[SET]
name: Offensive
move 1: Calm Mind
move 2: Giga Drain
move 3: Hidden Power Fire
move 4: Psychic
Item: Leftovers
ability: Natural Cure
nature: Timid
evs: 76 HP / 252 SpA / 180 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========
Offensive Celebi plays a unique role in ADV OU as a special sweeper and mixed wallbreaker. Although it is not as fast as Starmie and needs at least a turn to set up, it notably differs from other sweepers in that it frequently has the bulk to trade KOs with its checks, making it great at maintaining momentum. Unlike most special sweepers, many of its checks are physically bulky, allowing Celebi also to function as a wallbreaker for physically offensive Pokemon.
With a boost, Giga Drain 2HKOes Tyranitar, Suicune, Claydol, and possibly Milotic, and it OHKOes Starmie, Dugtrio, and Swampert. Don't underestimate Giga Drain's healing abilities—it can increase Celebi's odds of surviving being trapped by Dugtrio by bringing it back to full HP after a KO as well as healing back the damage Dugtrio did to it, keeping Celebi out of sand KO range. Giga Drain's regeneration also helps Celebi survive Hidden Power Bug from Tyranitar and helps it when facing fast foes like Starmie. Notably, with enough boosts, Giga Drain in conjunction with Psychic gives Celebi a way to muscle past Blissey lacking a status move. Again requiring a boost, Hidden Power Fire 2HKOes Metagross, often 2HKOes Skarmory, helps in tussles against Celebi and Jirachi, and usually OHKOes Forretress and Magneton. Psychic is Celebi's strongest STAB move and is the primary move used to wear down Snorlax and Blissey. With a boost, it also 2HKOes airborne Pokemon—Salamence, offensive Zapdos, Moltres, and Flygon—that would check or phaze Celebi, and it OHKOes Gengar and the Fighting-types Heracross and Breloom.
Offensive Celebi can be used either mid-game or late-game. As a mid-game wallbreaker, bring it in against Zapdos or Swampert, and use it to trade KOs with mixed Salamence, Moltres, Snorlax, Metagross, and Tyranitar. It also prevents Skarmory from setting up Spikes by forcing it to phaze Celebi. With the aforementioned Pokemon worn down or removed, Celebi can also sweep late-game.
Team Options
========
Offensive Celebi fits mostly on special offense teams, especially in conjunction with Calm Mind users, but can sometimes be used with Spikes. Ironically, it can also fit on physically offensive teams due to its ability to trade KOs with physical tanks like Tyranitar, Metagross, and Salamence, wear down Skarmory, get ahead of and take out Moltres, and pivot into Gengar's Will-O-Wisp.
Dugtrio is a useful partner, and it is almost mandatory on special offense. It revenge kills opposing Dugtrio that end up trapping Celebi and can remove checks like Blissey, chipped Tyranitar and Metagross, and weakened Snorlax.
Offensive Jirachi is an excellent partner. With almost the same coverage and natural bulk and shared Calm Mind usage, Jirachi is a Celebi lookalike. They share essentially all their checks, and a trade with one paves the way for the other to sweep. Speaking of trading checks, one common way to eliminate Dugtrio should Jirachi go down first is Porygon2, which also indefinitely checks Dragon Dance Salamence. Offensive Suicune is also an offensive pivot for Dragon Dance Salamence on Calm Mind teams. With Celebi around, Regice is a good secondary special check to Zapdos, Starmie, and Suicune that can also lure in and use Explosion on Blissey and Snorlax without worrying too much about compromising the team's special bulk. Regice also draws in and wears down Tyranitar and Metagross, which can be helpful for turning Celebi's 2HKOs into OHKOs.
Offensive Celebi can be used on some Spikes teams too. Aggressive setters like Taunt Skarmory and Cloyster are possible partners. Gengar's spinblocking abilities are always useful with Spikes, but defensive Gengar also helps the team survive against Dragon Dance Salamence, while offensive Gengar's rainbow of coverage can provide the chip needed for Celebi to finish the opposing team off. Celebi is always a nice Aerodactyl partner, as it turns the tide on Electric- and Water-types. However, using offensive Celebi instead of defensive Celebi also makes Skarmory and Cloyster's weakness to Electric-types more pronounced, so having Aerodactyl to exert immense pressure on Zapdos is helpful.
