Community POTW #49

[Serebii]

Time for another Pokémon of the Week



This week we'll be doing Zebstrika, one of the Unova Pokémon

http://www.serebii.net/pokedex-bw/523.shtml

Zebstrika is a cool Zebra with some decent movesets and passable stats

Go nuts, BUT STAY ON TOPIC. If you go off topic, I'll infract you

[grantholomew]

Suicide Zebstrika
Zebstrika @ Focus Sash
Trait: Sap Sipper
EVs: 4 HP/252 Atk/252 Spd
Jolly (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Wild Charge
- Flame Charge
- Pursuit
- Thrash/Double-Edge
Yeah…Zebstrika doesn’t really have the best moveset…basically, attack until you die…

[Ttar's stone edge]

Zebstrika, a cool new pokemon in black and white, is a cool looking pokemon, with some good abilities, but sadly, godawful defence at base 63 each. It's abilities below, then a few move sets.

Lightningrod
When hit with an Electric-type move, Special Attack is boosted by 1 stage. All Electric-type attacks are drawn to this Pokemon.
Motor Drive
When hit with an Electric-type move, Speed is boosted 1 stage.
Sap Sipper (dream world)
Grants immunity to Grass-type moves and boosts Attack by 1 stage when hit by a Grass-type move.

Of the three here, all are practical, and allow for some attempted sweeping, as they all bost one element of it's sweep attempts (speed or attack).

Now a few quick move sets

Zebstrika @Life Orb
Lightningrod
Timid
252 Sp att 252 Hp 4 spd

Thunderbolt
Hidden Power Ice
Overheat
Protect

A rather basic set, designed to switch into a electric move to receive a Sp att boost, and go for the sweep. Ev's for logical reasons, with a dash (excuse the pun) of speed to keep it ahead of the opposition. Thunderbolt is STAB, and should be on every electric pokemon for it's awesome power and accuracy. Overheat for steels who would attempt to wall, and Hp ice for coverage and dragons with protect to stall and check moves.

The same set could be used for OU, with the application of Sap sipper, when swapping between Swampert, and the odd quagsire (i've seen it executed). The set would be same above, but sap sipper, with Flame charge for the grass types that wanted a 4x against the mentioned ground/water types, and a speed boost as well

That wraps it up from me, im sure similar sets will show up soon. I loved using this thing in my White playthough, it's just a shame there is not a lot that can be done for it's defenses.

[Zachmac]

If you're playing DW, Sap Sipper is probably better, since it raises attack. Lightingrod is okay, but it won't benefit from the sp.attack boost much. Motor Drive could boost it's speed, but it oustpeeds Raikou and anything slower already.

I've heard overheat works well, since it hits grass types who resist electric, most notably Ferrothorn.

Not much of a movepool here...I'd probably use Wild Charge/Double Edge/Overheat/Volt Switch. Naive or Hasty, max attack/speed. It could make good use of Volt Switch with that high speed.

It looks like it might be able to pull off a specs set. Outclassed by escavalier, though.

Zebstrika @ Choice Specs
Timid/252sp.att/252speed
-Thunderbolt/Thunder
-Volt Switch
-Overheat
-HP Ice/Grass

Thunderbolt or Thunder, depending on if you're using a rain team or not. Volt Switch works well with it's high speed, and can be used to scout. Overheat is explained above. HP ice is nearly perfect coverage with Thunderbolt, only stopped by Magnazone, Shedinja, and Lanturn, two of which are KOed by Overheat. HP grass hits bulky waters/ground types, like Gastrodon and Swampert.

[TimmahX]

Flame Charge Sweeper
EVs: 252 Atk, 252 Spd, 4 HP
Nature: Adamant / Jolly
Item: Life Orb
Ability: Sap Sipper / Motor Drive

- Wild Charge
- Flame Charge
- Double Kick / Double-Edge / Pursuit / Volt Switch / Thunder Wave
- Double Kick / Double-Edge / Pursuit / Volt Switch / Thunder Wave

Zebstrika unfortunately carries a very shallow movepool, which can really hurt it in terms of coverage. Flame Charge makes for a very solid tactic with it however, bringing it's already huge 116 Base Speed to even higher levels. In lower tiers (Where Zebstrika belongs), this can help with opponents like Sceptile and Accelgor outrunning it. It also gives you some leeway to use Adamant nature and have a way to compensate for the speed cut. Wild Charge is a very solid STAB attack. Double Kick busts through Substitutes, Double-Edge gives you... something to use on Ground types? This is where that poor movepool really starts to show. Pursuit can catch things on the run, Volt Switch lets it get out of dodge quickly in a risky situation, and Thunder Wave can paralyze things.

