Zarude, the Rogue Monkey Pokémon. Within dense forests, this Pokémon lives in a pack with others of its kind. It's incredibly aggressive, and the other Pokémon of the forest fear it. Once the vines on Zarude's body tear off, they become nutrients in the soil. This helps the plants of the forest grow. This Zarude left its pack to raise a human child. The cloth Zarude would wrap the child with has a comforting scent that calmed the child's crying. This Zarude's special strength stems from its love and care for an orphaned human child that the Pokémon has raised since the child's infancy.

Overview

What was once a rare typing with no other overall excellent representatives, Generation 9 introducing 3 new Grass Dark types provides Zarude a lot of competition both offensively and defensively. However, despite the new competition, none of Zarude’s contemporaries possess the same blend of Offense and Defense Zarude can boast. Meowscarada cannot switch as freely into the many powerful Ground, Dark and Ghost type attacks like Scarf Great Tusk’s Headlong Rush without risk of being KOd. Brute Bonnet’s low speed leaves it wary of Rotom-Wash’s Will-O-Wisp crippling it even after switching in, while Zarude reliably outspeeds and KOs. Jungle Healing is a unique asset for a setup sweeper, enabling Zarude to both shrug off crippling status and recover damage incurred while setting up without the downsides of Rest.

However, Zarude has issues that still plague it. For all the valuable resistances Grass Dark provides, it is plagued by a myriad of weaknesses that bely otherwise good defenses. Zarude’s movepool also leaves a bit to be desired, lacking on valuable options like Knock Off and Sucker Punch that Meowscarada and Brute Bonnet use to great effect for both utility and dealing with faster opponents. Zarude often struggles to cover all of its resists without Terastalizing which can further strain team building. Zarude may not be the top banana, but Zarude has its niche nonetheless.
Positives
Impressive 105 HP and Defense coupled with 95 Special Defense and valuable Ground, Water and Dark resistances give Zarude a deceptive degree of bulk.
120 Attack ensures Zarude hits hard and boosting options like Bulk Up and Swords Dance can turn Zarude into a deadly setup sweeper.
Base 105 Speed is impressive, getting the jump on many already fast Pokémon.

Negatives
Grass Dark has many weaknesses, making it difficult to safely switch Zarude in at times despite its good defenses and stresses teambuilding.
Fierce competition with Meowscarada and Brute Bonnet who offer potent support alongside their specialized Speed and Bulk respectively.
Grass Dark can be inconsistent offensively with several Pokémon who resist both STABs that cannot be covered by a single attack.

Movesets

Monkey See, Monkey Doom

-Swords Dance
-Power Whip
-Crunch
-Jungle Healing
Ability: Leaf Guard
Item: Life Orb
EVs and Nature:
4 HP / 252 Atk /252 Spe
Jolly Nature

Zarude makes for a potent setup sweeper. Zarude leverages its bulk to reliably setup switch in, use its good speed to scare an opponent out and setup Swords Dance. After which, Zarude become a potent threat that defies normal checks to setup sweepers. Power Whip provides coverage against Quagsire and Dondozo while Crunch and Zarude's natural bulk means that Skeledirge can't switch in Safely either. Jungle Healing rounds out the set, preventing untimely Will-O-Wisps and Flame Body from Skeledirge, Moltres, Volcarona and the like from stopping Zarude once it sets up and heals Zarude from any damage incurred while setting up.

Tera Types:
Tera Fairy is fantastic for Zarude, turning Zarude's Fighting and Bug weaknesses into resistances while eliminating most of its weaknesses and providing stellar coverage against opposing Dark, Fighting and Dragon types that can give Zarude problems. Tera Fire is another excellent option, enabling Zarude to abuse Sun and melt many opposing Bug, Steel and Grass types that are difficult for Zarude. Otherwise, a STAB Tera Grass or Dark works well, pushing Zarude's damage to astronomic levels with the appropriate STAB and wiping out some of its weaknesses.

EVs and Items:
Max Attack and Speed. Zarude's Speed isn't peerless and needs the investment to outrun the Base 100 club and others like Garchomp to get the most out of it, while Max Attack to make Zarude as efficient sweeper as possible. Life Orb further pushes Zarude's power with the life draining potentially offset by Jungle Healing. Blackglasses is another option, providing a slightly lower boost but maintaining Zarude's health even as it goes on the offense.

