Mega Venusaur, or if your mega slot is taken, Amoongus is the next best thing. Both of them don't care about anything it can do and hit back hard, plus have recovery to do their job more than once.
-
Welcome to Smogon! Take a moment to read the Introduction to Smogon for a run-down on everything Smogon, and make sure you take some time to read the global rules.
Other Current Metagame trends
- Thread starter reyscarface
- Start date
- Status
Azu can't switch into scald without worrying though.
I usually switch in specially defensive Rotom-W against Keldeo and try to T-wave it and then Volt-Switch. Or on a predicted Hydro Pump switch in Breloom and Spore it, but if Keldeo has HP flying it destroys my Breloom.
I'd assume bulky Gyarados is a decent answer for Keldeo, resists fighting and water and can hit back for decent damage with Earthquake.
Do most Keldeo's run Scald? Most Keldeo's I've seen run Hydro Pump/Sacred Sword/Hidden Power and 4th coverage move. And I've seen few Icy Winds, but can't remember seeing Scald.
Last edited by a moderator:
I haven't seen a single Keldeo NOT running Scald, in fact it's the move they use most as it's very safe to spam as even resisted hits can be devastating if they inflict the burn.
Seeing how HP is rather weak and most Keldeo's are specs you don't really want to predict with it until you've worn your check down a bit and Scald is perfect for this.
Hm, I don't think that's too smart, excadrill has good hp but its defenses are lacking on both ends.
Good HP is the most important attribute for a good AV Mon tbh, it lacks recovery but AV Excadrill is rather bulky on the special side.
True, and it can't absorb status, so just stick to conkeldurr or any other mon with giga drain or drain punch for recovery.
I've been using Assault Vest Excadrill for a while and I like it but I think other sets are more effective.
My current team has a major fighting weakness with only 2 resisting fighting, so most of what I have been seeing used against me is Sacred Sword and Hydro Bump they are attacking my Charizard or Scoli.
But it makes sense to run scald for stalling.
So they basically run Scald, Hydro, Sacred Sword and HP?
Edit by Haunter: please learn how to quote multiple posts, I'm sick of merging your duble posts.
My current team has a major fighting weakness with only 2 resisting fighting, so most of what I have been seeing used against me is Sacred Sword and Hydro Bump they are attacking my Charizard or Scoli.
But it makes sense to run scald for stalling.
So they basically run Scald, Hydro, Sacred Sword and HP?
Edit by Haunter: please learn how to quote multiple posts, I'm sick of merging your duble posts.
Last edited by a moderator:
Yeah. That's the standard specs keldeo set except keldeo uses secret sword. I know it's a typo but...
Scald is a safe move to spam earlygame as well as when you know that hydro pump and scald both will get the job done. It stops azumarill and gyarados from mindlessly switching in on Keldeo. (I feel that now it burns lesser amount of times than in bw on the ladder. Was that a glitch or i am just getting (un)lucky?) Burning mega-venusaur also makes it easier to wear down. I have seen an official tournament game (can't remember which one) in which one hydro pump miss cost the keldeo user the game.
Scald is definetely one of the best moves for Keldeo, not just for Azumarill and Gyara but also for Mega Venu who hates burn like hell. Considering that HP flying needs SR + spikes to get the 2hko and can fuck up keldeo with Giga Drain its imo better to go for Scald and just bet on a burn to cripple it for the rest of the match, Keldeo cant realy beat it reliably not even with hp flying so just dont try. When using Azumarill or Gyara as your only check to Keldeo you should think about using a Cleric on your team.
The point of assault vest on stuff like Excadrill is not to become a tank, but to survive one attack that your opponent is expecting to kill you, and get off an attack of your own or, in Excadrill's case, spin. It's still not very bulky, but it can survive stuff like non-STAB Focus Blasts and Surfs if I remember right.
Well technically it can absorb Thunder Wave and Toxic, which is pretty good honestly. It just can't handle burn or sleep, and the odd Glare/Body Slam
From my experience it can survive most special non-stab super effective moves.
My AV Excadrill has 136 in SpD it can survive a Hydro Pump from Rotom-W and 1hko it back with Earthquake.
Haha I always mix up between those two attacks. Yeah I can see why Scald is run makes total sense.
I just learned to assume every Excadrill is going to boost its own speed with either Scarf or Sand Rush and work around it. Both are very common.
Unless both "Air Balloon", and "Excadrill breaks the mold" appear, it's boosted.
It's pretty easy to know what set the Excadrill is gonna have:
- Choice Scarf+Mold Breaker: If the team needs a spinner who also checks fast Electric-Types such as Thundurus or Raikou. Bird spam (Talonflame+Pinsir core) for example.
- Sand Rush: If the team carries a Sand inducer, it's gonna be Sand Rush. MegaDDTyranitar+Excadrill is a good exemple
- Assault vest+Mold Breaker: If the teams needs a spinner who can still check Electric-types but without being locked. I don't really have an exemple but i'm using AVDrill only if my team can't afford any free set-ups.
I've been saying more teams carrying both Landorus and Thundurus (incarnate forms). I'm doing it myself, too. It's great, because together they add a lot of speed to your team, and Thundurus covers the speedy/priority pokemon who may give problems to Landorus (Azumarill, Keldeo, anything vulnerable to Thunder Wave), while Landorus breaks walls that Thundurus may have problems breaking.
On the subject of Landorus, the Therian forme with a Choice Scarf is now becoming a trend. It used to be that every Lando-T was the classic pivot type, with Stealth Rock, U-Turn, Knock Off and/or one or two attacking moves. I think that became so predictable that people started moving to the scarf variant, and now it's not safe anymore to stay in and use special attacks, because once Lando outspeeds you, that 145 attack hurts.
On the subject of Landorus, the Therian forme with a Choice Scarf is now becoming a trend. It used to be that every Lando-T was the classic pivot type, with Stealth Rock, U-Turn, Knock Off and/or one or two attacking moves. I think that became so predictable that people started moving to the scarf variant, and now it's not safe anymore to stay in and use special attacks, because once Lando outspeeds you, that 145 attack hurts.
I've noticed this as well. In Gen 5 the powerful core of Landorus and Tyranitar revolved around pursuit trapping. Of course, the Knock Off buff means that Landorus has access to a powerful Dark-type move of its own, which essentially means that Ttar, while still a solid switch in to Latios, can become more versatile in its own right. I've seen Knock Off Landorus paired with DD Mega Tyranitar many times now.
Another trend i've seen is a large increase in Assault Vest Azumarill at the expense of the CB set. AV Azumarill is surprisingly bulky, meaning that it can reliably check Keldeo (Scald still sucks pls ban) while making up for the loss of power CB gives through versatility; Dice explains it very well in his RMT. It works well when paired with Landorus and TTar that i mentioned above as they are both beaten by Keldeo.
He means utility wise. Water Fairy brings a good amount of resistances and an immunity to play, allowing it to switch into threats like Greninja and act as a solid check to Life Orb Deoxys-S. CB is preferred for raw power and securing revenge kills with Aqua Jet.
- Status