, while Heat Wave 2hkoes Ferrothorn and Mega Scizor. Zapdos has a poor matchup against most hazard setters but it can come in often enough to be a good user of Defog, whereas Hidden Power Ice targets Pokemon like Landorus-T, Garchomp, Dragonite and Raging Bolt. Roost lets it restore health and maintain longevity.
Tera Dragon has benefits such as resisting Grass, Fire, Water, and Electric, helping it check Ogerpon-Wellspring, Barraskewda, and Mega Swampert while maintaining positive matchups into Kartana and Rillaboom. Tera Fairy gives it a immunity to Dragon letting it block Z moves from Raging Bolt, Garchomp, and Dragonite, it keeps the resistance to Fighting and Bug while gaining a resistance to Dark, checking Samurott-Hisui and Weavile more easily. Tera Steel gives it a resist to Rock, Ice, and Fairy which is helpful against Mega Diancie and Weavile.
- Zapdos's Volt Switch is a great momentum tool for bulky offense teams and it can let you easily react to your enemy's move. Pokemon like Mega Medicham, Landorus-T and Garchomp appreciate being brought in against switchins Heatran, Mega Tyranitar, Garganacl, Tapu Koko and Slowking-Galar.
- With Hurricane sets you're going to want to use something that can get past Ground types easily. Pokemon like Serperior and Kyurem fit this role well, with Kyurem threatening bulky Dragons as well.
- In terms of defensive synergy, Zapdos is defensively threatened by Mega Diancie, Weavile, Mega Tyranitar, and powerful special attackers like Tapu Lele, Kyurem, and Raging Bolt. Pokemon such as Toxapex, Ting-Lu and Iron Crown can deal with these problems efficiently.
- Pokemon like Samurott-Hisui and Mega Scizor appreciate Zapdos' ability to spread Para on physical attackers like Urshifu and Kartana
