[OVERVIEW]
Celesteela cements itself as a premier defensive presence in the tier thanks to its fantastic dual typing, well-rounded stats, and solid movepool. Its typing and bulk allow it to shut down a variety of dangerous attackers like Tapu Lele, Mega Alakazam, Serperior, and Mega Diancie. With Leech Seed and Flamethrower, it can easily chase out Grass-types while sustaining its HP against non-Grass-types. Due to these traits, it is welcomed by sand and balance teams, looking to find a teammate that can handle the aforementioned attackers, and it forms a potent defensive core with the likes of Toxapex. However, Celesteela lacks reliable recovery outside of Leftovers and Leech Seed, and it struggles to make progress against defensive structures with Gliscor and Regenerator walls like Toxapex and Slowbro. The former's Poison Heal lets it handle Celesteela with Swords Dance and outlast it even with Leech Seed. Celesteela also can't do much with its low Speed, and its typing leaves it easily taken advantage of by dangerous Fire- and Electric-types like Volcarona, both Mega Charizard formes, Tapu Koko, and Magnezone. Finally, the tier's plethora of Knock Off users like Tornadus-T, Clefable, and Ferrothorn can get rid of Leftovers and turn Celesteela's longevity into a liability.
[SET]
name: Defensive
move 1: Leech Seed
move 2: Protect
move 3: Heavy Slam
move 4: Flamethrower
item: Leftovers
ability: Beast Boost
nature: Sassy
evs: 248 HP / 28 Def / 232 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
=========
Leech Seed enables Celesteela to apply pressure to and wear down a variety of switch-ins, such as Heatran, the Mega Charizard formes, and Rotom-Wash. Protect lets Celesteela scout for Choice item variants of Victini and Tapu Koko, avoid being KOed by Mega Medicham's High Jump Kick, and prevent its Leftovers from being removed by Knock Off from users like Tornadus-T, all while synergizing well with Leech Seed and Leftovers to allow Celesteela to regain more HP. Heavy Slam smashes key targets like Tapu Lele, Mega Diancie, Tapu Bulu, and Weavile, and deals solid damage to neutral targets like Mega Alakazam and Mega Lopunny. Lastly, Flamethrower scorches Steel-types like Kartana, Ferrothorn, Mega Scizor, Skarmory, and punishes Magnezone should it attempt to switch in.
Set Details
========
The given HP and Defense investment allows Celesteela to avoid an OHKO from Jolly Mega Medicham's High Jump Kick from full HP. The rest of its EVs are then pooled into Special Defense alongside a Sassy nature to handle special attackers like Mega Alakazam, Tapu Lele, and Serperior. Leftovers is mandatory to extend Celesteela's longevity in conjunction with Leech Seed and Protect. Alternatively, an EV spread of 248 HP / 112 Def / 148 SpD with a Relaxed nature can be used to avoid a 2HKO from +1 Mega Gyarados after Leftovers recovery and improve Celesteela's matchup against Swords Dance Gliscor.
Usage Tips
========
Celesteela excels at switching in against Pokemon that it can easily force out, like Tapu Lele, Mega Alakazam, and Choice-locked variants of Kartana and Landorus-T, and punishing these forced switches with Leech Seed. Use Leech Seed and Protect as often as possible so that Celesteela can stick around long enough to handle these threats. However, against defensive teams, it needs to manage its Leech Seed PP more carefully unless recovery is absolutely necessary, entry hazards are set up, or a teammate is positioned to make progress as a follow-up, lest Celesteela become too passive. Celesteela must also avoid status, especially burns from defensive walls like Toxapex and Slowbro, which negate Leftovers and make it easier to wear down. Try to scout for any Z-Moves and unexpected coverage that can pose a threat to Celesteela, like Continental Crush from Garchomp and Landorus-T and Thunderbolt from Magearna. However, be wary that the opponent can predict the scout by nabbing an extra turn to set up and save their Z-Move for later, as a mistimed scout can spell doom for Celesteela. Celesteela must also tread carefully against Knock Off, as losing its Leftovers deprives it of its method to passively heal and forces it to either burn off its Leech Seed PP or have a teammate like Clefable pass Wish to it to stay healthy. When facing a team that has Magnezone, playing with extra caution is mandatory, as the opponent can find an opportunity to trap and eliminate Celesteela with Thunderbolt. You can also punish Magnezone in return by catching it with Flamethrower.
