The Best Moveset for Galarian Zapdos in Pokemon GO

Pokemon GO has finally brought over the highly anticipated Galarian variants of Kanto's legendary bird trio. Aside from being the first regional variants of Legendary Pokemon in the franchise, they pave the way for more instances of Pokemon from the Galar region to make their way to the game.

The last time players saw Pokemon from the eighth generation make their way to the mobile game was in August 2021 in the final part of the Ultra Unlock event. With talks of the event making a comeback circulating on the internet, it is fitting to see more Pokemon from Galar make an appearance as the event potentially makes its way to live servers.

However, in the case of Galarian Zapdos, players who have been lucky enough to get their hands on one may be tempted to throw it immediately into the competitive Battle League. Though it is tempting, a certain level of game knowledge regarding the player's Pokemon of choice must be considered before starting a fight.

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Analyzing Galarian Zapdos in Pokemon GO

Official artwork for Galarian Zapdos used throughout the franchise (Image via The Pokemon Company)

Unlike the standard variant of Zapdos that most players are familiar with, Galarian Zapdos trades in its Electric-typing for a Fighting one. This leaves Galarian Zapdos as a Flying and Electric-type Pokemon. This results in a variant of Zapdos that is worse off as its original typing was much superior both offensively and defensively.

Galarian Zapdos' typing and stats best suit its position in an offensive role in Pokemon GO. With how great offensive Fighting-types are at cleaving through the Steel-types that dominate the higher tiers, Galarian Zapdos fits right in. Galarian Zapdos boasts an attack stat of 252, a defense of 189, and stamina of 207.

Given Galarian Zapdos' new arrival in Pokemon GO, the Pokemon still has room for tons of experimentation in terms of its counters and what it counters. However, given its typing, its biggest problem will be trying to find a way to bypass the ever-present Fairy-type Pokemon in most tiers of play.

For potential movesets, Zapdos has the worst selection out of the trio in Pokemon GO. This is because it only has one fast attack and two viable charged attacks. However, it does have one of the best fast attacks in the game, Counter. This gives the Pokemon a role as a mid-game sweeper, thanks to the heavy damage it can inflict.

For its charged attacks, players should prioritize getting Brave Bird first, as this gives Galarian Zapdos the most coverage and utility out of both of its typings. Players with the resources to unlock the second attack slot can opt for Close Combat, as this allows for additional burst Fighting-type damage.

In summary, Galarian Zapdos has a lot of potential in Pokemon GO's competitive scene. Its excellent attack and relatively balanced defensive stats give it firm enough ground to stand on in battle. This Pokemon may even have the stats and damage to stand alongside Machamp, Lucario, and Conkeldurr.