Competitive Information for Galarian Zapdos [Sword/Shield]
Fighting / Flying
Abilities:
Movesets for Singles
What is a good competitive moveset for Zapdos-galar? 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.
RegielekiTapu FiniIncineroarKartanaDragapultGlastrierRotom-HeatTyranitarLandorus-TherianWhimsicott
Zapdos is a pretty decent Fighting and Flying-typed Pokemon. It's a almost common sight to see Zapdos out in the 8th generation battlefield. Zapdos is weak to Electric, Fairy, Flying, Ice, and Psychic-typed attacks.
Item: Focus Sash / Life Orb
Ability: Defiant
Nature: Jolly (+Spe, -SpA)
EVs: 4 Hp / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Moveset:
- Brave Bird / Dual Wingbeat
- Thunderous Kick / Close Combat
- Coaching
- Protect
Physical Sweeper Zapdos-Galar (Popular/Trending)
Zapdos is a legendary Physical Sweeper for single battles. It's primary goal is to take down the opponent's team with brute physical power. Focus Sash helps protect Zapdos from being one-shotted and allowing it to atleast use a crucial move when brought out. Life Orb boosts the power of Zapdos's damaging moves by 1.3x but it then loses 1/10 its max HP immediately after the attack. With Defiant, Zapdos's attack is raised by 2 for each of its stats that is lowered by a foe.
◆ Dual Wingbeat is a physical STAB-boosted 40-base power Flying-type move (hits 2 times in one turn).
◆ Thunderous Kick is a physical STAB-boosted 90-base power Fighting-type move (100% chance to lower the target's defense by 1 stage).
◆ Close Combat is a physical STAB-boosted 120-base power Fighting-type move (lowers your Zapdos's defense and special defense by 1 stage).
◆ Coaching is a status move (raises an ally's attack and defense by 1 stage).
◆ Protect is a status move (prevents moves from affecting your Zapdos this turn).
Link (click to copy):
https://hohoushome.com/b/is10b91
Item: Shell Bell / Eject Pack
Ability: Defiant
Nature: Adamant (+Atk, -SpA)
Nature: Jolly (+Spe, -SpA)
EVs: 12 Hp / 252 Atk / 244 Spe
Moveset:
- Brave Bird / Drill Peck
- Close Combat / Thunderous Kick
- Blaze Kick
- Throat Chop
Physical Sweeper Zapdos-Galar (Defiant)
Zapdos is a legendary Physical Sweeper for single battles. This moveset attempts to take down the opponent's team with brute physical power. The Shell Bell item option is to help Zapdos recover from the recoil damage it may take from Brave Bird. With Defiant, Zapdos's attack is raised by 2 for each of its stats that is lowered by a foe. With a Eject Pack equipped to it, if Zapdos's stat stages are lowered, it switches to a chosen ally then the Eject Pack gets consumed.
◆ Drill Peck is a physical STAB-boosted 80-base power Flying-type move that deals a mighty amount of damage.
◆ Close Combat is a physical STAB-boosted 120-base power Fighting-type move (lowers your Zapdos's defense and special defense by 1 stage).
◆ Thunderous Kick is a physical STAB-boosted 90-base power Fighting-type move (100% chance to lower the target's defense by 1 stage).
◆ Blaze Kick is a physical 85-base power Fire-type move (high critical hit ratio. 10% chance to burn).
◆ Throat Chop is a physical 80-base power Dark-type move (for 2 turns, the target cannot use sound moves).
Link (click to copy):
https://hohoushome.com/b/is11b91
Movesets for Doubles
What is a good doubles moveset for Zapdos-galar? 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.
RegielekiTapu FiniIncineroarKartanaDragapultGlastrierRotom-HeatTyranitarLandorus-TherianWhimsicott
Item: Shell Bell / Eject Pack
Ability: Defiant
Nature: Adamant (+Atk, -SpA)
Nature: Jolly (+Spe, -SpA)
EVs: 12 Hp / 252 Atk / 244 Spe
Moveset:
- Brave Bird / Drill Peck
- Close Combat / Thunderous Kick
- Blaze Kick
- Throat Chop
Doubles Physical Sweeper Zapdos-Galar (Defiant)
Zapdos is a legendary Physical Sweeper for double battles. It is designed to take down the opponent's team with brute physical power. The Shell Bell item option is to help Zapdos recover from the recoil damage it may take from Brave Bird. With Defiant, Zapdos's attack is raised by 2 for each of its stats that is lowered by a foe. With a Eject Pack equipped to it, if Zapdos's stat stages are lowered, it switches to a chosen ally then the Eject Pack gets consumed.
◆ Drill Peck is a physical STAB-boosted 80-base power Flying-type move that deals a nice amount of damage.
◆ Close Combat is a physical STAB-boosted 120-base power Fighting-type move (lowers your Zapdos's defense and special defense by 1 stage).
◆ Thunderous Kick is a physical STAB-boosted 90-base power Fighting-type move (100% chance to lower the target's defense by 1 stage).
◆ Blaze Kick is a physical 85-base power Fire-type move (high critical hit ratio. 10% chance to burn).
◆ Throat Chop is a physical 80-base power Dark-type move (for 2 turns, the target cannot use sound moves).
Link (click to copy):
https://hohoushome.com/b/id10b91
Movepool
Wondering what moves can Zapdos-galar 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.
Damage Modifiers:
Combo List
These are a list of several common move combinations Zapdos-galar 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 Zapdos-galar
- Moves: Endure + Reversal
- Moves: Rest + Sleep talk
- Moves: Rest + Snore
- Moves: Substitute + Reversal
- Move: Assurance + Item: Rocky Helmet
- Move: Facade + Item: Flame Orb
- Move: Facade + Item: Toxic Orb
- Move: Acrobatics + Item: Red Card
- Move: Acrobatics + Item: Flying Gem
- Moves with Priority: Detect, Endure, Protect, Quick Guard
- Moves that Break Screens: Brick Break
Moves that boost Zapdos-galar's stats
- Agility
- Ancient Power
- Bulk Up
- Steel Wing
Most notable and possible best moves for Zapdos-galar
- Blaze Kick
- Brave Bird
- Close Combat
- Coaching
- Detect
- Dual Wingbeat
- Light Screen
- Protect
- Rest
- Steel Wing
- Stomping Tantrum
- Taunt
- Throat Chop
- Thunderous Kick
- U-turn
Common Effort Values for Zapdos-galar in Sword and Shield
- Jolly Nature ( 4/252/0/0/0/252 )
- Jolly Nature ( 0/252/0/0/4/252 )
- Optimize Zapdos-galar's EV spread for Pokemon Sword and Shield
Related Videos
Here are various how-to-use and competitive moveset analysis video guides for Zapdos-galar in Sword/Shield. These featured videos will most likely contain additional strategies and combos not listed on our site. Disclaimer: All videos belong to their respective owners along with the views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in the videos. They belong solely to the author and not to us.
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Here are the best movesets for Zapdos-galar. Top rated Zapdos-galar Sword/Shield movesets. You can find Zapdos-galar builds Sword/Shield. Zapdos-galar movesets Sword/Shield are listed here. VGC Zapdos-galar Competitive Movesets can be found here. Find various EV spreads, find the best nature for Zapdos-galar in Sword/Shield along with competitive movesets. Basic info and Movesets for evolution