[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Baton Pass
move 3: Leech Seed / Shadow Ball / Ancient Power / Hidden Power Fighting
move 4: Recover / Hidden Power Fighting
item: Leftovers
ability: Natural Cure
nature: Impish
evs: 244 HP / 124 Def / 140 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========
Swords Dance Celebi's main purpose is to pivot into special attacks or passive Pokemon and Baton Pass Attack boosts to physically offensive teammates. Leech Seed wears down physical tanks for the Baton Pass target and helps to force switches so that Celebi can set up on something favorable. This set is most effective when Swords Dance has not been revealed, as Celebi can surprise a Roar-less Zapdos or Blissey sent in to stall out Leech Seed PP with a boost and subsequent pass to Aerodactyl or Metagross. Recover helps Celebi to function as a tank akin to utility sets.
Attacking filler moves can also be used to hit phazers and setup sweepers that try to ruin the pass. After a boost, Hidden Power Fighting OHKOes or comes close to OHKOing Tyranitar, Shadow Ball OHKOes Taunt Gengar, and Ancient Power has good odds to 2HKO defensive Zapdos and OHKOes Moltres. Hidden Power Bug is an option over Hidden Power Fighting when only a single attacking filler move is used. It still hits Tyranitar pretty hard and can finish off weakened defensive Taunt Gengar that barely survived Tyranitar's Pursuit.
This set has several EV options with their own tradeoffs. The listed spread survives Aerodactyl's Hidden Power Bug and Choice Band Salamence's Hidden Power Flying under sand while also outspeeding Adamant Heracross. The slower option of 252 HP / 124 Def / 96 SpD / 36 Spe can be used to still outspeed all Tyranitar. When using attacking moves, 76 Attack EVs allow Celebi to OHKO Tyranitar and Gengar after a boost; take EVs out of Special Defense if need be. Alternatively, one can also go the fast route with 252 HP / 76 Atk / 180 Spe to outspeed Moltres, neutral-natured Salamence, and neutral-natured Flygon. Taking EVs out of Attack for 252 HP / 40 Def on the prior spread can also be done to survive Jolly Salamence's Hidden Power Flying while still outspeeding and passing out of Adamant Salamence. When not using Hidden Power Fighting, which requires 30 Speed IVs, Jolly Celebi can Speed tie with Speed-invested Salamence and Flygon, though this is extremely dangerous because Choice Band variants can OHKO Celebi should they win the tie. Note, however, that being slow can be advantageous, as Celebi taking the foe's move shields the pass target from any damage or status. This is helpful when passing to Aerodactyl or Agility Metagross, for example.
Team Options
========
Swords Dance Celebi requires quite a bit of support. Magneton is almost always required to stop Skarmory from switching into Celebi and walling all its physically offensive teammates. Pursuit Tyranitar is needed for Gengar if Celebi is not carrying Shadow Ball or Ancient Power; Taunt Gengar prevents Celebi from passing, and is generally a huge threat to physical sweepers due to Will-O-Wisp and Ice- and Electric-type coverage to OHKO Salamence and Gyarados. Pursuit also limits the longevity of Choice Band Salamence and Aerodactyl, which otherwise enter freely on Celebi. Ice Beam on Tyranitar also allows it to pivot in on Dragon Dance Salamence and land a OHKO. Milotic is great as a reliable physically defensive wall that can continuously pivot into Salamence, which, again, Celebi can barely touch.
As far as recipients go, Agility Metagross is a nice sweeper that can either use Explosion to take out bulky Water-types or boost and sweep. Dragon Dance Gyarados is one of the few pass recipients that does not fold to bulky Water-types. Notably, with a Swords Dance and a Dragon Dance boost, Gyarados OHKOes Zapdos with Double-Edge and OHKOes Aerodactyl that has been chipped by Pursuit Tyranitar. Dragon Dance Salamence has better coverage and power at the cost of being weak to Ice Beam; one can consider running a Jolly nature on it to outrun Moltres, neutrally invested Zapdos, and neutrally invested mixed Salamence. Substitute + Liechi Berry Aerodactyl is a very fast cleaner that needn't risk taking attacks for a boost, unlike Dragon Dance Salamence, despite being a little weaker. Mixed Zapdos can make use of the Attack boost to break past Blissey, Celebi, and Tyranitar or pass it further to another target. Lum Berry can be helpful on it to avoid Blissey's status moves. Finally, Snorlax is a decent physically offensive special tank that, when passed a boost, can OHKO Metagross and Tyranitar, lest the eventual Baton Pass target take an Explosion or be set up upon.
