What is a good moveset for Zamazenta?

Question

If you have a good competitive moveset for Zamazenta, post an answer below and upvote the best ones.

Be sure to include full set details in your post, e.g. items, abilities, natures and EVs. Some explanation, including the intended game mode for your set, is also appreciated. Access the full list of guidelines here.

Zamazenta Pokédex and learnset for reference.

Answer 1

Zamazenta-Crowned @ Rusted Shield
Ability: Dauntless Shield
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Behemoth Bash
- Close Combat
- Play Rough / Psychic Fangs
- Crunch / Metal Burst

Dual STAB, and your choice of attack to hit fighting types. Crunch is just another coverage move, or Metal Burst can be used for Zamazenta's big bulk.

Comments

I like this moveset but with Zamezenta's bulk wouldnt you not want close combat?

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Actually, because of it bulk you would. It can use it and still have good enough defenses afterward that it can survive a hit

Answer 2

Zamazenta @ Rusted Shield
Ability: Dauntless Shield
EVs: 54 HP / 100 Atk / 96 Def / 136 SpD / 122 Spe
Adamant Nature
IVs: 0 SpA
- Behemoth Bash
- Close Combat
- Psychic Fangs / Play Rough
- Crunch

• Iron Head (Behemoth Bash)
• Close Combat (STAB, but shouldn't be used often)
• Psychic Fangs/Play Rough (Fighting coverage)
• Crunch (can't learn anymore coverage moves for Fire or Ground, but this is pretty useful)

Answer 3

This was the MVP in the team I used to top the Doubles Ubers ladder.

Gen 8 Doubles Ubers

Zamazenta-Crowned @ Rusted Shield
Ability: Dauntless Shield
EVs: 252 HP / 112 Atk / 108 SpD / 36 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Wide Guard
- Behemoth Bash
- Coaching
- Snarl

With it's kit of support moves, Zamazenta-C is definitely a top 2 support Pokémon in Doubles Ubers. Wide Guard completely blocks all spread moves, including but not limited to Calyrex-S's Astral Barrage, Groudon's Precipice Blades and Kyogre's Water Spout, allowing your ally to attack or set up more safely (if you successfully block a spread move) and sometimes making the opponent Dynamax their spread attacker. Unlike Protect, Wide Guard can be used consecutively and not fail, meaning it can actually be spammed (although a good player will probably have stopped using spread moves by that point). Behemoth Bash is Zamazenta's main attacking move. Coaching gives your ally a Bulk Up boost (+1 attack, +1 defense), increasing both their power and bulk on the physical side and potentially allowing them to snowball through teams. Coaching also goes through Protect and ignores redirection, so Zamazenta can give it's ally stat boosts without fear of them getting knocked out before they can attack, or an opponent stealing the boosts. Snarl lowers both of the opposing Pokémon's special attack, allowing Zamazenta's team to take special hits better.

252 HP EVs and 108 Special Defense EVs allow Zamazenta to always survive a Max Geyser from Kyogre in Rain (coming off of Water Spout) from full health, in case they Dynamax when you attempt to block a Water Spout with Wide Guard. 36 Speed EVs and a Jolly Nature allow Zamazenta to outspeed max speed Xerneas and Yveltal, as well as a +1 16 Spe Groudon. The rest of the EVs are in attack so Zamazenta isn't as passive (although this does enable a 2HKO on Calyrex-S and 3HKO on Zacian-C, both with Behemoth Bash)

Zamazenta-C is an amazing team mate for Ho-Oh. With Coaching support, Ho-Oh is capable of completely destroying teams thanks to the attack boost and can have it's Weakness Policy activated more safely with it's improved physical defense (even allowing it to take a Max Rockfall from Groudon if Ho-Oh is Dynamaxed). It also appreciates Wide Guard support, blocking Kyogre's spread moves, allowing it to set Tailwind more safely or dent opponents with powerful max moves. Ho-Oh also obliterates Zacian-C, which is capable of easily 2HKOing Zamazenta-C.