Team Options
========
Celesteela is perfectly suited for sand and balance teams, which appreciate its defensive utility as a Steel-type and its ability to check dangerous special attackers like Tapu Lele and Mega Alakazam. Toxapex and Gliscor form an incredibly potent core with Celesteela. Toxapex specializes in handling Ash-Greninja and Fire-types like Mega Charizard Y and non-Psychic variants of Volcarona, while Gliscor takes on answers like Heatran and Zapdos, uses its typing to block Volt Switch, and provides a free entry with U-turn. Additionally, both of these Pokemon spread status by means of Toxic and Toxapex's Scald and Toxic Spikes, and provide Knock Off to remove Leftovers from targets like Heatran, Tapu Fini, and Cresselia. This pairs incredibly well with Celesteela's Leech Seed, making it easier to whittle down the opposing team. Other pivots, such as Landorus-T, Tornadus-T, Zapdos, and Rotom-Wash, also pair well with Celesteela, helping it enter the field without much trouble. Sand setters like Mega Tyranitar and Hippowdon form a solid partnership with Celesteela, as Celesteela provides solid defensive role compression for the sand archetype. Additionally, Mega Tyranitar threatens Choice-locked Ash-Greninja and bulky Psychic-types like Mega Latias and Cresselia with Pursuit and handles Heatran and Zapdos very well, while Hippowdon stonewalls the likes of Tapu Koko and possesses better longevity. Sand Rush Excadrill becomes a formidable revenge killer and sweeper, thanks to the sand, and compensates for Celesteela's low Speed. Mega Garchomp is another option for a Fire-type check, and its Swords Dance and mixed sets help break down bulky structures. Kartana is another solid teammate despite adding on the Steel typing; Choice Band sets are amazing for their immediate power, while Swords Dance sets lure in and blast apart Zapdos with Breakneck Blitz, with both variants forcing through Gliscor and bulky Water-types like Toxapex and Slowbro. All of these sand staples benefit from the role compression that Celesteela provides as a Ground-immune Pokemon and a dedicated answer to Tapu Lele, Mega Alakazam, and Serperior, as well as improving their matchup against offensive structures with Leech Seed + Protect. Ferrothorn forms a complementary core with Celesteela, setting up Spikes and using Knock Off to pressure shared Fire-type answers like Heatran, Volcarona, and Mega Charizard X alongside Leech Seed, and working in tandem with Celesteela to deal with Psychic- and Fairy-types. Ash-Greninja is another option for a Spikes setter to handle the aforementioned Fire-types and piles on the offensive pressure with its Speed, powerful attacks, and access to priority. On balance structures, Clefable complements Celesteela very well, as Clefable sets up Stealth Rock, spreads paralysis with Thunder Wave, provides Knock Off support to remove Leftovers from checks like Heatran, and absorbs debilitating status ailments like Scald burns from Toxapex. In return, Celesteela can handle Steel-types like Mega Scizor for it. Seismitoad and Gastrodon are also great partners for Celesteela, as they can freely switch into Scald, which threatens to negate Celesteela's Leftovers recovery, and they can use their typing to stonewall Electric-types like Zapdos, Rotom-Wash, and Tapu Koko and block Volt Switch; in return, they enjoy Celesteela handling Grass-types like Kartana, Ferrothorn, Serperior, and Tapu Bulu. Mega Latias handles Mega Charizard Y and Gliscor and eliminates offensive threats that attempt to lure in Celesteela, like Rockium Z Garchomp and Landorus-T. Ditto provides extra security against sweepers like Mega Charizard X, Volcarona, and Swords Dance Gliscor and can stall out opposing defensive teams to help its teammates win the game long-term. Ditto can also provide further support for Celesteela by running 30 IVs in Special Attack and Special Defense to reverse-trap Magnezone and remove it with Hidden Power Ground, much to the appreciation of both Celesteela and Ferrothorn. Occasionally, Celesteela can even be used on stall teams, with Mega Sableye and Chansey pairing well with it; the former shuts down Mega Medicham, Chansey covers special attackers like Ash-Greninja, and both teammates help spread chip damage, with Mega Sableye providing Knock Off and Will-O-Wisp and Chansey using Stealth Rock and Toxic to give Celesteela an easier time whittling down teams with Leech Seed. Celesteela, in return, threatens wallbreakers that give these stall teams trouble like Mega Diancie and Choice Specs Tapu Lele.