Other Options

- Light Screen: Zebstrika is pretty frail, so it shouldn't be focusing on screens. It does stand to gain from it though, but other screeners tend to be better.
- Overheat: A solid one off hit, though it's a shame that it weakens Volt Switch and is backed by Base 80 Special Attack.

Countering Zebstrika

Ground Type ruin Zebstrika, period. Priority is a solid way to get around its high speed, giving Pokemon like Breloom, Hitmontop, Conkeldurr, and Lucario leeway to get heavy hits in on it. I wouldn't recommend anything with Aqua Jet though, and it resists Bullet Punch. Toxicroak is less reliable since Dry Skin gives it a weakness to Flame Charge and Overheat if it can't down it in one turn, but can be done.

[Zachmac]

^It's faster then Starmie, flame charge is kind of useless.

[Sala-imence]

Zebstrika is one of my favourite pokemon, it looks really cool, and it has decent stats.

Item: Electrc Gem/magnet
Nature: Jolly
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 Spd / 4 HP
Ability: Motor drive
Moveset:
- Wild Charge
- Flame Charge / Pursuit
- Charge
- Light screen

The idea here is to survive one turn using charge, and unleash a powerful wild charge. With the electric Gem coupled with a charge, nothing apart from ground types will stand in your way. Sadly, sap sipper is not an available ability, otherwise that would be the one to have. Flame charge and pursuit are there for finishing off. One gets switchers, the other boosts your speed. Light screen is a move to help your team mates if your other moves just won't do.

[Zachmac]

Zebstrika is one of my favourite pokemon, it looks really cool, and it has decent stats.

Item: Electrc Gem/magnet
Nature: Jolly
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 Spd / 4 HP
Ability: Motor drive
Moveset:
- Wild Charge
- Flame Charge / Pursuit
- Charge
- Light screen

The idea here is to survive one turn using charge, and unleash a powerful wild charge. With the electric Gem coupled with a charge, nothing apart from ground types will stand in your way. Sadly, sap sipper is not an available ability, otherwise that would be the one to have. Flame charge and pursuit are there for finishing off. One gets switchers, the other boosts your speed. Light screen is a move to help your team mates if your other moves just won't do.

It won't be taking hits anyway, so I'd give it the life orb to boost the power of all it's moves. Also, using Charge and then Wild Charge is pretty much equal to using charge twice, and with it's terrible defensive stats, it's just a waste of a move.

[Lucario At Service]

Regarding "Zebstrika" abilities, i think "Sap Sipper" is the best, below is my reasoning for it,

"Lightningrod" (immunity to electric attacks) - its useless as the 'Special Attack' boost isn't useful for it at all (unless you are running a Special set, which isn't going to be used much).

"Motor Drive" (immunity to electric attacks) - it is kind of useful because of the boost in the "Speed" stat, but as 'Flame Charge' is kind of a standard move for "Zebstrika" to use, MD losses its usability. Also since it is an electric type, the chances of anyone using an electric move on it is a lot less (even more with people knowing that it may have this ability).

DW: "Sap Sipper" (immunity to grass attacks) - is the most useful one based on my assumption, as it grants immunity to grass type attack plus boost the 'Attack' stat of "Zebstrika".

[ClefairyRox]

Zebstrika is actually a cool-looking Pokemon. Not too bad stats on the offensive side either: decent base 100 Attack and base 80 Sp. Attack, and a cool base 116 Speed that sets it a notch ahead of Starmie and Raikou and ties with Whimsicott. However, it's defenses are simply awful. 75/63/63 means it really can't take more than a hit or two before going down. It is a bit bulkier than Mienshao and Zoroark, but only a bit.

