Zekrom Analysis - PokéCheats Pokémon #644, Analysis, Movesets


01/15/25, 12:02
Zekrom Analysis
#643 Reshiram Pokédex Strategy Moves Database Landorus #645

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This article gives you ideas of how to use Zekrom in battle in the Pokémon Black, Pokémon White and Pokemon B2W2 Games. It lists popular movesets used by competitive battlers, as well as a description on how to use each set to help you understand why the moves were chosen. These popular sets are usually the best to use in battle and so reading this guide will help you in your team building.

Gen 5: Overview

Zekrom is the mascot of the White Version, and for good reason. It is one of the best Pokemon that can be caught in the Black version, and it is a good Uber Pokemon as well. Its attacking stats are both high, and its Stab combination of Dragon and Electric moves hit almost every Pokemon for at least neutral damage. Of course, Zekrom does have its flaws. Its speed is the main flaw, only reaching as high as 306 speed. Most Uber Pokemon can either speed-tie Zekrom or outspeed Zekrom altogether, and while Zekrom´s defenses are pretty good, something like a super-effective Draco Meteor will bring it down.

Most people use Zekrom as a revenge killer, or use it with a Choice Scarf to bypass its comparatively bad speed. Zekrom is a great Scarfer because of its almost perfect type coverage and its access to Volt Switch. Zekrom can be used in other ways, like using it as a sweeper, but the Choice Scarf set IS the most common set.


 
Ability Nature Item HP Atk. Def. SpAtk. SpDef. Speed
Teravolt Hasty / Adamant / Jolly choice scarf 0 252 0 4 0 252
There are no current set statistics analysed






Zekrom can use a Choice Scarf very well. For the first two slots, Outrage and Bolt Strike are the best options, as they are Zekrom´s two strongest Stab moves for their respective types. These moves also have almost-perfect type coverage, only being resisted by Pokemon like Ferrothorn and Magnezone. For the third slot, Volt Switch is required, simply because it allows Zekrom to scout and figure out the opponent´s strategy. For the last slot, either Draco Meteor or Dragon Claw is recommended, depending on Zekrom´s nature. For a Hasty nature, Draco Meteor is recommended to hit some Pokemon that have a weaker special defense. Also, using Draco Meteor allows Zekrom to hit foes with a strong Dragon attack without getting locked into Outrage. For an Adamant nature, Dragon Claw is recommended. Dragon Claw provides Zekrom with a strong, consistent attack that goes off of Zekrom´s great base 150 Attack.

Additional Comments

The EVs and nature are not hard to figure out for this kind of set. Max attack and speed EVs should be used for this set, and the nature mostly depends on what move is used for the fourth slot. Hasty should be used if Draco Meteor is present, while Adamant or Jolly should be used if Dragon Claw is being used.

 
Ability Nature Item HP Atk. Def. SpAtk. SpDef. Speed
Teravolt Rash / Naughty life orb 72 172 0 252 0 12
There are no current set statistics analysed






This Zekrom, instead of using speed to overcome its opponents, uses brute force to rip through opposing teams. Zekrom may not outrun many Uber Pokemon, but it possesses enough power to greatly damage many Pokemon. Its first two moves, Draco Meteor and Bolt Strike, allow Zekrom to hit many Pokemon for great damage, and they get great coverage in the Uber tier, only being resisted by Ferrothorn and the odd Magnezone. The third move, Focus Blast, is mainly used for a way to deal with Ferrothorn. Zekrom actually can 2HKO Ferrothorn with Focus Blast, so Ferrothorn can´t really be considered a good counter to this Zekrom set. The last slot is best used for a strong, physical Dragon move. Dragon Claw is a good, consistent Dragon mvoe without any bad side effects. Ouitrage, however, has way more power than Dragon Claw, but it locks Zekrom into play, which could have bad consequences.

Additional Comments

The EVs are very specific for this set. 252 special attack EVs let Zekrom hit opponents as hard as possible with its special moves. 12 speed EVs are used to outspeed some Ubers that don´t run much speed, for example Zekrom can outspeed minimum speed Kyogre and Ho-oh that could only run 4 or 8 speed EVs. 72 HP EVs result in Zekrom hitting a Life Orb number, (of 349 HP) meaning that it can use the Life Orb 11 times instead of ten times. the rest of the EVs are placed into attack, maximizing Zekrom´s damage potental.

Damage Calculations - assuming Zekrom has a Rash nature

Zekrom´s Focus Blast vs 252 HP / 252 SpD Sassy Ferrothorn: 65.3 - 77.3%

Zekrom´s Bolt Strike vs 252 HP / 0 Def Sassy Ferrothorn: 32.7 - 38.6%

Zekrom´s Draco Meteor vs 112 HP / 0 SpD Adamant Groudon: 91.3 - 107.6%

Zekrom´s Draco Meteor vs 252 HP / 0 SpD Impish Groudon: 83.4 - 98.3%

 
Ability Nature Item HP Atk. Def. SpAtk. SpDef. Speed
Teravolt Hasty choice band 0 252 0 4 0 252
There are no current set statistics analysed






Banded Zekrom possesses a lot of power, so most Pokemon can not switch into its attacks easily. For the first two slots, Bolt Strike and Outrage are used because they are Zekrom´s best Stab moves for the job. One has to be wary of using Outrage though, as a misprediction may cost Zekrom its life and allow the opponent to set up. For the third slot, Dragon Claw really is the best option, as it hits most of the Ubers for neutral damage at the worst, and it doesn´t keep Zekrom from switching out. Dragon Claw also provides Zekrom with a sweeping move, or a move better suited for the late stages of battles. The fourth slot is used to hit some Zekrom counters while still giving Zekrom a strong, decent move. Draco Meteor is recommended, as it allows Zekrom to hit Groudon hard. Volt Switch, on the other hand, allows Zekrom to scout and figure out the opponent´s strategy.