[SET CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/favmon-garchomp.653095/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/skypenguin.462413/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user2.102/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user3.103/
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Celesteela can run an Autotomize set and choose to go physical with Groundium Z to smash through Heatran and Toxapex and Rockium Z to bait in and eliminate Zapdos and Mega Charizard Y, or special with Flyinium Z to threaten Kommo-o and hit neutral targets like Landorus-T and Gyarados more efficiently at the cost of losing to the aforementioned Heatran, Toxapex, and Zapdos. Defensive variants of Celesteela can also run Earthquake to punish Heatran and hit Magnezone harder, but they miss out on threatening the likes of Kartana, Skarmory, Ferrothorn, Mega Scizor, and opposing Celesteela. Hidden Power Ice is also an option on defensive sets to disrupt Swords Dance Gliscor's attempts at sweeping, improving the team's matchup against it and Rockium Z variants of Landorus-T and Garchomp, but the move serves no purpose otherwise. An Assault Vest set with Heavy Slam, Earthquake, Flamethrower, and either Explosion, Giga Drain, Seed Bomb, or Stone Edge enables Celesteela to act as an offensive tank, utilizing an Adamant or Brave nature. Explosion enables Assault Vest Celesteela to provide offensive momentum for its teammates once its defensive capabilities are no longer needed. Its choice of Grass-type coverage option threatens Water-types like Rotom-Wash, Mega Swampert, Gastrodon, and Seismitoad, with Giga Drain enabling Celesteela to regain some health.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Fire-type Pokemon and Coverage**: Although all of them must be wary of switching into Leech Seed, the tier's plethora of Fire-types like Heatran, Victini, the Mega Charizard formes, and Volcarona aren't bothered much by Celesteela's attacking options and immediately threaten it with their super effective STAB options. Mega Charizard X, Volcarona, and Z-Celebrate Victini also find easy opportunities to set up their boosting moves, with Substitute + Swarm variants of Volcarona being unafraid of Leech Seed once it's behind the Substitute. Celesteela must also watch out for Pokemon that can pick it off with Fire-type coverage like Hidden Power Fire from Serperior and Mega Diancie and Flamethrower from Kommonium Z Kommo-o.
**Electric-type Pokemon and Coverage**: Magnezone poses the biggest issue among the Electric-types for Celesteela to face because it can force a one-on-one against it thanks to Magnet Pull and eliminate it with Thunderbolt. However, Magnezone doesn't enjoy taking Flamethrower and requires proper positioning to come in safely. Other Electric-type Pokémon, such as Tapu Koko, Zapdos, Rotom-Wash, and Thundurus-T, also pose a problem for Celesteela. Tapu Koko and Thundurus-T immediately force heavy damage with Thunderbolt and Z-Move variants of Tapu Koko OHKO Celesteela with Wild Charge after Stealth Rock; Zapdos additionally threatens it with Heat Wave; Rotom-Wash burns it with Will-O-Wisp; Zapdos and Rotom-Wash can sometimes tack on Electrium Z and take it by surprise; and all of these Electric-types can generate momentum with Volt Switch. However, none of these Electric-types enjoy switching into Leech Seed, while Tapu Koko's partial Fairy typing means that it can't afford to switch into Heavy Slam directly. Celesteela must also be wary of Pokemon that often carry Electric-type coverage to deal with it, like Thunderbolt from Magearna and Thunder from Mega Latias and Clefable; however, Celesteela can easily threaten Clefable with Heavy Slam, annoy the others with Leech Seed + Protect, and it isn't 2HKOed by an unboosted Thunderbolt and Thunder.
