Draft - Zeraora [GP 1/1] (2024)

[overview]
**Draft Order**: Early round 1 onwards

**Price Range**: 18-19 points

**Overview**: With its beyond elite Speed, strong and diverse coverage, and mixed setup capabilities, and potence as a premier Z Captain (RC) Zeraora is one of the most centralizing and flexible Pokemon in the metagame. Zeraora added flexble since i removed the sentence later It is also an incredible user of Z-Crytsals Z-Crystals, (AC) as it moves first against every relevant foe beyond Speed-boosted ones and can use an incredibly strong move—usually tailored to defeat its typical checks—or simply remove a looming threat. Zeraora is incredibly flexible due to its stat spread, viable items, and therefore roles which makes it an incredibly ideal Pokemon to lead a roster (RP) this is basically the first sentence It is only ever so slightly held back by mediocre bulk and relatively average attacking stats when unboosted, (AC) but even so, it may easily circumvent these weaknesses.

[strategy comments]
Common Roles
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**Fast-AttackingFast Wallbreaker**: Zeraora can use its amazing Speed to strongly attack before nearly any foe with its wide and powerful coverage. Often these These sets will often use a Z-Crystal or damage-boosting item to hit desired thresholds and wear down the opposing team. these sets are able to hit It can be run both physically and specially, (AC) and will it usually keep keeps up momentum in the game with fast STAB Volt Switch.

**Setup Sweeper**: With either Bulk Up or Calm Mind, Zeraora can become stronger and bulkier simultaneously to either sweep an entire game or create massive holes in the opposing team. These sets can use Z-Crystals to KO targets they that usually would not be able to and are incredibly potent as it is very difficult to revenge Zeraora due to its outstanding Speed survive. Another result of its elite Speed is the flexibilty flexibility to invest heavily in bulk, (AC) which makes revenging revenge killing these sets even more of a nightmare.

**Late-game Cleaner**: Once an opposing team is weakened, Zeraora can often close out games with ease due to its near uncontested near-uncontested Speed. With one of its few drawbacks being good albeit unremarkable attacking stats, earlier game early-game wallbreaking from teammates can often facilitate Zeraora it to be an elite closer once it is well positioned.

**Utility Pivot**: A slightly rarer role, in In a pinch, (AC) Zeraora can make for a great supportive Pokemon by pivoting with Volt Switch and removing items with Knock Off. These sets may also spread Toxics status with Toxic, Thunder Waves Wave, and even employ Discharge to hamper the opposing team for teammates to thrive later game late-game. These sets will often go on the bulkier end, (AC) using and may use items such as Assault Vest or and healing items to shore up their longevity if non-damaging moves are not required.

Common Moves
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**Primary STAB Moves**: Plasma Fists, Thunderbolt, Discharge

**Setup Moves**: Bulk Up, Calm Mind

**Utility Moves**: Volt Switch, Taunt, Substitute, Toxic, Thunder Wave, Brick Break

**Coverage**: Close Combat, Knock Off, Low Kick, Fire Punch, Grass Knot, Hidden Power, Iron Tail, Focus Blast, Drain Punch, Acrobatics, Outrage

Niche Moves
========
**EndeavourEndeavor**: Due to it's its high Speed, Zeraora can usually get off an Endeavour Endeavor on any foe as a way to quickly weaken them it if Zeraora is low on health.

**Giga Impact**: Giga Impact is used in conjunction with a Normallium-Z Normalium Z as its strongest means of hitting some targets who that are not weak to any of its coverage and resist it's Electric its Electric-type STAB moves.

**Quick Attack**: Quick Attack is used as Zeraora's sole priority option to move before foes using that use their own priority or who outspeed it to pick off KOs. This attack also has the benefit of becoming Electric-type after Plasma Fists is used which can buff its power tremendously (RP). (AP) It only lasts for the turn plasma fists is used, so this is not possible

**Throat Chop**: Zeraora may use Throat Chop as a way to prevent sound moves or into against Dark-weak Pokemon that will likely be holding a Z-Crystal, thus leaving Knock Off unboosted. This also has the niche application of being a stronger Z-Move than Knock Off.

**Bounce**: Bounce will can be used in conjunction with Flyinium-Z Flyinium Z as Zeraora's strongest way to hit some Flying-weak foes that check Zeraora. These will be Grass-type foes for the most part it, mainly Grass-types.

**Work Up**: Work Up can very occasionally outclass Calm Mind and Bulk Up, (AC) as although it will does not increase the Zeraora's bulk of Zeraora, it can allow mixed sets to boost both its attacking stats simultaneously.

Common Items
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**Z-Crystal**: Zeraora can use a wide variety of Z-Crystals to make it an incredibly effective wallbreaker, sweeper, and even cleaner. Zeraora It commonly will use Electrium-Z uses Electrium Z to makes it's its STAB moves incredibly difficult for foes to absorb and muscle through most foes. Common coverage options such as Fightinium-Z Fightinium Z, Firium-Z Firium Z, Grassium-Z will and Grassium Z can be used tp to blow through checks, (AC) but however there are niche applications for even moreZ-Moves more Z-Moves to beat foes, (AC) making Z-Captain Zeraora one of the very best Z-Captain options in the entire format.

**Expert Belt**: With excellent Speed and coverage, a kick from Expert Belt can be all that Zeraora need to begin picking up many OHKOs and 2HKOs. It's Its common coverage options can often hit entire teams super effectively, (AC) thus making the lack of drawback and noticeable damage boost of this item stand out.

**Shuca Berry**: One of the most common answers to Zeraora will be is an opposing Ground-type absorbing its Plasma Fists or Volt Switch and threatening a KO in return. Shuca Berry can allow Zeraora it to withstand a Ground Ground-type attack and use moves such as Grass Knot or and Hidden Power Ice to handle its most notable checks (RC); (ASC) even if they are resistance Berry lures, (AC) it will likely come comes out on top with a Shuca Berry.

