Is Zapdos good in Pokemon GO?

Yes. Zapdos is B-tier for Ultra League and has 7 other ranked roles.

What are the best Zapdos IVs for Great League?

The rank-1 Great League spread is 5/14/13 (Attack/Defense/HP), which reaches the 1500 CP cap at level 15.5. Low Attack with high Defense and HP wins in capped leagues. Use the IV checker on this page to rank your own copy among all 4,096 spreads.

What are the best Zapdos IVs for Ultra League?

The rank-1 Ultra League spread is 8/14/15 (Attack/Defense/HP), which reaches the 2500 CP cap at level 25.5. Low Attack with high Defense and HP wins in capped leagues. Use the IV checker on this page to rank your own copy among all 4,096 spreads.

Is Zapdos a good raid attacker?

Zapdos ranks #32 of 238 flying attackers with 14.2 DPS. That is outside the top 15, so it is not a raid priority.

Can Zapdos be shiny in Pokemon GO?

Yes. Shiny Zapdos is available from photobomb, raid, research, wild. A shiny is worth keeping for the collection no matter its IVs.

Is Shadow Zapdos worth keeping?

Shadow Zapdos hits 20% harder and takes 20% more damage. The Shadow form is B-tier for Electric raid attacker, so keep it.

#145 · Generation 1

Zapdos

electric flyingLegendary

Forms & variants

Max CP (L40 / L50): 3,527 / 3,987
Raid catch CP (L20 / L25): 2,015 / 2,519
Research CP (L15): 1,511
Buddy distance: 20 km
2nd charged move: 100,000 dust · 100 candy

Shiny
Shadow
Tradable
Mega
Dynamax

Situational

Keep the best copies

Legendary Pokemon are hard to get back once they leave rotation. Keep hundos, shinies, and one for the collection; transfer the weak duplicates.

Battle roles

B
Ultra League#88 of 851 · score 86.3
It is ranked #88 in Ultra League on PvPoke with Thunder Shock / Drill Peck / Thunderbolt.
B
Electric raid attackershadow#13 Electric · 16.3 DPS
As a Shadow it ranks #13 of 248 Electric-type attackers with Thunder Shock / Thunderbolt (needs an Elite TM).
B
Flying raid attackershadow#15 Flying · 16.9 DPS
As a Shadow it ranks #15 of 238 Flying-type attackers with Thunder Shock / Drill Peck (needs an Elite TM).
B
Max Battle attackerdynamax#2 Electric · 248 per Max Move
Dynamax Zapdos ranks #2 of 15 Electric-type Max attackers: 248 damage per Max Lightning at level 40 (fast move Thunder Shock, needs an Elite TM). Only a copy caught in a Max Battle can use it.
C
Great Leagueshadow#245 of 1154 · score 81.2
The Shadow version is ranked #245 in Great League on PvPoke with Thunder Shock / Drill Peck / Heat Wave.
C
Master League#89 of 409 · score 77.6
It is ranked #89 in Master League on PvPoke with Thunder Shock / Drill Peck / Thunderbolt.
C
Electric raid attacker#30 Electric · 13.8 DPS
It ranks #30 of 248 Electric-type attackers with Thunder Shock / Thunderbolt (needs an Elite TM).
C
Max Battle tankdynamax#39 of 157 tanks
C-tier Max Battle tank (#39 of 157 by Defence × HP): it takes the boss's hits and shields the party with Max Guard.

Collection value

Legendary: keep at least one, and hold on to hundos and shinies.
Can Dynamax: only copies caught in Max Battles can Dynamax, so keep at least one Max copy.
Shadow version exists: Shadows hit 20% harder and are worth a raid slot even with low IVs.

Tiers: S = meta-defining, A = strong, B = playable, C = niche. PvP from PvPoke overall rankings; raids from computed DPS/TDO within each attacking type; Max Battles from GO Hub tier lists.

Base stats

Attack253

Defense185

Stamina207

Base stats. Bars are scaled to the strongest Pokemon in the game.

Weak to

ice×1.6
rock×1.6

Resists

bug×0.625
fighting×0.625
flying×0.625
grass×0.625
ground×0.625
steel×0.625

Evolution line

Does not evolve.

