Keldeo (QC 2/3)

[Nollan]

Overview
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• Unique Water / Fighting typing allows Keldeo to check common metagame threats such as Heatran, Landorus-T, Bisharp, Tyranitar, and Kangashkan-Mega among others; unfortunately the typing does give it weakness to common Electric-types in the metagame (Rotom-W, Thundurus)
• Base 108 Speed along with base 129 Special Attack allow Keldeo to outspeed and OHKO aforementioned threats when holding a Life Orb, something no other Pokemon can boast doing
• 91 / 90 / 90 defenses aren't too shabby either
• It has a few solid support options including Icy Wind and Quick Guard
• Relatively mediocre bulk and reliance on its high speed can leave it vulnerable to speed control
• It has a very limited movepool ("one trick pony" :>)

All-Out Attacker
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name: All-Out Attacker
move 1: Hydro Pump / Scald
move 2: Secret Sword
move 3: Icy Wind / Quick Guard
move 4: Protect
item: Life Orb
evs: 24 HP / 232 SpA / 252 Spe
nature: Timid

Moves
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• Hydro Pump is Keldeo's Water-type STAB move of choice, and deals heavy damage to anything that does not resist it. Unfortunately, it has shaky 80% accuracy. As such, Scald is a viable alternative since it hits consistently and also comes with a useful 30% change to burn, though the loss in power is very great, notably missing out on a guaranteed OHKO on 252 HP Heatran.
• Secret Sword is Keldeo's most reliable Fighting-type STAB attack, and with a LO it will net a guarenteed OHKO on 4 / 0 Mega Kangashkan-Mega. It is also your best option against bulky Water-types like Rotom-W and Ludicolo, as well as any Ferrothorn you may run into.
• Icy Wind provides Keldeo with a spread move that also slows the opposition down, allowing Keldeo's partners to move first; Quick Guard is a viable alternative and can block slower Fake Outs as well as Talonflame's Brave Bird, an attack that would usually threaten Keldeo
• Protect rounds off the set as a staple move in Doubles, stalling out weather, Trick Room, and allowing Keldeo to safely guard itself from harmful attacks while its partner does work

Set Details
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• 24 HP EVs minimize the amount of damage Keldeo takes from LO recoil; 252 Speed EVs allow Keldeo to speed tie with Terrakion and opposing Keldeo; remaining EVs are dumped into Special Attack
• Life Orb is the preferred item, allowing Keldeo to get several OHKOs it couldn't achieve otherwise
• Focus Sash is also a plausible option if you want Keldeo to survive at least one hit, though its defenses are high enough that it can usually survive most neutral hits and even weaker Super-Effective hits without a Focus Sash

Usage Tips
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• This set is very simple: safely bring it in when you see Heatran, Landorus-T, Kangaskhan-Mega, Bisharp, and/or any other threats that it OHKOs, and proceed to knock out or force out said threats
• "Safely" is emphasized here, as LO recoil and switch in damage will add on fast. Try to bring Keldeo in on expected attacks that it resists, or when a team member has fainted, though the later is usually not preferred
• If Quick Guard is run, it is typically used against Fake Out users such as Kangaskhan so its partner can attack without having to worry about getting flinched. It can also be used to block powerful priority such as Talonflame's Brave Bird and can stop Prankster Thunder Waves among other things, though this will often require proper play since the opponent might expect it and use an attack without priority instead
• If run, Icy Wind can be used when there are threats on the field that your partner needs slowed down, or when a Follow Me supporter like Togekiss is on the field and you need to hit said Follow Me supporter's partner.
• Once the threats Keldeo checks have been knocked out, it can proceed to hit anything and everything as hard as possible, as so long as its teammates can handle the remaining members of the opposing team, keeping Keldeo alive won't be that big of an issue

Team Options
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• Teams that are weak and/or threatened by Kangashkan-Mega, Bisharp, Heatran, and Landorus-T will enjoy Keldeo's help. This, not surprisingly, tends to include the majority of Doubles teams, since the above Pokemon are all very potent threats in the metagame.
• Grass-types such as Amoonguss and Gourgeist-S make good teammates, switching into common Electric-type attacks as well as Grass-type attacks. In particular they excel at handling Rotom-W, which is probably the most common threat to Keldeo.
• Electric-types and Rock-types are also good teammates, being helpful in dealing with Talonflame and other Flying-types that Keldeo does not enjoy facing
• Dark-types, such as Bisharp, make good teammates, handling Psychic-types for Keldeo. Those with access to Sucker Punch are particularly helpful for dealing with Latios, a very common threat to Keldeo.
• Fire-types that beat things like Amoonguss or particularly helpful, Heatran and Rotom-H are especially effective since it also walls Talonflame, though Chandelure, Talonflame, and others are also very effective
• Rage Powder/Follow Me support from Amoonguss or Togekiss is a useful asset to Keldeo, keeping it out of the line of fire and helping it stay around for longer to check what it needs to check

Other Options
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• A Substitute set with Leftovers (Substitute over Icy Wind) is a solid option, making use of the switches Keldeo tends to force
• Focus Blast can be used over Secret Sword due to its higher base power, but usually the risk is not worth the reward
  
