Big 5 TSS + Zapdos ft. FireGrass Gengar
This is a Big 5 TSS team with Zapdos as its last pokemon. The idea behind using Zapdos is to ameliorate Big 5 TSS’s bad matchups against Milotic stall, CroCune and BoldCune. I’ve made it to 1500s on the ladder with this many times and won a few games in Advanced League.
Pokepaste: Zapdos Big 5(FireGar) (pokepast.es)
Team-building Process
1. I wanted to build around HP Ice ProTox Zapdos as I had heard it was a very good wall-breaker.
2. As Zapdos pairs very well with spikes, I added a Taunt Skarmory next.
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3. Tyranitar was added as it’s Sand complements Skarmory’s spikes very well. It also switches in on an scares out common Zapdos switchins like Blissey, Celebi and Sp.Def Jirachi and forces them out. This racks up more spikes damage as well.
+ +
4. As I wanted this to be a Skarm Bliss balance team, Blissey was added as my choice of special wall. It has a lot of longevity and can pressure other Blissey with Toxic.
+ + +
5. WOW Gengar was added to help pressure opposing special walls like opposing Blissey, Jirachi, Celebi etc and also to spinblock.
6. Defensive Swampert was added as an obligatory rock resist.
Set Descriptions
Angry Bird (Zapdos) @ Leftovers
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 2 Atk / 30 Def
- Thunderbolt
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Toxic
- Protect
Standard offensive Zapdos. HP Ice is used over Grass to help break through Milotic + Celebi cores as well as 0hko Breloom and Salamence. Helps vs Milotic, Rest(Talk) Suicune and MixMence. Protect + Toxic + Spikes helps pressure Blissey and Celebi and eventually beats them. Toxic also ruins Jolteon. Protect helps vs CB users, especially lead Metagross, Aero, Jolly Mence and Tyranitar. In the lead slot, it can be used to scout the sets of opposing Metagross and Tyranitar.
Dino (Tyranitar) (F) @ Leftovers
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 8 SpD
Adamant Nature
IVs: 30 SpD / 30 Spe
- Rock Slide
- Earthquake
- Hidden Power [Bug]
- Focus Punch
Standard BKC Tar. Sand complements spikes. Switches in on and forces out most common Zapdos answers like Rachi, Bliss, Celebi etc. Also provides a secondary check to Calm Mind users like Raikou, Jirachi etc. in case Blissey gets trapped by Dugtrio. Helps vs all three DD users in a pinch if healthy. Helps vs Sub CM Rachi.
Steel Bird (Skarmory) (F) @ Leftovers
Ability: Keen Eye
EVs: 252 HP / 160 SpD / 96 Spe
Careful Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Spikes
- Taunt
- Roar
- Toxic
Spikes and Roar are self-explanatory. Taunt stops Blissey and Milotic from healing and opposing Skarmory from using Spikes. Toxic helps vs Bulky Starmie and Offensive Swampert. EV’d to out-speed standard Milotic. Helps vs Aero and Metagross and forms first part of the famous SkarmBlissPert defensive core.
Blob (Blissey) @ Leftovers
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 Def / 112 SpA / 144 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Soft-Boiled
- Ice Beam
- Toxic
- Fire Blast
Main special wall of the team. Toxic pressures opposing Blissey. IB is for Dugtrio and Salamence. The extra speed lets you outspeed and heavily damage Skarmory and Bulky Metagross with Modest Fire Blast. Currently considering a different last move, maybe Seismic Toss or Wish.
Mountain (Swampert) (F) @ Leftovers
Ability: Torrent
EVs: 240 HP / 136 Def / 40 SpA / 48 SpD / 44 Spe
Relaxed Nature
- Earthquake
- Ice Beam
- Hydro Pump
- Protect
Obligatory rock resist. Speed lets you out-speed Blissey and SpA helps put more pressure on Skarmory. It switches into CB Aero and checks DD Tar and Mence pretty well(making up for the non-bulky, non-IP Gengar). It’s also decent vs non HP Grass Jirachi and Raikou in a pinch.