Check your Pokemon's IVs

Ranks all 4,096 spreads for each league

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PvP rankings (GO Battle League)

League	Tier	Rank	Score	Recommended moves	Typical build
Great League	C	#321 / 1154	79.3	Thunder Shock · Drill Peck · Heat Wave	L15.5 · 5/14/13
Great LeagueShadow	C	#245 / 1154	81.2	Thunder Shock · Drill Peck · Heat Wave	L15.5 · 5/14/13
Ultra League	B	#88 / 851	86.3	Thunder Shock · Drill Peck · Thunderbolt	L25.5 · 8/14/15
Ultra LeagueShadow	B	#120 / 851	85.3	Thunder Shock · Drill Peck · Thunderbolt	L25.5 · 8/14/15
Master League	C	#89 / 409	77.6	Thunder Shock · Drill Peck · Thunderbolt	L50 · 15/15/15
Master LeagueShadow	C	#90 / 409	77.6	Thunder Shock · Drill Peck · Heat Wave	L50 · 15/15/15

Source: PvPoke overall rankings. Score is relative to the league meta (100 = best). Typical build is the IV spread PvPoke assumes.

Max Battles (Dynamax & Gigantamax)

Zapdos can Dynamax. Only copies caught in Max Battles (or from Max research) can enter Power Spot battles.

Max Moves

electricMax Lightningfrom Charge Beam250 / 300 / 350 power
Max Guard+20 / +40 / +60 HP shield
Max Spiritheals 8 / 12 / 16% HP

Max Battle roles

AttackerB Dynamax
Tank (Max Guard)C Dynamax

Max Move power is per level 1 / 2 / 3; levels are unlocked with Max Particles and Candy. Tiers are computed from level-3 Max Move damage, Defence × HP and HP at level 40; thresholds on the guide page.

Raid attacker rankings

Attacking type	Tier	Rank	DPS	TDO	Best moves
electricShadow	B	#13 / 248	16.3	281	Thunder Shock · ThunderboltElite TM
flyingShadow	B	#15 / 238	16.9	291	Thunder Shock · Drill PeckElite TM
electric	C	#30 / 248	13.8	285	Thunder Shock · ThunderboltElite TM
flying	–	#32 / 238	14.2	294	Thunder Shock · Drill PeckElite TM
rockShadow	–	#66 / 294	12.0	207	Thunder Shock · Ancient PowerElite TM
fireShadow	–	#95 / 263	11.6	200	Thunder Shock · Heat WaveElite TM
rock	–	#103 / 294	10.1	209	Thunder Shock · Ancient PowerElite TM
fire	–	#115 / 263	10.0	206	Thunder Shock · Heat WaveElite TM

Level 40, 15/15/15, neutral target. DPS = damage per second, TDO = total damage output before fainting. Rank is among every Pokemon using that attacking type.

Moves

Fast move	Type	Raid power	Energy	Duration	DPS	PvP power	PvP energy	Speed
Charge BeamSTAB	electric	7	+14	1.0s	7.0	6	+11	3 turns
Thunder ShockElite TMSTAB	electric	4	+7	0.5s	8.0	4	+9	2 turns

Charged move	Type	Raid power	Energy	Duration	Dmg/energy	PvP power	PvP energy	Effects
Zap CannonSTAB	electric	140	-100	3.5s	1.40	150	-80	33% chance: -1 foe Atk
ThunderboltSTAB	electric	80	-50	2.5s	1.60	90	-55
ThunderSTAB	electric	100	-100	2.5s	1.00	100	-60
Ancient Power	rock	70	-33	3.5s	2.12	60	-45	10% chance: +1 own Atk, +1 own Def
Drill PeckSTAB	flying	70	-33	2.5s	2.12	70	-40
Heat Wave	fire	95	-100	3.0s	0.95	75	-45

Questions people ask

Is Zapdos good in Pokemon GO?: Yes. Zapdos is B-tier for Ultra League and has 7 other ranked roles.
Should I keep or transfer Zapdos?: Legendary Pokemon are hard to get back once they leave rotation. Keep hundos, shinies, and one for the collection; transfer the weak duplicates.
What are the best Zapdos IVs for Great League?: The rank-1 Great League spread is 5/14/13 (Attack/Defense/HP), which reaches the 1500 CP cap at level 15.5. Low Attack with high Defense and HP wins in capped leagues. Use the IV checker on this page to rank your own copy among all 4,096 spreads.
What are the best Zapdos IVs for Ultra League?: The rank-1 Ultra League spread is 8/14/15 (Attack/Defense/HP), which reaches the 2500 CP cap at level 25.5. Low Attack with high Defense and HP wins in capped leagues. Use the IV checker on this page to rank your own copy among all 4,096 spreads.
Is Zapdos a good raid attacker?: Zapdos ranks #32 of 238 flying attackers with 14.2 DPS. That is outside the top 15, so it is not a raid priority.
Can Zapdos be shiny in Pokemon GO?: Yes. Shiny Zapdos is available from photobomb, raid, research, wild. A shiny is worth keeping for the collection no matter its IVs.
Is Shadow Zapdos worth keeping?: Shadow Zapdos hits 20% harder and takes 20% more damage. The Shadow form is B-tier for Electric raid attacker, so keep it.

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