Zygarde - Moveset & Best Build for Ranked Battle

This is a strategy guide for using Zygarde 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 Zygarde, as well as its strengths and weak points.

Zygarde - Related Guides
Evolution and Learnset	Build for Ranked Battle

Basic Information for Zygarde

Types and Abilities

Pokemon	Type 1	Type 2
Zygarde
Abilities
Aura Break	Reduces power of Dark-type and Fairy-type moves.
Power Construct	Changes form when HP drops below half.

Zygarde Weaknesses and Resistances

	Type
Takes 4x damage
Takes 2x damage
Takes 0.5x damage
Takes 1/4x damage	-
Takes 0x damage

What is Type Effectiveness?

Base Stats

Best Nature for Zygarde

What are Natures?

Singles Movesets for Zygarde

Coil Moveset & Best Build

At first glance, Zygarde appears like any bully attacking Pokemon in the metagame. What separates itself from other bulky attackers is its ability to change into an even bulkier forme with its Power Construct Ability.

Access to great utility moves and Coil make it Zygarde a threatening Pokemon that can turn the tide of the battle in your team's favor.

About Zygarde's Moves

Thousand Arrows is Zygarde's main attacking move - a Ground-type STAB that hits Flying-types, Pokemon with the Ability Levitate, or holding an Air Ballon.

This allows Zygarde to hit Flying-types that would otherwise wall it, such as Landorus (Therian Forme), Wash Rotom, and Corviknight to name a a few.

Coil boosts Zygarde's Attack, Defense, and Accuracy by 1 stage, allowing it to become even bulkier over the course of the match. Glare is its main support move, and is capable of inflicting paralysis on opposing Ground-type Pokemon.

It's last move is Substitute, which when set up, protects Zygarde from Status moves. Thanks to Zygarde's increased HP in itsComplete Forme, it's substitute is difficult to break - especially after it gets enough Coil boosts.

About Zygarde's EV Spread

We're using a bulkier attacking EV spead for this Zygarde build. 236 HP and 60 Sp.Def EVs make it as bulky as possible, especially after Power Construct activates, while 212 Spd EVs make it as fast as possible.

About Zygarde's Ability

Power Construct is Zygarde's best Ability. When its HP falls to half of its maximum, Zygarde changes to its Perfect Forme.

This changes its immediate stats. Its Perfect Forme is slightly slower than its 50% Forme, but its Base HP increases to 216.

At Level 50 and with the given HP EVs, Zygarde's Perfect Forme has an immediate 321 HP!

About Zygarde's Held Item

Since Zygarde lacks a recovery move outside of Rest, it's best to give it Leftovers to provide it passive healing.

Other Viable Moves

How to Use Zygarde Effectively

A Powerful Bulky Attacker

Great mixed defenses, powerful utility moves, and a great boosting move in Coil make Zygarde one of the premiere bulky attackers in Ranked Battle Series 8. It's capable of turning the tide of battle against powerful Legendary Pokemon such as Dialga,

Power Construct Makes it Even Bulkier

Zygarde's Power Construct makes it one of the most formidable bulky Pokemon. When its HP reaches half of its maximum, it changes to its Perfect Forme and its Base HP increase by 108 from its 50% Forme.

This makes Zygarde very difficult to beat, especially after it recovers its lost HP, allowing it to stay in matches without switching.

Full HP Recovery During Dynamax

Zygarde's Power Construct increases the real value of its HP. This means that if its HP gets halved during Dynamax, it instantly recovers 216 HP. This makes it one of the best Dynamax users as it's essentially a free heal during Dynamax once it changes formes.

How to Build a Team with Zygarde

Zygarde is a great addition to any team and is best used as a Dynamax Pokemon. Due to its bulk and reliance on boosting moves, it's best used in balanced and defensive-oriented teams.

A Bullky Dynamax Pokemon for Defensive Teams

Zygarde is the perfect Dynamax Pokemon for defensive teams and is capable of stopping opposing Offensive teams once it changes to its Perfect Forme.

