Can Zangoose Beat Landorus In Competitive Singles?

Watching Zangoose and Landorus square off always feels like one of those tense matchups where the hype is real but the outcome is violently conditional.

From my perspective as someone who tinkers with niche Pokémon builds, Zangoose can definitely beat Landorus — but it usually needs a very specific setup. If your Zangoose has its hidden ability 'Toxic Boost' (so it can benefit from being poisoned), a Swords Dance, and a powered-up STAB Facade, it can muscle through a lot of Landorus variants, especially the Choice-locked or non-Intimidate ones. The biggest hurdles are Landorus-Therian’s Intimidate and bulky sets with Rocky Helmet/Leftovers and Earthquake/Stone Edge. Intimidate neuters Zangoose’s raw damage, hazards like Stealth Rock chew away at its HP, and Landorus’ common coverage options can OHKO or cripple Zangoose before it sets up.

Practically speaking, I like pairing Zangoose with teammates that can either directly poison Landorus (so Toxic Boost activates) or cripple it (phazing, paralysis, or a Focus Sash to absorb an Intimidate-switch). If you pull off a clean switch or prediction and Swords Dance with Toxic Boost active, Zangoose can sweep — otherwise it’s often a one-way ticket to getting knocked out. Personally, I treat this as a high-risk, high-reward play; it’s one of my favorite cheeky win conditions when my team is built around making it work.

Short take from someone who enjoys clutch plays: Zangoose can kill Landorus, but it’s not the reliable 'slam-dunk' many hope for. With 'Toxic Boost' and a Swords Dance-fueled Facade or Close Combat, Zangoose threatens a lot of Landorus builds, particularly if Landorus is Choice-locked or has been chipped. The usual culprits are Intimidate, Stealth Rock, and bulky Assault Vest/Leftovers sets — they make the trade unfavorable for Zangoose. I’ve pulled it off when my opponent misplayed or when Zangoose got a lucky status poke earlier in the match, but it’s very play-dependent. If you like clutch, high-variance plays, go for it; otherwise, consider safer checks.

Coming at this like a casual ladder player who loves risky sweeps — yes, Zangoose can beat Landorus sometimes, but it’s a niche play. The usual trick is 'Toxic Boost' plus status (poison) so Facade hits like a truck after a Swords Dance. Without poison, Zangoose is much more fragile and gets bogged down by Intimidate and Stealth Rock. I’ve seen Zangoose mop up when Landorus was weakened by prior damage or locked into a choice move; I’ve also watched it get KO’d instantly when Landorus carried the right coverage. If you’re experimenting, try pairing Zangoose with a teammate that can safely inflict poison, or use Zangoose as a revenge killer with Quick Attack and a bit of prediction — it’s a fun gamble that rewards creative plays.

I'll be blunt: in standard singles play, Zangoose beating a properly played Landorus is possible but situational. I usually think through four things: ability, item, status, and prediction. Zangoose needs either its Hidden Ability 'Toxic Boost' with a poison on it, or simply a huge Attack boost plus a surprise move (Quick Attack or a Choice Band Facade) to finish off Landorus before it pivots. If Landorus is running Intimidate, that single-stage drop can ruin Zangoose's chance to OHKO, unless Zangoose is already at +2 Attack from Swords Dance and the opponent mispredicts. Choice-locked Landorus (Scarf/Band) or weaker, non-bulky variants are far easier targets.

Team synergy matters more than raw stats here. I often slot a teammate that can inflict poison or force switches (spinless hazard leads make Zangoose easier to bring in), or give Zangoose a 'Focus Sash' to survive an Intimidate-hit and try to Swords Dance. And don’t underestimate prediction: forcing Landorus to U-turn out into a teammate, or catching it on a low HP pivot, frequently decides the match. So yes — doable, but rarely by brute force alone.

As someone who likes building teams around a single win condition, I analyze the matchup by listing what needs to happen: Zangoose must either enter with Toxic Boost active or be given a free turn to set up Swords Dance, and Landorus must be in a state where it can be OHKO’d (damaged, not Intimidating, or Choice-locked). For a reliable plan I’ll run Zangoose with moves like Facade, Swords Dance, Quick Attack (priority), and Knock Off/Close Combat, and give it either a 'Focus Sash' or some recovery/support. Teammates that can poison Landorus directly (a special attacker with 'Toxic') or pivot it into hazards help a lot.

If I expect a Landorus-T with Intimidate, I tend to bait it with a sac Pokémon or force a pivot first so Zangoose can either get the KO after a switch or arrive at +2. On the other hand, Landorus variants with Stone Edge/Knock Off or bulky Assault Vest builds will usually win the exchange if I try to brute force. The matchup is a fun mindgame: when it goes my way, it feels glorious; when it doesn't, I usually chalk it up to bad timing and try a safer strat next match.