Obviously the moveset does vary. And Kartana doesn't need Spore to be effective. The reason Regigigas likes it so much is because it not only has versatility (prevents Core Enforcer, allows for scouting for a safe switch, lets Regigigas disable key targets for other Pokemon on the team), it allows Regigigas to get more than one Shift Gear boost at a time most of the time. Kartana doesn't need to scout and it only boosts once. The only thing it cares about is Core Enforcer and Spectral Thief and Kartana doesn't come out until nearly endgame so you should know full well what mons do and don't have Core Enforcer and Spectral Thief.
Its obvious it varies, my point was "I cannot assume each set has all 4 moves without Belly Drum, so allow me to know which of the 4 is most likely replaced by Belly Drum, and if there are 2+ variants, can I simply list counters for each set rather than the Pokemon's entire Belly Drum set list as a whole assuming all moves (Which would be very hard)?" It was simply asking for specificity, although it may have come off as criticism.
Most versions are going to be Prankster and chances are once you get a Burn with Lava Plume, it's still a 2HKO on the other variants.
The chances are that 70% of the time you wont get a burn, and you want to out-damage their Leftovers+Shore Up. Even with Stealth Rocks, Regi is a 3HKO with Lava Plume.
252 SpA Darmanitan-Z Lava Plume vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Registeel: 152-180 (41.7 - 49.4%) -- guaranteed
3HKO after Stealth Rock and Leftovers recovery
With Searing Shot it is a 2HKO, and will break past Regi Shore Upping in front of you.
252 SpA Darmanitan-Z Searing Shot vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Registeel: 186-222 (51 - 60.9%) -- guaranteed
2HKO after Stealth Rock and Leftovers recovery
This means that Darm's 5 base Speed points higher than Registeel allows it to strike before it can use Shore Up on Magic Bounce (non-Prankster/Flash Fire variants).
It's not that Kartana doesn't run Power Whip. It's that it's optional coverage which can handle Primal Kyogre. But even then if you have Rocks up Primal Kyogre doesn't do anything. It's maddening. Anything that doesn't resist Sunsteel Strike gets obliterated at +6 regardless of ability or stats. Most of the stuff that does resist Sunsteel Strike gets crapped on by coverage like Imposters, bulky Steels, the odd Electric and Fire types, so on, so forth. A lot of these mons won't even have Unaware or Fur Coat. Sunsteel Strike is so unbelievably strong at +6 with an Adamant Kartana that a ton of resists lack the stats to wall Sunsteel Strike and those that do hate Fire Lash, Sacred Fire, Thousand Arrows, etc. Here's some calcs.
+6 252+ Atk Kartana Sunsteel Strike vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Kyogre-Primal: 355-418 (87.8 - 103.4%) -- guaranteed OHKO after Stealth Rock
+6 252+ Atk Kartana Sunsteel Strike vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Gyarados-Mega: 312-368 (79.1 - 93.4%) -- 43.8% chance to OHKO after Stealth Rock
The only way Mega Gyarados survives is if it's Relaxed. And there's still a decent chance after Rocks it'll faint regardless. If it's Sassy or if Kartana has Grass STAB, you can forget about it surviving.
+6 252+ Atk Kartana Fire Lash vs. 252 HP / 252 Def Unaware Ferrothorn: 324-384 (92 - 109%) -- 87.5% chance to OHKO after Stealth Rock
Even if Sunsteel Strike can't knock out resistant targets, coverage almost always does because Kartana is ridiculously strong. Ferrothorn usually runs +SpD nature. Even if Ferrothorn was +Def nature, there's still nothing Ferrothorn can do to Kartana, as it doesn't usually run Spectral Thief. And if Kartana is above half health, there's nothing stopping it from doing a second Belly Drum.
+6 252+ Atk Kartana Power Whip vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Fur Coat Swampert-Mega: 1492-1764 (369.3 - 436.6%) -- guaranteed OHKO
+6 252+ Atk Kartana Sunsteel Strike vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Tapu Fini: 603-709 (175.2 - 206.1%) -- guaranteed OHKO
+6 252+ Atk Kartana Sunsteel Strike vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Darmanitan-Z: 321-378 (77.5 - 91.3%) -- guaranteed OHKO after Stealth Rock
Only included Zen Darmanitan because OM! likes using it with Unaware.
