Competitive Focus: Zoroark

Hey guys, Jonny here! So I have been thinking about starting a set of competitive battle strategy articles for the 5th gen. So without further ado let’s get them started!

I’ll start off with the first 5th generation pokemon revealed, and one of my favorites, Zoroark. With base speed of 105 and a special attack of 120 *plus* a fairly diverse movepool zoroark can be an impressive sweeper.

  • Ability: Illiusion – Zoroark’s abilty though intresting isnt that helpful in battle unless you get lucky and it causes an opponent to switch.
  • Item: Life Orb
  • Nature: Modest
  • EVs: Sp Atk – 252 / Speed – 252 / HP – 6
  • Night Burst
  • Focus Blast
  • Flamethrower
  • Hidden Power [Psychic]

The idea here is to hit things hard without having to set up.  Night burst zoroark’s main stab move takes care of ghost and psychic, while also hitting any other pokemon pretty hard if it switches in.  Focus blast helps take care of pesky special walls like Blissey.  Flamethrower is for any bug or steel switch in’s. Watch out for Shandera and Heatran.  Lastly HP (Psychic) is for Fighting types like the ‘all mighty’ Roopushin.  Be careful when battling against them (or many other fighting types) as they can be equipped with mach punch and can OHKO Zoroark.

Switching in on a psychic is your best bet seeing how Zoroark is immune to any psychic moves it carries.  Wait to see if the opponent is scarfed or banded in anyway and switch in on a move that won’t hurt zoroark too badly, seeing how zoroark’s defense and special defense aren’t the best.

Because zoroark is one of my favorite 5th generation pokemon I’m glad to see its stats are decent.  What do you guys think.?  Any other moveset you believe would work?  Leave it in the comments below and tell me what you think about zoroark as far as competive battling.  Hope you guys enjoyed!

-Jonny

PJ’s Note: Jonny is our fearless mod over in Chat who takes care of dealing with the hordes of anons that sometimes hop into it :3