EpicUmbreon29
^-^
Keldeo
QC: 2/3
GP: 0/2
[OVERVIEW]
+Great typing offensively, beating common threats like Colossoil, Chansey, and Heatran
+Resists common types like Dark, Fire, and Ice, which include common offensive CAP threats like Syclant and Colossoil
+Secret Sword lets it hit for physical damage without taking away from Keldeo's Special Attack
+Can defeat most Rock, Ground, and Steel OU Pokemon (and Chansey) easily
+Versatile and potentially unpredictable due to multiple viable sets. It can be a potent wall breaker with Choice Specs or Life Orb, a revenge killer / cleaner with Choice Scarf, or a boosting win condition with Substitute and Calm Mind.
-Weak to common Pokemon like Talonflame, Tomohawk, Aurumoth, Plasmanta, Latios, Azumarill, and Mega Venusaur.
-Tends to have difficulty dealing with Mollux and Mega Altaria, two potent threats
[SET]
name: All-Out Attacker
move 1: Scald
move 2: Secret Sword
move 3: Hydro Pump
move 4: Hidden Power Ground / Icy Wind
ability: Justified
item: Choice Specs / Life Orb / Expert Belt
evs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
nature: Timid
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
-Scald is your move for occasionally burning opponents and dealing accurate damage. Use it when you want the chance to cripple some physical attackers or when you want an accurate Water type move.
-Secret Sword is your move for hitting specially defensive Pokemon like Hoopa-Unbound, Tyranitar in Sand, and walls and that would otherwise force you out (mainly Chansey, but it also OHKOs Assault Vest Colossoil).
-Hydro Pump is your move for maximizing damage against foes that don't resist it and aren't huge special walls, being able to defeat most things it hits super effectively. With Choice Specs or Life Orb, Keldeo can get past bulkier threats like Clefable and Jirachi, which Scald does not have the power for.
-Hidden Power Ground is necessary to do just about anything to Mollux and Plasmanta, which resist Secret Sword and benefit from being hit by Water moves.
-Icy Wind is good to use when you predict a switch to another Pokemon, especially when it can KO the current opponent, as faster threats that get slowed can then be defeated. It is also coverage against Necturna and Mega Altaria, which otherwise could use Keldeo as setup bait.
Set Details
========
-Timid is needed for Keldeo to outspeed as much as possible. Without a Speed boosting Nature, Keldeo is outsped by 95 Base Speed Pokemon and above with maximum Speed investment and a positive Nature. Outspeeding Colossoil, Volkraken, Kyurem-Black, and Gliscor is fairly important, as is keeping ahead of Pokemon with Speed stats slightly lower than Keldeo like Charizard, Garchomp, and Krilowatt.
-Choice Specs is used to maximize damage from Keldeo at all costs. Unfortunately, one of those costs is being unable to switch moves, which isn't great when there are Pokemon with immunities to every move (or almost every move) you carry.
-Life Orb is used to increase damage when the ability to change between moves is vital
-Expert Belt can let Keldeo bluff having a Choice item, which Life Orb cannot due to its recoil damage. This can help it to lure a potential check in and then defeat it with another coverage move.
Usage Tips
========
-Choice Specs Keldeo should be used towards the end of a game, when threats to it have been eliminated (or weakened for it to defeat) and it can cleanly sweep. It is also helpful in the beginning and middle of the game, as few Pokemon can take its powerful attacks. Also, the chance of spreading burns helps.
-Life Orb Keldeo and Expert Belt Keldeo have more freedom, being able to effectively fight at almost any point in the match. If the opponent is tricked into thinking Keldeo is Choice locked, he/she may send in a Pokemon like Mollux or Plasmanta that would counter Keldeo, allowing the player to use Hidden Power Ground for massive damage.
-Scald, unless your opponent has a Pokemon with a Water immunity, is generally the safest move early in the match, as a potential Burn can wear down Keldeo counters like Mega Venusaur, making it easier for Keldeo to clean later on.
Team Options
========
-Keldeo cannot effectively fight common Grass types like Venusaur, Serperior, and Celebi, as well as Pokemon that outspeed it, so Talonflame is a helpful teammate thanks to its powerful prioritized Flying type attacks.
-Keldeo is weak to common special attackers (Serperior, Raikou, Mega Alakazam, Mega Diancie, etc.), so specially defensive teammates that can also provide Wish (or Healing Wish) support like Clefable, Jirachi, Latias, and Sylveon are effective.
