Zigzagoon** [QC: 2/3]

[trc]

Original analysis written by TRC.. This analysis, among others, had to be completed and submitted in a hurry for Smogon's new dex. The OP here has been fully changed to reflect QC's version of this, written by Heysup. Corkscrew and Al_Alchemist have already QC checked this within the LC QC project and his changes have already been implemented.

Overview
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• Zigzagoon is the only Pokemon in Little Cup gifted with the rare Belly Drum + Extreme Speed combination
• This allows it sweep with +2 priority with a maximized Attack stat
• However, its movepool is relatively sparse which doesn't allow many coverage options
• It is also quite slow, which means that things that resist Extreme Speed can easily revenge kill Zigzagoon

Belly Drum
########
name: Belly Drum
move 1: Belly Drum
move 2: Extreme Speed
move 3: Thief
move 4: Protect / Rock Smash / Iron Tail
ability: Pickup
item: Berry Juice
evs: 132 HP / 196 Atk / 28 Def / 108 SpD / 36 Spe
nature: Adamant


Moves
========

• Belly Drum is used to quadruple Zigzagoon's Attack, giving it an effective 52 Attack stat; this allows it to OHKO the majority of the tier.
• Extreme Speed is Zigzagoon's main STAB move; it is powerful and it has a priority of +2, which means it is almost always guaranteed to go first, and it does massive damage to anything at +6.
• Thief allows it to beat Misdreavus without Hidden Power Fighting if it's at 50%, and it steals Tirtouga's Berry Juice allowing it to take it on 1v1.
• Lots of options for last move. Seed Bomb hits Tirtouga, Onix, and other Rock-types. Rock Smash helps with Pawniard, Ferroseed, and Lileep. Iron Tail hits Spritzee (who survives Extreme Speed) and Lileep and other Rock-types. Protect helps stop Fake Out users such as Aipom and Mienfoo.

Set Details
========

• The EV spread maximizes Zigzagoon's Attack, while also allowing it to survive a Misdreavus's Dazzling Gleam 94% of the time at 50% health, while also letting it live through a Fletchling's 110 BP Acrobatics at 100%. The rest is invested in Speed, which allows it to outspeed Jolly Tirtouga.
• Pickup is convenient to obtain more Berry Juices; while a rare occurence, it is still helpful in some situations
• Berry Juice is to heal back to 100% health after a Belly Drum.

Usage Tips
========

• Zigzagoon is one of those Pokemon with limited mid-game use but incredible late-game power. It can be used as a revenge killer for very weak Pokemon with an unboosted Extreme Speed but almost everything can force it out so its not recommended.
• Zigzagoon is best used late in the game when the opponent's counters are weakened or gone, and the opponent sends out a Pokemon that can't otherwise hurt Zigzagoon enough to stop set up.

Team Options
========

• Stealth Rock or Spikes are necessary to remove Sturdy or Focus Sash.
• Reflect, Light Screen, Encore, Safeguard and Memento greatly aid Zigzagoon in its setting up.
• It needs help with some of its counters. Pursuit users such as Pawniard or Houndour help in removing Ghost-types. Houndour can also weaken opposing Rock-types with its wall-breaking capabilities.
• Knock Off support from Mienfoo or Pawniard also help, as even at +6 Zigzagoon struggles to KO really bulky mons such as Vullaby and Spritzee.
• Zigzagoon appreciates the use of lures such as Heat Wave Vullaby to weaken counters such as Pawniard.

Other Options
########

• Gluttony + Salac Berry + 196 Atk / 28 Def / 28 SpD / 196 Spe. This set uses Gluttony to get to +6,+1 straight away, allowing it to outspeed all unboosted Pokemon. This really helps against things such as Misdreavus who it can now outspeed and hit with Thief.
• Gunk Shot will OHKO Spritzee with a slightly greater accuracy than Iron Tail.

Checks & Counters
########
**Ghost-types**: Resisting Extremespeed and usually outspeed, Misdreavus, Gastly and Drifloon can all give Zigzagoon trouble.

**Rock-types**: Rock-types resist Extremespeed and can usually deal good damage to Zigzagoon as it is quite frail. Examples include Lileep, Tirtouga, Archen, Dwebble, and Onix.

