QC: SirSkit, Eien, afd
GP: tdp, Gato
[OVERVIEW]
**Water:**
Keldeo's high Speed and Special Attack make it a staple on most offensive Water teams and, combined with its access to Secret Sword, allow it to break through physical and special walls alike as well as easily take on types such as Normal, Dark, Ice, and Steel. It is able to plow through common bulky cores that Water often has a hard time dealing with, namely Normal's Porygon2 + Chansey and Grass's Cradily + Ferrothorn, with Secret Sword, which differentiates Keldeo from any other Water-type special attacker. Its great defensive typing in Water / Fighting allows it to check a plethora of threats, including Bisharp and Mega Gyarados. Its ability to spread burns with Scald also allows it to avoid KOs and muscle past its checks and counters. Furthermore, its unusually high Speed for a Water-type gives Water a reliable wallbreaker and late-game cleaner.
However, outside of its STAB coverage, its movepool is nothing special; this leaves it unable to hit a lot of Pokemon super effectively or for good neutral damage. Furthermore, while its Speed is above average, it is still outsped by Latios, Latias, and Mega Diancie, all of which can OHKO Keldeo if they run an offensive set.
[SET]
name: All-out Attacker (Water)
move 1: Scald
move 2: Secret Sword
move 3: Hydro Pump
move 4: Icy Wind / Hidden Power Flying
item: Choice Specs
ability: Justified
nature: Timid
evs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Scald is Keldeo's most spammable move and should be used both for its decent Base Power and for its chance to burn, which can help cripple the foe and chip away at their health. Secret Sword allows Keldeo to break past special walls that take less damage from its special moves, as the damage is dealt based on their Defense. Hydro Pump lacks the accuracy and chance to burn of Scald, though it greatly helps Keldeo in wallbreaking, OHKOing Mega Medicham and 2HKOing Zapdos and Mew. Icy Wind hits Pokemon such as Dragonite, Latios, and Latias, all of which resist both of Keldeo's STAB moves. It also lowers the foe's Speed by one stage, allowing Keldeo to more easily take them on. Hidden Power Flying is used to hit Mega Venusaur, which otherwise walls Keldeo; however, it doesn't hit anything else notably, and it comes with a loss of coverage. Alternatively, Hidden Power Electric can be used to hit opposing Water-types such as Gyarados and Azumarill that wall Keldeo on the switch.
Set Details
========
252 EVs in Speed alongside a Timid nature allow Keldeo to be as fast as possible, while maximum Special Attack investment is used to increase Keldeo's offensive presence as much as possible. Choice Specs turns Keldeo into a frightening wallbreaker, boosting the power of all its moves at the cost of being locked into one, which generally isn't a big deal for Keldeo anyway.
Usage Tips
========
Scald should be the move Keldeo spams most of the time so that it can spread burns and wear down the foe, thus making it easier for Keldeo to take them on later. Don't switch Keldeo into unresisted attacks due to its mediocre bulk, as it needs to maintain its health in order wallbreak easily. Hydro Pump is very risky, as its low accuracy can be a game-changer, so use it sparingly. Don't be careless when selecting what move to choose, as the foe can easily take advantage of Keldeo if it's locked into an inopportune move. For example, when up against a Fire team and the opponent has a Volcanion, be careful when spamming Scald, as they might switch it into Keldeo, forcing you to switch Keldeo out. Use Icy Wind on Dragon-types switching in to lower their Speed and take out a decent chunk of their health. Hidden Power Flying should be used to hit Mega Venusaur, which will usually switch into Keldeo in the attempt to wall it. Use Keldeo early-game to wallbreak and soften up the opposing team for a teammate to clean late-game. Avoid getting Keldeo paralyzed, as it needs its Speed in order to effectively wallbreak, and try to keep it away from burns or poison, as they generally wear it down very quickly. Take advantage of Keldeo's defensive typing by switching it into Bisharp and Mega Gyarados.