**50%Pinch Berries**: The 50% berries Pinch Berries may be used to give Zeraora greatly appreciated additonal additional longevity. This can be used to wallbreak in the earlier game early-game and keep it as an option to clean up later on, (AC) as Zeraora will become it becomes more challenging to remove. These will also find use to give a second life to utility sets.

**Choice Band**: Choice Band is incredibly valuable on Zeraora to boost its strong physical moves to great greater heights and overcome it's more good than great Attack. Zeraora. (AP) It can outspeed virtually any foe and deal huge damage with spammable options such as Plasma Fists and Close Combat, (AC) although these sets can be prediction reliant prediction-reliant.

Niche Items
========
**Leftovers**: Leftovers are is useful to improve the longevity of setup sets and utility sets. In particular, setup sets will sometimes use Substitute and with Bulk Up or Calm Mind, (AC) which greatly appreciates appreciate Leftovers lengthening their lifetime on the field.

**Lum Berry**: When Taunt or Substitute cannot be fit as due to other moves are being required, Zeraora can use a Lum Berry to a void avoid a Burn, (AC) which mitigates that will mitigate physical sets, (AC) or a poison, (AC) which removes that will remove the longevity of slower-paced sweeping sets.

**Choice Specs**: Choice Specs can be used when Zeraora has a good matchup with its special coverage and can freely dish off boosted Volt Switches Switch to weaken walls and maintain momentum.

**Assault Vest**: Zeraora can shore up its special bulk with an Assault Vest to withstand and sponge many extra hits. These sets will are not be passive by any means, (AC) but however they can function in more of a supportive way by pivoting and removing items. Assault Vest comes at pretty little drawback as Zeraora has excellent attacking moves to fill a set with (RP)

**Choice Scarf**: Although it is not commonly needed do due to Zeraora's elite unboosted Speed, a Choice Scarf Zeraora will lets it outspeed the entire meta as a form of ultimate insurance and will even outpace outpaces a vast majority of foes with +2 boosts to their Speed.

**Air Balloon**: Similarly to Shuca Berry, Air Balloon can be used to avoid super effective Ground-type attacks that threaten Zeraora. An added benefit of this item in particular is the ability to switch directly into said attacks if it is intact.

Draft Strategy
========
As a near consensus early first round first-round pick, Zeraora is the star of the show that you should be looking to support and enable. It should be drafted with he the intention of being a Z-Captain on any roster, (AC) and teammates should be able to allow its wealth of different offensive roles to flourish while covering for its weaknesses. The following teammates will help Zeraora flourish:

**Entry Hazards**: With elite Speed and a good but not great Attack, Zerora Zeraora loves the extra chip damage of entry hazards to put foes in KO range. This support will allow Zeraora allows it to focus on cleaning or sweeping weakened teams, (AC) which is what it does best, especially as a Z-Crystal user. Hazard setters such as Uxie, Skarmory, and Nidoking make good teammates.

**Ground-type Checks**: Zeraora matches the worst into against opposing Ground-types with due to a weakness to their STAB moves and limited special options to attack them that usually do not deal quite enough damage. Flying immunities and resistances Flying-immune or -resistant Pokemon such as Latios, Serperior, and Celesteela that can check most Ground-types defnesively defensively and offensively help facilitate Zeraora tremednously tremendously.

**Wallbreakers**: Without the use of it's its Z-Crystal or a Choice item, (AC) Zeraora can deal slightly underwhelming damage, especially if its Electric STAB is moves are not free to use. Some wallbreakers to that can soften up opposting opposing teams and allow Zeraora it to clean and sweep, (AC) like Zygarde, Mega Garchomp, and Kartana, (AC) will greatly aid Zeraora it.

**Pivots**: Unless it is a bulkier utility-oritented utility-oriented set, wallbreaking and sweeping Zeraora variants need good positioning and safe entry to thrive due to its solid but not great bulk. Tornadus-T, Scizor, and Mesprit (RC) can all force switches that bring Zeraora it in to do what it does best.

Checks and Counters
========
**Ground-types**: Ground Ground-type Pokemon are almost always the best check to Zeraora, (AC) as they can usually absorb its coverage with ease and KO it back. These Pokemon can force items like Shuca Berry, disrupt your momentum, and also force mixed or special sets with Grass Knot or Hidden power Ice (RC) which can all hurt if you do not have good ways to handle them otherwise. Foes like Landorus-T, Garchomp (RC) the Landorus formes and Landorus Garchomp are excellent offensive checks that can put heavily pressure heavily on Zeraora, (AC) whereas defensive checks like Nidoking, Steelix, and Stunfisk can also check it by threatening it with solid damage however they will also while typically be being harder to break.

**Choice Scarfers Scarf users**: Although it's Zeraora's Speed is incredible, many Pokemon can equip a Choice Sarf Scarf to get the jump on Zeraora it and KO it. Itdoes It does not have any ways to boost its Speed beyond an item, (AC) thus opposing Speed-boosters Speed boosters like Infernape, Kartana, and Hydreigon feel free to use other examples, there weren't examples here before can be problematic and force it out often.

**Chip Damage**: Besides sweeping variants, most Zeraora sets will want to enter the battle on multiple occasions and thus can get worn down into KO range over the course of a match with their middling bulk. Entry Hazrads hazards can quickly wear it down Zeraora as it enters the field, Rocky Helmet can often punish its plethora of common contact moves, and status such as burn and poison will rack racks up quickly, all causing Zeraora it to become more easily revenge killed.

[credits]
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