Competitive Information for Zoroark [X/Y]
Dark
Abilities:
Movesets for Singles
What is a good competitive moveset for Zoroark? These builds have been optimized for Pokemon competing in X/Y 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 X/Y generation metagame.
Zoroark is popular Dark-typed Pokemon. Zoroark is a pretty usual Pokemon to see in Generation 6. Zoroark is weak to Bug, Fairy, and Fighting-typed attacks.
Item: Focus Sash / Choice Band
Ability: Illusion
Nature: Adamant (+Atk, -SpA)
EVs: 52 Hp / 252 Atk / 204 Spe
Moveset:
- Knock Off / Night Slash
- Return / Facade
- Shadow Claw
- U-turn
Physical Sweeper Zoroark (Illusion)
Zoroark is a stupendous Physical Sweeper. The purpose of this moveset is to take down the opponent's team with brute physical power. Focus Sash helps protect Zoroark from being one-shotted and allowing it to atleast use a crucial move when brought out. Choice Band will increase the damage of Zoroark's physical moves by 1.5x at the cost of locking you into the first move you pick. With Illusion, Zoroark appears as the last pokemon in the party until it takes direct damage. Facade's damage doubles when the user has a status affliction.
♦ Night Slash is a physical STAB-boosted 70-base power Dark-type move (high critical hit ratio).
♦ Return is a physical 0-base power Normal-type move (max 102 power at maximum happiness).
♦ Facade is a physical 70-base power Normal-type move (power doubles if Zoroark is burn/poison/paralyzed).
♦ Shadow Claw is a physical 70-base power Ghost-type move (high critical hit ratio).
♦ U-turn is a physical 70-base power Bug-type move (Zoroark switches out after damaging the target).
Link (click to copy):
https://hohoushome.com/b/gs10a23b
Item: Focus Sash / Choice Specs
Ability: Illusion
Nature: Modest (+SpA, -Atk)
EVs: 52 Hp / 252 SpA / 204 Spe
Moveset:
- Night Daze / Dark Pulse
- Flamethrower / Incinerate
- Sludge Bomb
- Extrasensory / Hyper Voice
Special Sweeper Zoroark (Illusion)
Zoroark is a pretty decent Special Sweeper. It's goal is to take down the opponent's team with high-damaging special attacks. Focus Sash helps protect Zoroark from being one-shotted and allowing it to atleast use a crucial move when brought out. Choice Specs will increase the damage of Zoroark's special moves by 1.5x but will lock you into the first move you pick. With Illusion, Zoroark appears as the last pokemon in the party until it takes direct damage. Extrasensory was added to provide additional threat coverage.
♦ Dark Pulse is a special STAB-boosted 80-base power Dark-type move (20% chance to flinch the target).
♦ Flamethrower is a special 90-base power Fire-type move (10% chance to burn the target).
♦ Incinerate is a special 60-base power Fire-type move (destroys the foes berry/gem).
♦ Sludge Bomb is a special 90-base power Poison-type move (30% chance to poison the target).
♦ Extrasensory is a special 80-base power Psychic-type move (10% chance to flinch the target).
♦ Hyper Voice is a special 90-base power Normal-type move (no additional effect. hits adjacent foes).
Link (click to copy):
https://hohoushome.com/b/gs11a23b
Item: Life Orb
Ability: Illusion
Nature: Modest (+SpA, -Atk)
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Moveset:
- Nasty Plot
- Dark Pulse
- Agility
- Flamethrower
Illusion Zoroark
Zoroark is a marvelous Special Sweeper. It's purpose is to take down the opponent's team with high-damaging special attacks. Life Orb boosts the power of Zoroark's damaging moves by 1.3x but it then loses 1/10 its max HP immediately after the attack. With Illusion, Zoroark appears as the last pokemon in the party until it takes direct damage. A pretty damn strong special sweeper. Nasty Plot are for setting up the sweep. Agility so you can outspeed and hit everything hard. Dark Pulse is STAB and Flamethrower is coverage.
♦ Dark Pulse is a special STAB-boosted 80-base power Dark-type move (20% chance to flinch the target).
♦ Agility is a status move (raises your Zoroark's speed by 2 stages).
♦ Flamethrower is a special 90-base power Fire-type move (10% chance to burn the target).
Link (click to copy):
https://hohoushome.com/b/gs12a23b
Item: Life Orb
Ability: Illusion
Nature: Quiet (+SpA, -Spe)
EVs: 125 Hp / 10 Def / 125 SpA / 250 SpD
Moveset:
- Grass Knot
- Nasty Plot
- Dark Pulse
- Flamethrower
Zoroark Special Wall (Nasty Plotter)
Zoroark is pretty popular Special Wall. It is meant to take a mighty amount of hits from special attacks while dealing some decent damage. Life Orb boosts the power of Zoroark's damaging moves by 1.3x but it then loses 1/10 its max HP immediately after the attack. With Illusion, Zoroark appears as the last pokemon in the party until it takes direct damage.
♦ Nasty Plot is a status move (raises your Zoroark's special attack by 2 stages).
♦ Dark Pulse is a special STAB-boosted 80-base power Dark-type move (20% chance to flinch the target).
♦ Flamethrower is a special 90-base power Fire-type move (10% chance to burn the target).