Team Options
========
Bounce Gyarados and Psychic Starmie are both good partners for Keldeo, as they are able to eliminate Mega Venusaur, Keldeo's main counter and a major threat to this set if Hidden Power Flying is forgone. Azumarill is another good partner, as both it and Keldeo are powerful wallbreakers that can put huge dents into the opponent's team so that a teammate can clean later in the game. Mega Gyarados and Mega Sharpedo appreciate Keldeo weakening their checks and allowing them to sweep. Mega Sharpedo also appreciates Keldeo weakening or burning Slowbro so that it can take Slowbro out. Empoleon and Swampert are both good teammates thanks to their ability to set and remove entry hazards. Stealth Rock from both of them allows Keldeo to gain extra KOs, such as on Mega Venusaur, by weakening foes every time they switch in, while hazard removal support from Empoleon prevents Keldeo from being worn down too easily itself. Swampert also provides an Electric immunity, allowing it to switch into Electric-type attacks. Lanturn provides an Electric immunity as well but, on top of that, it provides invaluable Heal Bell support to remove the likes of paralysis, burns, and poison from Keldeo and a slow Volt Switch to bring Keldeo in safely. Tentacruel can help against Fairy-types, which trouble Keldeo; set Toxic Spikes for Keldeo, which it really appreciates to help it wallbreak; deal with Grass-types; and spread burns with Scald alongside Keldeo, wearing down the foe. Volcanion and Cloyster are able to deal with the Grass-types that Keldeo struggles with, as Keldeo has to rely on a rather weak Icy Wind to hit them. Furthermore, Cloyster appreciates Keldeo's wallbreaking capabilities in order to sweep late-game. Manaphy and Keldeo both share the same checks, so Manaphy can help wear down the Keldeo's checks—and vice versa—while also stallbreaking with Tail Glow. Rotom-W provides a Ground imminity, which is useful, as Excadrill is a threat to Keldeo. In addition, it provides Will-O-Wisp support to cripple the foe, an Electric resistance, and slow Volt Switch support to safely bring Keldeo in.
[SET]
name: Choice Scarf (Water)
move 1: Scald
move 2: Secret Sword
move 3: Hydro Pump
move 4: Icy Wind / Hidden Power Electric
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Justified
nature: Timid
evs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Scald is Keldeo's main STAB move and wears down the foe, especially if it manages to burn them, crippling them and wearing them down quicker. Secret Sword allows Keldeo to better take on specially defensive walls that take little from its STAB moves; these walls include Chansey, whose sky-high Special Defense stat allows it to shrug off any damage dealt by Keldeo's special moves. Hydro Pump is Keldeo's stronger Water-type STAB move and is great for severely weakening the foe if not outright OHKOing them, though it might miss at crucial moments. Icy Wind is a good move to spam against Dragon-types and Grass-types that take little damage from Keldeo's other moves, because of its additional effect, which lowers the foe's Speed, crippling them and making it easier for them to be revenge killed. Hidden Power Electric hits opposing Water-types and Flying-types, most notably Gyarados.
Set Details
========
A Timid nature with maximum EVs in Speed amplifies Keldeo's pace and, when paired with a Choice Scarf, allows it to outspeed the base 100 Speed tier, making it an efficient revenge killer as well as a late-game cleaner. Furthermore, Keldeo is also one of the few viable Choice Scarf users on Water, so it is a staple on most offense teams in need of the aforementioned roles. Maximum Special Attack EVs augment Keldeo's damage output and allow it to deal as much damage as possible.
Usage Tips
========
Primarily, this set should be used as a revenge killer to Pokemon such as Dragonite and Serperior, threatening them with Keldeo's great Special Attack, decent coverage, and high Speed when equipped with a Choice Scarf. Be wary of what move to use, as Keldeo will be spamming the move until it switches out or until its item is removed, and it can easily be exploited if it is locked into an unfavorable move. Spam Scald most of the time to spread possible burns and chip away at the foe's health, but be careful of Pokemon that might take advantage of it, such as Water Absorb users. Keldeo should be sent out late-game to sweep and clean up after its teammates have broken down the opposing team. Consequently, refrain from sending Keldeo out on neutral hits or status moves like Thunder Wave, as you need to keep it as healthy as possible to ensure it can effectively sweep. While Keldeo is a nice check to common Knock Off users like Scizor and Bisharp, losing its Choice Scarf destroys its ability to be an effective late-game cleaner, so be careful when up against the aforementioned Pokemon or any suspected Knock Off user. Use Hidden Power Electric on Gyarados when it switches in, as Gyarados can otherwise threaten Keldeo with Bounce.