Example Coil Build + Defensive Team

Lead Dynamax	Special Attacker	Utility Pokemon
Zygarde	Heatran	Vaporeon

Zygarde functions as this team's lead, boosting its Attack, Defense, and Accuracy with Coil before Dynamaxing. It's best to Dynamax once Zygarde's HP is close to falling to half, so that it changes forme during Dynamax and gets a free heal from its Power Construct Ability.

Heatran is a great partner for Zygarde, boasting 4x Resistances to Fairy-types that Zygarde is weak to, and provides great special coverage for the team.

Vaporeon serves as this team's Utility Pokemon, passing Wish to its wounded teammates. Zygarde lacks reliable recovery beyond Leftovers and Rest, so it really appreciates Vaporeon's healing. Its Water typing also synergizes well with Heatran.

How to Build a Defensive Team

Counters for Zygarde

Weakness

Overpower it with Ice and Fairy-type Moves

Despite Zygarde's massive bulk and Ability to instantly heal during Dynamax, it can get overwhelmed by strong Pokemon with Fairy and Ice-type coverage moves.

Zygarde is especially vulnerable to powerful Ice-types due to its 4x Weakness to the type, especially when targetted at its lower Special Defense stat.

Best Pokemon to Use

Pokemon	Description
White Kyurem	Ranking: ★★★★★ ・Easily KOs Zygarde's 50% Forme with Max Hailstorm ・Faster than Zygarde's Perfect Forme
Black Kyurem	Ranking: ★★★★★ ・Easily KOs Zygarde's 50% Forme with Max Hailstorm ・Can break Zygarde's Substitute with Icicle Spear Moveset & Best Build for Black Kyurem
Lapras	Ranking: [red]★★★★ ・Easily KOs Zygarde's 50% Forme with G-Max Resonance ・G-Max Resonance sets up Aurora Veil, reducing damage for 5 turns Moveset & Best Build for Lapras
Zacian	Ranking: ★★★★ ・Outspeeds and easily KOs Zygarde's 50% Forme with Play Rough ・Can heavily damage Dynamax Zygarde with Behemoth Blade Moveset & Best Build for Zacian
Kyogre	Ranking: ★★★★ ・Outspeeds Zygarde's 50% Forme with Choice Scarf ・Easily KOs Zygarde with Max Hailstorm Moveset & Best Build for Kyogre
Xerneas	Ranking: ★★★★ ・Outspeeds 50% Zygarde after using Geomancy ・Easily KOs Zygarde with Geomancy-boosted Moonblast or Max Starfall Moveset & Best Build for Xerneas
Calyrex (Ice Rider)	Ranking: ★★★ ・Easily KOs Zygarde's 50% Forme with Glacial Lance ・Lower Speed means it can wear down Zygarde with boosted Avalanche Moveset & Best Build for Calyrex (Ice Rider)

Related Links

All Competitive Builds for Ranked Battle

Competitive Guides for Pokemon Sword and Shield

Competitive Pokemon Battle Guides
Tier List		Best Builds		Series 10 List of Contenders
Doubles Tier List		Team Building		Rental Teams

Best Builds for The Crown Tundra Pokemon

Movesets & Best Builds for The Crown Tundra Pokemon
Galarian Articuno	Galarian Zapdos	Galarian Moltres
Raikou	Entei	Suicune
Articuno	Zapdos	Moltres
Tornadus	Thundurus	Landorus
Tapu Koko	Tapu Lele	Tapu Bulu
Tapu Fini	Regieleki	Regidrago
Latios	Latias	Heatran
Cresselia	Glastrier	Spectrier
Nidoking	Swampert	Dragonite
Salamence	Garchomp	Metagross
Galarian Slowking	Nihilego	Naganadel
Pheromosa	Buzzwole	Celesteela
Kartana	Stakataka	Blaziken
Kyogre	Yveltal	Xerneas
Necrozma (Dusk Mane)	Calyrex (Shadow Rider)	Mewtwo
Calyrex (Ice Rider)	Dialga	Lugia
Black Kyurem	Zekrom	Ho-Oh
Rayquaza	Zygarde	Reshiram
White Kyurem	Groudon	Regirock
Palkia	Regigigas	Registeel
Regice	Giratina	Solgaleo
Lunala	Kyurem	Necrozma
Uxie	Mesprit	Azelf
Calyrex