Spooky (Gengar) @ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 168 HP / 164 SpD / 176 Spe
Timid Nature
- Will-O-Wisp
- Giga Drain
- Fire Punch
- Explosion
Gengar lures in and uses Explosion on special walls like Blissey and Regice so that Zapdos can run wild. WOW helps ruin Jirachi. Giga Drain helps block spin from Claydol and Fire Punch helps hit Skarmory and Metagross harder. 330 speed lets it serve as the team’s main form of speed control. It helps it not be free entry for Sub Punch Charizard. Giga Drain helps vs MixTar and gives you a decent chance vs Pursuit Tar if played well.
Threat List
Superachi and Sub CM + Dugtrio can be scary if played well.
Sub Punch and Beat Up Charizard are very tough to switch into.
Well played MixMence can be really dangerous.
:Vapeoreon: Offensive Sub Pass + Dugtrio is very tough to switch into.
Mag Dol teams can be pretty rough if played well.
This is a Big 5 TSS team with Zapdos as its last pokemon. The idea behind using Zapdos is to ameliorate Big 5 TSS’s bad matchups against Milotic stall, CroCune and BoldCune. I’ve made it to 1500s on the ladder with this many times and won a few games in Advanced League.
Pokepaste: Zapdos Big 5(FireGar) (pokepast.es)
Angry Bird (Zapdos) @ Leftovers
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 2 Atk / 30 Def
- Thunderbolt
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Toxic
- Protect
Steel Bird (Skarmory) (F) @ Leftovers
Ability: Keen Eye
EVs: 252 HP / 160 SpD / 96 Spe
Careful Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Spikes
- Taunt
- Roar
- Toxic
Blob (Blissey) @ Leftovers
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 Def / 112 SpA / 144 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Soft-Boiled
- Ice Beam
- Toxic
- Fire Blast
Dino (Tyranitar) (F) @ Leftovers
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 8 SpD
Adamant Nature
IVs: 30 SpD / 30 Spe
- Rock Slide
- Earthquake
- Hidden Power [Bug]
- Focus Punch
Mountain (Swampert) (F) @ Leftovers
Ability: Torrent
EVs: 240 HP / 136 Def / 40 SpA / 48 SpD / 44 Spe
Relaxed Nature
- Earthquake
- Ice Beam
- Hydro Pump
- Protect
Spooky (Gengar) @ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 168 HP / 164 SpD / 176 Spe
Timid Nature
- Will-O-Wisp
- Giga Drain
- Fire Punch
- Explosion
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 2 Atk / 30 Def
- Thunderbolt
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Toxic
- Protect
Steel Bird (Skarmory) (F) @ Leftovers
Ability: Keen Eye
EVs: 252 HP / 160 SpD / 96 Spe
Careful Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Spikes
- Taunt
- Roar
- Toxic
Blob (Blissey) @ Leftovers
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 Def / 112 SpA / 144 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Soft-Boiled
- Ice Beam
- Toxic
- Fire Blast
Dino (Tyranitar) (F) @ Leftovers
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 8 SpD
Adamant Nature
IVs: 30 SpD / 30 Spe
- Rock Slide
- Earthquake
- Hidden Power [Bug]
- Focus Punch
Mountain (Swampert) (F) @ Leftovers
Ability: Torrent
EVs: 240 HP / 136 Def / 40 SpA / 48 SpD / 44 Spe
Relaxed Nature
- Earthquake
- Ice Beam
- Hydro Pump
- Protect
Spooky (Gengar) @ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 168 HP / 164 SpD / 176 Spe
Timid Nature
- Will-O-Wisp
- Giga Drain
- Fire Punch
- Explosion
Team-building Process
1. I wanted to build around HP Ice ProTox Zapdos as I had heard it was a very good wall-breaker.
2. As Zapdos pairs very well with spikes, I added a Taunt Skarmory next.
+ 3. Tyranitar was added as it’s Sand complements Skarmory’s spikes very well. It also switches in on an scares out common Zapdos switchins like Blissey, Celebi and Sp.Def Jirachi and forces them out. This racks up more spikes damage as well.