Zebstrika gets some amazing abilities, too. Lightningrod is probably the best one that's available as of now. An immunity to any Electric attack, especially the omnipresent Thunder Wave, is good enough, but you also get a Special Attack boost to boot? Awesome! Motor Drive provides the same immunity, but boosts Speed instead. However, Zebstrika is quite fast as-is, so Motor Drive isn't as useful to it as say, Electivire. Finally, there's the currently unavailable Sap Sipper. It exchanges the Electric immunity for a Grass immunity and raises Attack instead of Sp. Attack. You lose the Thunder Wave immunity but gain immunities to Stun Spore, Sleep Powder, and Spore, all of which are popular Grass attacks. However, Thunder Wave is still more common than all of those, so it really depends on what you need.

Zebstrika's other flaw is it's TERRIBLE movepool. It's usable special movepool is literally Thunderbolt/Thunder/Discharge, Charge Beam, Volt Switch, Hidden Power, and Overheat (the last of which surprised me greatly). It doesn't fair any better on the physical side, with Quick Attack, Wild Charge, Double Edge/Return, Flame Charge, Pursuit, and Double Kick. So, I suppose the best way to go is a mixed set with max Speed.

Oh, and I forgot to mention that Zebstrika gets the neat little Me First move. It's actually the third-fastest user of the move after Accelgor and Mewtwo, and probably a better user of it than Accelgor because of its balanced offenses (especially after a Lightningrod boost). For those who don't know, Me First uses the move the target is about to use, but with greater power. However, it fails if the user moves last or the target uses a non-attacking move. As people like to attack Zebstrika directly due to its awful defenses, this could prove quite useful.

Countering Zebstrika: The lightning zebra can hit hard, especially after a Lightningrod boost, and despite its small movepool, its coverage is quite good. Ground type Pokemon wall its STAB, though they have to watch for HP Ice or HP Grass. Grass types also sponge Electric attacks, but they won't like Overheat or HP Ice. However, if Zebstrika lacks that Lightningrod boost, its attacks aren't nearly as threatening. Even its supereffective Special Attacks may fail to OHKO. You can also revenge kill it quite easily due to its frailty. Also, as with many fast Pokemon, Trick Room severely cripples it.

[Diaglio]

A Zebra With Power
Zebstrika @ Life Orb
Motor Drive
Jolly
252 Speed, 252 Attack, 4 Hp
-Flame Charge
-Wild Volt
-Thrash
-Pursuit

Flame Charge raises its already high speed. Wild Volt for STAB. Thrash is good neutral coverage and best used when close to fainting. Pursuit can hit Psychics and Ghosts that want to switch.

[10speed12]

Ability:Sap Sipper
Item:life orb
Nature:jolly
Moves:wild charge
flame charge
Rock Smash
Quick Attack
EVs:252 speed, 252 attack, 4 HP

[Vandslaux]

Looks like a pretty decent wallbreaker in NU. Switch in on a Grass attack aimed at Rhydon, kill the Grass-type with Overheat. I'd use some form of mixed EVs with Wild Charge/Overheat/HP Grass/Volt Switch.

Regarding "Zebstrika" abilities, i think "Sap Sipper" is the best, below is my reasoning for it,

"Lightningrod" (immunity to electric attacks) - its useless as the 'Special Attack' boost isn't useful for it at all (unless you are running a Special set, which isn't going to be used much).

"Motor Drive" (immunity to electric attacks) - it is kind of useful because of the boost in the "Speed" stat, but as 'Flame Charge' is kind of a standard move for "Zebstrika" to use, MD losses its usability. Also since it is an electric type, the chances of anyone using an electric move on it is a lot less (even more with people knowing that it may have this ability).

DW: "Sap Sipper" (immunity to grass attacks) - is the most useful one based on my assumption, as it grants immunity to grass type attack plus boost the 'Attack' stat of "Zebstrika".

Both of his released abilities give him an Electric immunity, as well, anyway.


Oh, Reno, when are you going to learn that Shell Smash does NOT give -2 in defenses, you did this for Cloyster as well..

[MuddyMuncher9000]

Choice Band
Adamant Nature
Sap Sipper/Motor Drive
252 Atk 252 Spd 4 HP

-Wild Charge
-Thrash
-Pursuit
-Overheat/Volt Switch/HP Ice

Wild Charge for a powerful STAB, Thrash for good neutral coverage, Pursuit to catch switches, Overheat and HP Ice for grass types (overheat is probably better) and Volt Switch to scout, even though it's a special move and you have not-very-good special attack, even with adamant. It out runs Starmie and Raikou with base 116 Speed.

