Keldeo [QC 2/3]

cbrevan

spin, spin, spin
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QC: 2/3 (Exclaimer, sparktrain)
GP: 0/2

[OVERVIEW]

Keldeo is a premier offensive Pokemon in today's CAP metagame, with a powerful combination of high offensive stats and good neutral coverage that allows it to threaten a large portion of the metagame. Keldeo's Water/Fighting typing gives it advantageous matchups against Chansey, Colossoil, Heatran, and a plethora of other threats while also allowing Keldeo to switch into the Dark-, Fire-, and Ice-types in the tier, notably Syclant, Weavile, and Scizor. Keldeo's movepool is small but has all the tools needed to allow Keldeo to suceed, including it's signature move Secret Sword, which gives Keldeo the ability to pressure specially defensive Pokemon such as Chansey. Most importantly, Keldeo's offensive prowess and versatility allows it to run multiple sets. It can take on the role of a wallbreaker through Choice Specs and Life Orb, a revenge killer and cleaner with Choice Scarf, and even a win condition through Substitute Calm Mind. However, Keldeo's coverage options aren't enough to break through every Pokemon in the metagame, so it will find itself walled by Plasmanta, Mollux, Mega Venusaur, Latios, Latios, Azumarill, and Mega Venusuar depending on its choice of Hidden Power, as well as threatened by powerful offensive threats such as Talonflame, Aurumoth, Mega Metagross, and Mega Gardevoir regardless of the set.

[SET]
name: All-Out Attacker
move 1: Hydro Pump
move 2: Secret Sword
move 3: Scald
move 4: Hidden Power Ground / Icy Wind
ability: Justified
item: Choice Specs / Life Orb / Expert Belt
evs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
nature: Timid

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Hydro Pump is key for maximizing damage against walls such as Clefable, Tomohawk, and Jirachi, and is the most powerful move on this set. Hydro Pump's greater power is essential in situations where the lower base power of Scald is unable to KO the opponent. Secret Sword is an excellent secondary STAB option that allows Keldeo to hit specially defensive Pokemon such as Colossoil and Chansey, as well as Water-type resistant Pokemon such as Ferrothorn. Scald is Keldeo's back up Water-type STAB move that is needed in situations where Keldeo cannot afford to miss with Hydro Pump. Additionally, Scald's 30% burn chance allows Keldeo to wear down Pokemon such as Latios and Ferrothron faster and is almost always a good move to spam. In the last slot, Hidden Power Ground is necessary to get past Mollux and Plasmanta, which resist Secret Sword and are immune to Keldeo's Water-type moves. Alternatively, Icy Wind can be used to provide coverage against Grass-types such as Necturna and Dragon-types such as Latios, Latias, and Mega Altaria.

Set Details
========
The given EV spread and a Timid is needed for Keldeo to hit as hard as possible and to outspeed as much as possible. Choice Specs is used to turn Keldeo into a frightening nuke, allowing it to 2HKO Pokemon such as Tomohawk, Clefable, and Mega Sableye. Life Orb can be used instead to preserve Keldeo's power while easing its matchup against Mollux and Plasmanta, but the recoil wears Keldeo down significantly. Expert Belt can be used over Life Orb to avoid Life Orb's recoil and to bluff a Choice item, but is significantly less powerful against neutral targets such as Clefable.

Usage Tips
========
Keldeo should be used to break down opposing defensive cores
-Life Orb Keldeo and Expert Belt Keldeo have more freedom, being able to effectively fight at almost any point in the match. If the opponent is tricked into thinking Keldeo is Choice locked, he/she may send in a Pokemon like Mollux or Plasmanta that would counter Keldeo, allowing the player to use Hidden Power Ground for massive damage.
-Scald, unless your opponent has a Pokemon with a Water immunity, is generally the safest move early in the match, as a potential Burn can wear down Keldeo counters like Mega Venusaur, making it easier for Keldeo to clean later on.

Team Options
========
-Keldeo cannot effectively fight common Grass types like Venusaur, Serperior, and Celebi, as well as Pokemon that outspeed it, so Talonflame is a helpful teammate thanks to its powerful prioritized Flying type attacks.
-Keldeo is weak to common special attackers (Serperior, Raikou, Mega Alakazam, Mega Diancie, etc.), so specially defensive teammates that can also provide Wish (or Healing Wish) support like Clefable, Jirachi, Latias, and Sylveon are effective.
-Good on Offensive and Balanced teams for the type coverage, power, and speed it provides.
-Ground types like Colossoil, Garchomp, and Hippowdon help Keldeo to deal with Electric type checks. Colossoil also helps Keldeo against Psychic types, especially considering it can Pursuit trap them, while Garchomp and Hippowdon check Talonflame and can set Stealth Rock. Ground type teammates are especially important if Keldeo lacks Hidden Power Ground.
-Offensive Grass or Electric types like Necturna, Serperior, or Plasmanta are helpful because Keldeo has great difficulty getting through bluky Waters.
-Pursuit trappers like Tyranitar, Colossoil, Bisharp, Scizor, and Mega Metagross are great for removing bulky Psychic Pokemon (like Starmie, Latios, and Latias) that wall Keldeo