[SET]
name: Defensive Calm Mind
move 1: Calm Mind
move 2: Leech Seed
move 3: Psychic
move 4: Recover
item: Leftovers
ability: Natural Cure
nature: Bold
evs: 252 HP / 124 Def / 76 SpA / 36 SpD / 20 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========
Defensive Calm Mind Celebi is a late-game sweeper. Early-game, it functions like typical utility Celebi, but Calm Mind provides pressure against PP stallers like Snorlax, Blissey, Suicune, Claydol, Zapdos, and other defensive Celebi, making this set more prone to drawing in phazers like Skarmory and Roar Tyranitar or bulky offensive Pokemon like Metagross, Tyranitar, Salamence, and Moltres. Such pressure can be used to wear down or trap Celebi's checks. With only defensive Pokemon left on the field, Calm Mind + Leech Seed is adept at cleaning up the game.
Leech Seed, apart from its variety of functions shared with its role on utility sets, also helps Celebi to plow past Blissey, Curse Snorlax, and Rest Suicune in the endgame. Psychic is the chosen STAB move over Hidden Power Grass, as this set's attack option needs to pressure threats that cannot be reliably trapped like Salamence, Zapdos, Moltres, and Flygon.
The Defense EVs are tailored to survive Choice Band Aerodactyl's Hidden Power Bug and Choice Band Salamence's Hidden Power Flying in sand. The Speed EVs allow Celebi to outrun Endeavor Swampert. A modest amount of Special Attack investment allows Celebi to OHKO Dugtrio after a Calm Mind boost. It also allows Celebi to 2HKO Salamence and Moltres after a boost. That said, these EVs are not really needed with Spikes and should go into Special Defense otherwise. The rest of the EVs are placed into Special Defense to minimize the odds of Swampert's Ice Beam 2HKOing Celebi under sand. Alternatively, a spread of 252 HP / 64 Def / 76 SpA / 96 SpD / 20 Spe with a Calm nature can be used for better robustness against special threats, especially when trying to set up repeatedly against bulky Water-types using Ice Beam. 40, 76, and 176 Speed EVs with a Timid nature to outrun Adamant Heracross, Modest Moltres, and Timid Moltres, respectively, are also options.
Team Options
========
Most of the partners from utility Celebi sets apply, but with slight variations. Where it comes to trappers, Dugtrio features prominently, as Calm Mind forces out more passive Celebi pivots in favor of bulky physical Pokemon like Tyranitar and Metagross, and the lack of Hidden Power Grass means Tyranitar switches in almost freely. Given that Tyranitar poses a massive offensive threat, one must have a very good reason not to use Dugtrio with this Celebi set. Magneton is still a suitable partner, but a team dedicated to supporting Calm Mind Celebi would not need Magneton to remove Skarmory in its role as a physical wall, so a spinner like Claydol or occasionally Starmie can be more useful for Spikes control. Porygon2 is also a theoretical possibility, but if one uses it, it might be hard to fit all the support this Celebi appreciates in a team.
Defensively, Milotic and Suicune are good partners for full coverage against Tyranitar and Salamence that switch in repeatedly, and Celebi's propensity to chip Zapdos also helps these bulky Water-types in return. Swampert is also a possible partner, but it compounds the team's weakness to Moltres and benefits a little less from Dugtrio's ability to trap. Flygon's Spikes and Electric-type immunities help the team defensively against both physical and special threats, especially given Celebi's tendency to attract Skarmory. Rest Zapdos forms a nice specially defensive core with this Celebi set, especially because Celebi without Hidden Power Grass is a little shakier at dealing with offensive Water-types like Starmie and Suicune.
Calm Mind Jirachi, Celebi, and Dugtrio form a core where Celebi and Dugtrio lure in and remove bulky physical Pokemon, and countertrapping opposing Dugtrio from a revenge kill on Celebi can open the way for a Jirachi sweep.
