
Is Zapdos Good in FireRed & LeafGreen Playthrough?
Power Plant legendary. AbilityPressure doubles PP consumption. Electric/Flying with massive Special Attack handles Lorelei, Lance's Gyarados, and most of Blue's team. Available before the E4 at level 50. The legendary bird most players actually bring to the Championship.
Zapdos trades roughly evenly with Brock's team.
Zapdos resists most of Misty's coverage and hits back hard.
Zapdos trades roughly evenly with Lt. Surge's team.
Zapdos resists most of Erika's coverage and hits back hard.
Zapdos has the type edge here and should clean up Koga's team.
Zapdos has the type edge here and should clean up Sabrina's team.
Zapdos has the type edge here and should clean up Blaine's team.
Zapdos trades roughly evenly with Giovanni's team.
Zapdos resists most of Lorelei's coverage and hits back hard.
Zapdos has the type edge here and should clean up Bruno's team.
Zapdos has the type edge here and should clean up Agatha's team.
Zapdos has the type edge here and should clean up Lance's team.
Zapdos has the type edge here and should clean up Terry's team.
Catch Zapdos on Power Plant (interact, Lv 50, limited). Power Plant back room. Static encounter at the back of the Power Plant
- STARTING (Lv 50)
- LV 50FlyingDrill Peck120100%20
- After Lt. Surge
- HM02FlyingFly13595%15
- TM34ElectricShock Wave90100%20
- After Erika
- TM24ElectricThunderbolt135100%15
- TM40FlyingAerial Ace90100%20
- TM15NormalHyper Beam15090%5
- After Giovanni
- TUTORNormalDouble-Edge120100%15
- Post-Game
- TM42NormalFacade70100%20
- LV 85ElectricThunder16570%10
How to Get Zapdos in FireRed & LeafGreen
Static encounter at level 50 at the back of the Power Plant, both versions. Same brutal catch rate of 3 as the other birds. One shot, gone if knocked out.
1 location to catch Zapdos
How to Get Zapdos in FireRed & LeafGreen
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 |
- Dark and Steel types added — Fairy does not exist yet
- Moves are Physical or Special based on type, not per move
What is Zapdos Weak Against
ExcellentBest Pokemon Against Zapdos
Geodude RockGround | C | |
Geodude RockGround | C | |
Graveler RockGround | C | |
Rhyhorn GroundRock | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Zapdos View Rhyhorn builds →Rock Tomb 2x38-46% Ice Beam 2x22-27% | ||
Onix RockGround | C | |
Lapras WaterIce | C | |
Obtain MethodSilph Co Gift | ||
Rhyhorn GroundRock | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Zapdos View Rhyhorn builds →Rock Tomb 2x38-46% Ice Beam 2x22-27% | ||
Graveler RockGround | C | |
Onix RockGround | C | |
Lapras WaterIce | C | |
Obtain MethodSilph Co Gift | ||
Rhyhorn GroundRock | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Zapdos View Rhyhorn builds →Rock Tomb 2x36-42% Ice Beam 2x21-24% | ||
Graveler RockGround | C | |
Dewgong WaterIce | C | |
Obtain MethodIcefall Cave Surfing | ||
Aerodactyl Rock | A | |
Obtain MethodCinnabar Island Gift Available Move Moves
Damage vs Zapdos View Aerodactyl builds →Ancient Power 2x49-58% | ||
Rhydon GroundRock | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Zapdos View Rhydon builds →Rock Tomb 2x51-60% Ice Beam 2x27-32% | ||
Articuno Ice | B | |
Obtain MethodSeafoam Islands Interact Encounter | ||
Lapras WaterIce | C | |
Obtain MethodSilph Co Gift | ||
Omastar RockWater | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Omanyte (Cinnabar Island Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Zapdos View Omastar builds →Ice Beam 2x55-64% Rock Tomb 2x27-33% | ||
Aerodactyl Rock | A | |
Obtain MethodCinnabar Island Gift Available Move Moves
Damage vs Zapdos View Aerodactyl builds →Ancient Power 2x51-60% | ||
Rhydon GroundRock | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Zapdos View Rhydon builds →Rock Tomb 2x50-59% Ice Beam 2x26-31% | ||
Tyranitar RockDark | S | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Zapdos View Tyranitar builds →Rock Slide 2x76-90% Ice Beam 2x45-54% | ||
Articuno Ice | B | |
Obtain MethodSeafoam Islands Interact Encounter | ||
Lapras WaterIce | C | |
Obtain MethodSilph Co Gift | ||
Omastar RockWater | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Omanyte (Cinnabar Island Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Zapdos View Omastar builds →Ice Beam 2x54-63% Ancient Power 2x32-38% | ||
In FireRed & LeafGreen, Wailord's Ice Beam hits Zapdos for 57-68%. Cloyster deals 55-65% with Explosion.
A | ||
Recommended Build AbilityKeeneye ItemLeftovers NatureCareful Moves View Skarmory builds →
| ||
B | ||
Recommended Build AbilityWaterveil ItemLeftovers NatureMild Moves
Damage vs Zapdos View Wailord builds →Self Destruct47-55% Ice Beam 2x57-68% Hydro Pump35-41% | ||
B | ||
Recommended Build AbilityShellarmor ItemLeftovers NatureTimid Moves
Damage vs Zapdos View Cloyster builds →Explosion55-65% Surf19-23% Rapid Spin11-13% | ||
C | ||
Recommended Build AbilityPoison Point ItemLeftovers NatureJolly Moves
Damage vs Zapdos View Qwilfish builds →Self Destruct49-58% Sludge Bomb22-26% | ||
C | ||
Recommended Build AbilityVitalspirit ItemScopelens NatureJolly Moves
Damage vs Zapdos View Primeape builds →Rock Slide 2x51-60% | ||
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
FRLG Zapdos Best Moveset
125 Sp. Atk at 100 Speed fires MoveThunderbolt for Electric TermStab at elite special power. AbilityPressure drains opponent PP at double rate. Electric/Flying provides a Ground immunity. The moveset dominates as a fast special attacker with MoveHidden Power for coverage and MoveRest for sustain. One of the format's most reliable threats.
Best Build
Zapdos best EVs are Sp. Atk and Speed
Special Attacker Moveset
- Thunderbolt
- Hidden Power Grass
- Baton Pass
- Thunder Wave
Recommended Teammates
Moves List
Level-up moves are just the starting point for Zapdos. TMs unlock Normal and Fighting coverage and turn a straightforward STAB kit around Thunder and Fly into something with actual range.
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
Base Stats
One of the legendary bird POKéMON. While it is flying, it makes crackling and snapping sounds.
A legendary bird POKéMON that is said to appear from clouds while dropping enormous lightning bolts.
Zapdos FireRed & LeafGreen Guide
Zapdos is a static encounter at Power Plant in FireRed & LeafGreen. Zapdos appears at level 50. Prerequisite: Power Plant back room. Save before the encounter. These one-shot Pokemon don't respawn if you knock them out or run out of Poke Balls.
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