Pokemon Scarlet and Violet (SV)

Zoroark Movesets and Best Builds

This is a guide to movesets and best builds for using Zoroark in competitive play for the games Pokemon Scarlet and Violet (SV). Read on for tips on the best Nature, EV spreads, Movesets, Tera Type, and Held Items to use with Zoroark, as well as its strengths and weakness.

Zoroark Base Stats, Type, Ability and Weakness

Paldea #229 Type
Zoroark ImageZoroark
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet SV - Dark Icon
Abilities
Illusion
Weak to:
(2x)
Pokemon Fighting Type Icon Pokemon Bug Type Icon Pokemon Fairy Type Icon
Damaged Normally
By:
(1x)
Pokemon Normal Type Icon Pokemon Fire Type Icon Pokemon Water Type Icon Pokemon Grass Type Icon Pokemon Electric Type Icon Pokemon Ice Type Icon Pokemon Poison Type Icon Pokemon Ground Type Icon Pokemon Flying Type Icon Pokemon Rock Type Icon Pokemon Dragon Type Icon Pokemon Steel Type Icon
Resists: (0.5x)
Pokemon Ghost Type Icon Pokemon Dark Type Icon
Immune to: (0x)
Pokemon Psychic Type Icon

What is Type Effectiveness?

Ability Name Description
Illusion The user enters battle disguised as the last non-fainted Pokemon in the party. The disguise breaks when the user receives damage from an attack but not from weather effects or entry hazards.

Base Stats

Base Stats
Lv. 50 Stats
Stat Value Rank
HP
60
513
Atk
105
174
Def
60
509
SpAtk
120
78
SpDef
60
503
Speed
105
100
Total
510
237
Explanation of Pokemon Stats
Stat Max 0Nat 0EV -Nat Min
HP 167 167 135 135 120
Atk 172 157 125 112 99
Def 123 112 80 72 58
SpAtk 189 172 140 126 112
SpDef 123 112 80 72 58
Spd 172 157 125 112 99
  • Max: Max IVs & EVs and a stat-boosting Nature
  • 0Nat: Max IVs & EVs and a neutral Nature
  • 0EV: Max IVs, 0 EVs, and a neutral Nature
  • -Nat: Max IVs, 0 EVs, and a stat-reducing Nature
  • Min: 0 IVs & EVs, and a stat-reducing Nature
Introduction to EVs, IVs, and Natures

Best Nature for Zoroark

Best Natures
Timid
(+Spe, -Atk)
Modest
(+Sp. Atk, -Atk)

What are Natures?

Singles Movesets for Zoroark

Build Name Recommendation
Choice Scarf Zoroark ★★★
Focus Sash Zoroark ★★★

Choice Scarf Zoroark Moveset & Best Build

Nature Modest (+Sp. Atk, -Atk)
EV Spread 4 HP / 252 Sp. Atk / 252 Spe
Final Stat Values 136 HP / 80 Def / 189 Sp. Atk / 80 Sp. Def / 157 Spe
Ability Illusion
Tera Type Pokemon Fairy Type Icon
Held Item Choice Scarf
Moveset Night Daze
Flamethrower
Tera Blast
Psychic

This Zoroark build capitalizes on Zoroark's high Sp. Atk and Speed to serve as a lead Glass Cannon. By having a slow Pokemon as your last Pokemon, you can catch your opponent off guard, since this build outspeeds most Pokemon, even a Jolly Dragapult.

Night Daze serves as your main damaging move, allowing you to dish out high damage against most Pokemon. With this build, you can OHKO a Dragapult before it gets a chance to land a hit.

Zoroark's Fairy Tera type allows it to resist 2 of its usual counters, while having Flamethrower and Psychic against your new Steel and Poison type weaknesses.

Terastallizing while Illusion is active does not reveal you, so you can catch Dragon Types off guard and hit them with Super Effective Tera Blast without breaking the Illusion.

Other Viable Moves

U-turn An alternative move to switch out safely against bad matchups
Trick Can be taken instead of Psychic to lock your opponent into using only one move
Taunt Can replace Psychic so that Zoroark can distrupt setup sweepers and defensive Pokemon.
Memento A situational move that lowers the target's Atk and Sp.Atk by two stages, but causes Zoroark to faint.