Answer 4

National Dex UU Howl

Zamazenta @ Lum Berry / Life Orb
Ability: Dauntless Shield
Tera Type: Dark
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Howl
- Close Combat
- Stone Edge / Iron Head
- Crunch

This set is for National Dex UU since it is in Alpha at the time of this post. Zamazenta will likely rise to National Dex OU or get banned once NatDex UU is out of Alpha, so use this set in NatDex UU while you still can.

This is a Howl set, as Howl is the only move Zamazenta gets to raise its Attack. Dauntless Shield giving you a +1 defense boost helps you set up Howl, but only works once per battle now. Close Combat is used for a powerful Fighting move. Stone Edge allows you to hit Pokemon such as Tornadus-Therian, Thundurus, Volcarona, Mega Charizard X, Moltres, and Mega Charizard Y super effectively. Iron Head is an option if you need to hit most Fairy-types super effectively. Crunch is used to hit Psychic- and Ghost-types such as Mega Latias, Lati@s, Aegislash, Slowbro, Galarian Slowking, and Alakazam super effectively. Lum Berry allows you to heal a status condition, while Life Orb is used for more damage output. Dark Tera allows you to have an immunity Psychic moves.

Comments

My boy got nerfed so hard in gen 9 for no reason.

Answer 5

Zamazenta @ Choice Band
Ability: Dauntless Shield
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Close Combat
- Play Rough
- Crunch
- Psychic Fangs

Has the surprise factor of being able to 2HKO Unaware Quagsire without critical hits, unlike both Zacian forms and Zamazenta's Crowned Forme.

Answer 6

Physical Sweeper

Zamazenta @ Scope Lens
Ability: Dauntless Shield
EVs: 252 SpD / 252 Spe / 4 HP
Jolly Nature
- Focus Energy
- Close Combat
- Iron Head
- Crunch

• Focus Energy: Setup!
• Close Combat: STAB
• Iron Head: Coverage against Fairy Types + 30% Chance to Flinch
• Crunch: Coverage against Psychic Types

Although Crowned Shield form has better Defense and Special Defense, it loses on a crucial 10 stat points in Speed. With Jolly nature, max EVs and 138 base points, it can out speed almost everything. Since Dauntless Shield raises Defense by 1 Stage by default, its a good idea to improve Special Defense, as you need 1 turn for setting up Focus Energy. With Focus Energy and Scope Lens, its Critical-Hit Ratio is boosted by 3 stages which means that every hit will be a critical one (1.5X damage, ignoring opponent's Defense boosts, own Attack loss, Reflect, and Aurora Veil). It already got coverage against 2 of its 3 weaknesses, and the flinch chance on Iron Head might help to take care of Flying types. Now it's time to Sweep!

Most important bit is setting up Focus Energy. It already got good defenses. If you can pit in dual shields, you may even consider moving the 252 EVs from Special Defense to Attack. Or, to be sure, pitch it against a physical attacker to setup and move those 252 EVs to Defense. You may also prefer to have a mixed distribution. It totally depends on how you want to use it and the rest of your team.

Answer 7

Zamazenta National Dex AG

Zamazenta-Crowned @ Rusted Shield
Ability: Dauntless Shield
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Behemoth Bash
- Close Combat
- Psychic Fangs
- Crunch

- Behemoth Bash strong STAB and power doubles to 200 when the opposing Pokemon is Dynamaxed
- Close Combat strong STAB but should not be used too much because it takes away Zamazenta's defenses which are his best stats as a drawback to it's great power.
- Psychic Fangs coverage against fighting types as well as destroying any light screens or reflects.
- Crunch lowers the opposing Pokemon's defense stat while providing a coverage option for ghost and psychic types.

Ferrothorn, Eternatus, and Necrozma-DM are good teamates for Zamazenta because they are great hazard setters and here is my source from smogon for Zamazenta, it says "Ferrothorn, Necrozma-DM, and Eternatus are all great hazard setters, being able to switch into threats that Zamazenta cannot handle like opposing Ferrothorn, Necrozma-DM and Choice Scarf Kyogre".

