[OVERVIEW]
Zygarde-10%'s high Speed stat combined its access to Thousand Arrows makes it a potent attacker, being able to threaten many common Pokemon in the tier such as Latias, Cobalion, and Rotom-W. It also has access to Extreme Speed to pick off weakened threats. However, while its Speed stat is solid, it is also where it falls short. Zygarde-10% still loses to many of the faster Mega Evolutions in the tier such as Mega Aerodactyl, Mega Sceptile, and Mega Manectric, the latter being a Pokemon it cannot check despite its Ground typing. Zygarde-10% also has to risk Speed ties with Pokemon such as Starmie and Raikou, and it is vulnerable to priority moves from the likes of Scizor and Mamoswine due to its poor bulk. Even with a Choice Band, Zygarde-10% still falls short of many KOs on Pokemon such as Primarina and even Cobalion. Zygarde-10% is also walled by common defensive threats such as Gliscor, Swampert, and Alomomola, meaning it has to lock itself into Outrage or predict well with Toxic to gain any leverage against these type of teams.
[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: Thousand Arrows
move 2: Outrage
move 3: Extreme Speed
move 4: Toxic / Earthquake
item: Choice Band
ability: Aura Break
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Thousand Arrows is very difficult to switch into when backed by Choice Band. No Pokemon being immune to it and few resisting it means that Zygarde-10% can simply use this attack and do serious damage. Outrage is Zygarde-10%'s secondary STAB move, being much more powerful and 2HKOing Pokemon such as Gliscor and Jellicent on the switch after Stealth Rock damage. It also complements Toxic nicely, since it allows Zygarde-10% to defeat defensive Pokemon such as Hippowdon, Alomomola, and Slowbro if they have been poisoned. Extreme Speed has decent power behind a Choice Band, allowing Zygarde to pick off weakened threats such as Mega Beedrill and +1 Mega Sharpedo. While Toxic is the preferred option in the final slot, since it improves Zygarde-10%'s matchup against bulkier teams, Earthquake can be used to OHKO Primarina and Cobalion after Stealth Rock, as Thousand Arrows either is a roll or fails to KO them. It also lets Zygarde-10% 2HKO Sylveon on the switch, which can avoid the 2HKO from Thousand Arrows and shrug off a Toxic with Heal Bell.
Set Details
========
Zygarde-10% sits a solid Speed tier, so it should maximize its Speed with 252 EVs and a Jolly nature to Speed tie with Raikou, Starmie, and Azelf and outpace Pokemon such as Infernape and Latias. The remaining EVs are invested into Attack with a Choice Band so Zygarde-10% can hit as hard as possible, boosting its mediocre base 100 Attack stat. Sadly, Zygarde-10% is stuck with a useless ability in Aura Break.
Usage Tips
========
Zygarde-10% should take advantage of Pokemon such as Rotom-W and Klefki to spam Thousand Arrows. However, there are few instances where Zygarde-10% will use its other moves. Outrage is used to pick up OHKOs and 2HKOs on Pokemon such as Heracross and Gliscor. It also forces defensive Suicune to use Rest. Extreme Speed can force out or wear down the many fast Mega Evolutions in the tier such as Mega Manectric, Mega Beedrill, and Mega Sceptile. If the opponent has a Pokemon that walls Zygarde-10%, such as Hippowdon or Alomomola, Toxic should be used to cripple it. Zygarde-10% should be played very aggressively in such matchups because it cannot get any leverage otherwise. Against more offensive teams, spamming Thousand Arrows is not a bad idea due to their lack of good Pokemon that resist it and reliance on defensive pivots that lack recovery or simply cannot switch in such as Swampert and Rotom-W, respectively.