Key Damage Calculations

Attack Icon Pokemon SVDamage Dealt by Zoroark
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet SV - Dragapult Image 163 HP|96 Sp. Def
Defensive EV Investment:
4 Sp. Def
Night Daze
188 ~ 224 (115.3 ~ 137.4%)
Guaranteed OHKO
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet SV - Gholdengo Image 163 HP|111 Sp. Def
Defensive EV Investment:
4 HP
Night Daze
164 ~ 194 (100.6 ~ 119%)
Guaranteed OHKO
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet SV - Salamence Image 170 HP|101 Sp. Def
Defensive EV Investment:
4 Sp. Def
Tera Blast
Tera Type: Pokemon Fairy Type Icon
152 ~ 182 (89.4 ~ 107%)
43.8% Chance to OHKO

Focus Sash Zoroark Moveset & Best Build

Nature Timid (+Spe, -Atk)
EV Spread 4 HP / 252 Sp. Atk / 252 Spe
Final Stat Values 136 HP / 80 Def / 172 Sp. Atk / 80 Sp. Def / 172 Spe
Ability Illusion
Tera Type Pokemon Flying Type Icon
Held Item Choice Scarf
Moveset Night Daze
Nasty Plot
Shadow Ball
U-turn

This Zoroark build focuses on copying a Nasty Plot setter like Gholdengo or Gengar with Illusion.

Setting up with Nasty Plot can throw off your opponent since Gholdengo and Gengar can also start off with Nasty Plot to deal heavy damage. Using Shadow Ball when the Illusion is still up can further throw your opponents off guard, since it is a common move for both Gholdengo and Gengar.

Without Air Balloon and Levitate, Gholdengo and Gengar are weak to Ground type moves, so having a Flying Tera Type covers for that weakness.

Focus Sash gives Zoroark its much needed survivability, since it has very low defenses.

Other Viable Moves

Flamethrower An alternative move that can be taken if you want to copy a Hydreigon.
Focus Blast Alternative move for extra coverage.

Key Damage Calculations

Attack Icon Pokemon SVDamage Dealt by Zoroark
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet SV - Dragapult Image 163 HP|96 Sp. Def
Defensive EV Investment:
4 Sp. Def
Night Daze
174 ~ 206 (106.7 ~ 126.3%)
Guaranteed OHKO
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet SV - Annihilape Image 217 HP|119 Sp. Def
Defensive EV Investment:
252 HP, 68 Sp. Def
+2 Shadow Ball
174 ~ 206 (80.1 ~ 94.9%)
Guaranteed 2-Hit KO
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet SV - Skeledirge Image 210 HP|139 Sp. Def
Defensive EV Investment:
248 HP, 252 Sp. Def
Ability: Unaware
Shadow Ball
120 ~ 144 (57.1 ~ 68.5%)
Guaranteed 2-Hit KO

How to Use Zoroark Effectively

Copy a Slow Pokemon with Illusion

Zoroark's high Speed Stat paired with Choice Scarf allows it to outspeed most Pokemon, so appearing as a slow Pokemon can catch your opponent off guard since they won't expect you to move first.

Copy a Pokemon with Similar Moves

Zoroark has access to a variety of special moves that other Special Attackers can learn as well. Nasty Plot, for example can be learned by Gholdengo, Gengar, and Hydreigon, which all can be copied by Zoroark to bait out attacks.

How to Build a Team with Zoroark

Zoroark's Illusion ability is the key to catch your opponent off guard, so build a team that synergizes well with Illusion.

Scarf Zoroark Sample Team

Lead Attacker Physical Attacker Special Attacker / Illusion
Zoroark ImageZoroark Gyarados ImageGyarados Skeledirge ImageSkeledirge

Skeledirge has a low Speed stat, which is a perfect Illusion for Zoroark, since your opponent will expect it to move after their Pokemon if they're using a fast Pokemon like Dragapult.

Sash Zoroark Sample Team

Lead Attacker Physical Wall Special Attacker / Illusion
Zoroark ImageZoroark Corviknight ImageCorviknight Gengar ImageGengar

Copying Gengar with Illusion allows Zoroark to use Nasty Plot and Shadow Ball to throw your opponent off since they will be unsure if you started with Zoroark or Gengar. This setup also allows you to bait out Psychic and Ghost type moves, giving you a free turn if your opponent uses a Psychic move.

Having Corviknight as a pivot allows you to keep playing mind games against your opponent, since both Pokemon can learn U-Turn.

Counters for Zoroark

Use Special Tanks or Priority Moves

Zoroark's high Special Attack can be stopped easily by Special walls. Once the Illusion is broken, Zoroark is basically left vulnerable, since it has very low defense stats.

High Speed and Special Attack are Zoroark's main assets, so using priority moves that ignore speed checks can eliminate Zoroark quickly.

Best Pokemon to Use

Pokemon Description
Skeledirge ImageSkeledirge Ranking: ★★★★★
・High HP and Sp. Def means it can survive Zoroark's attacks
・Unaware ability allows it to bypass Nasty Plot Boosts
▶️ Skeledirge Best Movesets
Breloom ImageBreloom Ranking: ★★★★★
・Can survive Zoroark's attacks if holding a Focus Sash
・Can OHKO Zoroark with STAB Mach Punch
▶️ Breloom Best Movesets
Dragonite ImageDragonite Ranking: ★★★★
・Multiscale ability allows it to survive Zoroark's attacks
・Can 2HKO Zoroark with Extreme Speed
▶️ Dragonite Best Movesets

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