Finally, just to comment on additional subtleties of using Calm Mind as opposed to a more standard utility set: it's not as common to see Calm Mind Celebi used with Heracross or Curse Snorlax. These two pretty much have the same trappable checks as Celebi, and their physical presence does not need Celebi's Calm Mind to pressure passive Pokemon, so Baton Pass is preferable for those pairings.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Celebi can really exist anywhere on the spectrum of defense to offense. The sets listed above are pretty much divided into day and night, but mid-paced Celebi sets are also entirely feasible on the right team. A set of Calm Mind, Leech Seed, and two of Psychic, Giga Drain, and Hidden Power Fire can be used with the appropriate trappers to exert a lot of pressure in the face of Blissey and Snorlax. Alternatively, Recover / Leech Seed / two attacks on an offensive set gives Celebi some defensive utility without compromising its ability to hit threatening switch-ins. Calm Mind / Leech Seed / Psychic / Baton Pass with Magneton support can be really helpful for forcing switches and getting the right foe in so that pass targets have an easier time, and this set also allows Celebi to set up in the face of Blissey and Snorlax. Toxic on the utility set permanently cripples a ton of Celebi's checks, especially Salamence, Moltres, and Tyranitar. Hidden Power Ice can be used on offensive Celebi to nab the surprise KO on Salamence.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Physical Flying-types**: Salamence, Gyarados, and Aerodactyl can switch in safely on any of Celebi's sets and set up or threaten to hit Celebi very hard with a Choice Band-boosted attack. They cannot, however, take repeated hits of Psychic indefinitely, and mixed Salamence in particular struggles to break past Calm Mind Celebi. Note that none of these are foolproof answers to Baton Pass Celebi carrying boosts, as faster Celebi can outspeed them before taking any damage, and slower Celebi can be EVed to take a hit before passing the boosts out.
**Fire-types**: Moltres and Charizard either OHKO many Celebi sets or come very close to doing so and are good pivots against defensive Celebi. Offensive Celebi can, however, beat Moltres and slower Charizard if it uses Calm Mind on the switch, and Baton Pass Celebi can safely pivot out by outspeeding either or tanking a hit if Moltres does not have Roar. Houndoom is a rare check that works in the same vein but can also use Pursuit to catch Celebi switching out.
**Bulky Physical Threats**: Metagross and Tyranitar are usually able to exert enough pressure on defensive Celebi before it can take them out with its coverage moves. They won't stop Celebi from Baton Passing out its boosts, but Metagross can at least use Explosion, and Tyranitar can at least set up on the target with Dragon Dance. Roar Tyranitar can also stop a pass, but it is highly unreliable due to many Celebi packing Giga Drain.
**Phazers**: Skarmory takes next to nothing from defensive Celebi's attacks. It can also stop Celebi from passing boosts while tanking Hidden Power Fire, though that is not an ideal position because it forces Skarmory to take damage without laying Spikes. Roar Zapdos and Moltres can easily phaze Celebi that don't have a move to hit them hard, like Psychic or Ancient Power.
**Dugtrio**: Dugtrio can come in on weakened Celebi to trap and finish it off with Hidden Power Bug. Spikes and Toxic help to induce the chip needed for the KO.
**Bug-type Moves**: Heracross and Flygon don't switch in so well but can threaten to OHKO or 2HKO back with Megahorn and Hidden Power Bug, respectively.
**Ice-types**: Regice and Jynx hit Celebi very hard and undermine Celebi's role as a special tank as well as that of the Zapdos and Celebi core as a specially defensive core. These Ice-types, however, do not stop boosts and should be wary of Hidden Power Fire.
