Zapdos Guide: Buff and How to Steal

This is a guide on the Wild Pokemon Zapdos in Pokemon UNITE. Read on to know what rewards you get for defeating Zapdos, best strategy, how to steal, and more!

Zapdos Catch 'Em Battles Info

A new game mode called Catch 'Em Battles, allows players to catch Wild Pokemon like Zapdos and use them in battle!

Catch 'Em Battles Moves and Details
Zapdos	Moves	Zap Cannon Thunder
	Points	30
	Spawn Details	Spawns at 3:00
	Spawn Location	Bottom Spawns at the area below the bottom lane.

Catch ’Em Battles Guide

Zapdos Rewards

Grants Aeos Energy

Defeating Zapdos will reward your team with a huge amount of Aeos Energy. The player who takes down to Zapdos will get 30 Aeos Energy, while all their teammates get 15 Aeos Energy.

Like other wild Pokemon, it is important to deliver the final hit to Zapdos so your team can get the bonus effects, as even if your team does 99% of the damage to Zapdos, the opposing team can steal all the rewards just by getting the final blow.

Does not Include KOed Teammates

The additional 20 Aeos Energy will not be rewarded to team members who have yet to respawn from getting knocked down. Since fighting Zapdos will be a team effort, it is best to protect each other by providing buffs or absorbing most of the damage if your Pokemon has high Endurance. Moreover, it is not recommended to stop fighting Zapdos if a teammate falls just for the sake of getting the full value.

Charges Enemy Goal Zones

Aside from the extra Aeos Energy, the remaining enemy Goal Zones on the mini map will have a timer placed on them, indicating that you can score instantly without the need to charge.

Take note that the points you get from defeating Zapdos must still be scored in the enemy goal to add to your team's overall points. Otherwise, it will not be counted in the final tally.

Yellow Arrows Indicate Nearest Goal Zone

Upon beating Zapdos, Yellow Arrows will appear below your Pokemon. These will point you to the nearest enemy Goal Zone that you can score in.

When Does Zapdos Appear?

Time Remaining	Location
2:00

Zapdos will spawn when there is 2 minutes left in the match. It will appear in the Legendary Pit, which is located at the central part of the map within the Jungle area. Once it spawns, both teams will get an alert, and the Objective Pokemon icon () will appear on the mini map.

Zapdos Respawn Time

Zapdos can only be defeated once per match. Unlike other wild Pokemon, Zapdos does not respawn after defeating it.

How to Beat Zapdos Strategy

3:00~ Reserve Unite Moves for Zapdos

When fighting Zapdos, it is advised to go all out with your powerful moves to defeat it fast as possible. If your team is planning to take the Zapdos objective, it is best to save your Unite Moves and Held Item for the Zapdos fight, especially when the final stretch is near.

When your Unite Move is still on cooldown, you can defeat wild Pokemon or score goals to reduce the cooldown time!

Unite Moves Guide: How to Use

2:15~ Gather Your Teammates Near Zapdos

Winning a Zapdos fight alone will be near impossible! It will require the entire team's presence to defeat it efficiently. Before heading to Zapdos, be sure to rally your teammates by sending out a Ping near the Zapdos area. This will make sure that you will fight Zapdos altogether, instead of seperate timings.

Remember, overcommitting to Zapdos will leave your goals open for a while as fighting it will take a lot of effort. So, you and your team should coordinate and make sure that Zapdos is a top priority before setting out to capture it.

2:00~ Fighting Zapdos

The Wall Near Zapdos will Rise

Before Zapdos Appears	After Zapdos Appears

When Zapdos finally appears in the middle of the map, the wall above it will rise. Be careful not to get boxed in with Zapdos to avoid getting caught in its powerful AoE moves. Once Zapdos is defeated, the wall will be lowered again.

Focus All Attacks on Zapdos Over the Enemy

Your opponents will be bound to stop your team at all costs when they spot you contesting Zapdos. When they ambush you, it is important to focus your attacks on Zapdos, especially when it is already low on HP. Remember, dealing the last hit to Zapdos is all that matters to get its reward and effect!

