Zangoose, The Cat Ferret Pokémon. It has feuded with SEVIPER for many generations. Its sharp claws are its biggest weapons. It usually stays on all fours, but when angered, it gets up on its hind legs and extends its claws. When it battles, it stands on its hind legs and attacks with its sharply clawed forelegs.

Overview

Zangoose is a pretty cool Pokémon. It has a great Attack and a nice Speed for the low tiers, but it is so frail it is hard to survive when using it. It is a glass cannon. It has a nice physical movepool, which is pretty lucky because that is all it can do. Don't expect much variety with Zangoose, every set is about hitting hard with physical attacks.

Ability

Immunity: immunity to poison status. Not really too useful, but immunity to anything is going to come in handy at some point. Obviously it has Immunity because it is the rival of Seviper, the Poison snake.

Move Sets

This Goose Was Band From The Duck Pond

- Return
- Close Combat
- Night Slash / Shadow Claw
- Quick Attack / Ice Punch
Item Attached: Choice Band / Choice Scarf
Ability: Immunity
EVs and Nature:
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature (+Spd, -Satk) / Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)

Return is your standard power move. Accurate and really strong, it will be your most used move without a doubt. Close Combat crushes every Steel type in the lower tiers. The drop in Zangoose's defenses don't really matter as not only will you be switching out a lot, Zangoose will die to everything anyway. Night Slash or Shadow Claw depends on if you want to be able to hit Normal types or not, incase they try to abuse the immunity to Ghost moves. Quick Attack is a great revenge killing move due to the fact it gets priority, but Ice Punch helps deal with the 4x Ice weak Pokémon in the lower tiers.

Choice Scarf makes Zangoose a good revenge killer, but Choice Band is normally the better option.

Swords Dance

- Swords Dance
- Return
- Close Combat
- Night Slash
Item Attached: Life Orb
Ability: Immunity
EVs and Nature:
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature (+Spd, -SAtk)

Zangoose's most effective set in standard play, but it is tough to use because of how frail Zangoose is. Regardless, it hits hard, especially with Swords Dance. Return is the generic STAB move. Close Combat ruins Steel and Rock types, with Night Slash there to handle Ghosts.

Flail

- Swords Dance / Close Combat
- Flail
- Endure / Substitute
- Shadow Claw / Close Combat
Item Attached: Salac Berry
Ability: Immunity
EVs and Nature:
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature (+Spd, -SAtk)

Tough to use properly, but the payoff can be amazing. Whatever move you don't use, you gain a huge disadvantage. If you don't use Swords Dance, you don't hit as hard. If you lack Close Combat, Steel types walk all over you. If you decide to skip over Shadow Claw, you can't hit Ghost types at all. Flail is majorly powerful, having 300 base power with STAB. Endure brings you down to 1 HP as long as the attack used against you is strong enough, but Substitute can lead to Swords Dance set up.

EVs and Nature:

This Goose Was Band From The Duck Pond
4 Defence because if you put 4 in HP, you take slightly more damage from residual effects. The rest is generic and maximizes Zangoose's attacking abilities.

Swords Dance
Physical sweeping is the target here, so go with the generic 252/4/252 spread.

Flail
4 HP means you can only make 3 Substitutes, so go with 4 in Defence. The rest if to hit hard and fast.

Other Options

Counter, Double-edge, Endeavor, Pursuit

Counter can be a surprise with Focus Sash, but that is about it. Works well with Zangoose's pathetic bulk.

Double-edge is a stronger Normal move, just with recoil.

Endeavor could be interesting on a set with Counter and Quick Attack as a lead, but that is about it.

Pursuit is a good choice for a Choice Band move, but without STAB, it isn't too strong.

Countering Zangoose

As long as they avoid Close Combat, Steel types and Rock types are superb at countering Zangoose. Pokémon like Aggron, Bastiodon, even Mawile with Intimidate can beat Zangoose down. Ghost types are immune to two of Zangoose's common moves, so any Ghost type works. Dusclops, Banette, any ghost really. Just avoid Night Slash and Shadow Claw. Bulky Pokémon like Milotic can work, but they aren't ideal. Zangoose is Koed by virtually any attack, but that doesn't mean it is a walkover. It has such huge offense, it most likely will hurt your team badly if you aren't prepared.

Locations in Games

Ruby/Sapphire/Emerald Route 114 (Ruby) Trade from RXD (Sapphire & Emerald) Colosseum/XD Trade from Ruby (Col.) Snagged from Thug Zook in Cipher Key Lair (XD) Fire Red/Leaf Green Trade from RXD Diamond/Pearl/Platinum Route 208 & Route 210 HeartGold/SoulSilver Safari Zone

Animé Appearences

Zangoose has had a handful of Animé Appearences. Most notably, Ash & Paul's Chimchar had a fear of Zangoose after being attacked by a pack of them Episode 324: Zig Zag Zangoose! Episode 336: Delcatty Got Your Tongue! Episode 344: A Double Dilemma Episode 457: Thinning the Hoard Episode 458: Channeling the Battle Zone Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time & Darkness Episode 519: Glory Blaze Episode 521: Tears For Fears Episode 549: Chim-Charred Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky - Beyond Time & Darkness Episode 603: Beating The Bustle & Hustle!