[OVERVIEW]
Celesteela has an excellent defensive typing, letting it wall Pokemon such as Xerneas, Mega Diancie, and Primal Groudon when using a Primordial Sea set. An immunity to Ground means it can function as an excellent entry hazard remover due to it only being damaged by Stealth Rock. In addition, in conjunction with Primordial Sea, Celesteela can sport simultaneous immunities to Fire- and Ground-type attacks, which are the most common coverage moves used to defeat Steel-types. It has competition from other Steel-types, such as Registeel and Ferrothorn, but has the niche of not requiring an ability to be immune to Ground. Its typing also allows it to check Kartana as well as Mega Garchomp, two Pokemon that may be difficult to defensively check otherwise.
However, while Celesteela's bulk is decent, it is not spectacular for a wall, so it finds difficulty in taking strong neutral attacks such as from Primal Kyogre and Mega Gyarados. In addition, it even struggles to take some resisted attacks such as Choice Specs Mega Rayquaza's Boomburst and Steelworker Kartana's Sunsteel Strike. A weakness to Electric means it does not like switching in on most specially-oriented wallbreakers, as they tend to use Volt Switch. The lack of a Rock-type resistance also means that Celesteela faces difficulty taking on Pokemon such as Mega Tyranitar and Magic Guard Mega Diancie. Celesteela is very reliant on using Primordial Sea to carve a good niche in the metagame, meaning it does not have much freedom in what it runs, as other sets are done better by the previously mentioned Steel-types. Due to its reliance on Primordial Sea, it finds difficulty in checking offensive Water-types in the tier such as Primal Kyogre, Palkia, and Ash-Greninja. While it can run Flash Fire to somewhat remedy this weakness to Water-types, Celesteela is not made to check the listed Water-types anyways, so there isn't much benefit.
[SET]
name: Primordial Sea
move 1: Shore Up
move 2: Scald / Beak Blast
move 3: Topsy-Turvy / Spectral Thief
move 4: Defog / Anchor Shot / U-turn
item: Leftovers / Safety Goggles
ability: Primordial Sea
nature: Sassy
evs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpD
ivs: 0 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Scald allows Celesteela to force Primal Groudon out, threatening heavy damage in rain. It can also be used to try burning opposing Pokemon, halving their physical damage output and putting them on a timer. A burn can also inconvenience defensive Pokemon, forcing them to heal more often, and cripple Poison Heal Pokemon if their Toxic Orb has not activated. Beak Blast functions as a Flying STAB attack that allows Celesteela to burn Pokemon that make contact with it, such as Mega Rayquaza and Mega Mewtwo X. In addition to this, it allows Celesteela to punish slow pivoting by burning a Pokemon that may wish to use U-turn on it and damaging the switch-in of choice. However, the burn is predictable, and it does not let Celesteela check Primal Groudon as well. Topsy-Turvy allows Celesteela to check Pokemon such as Xerneas, Contrary Mega Mewtwo Y, and Regigigas. Spectral Thief can be used instead order to steal the foe's boosts, but this makes Celesteela unable to check Regigigas well, and it may make Imposter Pokemon difficult to check in some scenarios. However, it does have the advantage of hitting certain Pokemon such as Mega Mewtwo Y super effectively, not being blocked by Taunt, and bypassing Substitutes, making it a nice option to consider.
Defog is used to remove entry hazards, benefiting Celesteela's teammates that may dislike them. Defog is used over Rapid Spin, as Celesteela finds it hard to sufficiently damage Giratina and therefore cannot use Rapid Spin without risking Giratina coming in easily. However, if entry hazard removal is taken on by teammates, Anchor Shot can be used to trap Imposter users. It also functions well with Spectral Thief, enabling Celesteela to trap sweepers and consistently steal their boosts while also damaging them, eventually defeating them. Anchor Shot can also help trap Poison Heal Mega Audino, Xerneas, and Mega Diancie while also functioning as a strong Steel-type STAB move in general. However, given that the four moves on the set are vital and Celesteela risks being burned by Scald if it traps its own Imposter, it is difficult to justify running Anchor Shot on the set. Finally, U-turn can be used to grant momentum to the team, but it is also difficult to fit in. Entrainment can also be used instead of Defog to remove abilities from -ate users and Poison Heal sweepers. In conjunction with Anchor Shot, Celesteela can use Entrainment to trap and defeat Poison Heal sweepers. Shore Up is another alternative that gives Celesteela the longevity it needs in order to consistently check the Pokemon it wishes to. However, it can be difficult to justify putting either on the set in favor of other move options, as Celesteela suffers from four-moveslot syndrome.