**Spikes**: Skarmory and Forretress can freely set up Spikes on defensive Celebi to erode its defensive capabilities significantly. Celebi frequently relies on Recover to make progress against attacks that do less than 50% damage, so attacks crossing that threshold with Spikes damage place Celebi into unfavorable Recover loops.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[vapicuno, 5454]]
- Quality checked by: [[BKC, 52012], [M Dragon, 21345]]
- Grammar checked by: [[The Dutch Plumberjack, 232216], [CryoGyro, 331519]]
name: Offensive
move 1: Calm Mind
move 2: Giga Drain
move 3: Hidden Power Fire
move 4: Psychic
Item: Leftovers
ability: Natural Cure
nature: Timid
evs: 76 HP / 252 SpA / 180 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========
Offensive Celebi plays a unique role in ADV OU as a special sweeper and mixed wallbreaker. Although it is not as fast as Starmie and needs at least a turn to set up, it notably differs from other sweepers in that it frequently has the bulk to trade KOs with its checks, making it great at maintaining momentum. Unlike most special sweepers, many of its checks are physically bulky, allowing Celebi also to function as a wallbreaker for physically offensive Pokemon.
With a boost, Giga Drain 2HKOes Tyranitar, Suicune, Claydol, and possibly Milotic, and it OHKOes Starmie, Dugtrio, and Swampert. Don't underestimate Giga Drain's healing abilities—it can increase Celebi's odds of surviving being trapped by Dugtrio by bringing it back to full HP after a KO as well as healing back the damage Dugtrio did to it, keeping Celebi out of sand KO range. Giga Drain's regeneration also helps Celebi survive Hidden Power Bug from Tyranitar and helps it when facing fast foes like Starmie. Notably, with enough boosts, Giga Drain in conjunction with Psychic gives Celebi a way to muscle past Blissey lacking a status move. Again requiring a boost, Hidden Power Fire 2HKOes Metagross, often 2HKOes Skarmory, helps in tussles against Celebi and Jirachi, and usually OHKOes Forretress and Magneton. Psychic is Celebi's strongest STAB move and is the primary move used to wear down Snorlax and Blissey. With a boost, it also 2HKOes airborne Pokemon—Salamence, offensive Zapdos, Moltres, and Flygon—that would check or phaze Celebi, and it OHKOes Gengar and the Fighting-types Heracross and Breloom.
Offensive Celebi can be used either mid-game or late-game. As a mid-game wallbreaker, bring it in against Zapdos or Swampert, and use it to trade KOs with mixed Salamence, Moltres, Snorlax, Metagross, and Tyranitar. It also prevents Skarmory from setting up Spikes by forcing it to phaze Celebi. With the aforementioned Pokemon worn down or removed, Celebi can also sweep late-game.
Team Options
========
Offensive Celebi fits mostly on special offense teams, especially in conjunction with Calm Mind users, but can sometimes be used with Spikes. Ironically, it can also fit on physically offensive teams due to its ability to trade KOs with physical tanks like Tyranitar, Metagross, and Salamence, wear down Skarmory, get ahead of and take out Moltres, and pivot into Gengar's Will-O-Wisp.
Dugtrio is a useful partner, and it is almost mandatory on special offense. It revenge kills opposing Dugtrio that end up trapping Celebi and can remove checks like Blissey, chipped Tyranitar and Metagross, and weakened Snorlax.
Offensive Jirachi is an excellent partner. With almost the same coverage and natural bulk and shared Calm Mind usage, Jirachi is a Celebi lookalike. They share essentially all their checks, and a trade with one paves the way for the other to sweep. Speaking of trading checks, one common way to eliminate Dugtrio should Jirachi go down first is Porygon2, which also indefinitely checks Dragon Dance Salamence. Offensive Suicune is also an offensive pivot for Dragon Dance Salamence on Calm Mind teams. With Celebi around, Regice is a good secondary special check to Zapdos, Starmie, and Suicune that can also lure in and use Explosion on Blissey and Snorlax without worrying too much about compromising the team's special bulk. Regice also draws in and wears down Tyranitar and Metagross, which can be helpful for turning Celebi's 2HKOs into OHKOs.
Offensive Celebi can be used on some Spikes teams too. Aggressive setters like Taunt Skarmory and Cloyster are possible partners. Gengar's spinblocking abilities are always useful with Spikes, but defensive Gengar also helps the team survive against Dragon Dance Salamence, while offensive Gengar's rainbow of coverage can provide the chip needed for Celebi to finish the opposing team off. Celebi is always a nice Aerodactyl partner, as it turns the tide on Electric- and Water-types. However, using offensive Celebi instead of defensive Celebi also makes Skarmory and Cloyster's weakness to Electric-types more pronounced, so having Aerodactyl to exert immense pressure on Zapdos is helpful.