[Kraleck]

I love this Pokemon. To me, it's what Rapidash should be.

Sap Sipper, while currently unavailable is a great option to save Swampert, Quagsire, or any quad-weak-to-Grass Pokemon. Since it doesn't have access yet, Motor Drive will have to do for now. Lightningrod, while beneficial to your inferior Sp.Atk, is a decent Doubles/Triples option (even if you don't, you can still deter Electric Moves with Zeb's presence alone because of the psych-out factor).

STAB Moves
-While Ground Types and Pokemon with Volt Absorb, Motor Drive, or Lightningrod Ability shut your STAB down, you still need to consider options
-Spark is awesome. A high chance to Paralyze makes your Base 116 Speed that much more of a threat. Low power is a mild issue.
-Wild Charge is equally awesome. The flipside to higher power being recoil is a good tradeoff.
-Thunderbolt, while reliable, uses your rather-average Sp.Atk.
-Charge Beam, while weak, is great for boosting your Sp.Atk.
-Thunder is a great Drizzle-toed slayer, even with your Base 80 Sp.Atk.
-Discharge, like T-bolt, is reliable, plus it gives you Thunder's chance to Paralyze at a tradeoff of lower power than T-bolt.

Other Offensive Moves
-Flame Charge is quite the bread-and-butter Move. Raising your already-high Base 116 Speed gives you a great advantage over quite a few Pokemon.
-Stomp, while mediocre, gives you Para-Flinch hax.
-Double Kick allows you to hit through Substitutes, unless a Ghost Type is behind it.
-Overheat is an unusual option, but good for physically defensive Ice, Steel, and/or Grass Types.
-Me First works quite well with your high Speed, but only if your opponent uses a Type they're weak against (i.e. Rock Types using EQ, Ghost or Psychic Types using Shadow Ball, Dragon Types using Dragon Claw, etc.).
-Pursuit has obvious usage.
-Quick Attack is your only Priority Move, so it, too, must be considered.

Counters
-Aerodactyl and Dugtrio can send EQ your way and boast higher Speed.
-A Hidden Power (Ground) from Accelgor, Electrode, Alakazam, or Sceptile will be likely to ruin your day since they, too, boast higher Speed.
-Entering a Trick Room without any say in the matter opens things up for STAB Ground Moves.
-Ground Types with one of the following secondary Types - Water, Rock, Fire, or Dragon - will wall both your STAB and Flame Charge solidly.
-Dragon Types, in general, wall at least one of the Moves between your STAB and Flame Charge.
-Many Pokemon can shrug off a Physical hit from one Move's Type and boast immunity to the other Move when it comes down to your STAB and Flame Charge.
-Intimidate Ability diminishes your superior Attack, but most Pokemon with it are at least Neutral to one of Electric or Fire.
-Despite the Weakness to Fire, Steelix boasts a huge Defense.
-Cloyster is similar in Defense to Steelix, but must deal with your STAB instead.
-High Defense, in general, allow many EQ or Earth Power users to enter with little opposition. Probopass, Aggron, Cof', Dusknoir, Metagross, Eviolite-clops, and Ferrothorn (without Flame Charge or Overheat to counter it) will stomp you silly with their huge Defense stats (and Ground Move access for most of them).

[Ilan]

At last something FAST torkoal,excavalier,gallade... yep not fast...

I anm angry there wasn't a mixed SS set for torkoal!

abilities:

Lightningrod: already resist electric and outside of a mixed/special set actually pretty useless....

Motor Drive: raises speed when hit by an electric move also get immune from electric atacks but this time raising it's speed.. can't be bad... if you pair it with gyarados or with tornadus you might get the boost especially good against jolteon.