+ + 4. As I wanted this to be a Skarm Bliss balance team, Blissey was added as my choice of special wall. It has a lot of longevity and can pressure other Blissey with Toxic.
+ + + 5. WOW Gengar was added to help pressure opposing special walls like opposing Blissey, Jirachi, Celebi etc and also to spinblock.
6. Defensive Swampert was added as an obligatory rock resist.
Set Descriptions
Angry Bird (Zapdos) @ Leftovers
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 2 Atk / 30 Def
- Thunderbolt
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Toxic
- Protect
Standard offensive Zapdos. HP Ice is used over Grass to help break through Milotic + Celebi cores as well as 0hko Breloom and Salamence. Helps vs Milotic, Rest(Talk) Suicune and MixMence. Protect + Toxic + Spikes helps pressure Blissey and Celebi and eventually beats them. Toxic also ruins Jolteon. Protect helps vs CB users, especially lead Metagross, Aero, Jolly Mence and Tyranitar. In the lead slot, it can be used to scout the sets of opposing Metagross and Tyranitar.
Dino (Tyranitar) (F) @ Leftovers
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 8 SpD
Adamant Nature
IVs: 30 SpD / 30 Spe
- Rock Slide
- Earthquake
- Hidden Power [Bug]
- Focus Punch
Standard BKC Tar. Sand complements spikes. Switches in on and forces out most common Zapdos answers like Rachi, Bliss, Celebi etc. Also provides a secondary check to Calm Mind users like Raikou, Jirachi etc. in case Blissey gets trapped by Dugtrio. Helps vs all three DD users in a pinch if healthy. Helps vs Sub CM Rachi.
Steel Bird (Skarmory) (F) @ Leftovers
Ability: Keen Eye
EVs: 252 HP / 160 SpD / 96 Spe
Careful Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Spikes
- Taunt
- Roar
- Toxic
Spikes and Roar are self-explanatory. Taunt stops Blissey and Milotic from healing and opposing Skarmory from using Spikes. Toxic helps vs Bulky Starmie and Offensive Swampert. EV’d to out-speed standard Milotic. Helps vs Aero and Metagross and forms first part of the famous SkarmBlissPert defensive core.
Blob (Blissey) @ Leftovers
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 Def / 112 SpA / 144 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Soft-Boiled
- Ice Beam
- Toxic
- Fire Blast
Main special wall of the team. Toxic pressures opposing Blissey. IB is for Dugtrio and Salamence. The extra speed lets you outspeed and heavily damage Skarmory and Bulky Metagross with Modest Fire Blast. Currently considering a different last move, maybe Seismic Toss or Wish.
Mountain (Swampert) (F) @ Leftovers
Ability: Torrent
EVs: 240 HP / 136 Def / 40 SpA / 48 SpD / 44 Spe
Relaxed Nature
- Earthquake
- Ice Beam
- Hydro Pump
- Protect
Obligatory rock resist. Speed lets you out-speed Blissey and SpA helps put more pressure on Skarmory. It switches into CB Aero and checks DD Tar and Mence pretty well(making up for the non-bulky, non-IP Gengar). It’s also decent vs non HP Grass Jirachi and Raikou in a pinch.
Spooky (Gengar) @ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 168 HP / 164 SpD / 176 Spe
Timid Nature
- Will-O-Wisp
- Giga Drain
- Fire Punch
- Explosion
Gengar lures in and uses Explosion on special walls like Blissey and Regice so that Zapdos can run wild. WOW helps ruin Jirachi. Giga Drain helps block spin from Claydol and Fire Punch helps hit Skarmory and Metagross harder. 330 speed lets it serve as the team’s main form of speed control. It helps it not be free entry for Sub Punch Charizard. Giga Drain helps vs MixTar and gives you a decent chance vs Pursuit Tar if played well.
Threat List
Superachi and Sub CM + Dugtrio can be scary if played well. Sub Punch and Beat Up Charizard are very tough to switch into. Well played MixMence can be really dangerous.:Vapeoreon: Offensive Sub Pass + Dugtrio is very tough to switch into.
Mag Dol teams can be pretty rough if played well.
