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Pokemon Sword and Shield

Zarude - Moveset & Best Build for Ranked Battle

12

★ Tier List / Doubles Tier List / Movesets / Rental Teams
☆ Competitive Battle Guide

Zarude - Movesets and Counters
This is a strategy guide for using Zarude in competitive play for the games Pokemon Sword and Shield. Read on for tips on the best Nature, EV spreads, Movesets, and Held Items to use with Zarude, as well as its strengths and weak points.

Zarude - Related Guides
Pokemon SWSH - Zarude Evolution and LearnsetEvolution and Learnset Pokemon SWSH - Zarude Best BuildBuild for Ranked Battle

List of Contents

Basic Information for Zarude

Types and Abilities

Pokemon Type 1 Type 2
Zarude ImageZarude
 Pokemon Sword and Shield - Dark Type Pokemon Sword and Shield - Grass Type
Abilities
Leaf Guard Prevents problems with status in sunny weather.

Zarude Weaknesses and Resistances

Type
Takes 4x damage
Pokemon Bug Image
Takes 2x damage
Pokemon Fire Image Pokemon Ice Image Pokemon Fighting Image Pokemon Poison Image Pokemon Flying Image Pokemon Fairy Image
Takes 0.5x damage
Pokemon Water Image Pokemon Grass Image Pokemon Electric Image Pokemon Ground Image Pokemon Ghost Image Pokemon Dark Image
Takes 1/4x damage
-
Takes 0x damage
Pokemon Psychic Image

What is Type Effectiveness?

Base Stats

HP Attack Defense Sp. Atk Sp. Def Speed
105 120 105 70 95 105

How to Get Zarude

Zarude Release Date.jpeg

Zarude is obtainable via a Nintendo eShop serial code included with the pre-purchase ticket for Pokemon the Movie: Coco.

Check out our article below to learn more.
Zarude - How to Get and Release Date | Zarude Stats and Learnset

Best Nature for Zarude

Best Natures
Jolly
(+Spd, -Sp.Atk)		 Adamant
(+Atk, -Sp.Atk)

Singles Movesets for Zarude

Choice Band Attacker Moveset & Best Build

Choice Band Attacker Zarude.png

Nature Jolly(+, -)
EV Spread Atk 252 / Def 4 / Spd 252
Final Stat Values HP 181 / Atk 172 / Def 126 / Sp.Def 115 / Spd 172
Ability Leaf Guard
Held Item Choice Band
Moveset ・Power Whip
・Darkest Lariat
・U-Turn
・Close Combat

Zarude is a great, well-rounded physical attacker with great speed and bulk on top of an excellent attack stat.

About Zarude's Moves

Power Whip is Zarude's strongest STAB move, allowing it to hit the common Water, Ground, and Rock-types that populate the Metagame. Darkest Lariat is its secondary STAB that ignores the opponent's Defense and Evasion boosts.

Close Combat is a strong Fighting-type move that complements Zarude's coverage. Finally, U-Turn allows it to quickly pivot to another Pokemon if it faces an opponent it can't take down.

About Zarude's EV Spread

We're using a straightforward EV spread with full investment in Attack and Speed, with the remaining 4 EVs on Defense to boost its overall bulk.

About Zarude's Ability

Leaf Guard is Zarude's only ability. This protects it from Status conditions such as Burn, Poison, and Paralyze when under the effects of Sunny Day.

About Zarude's Held Item

We're giving Zarude Choice Band to boost its high-powered physical attacks by 50%.

Other Viable Moves

Grassy Glide An alternative to Power Whip, but is only useful if your team has a Grassy Surge Rillaboom.
Crunch A good alternative to Darkest Lariat that has a 20% chance to lower the target's Defense stat by one stage.
Lash Out Although generally inferior to Darkest Lariat and Crunch, it has a niche use when facing Intimidate users like Gyarados.

Doubles Movesets for Zarude

Bulk Up Doubles Healer Moveset & Best Build

Bulk Up Doubles Healer Zarude.png

Nature Adamant(+Atk, -Sp.Atk)
EV Spread HP 252 / Atk 100 / Sp.Def 80 / Spd 72
Final Stat Values HP 212 / Atk 100 / Def 125 / Sp.Def 125 / Spd 134
Ability Leaf Guard
Held Item Leftovers
Moveset ・Bulk Up
・Grassy Glide
・Darkest Lariat
・Jungle Healing

Zarude excels in Doubles where it can take advantage of its decent bulk and its signature move to function as an offensive cleric for the team.

About Zarude's Moves

Bulk Up allows Zarude to boost both its Attack and Defense stat by 1 stage. This boosts the power of its main STAB moves, Grassy Glide and Darkest Lariat.

Jungle Healing is Zarude's most important move and allows it to function as both a healer and cleric. This move heals Zarude and its allies HP by 25% of their max HP and heals status conditions such as Burn, Paralyze, and Poison.

About Zarude's EV Spread

We're using a modified EV spread with maximum investment in HP. 100 Atk EVs allow it to hit hard even without full investment while 80 Sp.Def EVs ensure that Zarude's defensive stats are equal. Finally, 72 Spd EVs allow slower sweepers and walls.

About Zarude's Ability

Leaf Guard is Zarude's only ability. This protects it from Status conditions such as Burn, Poison, and Paralyze when under the effects of Sunny Day.