**Gliscor**: Gliscor is incredibly annoying for Celesteela to deal with, as it can negate Leech Seed damage with Poison Heal and heal with Roost; Swords Dance variants eventually win the one-on-one after enough boosts, while the utility variants remove Celesteela's Leftovers with Knock Off.
**Mega Sableye**: Mega Sableye has very little to fear from Celesteela because it isn't 2HKOed by Heavy Slam, undoes the damage taken with Recover, blocks Leech Seed with Magic Bounce, and stops it in its tracks with Will-O-Wisp and Knock Off.
**Bulky Water-types**: Most of the tier's bulky Water-types, like Toxapex, Slowbro, Gastrodon, and Seismitoad, can burn Celesteela with Scald, which negates its Leftovers recovery. Among the bulky Water-types, Toxapex and Slowbro are the most troublesome of the bunch, since Toxapex also removes Celesteela's Leftovers with Knock Off, Slowbro occasionally runs Flamethrower, and both of them can outstall it with their recovery moves and Regenerator. Manaphy is another worthy mention because it blows Celesteela away with a Tail Glow-boosted Hydro Vortex.
**Offensive Lures**: Though none of them enjoy directly switching into Celesteela, various Pokemon like Landorus-T, Garchomp, Kartana, and Tapu Lele occasionally slap on Rockium Z and Fightinium Z, respectively, and either blow through it after a boost or weaken it enough that it can't do much back to the rest of their teams.
**Item Removal**: The loss of Leftovers is very annoying for Celesteela. Not only does this deprive it of its ability to heal passively, but it also forces it to rely on Leech Seed much more often to stay healthy, and reduces its ability to take on targets like Tapu Lele and Mega Alakazam, making it more difficult for Celesteela to stick around.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/favmon-garchomp.653095/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/skypenguin.462413/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user3.102/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user5.104/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user6.105/
Celesteela cements itself as a premier defensive presence in the tier thanks to its fantastic dual typing, well-rounded stats, and solid movepool. Its typing and bulk allow it to shut down a variety of dangerous attackers like Tapu Lele, Mega Alakazam, Serperior, and Mega Diancie. With Leech Seed and Flamethrower, it can easily chase out Grass-types while sustaining its HP against non-Grass-types. Due to these traits, it is welcomed by sand and balance teams, looking to find a teammate that can handle the aforementioned attackers, and it forms a potent defensive core with the likes of Toxapex. However, Celesteela lacks reliable recovery outside of Leftovers and Leech Seed, and it struggles to make progress against defensive structures with Gliscor and Regenerator walls like Toxapex and Slowbro. The former's Poison Heal lets it handle Celesteela with Swords Dance and outlast it even with Leech Seed. Celesteela also can't do much with its low Speed, and its typing leaves it easily taken advantage of by dangerous Fire- and Electric-types like Volcarona, both Mega Charizard formes, Tapu Koko, and Magnezone. Finally, the tier's plethora of Knock Off users like Tornadus-T, Clefable, and Ferrothorn can get rid of Leftovers and turn Celesteela's longevity into a liability.
[SET]
name: Defensive
move 1: Leech Seed
move 2: Protect
move 3: Heavy Slam
move 4: Flamethrower
item: Leftovers
ability: Beast Boost
nature: Sassy
evs: 248 HP / 28 Def / 232 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
=========
Leech Seed enables Celesteela to apply pressure to and wear down a variety of switch-ins, such as Heatran, the Mega Charizard formes, and Rotom-Wash. Protect lets Celesteela scout for Choice item variants of Victini and Tapu Koko, avoid being KOed by Mega Medicham's High Jump Kick, and prevent its Leftovers from being removed by Knock Off from users like Tornadus-T, all while synergizing well with Leech Seed and Leftovers to allow Celesteela to regain more HP. Heavy Slam smashes key targets like Tapu Lele, Mega Diancie, Tapu Bulu, and Weavile, and deals solid damage to neutral targets like Mega Alakazam and Mega Lopunny. Lastly, Flamethrower scorches Steel-types like Kartana, Ferrothorn, Mega Scizor, Skarmory, and punishes Magnezone should it attempt to switch in.