**Steel-types**: Steel-types such as Pawniard and Magnemite resist Extremespeed and can hit back hard, whereas Ferroseed can also survive a hit, and either Gyro Ball or Thunder Wave, as the latter will give Zigzagoon a 25% chance of not doing anything, allowing even a frail teammate to take it out (though it is unreliable).

**Fake Out**: If Zigzagoon is not carrying Protect, Fake Out Pokemon are very annoying as it usually cannot set up and remain at full health.

 

[trc]

As I don't have a copy of X or Y, I need someone to verify something. The move "Play Rough" is mentioned in the research thread as a Move Relearner move. Does this allow Zigzagoon to learn it if it had been transported from the event? If this is unknown, I have a RNG'd flawless nature set of Extreme Speed Zigzagoon still on my Gen 3 games.

 

[Corporal Levi]

Pokemon Showdown says Play Rough is illegal, so I'm not sure.
Would any of Rock Smash, Return, and Thief warrant use instead? Return guarantees the OHKO on foongus/berry juice magnemite I think, and can sometimes OHKO hippopotas and slowpoke, especially with hazard support.

 

[Darkamber8828]

• Seed Bomb's main use is to get past the bulkier Rock-types in the tier that resist Extreme Speed, but it also has the advantage of being able to OHKO Hippowdon at +6

hippopotas

also

+6 196+ Atk Zigzagoon Play Rough vs. 0 HP / 36 Def Eviolite Pawniard: 16-19 (76.1 - 90.4%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock
+6 196+ Atk Zigzagoon Rock Smash vs. 0 HP / 36 Def Eviolite Pawniard: 28-36 (133.3 - 171.4%) -- guaranteed OHKO

Play Rough doesn't really hit anything that resists Normal.

 

[T-Bolt]

• In addition, while it could originally only use the useless ability Pickup with Extreme Speed, the introduction of the Ability Capsule item means that it can use its other ability, Gluttony, which allows it to use a Salac Berry immediately after a Belly Drum, lessening its reliance on Extreme Speed and letting it use its coverage moves more effectively

Actually, pickup isn't useless. It got new mechanics this gen, now the pickup user can pick up held items that were used previously in battle. Yes, this means that you can potentially pickup a berry juice and restore your health in the midst of battle, thus making Pickup the superior option IMO.

I haven't really tried this out so.... Source :http://www.serebii.net/xy/pickup.shtml

 

[Rowan]

No play rough. Don't use it. you're not hitting anything. Instead Thief should definitely be the primary slash. With thief you beat Berry Juice Misdreavus (even at 50% health) 1v1 if it's not carrying HP fighting. If you're at +6, 50% health, dazzling gleam will do less than 50% so you can just OHKO it. if it burns you, you don't OHKO but you steal it's berry juice, making you full health again so you can KO it next turn. Thief also allows you to beat berry juice Tirtouga 1v1. as Thief+Espeed KOs. if it decides to set up, you win and gain berry juice. if it decides to attack you outspeed, get berry juice and survive a hit whilst you're at full health. So yeah... imo it should be BD, Espeed, Thief, SeedBomb/Protect.

The spread should be... EVs: 132 HP / 196 Atk / 28 Def / 108 SpD / 36 Spe Adamant Nature. This is what allows you to take less than 50% from dazzling gleam 94% of the time and survive gligar's 110Bp acrobatics 94% of the time. the 36 Spe is just leftover but allows you to outspeed jolly tirtouga and uninvested archen, which isn't that relevant but w/e.

also pickup>gluttony, for reasons T-Bolt mentioned. It doesn't happen often but I have managed to pickup someone's berry juice in a clutch situation. don't slash salac. you want to survive things then heal back up to full health (stuff like Gligar's acrobatics) and use Espeed as your primary form of attacking. Salac+gluttony with a spread of 196 atk/196 spe/28def/28 SpD should go in other options.

that's my thoughts on the set, I think it should be like that, before you start on the rest of the analysis.

 

[Swamp-Rocket]

Zigzagoon doesn't learn Play Rough. Only Linoone does.