It is important that the Defender or All-Rounder Pokemon absorb most of the damage dealt by Zapdos while stunning it as much as possible. This will allow a ranged Attacker Pokemon to focus its attacks and moves on Zapdos without getting interrupted.

Have One Ally Guard the Area

For safety, an ally can survey the area and check if there are enemies near the Zapdos area. A Speedster will be great for this as they can easily move around and alert the team.

What to Do after Defeating Zapdos

Go Straight to Enemy Goal Zones

Enemy Base Shortcut

When your team manages to destroy all enemy Goal Zones in a lane, the wall in front of the enemy base will drop down, allowing easy access to the enemy Goal Zone. Use this to quickly score a goal and get out as soon as the enemy rushes in!

Prevent Enemies to Score Further

After scoring all your Aeos Energy in an enemy Goal Zone, your team will most likely be leading in points. It is advised to quickly return to allied Goal Zones to prevent enemies from scoring further. This is to make sure that you put the nail in the coffin and maintain you lead.

Avoid Prioritizing Zapdos if You are Leading

It could be tempting to pursue Zapdos in the last 2 minutes of the match for the substantial points it gives. However, if your team already has a significant lead in points, it is best to not pursue Zapdos completely. Instead, try to focus on preventing the opposing team from capturing Zapdos.

Keep in mind that the risk of getting knocked down while fighting Zapdos is high as it will leave your team's goal wide open for the enemy to score. So, it is best to assess your team's current state in the match, and decide whether it will be beneficial to contest.

What to Do When Enemy Captures Zapdos

Take Out the Enemy when they Steal Zapdos

When your team fails to capture Zapdos, the enemy team will likely head straight to a Goal Zone. It is best to intercept them and knock them down before they reach an allied Goal Zone. This is better than just waiting for the enemy at a Goal Zone, since they can just ignore your attacks and score instantly.

Score Your Remaining Aeos Energy

If the power advantage is too much for your team to take down the enemy, it is best to just score your remaining Aeos energy at the nearest goal and hope that your overall score will be high enough to surpass the enemy.

How to Steal Zapdos

Shoot Down Zapdos with Range Moves

Move	Pokemon	Description
Aura Cannon	Lucario	Deals damage to opposing Pokemon in the area of effect. Opposing Pokemon damaged by this Unite Move have an Extreme Speed mark applied to them. After using this Unite Move, the user's next Power-Up Punch deals increased damage.
Pyro Ball	Cinderace	Has the user kick a ball of flame in the designated direction, dealing damage to opposing Pokemon and leaving them burned for a short time when this move hits.
Solar Beam	Venusaur	Blasts a bundled beam of light, dealing damage to opposing Pokemon in the area of effect.
Solar Beam	Mew	Has the user blast a bundled beam of light, dealing damage to opposing Pokemon in the area of effect. If this move hits any opposing Pokemon, the user gains one additional boost counter.

Using Ranged moves is an easily way to steal Zapdos out of nowhere. Moves like Pyro Ball or Solar Beam have excellent range, ensuring that you don't have to get too close to shoot down Zapdos. You can even use ranged Unite Moves like the Aura Cannon to make sure that you will deal as much damage as possible - and even deal damage to opponents along the path!

Attack Zapdos from Behind the Wall

Note that you can still attack enemies with ranged attacks through the walls sourrounding the Legendary Pit. Use this to pressure your opponent's HP while they are contesting Zapdos so that they will be easier to knock down. Be careful, your opponents can target you to if you are within their range, so try to get enough distance for you to effectively kite them.

Deal the Final Hit with Dash Moves

Move	Pokemon	Description
Fly	Talonflame	Has the user fly up into the sky. If used again, has the user dive to the designated area and attack, dealing damage to opposing Pokemon in the area of effect. When this move hits a Pokemon from the opposing team, its cooldown is reduced. Also makes the user's next basic attack a boosted attack.
Volt Switch	Zeraora	Has the user perform a high-speed dash, dealing damage to any opposing Pokemon it hits and increasing the user's basic attack speed for a short time. Using this move within a set period of time will allow the user to immediately dash back to where it originally used the move.

