Competitive Information for Zacian [Sword/Shield]
Base Stats for Zacian
Fairy
Abilities:
Intrepid SwordIntrepid Sword: On switch-in, this Pokemon's Attack is raised by 1 stage.
Bug
Dark
Dragon
Electric
Fairy
Fighting
Fire
Flying
Ghost
0.5x
0.5x
0x
0.5x
Grass
Ground
Ice
Normal
Poison
Psychic
Rock
Steel
Water
2x
2x
¼x
½x
2x
4x
Movesets for Singles
What is a good competitive moveset for Zacian? These builds have been optimized for Pokemon competing in Sword/Shield Single Battles. The movesets and EVs have been specifically calibrated to deal the most amount of damage to the largest group of potentially common opponents and typing threats for the Sword/Shield generation metagame.
Zacian is an outstanding Fairy-typed Pokemon. It's normal to find yourself dealing with Zacian when battling in the 8th generation meta. Zacian's only type-related weaknesses are Poison and Steel.
Species: Zacian
Item: Life Orb / White Herb
Ability: Intrepid Sword
Nature: Adamant (+Atk, -SpA)
Nature: Jolly (+Spe, -SpA)
EVs: 4 Hp / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Moveset:
- Play Rough
- Close Combat / Sacred Sword
- Wild Charge
- Psychic Fangs
Item: Life Orb / White Herb
Ability: Intrepid Sword
Nature: Adamant (+Atk, -SpA)
Nature: Jolly (+Spe, -SpA)
EVs: 4 Hp / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Moveset:
- Play Rough
- Close Combat / Sacred Sword
- Wild Charge
- Psychic Fangs
Physical Sweeper Zacian (Intrepid Sword)
Zacian is a legendary Physical Sweeper. The purpose of this moveset is to take down the opponent's team with brute physical power. Life Orb boosts the power of Zacian's damaging moves by 1.3x but it then loses 1/10 its max HP immediately after the attack. With Intrepid Sword, on switch-in Zacian's attack is raised by 1 stage.
♦ Play Rough is a physical STAB-boosted 90-base power Fairy-type move (10% chance to lower the target's attack by 1 stage).
♦ Close Combat is a physical 120-base power Fighting-type move (lowers your Zacian's defense and special defense by 1 stage).
♦ Sacred Sword is a physical 90-base power Fighting-type move (ignores the target's stat stage changes).
♦ Wild Charge is a physical 90-base power Electric-type move (has 1/4 recoil).
♦ Psychic Fangs is a physical 85-base power Psychic-type move (destroys screens, unless the target is immune).
♦ Close Combat is a physical 120-base power Fighting-type move (lowers your Zacian's defense and special defense by 1 stage).
♦ Sacred Sword is a physical 90-base power Fighting-type move (ignores the target's stat stage changes).
♦ Wild Charge is a physical 90-base power Electric-type move (has 1/4 recoil).
♦ Psychic Fangs is a physical 85-base power Psychic-type move (destroys screens, unless the target is immune).
Movesets for Doubles
What is a good doubles moveset for Zacian? These builds have been optimized for Sword/Shield Double Battles. They have movesets and EVs specifically calibrated to generally work best versus multiple Pokemon at once as well as helping to support other team members and allys in the Sword/Shield generation metagame.
Species: Zacian
Item: Life Orb / White Herb
Ability: Intrepid Sword
Nature: Adamant (+Atk, -SpA)
Nature: Jolly (+Spe, -SpA)
EVs: 4 Hp / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Moveset:
- Play Rough
- Close Combat
- Wild Charge
- Brutal Swing
Item: Life Orb / White Herb
Ability: Intrepid Sword
Nature: Adamant (+Atk, -SpA)
Nature: Jolly (+Spe, -SpA)
EVs: 4 Hp / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Moveset:
- Play Rough
- Close Combat
- Wild Charge
- Brutal Swing
Doubles Physical Sweeper Zacian (Intrepid Sword)
Zacian is a legendary Physical Sweeper. It's meant to take down the opponent's team with brute physical power. Life Orb boosts the power of Zacian's damaging moves by 1.3x but it then loses 1/10 its max HP immediately after the attack. With Intrepid Sword, on switch-in Zacian's attack is raised by 1 stage.
♦ Play Rough is a physical STAB-boosted 90-base power Fairy-type move (10% chance to lower the target's attack by 1 stage).
♦ Close Combat is a physical 120-base power Fighting-type move (lowers your Zacian's defense and special defense by 1 stage).
♦ Wild Charge is a physical 90-base power Electric-type move (has 1/4 recoil).
♦ Brutal Swing is a physical 60-base power Dark-type move (no additional effect. hits adjacent pokemon).
♦ Close Combat is a physical 120-base power Fighting-type move (lowers your Zacian's defense and special defense by 1 stage).
♦ Wild Charge is a physical 90-base power Electric-type move (has 1/4 recoil).
♦ Brutal Swing is a physical 60-base power Dark-type move (no additional effect. hits adjacent pokemon).
Movepool
Wondering what moves can Zacian learn? Here is the list of moves this Pokemon can learn in this selected generation.