 

[trc]

hippopotas
also
+6 196+ Atk Zigzagoon Play Rough vs. 0 HP / 36 Def Eviolite Pawniard: 16-19 (76.1 - 90.4%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock
+6 196+ Atk Zigzagoon Rock Smash vs. 0 HP / 36 Def Eviolite Pawniard: 28-36 (133.3 - 171.4%) -- guaranteed OHKO
Play Rough doesn't really hit anything that resists Normal.

Thank you, I'll put Rock Smash in.

Actually, pickup isn't useless. It got new mechanics this gen, now the pickup user can pick up held items that were used previously in battle. Yes, this means that you can potentially pickup a berry juice and restore your health in the midst of battle, thus making Pickup the superior option IMO. I haven't really tried this out so.... Source :http://www.serebii.net/xy/pickup.shtml

Ah. Ok, it isn't useless but I still think that the ability to get a Salac Berry boost after a BD is much more beneficial.

Zigzagoon doesn't learn Play Rough. Only Linoone does.

Thank you very much.

No play rough. Don't use it. you're not hitting anything. Instead Thief should definitely be the primary slash. With thief you beat Berry Juice Misdreavus (even at 50% health) 1v1 if it's not carrying HP fighting. If you're at +6, 50% health, dazzling gleam will do less than 50% so you can just OHKO it. if it burns you, you don't OHKO but you steal it's berry juice, making you full health again so you can KO it next turn. Thief also allows you to beat berry juice Tirtouga 1v1. as Thief+Espeed KOs. if it decides to set up, you win and gain berry juice. if it decides to attack you outspeed, get berry juice and survive a hit whilst you're at full health. So yeah... imo it should be BD, Espeed, Thief, SeedBomb/Protect.

The spread should be... EVs: 132 HP / 196 Atk / 28 Def / 108 SpD / 36 Spe Adamant Nature. This is what allows you to take less than 50% from dazzling gleam 94% of the time and survive gligar's 110Bp acrobatics 94% of the time. the 36 Spe is just leftover but allows you to outspeed jolly tirtouga and uninvested archen, which isn't that relevant but w/e.

also pickup>gluttony, for reasons T-Bolt mentioned. It doesn't happen often but I have managed to pickup someone's berry juice in a clutch situation. don't slash salac. you want to survive things then heal back up to full health (stuff like Gligar's acrobatics) and use Espeed as your primary form of attacking. Salac+gluttony with a spread of 196 atk/196 spe/28def/28 SpD should go in other options.

that's my thoughts on the set, I think it should be like that, before you start on the rest of the analysis.

I see where you're coming from. I will put all of these suggestions in. What is the reasoning for the Salac EV spread?

 

[Rowan]

I see where you're coming from. I will put all of these suggestions in. What is the reasoning for the Salac EV spread?

If you're using Salac Berry, the main idea is to outspeed things... This means you'll need to invest in enough speed to reach at least 14 speed, which allows you to outspeed all unboosted Pokemon in Little Cup, so you can do things like outspeed Misdreavus. Also, the EV spread allows you to survive Gligar's Acro at full health, not at 50%. The point is that you can set up on Gligar if you have full health.

 

[trc]

Ok I've changed the Gligar thing.

 

[trc]

So, if Misdreavus is handled by Thief, what would some checks and counters be?

 

[Kavatika]

TRC. if you reserved this, I need a link to the post. I'm working on update to the reservation list, and I found no reservation for this. If you can't provide a request post, I highly recommend you reserve it, else I will request that this be locked.

 

[trc]

TRC. if you reserved this, I need a link to the post. I'm working on update to the reservation list, and I found no reservation for this. If you can't provide a request post, I highly recommend you reserve it, else I will request that this be locked.

http://www.smogon.com/forums/thread...reservation-index.3495980/page-5#post-5165748

 

[Goddess Briyella]

This Pokemon, as is the case with many others, was on a list of Pokemon that were high priority and needed to have completed skeletons for Smogon's new dex as soon as possible. As such, the OP of the thread has been fully edited to reflect the QC team's writeup of this Pokemon, as it will make things run a lot faster.