-Good on Offensive and Balanced teams for the type coverage, power, and speed it provides.
-Ground types like Colossoil, Garchomp, and Hippowdon help Keldeo to deal with Electric type checks. Colossoil also helps Keldeo against Psychic types, especially considering it can Pursuit trap them, while Garchomp and Hippowdon check Talonflame and can set Stealth Rock. Ground type teammates are especially important if Keldeo lacks Hidden Power Ground.
-Offensive Grass or Electric types like Necturna, Serperior, or Plasmanta are helpful because Keldeo has great difficulty getting through bluky Waters.
-Pursuit trappers like Tyranitar, Colossoil, Bisharp, Scizor, and Mega Metagross are great for removing bulky Psychic Pokemon (like Starmie, Latios, and Latias) that wall Keldeo
[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Scald
move 2: Secret Sword
move 3: Hydro Pump
move 4: Hidden Power Ground / Icy Wind
ability: Justified
item: Choice Scarf
evs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
nature: Timid
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
-Scald is a tool for spreading misery to the foe, having the ability to burn Pokemon mid-sweep thanks to Choice Scarf. In addition, it is safer for cleaning up remaining opponents than Hydro Pump thanks to its higher accuracy.
-Secret Sword is great type coverage and hits specially bulky Pokemon harder than Scald or Hydro Pump.
-Hydro Pump does more damage to opponents if Scald's burn chance and reliable accuracy are not needed. Hydro Pump is especially helpful against Aurumoth, Mega Charizards X and Y, Mega Crucibelle, and Gliscor.
-Hidden Power Ground is, as usual, Keldeo's best method of eliminating Mollux and Plasmanta.
-Icy Wind is a decent option if Keldeo's final act is to slow the opponent for its team or if a switch to Altaria or Dragonite is predicted.
Set Details
========
-Timid allows Keldeo to outspeed as much as possible, especially with Choice Scarf. Modest would cause Keldeo to lose to things it could otherwise deal with. For example, a Modest Nature Keldeo with Choice Scarf would be outsped by a Jolly Mega Charizard X or Naviathan after one Dragon Dance. It would also be slower than a maximum Speed Pokemon with Choice Scarf with 95 Base Speed or higher (for example, Garchomp and Kyurem-Black)
-EVs maximize Speed and damage output.
-Choice Scarf allows Keldeo to outspeed more opponents, several of which would defeat it otherwise, notably making it a check to Cawmodore, Mega Charizard X after one Dragon Dance, and Choice Scarf Mollux.
Usage Tips
========
-Most effective late game, when Keldeo stoppers have been removed, especially Talonflame, as it cleans weakened foes effectively.
-If used earlier in the game, it should be wary of the opponent switching and should not allow the opponent to set up on it.
-Again, Scald is usually the safest option in the early game, as it can inflict a Burn on a counter that attempts to switch into Keldeo, allowing Keldeo to have an easier time in the late game.
Team Options
========
-Since many Flying types, Psychic types, and Fairies defeat Keldeo, Mega Metagross is a helpful partner.
-Best on Hyperoffensive and Balanced teams for its ability to stop things like Heatran and Colossoil. This helps Pokemon like Gengar, Mega Manectric, Mega Gardevoir, Kitsunoh, Choice Scarf Mollux, and Latios.
-Ground type teammates like Hippowdon, Colossoil, and Excadrill are very helpful for dealing with Electric types, along with Mollux and Plasmanta.
-Like most Keldeo, this Keldeo struggles with bulky Waters, so Grass and Electric type teammates like Mega Venusaur and Plasmanta are very important.
[SET]
name: Substitute + Calm Mind
move 1: Scald
move 2: Secret Sword
move 3: Substitute
move 4: Calm Mind
ability: Justified
item: Leftovers / Salac Berry
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
nature: Timid
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
-Scald helps Keldeo survive longer against physical attackers that would otherwise get past its Special Defense boosts. Its low power is offset by Calm Mind boosts.
-Secret Sword is great type coverage and prevents Chansey from stopping the sweep.
-Substitute is a great move, allowing Keldeo to avoid status moves, set up Calm Mind safely, and defeat foes that would otherwise outspeed and defeat it (even Talonflame).
-Calm Mind increases Keldeo's ability to survive and throw out special attacks, allowing it to sweep effectively.
Set Details
========
-Timid, as always, allows Keldeo to outspeed more foes (like Gliscor, Volkraken, and Kyurem-Black).
