NationalDex
zapdos
#145

Zapdos

Electric Pokémon

ElectricFlying

This Pokémon has complete control over electricity. There are tales of Zapdos nesting in the dark depths of pitch-black thunderclouds.

Base Stats

HP 90
Attack 90
Defense 85
Sp. Atk 125
Sp. Def 90
Speed 100
Total 580

Type Effectiveness

Abilities

Pressure Static (Hidden)

Forms

Evolution Chain

Moves

Details

Category Electric Pokémon
Height 1.6 m
Weight 52.6 kg
Base Exp 261
Growth Rate Slow
Capture Rate 3
Base Happiness 35
Gender Genderless
Habitat Rare
Egg Groups No Eggs
Legendary Pokémon

Sprites

zapdos Front Front
zapdos Back Back
zapdos Front Shiny Front Shiny
zapdos Back Shiny Back Shiny
zapdos Official Art Official Art
zapdos Official Art (Shiny) Official Art (Shiny)

Competitive

Utility
Moves
Hurricane / Heat Wave
Defog / Heat Wave / Toxic
Item
Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability
Static
Nature
Bold
EVs
HP 248
Def 244
Spe 16
Rain Attacker
Item
Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability
Static
Nature
Timid
EVs
Def 4
SpA 252
Spe 252
Offensive
Moves
Hurricane / Heat Wave
Heat Wave / Toxic
Item
Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability
Static
Nature
Timid
EVs
Def 4
SpA 252
Spe 252

Strategy Overview

Thanks to its neat type combination, useful ability in Static, and all-around fantastic stats, Zapdos is a premier Pokemon both offensively and defensively. Reliable recovery in Roost allows Zapdos to stay healthy in the long run so it can consistently come in on Pokemon multiple times in a game. Static is what makes Zapdos unique; it threatens contact attackers with a chance to paralyze them, which can cripple them for the rest of the match. Moves like Volt Switch to pivot out, Hurricane to hit hard with Flying-type STAB, Weather Ball in rain to hit Ground-types for super effective damage, and Heat Wave to hit Steel-types like Ferrothorn and Melmetal make Zapdos a Pokemon that can offensively threaten almost every Pokemon in the metagame. Unfortunately, Zapdos is prone to getting hit by Knock Off from Pokemon it wants to switch into, such as Rillaboom, Kartana, and Tornadus-T, which exploits its weakness to Stealth Rock, limiting how effectively it can check the aforementioned Pokemon. Common special walls like Blissey, Assault Vest Galarian Slowking, specially defensive Tyranitar, and Gastrodon also prevent it from immediately breaking teams.

Most Used Moves

Hurricane
90.4%
Roost
78.4%
Heat Wave
44.0%
Defog
28.8%

Most Used Items

Competitive data from Smogon University via data.pkmn.cc