Fireflame
Silksong when
QC: Nayrz / Minority / Fireburn
GP: The Dutch Plumberjack / Mr. Uncompetitive
[OVERVIEW]
Zekrom's good base 150 Attack coupled with its high-Base Power moves makes it a devastating wallbreaker in the Ubers tier. Its typing and Attack let it act as an offensive check to Pokemon such as Primal Kyogre, Ho-Oh, Mega Salamence, Arceus-Water, and Celesteela. Devastating Drake allows Zekrom to seriously weaken or even OHKO its common answers, such as Arceus-Ground and Primal Groudon, after a Hone Claws boost. Zekrom can also lure and KO these threats for offensive teams, and it can threaten many common physical walls on defensive teams, such as Arceus-Water, Lugia, Giratina, and Giratina-O. However, although Zekrom's STAB moves are powerful, common Pokemon are immune to them; Primal Groudon and Arceus-Ground are immune to Electric, while Xerneas and Arceus-Fairy are immune to Dragon, which leaves Zekrom checked by many top-tier threats. Furthermore, Zekrom's poor defensive typing makes it vulnerable to four common attacking types in Fairy, Dragon, Ice, and Ground, which also means that it succumbs to coverage moves like Ice Beam and Earthquake from Pokemon it is meant to check. Zekrom's mediocre base 90 Speed leaves it outsped by most offensive threats and, when coupled with its major weaknesses, cuts into its viability as a wallbreaker. Lastly, Zekrom faces competition from other physical Z-Move wallbreakers like Rayquaza and Marshadow.
[SET]
name: Wallbreaker
move 1: Hone Claws
move 2: Outrage
move 3: Bolt Strike
move 4: Substitute
item: Dragonium Z
ability: Teravolt
nature: Adamant
evs: 64 HP / 252 Atk / 192 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Hone Claws raises Zekrom's Attack and accuracy, allowing it to effectively wallbreak and increasing its chances of hitting Bolt Strike. STAB 190-Base Power Devastating Drake from Outrage at +1 is able to deal immense damage to anything that doesn't resist it, OHKOing every common Primal Groudon set after Stealth Rock damage. Bolt Strike is a powerful STAB move that is able to 2HKO all support Arceus formes and defensive Primal Kyogre after Stealth Rock unboosted. At +1, Bolt Strike is able to OHKO Magearna and offensive Arceus formes after Stealth Rock. Substitute eases Z-Move prediction and lets Zekrom beat Ferrothorn when combined with Hone Claws. Dragon Claw is a safe, reliable STAB move that can be run in the last moveslot, best used when using Outrage will be less effective, but it lacks in power.
Set Details
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Maximum Attack investment gives Zekrom the most mileage in its power. An Adamant nature is used to achieve crucial OHKOs on Primal Groudon and maximum HP Arceus formes with +1 Devastating Drake. 64 HP EVs allow Zekrom to avoid the OHKO from Arceus-Ground's Judgment, which enables Zekrom to KO it with +1 Devastating Drake. 192 Speed EVs make Zekrom outspeed Jolly Cloyster and Adamant Mega Gyarados. Dragonium Z gives Zekrom access to Devastating Drake, enabling it to OHKO every common Primal Groudon set after a Hone Claws boost. Teravolt is Zekrom's only ability, allowing it to bypass Lugia's Multiscale. Note that Teravolt does not make Zekrom bypass Lunala's Shadow Shield.
Usage Tips
========
Zekrom should be used as an early- to mid-game wallbreaker to remove Arceus-Ground or Primal Groudon and weaken other threats for another teammate to sweep later. Zekrom should not switch into powerful attackers, even ones it is meant to check, as Zekrom is slow and will succumb to other coverage moves or status. For example, switching into Ho-Oh risks Zekrom being burned by Sacred Fire, while switching into Arceus-Water and Primal Kyogre risks it being hit with a super effective Ice Beam. Zekrom is best brought into play after a teammate has been KOed or on a predicted switch. Once in, Zekrom can either use its powerful STAB moves or set up Hone Claws on a predicted switch; this is especially important when you predict the opponent to switch to Primal Groudon, as then Zekrom can OHKO it with +1 Devastating Drake. Devastating Drake does not make Zekrom confused nor locked into a move, so it can then use another move afterwards. Devastating Drake should not be used too recklessly, as it is reliant on prediction. The opponent may predict Devastating Drake on a potential Primal Groudon switch and go into a Fairy-type to nullify the attack. Also, Devastating Drake is only a one-time attack; make sure to not waste it on a careless play. An unboosted Devastating Drake is still threatening in its own right, having good chance to OHKO most offensive Arceus formes after Stealth Rock damage. Zekrom is still a threat at +1 even without Devastating Drake; however, after Zekrom uses it, it is very easy for the opponent to go out into a revenge killer, so Zekrom will not stay in play for very long after consuming its Z-Move. It is best to switch out in this situation, as Zekrom will almost always threaten more than one Pokemon on the opponent's team due to its power.