Set Details
========
The given HP and Defense investment allows Celesteela to avoid an OHKO from Jolly Mega Medicham's High Jump Kick from full HP. The rest of its EVs are then pooled into Special Defense alongside a Sassy nature to handle special attackers like Mega Alakazam, Tapu Lele, and Serperior. Leftovers is mandatory to extend Celesteela's longevity in conjunction with Leech Seed and Protect. Alternatively, an EV spread of 248 HP / 112 Def / 148 SpD with a Relaxed nature can be used to avoid a 2HKO from +1 Mega Gyarados after Leftovers recovery and improve Celesteela's matchup against Swords Dance Gliscor.
Usage Tips
========
Celesteela excels at switching in against Pokemon that it can easily force out, like Tapu Lele, Mega Alakazam, and Choice-locked variants of Kartana and Landorus-T, and punishing these forced switches with Leech Seed. Use Leech Seed and Protect as often as possible so that Celesteela can stick around long enough to handle these threats. However, against defensive teams, it needs to manage its Leech Seed PP more carefully unless recovery is absolutely necessary, entry hazards are set up, or a teammate is positioned to make progress as a follow-up, lest Celesteela become too passive. Celesteela must also avoid status, especially burns from defensive walls like Toxapex and Slowbro, which negate Leftovers and make it easier to wear down. Try to scout for any Z-Moves and unexpected coverage that can pose a threat to Celesteela, like Continental Crush from Garchomp and Landorus-T and Thunderbolt from Magearna. However, be wary that the opponent can predict the scout by nabbing an extra turn to set up and save their Z-Move for later, as a mistimed scout can spell doom for Celesteela. Celesteela must also tread carefully against Knock Off, as losing its Leftovers deprives it of its method to passively heal and forces it to either burn off its Leech Seed PP or have a teammate like Clefable pass Wish to it to stay healthy. When facing a team that has Magnezone, playing with extra caution is mandatory, as the opponent can find an opportunity to trap and eliminate Celesteela with Thunderbolt. You can also punish Magnezone in return by catching it with Flamethrower.
Team Options
========
Celesteela is perfectly suited for sand and balance teams, which appreciate its defensive utility as a Steel-type and its ability to check dangerous special attackers like Tapu Lele and Mega Alakazam. Toxapex and Gliscor form an incredibly potent core with Celesteela. Toxapex specializes in handling Ash-Greninja and Fire-types like Mega Charizard Y and non-Psychic variants of Volcarona, while Gliscor takes on answers like Heatran and Zapdos, uses its typing to block Volt Switch, and provides a free entry with U-turn. Additionally, both of these Pokemon spread status by means of Toxic and Toxapex's Scald and Toxic Spikes, and provide Knock Off to remove Leftovers from targets like Heatran, Tapu Fini, and Cresselia. This pairs incredibly well with Celesteela's Leech Seed, making it easier to whittle down the opposing team. Other pivots, such as Landorus-T, Tornadus-T, Zapdos, and Rotom-Wash, also pair well with Celesteela, helping it enter the field without much trouble. Sand setters like Mega Tyranitar and Hippowdon form a solid partnership with Celesteela, as Celesteela provides solid defensive role compression for the sand archetype. Additionally, Mega Tyranitar threatens Choice-locked Ash-Greninja and bulky Psychic-types like Mega Latias and Cresselia with Pursuit and handles Heatran and Zapdos very well, while Hippowdon stonewalls the likes of Tapu Koko and possesses better longevity. Sand Rush Excadrill becomes a formidable revenge killer and sweeper, thanks to the sand, and compensates for Celesteela's low Speed. Mega Garchomp is another option for a Fire-type check, and its Swords Dance and mixed sets help break down bulky structures. Kartana is another solid teammate despite adding on the Steel typing; Choice Band sets are amazing for their immediate power, while Swords Dance sets lure in and blast apart Zapdos with Breakneck Blitz, with both variants forcing through Gliscor and bulky Water-types like Toxapex and Slowbro. All of these sand staples benefit from the role compression that Celesteela provides as a Ground-immune Pokemon and a dedicated answer to Tapu Lele, Mega Alakazam, and Serperior, as well as improving their matchup against offensive structures with Leech Seed + Protect. Ferrothorn forms a complementary core with Celesteela, setting up Spikes and using Knock Off to pressure shared Fire-type answers like Heatran, Volcarona, and Mega