DW:
Sap Sipper: raising attack when hit by a grass move YES PLEASE gastordon,swampert or quagsmire is your partner here.

pros: amazing 116 speed and good 100 attack, good abilities,can go mixed

cons: bad defenses, bad move pool,weak to piriority,good speed don't cover scarfed pokemons.


let's try to put a good set (really just wait for the next main series game to come for gen 5 pokemon most have awful movepools)

Revenge killer
@life orb
EV: 252 speed, 252 attack, 4 HP (the 4 HP evs are important because odd numbers can take more stealth rock hits)
nature: adamant or naughty
Ability: everyone is good priority on sap sipper
wild charge
Return/volt switch
Flame charge
pursuit/quick attack


Wild Charge is STAB gen 5 gave physical electric types a good stab at last! but the recoil is pretty stupid.
Return is a coverage move... I guess while volt switch can make you a scouter, flame charge hit steels especially excavalier (cause you are gonna use it in UU mostly ... right?), pursuit traps ghosts and psychics while quick attack is a finishing move.

on the side note.. thrash is stupid just use return.. only 16 BP below no drawbacks

[ilucado]

Zeb 'Gordon' strika:

Zebstrika @ Air Ballon
Trait: Lightningrod
EVs: 4 HP/252 Atk/252 Spd
Timid (+Spd, -Atk)
- Thunderbolt
- Overheat
- Hidden Power (Ground)
- Toxic/Volt Switch

This is the special version of Zebstrika that I use. Thunderbolt is the reliable STAB move, Overheat hits everything Electric type doesn't (not very useful against Ground-Water types but then again your better switch out against one of these even if you run HP grass)... HP Ground to hit Heatran and Chandelure other fire types. Toxic to leave a present before you die (I prefer this one) or Volt Switch if you prefer abusing Overheat, but then you should be careful with ground types...

[Charizard Lizzy]

Honestly, Zebstrika is quite literally a “one-trick pony”. It’s fast, it can hit hard with its decent Attack stat, it’s really frail, and most of all its shallow movepool entitles approximately ONE set to work with. Although base 116 Speed does allow it to outrun and STAB counter Starmie, which is nice.


Abilities:
Lightningrod – Get struck by an Electric attack, +1 to your Special Attack. This is really the least useful ability for Zebstrika, as it’s strongpoint is its Attack far more than its Special Attack.

Motor Drive – Get hit by an Electric attack, +1 to your Speed. Slightly better, but Zebstrika already outruns many threats as is. Adding even more Speed would be redundant. Besides, if you’re going to have Flame Charge in Zebstrika’s roster, it’ll already gain even more Speed without this ability.

Sap Sipper (Dream World) – You’re immune to Grass-type attacks and gain +1 to Attack when hit by one. This is MUCH better for Zebstrika. This guy has no way to increase his Attack, so something like this is simply amazing, funny enough.



Comin’ in for the kill
Item: Life Orb
Ability: Sap Sipper
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 Spd / 4 HP
Nature: Jolly (+ Spd, - Sp. Atk)
- Wild Charge / Spark
- Flame Charge
- Quick Attack / Stomp / Return / Take Down / Double-Edge
- Pursuit / Double Kick

Well, there’s my attempt at giving Zebstrika some “variety” to choose from. Wild Charge is a powerful Electric-type attack, but deals recoil damage. If that secondary effect is unappealing to you, the only other physical Electric attack Zebstrika has is Spark, but with base 65 power it’s just hilarious to rely on. Flame Charge is pitifully weak, but gives Zebstrika type variety to attack with and ups its Speed. The third slot is filled with Normal-type options. Quick Attack gets priority. Stomp is slightly stronger and has the potential to flinch. Return will deal some serious damage from a perfectly happy Zebstrika. Take Down is another strong option, but gives a little recoil damage. Double-Edge is even stronger (even more than Return), but the recoil is much worse than Take Down’s. Pursuit can hurt Pokémon attempting to switch into a counter. Double Kick, if you’re wanting a Fighting-type attack in your roster, is sadly the strongest one available for Zebstrika (base 60 when used both times).

The Life Orb gives Zebstrika a boost to its attacks. The HP it takes away won’t matter as Zebstrika’s defenses are so awful and therefore not a concern. It’s designed to hit hard and fast, nothing more.


Partners:
If you really want to put such a frail Pokémon in doubles & triples, it would benefit to have a partner with any Grass-type attack to activate Sap Sipper with. Outside of that, you need a counter to any and all Ground-types, as they will bring Zebstrika down quickly.