Team Options
========
Mega Swampert is a great partner to Keldeo for many reasons; first off, it provides a much-needed Knock Off switch-in so that Keldeo can keep its Choice Scarf and, consequently, its role as a revenge killer. Secondly, it can set Stealth Rock for Keldeo, which is really appreciated, as it can help Keldeo weaken the foe. Finally, it provides an Electric immunity, which is invaluable, as Keldeo usually struggles against Electric-types and loves support to help with this. Wallbreakers, such as Azumarill and Tail Glow Manaphy, are able to punch holes into the opposing team, making it fairly undemanding for Keldeo to sweep late-game; they are also able to whittle down Keldeo's checks and counters in the process, allowing it an easier time to sweep. Another good partner to Keldeo is Rotom-W, which can bring Keldeo in with a slow Volt Switch, preventing Keldeo from getting hurt in the process, and also cripple the foe with Will-O-Wisp. Empoleon provides Stealth Rock support, allowing Keldeo to have an easier time wearing down the foe. It also has access to Defog, alleviating the pressure off Keldeo if it is switching in a lot and preventing it from being worn down. Choice Specs Volcanion is a nice partner that can also punch a lot of holes into the opposing team, but also deal with Mega Venusaur, a major threat to both Keldeo in general and in particular, this set. Gyarados helps with Grass-types, and Mega Gyarados and Mega Sharpedo can aid Keldeo in dealing with Psychic-types that it often struggles to beat. Lanturn can spread burns alongside Keldeo with Scald. Not only that, but it brings an immunity to Electric to the table, as well as invaluable support in Heal Bell. Tentacruel and Starmie are both very useful partners; the former deals with Grass- and Fairy-types, can also spread burns with Scald, can remove hazards with Rapid Spin, and on top of that provides Toxic Spikes support, whereas the latter provides a Mega Venusaur answer and Rapid Spin support.
[SET]
name: Substitute + Calm Mind (Water)
move 1: Calm Mind
move 2: Substitute
move 3: Scald
move 4: Secret Sword
item: Leftovers
ability: Justified
nature: Timid
evs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Calm Mind boosts Keldeo's Special Attack and Special Defense, which, when coupled with its hard-hitting STAB moves, allows it to take on types like Normal and Steel even better. Substitute works well with Calm Mind, as it allows Keldeo to set up easily without the fear of being inflicted with status or hit with a hard attack. Substitute also allows Keldeo to scout for the foe's moves, easing prediction. Scald is Keldeo's primary STAB move and has the handy chance to burn, which is very useful for crippling physical attackers and wearing them down. It also makes it harder for physical attackers to break Keldeo's Substitute, granting it extra opportunities to set up. Secret Sword is Keldeo's secondary STAB move and allows it to break through specially defensive Pokemon such as Chansey and Cradily, both of which simply shrug off any damage dealt by Scald.
Set Details
========
Maximum Speed investment with a Timid nature allows Keldeo to outspeed the crowded base 100 Speed tier, and maximum Special Attack investment is used to get the most out of Keldeo's offensive potential. For the item, Leftovers provides Keldeo with gradual passive recovery, which is useful for when it is boosting and behind a Substitute. It also allows for more Substitutes to be made, which in turn helps Keldeo easily boost.
Usage Tips
========
By virtue of its typing, Keldeo is able to set up easily, so use said defensive typing to your advantage. It's best to use Substitute when you expect the foe to switch out or when you're absolutely sure that it can't do much to Keldeo. Take advantage of Leftovers by bluffing a Choice set, allowing Keldeo to find opportunities to create more Substitutes. Keldeo is best used as a late-game sweeper when its counters have been eliminated by its teammates, which makes setting up much easier. Furthermore, Keldeo can work as a good revenge killer thanks to its good Speed and Special Attack. Make sure you keep Keldeo as healthy as possible. Avoid strong attacks and status moves so that Keldeo is able to create more Substitutes and set up more. Don't use Calm Mind recklessly; it's best to use it against weak and passive Pokemon that fail to even touch Keldeo. Examples of such Pokemon include Armaldo and non-Power Whip variants of Ferrothorn.