Team Options
========
Spikes support from Klefki is greatly appreciated because it allows Zygarde-10% to secure the OHKO on Cobalion and lets Zygarde-10% play safer against more defensive teams because it does not have to risk overpredicting with a Steel-type staying in expecting a Toxic. This set fits best on more offensive teams, as they complement Klefki the best. Toxic Spikes support is still an option, however, so Zygarde-10% does not have to rely on using Toxic too much or using Earthquake at all. Nihilego and Tentacruel are viable options for this. Zygarde-10% often has trouble getting in because most Pokemon it takes advantage of threaten it back too: Rotom-W can use Will-O-Wisp, Klefki can use Dazzling Gleam, and Latias can use Draco Meteor. Because of this, VoltTurn support makes it much easier for Zygarde-10% to get in. Mega Beedrill is solid, since it can also set up Toxic Spikes and get Zygarde-10% in on Pokemon that Mega Beedrill usually lures in such as Cobalion and Doublade. Rotom-W is a solid teammate as well, spreading burns and chipping at Pokemon such as Latias and Mega Altaria for Zygarde-10%. Mega Manectric is similarly a good teammate, but both Pokemon have trouble dealing with Hippowdon and Swampert. Finally, while Toxic is a way for Zygarde-10% to deal with its defensive answers, it is not always practical. Wallbreakers such as Swords Dance Cobalion, Infernape, and Heracross can pressure physical walls.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Zygarde-10% can use Iron Tail to surprise Mega Altaria, Togekiss, and Sylveon, but it is usually not worth dropping Toxic to beat Pokemon such as Hippowdon and Alomomola. Zygarde-10% cannot use non-Choice Band sets such as Coil effectively due to its poor bulk. However, a Dragon Dance set with Dragonium Z or Groundium Z can work under certain circumstances.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Physical Walls**: Zygarde-10% is not strong enough to break physical walls such as Hippowdon, Swampert, Gliscor, Suicune, and Alomomola without using Toxic on the switch or locking itself into Outrage.
**Faster Attackers**: Zygarde-10% is frail, meaning many of the faster attackers in the tier OHKO it with ease. Mega Aerodactyl, Mega Beedrill, Mega Manectric, Mega Pidgeot, and Choice Scarf users such as Latias and Infernape can pick it off. Mega Sceptile can switch into Thousand Arrows and force it out.
**Priority**: Zygarde-10%'s poor bulk makes it vulnerable to priority. Mamoswine can pick it off easily with Ice Shard, though it should watch out for Extreme Speed. Scizor and Crawdaunt can also force it out with their strong priority attacks.
**Pokemon That Can Tank a Hit**: Zygarde-10% is strong with a Choice Band, but not strong enough. Many Pokemon in the tier such as Primarina, Mega Altaria, Togekiss, Mega Aggron, and Mega Blastoise can easily tank a Thousand Arrows and OHKO Zygarde-10% back. Zygarde-10% is also forced to lock itself into Outrage if it wants to deal with Pokemon such as Heracross and Hydreigon, placing it in awkward positions.
Zygarde-10%'s high Speed stat combined its access to Thousand Arrows makes it a potent attacker, being able to threaten many common Pokemon in the tier such as Latias, Cobalion, and Rotom-W. It also has access to Extreme Speed to pick off weakened threats. However, while its Speed stat is solid, it is also where it falls short. Zygarde-10% still loses to many of the faster Mega Evolutions in the tier such as Mega Aerodactyl, Mega Sceptile, and Mega Manectric, the latter being a Pokemon it cannot check despite its Ground typing. Zygarde-10% also has to risk Speed ties with Pokemon such as Starmie and Raikou, and it is vulnerable to priority moves from the likes of Scizor and Mamoswine due to its poor bulk. Even with a Choice Band, Zygarde-10% still falls short of many KOs on Pokemon such as Primarina and even Cobalion. Zygarde-10% is also walled by common defensive threats such as Gliscor, Swampert, and Alomomola, meaning it has to lock itself into Outrage or predict well with Toxic to gain any leverage against these type of teams.
[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: Thousand Arrows
move 2: Outrage
move 3: Extreme Speed
move 4: Toxic / Earthquake
item: Choice Band
ability: Aura Break
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Thousand Arrows is very difficult to switch into when backed by Choice Band. No Pokemon being immune to it and few resisting it means that Zygarde-10% can simply use this attack and do serious damage. Outrage is Zygarde-10%'s secondary STAB move, being much more powerful and 2HKOing Pokemon such as Gliscor and Jellicent on the switch after Stealth Rock damage. It also complements Toxic nicely, since it allows Zygarde-10% to defeat defensive Pokemon such as Hippowdon, Alomomola, and Slowbro if they have been poisoned. Extreme Speed has decent power behind a Choice Band, allowing Zygarde to pick off weakened threats such as Mega Beedrill and +1 Mega Sharpedo. While Toxic is the preferred option in the final slot, since it improves Zygarde-10%'s matchup against bulkier teams, Earthquake can be used to OHKO Primarina and Cobalion after Stealth Rock, as Thousand Arrows either is a roll or fails to KO them. It also lets Zygarde-10% 2HKO Sylveon on the switch, which can avoid the 2HKO from Thousand Arrows and shrug off a Toxic with Heal Bell.