Set Details
========
Primordial Sea allows Celesteela to prevent Pokemon from using Fire-type moves. It is preferred over Flash Fire because it boosts the power of Celesteela's Scald and allows Celesteela to use Scald on Primal Groudon. However, it makes Celesteela take increased damage from Water-type moves, which may inconvenience it in emergency situations and gives it a worse matchup versus RegenVest Primal Kyogre. 0 Speed IVs in conjunction with a Sassy nature lets Celesteela underspeed as many Pokemon as possible. This allows Celesteela to check slow setup Pokemon in addition to other setup Pokemon. Leftovers provides passive recovery, reducing Celesteela's need to use Shore Up. Safety Goggles lets Celesteela block Spore, allowing it to switch in on Pokemon that use Spore, such as Triage Mega Rayquaza, Regigigas, and Xerneas, without fear of being put to sleep. Waterium Z provides an immunity to Trick as well as decreased damage from Knock Off. It also provides a way to OHKO Primal Groudon.
Usage Tips
========
Make sure you know a Pokemon's full set before switching Celesteela on it. Celesteela does not take coverage well due to its average bulk, so while coverage is rare, it is vital to make sure that Celesteela can fully check Pokemon it is supposed to such as Mega Rayquaza and Mega Diancie. Otherwise, you risk losing Celesteela. If you are Primordial Sea and the opponent has a Primal Groudon, ensure you play Celesteela as carefully as possible. If you do not, Primal Groudon can come in on Celesteela and force it out. Flash Fire sets do not face this difficulty, so you can switch in Celesteela more liberally if it is Flash Fire and the opponent's Primal Groudon is currently healthy. Scout for moves that cause burns such as Will-O-Wisp. While Celesteela does not mind most forms of status, it dislikes being burned, as it makes it easier for it to get worn down. Make sure you exclusively bring Celesteela in on Pokemon it can wall, as it is important for Celesteela to stay healthy, and staying in on Pokemon Celesteela does not wall can cause it to be unable to check the Pokemon it wishes to later on in the game, such as Regigigas, Mega Rayquaza, and Mega Diancie. If you do not need to use a specific move, Scald can be used liberally to try to get burns on the opponent's Pokemon. Against slow pivots, Beak Blast can be used to burn the pivoting Pokemon as well as deal damage to the Pokemon that is brought in. This allows Celesteela to discourage slow pivoting. Make sure Primal Groudon and Tough Claws Mega Rayquaza do not have Bolt Strike as coverage, as otherwise Celesteela will be KOed. Celesteela cannot switch into Regenerator Pokemon like other Steel-types can, as it is extremely vulnerable to chip damage and should avoid taking as much unnecessary damage as possible.
