[OVERVIEW]
Keldeo is one of the best wallbreakers in the metagame, thanks to its STAB moves, coverage, and sheer power, being able to OHKO or 2HKO the majority of the metagame, including defensive staples like Chansey, Celesteela, and Buzzwole. Its speed tier allows it to outspeed some key threats, like Thundurus-T, Nihilego, and Krookodile, and Its type combination and solid natural bulk allow it to switch into the field without the need of a pivoting move like U-turn or Volt Switch when necessary. Some of the Pokemon it can come into are Scizor, Jirachi, and Crawdaunt. Keldeo suffers from being very prediction reliant, since there are some very common pokemon like Amoonguss and bulky Salamence that can handle its STAB moves, but crumble against Keldeo's coverage like Air Slash and Icy Wind, and even if its one of the best wallbreakers in the metagame, Keldeo is very challenged to break or even unable to do so if facing foes like Assault Vest Tangrowth, Primarina, or the rare Mantine, and also faces competition with Primarina as a wallbreaker, since it is able to use Moonblast without needing to predict a switch in because of how much damage it deals even when resisted, but because of its poor speed and Physical Defense it is not as common as Keldeo. While Keldeo's speed tier is good, it can still be outsped and revenge killed by threats like Thundurus and Raikou. Keldeo is one of the few special attackers able to beat Chansey without any support, giving it an edge over powerful breakers like Thundurus-T and Chandelure
[SET]
name: Choice Specs
move 1: Hydro Pump
move 2: Secret Sword
move 3: Air Slash / Icy Wind
move 4: Surf / Flip Turn / Toxic
item: Choice Specs
ability: Justified
nature: Timid
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
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Hydro Pump is the Water-type STAB of choice since it can perform feats such as 2HKOing offensive Salamence most of the time, and OHKOing most Scizor variants. Secret Sword gives Keldeo an easier time when facing specially bulky pokemon like Primarina and Chansey. Air Slash does a considerably higher amount of damage to Amoonguss than Icy Wind, making it harder for Amoonguss to regenerate Keldeo's attacks off, while Icy Wind allows Keldeo to OHKO pokemon like Noivern and Salamence, while functioning as a midground when theres a combination of one of these 2 and Amoonguss on the opposing team. Surf gives Keldeo a 100% accuracy Water-type STAB while also keeping enough power to OHKO most neutral targets, like offensive Scizor after Stealth Rocks. Flip Turn allows Keldeo to pivot out of Pokemon it struggles to break, like Assault Vest Tangrowth or bulky Primarina, and bring a partner able to handle these foes like Nihilego, and Toxic is used to cripple some of Keldeo's counters like the aforementioned Assault Vest Tangrowth, Assault Vest Reuniclus, and Mantine as they switch in. Choice Specs is the item of choice since without it, Keldeo lacks the power to actually break through most defensive cores.
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Keldeo fits best on offensive teams that appreciate Keldeo's speed tier over other breakers like Choice Specs Primarina and Chandelure. Pokemon that can pivot on foes Keldeo can defeat, or Pokemon that can just pivot at all are great partners, like Scizor U-turning on Buzzwole, Moltres and Salamence, and Rotom-H Volt Switching out of Chansey and Nihilego, and Pokemon that can take advantage of foes like Amoonguss and bulky Primarina that wall Keldeo like Nihilego or Nidoqueen are also good partners. Additionally, these 2 can set up Stealth Rocks or Toxic Spikes to weaken Keldeo's checks. Mew is a great partner, weakening Keldeo's checks further with Spikes, Knocking Off their Heavy-Duty Boots if they have them, taking hits from foes trying to KO Keldeo like Salamence and Amoonguss, and threatening them with Ice Beam and Psychic respectively. A Pokemon that can take on offensive threats that outspeed Keldeo, namely Lycanroc-D, Choice Scarf Zarude and Thundurus, like Tangrowth is also appreciated, and also Pokemon that take advantage of Assault Vest users like Galarian Slowbro and Reuniclus, namely Krookodile and Aegislash.
[SET]
name: Calm Mind
move 1: Calm Mind
move 2: Scald
move 3: Secret Sword
move 4: Air Slash / Substitute
item: Leftovers
ability: Justified
nature: Timid
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Paragraph 1
Calm Mind gives Keldeo the power boost it needs without locking it into a move, and it also boosts its SpD, giving it a better matchup vs Amoonguss and even Thundurus if needed. Scald is the water STAB of choice to attempt to burn Keldeo's checks like Tangrowth and Amoonguss, crippling them and potentially weakening them into range of one of Keldeo's attacks, and Air Slash allows Keldeo to beat Amoonguss, Kommo-o and Tapu Bulu more easily after a Calm Mind. Substitute is used to avoid status like Amoonguss' Spore and Aegislash's Toxic, and eases prediction. Leftovers gives Keldeo enough longevity to set up feasibly in most games, and also the longevity to do it multiple times if necessary, healing entry hazards damage off. Life Orb and Expert Belt can be used in really offensive teams for a power boost that allows Keldeo to OHKO Amoonguss with Air Slash after Stealth Rock damage and a Calm Mind, but they heavily reduce Keldeo's survivability and are unusable outside of these very offensive teams
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This Keldeo set fits on offense and balance teams, that appreciate having a wincon that can also outspeed threats like Nihilego and Thundurus-T. Keldeo can get heavily damaged breaking through the opponent's counterplay, like beating an Amoonguss 1 on 1, so Healing Wish from Jirachi can help it clean up a team after it has broken through. Additionally, Choice Scarf Jirachi can get Keldeo in via U-turn, and remove checks like Thundurus and Salamence with Ice Punch. Pokemon that can also pivot out like Scizor and Thundurus make for great partners, especially since they can cripple Keldeo's checks like Tangrowth and Primarina by knocking them off and threatening them out. Pokemon that can take hits from Keldeo's counters like Starmie and bulky Primarina and potentially cripple them back, like Chansey and Assault Vest Tangrowth. Steel-types like Scizor and Celesteela can switch into and threaten out Tangrowth, Amoonguss, and Fairy-types like Sylveon and Primarina, while appreciating Keldeo removing Fire-types like Rotom-H and Chandelure
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
A Choice Scarf set allows Keldeo to outspeed and revenge kill threats like Lycanroc-D, +1 speed Salamence, and +2 speed Celesteela, but is mostly unable to make any progress versus more balanced teams other than Flip Turn into another teammate
Checks and Counters
===================
**Bulky Grass-types**: Amoonguss and Assault Vest Tangrowth can scout the move Keldeo locks into, and regenerate most of the damage off right after, but Amoonguss has to watch out for Air Slash, and Tangrowth has to watch out for Toxic.
**Water-types**: Primarina can easily take any Keldeo attack, and heal most of the damage off by either using Rest or Draining Kiss, Gyarados and Azumarill can use Keldeo as a setup opportunity after Keldeo KOs one of their teammates, and bulky Starmie can take any hit, Recover it off, outspeed, and deal massive damage with Psyshock
**Faster Pokemon**: Thundurus, Lycanroc-D, Azelf and Noivern are able to outspeed and revenge kill Keldeo, forcing it out and also limiting Keldeo's chances to come in
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[JustFranco, 525933]]
- Quality checked by: [[Twilight, 344575], [Bandkrook, 301217], [username3, userid3]]
- Grammar checked by: [[username1, userid1], [username2, userid2]]
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