Partners:
Moltres makes for an excellent partner for Zarude, fitting better on the balance teams Zarude tends to favor. STAB Fire and Flying coverage addresses targets like Scizor, Tinkaton, Blaze Tauros, Chesnaught, and more who can normally pivot safely into Zarude and barring Blaze Tauros, none of them like eating a Flame Body Burn. In turn, Zarude eliminates many Rock and Water types and can pivot into Electric Attacks easily as well. Other good Fire types for forming a Grass-Fire core include Rotom-Heat, Armarouge, Ceruledge and Skeledirge. Slowbro and Slowking make for decent partners as well, having complimentary typings that address opposing Fire, Fighting and Poison types while liking Zarude pivoting into the Grass and Dark moves that trouble them. They can even provide setup opportunities and pressure with Yawn or Future Sight, placing an opponent into a compromising condition that makes it incredibly difficult to deny the setup.

Other Options:
Trailblaze -Makes for an effective Double Dance set, having Zarude fix both its speed and boost its attack in one go though the Drop in power from Power Whip is painful and the loss of coverage in doubling down on Grass potentially even moreso.
Close Combat -handles opposing Dark and Steel types well, though many are neutral to Fighting and does nothing against Fairy and Poison types.
Rock Slide -hits many Flying and Fire types hard and Zarude's speed means it can take advantage of the Flinch chance in a pinch.
Stomping Tantrum -hits both Fire and Steel types hard but exasperates Zarude's issues with Flying types.
Taunt -stop opponent from setting up while you do your own.
Bulk Up -exchanges immediate power for extended longevity and thanks to Zarude's good Defense can become nightmarish against Physical Attackers after a Bulk Up or two.

Zarude Band Storm

-Power Whip
-Crunch
-U-Turn
-Rock Slide
Ability: Leaf Guard
Item: Choice Band
EVs and Nature:
4 HP / 252 Atk /252 Spe
Jolly Nature

With Choice Band, Zarude becomes a vicious attacker, ripping holes into the opposing team and delivering powerful U-Turns to keep positioning advantage with Zarude’s team. Power Whip and Crunch are the preferred STABs, hitting many important Water types like Alomomola, Quagsire, Quaquaval, the Slowking and Slowbro, while Crunch answers many important Psychic and Ghost types like Ceruledge, Armarouge, Galarian Slowbro, and having good Neutral coverage. U-Turn is amazing, answering opposing Dark and Grass types which can give Zarude trouble and help scout for predicted switches and maintain momentum. Rock Slide rounds out the set, hitting Flying types like Galarian Moltress, Iron Jugulus who otherwise resist Zarude’s STABs and taking negligible damage.

Tera Types:
Tera Fairy is again excellent, providing invaluable coverage into Dragon, Dark and Fighting types while giving Zarude a much more favorable defensive typing. Tera Grass is recommended otherwise, giving Choice Band Zarude a boost to break through even the sturdiest Water types.

EVs and Items:
Max Speed and Attack are again necessary. Zarude excels when going first, saving its bulk for hard switches and effectively keeping it around longer, while Max Attack is required to get the most out of Choice Band. Choice Band is the name of the set though Zarude can exercise is good natural Attack to become a faster than average Choice Scarf revenge killer as well.

Partners:
Thundurus and Rotom Heat make for excellent partners, handling Flying types like Hawlucha and Galarian Zapdos that persistently threaten Zarude. Thundurus’ Sludge Bomb and Rotom Heat’s Overheat handle Grass (both), Fairy (Thundurus), Steel and Bug (Rotom Heat) while Zarude pivots into and answers Rock and Water attacks, all the while forming a potent VoltTurn Core. Slither Wing and Scizor are other Bulky Pivots that fits in nicely with Zarude, providing answers into Steel and Fairy types respectively and packing their own priority for the few targets faster than Zarude while enjoying Zarude eliminating Bulky Water types.

Other Options:
Stomping Tantrum - hits both Fire and Steel types hard, but exasperates Zarude’s issues with Flying types.

Countering Zarude

Zarude’s typing gives it a myriad of problems that can lead to early knock outs if not careful. First Impression users such as Lokix and Slither Wing are fantastic at forcing Zarude Out, as it cannot hope to outspeed or tank the attack or any other Bug STAB.

Scizor, Tauros Blaze and Tinkaton have the bulk to tank even Swords Dance boosted coverage and either KO or cripple Zarude in turn. Chestnaught similarly does well, requiring Zarude to Terastalize to win.

Otherwise, checks are very much dependent on Zarude’s coverage. Iron Jugulis and Galarian Moltres are problematic when Zarude lacks Rock Slide. Opposing Dark resistant Grass types like Brute Bonnet, Meowscarada, etc. fear U-Turn but otherwise can check Zarude in a pinch.

Anime Appearences

Zarude has made an appearance in the anime. In it, one separated from the pack of Zarude to take care of a human baby it found # -English Episode Name- -Jp. Episode Name- Pics M22 Pokémon: Secrets of the Jungle Pokémon: Koko