Gary
Can be abrasive at times (no joke)
[SET]
name: Sub SD
move 1: Substitute
move 2: Swords Dance
move 3: Leaf Blade
move 4: Sacred Sword
item: Fightinium Z
ability: Beast Boost
nature: Jolly
evs: 8 HP / 188 Atk / 60 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Substitute allows Kartana to set up on passive defensive Pokemon, such as Toxapex, Ferrothorn, Skarmory, and Mega Sableye. This is very crucial in protecting Kartana from status moves, Scald burns, and Skarmory's Counter. Swords Dance heavily increases Kartana's damage output and enables it to break through the majority of commonly used defensive Pokemon such as Mew, Magic Guard Clefable, defensive Landorus-T, Celesteela, and Tangrowth. Leaf Blade deals a significant amount of damage to neutral targets after a boost and is Kartana's best move to wallbreak with. Sacred Sword provides valuable coverage against most Steel-types found in the tier, such as Ferrothorn, Heatran, Magearna, and opposing Kartana. All-Out Pummeling provides an extra amount of firepower to Sacred Sword in order to break through the more durable defensive Pokemon, such as Tangrowth, Mega Scizor, Celesteela, and Skarmory. It's also useful for OHKOing Pokemon such as Mega Charizard Y and Volcarona at +2, both of which 4x resist Leaf Blade.
Set Details
========
Maximum Speed and a Jolly nature ensure Kartana outspeeds Keldeo and Speed ties with opposing Kartana. The defensive investment allows Kartana to prevent its Substitute from being broken by Toxapex's Scald, allowing Kartana to set up against it. The remaining EVs are dumped into Kartana's Attack stat for maximum power. Fightinium Z is the best item with this set because without it, Kartana struggles to break through most Steel-types such as Mega Scizor, Celesteela, and Skarmory. Beast Boost is Kartana's only ability and makes it stronger after every KO.
Usage Tips
========
Use Substitute to set up on passive Pokemon that can't break Kartana's Substitute, such as Ferrothorn, Toxapex, Skarmory, and Mega Sableye. You can also choose to use Substitute on predicted switch-ins, which forces the opponent to take at least one hit or potentially give Kartana a free Swords Dance. Sometimes it's best to just use Swords Dance instead of Substitute if in front of something that can break Kartana's Substitute anyway, such as Landorus-T, Clefable, or Tangrowth. Never hard switch Kartana into anything unless in emergency situations, as you otherwise heavily limit its opportunities to set up or use Substitute. Depending on the matchup it may be best to save Fightinium Z to break through bulkier Steel-types such as Mega Scizor and Celesteela. Otherwise, it can be used to obtain OHKOs against Pokemon such as Kyurem-B, Heatran, and opposing Kartana. Kartana has issues breaking through most defensive Pokemon without a boost, so most of the time, it's probably not worth sending in Kartana just to fire off an attack, especially if they have something like Mega Venusaur or Tangrowth, which take minimal damage from any of Kartana's unboosted attacks. Because of this, it is important to try and set up a Swords Dance whenever possible in order to start breaking walls.
Team Options
========
This set takes advantage of a lot of bulkier Pokemon found in the metagame and is capable of dismantling common defensive cores that utilize Pokemon such as Celesteela, Mega Venusaur, Heatran, Clefable, Mew, Toxapex, and defensive Landorus-T. Because of this, Kartana pairs very well with offensive Pokemon such as Ash-Greninja, Tapu Koko, and Tapu Lele. Ash-Greninja baits in Pokemon like Toxapex and Ferrothorn, which Kartana can use as setup fodder. Ash-Greninja also sets up Spikes, making Kartana's job as a wallbreaker much easier. Tapu Koko can pivot on Grass-types to give Kartana free opportunities to switch in, potentially allowing Tapu Koko to spam Thunderbolt after they are heavily weakened. Choice Scarf Tapu Lele can clean up much more easily after Kartana shreds through all the Steel-types such as Celesteela, Magearna, Mega Scizor, and Ferrothorn while also being able to revenge kill Mega Lopunny and Ash-Greninja. Mega Lopunny can spam its STAB moves much more freely with defensive Landorus-T weakened considerably and benefits from Toxapex, Mew, and Clefable being weakened. Slow pivots such as defensive Landorus-T and Assault Vest Magearna are good teammates to get Kartana in for free. Magearna can also switch into most special attackers that can revenge kill Kartana, such as Greninja, Tapu Koko, and Latios. Entry hazard removal from Pokemon such as Latios, Mew, and Excadrill is very important because Kartana needs all the health it can get for more setup opportunities. Latios is also useful because Kartana has issues breaking through Mega Venusaur, and Latios with Roost can switch into it quite freely.