Charizard X alongside Leech Seed, and working in tandem with Celesteela to deal with Psychic- and Fairy-types. Ash-Greninja is another option for a Spikes setter to handle the aforementioned Fire-types and piles on the offensive pressure with its Speed, powerful attacks, and access to priority. On balance structures, Clefable complements Celesteela very well, as Clefable sets up Stealth Rock, spreads paralysis with Thunder Wave, provides Knock Off support to remove Leftovers from checks like Heatran, and absorbs debilitating status ailments like Scald burns from Toxapex. In return, Celesteela can handle Steel-types like Mega Scizor for it. Seismitoad and Gastrodon are also great partners for Celesteela, as they can freely switch into Scald, which threatens to negate Celesteela's Leftovers recovery, and they can use their typing to stonewall Electric-types like Zapdos, Rotom-Wash, and Tapu Koko and block Volt Switch; in return, they enjoy Celesteela handling Grass-types like Kartana, Ferrothorn, Serperior, and Tapu Bulu. Mega Latias handles Mega Charizard Y and Gliscor and eliminates offensive threats that attempt to lure in Celesteela, like Rockium Z Garchomp and Landorus-T. Ditto provides extra security against sweepers like Mega Charizard X, Volcarona, and Swords Dance Gliscor and can stall out opposing defensive teams to help its teammates win the game long-term. Ditto can also provide further support for Celesteela by running 30 IVs in Special Attack and Special Defense to reverse-trap Magnezone and remove it with Hidden Power Ground, much to the appreciation of both Celesteela and Ferrothorn. Occasionally, Celesteela can even be used on stall teams, with Mega Sableye and Chansey pairing well with it; the former shuts down Mega Medicham, Chansey covers special attackers like Ash-Greninja, and both teammates help spread chip damage, with Mega Sableye providing Knock Off and Will-O-Wisp and Chansey using Stealth Rock and Toxic to give Celesteela an easier time whittling down teams with Leech Seed. Celesteela, in return, threatens wallbreakers that give these stall teams trouble like Mega Diancie and Choice Specs Tapu Lele.
[SET CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/favmon-garchomp.653095/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/skypenguin.462413/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user2.102/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user3.103/
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Celesteela can run an Autotomize set and choose to go physical with Groundium Z to smash through Heatran and Toxapex and Rockium Z to bait in and eliminate Zapdos and Mega Charizard Y, or special with Flyinium Z to threaten Kommo-o and hit neutral targets like Landorus-T and Gyarados more efficiently at the cost of losing to the aforementioned Heatran, Toxapex, and Zapdos. Defensive variants of Celesteela can also run Earthquake to punish Heatran and hit Magnezone harder, but they miss out on threatening the likes of Kartana, Skarmory, Ferrothorn, Mega Scizor, and opposing Celesteela. Hidden Power Ice is also an option on defensive sets to disrupt Swords Dance Gliscor's attempts at sweeping, improving the team's matchup against it and Rockium Z variants of Landorus-T and Garchomp, but the move serves no purpose otherwise. An Assault Vest set with Heavy Slam, Earthquake, Flamethrower, and either Explosion, Giga Drain, Seed Bomb, or Stone Edge enables Celesteela to act as an offensive tank, utilizing an Adamant or Brave nature. Explosion enables Assault Vest Celesteela to provide offensive momentum for its teammates once its defensive capabilities are no longer needed. Its choice of Grass-type coverage option threatens Water-types like Rotom-Wash, Mega Swampert, Gastrodon, and Seismitoad, with Giga Drain enabling Celesteela to regain some health.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Fire-type Pokemon and Coverage**: Although all of them must be wary of switching into Leech Seed, the tier's plethora of Fire-types like Heatran, Victini, the Mega Charizard formes, and Volcarona aren't bothered much by Celesteela's attacking options and immediately threaten it with their super effective STAB options. Mega Charizard X, Volcarona, and Z-Celebrate Victini also find easy opportunities to set up their boosting moves, with Substitute + Swarm variants of Volcarona being unafraid of Leech Seed once it's behind the Substitute. Celesteela must also watch out for Pokemon that can pick it off with Fire-type coverage like Hidden Power Fire from Serperior and Mega Diancie and Flamethrower from Kommonium Z Kommo-o.