Of Course, but what about other checks like Priority? Triage Ray, Heracross-Mega), -ates, or just a Focus Sasher with Spectral Thief? To be honest, Darm-Z took the best hits of the bunch you listed, so is it surprising I like using it with Unaware? Its simply very good due to its resistances. In regards to Ferrothorn, or anything that survives, while not necessary a standard, if anything wants to KO non-Flash Fire Kartana, it can just use a Fire Move, which will likely always do 75% damage, especially if its a Special Attack. Darm-Z would love to use its STAB Fire, for example.
As for other counters that aren't weak to Fire, Ground, or Power Whip, while resisting Sunsteel, look no further than Palkia:
*Assume Grassy Terrain = Baneful Bunker, stalling for Leftovers healing)
+6 252 Atk Kartana Power Whip vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def
Unaware Palkia: 181-214 (47.1 - 55.7%) --
guaranteed 3HKO after Leftovers recovery and Grassy Terrain recovery (I made Kartana Normal + Steel, and Power Whip Normal, so Grassy Terrain wouldn't boost it, but still reflect neutral STAB damage)
+6 252 Atk Kartana Sunsteel Strike vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Palkia: 301-355 (78.3 - 92.4%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery and Grassy Terrain recovery
While Palkia can 1HKO it back:
+6 252 Atk Palkia Spectral Thief vs. 252 HP / 252 Def Kartana: 242-285 (75.1 - 88.5%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock and Grassy Terrain recovery
(75% HP due to Sitrus+Belly Drum)
The Pokemon with the absolute highest physical defense is Zygarde-Complete. While mons like Mega Aggron might have a higher Defense stat, Zygarde-Complete has both a massive HP and a very good Defense stat.
+6 252+ Atk Kartana Sunsteel Strike vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Zygarde-Complete: 580-684 (91.1 - 107.5%) -- 81.3% chance to OHKO after Stealth Rock and Leftovers recovery
I'm not banking on a <20% chance to check something.
Actually, M-Aggron is bulkier not due to its Defenses, but due to its resistances.
In either case, M-Aggron rocks its socks *Assume Grassy Terrain = Baneful Bunker, stalling for Leftovers healing):
+6 252+ Atk Kartana Sunsteel Strike vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Aggron-Mega: 177-209 (51.4 - 60.7%) -- 50.8% chance to 2HKO after Leftovers recovery and Grassy Terrain recovery
+6 252 Atk Aggron-Mega Spectral Thief vs. 252 HP / 252 Def Kartana: 271-319 (84.1 - 99%) -- 37.5% chance to OHKO after Stealth Rock and Grassy Terrain recovery
(1HKO since Kartana is at 75% HP after Belly + Sitrus)
Even Precipice Blades is too weak to 2HKO:
+6 252+ Atk Kartana Precipice Blades vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Unaware Aggron-Mega: 144-170 (41.8 - 49.4%) --
guaranteed 3HKO after Leftovers recovery and Grassy Terrain recovery
And if Kartana is Jolly instead of Adamant
+6 252 Atk Kartana Sunsteel Strike vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Aggron-Mega: 161-190 (46.8 - 55.2%) -- guaranteed
3HKO after Leftovers recovery and Grassy Terrain recovery
This is what ends up being the problem with setup. Even if you can only use 3 attacking moves, the opponent will never be sure they can actually check it. Balanced Hackmons lets mons use every move except for Chatter and because of that setup ends up being less predictable and having a bigger effect on the meta. You can try to make a check/counter to something only for said mon to have a variation in it's moveset that prevents you from checking it, for example, Ice Beam on Red Orb Groudon rather than Fleur Cannon for Zygarde-Complete. Perhaps Belly Drum is a problem too, I'm not fully sure, but I think Kartana would end up being much more manageable if Sungeist Geyser were banned.
MMX would have to resort to Psychic Fangs or even Psycho Boost for Psychic STAB, and at that point likely drop it unless it wants to hit Gengar-Mega, Pheromosa, or random Triage Heracross-Mega for more damage than Spectral Thief, Sacred Fire, etc. Palkia is only weak to Dragon and Fairy moves, the most standard on the physical side being Dragon Hammer and Play Rough, which do the same as a STAB neutral Power Whip. Palkia can literally handle anything Kartana throws at it, and 1HKO back with Spectral Thief.