• Calm Mind can be used, as if given the opportunity to use it, Keldeo can hit even harder
• Reflect is an option if your team has trouble with physical attackers
• Taunt can shut down Trick Room and Tailwind among other things
• Helping Hand can give an ally a 50% boost in power, which is useful if Keldeo cannot do much damage to the opposing side, though this situation rarely occurs
• Safeguard can protect allies from status moves such as Will-O-Wisp, Thunder Wave, Sleep Powder, and Spore
• Mystic Water because Audiosurfer likes weird items can boost Hydro Pump/Scald by 20% while not packing the harmful recoil effect of Life Orb

Checks and Counters
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• The big three are Rotom-W, Latios, and Talonflame. The later two can outspeed and OHKO Keldeo, while bulky Rotom-W can tank two Secret Swords when factoring in Sitrus Berry and deal heavy damage with Thunderbolt.
• Bulky Grass-types such as Venusaur-Mega, Trevenant, Gourgeist-S, and Amoonguss can comfortably sit in front of Keldeo since Icy Wind has a very lower base power and proceed to hit it with their Grass-type STAB attacks or Sleep Powder/Spore
• Speedy Electric-types such as Thundurus, Thundurus-T, Raikou, and Manectric-Mega can deal heavy damage with their respective Thunderbolts/Volt Switches
• Jellicent walls Keldeo in and out and can chip away at it with Shadow Ball, burn it with Will-O-Wisp, or simply set up Trick Room for its teammates
• Cresselia (and other bulky Psychic-types) is similar to Jellicent in that it can comfortably endure multiple Hydro Pumps while hitting Keldeo with Psyshock, Icy Wind, Thunder Wave, or simply setting Trick Room to completely cripple it for 5 turns
• Opposing speed control shuts down Keldeo, as its speed is its most important trait and without it Keldeo is basically an easy OHKO/2HKO waiting to happen. Thunder Wave, Tailwind, and Trick Room will all put a stop to its schemes

 

[Stratos]

quick guard should be slashed with icy wind imo id check more but not this second

 

[Lolk]

Overview:

• Mention its typing leaves it vulnerable to many common attackers in Doubles.
• It also can switch into almost everything Tyranitar uses.

Moves:

• Mention other stuff that Sacred Sword hurts way more than Hydro Pump, such as Rotom-W, Ferrothorn, and Ludicolo. It also allows Keldeo to bypass Pokemon with Assault Vest that can tank Special Attackers.

Other Options:

• Add Sleep Powder to the reasons Keldeo will want to use Safeguard. With sleep most likely being freed, anything good with safeguard needs that emphasis.

Checks and Counters:

• Jellicent

This is a very solid skelly nollan!

 

[Nollan]

Alright, changes made. Thanks for the check, Lolk :)

 

[Audiosurfer]

• mention mystic water somewhere, it's a nice item to power up water stab w/o recoil
• mention politoed in team options for reasons that are hopefully obvious

this looks solid enough for a first check: QC 1/3

 

[Nollan]

• mention mystic water somewhere, it's a nice item to power up water stab w/o recoil
• mention politoed in team options for reasons that are hopefully obvious

this looks solid enough for a first check: QC 1/3

Added Mystic Water to OO.

I'm reluctant to recommend Politoed with Keldeo because Swift Swim sweepers are far better options if you are using rain support. Keldeo's main appeal (imo at least) is that it functions outside of rain perfectly fine, making it a great choice for any team if you need a check to Bisharp, MKanga, Landorus-T, Heatran, etc.

 

[kjata30]

Unique Water / Fighting typing

Poliwrath says hi.

 

[Lolk]

poliwrath is nonexistant in doubles, making water / fighting unique in doubles

 

[Scron]

I appreciate the inclusion of Quick Guard in this set, I find it to be vastly underrated. Keldeo definitely has its niche if you can mitigate the damage enough. I also find your reasoning to be very apt Lolkomori. I appreciate how in depth your comments are. :D

 

[kjata30]

poliwrath is nonexistant in doubles, making water / fighting unique in doubles

I understand that Poliwrath isn't exactly a world beater, but the wording suggests that there are no Pokemon that share this typing. It would be better to have a more accurate statement, such as Rare Water / Fighting typing... or Unique to its tier, its Water / Fighting typing....

 

[Lolk]

Overview:

• I would generalize the last bullet into "it has a couple good support moves like blablabla." Your sentence is a bit too specific for an overview.
• You don't list very many cons of Keldeo, like the vulnerability to Speed Control, lack of recovery, and the small offensive movepool.

Moves:

• Scald also burns things :o

Set Details:

• I would personally move focus blast to oo but if you dont want to that's cool too.

Usage Tips:

• Talk about when to use Quick Guard (basically against Fake Out leads)

Team Options:

• Gourgeist/Amoonguss killers such as subtran (also beats Talonflame :o)

Good Work Nollan QC 2/3

 

[Nollan]

Implemented changes and thanks for the check Lolk :)

I am unfortunately unable (:<) to write this up so I'll let someone who is take this over and get 'er done