Additional Comments

For the EVs and nature, a Jolly nature should be used, along with max speed and attack EVs, to damage and outspeed (or speed-tie) as much as possible.

 
Ability Nature Item HP Atk. Def. SpAtk. SpDef. Speed
Teravolt Brave life orb 0 252 4 252 0 0
There are no current set statistics analysed






Because of its relatively low speed in Ubers, Zekrom can make for an excellent Trick Room Sweeper. A lot of Pokemon will fall to its attacks, especially since Zekrom is running an attack-boosting nature for this set. As always, Zekrom´s first two moves should be Bolt Strike and Outrage, simply because they are Zekrom´s two strongest physical stab moves. Dragon Claw is recommended over anything else for the third slot because it provides Zekrom with a good, consistent, sweeping move that doesn´t have any bad side-effects. Volt Switch does have its merits though, as it allows Zekrom to switch out to a Pokemon that can set up Trick Room on the final turns of Trick Room. The fourth slot is for a special move, so that Zekrom can hit some physically defensive Pokemon hard. Draco Meteor is recommended here, as it is not resisted by many Pokemon in the Uber tier, and it hits Groudon for a great amount of damage. Again, Volt Switch can be used here to allow Zekrom to switch out to a Pokemon that can set up Trick Room.

Additional Comments

The EVs and nature are not hard to figure out. Since speed isn´t needed for this kind of set, max attack and special attack EVs are used. A Brave nature is used, along with 0 speed IVs, to make Zekrom as slow and as powerful as possible. On the off chance that Zekrom is using Dragon Claw and Volt Switch for the last two moves, a spread of 252 Atk and 252 HP EVs can be used, since Zekrom doesn´t really need to boost the power of Volt Switch.

Team Mates

Zekrom´s main counters are Groudon and Ferrothorn, therefore a Pokemon that can deal with both of them can be a good counter. Max speed Reshiram can dispatch of both of them, as it destroys Groudon through Sun-boosted Blue Flares, while destroying Ferrothorn much the same way. Mixed Rayquaza can work much the same way here, destroying Groudon with Draco Meteors and Ferrothorn with Fire Blasts. Defensively, Steel Pokemon can work well with Zekrom, as they resist Zekrom´s Ice and Dragon weaknesses. Forretress, Scizor and Magnezone can both work well, as they both resist Ice and Dragon moves while Forretress and Scizor take neutral damage from ground moves. Magnezone can also trap and destroy Ferrothorn, which can be helpful later in the match.

Other Options

Thunder - Could be used on most of these sets. However, Zekrom´s other moves, namely Outrage, Bolt Strike, and Draco Meteor will usually work better in nearly every situation in Ubers.

Stone Edge - Could be used primarily to beat Ho-oh; however Zekrom has Bolt Strike to deal with Ho-oh.

Fusion Bolt - Could be used for a more consistent Electric move, accuracy wise. however, the difference in power from Bolt Strike is fairly significant.

Reflect and Light Screen - Could be used, but there some Pokemon that do the Screening job better than Zekrom.

Charge Beam - Could be used for a gimmicky Specially Mixed Sweeper set. However, Zekrom is usually too slow to pull this off.

Hone Claws - Could be used to boost Zekrom´s high attack stat to even higher levels, but again, Zekrom is usually too slow to effectively pull this off.

Focus Blast - Could be used to hit Nattorei and Magnezone for super-effective damage, but Zekrom usually doesn´t have room for it in its sets, barring the mixed wallbreaker set.

Thunder Wave - Could be used to slow down the opponent.

Dragon Tail - Could be used to phaze the opponent out. Zekrom is not really suited for phazing though.

Usual Counters

Groudon can effectively counter most Zekrom sets, since it resists Bolt Strike and Volt Change, while not taking much damage from Outrage. Groudon also can dispatch of Zekrom with Earthquake. The combination of Electric and Dragon moves is almost an unresisted combination, however Ferrothorn and Magnezone resist both of those moves and can be considered counters. As for checks, anything that can deliver powerful hits and that can outspeed Zekrom can be a check. Some examples of checks are Palkia, Garchomp, and Mewtwo. Also, since Zekrom almost always uses Electric and Dragon-typed attacks, and since many of Zekrom´s sets tend to be choiced, Zekrom can be checked through careful switching as well, like switching Garchomp into a predicted Bolt Strike.

Opinion

Zekrom looks to become one of the premier users of Choice Scarf this generation. It has the tools to achieve this; it has great attacking stats, access to Volt Switch, and an almost unresisted move combination. Zekrom´s speed will let it down at times, but Zekrom can serve you well when used correctly.

Credits

I give credit to Serebii for the move, stat, and other information concerning Zekrom. I also give credit to the page on Smogon concerning Zekrom also. I give credit to DDWhiscash for the images, and DDWhiscash and Hyperbeem for the original analysis portions. I give credit to all of the helpful people on TU for their suggestions for this analysis.

If any of you have any thoughts, suggestions, or comments, please SPEAK UP! I appreciate all, thought out, suggestions, and I will add your set to this page if I think that it is good enough.

From,

Steel Dragons











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