[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Baton Pass
move 3: Leech Seed / Shadow Ball / Ancient Power / Hidden Power Fighting
move 4: Recover / Hidden Power Fighting
item: Leftovers
ability: Natural Cure
nature: Impish
evs: 244 HP / 124 Def / 140 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========
Swords Dance Celebi's main purpose is to pivot into special attacks or passive Pokemon and Baton Pass Attack boosts to physically offensive teammates. Leech Seed wears down physical tanks for the Baton Pass target and helps to force switches so that Celebi can set up on something favorable. This set is most effective when Swords Dance has not been revealed, as Celebi can surprise a Roar-less Zapdos or Blissey sent in to stall out Leech Seed PP with a boost and subsequent pass to Aerodactyl or Metagross. Recover helps Celebi to function as a tank akin to utility sets.
Attacking filler moves can also be used to hit phazers and setup sweepers that try to ruin the pass. After a boost, Hidden Power Fighting OHKOes or comes close to OHKOing Tyranitar, Shadow Ball OHKOes Taunt Gengar, and Ancient Power has good odds to 2HKO defensive Zapdos and OHKOes Moltres. Hidden Power Bug is an option over Hidden Power Fighting when only a single attacking filler move is used. It still hits Tyranitar pretty hard and can finish off weakened defensive Taunt Gengar that barely survived Tyranitar's Pursuit.
This set has several EV options with their own tradeoffs. The listed spread survives Aerodactyl's Hidden Power Bug and Choice Band Salamence's Hidden Power Flying under sand while also outspeeding Adamant Heracross. The slower option of 252 HP / 124 Def / 96 SpD / 36 Spe can be used to still outspeed all Tyranitar. When using attacking moves, 76 Attack EVs allow Celebi to OHKO Tyranitar and Gengar after a boost; take EVs out of Special Defense if need be. Alternatively, one can also go the fast route with 252 HP / 76 Atk / 180 Spe to outspeed Moltres, neutral-natured Salamence, and neutral-natured Flygon. Taking EVs out of Attack for 252 HP / 40 Def on the prior spread can also be done to survive Jolly Salamence's Hidden Power Flying while still outspeeding and passing out of Adamant Salamence. When not using Hidden Power Fighting, which requires 30 Speed IVs, Jolly Celebi can Speed tie with Speed-invested Salamence and Flygon, though this is extremely dangerous because Choice Band variants can OHKO Celebi should they win the tie. Note, however, that being slow can be advantageous, as Celebi taking the foe's move shields the pass target from any damage or status. This is helpful when passing to Aerodactyl or Agility Metagross, for example.
Team Options
========
Swords Dance Celebi requires quite a bit of support. Magneton is almost always required to stop Skarmory from switching into Celebi and walling all its physically offensive teammates. Pursuit Tyranitar is needed for Gengar if Celebi is not carrying Shadow Ball or Ancient Power; Taunt Gengar prevents Celebi from passing, and is generally a huge threat to physical sweepers due to Will-O-Wisp and Ice- and Electric-type coverage to OHKO Salamence and Gyarados. Pursuit also limits the longevity of Choice Band Salamence and Aerodactyl, which otherwise enter freely on Celebi. Ice Beam on Tyranitar also allows it to pivot in on Dragon Dance Salamence and land a OHKO. Milotic is great as a reliable physically defensive wall that can continuously pivot into Salamence, which, again, Celebi can barely touch.
As far as recipients go, Agility Metagross is a nice sweeper that can either use Explosion to take out bulky Water-types or boost and sweep. Dragon Dance Gyarados is one of the few pass recipients that does not fold to bulky Water-types. Notably, with a Swords Dance and a Dragon Dance boost, Gyarados OHKOes Zapdos with Double-Edge and OHKOes Aerodactyl that has been chipped by Pursuit Tyranitar. Dragon Dance Salamence has better coverage and power at the cost of being weak to Ice Beam; one can consider running a Jolly nature on it to outrun Moltres, neutrally invested Zapdos, and neutrally invested mixed Salamence. Substitute + Liechi Berry Aerodactyl is a very fast cleaner that needn't risk taking attacks for a boost, unlike Dragon Dance Salamence, despite being a little weaker. Mixed Zapdos can make use of the Attack boost to break past Blissey, Celebi, and Tyranitar or pass it further to another target. Lum Berry can be helpful on it to avoid Blissey's status moves. Finally, Snorlax is a decent physically offensive special tank that, when passed a boost, can OHKO Metagross and Tyranitar, lest the eventual Baton Pass target take an Explosion or be set up upon.