Link (click to copy):
https://hohoushome.com/b/gs13a23b
Item: Leftovers
Ability: Illusion
Nature: Timid (+Spe, -Atk)
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Moveset:
- Night Daze / Dark Pulse
- Focus Blast
- Substitute
- Flamethrower
Zoroark Special Sweeper (Aggressive Fox)
Zoroark is an outstanding Special Sweeper. It is designed to take down the opponent's team with high-damaging special attacks. Leftovers are always a great recovery option to ensure Zoroark last longer regaining it's stamina every turn. With Illusion, Zoroark appears as the last pokemon in the party until it takes direct damage.
♦ Dark Pulse is a special STAB-boosted 80-base power Dark-type move (20% chance to flinch the target).
♦ Focus Blast is a special 120-base power Fighting-type move (10% chance to lower the target's special defense by 1 stage).
♦ Substitute is a status move (Zoroark takes 1/4 its max hp to put in a substitute).
♦ Flamethrower is a special 90-base power Fire-type move (10% chance to burn the target).
Link (click to copy):
https://hohoushome.com/b/gs14a23b
Movesets for Doubles
What is a good doubles moveset for Zoroark? These builds have been optimized for X/Y 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 X/Y generation metagame.
Item: Focus Sash / Choice Band
Ability: Illusion
Nature: Adamant (+Atk, -SpA)
EVs: 52 Hp / 252 Atk / 204 Spe
Moveset:
- Knock Off / Night Slash
- Return / Facade
- Shadow Claw
- U-turn
Doubles Physical Sweeper Zoroark (Illusion)
Zoroark is a fabulous Physical Sweeper. It's purpose is to take down the opponent's team with brute physical power. Focus Sash helps protect Zoroark from being one-shotted and allowing it to atleast use a crucial move when brought out. Choice Band will increase the damage of Zoroark's physical moves by 1.5x at the cost of locking you into the first move you pick. With Illusion, Zoroark appears as the last pokemon in the party until it takes direct damage. Facade's damage doubles when the user has a status affliction.
♦ Night Slash is a physical STAB-boosted 70-base power Dark-type move (high critical hit ratio).
♦ Return is a physical 0-base power Normal-type move (max 102 power at maximum happiness).
♦ Facade is a physical 70-base power Normal-type move (power doubles if Zoroark is burn/poison/paralyzed).
♦ Shadow Claw is a physical 70-base power Ghost-type move (high critical hit ratio).
♦ U-turn is a physical 70-base power Bug-type move (Zoroark switches out after damaging the target).
Link (click to copy):
https://hohoushome.com/b/gd10a23b
Item: Focus Sash / Choice Specs
Ability: Illusion
Nature: Modest (+SpA, -Atk)
EVs: 52 Hp / 252 SpA / 204 Spe
Moveset:
- Hyper Voice / Hyper Beam
- Snarl / Night Daze
- Incinerate / Flamethrower
- Sludge Bomb
Doubles Special Sweeper Zoroark (Illusion)
Zoroark is a fabulous Special Sweeper. It's purpose is to take down the opponent's team with high-damaging special attacks. Focus Sash helps protect Zoroark from being one-shotted and allowing it to atleast use a crucial move when brought out. Choice Specs will increase the damage of Zoroark's special moves by 1.5x but will lock you into the first move you pick. With Illusion, Zoroark appears as the last pokemon in the party until it takes direct damage.
♦ Hyper Beam is a special 150-base power Normal-type move (Zoroark cannot move next turn).
♦ Snarl is a special STAB-boosted 55-base power Dark-type move (100% chance to lower the foes special attack by 1 stage).
♦ Night Daze is a special STAB-boosted 85-base power Dark-type move (40% chance to lower the target's accuracy by 1 stage).
♦ Incinerate is a special 60-base power Fire-type move (destroys the foes berry/gem).
♦ Flamethrower is a special 90-base power Fire-type move (10% chance to burn the target).
♦ Sludge Bomb is a special 90-base power Poison-type move (30% chance to poison the target).
Link (click to copy):
https://hohoushome.com/b/gd11a23b
Movepool
Wondering what moves can Zoroark 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 Zoroark can perform in X/Y. 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 XY Move and Ability Combos for Zoroark
- Moves: Swagger + Foul play
- Moves: Swagger + Psych up
- Moves: Swagger + Punishment
- Moves: Rest + Sleep talk
- Moves: Rest + Snore
- Move: Swagger + Item: Mirror Herb
- Move: Fling + Item: King's Rock
- Move: Facade + Item: Flame Orb
- Move: Facade + Item: Toxic Orb
- Moves with Priority: Detect, Protect, Snatch, Sucker Punch
- Moves that inflict status: Toxic
Moves that boost Zoroark's stats
- Agility
- Calm Mind
- Hone Claws
- Nasty Plot
- Swords Dance
Most notable and possible best moves for Zoroark
- Knock Off
- Protect
- Rest
- Snarl
- Taunt
- Toxic
- U-turn
Common Effort Values for Zoroark in X and Y
- Adamant Nature ( 0/252/0/0/0/252 )
- Modest Nature ( 0/0/0/252/0/252 )
- Optimize Zoroark's EV spread for Pokemon X and Y
Related Videos
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Here are the best movesets for Zoroark. Top rated Zoroark X/Y movesets. You can find Zoroark builds X/Y. Zoroark movesets X/Y are listed here. VGC Zoroark Competitive Movesets can be found here. Find various EV spreads, find the best nature for Zoroark in X/Y along with competitive movesets. Basic info and Movesets for evolution