This article is a part of directory: Mastering Pokémon GO. The Ultimate Guide to Catching Them All
Legendary Dragon/electric-type Pokémon from the Unova region, Zekrom is the Deep Black Pokémon. Along with Reshiram and Kyurem, Zekrom, a Tao Trio member, is renowned for great power and unusual typing. This guide offers a thorough analysis of Zekrom’s best movesets for both PvE and PvP together with advice on Shadow Zekrom, smart counter-strategies, and professional tips to help you rule fights. This book will address all you need to maximize Zekrom’s possibilities.
Understanding Zekrom: Stats, Type, and Roles
- Pokédex Entry & Typing: Zekrom is a dual-type Dragon/Electric Pokémon. This unique typing provides both offensive and defensive advantages:
- Resistances: Electric (double resistance), Fire, Water, Grass, Flying, Steel
- Weaknesses: Ground, Ice, Dragon, Fairy
- Base Stats:
- Attack: 275
- Defense: 211
- Stamina: 205
- Important Note: These stats are considered to be its base stats, Individual values or “IVs” increase or decrease each stat from 0-15.
- Best Roles: Zekrom excels in both PvE (raids) and PvP (Master League). As an Electric-type attacker, it boasts one of the highest DPS outputs in the game. In Master League, its high stats and powerful moves make it a top-tier threat. It is not generally used for Gym Defense due to its weaknesses.
Best Zekrom’s Moveset for PvE (Raids & Gym Battles)
For maximizing damage output in raids and gym battles, the following moveset is the best for Zekrom:
- Optimal Moveset:
- Fast Move: Charge Beam (Electric)
- Charged Move: Wild Charge (Electric)
- DPS & TDO: While Dragon Breath is a good fast move, Charge Beam builds energy faster to fire off its strongest attack, Wild Charge. Wild Charge provides extremely high DPS, making Zekrom a top-tier Electric-type attacker. Although it debuffs Zekrom’s Defense, the sheer damage output typically outweighs this drawback in raid scenarios.
- Comparison Chart:
| Fast Move | Charged Move | DPS | TDO | Notes |
| Charge Beam | Wild Charge | Highest | High | Best overall performance; maximum Electric-type damage. |
| Dragon Breath | Wild Charge | High | High | Still very good, but slightly lower overall DPS. |
| Charge Beam | Crunch | Medium | Medium | Coverage, but Wild Charge is generally superior for raw power. |
| Dragon Breath | Outrage | Medium | High | Good Dragon-type damage, but often better to use a dedicated Dragon attacker. |
| Charge Beam | Fusion Bolt | High | High | Legacy Move, high damage. |
- Use Cases: Zekrom is highly effective against:
- Water-type Pokémon (e.g., Kyogre, Gyarados, Swampert)
- Flying-type Pokémon (e.g., Lugia, Ho-Oh, Yveltal)
Ideal Zekrom’s Moveset for PvP (GO Battle League)
Zekrom is a dominant force in the Master League, where its high stats and powerful moveset shine.
- Great League, Ultra League, & Master League Viability: Zekrom is almost exclusively used in Master League. Its CP is too high for Great and Ultra Leagues.
- Best Zekrom Moveset:
- Fast Move: Dragon Breath (Dragon)
- Charged Moves: Wild Charge (Electric) and Crunch (Dark)
- Playstyle & Strategy: Zekrom functions well as a lead, safe switch, or closer in Master League. Dragon Breath provides fast, consistent damage and good energy generation. Wild Charge is the primary nuke, dealing massive damage even to neutral targets. Crunch provides crucial coverage against Psychic- and Ghost-types (like Mewtwo and Giratina), which resist Dragon Breath, and is also Zekrom’s lowest energy charged attack.
- Shield-Baiting: While Crunch isn’t primarily used for shield-baiting due to its relatively high energy cost compared to other common Master League moves, it can be used to pressure opponents into using shields, especially if they are weak to Dark. The threat of Wild Charge is usually enough to force shields.
- PvP Rankings: Zekrom is consistently ranked among the top Pokémon in the Master League meta on PvPoke. Its combination of high stats, excellent moves, and unique typing make it a formidable opponent. Note: Rankings are subject to change with meta shifts.
Shadow Zekrom: Is It Worth It?
Shadow Zekrom, like other Shadow Pokémon, receives a 20% boost to its Attack and a 20% decrease to its Defense.
- Why Shadow Zekrom is Stronger in Raids: The attack boost makes Shadow Zekrom an even more devastating Electric-type attacker, solidifying its place as one of the absolute best.
- Best Moveset for Shadow Zekrom
- Fast Move: Charge Beam (Electric)
- Charged Move: Wild Charge (Electric)
- Should you purify it? Absolutely NOT. The attack boost from being a Shadow Pokémon is far too valuable for PvE. Purifying it would significantly reduce its damage output.
Best Counters to Zekrom
Knowing Zekrom’s weaknesses is crucial for battling it in raids and PvP.
- Top Pokémon to Counter Zekrom in Raids & PvP:
- Garchomp: (Dragon/Ground) – Resists Electric, immune to Wild Charge, and hits hard with Ground-type moves.
- Excadrill: (Ground/Steel) – Double resistance to Electric and access to powerful Ground-type moves.
- Dialga: (Steel/Dragon) – Resists both Electric and Dragon, and hits back hard with Dragon-type attacks.
- Mamoswine: (Ice/Ground)- While Ice is weak to Zekrom’s Fusion Bolt (if it has it), Mamoswine’s high Attack and access to powerful Ice moves, it can be a strong glass cannon.
- Counter Moveset Table:
| Counter Pokémon | Fast Move | Charged Move | Effectiveness |
| Garchomp | Mud Shot (Ground) | Outrage (Dragon)/Earth Power (Ground) | Very High |
| Excadrill | Mud-Slap (Ground) | Drill Run (Ground) | Very High |
| Dialga | Dragon Breath (Dragon) | Draco Meteor (Dragon) | High |
| Mamoswine | Mud Slap (Ground) | High Horsepower (Ground) | High |
How to Get Zekrom in Pokémon GO (H2)
- Raid Availability: Zekrom is primarily obtained through Legendary Raids. It is not a permanent raid boss and appears during specific events. Stay informed by checking official Pokémon GO announcements and in-game news.
- Research Tasks: Zekrom has been featured as a Research Breakthrough reward in the past, though this is not a regular occurrence.
- Trading: Trading with another player is a reliable way to obtain Zekrom, particularly if you’ve missed its raid events. Be mindful of the Stardust cost associated with trading Legendary Pokémon.
Final Verdict: Zekrom – A Must-Have Pokémon
Excellent Pokémon in Pokémon GO, Zekrom shines in PvE and PvP ( Master League). One of the best Electric-type attackers on the planet, its ideal PvE moveset of Charge Beam makes sense. In Master League, Dragon Breath, Wild Charge, and Crunch together produce a flexible and strong moveset.
Final Recommendation: Zekrom is very worth your money. Especially a Shadow variant, players should give powering up a high-IV Zekrom top priority using Stardust, Rare Candy, and TMs first priority. For battle as much as raiding, this is a top-tier Pokémon.
