Zapdos was introduced in Pokémon Green, Red, Blue, and Yellow as one of the first Legendary Pokémon. Early Pokémon players were in for quite a challenge when they tried to catch it at the Power Plant in Kanto, but they were proud when they finally added Zapdos to their team. Zapdos is well-known thanks to its high-profile status as one of the original legendary birds and its prominent appearance in Pokémon movies. In Pokémon Sword and Shield, Zapdos and its brethren became the first Legendary Pokémon to receive new Regional Forms.
About Zapdos
Kantonian Zapdos is an Electric and Flying-type bird Pokémon that feeds on and manipulates electricity. It has benefitted from industrialization thanks to the widespread generation and consumption of electricity by humans.
Zapdos’s National Pokédex number is 145.
| First appearance in anime | Pokémon: Master Quest (Season 5) |
| First appearance in game | Generation 5 (Pokémon Green, Red, Blue, and Yellow) |
| Region | Kanto, Galar |
| Evolution | Zapdos does not evolve |
| Pokedex Entry (Kanto) | This Pokémon has complete control over electricity. There are tales of Zapdos nesting in the dark depths of pitch-black thunderclouds. |
| Pokedex Entry (Galar) | One kick from its powerful legs will pulverize a dump truck. Supposedly, this Pokémon runs through the mountains at over 180 mph. |
Zapdos Base Stats
| HP | 90 |
| ATTACK | 90 |
| DEFENCE | 85 |
| SP. ATTACK | 125 |
| SP. DEFENCE | 90 |
| SPEED | 100 |
| TOTAL | 580 |
Galarian Zapdos Base Stats
| HP | 90 |
| ATTACK | 125 |
| DEFENCE | 90 |
| SP. ATTACK | 85 |
| SP. DEFENCE | 90 |
| SPEED | 100 |
| TOTAL | 580 |
Appearance of Zapdos
Zapdos stands roughly 1.6 meters tall and has the appearance of a fierce bird of prey. It has large talons and a long, sharp beak. Its jagged body feathers are yellow and black, and its leg feathers are brown. It has black eyes with white pupils, and an orange beak and legs.
Shiny Zapdos has darker yellow fur and darker orange accents.
Behavior of Zapdos
Zapdos is typically a solitary Pokémon, though it sometimes lives near other legendary birds. It aggressively defends its territory. When Zapdos flaps its wings, it sometimes discharges enough electrical energy to cause electric storms. Zapdos usually only appears during thunderstorms, and nests either high in the mountains or in manmade structures like power plants.
Strengths and Weaknesses
Zapdos’s Electric and Flying typing gives it a good defense against Grass, Fighting, Flying, Bug, and Steel-type moves, and immunity to Ground-type moves. However, Zapdos is weak to Ice and Rock-type moves.
Zapdos has high Special Attack and Speed making it a powerful physical sweeper.
Shiny Zapdos
Shiny Zapdos swaps its yellow feathers and orange highlights for dark yellow fur and dark orange highlights. This subtle palette swap makes it easy to overlook Shiny Zapdos in Pokémon collections and battles.
Galarian Zapdos
Galarian Zapdos stands roughly 1.6 meters tall and has the appearance of a fierce ostrich. It has large black talons and a long, sharp, black beak. Its jagged body feathers are orange and black. It has yellow eyes with black pupils.
Shiny Galarian Zapdos has yellow and black body feathers and an orange beak and legs like Kantonian Zapdos.
Galarian Zapdos is a solitary Pokémon that inhabits the mountains. It has strong legs and weak wings, so it doesn’t fly, but instead can run at over 180-mph. It is fierce and aggressive and seeks battle to prove its strength. It uses its strong legs to kick and claw its foes with tremendous force.
Galarian Zapdos’s Fighting and Flying typing gives it a good defense against Grass, Fighting, Bug, and Dark-type moves, and immunity to Ground-type moves, and immunity to Ground-type moves. However, Zapdos is weak to Electric, Ice, Flying, Psychic, and Fairy-type moves.
Zapdos has high Special Attack and Speed making it a powerful physical sweeper.
Best moveset (Zapdos)
Zapdos is a versatile Pokémon that can have a prominent place in competitive teams.
It’s important to consider Zapdos’s Nature and Ability when preparing for competitive battling.
Zapdos’s Static ability has a chance to Paralyze opponents than come into contact with it.
The best natures for Zapdos will boost its Speed or Special Attack and will hinder its Attack.
The following moveset, combined with good IVs, good EVs, a good Nature, and the right Ability, can make Zapdos a formidable Special Sweeper.
| Discharge | Hurricane |
| Roost | Defog |
Note: This article is subjective and reflects the opinion of the writer.
How to catch Zapdos in Pokemon Go?
How to catch Zapdos in Pokémon Go
Zapdos is a Legendary Pokémon, so players can only find Zapdos in Pokémon Go through special research, events, and featured raids.
Explainer Video
Trivia
- Zapdos is one of the most popular Legendary Pokémon. It has appeared in almost every Pokémon game, in multiple episodes and openings of the Pokémon anime, and in multiple movies.
- Zapdos appears as an assist Pokémon in the Super Smash Bros. franchise.
FAQs
Q. What is the strongest Legendary Bird?
Zapdos trumps both Articuno and Moltres thanks to its low number of weaknesses. It benefits from its high Special Attack and Speed with powerful STAB moves for both of its types.
Q. What evolves into Zapdos?
Zapdos does not evolve into or from any other Pokémon.
Q. Which is better Zapdos or Galarian Zapdos?
While Zapdos is the strongest of the Kantonian Legendary Birds, Galarian Zapdos is the weakest of the Galarian Legendary Birds. Its typing gives it many weaknesses and it has poor defensive stats, and it gets out-powered and out-sped by many other physical sweepers.
Conclusion
Zapdos is beloved by Pokémon fans thanks to its cool appearance and its exclusive status as one of the original Legendary Birds. With the addition of its interesting new Galarian Form, Zapdos will likely remain a fan favorite for years to come!
Let’s Go, Zapdos!