Set Details
========
Zygarde-10% sits a solid Speed tier, so it should maximize its Speed with 252 EVs and a Jolly nature to Speed tie with Raikou, Starmie, and Azelf and outpace Pokemon such as Infernape and Latias. The remaining EVs are invested into Attack with a Choice Band so Zygarde-10% can hit as hard as possible, boosting its mediocre base 100 Attack stat. Sadly, Zygarde-10% is stuck with a useless ability in Aura Break.
Usage Tips
========
Zygarde-10% should take advantage of Pokemon such as Rotom-W and Klefki to spam Thousand Arrows. However, there are few instances where Zygarde-10% will use its other moves. Outrage is used to pick up OHKOs and 2HKOs on Pokemon such as Heracross and Gliscor. It also forces defensive Suicune to use Rest. Extreme Speed can force out or wear down the many fast Mega Evolutions in the tier such as Mega Manectric, Mega Beedrill, and Mega Sceptile. If the opponent has a Pokemon that walls Zygarde-10%, such as Hippowdon or Alomomola, Toxic should be used to cripple it. Zygarde-10% should be played very aggressively in such matchups because it cannot get any leverage otherwise. Against more offensive teams, spamming Thousand Arrows is not a bad idea due to their lack of good Pokemon that resist it and reliance on defensive pivots that lack recovery or simply cannot switch in such as Swampert and Rotom-W, respectively.
Team Options
========
Spikes support from Klefki is greatly appreciated because it allows Zygarde-10% to secure the OHKO on Cobalion and lets Zygarde-10% play safer against more defensive teams because it does not have to risk overpredicting with a Steel-type staying in expecting a Toxic. This set fits best on more offensive teams, as they complement Klefki the best. Toxic Spikes support is still an option, however, so Zygarde-10% does not have to rely on using Toxic too much or using Earthquake at all. Nihilego and Tentacruel are viable options for this. Zygarde-10% often has trouble getting in because most Pokemon it takes advantage of threaten it back too: Rotom-W can use Will-O-Wisp, Klefki can use Dazzling Gleam, and Latias can use Draco Meteor. Because of this, VoltTurn support makes it much easier for Zygarde-10% to get in. Mega Beedrill is solid, since it can also set up Toxic Spikes and get Zygarde-10% in on Pokemon that Mega Beedrill usually lures in such as Cobalion and Doublade. Rotom-W is a solid teammate as well, spreading burns and chipping at Pokemon such as Latias and Mega Altaria for Zygarde-10%. Mega Manectric is similarly a good teammate, but both Pokemon have trouble dealing with Hippowdon and Swampert. Finally, while Toxic is a way for Zygarde-10% to deal with its defensive answers, it is not always practical. Wallbreakers such as Swords Dance Cobalion, Infernape, and Heracross can pressure physical walls.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Zygarde-10% can use Iron Tail to surprise Mega Altaria, Togekiss, and Sylveon, but it is usually not worth dropping Toxic to beat Pokemon such as Hippowdon and Alomomola. Zygarde-10% cannot use non-Choice Band sets such as Coil effectively due to its poor bulk. However, a Dragon Dance set with Dragonium Z or Groundium Z can work under certain circumstances.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Physical Walls**: Zygarde-10% is not strong enough to break physical walls such as Hippowdon, Swampert, Gliscor, Suicune, and Alomomola without using Toxic on the switch or locking itself into Outrage.
**Faster Attackers**: Zygarde-10% is frail, meaning many of the faster attackers in the tier OHKO it with ease. Mega Aerodactyl, Mega Beedrill, Mega Manectric, Mega Pidgeot, and Choice Scarf users such as Latias and Infernape can pick it off. Mega Sceptile can switch into Thousand Arrows and force it out.
**Priority**: Zygarde-10%'s poor bulk makes it vulnerable to priority. Mamoswine can pick it off easily with Ice Shard, though it should watch out for Extreme Speed. Scizor and Crawdaunt can also force it out with their strong priority attacks.
**Pokemon That Can Tank a Hit**: Zygarde-10% is strong with a Choice Band, but not strong enough. Many Pokemon in the tier such as Primarina, Mega Altaria, Togekiss, Mega Aggron, and Mega Blastoise can easily tank a Thousand Arrows and OHKO Zygarde-10% back. Zygarde-10% is also forced to lock itself into Outrage if it wants to deal with Pokemon such as Heracross and Hydreigon, placing it in awkward positions.
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