Is Zapdos Good in Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire Playthrough?
Transfer-only. Not catchable in ORAS. Zapdos would dominate Winona and Wallace, but Manectric with a Mega covers Electric without needing a cross-game trade.
Zapdos trades roughly evenly with Roxanne's team.
Zapdos resists most of Brawly's coverage and hits back hard.
Zapdos trades roughly evenly with Wattson's team.
Zapdos has the type edge here and should clean up Flannery's team.
Zapdos trades roughly evenly with Norman's team.
Zapdos resists most of Winona's coverage and hits back hard.
Zapdos has the type edge here and should clean up Tate & Liza's team.
Zapdos has the type edge here and should clean up Wallace's team.
Zapdos resists most of Sidney's coverage and hits back hard.
Zapdos has the type edge here and should clean up Phoebe's team.
Zapdos has the type edge here and should clean up Glacia's team.
Zapdos has the type edge here and should clean up Drake's team.
Zapdos has the type edge here and should clean up Steven's team.
Zapdos cannot be caught in this game. It must be traded in from a compatible game where it appears in the wild. Cross-region trading typically becomes available after defeating the Elite Four.
How to Get Zapdos in Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire
Zapdos doesn't appear in Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire. Transfer it from Red & Blue, Yellow, or Let's Go Pikachu & Eevee to add it to your collection. Check the source games below for encounter details.
Zapdos cannot be caught in the wild in Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire, but you can still get it via these paths:
Catch in the wild and trade from these games:
Then trade to Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire.
Also Obtainable In:
Pokemon transfers only go forward through generations, never backward. Direct cross-gen trades aren't supported.
Zapdos Weakness
Ice and Rock moves hit Zapdos for super-effective damage. The upside? Ground-type moves can't touch it at all. 5 resistances help offset the weaknesses. With 90 HP and balanced defenses, Zapdos can afford to eat a neutral hit or two.
| Damage | Types |
|---|---|
| 2x (Weak) | Ice, Rock |
| 0.5x (Resist) | Grass, Fighting, Flying, Bug, Steel |
| 0x (Immune) | Ground |
What is Zapdos Weak Against
ExcellentBest Pokemon Against Zapdos
 Glaceon Ice | C | |
 Aerodactyl Rock | B | |
Obtain MethodRustboro City Gift Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Zapdos View Aerodactyl builds →Rock Tomb 2x51-61% Ice Fang 2x36-43% | ||
Glaceon Ice | C | |
 Tyrunt RockDragon | C | |
Obtain MethodRustboro City Gift | ||
 Archen Rock | C | |
Obtain MethodRustboro City Gift | ||
 Anorith RockBug | C | |
Obtain MethodRustboro City Gift | ||
Glaceon Ice | C | |
 Cranidos Rock | B | |
Obtain MethodRustboro City Gift | ||
Aerodactyl Rock | B | |
Obtain MethodRustboro City Gift Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Zapdos View Aerodactyl builds →Rock Tomb 2x51-60% Ice Fang 2x35-42% | ||
Tyrunt RockDragon | C | |
Obtain MethodRustboro City Gift | ||
 Solrock RockPsychic | C | |
Obtain MethodMeteor Falls Surfing | ||
 Rampardos Rock | B | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Cranidos (Rustboro City Gift) | ||
Glaceon Ice | C | |
Aerodactyl Rock | B | |
Obtain MethodRustboro City Gift Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Zapdos View Aerodactyl builds →Rock Tomb 2x50-59% Ice Fang 2x37-43% | ||
Tyrunt RockDragon | C | |
Obtain MethodRustboro City Gift | ||
Solrock RockPsychic | C | |
Obtain MethodMeteor Falls Surfing | ||
Rampardos Rock | B | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Cranidos (Rustboro City Gift) | ||
Glaceon Ice | C | |
Aerodactyl Rock | B | |
Obtain MethodRustboro City Gift Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Zapdos View Aerodactyl builds →Rock Tomb 2x52-62% Ice Fang 2x38-45% | ||
Tyrunt RockDragon | C | |
Obtain MethodRustboro City Gift | ||
 Lairon SteelRock | C | |
Rampardos Rock | B | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Cranidos (Rustboro City Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Zapdos View Rampardos builds →Stone Edge 2x123-145%KO Blizzard 2x41-48% | ||
 Rhydon GroundRock | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Zapdos View Rhydon builds →Stone Edge 2x99-117%KO Blizzard 2x32-38% | ||
 Tyrantrum RockDragon | B | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Tyrunt (Rustboro City Gift) | ||
 Archeops Rock | B | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Archen (Rustboro City Gift) | ||
 Regice Ice | B | |
Obtain MethodRoute 105 Interact Encounter Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Zapdos View Regice builds →Ice Beam 2x70-83% Ancient Power 2x32-38% | ||
Cranidos Rock | B | |
Obtain MethodRustboro City Gift Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Zapdos View Cranidos builds →Head Smash 2x140-165%KO Blizzard 2x23-27% | ||
Rhydon GroundRock | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Zapdos View Rhydon builds →Stone Edge 2x96-114%KO Blizzard 2x29-35% | ||
Tyrantrum RockDragon | B | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Tyrunt (Rustboro City Gift) | ||
Regice Ice | B | |
Obtain MethodRoute 105 Interact Encounter Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Zapdos View Regice builds →Ice Beam 2x68-80% Ancient Power 2x31-37% | ||
Archeops Rock | B | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Archen (Rustboro City Gift) | ||
Rampardos Rock | B | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Cranidos (Rustboro City Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Zapdos View Rampardos builds →Head Smash 2x181-213%KO Ice Beam 2x32-38% | ||
Tyrantrum RockDragon | B | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Tyrunt (Rustboro City Gift) | ||
 Terrakion RockFighting | B | |
Obtain MethodMirage Spots Interact Encounter | ||
Regice Ice | B | |
Obtain MethodRoute 105 Interact Encounter Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Zapdos View Regice builds →Ice Beam 2x67-79% Ancient Power 2x30-36% | ||
Rhydon GroundRock | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Zapdos View Rhydon builds →Stone Edge 2x98-115%KO Ice Beam 2x24-29% | ||
A | ||
Recommended Build AbilityIron Barbs ItemLeftovers NatureRelaxed Moves View Ferrothorn builds →
| ||
B | ||
Recommended Build AbilitySturdy ItemRocky Helmet NatureImpish Moves View Skarmory builds →
| ||
B | ||
Recommended Build AbilityTechnician ItemChoice Band NatureAdamant Moves
Damage vs Zapdos View Scizor builds →Bullet Punch8-9% U Turn13-16% Superpower23-27% Knock Off25-30% | ||
B | ||
Recommended Build AbilityRegenerator ItemRocky Helmet NatureRelaxed Moves
Damage vs Zapdos View Tangrowth builds →Knock Off10-12% Giga Drain8-10% | ||
C | ||
Recommended Build AbilitySturdy ItemLeftovers NatureBrave Moves
Damage vs Zapdos View Forretress builds →Rapid Spin10-12% | ||
Zapdos Evolutions
A Electric/Flying-type legendary, Zapdos doesn't evolve or breed. At 580 total stats, it's meant to stand on its own. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.