-EVs allow Keldeo to outspeed opponents with lower Base Speed and deal a lot of damage.
-4 HP EVs allow the Salac Berry, if it is chosen, to activate after using Substitute for a third time.
-Leftovers allows Keldeo to have better longevity, recovering damage taken from using Substitute.
-Salac Berry allows Keldeo to bluff a choice item, only to get a speed boost upon taking a sufficient damage, assisting in its sweep.
Usage Tips
========
-Defeat Unaware Pokemon (Clefable, Arghonaut, and Quagsire), Psyshock users like Gardevoir, Latios, and Latias, and Talonflame before sending out Keldeo, as they will prevent it from reaching its final form if Keldeo has no Substitute up.
-Take opportunities to set up Substitute, as it is a necessity for taking out faster Pokemon and makes it safer to use Calm Mind.
-Set up on passive Pokemon like Chansey, Sableye, Pyroak, Fidgit, etc.
-Helpful on Hyperoffensive and Balanced teams for its ability to stop opponents with Substitute and STAB coverage.
Team Options
========
-Since Keldeo struggles with bulky Waters, Grass types, Electric types, and Fairies, Mega Venusaur can be used as an effective teammate thanks to its resistances and STAB Grass and Poison attacks.
-Clefable can stop Pokemon that set up on Keldeo with Unaware and Talonflame with Stealth Rocks. In addition, it can Wish pass to Keldeo to help it survive and use Heal Bell if it gets a status condition.
-Ground types like Garchomp, Colossoil, or Gliscor are vital teammates for this set due to its inability to viably carry Hidden Power Ground to deal with Mollux, Plasmanta, and various Electric types.
-Unaware Clefable is a huge force in CAP that obliterates Keldeo, meaning Steel types like Mega Metagross and Heatran, Poison types like Gengar and Mollux, and Fire types like Heatran and Pyroak are great partners.
-Flying types like Mega Pigeot, Talonflame, and Tornadus are helpful for removing Grass types like Serperior, Venusaur, and Necturna.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
-Calm Mind + 3 Attacks can be used, but its power is not as great as the AOA, cannot outspeed as much as Choice Scarf Keldeo, and cannot set up as well as CM + Substitute
-Hidden Power Flying can help punish Grass types like Mega Venusaur, Necturna, Celebi, and Breloom on the switch in, but it isn't as powerful against most things as Scald/Hydro Pump or Secret Sword
-Hidden Power Bug defeats Celebi, but Celebi is rare in CAP (thanks Colossoil!)
-Hidden Power Electric can be used to help against bulky Water types, but it primarily beats Gyarados.
-Taunt can be used to pressure walls like Pyroak and Chansey. It also helps Keldeo avoid being statused, especially by Thunder Wave.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Bulky Waters**: There isn't much to say besides that the likes of Manaphy, Slowbro, Krilowatt, and Rotom-W are too bulky for it to defeat unboosted (allowing Manaphy to set up). However, the only one of these that can switch into Choice Specs Keldeo's Secret Sword is Slowbro.
**Grass Types**: Mega Venusaur walls it while Necturna, Celebi, and Serperior overpower it, although Serperior cannot take many Secret Swords from Keldeo (Icy Wind may not be a good option due to Contrary)
**Fairy Types**: Clefable, Mega Diancie, Mega Gardevoir, Sylveon, Altaria Mega, and Azumarill all easily defeat Keldeo. However, Diancie and Gardevoir cannot switch in. Mega Altaria also has difficulty due to Icy Wind.
**Flying Types**: Many Flying types (Talonflame, Tornadus-Therian) outspeed and defeat Keldeo. Togekiss survives Keldeo, Thunder Waves it, and destroys it with Air Slash. Talonflame can only check Keldeo, though.
**Electric Types**: Without Scarf, Scarf Magnezone outspeeds, as do Mega Manectric, Raikou, Thundurus, making them good revenge killers. However, thesr cannot switch into Keldeo well.
**Psychic Types** Many powerful Psychics (Latios, Latias, Alakazam, Jirachi, Mega Metagross) outspeed Keldeo and defeat it, while Keldeo can do little in return. Most of these are checks that hate switching in on Scald, however, especially Jirachi and Metagross, which want to avoid being Burned. Only Latios and Latias, two of the best checks to Keldeo, can switch in relatively well, although Icy Wind can take a large chunk of their HP.
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