name: Sub SD
move 1: Substitute
move 2: Swords Dance
move 3: Leaf Blade
move 4: Sacred Sword
item: Fightinium Z
ability: Beast Boost
nature: Jolly
evs: 8 HP / 188 Atk / 60 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Substitute allows Kartana to set up on passive defensive Pokemon, such as Toxapex, Ferrothorn, Skarmory, and Mega Sableye. This is very crucial in protecting Kartana from status moves, Scald burns, and Skarmory's Counter. Swords Dance heavily increases Kartana's damage output and enables it to break through the majority of commonly used defensive Pokemon such as Mew, Magic Guard Clefable, defensive Landorus-T, Celesteela, and Tangrowth. Leaf Blade deals a significant amount of damage to neutral targets after a boost and is Kartana's best move to wallbreak with. Sacred Sword provides valuable coverage against most Steel-types found in the tier, such as Ferrothorn, Heatran, Magearna, and opposing Kartana. All-Out Pummeling provides an extra amount of firepower to Sacred Sword in order to break through the more durable defensive Pokemon, such as Tangrowth, Mega Scizor, Celesteela, and Skarmory. It's also useful for OHKOing Pokemon such as Mega Charizard Y and Volcarona at +2, both of which 4x resist Leaf Blade.
Set Details
========
Maximum Speed and a Jolly nature ensure Kartana outspeeds Keldeo and Speed ties with opposing Kartana. The defensive investment allows Kartana to prevent its Substitute from being broken by Toxapex's Scald, allowing Kartana to set up against it. The remaining EVs are dumped into Kartana's Attack stat for maximum power. Fightinium Z is the best item with this set because without it, Kartana struggles to break through most Steel-types such as Mega Scizor, Celesteela, and Skarmory. Beast Boost is Kartana's only ability and makes it stronger after every KO.
Usage Tips
========
Use Substitute to set up on passive Pokemon that can't break Kartana's Substitute, such as Ferrothorn, Toxapex, Skarmory, and Mega Sableye. You can also choose to use Substitute on predicted switch-ins, which forces the opponent to take at least one hit or potentially give Kartana a free Swords Dance. Sometimes it's best to just use Swords Dance instead of Substitute if in front of something that can break Kartana's Substitute anyway, such as Landorus-T, Clefable, or Tangrowth. Never hard switch Kartana into anything unless in emergency situations, as you otherwise heavily limit its opportunities to set up or use Substitute. Depending on the matchup it may be best to save Fightinium Z to break through bulkier Steel-types such as Mega Scizor and Celesteela. Otherwise, it can be used to obtain OHKOs against Pokemon such as Kyurem-B, Heatran, and opposing Kartana. Kartana has issues breaking through most defensive Pokemon without a boost, so most of the time, it's probably not worth sending in Kartana just to fire off an attack, especially if they have something like Mega Venusaur or Tangrowth, which take minimal damage from any of Kartana's unboosted attacks. Because of this, it is important to try and set up a Swords Dance whenever possible in order to start breaking walls.
Team Options
========
This set takes advantage of a lot of bulkier Pokemon found in the metagame and is capable of dismantling common defensive cores that utilize Pokemon such as Celesteela, Mega Venusaur, Heatran, Clefable, Mew, Toxapex, and defensive Landorus-T. Because of this, Kartana pairs very well with offensive Pokemon such as Ash-Greninja, Tapu Koko, and Tapu Lele. Ash-Greninja baits in Pokemon like Toxapex and Ferrothorn, which Kartana can use as setup fodder. Ash-Greninja also sets up Spikes, making Kartana's job as a wallbreaker much easier. Tapu Koko can pivot on Grass-types to give Kartana free opportunities to switch in, potentially allowing Tapu Koko to spam Thunderbolt after they are heavily weakened. Choice Scarf Tapu Lele can clean up much more easily after Kartana shreds through all the Steel-types such as Celesteela, Magearna, Mega Scizor, and Ferrothorn while also being able to revenge kill Mega Lopunny and Ash-Greninja. Mega Lopunny can spam its STAB moves much more freely with defensive Landorus-T weakened considerably and benefits from Toxapex, Mew, and Clefable being weakened. Slow pivots such as defensive Landorus-T and Assault Vest Magearna are good teammates to get Kartana in for free. Magearna can also switch into most special attackers that can revenge kill Kartana, such as Greninja, Tapu Koko, and Latios. Entry hazard removal from Pokemon such as Latios, Mew, and Excadrill is very important because Kartana needs all the health it can get for more setup opportunities. Latios is also useful because Kartana has issues breaking through Mega Venusaur, and Latios with Roost can switch into it quite freely.
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