[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Scald
move 2: Secret Sword
move 3: Hydro Pump
move 4: Hidden Power Ground / Icy Wind
ability: Justified
item: Choice Scarf
evs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
nature: Timid

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
-Scald is a tool for spreading misery to the foe, having the ability to burn Pokemon mid-sweep thanks to Choice Scarf. In addition, it is safer for cleaning up remaining opponents than Hydro Pump thanks to its higher accuracy.
-Secret Sword is great type coverage and hits specially bulky Pokemon harder than Scald or Hydro Pump.
-Hydro Pump does more damage to opponents if Scald's burn chance and reliable accuracy are not needed. Hydro Pump is especially helpful against Aurumoth, Mega Charizards X and Y, Mega Crucibelle, and Gliscor.
-Hidden Power Ground is, as usual, Keldeo's best method of eliminating Mollux and Plasmanta.
-Icy Wind is a decent option if Keldeo's final act is to slow the opponent for its team or if a switch to Mega Altaria or Dragonite is predicted.

Set Details
========
-Timid allows Keldeo to outspeed as much as possible, especially with Choice Scarf. Modest would cause Keldeo to lose to things it could otherwise deal with. For example, a Modest Nature Keldeo with Choice Scarf would be outsped by a Jolly Mega Charizard X or Naviathan after one Dragon Dance. It would also be slower than a maximum Speed Pokemon with Choice Scarf with 95 Base Speed or higher (for example, Garchomp and Kyurem-Black)
-EVs maximize Speed and damage output.
-Choice Scarf allows Keldeo to outspeed more opponents, several of which would defeat it otherwise, notably making it a check to Cawmodore, Mega Charizard X after one Dragon Dance, and Choice Scarf Mollux.

Usage Tips
========
-Most effective late game when Keldeo's switch ins have been worn down, allowing Keldeo to clean up late game with Secret Sword and Scald. Early and mid game Keldeo should be used to revenge kill specific Pokemon with Hydro Pump, Icy Wind, and HP Ground, such as Cawmodore, Mega Charizard X, and even Crucibelle.
-If used earlier in the game, it should be wary of the opponent switching and should not allow the opponent to set up on it.
-Again, Scald is usually the safest option in the early game, as it can inflict a Burn on a counter that attempts to switch into Keldeo, allowing Keldeo to have an easier time in the late game.

Team Options
========
-Since many Flying types, Psychic types, and Fairies defeat Keldeo, Mega Metagross is a helpful partner.
-Best on Hyperoffensive and Balanced teams for its ability to stop things like Heatran and Colossoil. This helps Pokemon like Gengar, Mega Manectric, Mega Gardevoir, Kitsunoh, Choice Scarf Mollux, and Latios.
-Ground type teammates like Hippowdon, Colossoil, and Excadrill are very helpful for dealing with Electric types, along with Mollux and Plasmanta.
-Keldeo struggles with bulky Waters, so Grass and Electric type teammates like Mega Venusaur and Plasmanta are very important.

[SET]
name: Calm Mind
move 1: Scald
move 2: Secret Sword
move 3: Hidden Power Ground / Substitute
move 4: Calm Mind
ability: Justified
item: Life Orb / Leftovers
evs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
nature: Timid

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
-Scald helps Keldeo survive longer against physical attackers that would otherwise get past its Special Defense boosts. Its low power is offset by Calm Mind boosts.
-Secret Sword is great type coverage and prevents Chansey from stopping the sweep.
-Hidden Power Ground prevents Keldeo from being stopped cold by Mollux and Plasmanta.
- Substitute allows Keldeo to set up on Pokemon such as Mega Sableye easier as well as avoid Toxic from defensive Pokemon, allowing Keldeo to build up more boosts.
-Calm Mind increases Keldeo's ability to survive and throw out special attacks, allowing it to sweep effectively.

Set Details
========
-Timid, as always, allows Keldeo to outspeed more foes (like Gliscor, Volkraken, and Kyurem-Black).
-EVs allow Keldeo to outspeed opponents with lower Base Speed and deal a lot of damage.
-Life Orb gives Keldeo a considerable damage boost and helps it handle Pokemon before a Calm Mind boost and should be used with Hidden Power Ground.
- Leftovers increases Keldeo's ability to create Substitute and helps mitigate residual damage, notably against more defensive teams that rely on such damage to pressure Keldeo.