Countering:
I’ve always seen my opponent turn desperate at the sight of Garchomp on the same field as Zebstrika. Garchomp’s immune to its Electric attack and resists Flame Charge, leaving the last two attacks as its only options. If you’re aware of Zebstrika in your opponent’s team ahead of time, throw them off with a Grass-type that knows Earthquake – Venusaur definitely fits the quota (just watch out for Flame Charge). In general though, if you can survive one of its painful blows, Zebstrika is rather easy to take out because of its horrible defenses. It’s just another one of the many speedy sweepers in the game.


Attacks List:
- Double-Edge – EGG
- Double Kick - EGG
- Flame Charge – Lvl. 18 / TM43
- Pursuit – Lvl. 22
- Quick Attack – Lvl. 1 / Heart Scale
- Return – TM27
- Spark – Lvl. 25
- Stomp – Lvl. 31
- Take Down – EGG
- Wild Charge – Lvl. 47 / TM93

* And now that I’m done with this... Why the absence of Amnesia for Torkoal in the finalized POTW if its Special Defense is so “dire”? And why, WHY did the Shell Smash set have only ONE physical attack mentioned if you’re going to even consider it?!

[Serpentine]

Specialstrika
White Herb
Lightningrod
Modest
252 HP, 252 Sp Atk, 4 Spd

Discharge/Thunderbolt
Overheat
Hidden Power (Grass)
Charge

Discharge can cover more Pokemon and can help team mates with Lightningrod, Motor Drive or Volt Absorb. Plus it has a 30% chance of causing paralysis. Thunderbolt is more powerful but covers only one Pokemon and has a 10% chance of causing paralysis. Overheat covers Grass types and Ferrothorn. Hidden Power (Grass) covers bulky waters and your one weakness, ground. Charge raises Zebstrika's Special Defense and can power up your electric move.

Physicalstrika
Air Balloon/Cell Battery
Sap Sipper/Motor Drive/Lightningrod
Adamant
252 HP, 252 Atk, 4 Spd

Charge/Screech
Spark/Wild Charge
Flame Charge/Overheat
Double Kick

Charge and Screech are obvious. Charge raises Sp. Def and raises the power of your Electric attack. Screech harshly lowers Defense. Spark is weaker but has a high chance of causing paralysis and does fairly good damage. Then Wild Charge is much stronger, however, it has recoil. Flame Charge raises Speed and takes care of Grass types like Ferrothorn. Then there's Overheat that has a lot more power and you won't be hindered by your lowered Sp. Atk much. Double Kick has huge coverage. Sap Sipper is recommended, but some places won't allow dream world abilities that haven't been released yet so either Motor Drive to outspeed more opponents or Lightningrod to protect other Pokemon and help with Overheat.

Specstrika
Choice Specs
Lightningrod
Timid
4 HP, 252 Sp Atk, 252 Spd

Volt Switch
Overheat
Thunderbolt/Discharge
Hidden Power (Grass)

With the Choic Specs, Volt Switch is extremely annoying. It gets STAB and a x1.5 boost. Overheat for grasses, Thunderbolt and Discharge for more power, and Hidden Power for coverage

[The3DOstrich]

It has such a shallow physical movepool, but its not awful.

Zebstrika @ Choice Band
Nature: Naughty / Naive
Ability: Motor Drive / Sap Sipper / Lightningrod
Evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
~ Wild Charge
~ Double-Edge / Return
~ Pursuit
~ Overheat / Flame Charge

It has a good attack stat, so choice band can allow it to hit hard with a limited movepool. Wild Charge is for STAB, hits bulky waters, all that. Double-Edge give you power, while Return prevents recoil. Pursuit hits anything that can flee, especially Psychic / Flying types that fear your STAB. Overheat gives a bit of a surprise, and hits anything that doesn't resist it for hefty damage. However, if you want to be purely physical, Flame Charge is a significantly less powerful alternative. The evs give you max attack and speed, while the 4 SpA evs give Overheat a little push. If using Flame Charge, switch to Adamant or Jolly and put the extra 4 in HP or in your defenses. Motor Drive allows you to grab a speed boost and an attack boost (via Choice Band) if predicted correctly, making Zebstrika truly threatening. However, Sap Sipper gives you an immunity to common Grass type moves (notably Sleep Powder), and gives you massive attack with Choice Band factored in. Lightingrod can be used to give Overheat a bit more power.