[SET]
name: Defensive Calm Mind
move 1: Calm Mind
move 2: Leech Seed
move 3: Psychic
move 4: Recover
item: Leftovers
ability: Natural Cure
nature: Bold
evs: 252 HP / 124 Def / 76 SpA / 36 SpD / 20 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========
Defensive Calm Mind Celebi is a late-game sweeper. Early-game, it functions like typical utility Celebi, but Calm Mind provides pressure against PP stallers like Snorlax, Blissey, Suicune, Claydol, Zapdos, and other defensive Celebi, making this set more prone to drawing in phazers like Skarmory and Roar Tyranitar or bulky offensive Pokemon like Metagross, Tyranitar, Salamence, and Moltres. Such pressure can be used to wear down or trap Celebi's checks. With only defensive Pokemon left on the field, Calm Mind + Leech Seed is adept at cleaning up the game.
Leech Seed, apart from its variety of functions shared with its role on utility sets, also helps Celebi to plow past Blissey, Curse Snorlax, and Rest Suicune in the endgame. Psychic is the chosen STAB move over Hidden Power Grass, as this set's attack option needs to pressure threats that cannot be reliably trapped like Salamence, Zapdos, Moltres, and Flygon.
The Defense EVs are tailored to survive Choice Band Aerodactyl's Hidden Power Bug and Choice Band Salamence's Hidden Power Flying in sand. The Speed EVs allow Celebi to outrun Endeavor Swampert. A modest amount of Special Attack investment allows Celebi to OHKO Dugtrio after a Calm Mind boost. It also allows Celebi to 2HKO Salamence and Moltres after a boost. That said, these EVs are not really needed with Spikes and should go into Special Defense otherwise. The rest of the EVs are placed into Special Defense to minimize the odds of Swampert's Ice Beam 2HKOing Celebi under sand. Alternatively, a spread of 252 HP / 64 Def / 76 SpA / 96 SpD / 20 Spe with a Calm nature can be used for better robustness against special threats, especially when trying to set up repeatedly against bulky Water-types using Ice Beam. 40, 76, and 176 Speed EVs with a Timid nature to outrun Adamant Heracross, Modest Moltres, and Timid Moltres, respectively, are also options.
Team Options
========
Most of the partners from utility Celebi sets apply, but with slight variations. Where it comes to trappers, Dugtrio features prominently, as Calm Mind forces out more passive Celebi pivots in favor of bulky physical Pokemon like Tyranitar and Metagross, and the lack of Hidden Power Grass means Tyranitar switches in almost freely. Given that Tyranitar poses a massive offensive threat, one must have a very good reason not to use Dugtrio with this Celebi set. Magneton is still a suitable partner, but a team dedicated to supporting Calm Mind Celebi would not need Magneton to remove Skarmory in its role as a physical wall, so a spinner like Claydol or occasionally Starmie can be more useful for Spikes control. Porygon2 is also a theoretical possibility, but if one uses it, it might be hard to fit all the support this Celebi appreciates in a team.
Defensively, Milotic and Suicune are good partners for full coverage against Tyranitar and Salamence that switch in repeatedly, and Celebi's propensity to chip Zapdos also helps these bulky Water-types in return. Swampert is also a possible partner, but it compounds the team's weakness to Moltres and benefits a little less from Dugtrio's ability to trap. Flygon's Spikes and Electric-type immunities help the team defensively against both physical and special threats, especially given Celebi's tendency to attract Skarmory. Rest Zapdos forms a nice specially defensive core with this Celebi set, especially because Celebi without Hidden Power Grass is a little shakier at dealing with offensive Water-types like Starmie and Suicune.
Calm Mind Jirachi, Celebi, and Dugtrio form a core where Celebi and Dugtrio lure in and remove bulky physical Pokemon, and countertrapping opposing Dugtrio from a revenge kill on Celebi can open the way for a Jirachi sweep.