Answer 8

Gen 9 National Dex Monotype IronPress RestTalk (Fighting)

Zamazenta-Crowned @ Rusted Shield
Ability: Dauntless Shield
EVs: 252 HP / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Iron Defense
- Body Press
- Rest
- Sleep Talk

Lots of banned mons from Gen 8 NatDex Monotype are unbanned in Gen 9 NatDex Monotype, including Zamazenta, so enjoy this set in Gen 9 NatDex Monotype while you still can. Zamazenta finally gets Body Press, a move it didn't have in Gen 8.

This is an IronPress RestTalk set for Gen 9 NatDex Monotype to use on Fighting teams. Iron Defense is used to raise your defense stat so you can take less damage from physical attacks barring crits. Body Press is used as the STAB move, as it takes advantage of the defense boost from Dauntless Shield and the boosts from Iron Defense. Rest is used to give you a source of HP recovery. Do note in Gen 9, Rest now has 8 PP(5 PP in the actual Gen 9 games). Sleep Talk lets allows you to use a move while you're asleep. 252 HP EVs is used for bulk. 252 Speed EVs are used so Zamazenta can be as fast as possible. This set has no way of hitting Ghost-types, so pray that you don't run into any Ghost-types. If you do encounter Ghost-types, that's why you have 5 other teammates.

Answer 9

Gen 9 Monotype Choice Band (Fighting)

Zamazenta @ Choice Band
Ability: Dauntless Shield
Tera Type: Fighting
EVs: 48 HP / 208 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Close Combat
- Wild Charge
- Ice Fang
- Heavy Slam

Thanks to Pokemon HOME compatability with Scarlet/Violet, Zamazenta is currently allowed in Gen 9 Monotype. Zamazenta is a great addition for Fighting teams due to its ability to outspeed and eliminate Flutter Mane, a Pokemon that could otherwise mow through Fighting teams. This is a Choice Band set that gives Zamazenta immediate breaking power. Close Combat is used for Zamazenta's powerful Fighting STAB. Wild Charge allows Zamazenta to break through Pokemon such as Corviknight and Toxapex. Ice Fang allows Zamazenta to hit the Landorus forms super effectively. Ice Fang also hits Pokemon such as Dragapult and Garchomp. Heavy Slam is used to hit Fairy-types hard since Zamazenta is quite heavy vs most things it wants to hit with Heavy Slam. Crunch is an option to hit Gholdengo, but that is a little hard to slot in this set. 48 HP EVS are used to allow Zamazenta to live a Moonblast from Choice Scarf Flutter Mane as shown in this calc:

252 SpA Flutter Mane Moonblast vs. 48 HP / 0 SpD Zamazenta: 284-336 (84.2 - 99.7%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

Enjoy!

Answer 10

Part 1 of 6 of posting my Hyper Offence Manascor team. Here's the funny guy and wallbreaking machine, Zamazenta-H.

who let him in OU (Zamazenta) @ Choice Band
Ability: Dauntless Shield
Tera Type: Fighting
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Close Combat
- Heavy Slam
- Stone Edge
- Crunch

Here's a quick overview of each move. Close Combat for STAB and absolutely NUKING anything that isn't a bulky Ground or those damn Ghost or Fairy types. That's why I have Heavy Slam, for those accursed Fairies, as it on average has a higher power than Iron Head on valuable targets like Clefable and Iron Valiant. Crunch is purely for Gholdengo due to the absolutely horrendous matchup. Also Stone Edge is just kinda there for Zapdos.

I chose Jolly for the nature so it outspeeds things like Sneasler and Cinderace, and Choice Band for aforementioned nuking. With the Dauntless Shield boost, this guy can actually take a couple hits for you.

Top Teamate
Manaphy. Manaphy takes out the bulky Grounds Zamazenta-H struggles with so badly. Zamazenta takes out things like bulky Fairies that Manaphy struggles with, like Alolan Ninetales and Clefable.

Summary
I really don't know how they let this thing into OU, and I don't care. He's fun and super strong, and is a core part of my team.

Signing off,
MrKensa