Thank you for understanding. :)

 

[Al_Alchemist]

Lol I don't remember saying that I QC approved this, but regardless of whether I did or not, this analysis looks good.

One thing I'd mention, though, is an alternative spread for people who like more defensive bulk and care more about physical attackers than special attackers:

EVs: 52 HP / 196 Atk / 188 Def / 28 SpD / 36 Spe

Seems to be pretty good so far as it can Belly Drum on a Memento'd Meditite at 100% HP, then OHKO it back with Extremespeed, because:

-2 196+ Atk Pure Power Meditite Drain Punch vs. 52 HP / 188 Def Zigzagoon (21 HP with my spread): 18-24 (85.7 - 114.2%) -- 6.3% chance to OHKO
(18, 18, 18, 20, 20, 20, 20, 20, 20, 20, 20, 20, 20, 20, 20, 24)

+6 196+ Atk Zigzagoon Extreme Speed vs. 116 HP / 156 Def Eviolite Meditite: 21-25 (100 - 119%) -- guaranteed OHKO
(21, 21, 21, 21, 22, 22, 22, 22, 22, 22, 24, 24, 24, 24, 24, 25)

Also, it speedties or outspeeds Bulky Meditite (depending on the spread, but the one it the analysis it will outspeed) so it can dodge Fake Out by using Extremespeed.

Mention that somewhere, or if you find a better alternative defensive spread, add it in and officially I acknowledge you the QC 2/3.

 

[trc]

Lol I don't remember saying that I QC approved this, but regardless of whether I did or not, this analysis looks good.

One thing I'd mention, though, is an alternative spread for people who like more defensive bulk and care more about physical attackers than special attackers:

EVs: 52 HP / 196 Atk / 188 Def / 28 SpD / 36 Spe

Seems to be pretty good so far as it can Belly Drum on a Memento'd Meditite at 100% HP, then OHKO it back with Extremespeed, because:

-2 196+ Atk Pure Power Meditite Drain Punch vs. 52 HP / 188 Def Zigzagoon (21 HP with my spread): 18-24 (85.7 - 114.2%) -- 6.3% chance to OHKO
(18, 18, 18, 20, 20, 20, 20, 20, 20, 20, 20, 20, 20, 20, 20, 24)

+6 196+ Atk Zigzagoon Extreme Speed vs. 116 HP / 156 Def Eviolite Meditite: 21-25 (100 - 119%) -- guaranteed OHKO
(21, 21, 21, 21, 22, 22, 22, 22, 22, 22, 24, 24, 24, 24, 24, 25)

Also, it speedties or outspeeds Bulky Meditite (depending on the spread, but the one it the analysis it will outspeed) so it can dodge Fake Out by using Extremespeed.

Mention that somewhere, or if you find a better alternative defensive spread, add it in and officially I acknowledge you the QC 2/3.

I added in the defensive spread, but in regards to Fake Out, unless I am missing something, doesn't it always have +3 priority while Extreme Speed only has +2?

 

[Al_Alchemist]

You are not missing something I am just retarded and forgot. Good job xD.

 

[Kavatika]

remove mentions of banned mons and add more stuff that can beat zigzagoon in C&C (ferroseed, archen, magnemite, Dwebble, etc)

 

[Heysup]

dwebble archen and magnemite are pretty unreliable since Thief or ExtremeSpeed + Pick Up. Anyway this looks fine. QC approved (if I need to re-approve it).

 

[trc]

i can elaborate on the individual mons in the write up for not-definite cases of x beating y. also i think i got rid of all the tite and co mentions. ill get onto writing it.

 

[Celestavian]

I don't see a mention of Fighting-types as good teammates anywhere, which they certainly are. Taking out all of the Rock- and Steel-type Pokemon that resist Extreme Speed while also smacking around Ghosts with Knock Off means that most of Zigzagoon's counters are taken care of. The only thing they can't check is Spritzee. I'd put them over Houndour as it's recommended teammate, but you can also mention Houndour somewhere else.

Other than that, this looks good.

QC 3/3

 

[Goddess Briyella]

This analysis has been reassigned and the new writer has made a new thread for it, so I'll be locking this one.