Finally, just to comment on additional subtleties of using Calm Mind as opposed to a more standard utility set: it's not as common to see Calm Mind Celebi used with Heracross or Curse Snorlax. These two pretty much have the same trappable checks as Celebi, and their physical presence does not need Celebi's Calm Mind to pressure passive Pokemon, so Baton Pass is preferable for those pairings.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Celebi can really exist anywhere on the spectrum of defense to offense. The sets listed above are pretty much divided into day and night, but mid-paced Celebi sets are also entirely feasible on the right team. A set of Calm Mind, Leech Seed, and two of Psychic, Giga Drain, and Hidden Power Fire can be used with the appropriate trappers to exert a lot of pressure in the face of Blissey and Snorlax. Alternatively, Recover / Leech Seed / two attacks on an offensive set gives Celebi some defensive utility without compromising its ability to hit threatening switch-ins. Calm Mind / Leech Seed / Psychic / Baton Pass with Magneton support can be really helpful for forcing switches and getting the right foe in so that pass targets have an easier time, and this set also allows Celebi to set up in the face of Blissey and Snorlax. Toxic on the utility set permanently cripples a ton of Celebi's checks, especially Salamence, Moltres, and Tyranitar. Hidden Power Ice can be used on offensive Celebi to nab the surprise KO on Salamence.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Physical Flying-types**: Salamence, Gyarados, and Aerodactyl can switch in safely on any of Celebi's sets and set up or threaten to hit Celebi very hard with a Choice Band-boosted attack. They cannot, however, take repeated hits of Psychic indefinitely, and mixed Salamence in particular struggles to break past Calm Mind Celebi. Note that none of these are foolproof answers to Baton Pass Celebi carrying boosts, as faster Celebi can outspeed them before taking any damage, and slower Celebi can be EVed to take a hit before passing the boosts out.
**Fire-types**: Moltres and Charizard either OHKO many Celebi sets or come very close to doing so and are good pivots against defensive Celebi. Offensive Celebi can, however, beat Moltres and slower Charizard if it uses Calm Mind on the switch, and Baton Pass Celebi can safely pivot out by outspeeding either or tanking a hit if Moltres does not have Roar. Houndoom is a rare check that works in the same vein but can also use Pursuit to catch Celebi switching out.
**Bulky Physical Threats**: Metagross and Tyranitar are usually able to exert enough pressure on defensive Celebi before it can take them out with its coverage moves. They won't stop Celebi from Baton Passing out its boosts, but Metagross can at least use Explosion, and Tyranitar can at least set up on the target with Dragon Dance. Roar Tyranitar can also stop a pass, but it is highly unreliable due to many Celebi packing Giga Drain.
**Phazers**: Skarmory takes next to nothing from defensive Celebi's attacks. It can also stop Celebi from passing boosts while tanking Hidden Power Fire, though that is not an ideal position because it forces Skarmory to take damage without laying Spikes. Roar Zapdos and Moltres can easily phaze Celebi that don't have a move to hit them hard, like Psychic or Ancient Power.
**Dugtrio**: Dugtrio can come in on weakened Celebi to trap and finish it off with Hidden Power Bug. Spikes and Toxic help to induce the chip needed for the KO.
**Bug-type Moves**: Heracross and Flygon don't switch in so well but can threaten to OHKO or 2HKO back with Megahorn and Hidden Power Bug, respectively.
**Ice-types**: Regice and Jynx hit Celebi very hard and undermine Celebi's role as a special tank as well as that of the Zapdos and Celebi core as a specially defensive core. These Ice-types, however, do not stop boosts and should be wary of Hidden Power Fire.
**Spikes**: Skarmory and Forretress can freely set up Spikes on defensive Celebi to erode its defensive capabilities significantly. Celebi frequently relies on Recover to make progress against attacks that do less than 50% damage, so attacks crossing that threshold with Spikes damage place Celebi into unfavorable Recover loops.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[vapicuno, 5454]]
- Quality checked by: [[BKC, 52012], [M Dragon, 21345]]
- Grammar checked by: [[The Dutch Plumberjack, 232216], [CryoGyro, 331519]]
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