Hisuian Zoroark
Attack
Defense
Stamina
Fast
Best Movesets
Analysis
Hisuian Zoroark is comparable to Gengar - they both have the same Attack and the STAB Shadow Claw + Shadow Ball combo, and they are both incredibly fragile (Zoroark even moreso). Hisuian Zoroark provides respectable spooky offensive capabilities, though numerous less risky options are available. It works well in a pinch, but don't expect too much from it.
Offense
- Shadow Claw + Shadow Ball grants Hisuian Zoroark the best overall Ghost attacking moveset.
- Snarl performs similarly well to Shadow Claw and has overlapping coverage. However, its slower duration makes it tougher to dodge with, and it also doesn't synergize as well with Party Power.
- TM Sludge Bomb, Flamethrower, and Foul Play away.
Defense
- Snarl is the preferred choice due to its higher base power.
- Hisuian Zoroark has a wide range of 2-bar Charged Attacks. Flamethrower, Sludge Bomb, and Foul Play have the earliest damage windows, making them tricky to dodge. Shadow Ball is the strongest, but it is easy to dodge.
Shadow Claw is preferred over Snarl due to its well rounded combination of damage and energy gains; it also benefits from STAB.
Foul Play doesn't provide Hisuian Zoroark with much coverage, but it is necessary for pacing purposes. Zoroark is incredibly fragile and needs to get its damage out as soon as possible, and Foul Play is the cheapest Charged Attack available. Shadow Ball is incredibly power and will delete just about anything that doesn't resist it, but its cost makes it unreliable. Flamethrower and Sludge Bomb provide alternative coverage options but are usually not worth running over Shadow Ball's immense power.
Hisuian Zoroark possesses a unique typing - one that grants it a simultaneous resistance to Ghost and Fighting. However, this Pokemon's frailty means that it struggles to make good use of it, as many strong Fighting- and Ghost-type attacks will still take hefty chunks from Zoroark's HP. Nonetheless, Hisuian Zoroark is a fun glass cannon that can sweep teams if well protected, but much better Ghost-type options exist such as Dusclops or Jellicent.