Usage Tips
========
- Keldeo should be aiming to set up Calm Mind later in the game after it's checks and counters have been sufficiently weakened. Earlier in the game Keldeo should be fulfilling an offensive role to help wear down the opposing team with Scald burns.
-Take opportunities to set up Substitute, as it is a necessity for taking out faster Pokemon and makes it safer to use Calm Mind.
-Set up on passive Pokemon like Chansey, Sableye, Pyroak, Fidgit, etc.
-Helpful on Hyperoffensive and Balanced teams for its ability to stop opponents with Calm Mind and STAB coverage.

Team Options
========

-Since Keldeo struggles with bulky Waters, Grass types, Electric types, and Fairies, Mega Venusaur can be used as an effective teammate thanks to its resistances and STAB Grass and Poison attacks.
-Clefable can stop Pokemon that set up on Keldeo with Unaware and Talonflame with Stealth Rocks. In addition, it can Wish pass to Keldeo to help it survive and use Heal Bell if it gets a status condition.
-Ground types like Garchomp, Colossoil, or Gliscor are vital teammates for this set with various Electric types, such as Mega Manectric, Raikou, and Thundurus.
-Unaware Clefable is a huge force in CAP that obliterates Keldeo, meaning Steel types like Mega Metagross and Heatran, Poison types like Gengar and Mollux, and Fire types like Heatran and Pyroak are great partners.
-Flying types like Mega Pigeot, Talonflame, and Tornadus are helpful for removing Grass types like Serperior, Venusaur, and Necturna.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============

- Salac Berry can be used in conjunction with Substitute and Calm Mind to create a powerful late game sweeper out of Keldeo, but is not very reliable.
-Hidden Power Flying can help punish Grass types like Mega Venusaur, Necturna, Celebi, and Breloom on the switch in, but it isn't as powerful against most things as Scald/Hydro Pump or Secret Sword
-Hidden Power Bug defeats Celebi and helps against Psychic-types such as Latias, Latios, and Slowbro.
-Hidden Power Electric can be used to help against bulky Water types, but it primarily beats Gyarados.
-Taunt can be used to pressure walls like Pyroak and Chansey. It also helps Keldeo avoid being statused, especially by Thunder Wave.

Checks and Counters
===================

**Bulky Water-types**: There isn't much to say besides that the likes of Manaphy, Slowbro, Krilowatt, and Rotom-W are too bulky for it to defeat unboosted (allowing Manaphy to set up). However, the only one of these that can switch into Choice Specs Keldeo's Secret Sword is Slowbro.

**Grass-types**: Mega Venusaur walls it while Necturna, Celebi, and Serperior overpower it, although Serperior cannot take many Secret Swords from Keldeo (Icy Wind may not be a good option due to Contrary)

**Fairy-types**: Clefable, Mega Diancie, Mega Gardevoir, Sylveon, Mega Altaria, and Azumarill all easily defeat Keldeo. However, Mega Diancie and Mega Gardevoir cannot switch in. Mega Altaria also has difficulty due to Icy Wind.

**Flying-types**: Many Flying types (Talonflame, Tornadus-Therian) outspeed and defeat Keldeo. Togekiss survives Keldeo, Thunder Waves it, and destroys it with Air Slash. Talonflame can only check Keldeo, though.

**Electric-types**: Scarf Magnezone, Mega Manectric, Raikou, and Thundurus all outspeed and OHKO non Scarfed Keldeo, allowing them to act as revenge killers. However, they cannot switch into Keldeo reliably.

**Psychic-types** Many powerful Psychics (Latios, Latias, Alakazam, Jirachi, Mega Metagross) outspeed Keldeo and defeat it, while Keldeo can do little in return. Most of these are checks that hate switching in on Scald, however, especially Jirachi and Metagross, which want to avoid being Burned. Only Latios and Latias, two of the best checks to Keldeo, can switch in relatively well, although Icy Wind can take a large chunk of their HP, although Mega Latias can take Icy Wind relatively well.
 
Last edited:

cbrevan

spin, spin, spin
is a CAP Contributoris a Site Content Manager Alumnusis a Forum Moderator Alumnus
This is still in WIP for now as I intend to go through and reword the entire analysis, but as soon as that's done I'll open this up to QC at 1/3 so they can properly look it over.
 

snake

is a Community Leaderis a Top CAP Contributoris a Contributor to Smogon
CAP Co-Leader
Am I the only one who thinks Scarf should be the first set? It's a nice Cawmodore check and still hits hard.
 
I know you're busy cbrevan but it's been 6 weeks, we need to hand this off to another writer if it's going to be much longer.

@above, my vote is to keep the current set order
 

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