About Zarude's Held Item

Although SItrus Berry is often the superior healing item in Doubles, Zarude already has reliable recovery in Jungle Healing. That's why we're giving it Leftovers as it provides valuable passive recovery.

Other Viable Moves

Rock Slide A good alternative to Darkest Lariat that allows Zarude to hit both opposing Pokemon and has a chance to cause flinching.
Lash Out A good alternative to Darkest Lariat due to the popularity of Intimidate Leads in Doubles.
Throat Chop Although a niche move, it has some uses such as crippling Hyper Voice Sylveon and Toxtricity.

How to Use Zarude Effectively

An Offensive Pivot in Singles

Zarude functions as a fast sweeper and pivot in Singles. It's decent bulk thanks to its great HP and Defense allow it to easily switch into weaker attacks and use its high-powered STAB moves.

An Offensive Cleric in Doubles

Zarude's signature move Jungle Healing allow it to fill a role of an offensive cleric, although it's played as an attacker first and a support Pokemon second.

How to Build a Team with Zarude

Zarude finds it hard to fit into many teams as its overshadowed by more powerful and faster sweepers. It has a niche in Sun Teams and Doubles though!

An Offensive Status Absorber in Sun

Zarude is a great addition to Sun Teams, where it can use its Leaf Guard ability to absorb status. In a dedicated Sun Team, it can swap Power Whip with the more powerful Solar Blade.

Check our article to learn how to build a Sun Team around Zarude.
How to Build a Weather Team

Doubles Support

Zarude sets itself apart from other doubles sweepers by providing valuable healing and status removal through its signature move Jungle Healing. Although it's best used in a Doubles Sun Team, it can also fit easily in both Defensive and Hyper Offense teams.

Check out our article below to learn how to build a Doubles Team with Zarude.
How to Build a Doubles Team

Counters for Zarude

Zarude
Weakness Pokemon Bug Image Pokemon Fire Image Pokemon Ice Image Pokemon Fighting Image Pokemon Poison Image Pokemon Flying Image Pokemon Fairy Image

Outspeed with a Faster Sweeper

Despite its great speed stat, there are faster Pokemon that can outspeed Zarude and KO it with a super effective move.

Best Pokemon to Use

Pokemon Description
Pokemon SWSH - Cinderace ImageCinderace Ranking: ★★★★★
・KOs Zarude with STAB super effective Pyro Ball, U-Turn, or High Jump Kick
Moveset & Best Build for Cinderace

Attack with a Bulky Sweeper

Similarly, bulkier sweepers that take little damage from Zarude's moves can come in on any of its attacks and KO it with their super effective moves.

Pokemon Description
Pokemon SWSH - Scizor ImageScizor Ranking: ★★★★★
・Can withstand all of Zarude's attacks
・KOs Zarudes with STAB Technician boosted Bug Bite
Moveset & Best Build for Scizor

Related Links

Pokemon Sword and Shield - Best Builds for Ranked Battle

All Competitive Builds for Ranked Battle

Competitive Guides for Pokemon Sword and Shield

Competitive Pokemon Battle Guides
Pokemon SWSH - Tier ListTier List Pokemon SWSH - Best BuildsBest Builds Pokemon Sword and Shield - Ranked Battle Series 10 Contenders.pngSeries 10 List of Contenders
Pokemon SWSH - Doubles Tier ListDoubles Tier List Pokemon SWSH - Competitive Team BuildingTeam Building Pokemon SWSH - Rental TeamsRental Teams

Best Builds for New Pokemon

Movesets & Best Builds for New Pokemon
Pokemon SWSH - Dragapult Best BuildsDragapult Pokemon SWSH - Galarian Corsola Best BuildsGalarian Corsola Pokemon SWSH - Toxtricity Best BuildsToxtricity
Pokemon SWSH - Galarian Darmanitan Best BuildsGalarian Darmanitan Pokemon SWSH - Corviknight Best BuildsCorviknight Pokemon SWSH - Dracovish Best BuildsDracovish
Pokemon SWSH - Grimmsnarl Best BuildsGrimmsnarl Pokemon SWSH - Rillaboom Best BuildsRillaboom Pokemon SWSH - Duraludon Best BuildsDuraludon
Pokemon SWSH - Cinderace Best BuildsCinderace Pokemon SWSH - Alcremie Best BuildsAlcremie Pokemon SWSH - Dracozolt Best BuildsDracozolt
Pokemon SWSH - Hatterene Best BuildsHatterene Pokemon SWSH - Eiscue Best BuildsEiscue Pokemon SWSH - Inteleon Best BuildsInteleon
Pokemon SWSH - Pincurchin Best BuildsPincurchin Pokemon SWSH - Frosmoth Best BuildsFrosmoth Pokemon SWSH - Zacian Best BuildsZacian
Pokemon SWSH - SirfetchSirfetch'd Pokemon SWSH - Flapple Best BuildsFlapple Pokemon SWSH - Coalossal Best BuildsCoalossal
Pokemon SWSH - Centiskorch Best BuildsCentiskorch Pokemon SWSH - Arctozolt Best BuildsArctozolt Pokemon SWSH - Zarude Best BuildsZarude
Pokemon SWSH - Galarian Weezing Best BuildsGalarian Weezing Pokemon SWSH - Eternatus Best BuildsEternatus Pokemon SWSH - Indeedee (Female) Best BuildsIndeedee (Female)
Pokemon SWSH - Sandaconda Best BuildsSandaconda Pokemon SWSH - Zamazenta Best BuildsZamazenta

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