Sort and organize the learnset by move type, category, accuracy, and power. Bolded moves will gain the same-type attack bonus (STAB) if this Pokemon uses them.
Cat
Type
Movename
Damage
Accuracy
PP
Effect
Air Slash
75
95%
15
30% chance to flinch the target.
Focus Blast
120
70%
5
10% chance to lower the target's Sp. Def by 1.
Hyper Beam
150
90%
5
User cannot move next turn.
Hyper Voice
90
100%
10
No additional effect. Hits adjacent foes.
Moonblast
95
100%
15
30% chance to lower the target's Sp. Atk by 1.
Round
60
100%
15
Power doubles if others used Round this turn.
Snarl
55
95%
15
100% chance to lower the foe(s) Sp. Atk by 1.
Snore
50
100%
15
User must be asleep. 30% chance to flinch target.
Steel Beam
140
95%
5
User loses 50% max HP.
Swift
60
--
20
This move does not check accuracy. Hits foes.
Assurance
60
100%
10
Power doubles if target was damaged this turn.
Bite
60
100%
25
30% chance to flinch the target.
Brick Break
75
100%
15
Destroys screens, unless the target is immune.
Brutal Swing
60
100%
20
No additional effect. Hits adjacent Pokemon.
Close Combat
120
100%
5
Lowers the user's Defense and Sp. Def by 1.
Crunch
80
100%
15
20% chance to lower the target's Defense by 1.
Dig
80
100%
10
Digs underground turn 1, strikes turn 2.
Facade
70
100%
20
Power doubles if user is burn/poison/paralyzed.
False Swipe
40
100%
40
Always leaves the target with at least 1 HP.
Fire Fang
65
95%
15
10% chance to burn. 10% chance to flinch.
Giga Impact
150
90%
5
User cannot move next turn.
Ice Fang
65
95%
15
10% chance to freeze. 10% chance to flinch.
Iron Head
80
100%
15
30% chance to flinch the target.
Iron Tail
100
75%
15
30% chance to lower the target's Defense by 1.
Metal Claw
50
95%
35
10% chance to raise the user's Attack by 1.
Play Rough
90
90%
10
10% chance to lower the target's Attack by 1.
Psychic Fangs
85
100%
10
Destroys screens, unless the target is immune.
Psycho Cut
70
100%
20
High critical hit ratio.
Quick Attack
40
100%
30
Usually goes first.
Retaliate
70
100%
5
Power doubles if an ally fainted last turn.
Revenge
60
100%
10
Power doubles if user is damaged by the target.
Reversal
--
100%
15
More power the less HP the user has left.
Sacred Sword
90
100%
15
Ignores the target's stat stage changes.
Slash
70
100%
20
High critical hit ratio.
Solar Blade
125
100%
10
Charges turn 1. Hits turn 2. No charge in sunlight.
Tail Slap
25
85%
10
Hits 2-5 times in one turn.
Thunder Fang
65
95%
15
10% chance to paralyze. 10% chance to flinch.
Wild Charge
90
100%
15
Has 1/4 recoil.
Agility
--
--
30
Raises the user's Speed by 2.
Endure
--
--
10
User survives attacks this turn with at least 1 HP.
Focus Energy
--
--
30
Raises the user's critical hit ratio by 2.
Helping Hand
--
--
20
One adjacent ally's move power is 1.5x this turn.
Howl
--
--
40
Raises the user's and ally's Attack by 1.
Imprison
--
--
10
No foe can use any move known by the user.
Laser Focus
--
--
30
Until the end of the next turn, user's moves crit.
Protect
--
--
10
Prevents moves from affecting the user this turn.
Quick Guard
--
--
15
Protects allies from priority attacks this turn.
Rest
--
--
10
User sleeps 2 turns and restores HP and status.
Scary Face
--
100%
10
Lowers the target's Speed by 2.
Sleep Talk
--
--
10
User must be asleep. Uses another known move.
Substitute
--
--
10
User takes 1/4 its max HP to put in a substitute.
Swords Dance
--
--
20
Raises the user's Attack by 2.
Work Up
--
--
30
Raises the user's Attack and Sp. Atk by 1.
Combo List
These are a list of several common move combinations Zacian can perform in Sword/Shield. Not every combo going to be game-changing, but some can be pretty fun to play with. Sometimes these can be easily overlooked or forgotten, hence why we find and list them here. Discover what items, abilities, and moves this Pokemon can use in combination with each other to gain a strategic advantage in competitive battles.
Competitive SS Move and Ability Combos for Zacian
- Moves: Endure + Reversal
- Moves: Rest + Sleep talk
- Move: Assurance + Item: Rocky Helmet
- Move: Facade + Item: Flame Orb
- Move: Facade + Item: Toxic Orb
- Moves with Priority: Quick Attack, Endure, Protect, Helping Hand, Quick Guard
- Moves that Break Screens: Brick Break, Psychic Fangs
Create a build
Have an idea in mind for Zacian that you'd like to test? Customize the IVs, EVs and their Sword/Shield moveset. This area allows you to examine the typing coverages of selected moves and stat variances.
This feature is currently in the final stages of development.