This is how I honestly feel with Shell Smash and other setup moves combined with Sungeist Geyser/Power Trip/Stored Power. It honestly feels really demoralizing for players to switch in a check to a specific Pokemon only for it to use Shell Smash or Belly Drum, because they can just end up spamming Power Trip/Stored Power or STAB Sungeist Geyser respectively. I have legitimately seen games where someone uses Illusion Mega Tyranitar, tricks the opponent into switching out turn 1, Shell Smashes, then wins the game by clicking Power Trip over and over again. This isn't a one-off game that happens rarely; this happens frequently in matches. I call for bans to moves like these because I don't feel they convey any skill as there's next to no actual counterplay. Even without Illusion factored in, I have seen people utilize Pokemon with the Simple ability to get even greater use out of Shell Smash with Power Trip. A lot of people here would be surprised how disgustingly effective SimpleSmash Regigigas is. I know a lot of people, particularly on the OM Discord have a very... neutral opinion on Simple compared to Contrary, Illusion, Shell Smash, and a few other problematic things, but against teams who utilize little or no priority, SimpleSmash is absurdly powerful.
One last thing. I know a lot of people have and will try to state that they can run Prankster Steels. I feel like people who say that completely miss the point of the argument I make. It isn't just about setup being nearly uncheckable. It's about people feeling forced to run a Prankster on their team because of all of the setup now. It limits the teambuilding variability in a different way than most other things would. To check Mega Rayquaza, you could run Mega Diancie, Regenvest Dialga, or Dazzling MMX (for the most part). But you don't have to run Mega Diancie, Regenvest Dialga, or Dazzling MMX. There are other things which could check Mega Rayquaza too. You go and look at mons like Shell Smash Mega Tyranitar with Power Trip, Bellyburden Kartana with Sunsteel Strike, Dazzling MMX with Photon Geyser, and the only realistic check to any of them is a Prankster Pokemon with Haze or Destiny Bond. There is no variance here. It feels like a huge conflict of interest in a tier intended to be a sandbox tier when you are pressured to run a Prankster Pokemon because of setup being so overwhelming. You can ladder without Imposter, without Mega Mewtwo XY, without Mega Rayquaza, without Mega Diancie, Gengar, or Primal Kyogre, but if you ladder without a Prankster Pokemon I guarantee you will have difficulty laddering when the opponent uses Shell Smash, Belly Drum, Sungeist Geyser, or Power Trip/Stored Power.
I have nothing to add.
Also, I said I wasn't sure about Power Trip/Stored Power getting banned earlier. I change my mind. Baton Pass chains are legitimately real in BH and Power Trip/Stored Power fuel these Baton Pass chains. I have seen people get actual use out of bulky Normal types like Arceus or Mega Audino by setting up then Baton Passing to a mon with Power Trip and/or Stored Power. The lack of phazing moves being used like Whirlwind and Dragon Tail leave stuff like Baton Passing perfectly viable. The only person I have faced this generation who has ever used phazing moves is OM! I don't consider Baton Passing to be bad at all, I just believe the Power moves should get suspected.
Regardless, I've tried typing up as solid of an argument as I can. If this doesn't work for many here then I will start to gather replays and post them periodically showing just how stupidly effective some of these moves are. Sorry for the huge wall of text. I just wanted to make my side of the argument clear.
I don't bother with Prankster, and my team is built for Defensive purposes. I use Unaware Meloetta, Fur Coat Darm, Misty Surge Circle Throw, Rapid Spin (self-Imposterproof) Giratina, Stamina (Spectral Thief + Baton Pass, with self-Imposterproof Dragon Tail, and Shore UP) M-Audino, Sheer Force MMY, and Illusion Gyarados that Megas into a Mold Breaker Hazards setter (and can surrpise Normalize Gengars). I don't think I need Haze, as like you said I use pHaze, but let me tell you, resistances/Immunities play a much bigger part that abilities and items, Misty Surge is a great example of adding a Dragon Resistance and a Status Immunity.
