Top Zygarde Counter Strategies for Ranked Battles in Pokémon Legends: Z-A

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With Zygarde now available in Season Three, all legendary Pokémon in Pokémon Legends: Z-A are now allowed in Ranked Battles. Since legendary Pokémon were already dominating the meta before, it’s wise to have strong counters ready because they probably aren’t going anywhere soon.

During Season Three, the rules state that you can’t have more than one legendary or mythical Pokémon on your team. But this doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll see fewer of them. Most likely, at least one opponent in every match, and possibly more, will be using one of these powerful Pokémon, especially at higher ranks.

Best Counters for Diancie

Diancie is a Fairy/Rock type Pokémon. It’s weak to Water, Grass, Ground, and Steel moves, which are doubled in effectiveness (x2 or x4). It’s immune to Dragon-type attacks. It resists Fire, Normal, Bug, Flying, and Dark moves, and is strong against Dark, Fighting, Dragon, Ice, Flying, Fire, and Bug.

Although not technically a legendary, Diancie is in the same high-tier category because it is very powerful and can be a major threat, especially since it’s a strong counter to Dragon-types, which are common in ranked battles.

Since Diancie does not change type when Mega evolving, you don’t need to adjust your strategy for that. If you rely on Dragon-types, be prepared to have an alternative ready to counter Diancie. The main weakness of Diancie is to Water and Ground moves, which are common in ranked play. Good counters include:

Mega Excadrill: A Steel/Ground type Pokémon. Its Steel typing makes it especially effective against Diancie, which is weaker to Steel than Xerneas. Plus, its Ground typing helps cover many types, offering good overall coverage.
Mega Metagross: A Steel/Psychic Pokémon with excellent resistance. It’s immune to Poison and resists Psychic, Grass, Normal, Rock, Dragon, Flying, Ice, Steel, and Fairy moves—most of which are prevalent in the meta. Setting up screens before switching in can help Metagross overcome threats, but watch out for Fire and Ground types that can pose problems.

Best Counters for Yveltal

Yveltal is a Dark/Flying Pokémon. It’s weak to Electric, Ice, Rock, and Fairy moves, with damage doubled. It’s immune to Psychic and Ground attacks. It resists Grass, Ghost, and Dark types and is strong against Psychic, Fighting, Grass, Bug, and Ghost.

Yveltal appears less often in ranked battles, mostly because of its typing, which makes it vulnerable to many common moves, especially Ice and Fairy. Its coverage isn’t extensive and it doesn’t often appear, especially now that only one legendary or mythical Pokémon is allowed per team. Common counters include:

Mega Gardevoir: A Psychic/Fairy Pokémon. While less popular now that Xerneas is more widespread, Gardevoir remains a solid Fairy-type option for countering Yveltal.
Mega Tyranitar: A Dark/Rock Pokémon resistant to Dark moves. It’s also effective against many common types like Fire, Ice, and Flying. Be cautious of Fire and Ground attacks, as Tyranitar is vulnerable to those.
Xerneas: Surprisingly effective since it’s a Fairy type. Though primarily used against Dragon-types, its Fairy moves make it a good counter to Yveltal as well. It resists several types and can deal significant damage.

Best Counters for Xerneas

Xerneas is a Fairy Pokémon. It’s weak to Poison and Steel moves, each causing double damage. It’s immune to Dragon moves. It resists Fighting, Bug, and Dark attacks and is effective against Dark, Fighting, and Dragon types.

Despite Zygarde’s addition, Xerneas remains popular, mainly because it’s strong against Dragon-types and a staple in the meta. Zygarde, which shares the same Dragon/Ground typing as Garchomp, is less frequently seen because it’s four times weak to Ice and can only Mega Evolve if its HP drops below half. Therefore, Xerneas is likely to stay the top choice, especially since it can counter both Zygarde and Diancie.

To counter Xerneas effectively, a good strategy is to use a strong Steel Pokémon like Excadrill or Metagross—these Pokémon provide the necessary Steel type coverage and are also recommended for dealing with Diancie. They are resistant to Fairy and can survive hits from Xerneas.

Mega Metagross: Offers robust Steel coverage along with high resistance, making it ideal for overcoming Xerneas and other threats if supported properly.
Mega Excadrill: Provides Steel and Ground coverage but has vulnerabilities to Water, Fire, and Ground moves—so choose wisely based on your team and opponent’s lineup.
Mega Skarmory: Less effective against Diancie but excellent against Xerneas due to its Steel/Flying typing. It resists Ice and Dragon, which are common in ranked battles, making it a useful all-around addition unless the meta shifts.

Best Counters for Zygarde

Zygarde is a Dragon/Ground Pokémon. It’s weak to Dragon, Fairy, and Ice moves, with Ice being particularly destructive (quadruple weakness). It’s immune to Electric moves, resistant to Fire, Rock, and Poison, and is strong against Electric, Rock, Poison, Fire, and Steel.

Zygarde’s release didn’t drastically change the meta—it’s not very different from Garchomp, which it closely resembles in typing. Most players already have Garchomp counters, so these can also be effective against Zygarde.

It’s important to note that Zygarde doesn’t switch to its Complete Forme until its HP drops below half. At that point, it transforms and can Mega Evolve if the meter fills. To counter it, you’ll want Pokémon that can deal big damage in a single hit.

Diancie isn’t an effective counter because it’s weak to many common types like Ground, Water, and Steel. Many Pokémon are viable against Zygarde, but some strong options include:

Glaceon: A bulky Ice type that hits hard with Ice-type moves, especially if equipped with Freeze Dry, which is super effective against Water types, too.
Vanilluxe: Similar to Glaceon, it can learn Freeze Dry and offers comparable coverage.
Garchomp: While not specifically a Zygarde counter, its raw power makes it a valuable choice if you want to threaten Zygarde and other Dragon-types.
Xerneas: While not a perfect counter, Xerneas’s Fairy moves can help. Its overall versatility keeps it relevant, especially for dealing with multiple threats.

Most Pokémon in the game are viable if used strategically. These options provide supplementary coverage to your team and can help you handle multiple threats, including legendary Pokémon, more efficiently.