You can also use Dash moves to propel you near Zapdos to deal the final hit. Moves like Fly can be used to avoid obstacles and land on top of Zapdos, and Volt Switch is perfect from swooping in to deal the last damage while having a chance for you to teleport back to safety.

Use Dash Moves to Go Through Walls

Dash moves can let you go through thin barriers. Before going in to attack Zapdos, try to evade a confrontation with the enemy by going around the area and using the walls to block their path. Wait for Zapdos' HP to drop just low enough, use your Dash move to get inside the Legendary Pit from behind and land the final hit.

Use AoE Attacks on Zapdos Area

Move	Pokemon	Description
Avalanche	Alolan Ninetales	Attacks with a gush of chilly ice toward the designated area. The ice forms a wall that cannot be passed through on land. After a short time, this wall melts and collapses, dealing damage to opposing Pokémon in the area of effect.
Fire Blast	Delphox	Has the user launch intense, all-consuming fire in a forward direction, dealing damage to opposing Pokemon it hits. As the fire travels, it leaves behind a zone of flames, in which a delayed explosion will occur, dealing damage to opposing Pokemon in the area of effect.
Fire Blast	Charizard	Blasts intense, all-consuming fire, dealing damage over time to opposing Pokemon while the flames continue to burn on the ground and decreasing the movement speed of opposing Pokemon for a short time.
Sludge Bomb	Gengar	Hurls unsanitary sludge to the designated area, leaving opposing Pokemon poisoned when it hits.
Sludge Bomb	Venusaur	Hurls unsanitary sludge to the designated area, dealing damage to opposing Pokemon in the area of effect, leaving them poisoned and decreasing their movement speed and Sp. Def for a short time. Upgrade: Increase this move's area of effect.

Another way you can steal Zapdos is by using your Pokemon's AoE moves, which can deal continuous damage within an area. Moves like Fire Blast and Sludge Bomb are perfect for damage while inflicting Status Effects over time.

Aim AoE Moves at Zapdos

While your opponents are focusing on Zapdos, make sure to aim moves with AoE damage directly at where Zapdos is standing. This will make sure that the affected area will deal continous damage to Zapdos. As a bonus, melee opponents will take take damage as well if they are within the affected area.

Optimize Your Attack Controls

You can set your attack controls to Advanced Attack Controls, which allows you to separate your basic attacks for opponents and Wild Pokemon. This ensures that all your attacks will be focused on either Zapdos or an opponent when the situation demands it.

Targeting and Aim Assist: How to Aim Well

When to Beat Zapdos

A Last-Ditch Effort

If your team is behind in points during the final moments of the match, taking advantage of Zapdos' effect should be a top priority. Defeating Zapdos, combined with the double bonus points bonus in the last 2 minutes, is a great way to flip the outcome of a match!

Ambush the Opposing Team

When the enemy team is contesting Zapdos, capitalize on it by ambushing them from behind. If you are alone, use the walls around Zapdos to maneuver around the area while avoiding confrontation. When you see Zapdos just about to fall, you can swoop down with a move and hopefully get the final hit! Overall, stealing Zapdos reward and effect is worth falling in battle for.

Zapdos Moves

Charge Attack

Zapdos charges a lightning beam attack, dealing damage to each Pokemon in its path. This move will be telegraphed a a red line, which indicates where the move will hit. Use this to dodge the move!

AoE Attack

Zapdos casts down lightning strikes, dealing damage to each Pokemon within the Area of Effect. You can avoid getting hit by this move by staying outside the highlighted area.

Electric Ball Attack

Zapdos shoots an electric ball that encases the Pokemon in electricity. This move only affects a single target and can't be dodged.

Stomp Attack

Zapdos has a crowd control move that launches Pokemon up and the air and dealing damage when they hit the ground. This also stuns them for a short amount of time.

Pokemon UNITE Related Guides

Wild Pokemon Guide

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Rayquaza			Regieleki
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Bunnelby		Indeedee		Baltoy
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