Team Options
========
Zekrom is best used on more offensive teams that require a way to lure and KO Arceus-Ground and Primal Groudon. Primal Kyogre, Xerneas, and Ho-Oh appreciate Zekrom's ability to weaken or KO Primal Groudon, allowing them to function more effectively. Steel-types like Mega Scizor, Ferrothorn, Magearna, and Aegislash check Xerneas and other Fairy-types and enjoy Zekrom weakening or KOing Primal Groudon. Primal Groudon is able to check Ferrothorn, Xerneas, Primal Kyogre, and Arceus-Fairy and also provide Stealth Rock for Zekrom, allowing it to score more OHKOs. Other Stealth Rock setters like Dialga, Deoxys-S, and Excadrill also make for good teammates. Giratina-O, Mega Salamence, and Arceus-Water deal with Ground-types like Primal Groudon. Arceus-Water also has the benefit of checking Arceus-Ground, while Giratina-O can deal with Extreme Killer Arceus. Pokemon like Mega Lucario, Ho-Oh, Primal Groudon, and Fire Blast Mewtwo are able to beat Ferrothorn and capitalize on Zekrom's wallbreaking. Mega Gengar traps and removes Arceus-Fairy and Ferrothorn for Zekrom, allowing it to more freely use its attacks. Setup sweepers like Geomancy Xerneas and Extreme Killer Arceus value Zekrom's ability to punch holes in the opposing team, enabling them to sweep more easily. Sticky Web support from the likes of Smeargle or Shuckle allows Zekrom to outspeed a wider array of foes and wallbreak more effectively.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Shuca Berry can be used if your team is weak to Ground-types, allowing Zekrom to stay in against them and use a powerful attack; with it, 136 HP EVs allow Zekrom to survive +2 Arceus-Ground's Earthquake. However, Dragonium Z is much more reliable because it grants Zekrom the ability to OHKO important threats after a Hone Claws boost. Draco Meteor instead of Substitute can surprise Zygarde-C; Devastating Drake from Draco Meteor does at least 80% to it. A Naughty nature along with maximum Attack and Speed investment should be used with Draco Meteor. However, Devastating Drake from Outrage already does solid damage to Zygarde-C, and Zekrom needs Substitute in order to beat Ferrothorn. A physically defensive set consisting of Bolt Strike / Dragon Tail / Toxic / Roost is a decent check to Mega Salamence and Marshadow, but it is extremely niche and done better by other physical walls. Tailwind with Life Orb gives Zekrom a better matchup against offensive teams, allowing it to wallbreak for longer. Zekrom is one of the few viable Choice Scarf users and has access to Volt Switch, giving it a surprise factor and a way to gain momentum. However, this set is simply outclassed by Zekrom's main set, which threatens a wider array of Pokemon; there's almost no reason to use Choice Scarf on Zekrom when it can run Dragonium Z.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Ground-types**: Ground-types such as Primal Groudon, Arceus-Ground, Excadrill, and Landorus-T are immune to Bolt Strike, can tank an unboosted attack, and can retaliate back with their super effective STAB moves. All of these Pokemon will fall to +1 Devastating Drake, though, and Landorus-T is dented by an unboosted one after factoring in Intimidate. Shuca Berry also mitigates some of Zekrom's weakness to Ground-types.
**Ferrothorn**: Ferrothorn resists all of Zekrom's attacks, so it can switch into and wall it very easily. Zekrom can set up to +2 against it before 2HKOing it, but Zekrom will take a lot of damage while doing so.
**Fairy-types**: Fairy-types like Xerneas, Arceus-Fairy, Mega Diancie, and Magearna are immune to Zekrom's Dragon-type STAB moves, including Devastating Drake, meaning they can nullify Zekrom's wallbreaking nuke on a predicted use, which hinders Zekrom's offensive capabilities. These Fairy-types can also OHKO Zekrom with their STAB moves, though Magearna is KOed by +1 Bolt Strike.
**Revenge Killers**: Faster offensive threats like Marshadow, Yveltal, Mega Lucario, Deoxys-A, Rayquaza, Extreme Killer Arceus, Lunala, and Mewtwo can take advantage of Zekrom's many weaknesses and mediocre Speed to revenge kill it.
**Super Effective Coverage**: Due to Zekrom's many common weaknesses, it falls victim to coverage moves like Ice Beam from Arceus-Water and Primal Kyogre and Earthquake from Solgaleo and Arceus.
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