**Electric-type Pokemon and Coverage**: Magnezone poses the biggest issue among the Electric-types for Celesteela to face because it can force a one-on-one against it thanks to Magnet Pull and eliminate it with Thunderbolt. However, Magnezone doesn't enjoy taking Flamethrower and requires proper positioning to come in safely. Other Electric-type Pokémon, such as Tapu Koko, Zapdos, Rotom-Wash, and Thundurus-T, also pose a problem for Celesteela. Tapu Koko and Thundurus-T immediately force heavy damage with Thunderbolt and Z-Move variants of Tapu Koko OHKO Celesteela with Wild Charge after Stealth Rock; Zapdos additionally threatens it with Heat Wave; Rotom-Wash burns it with Will-O-Wisp; Zapdos and Rotom-Wash can sometimes tack on Electrium Z and take it by surprise; and all of these Electric-types can generate momentum with Volt Switch. However, none of these Electric-types enjoy switching into Leech Seed, while Tapu Koko's partial Fairy typing means that it can't afford to switch into Heavy Slam directly. Celesteela must also be wary of Pokemon that often carry Electric-type coverage to deal with it, like Thunderbolt from Magearna and Thunder from Mega Latias and Clefable; however, Celesteela can easily threaten Clefable with Heavy Slam, annoy the others with Leech Seed + Protect, and it isn't 2HKOed by an unboosted Thunderbolt and Thunder.
**Gliscor**: Gliscor is incredibly annoying for Celesteela to deal with, as it can negate Leech Seed damage with Poison Heal and heal with Roost; Swords Dance variants eventually win the one-on-one after enough boosts, while the utility variants remove Celesteela's Leftovers with Knock Off.
**Mega Sableye**: Mega Sableye has very little to fear from Celesteela because it isn't 2HKOed by Heavy Slam, undoes the damage taken with Recover, blocks Leech Seed with Magic Bounce, and stops it in its tracks with Will-O-Wisp and Knock Off.
**Bulky Water-types**: Most of the tier's bulky Water-types, like Toxapex, Slowbro, Gastrodon, and Seismitoad, can burn Celesteela with Scald, which negates its Leftovers recovery. Among the bulky Water-types, Toxapex and Slowbro are the most troublesome of the bunch, since Toxapex also removes Celesteela's Leftovers with Knock Off, Slowbro occasionally runs Flamethrower, and both of them can outstall it with their recovery moves and Regenerator. Manaphy is another worthy mention because it blows Celesteela away with a Tail Glow-boosted Hydro Vortex.
**Offensive Lures**: Though none of them enjoy directly switching into Celesteela, various Pokemon like Landorus-T, Garchomp, Kartana, and Tapu Lele occasionally slap on Rockium Z and Fightinium Z, respectively, and either blow through it after a boost or weaken it enough that it can't do much back to the rest of their teams.
**Item Removal**: The loss of Leftovers is very annoying for Celesteela. Not only does this deprive it of its ability to heal passively, but it also forces it to rely on Leech Seed much more often to stay healthy, and reduces its ability to take on targets like Tapu Lele and Mega Alakazam, making it more difficult for Celesteela to stick around.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/favmon-garchomp.653095/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/skypenguin.462413/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user3.102/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user5.104/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user6.105/
Last edited:
