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┗ Competitive Battle Guide
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 | |
|---|---|
 Evolution and Learnset |
 Build for Ranked Battle |
List of Contents
| Pokemon | Type 1 | Type 2 |
|---|---|---|
|
|
|
| Abilities | ||
| Leaf Guard | Prevents problems with status in sunny weather. | |
| Type | |
|---|---|
| Takes 4x damage |
|
| Takes 2x damage |
|
| Takes 0.5x damage |
|
| Takes 1/4x damage |
|
| Takes 0x damage |
|
| HP | Attack | Defense | Sp. Atk | Sp. Def | Speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 105 | 120 | 105 | 70 | 95 | 105 |
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 Natures | ||
|---|---|---|
| Jolly (+Spd, -Sp.Atk) |
Adamant (+Atk, -Sp.Atk) |
|
| 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.
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.
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.
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.
We're giving Zarude Choice Band to boost its high-powered physical attacks by 50%.
| 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. |
| 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
| 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. |
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.
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.
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!
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
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
| Weakness |
|
|---|
Despite its great speed stat, there are faster Pokemon that can outspeed Zarude and KO it with a super effective move.
| Pokemon | Description |
|---|---|
 Cinderace
|
Ranking: ★★★★★ ・KOs Zarude with STAB super effective Pyro Ball, U-Turn, or High Jump Kick Moveset & Best Build for Cinderace |
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 |
|---|---|
 Scizor
|
Ranking: ★★★★★ ・Can withstand all of Zarude's attacks ・KOs Zarudes with STAB Technician boosted Bug Bite Moveset & Best Build for Scizor |
All Competitive Builds for Ranked Battle
| Competitive Pokemon Battle Guides | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Tier List |
 Best Builds |
 Series 10 List of Contenders |
|||
 Doubles Tier List
|
 Team Building |
 Rental Teams |
|||
| Movesets & Best Builds for New Pokemon | ||
|---|---|---|
 Dragapult |
 Galarian Corsola |
 Toxtricity |
 Galarian Darmanitan |
 Corviknight |
 Dracovish |
 Grimmsnarl |
 Rillaboom |
 Duraludon |
 Cinderace |
 Alcremie |
 Dracozolt |
 Hatterene |
 Eiscue |
 Inteleon |
 Pincurchin |
 Frosmoth |
 Zacian |
 Sirfetch'd |
 Flapple |
 Coalossal |
 Centiskorch |
 Arctozolt |
 Zarude |
 Galarian Weezing |
 Eternatus |
 Indeedee (Female) |
 Sandaconda |
 Zamazenta |
|
Zarude - Moveset & Best Build for Ranked Battle
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