Team Options
========
Substitute + Calm Mind Keldeo appreciates having Volcanion as a wallbreaker to soften up the foe, allowing Keldeo to set up and sweep late-game. Both of them also share similar checks and can wear down the opponent's team together. Additionally, it can help deal with Grass-types for Keldeo, which is useful, seeing as this set lacks Icy Wind. Mega Venusaur checks like Starmie and Gyarados are appreciated, as Mega Venusaur laughs at Keldeo due to its inability to do much to it. Rotom-W is another good partner because it allows Keldeo to safely get in with Volt Switch, can chip away at the foe in the process, and can wear down the foe with Will-O-Wisp so that Keldeo has an easier time creating Substitutes. Burns also cripple physical attackers and walls, allowing Keldeo to take them on more easily. Swampert and Empoleon both set entry hazards for Keldeo, which is appreciated to net more KOs. Swampert also provides an Electric immunity. Another Pokemon that provides an immunity to Electric is Lanturn, which can switch into some attacks for Lanturn, such as Starmie's Psychic, Togekiss's Psychic, and all Electric-type attacks thanks to Volt Absorb. It can also remove status ailments such as burn and poison from Keldeo with Heal Bell, allowing Keldeo to have an easier time setting up. Tentacruel is another partner to think about, as it can provide Toxic Spikes support to wear down the foe, check Grass-types like Whimsicott, and check Fairy-types like Mega Diancie. It can also remove hazards for Keldeo, which is useful, as Keldeo is worn down very quickly by them.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
**Water:**
A RestTalk set can be used to help Keldeo counter Dark-types better and also have a way to restore its HP, but Rest + Sleep Talk is a fairly unreliable combination, and Keldeo has to forgo two STAB coverage moves if it does decide to run such a set. As a result of this, Keldeo is unable to wallbreak or revenge kill, making a Choice or Substitute + Calm Mind set generally a better option. Expert Belt or Mystic Water can be used to bluff Choice Specs and still boost the power of some of Keldeo's moves; however, the decrease in power is noticeable. Life Orb can be used to remain slightly powerful and have the ability to switch moves (which is unavailable when running Choice Scarf or Choice Specs), though Keldeo is worn down more if you opt for this option. Taunt can be used in conjunction with Keldeo's high Speed to prevent sweepers from setting up as well as stop Pokemon such as Skarmory and Ferrothorn from setting entry hazards. However, Keldeo has to forgo a coverage move to run this. Focus Blast can be used alongside Secret Sword to grant Keldeo Fighting-type coverage against physically defensive Pokemon, but Keldeo again must drop a coverage a move. Salac Berry can be used on the Substitute + Calm Mind set if Keldeo is going to be setting up Substitutes often, as the boost in Speed is greatly appreciated, and Keldeo can sweep teams if it has a few Calm Mind boosts under its belt. However, the gradual recovery from Leftovers is appreciated. Hidden Power Rock can be used to OHKO Mega Charizard Y.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Water**:
**Grass-types**: Bulky Grass-types such as Mega Venusaur, Celebi, and Whimsicott wall Keldeo due to Keldeo's inability to do much to them outside of the relatively weak Icy Wind. Whimsicott can also mess around with Keldeo by crippling it with Prankster Stun Spore.
**Psychic-types**: Psychic-types such as Latias take little damage from Keldeo's STAB moves and can take it out with their Psychic-type STAB moves; however, they must be wary of a Scald burn, which can cripple them.
**Dragon-types**: Dragon-types such as Dragalge are able to take out Keldeo thanks to their typing and many resistances. Dragalge resists both Water and Fighting, and while Zygarde does not, it is still able to 2HKO Keldeo with the combination of Earthquake and Extreme Speed. However, they must be wary of Icy Wind.
**Fairy-types**: Fairy-types such as Azumarill and Togekiss resist Secret Sword, as well as Scald in the former's case, and can hit Keldeo back with their super effective STAB moves. Togekiss can cripple Keldeo with Thunder Wave and 2HKO it with Air Slash, while Azumarill can set up on Keldeo and prepare to sweep. Even without a boost, Azumarill OHKOes Keldeo with Play Rough.
**Water-types**: Jellicent walls Keldeo thanks to its immunity to Fighting and Water. Tentacruel and Slowbro are able to set up Toxic Spikes and boost with Calm Mind, respectively, while Keldeo can't do much to them.
**Faster Pokemon**: Thundurus-T, Mega Gallade, and Mega Diancie all outspeed non-Choice Scarf variants of Keldeo and immediately threaten it with a Life Orb-boosted Thunderbolt, Zen Headbutt, and Moonblast, all of which instantly KO it. Serperior is another threat to Keldeo, as it OHKOes it with Leaf Storm, though it must be wary of switching into Icy Wind or Secret Sword.
**Status**: Paralysis slows Keldeo down, making it much harder for it to wallbreak, sweep late-game, or set up depending on the set. Poison and burns wear Keldeo down, and this also makes setting up harder for Keldeo, as it has no method of reliable recovery.
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