How to Evolve
Breeding
ORAS Zapdos Best Moveset
125 Sp. Atk at 100 Speed fires Electric/Flying TermStab at real power. AbilityPressure doubles opponent PP drain. The moveset earns S-tier through typing that resists Fighting with Ground immunity through Flying, combined with offensive stats that threaten most of the format.
Best Build
Zapdos best EVs are HP and Defense
Wall Moveset
- Roost
- Heat Wave
- Volt Switch
- Hidden Power Ice
Recommended Teammates
Moves List
Leveling does the heavy lifting. Zapdos picks up Zap Cannon and Thunder along the way, building toward a complete offensive set. TMs add coverage across 9 types, but the foundation's already strong by then.
How to Read the Moves Table
Tabs
- Level-Up
- Learned by leveling up.
- TM
- Taught by a Technical Machine.
- Egg
- Inherited via breeding.
- Tutor
- NPC tutor (cost: items, BP, money).
- Reminder
- An NPC reteaches any move this Pokemon could have learned by leveling up.
- Transfer
- Carried over from an older game using Pokemon HOME.
- Event
- Given out through Mystery Gift events.
Visual Signals
CAT (Category)
How the move deals damage and which stats it uses.
A small dot on the icon's corner marks the move as contact. That triggers abilities like Static, Flame Body, Rough Skin, or Iron Barbs, plus items like Rocky Helmet and Sticky Barb.
Tier (S to D)
Each move's competitive rank in RankedBoost's system. TM, Egg, and Tutor sort by tier by default (best first). On Level-Up, click the Tier header to do the same.
PWR (Power)
Base damage. Numbers shown in a type color include STAB (base × 1.5). Hover any colored number to see the math.
— means no power (status moves) or variable power.
Sorting & Filter
Click any column header to sort. Level-Up opens with Lv 1 at the top. TM, Egg, and Tutor open with the highest-tier moves at the top.
Search filters by move name or type. The Filter button limits the list to STAB, Physical, Special, or Status moves.
Level-Up Moves
TM Moves
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
Transfer Moves
Base Stats
Zapdos is a legendary bird Pokémon that has the ability to control electricity. It usually lives in thunderclouds. The Pokémon gains power if it is stricken by lightning bolts.
Zapdos Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire Guide
For the Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire meta, At 580 BST, Zapdos is built different. We rank it A-Tier. As a Legendary Pokemon, the raw stats back up the reputation. Best used as a support. Roost with Leftovers is the standard set.
Pressure increases the PP cost of moves targetting the Pokémon by one. That's the one you want on Zapdos. Static is the hidden ability. Niche, but it has its uses.
Base 100 Speed lets it outrun most of the field. On offense, Zapdos is a special attacker with base 125 Sp. Atk. Defensively? Enough bulk to take a hit or two. Best used as a support.
For Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire, Zapdos has answers, but so do you. Super-effective STAB from faster Pokemon is the simplest answer. Ice and Rock-type attackers hit hardest.
Game Availability
First obtainable in Red & Blue, Zapdos has been featured in 20 titles across 10 generations. Legendary status means a single encounter per playthrough in most games.
Click a game to view version-specific details
- Gen 1RBDebut
Red & Blue - Gen 1Y
Yellow - Gen 2GS
Gold & Silver - Gen 2C
Crystal - Gen 3RS
Ruby & Sapphire - Gen 3E
Emerald - Gen 3FRLG
FireRed & LeafGreen - Gen 4DP
Diamond & Pearl - Gen 4Pt
Platinum - Gen 4HGSS
HeartGold & SoulSilver - Gen 5BW
Black & White - Gen 5B2W2
Black 2 & White 2 - Gen 6XY
X & Y - Gen 6ORAS
Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire - Gen 7SM
Sun & Moon - Gen 7USUM
Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon - Gen 7LGPE
Let's Go Pikachu & Eevee - Gen 8SwShGalarian
Sword & Shield - Gen 8BDSP
Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl - Gen 8PLA
Legends: Arceus - Gen 9SV
Scarlet & Violet - Gen 9LZA
Legends: Z-A - Gen 10WW
Winds & Waves