Team Options
========
Primal Groudon is a potent sweeper that can be Imposter-proofed by Celesteela. In return, Primal Groudon can also threaten Celesteela thanks to Desolate Land blocking Scald in conjunction with boosting V-create's power. Wallbreakers such as Mega Rayquaza and Mega Diancie appreciate Celesteela's immunity to Fire- and Ground-type coverage, which allows them to freely run coverage attacks against other Steel-types without fear of Imposter. Celesteela's unique typing allows it to Imposter-proof wallbreakers, such as Mega Garchomp and Kartana, which would normally be difficult to Imposter-proof. Pokemon such as Primal Groudon, Ferrothorn, and Mega Steelix can check the Electric-types that give Celesteela trouble. Pokemon that check Mega Mewtwo X such as Mega Sableye, Cresselia, and Mega Slowbro can form a defensive core with Celesteela, as Celesteela deals with their offensive checks as well. For example, Giratina is an excellent partner due to checking Mega Mewtwo X and Electric-types. Imposter is also a good team option, as it allows you to scout for surprise coverage that may potentially make Celesteela unable to check a Pokemon. Extra entry hazard control is appreciated, as Celesteela is not a reliable Defogger. Magic Bounce Pokemon or Pokemon that use Defog can fulfill this role, such as Mega Audino and Giratina. If Celesteela does not have Topsy-Turvy, Regigigas checks such as Mega Tyranitar, Poison Heal Zygarde-C, and Dialga are necessary. Using Celesteela as your primary -ate check leaves it vulnerable to -ate sets that hold Choice Specs, as well as Kyurem-B. For this reason, it is recommended to have another -ate check to go along with Celesteela, such as another Steel-type, Soundproof Mega Slowbro, or Soundproof Zygarde-C. Pokemon that check Primal Kyogre such as Dialga, Ferrothorn, and Zekrom are appreciated, as Celesteela struggles to take it on.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Flash Fire can be run over Primordial Sea to have an immunity to Will-O-Wisp, take reduced damage from Water-type attacks, and avoid giving away Celesteela's ability to the opponent. However, Flash Fire is bypassed by Mold Breaker, does not let Celesteela use Scald on Primal Groudon, and still does not let Celesteela check offensive Water-types such as Primal Kyogre, Mega Gyarados, and Palkia, making Primordial Sea the better option. A Magic Bounce set with Entrainment, Shore Up, Topsy-Turvy, and Anchor Shot can be used in order to better check Pokemon that use sleep such as Regigigas and Xerneas lacking Fire-type coverage. A Prankster set with Destiny Bond, Shore Up, Haze, and U-turn or Anchor Shot can be used in order to blanket check setup Pokemon. However, this set is passive and cannot threaten Pokemon except with Destiny Bond. It is also outclassed by Registeel and Aegislash. A RegenVest set with Beak Blast, Spectral Thief, Rapid Spin, and Core Enforcer or Revelation Dance can be used to better take on special Pokemon as well as better Imposter-proof Mega Diancie and Mega Rayquaza lacking Fire-type coverage. However, the loss of a Fire immunity is not appreciated, and not being able to recover without switching out can be an inconvenience at times. Volt Absorb can be used to beat Electric-type Pokemon that may wish to capitalize on Celesteela's Electric-type weakness. However, Electric-type users are uncommon, and a Volt Absorb set will lose to the very common V-create, making it difficult to justify using this set.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Strong Neutral Attacks**: Kyurem-B and Mega Mewtwo X can all overwhelm Celesteela with their STAB attacks due to its low bulk. However, the two must be wary of a Scald burn.
**Surprise Coverage**: Coverage on Pokemon that Celesteela is supposed to check can surprise Celesteela and cripple it for the rest of the game. For this reason, it is important to scout the opponent's sets. Surprise coverage can include Bolt Strike, Volt Switch, and the aforementioned strong neutral attacks. These attacks can come from Pokemon such as Mega Diancie, Primal Groudon, and Mega Rayquaza.
**Primal Kyogre**: Regardless of if it is using RegenVest or Poison Heal, Primal Kyogre can threaten Celesteela thanks to Primal Kyogre's high Special Attack stat, its typing, and Celesteela's usage of Primordial Sea.
**Defensive Pokemon**: As Celesteela has low offensive stats, it cannot do much to force opposing defensive Pokemon such as Giratina and Ferrothorn out aside from attempting to burn them with Scald.
**Shedinja**: Celesteela does not run moves to threaten Shedinja. Because of this, Shedinja can threaten Celesteela with Endeavor and then Extreme Speed unless Celesteela gets a burn from Scald or Beak Blast.
**Electric-types**: Zekrom, Xurkitree, and Mega Ampharos can all eliminate Celesteela with their STAB Electric-type attacks while also being able to switch into Celesteela's Steel- and Flying-type attacks. However, Zekrom must be wary of switching into Scald for fear of being burned.
ary of switching into Scald for fear of being burned.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[GL Volkner, 330455]]
- Quality checked by: [[Funbot28, 255984], [E4 Flint, 203690], [ScarfWynaut, 221682]]
- Grammar checked by: [[The Dutch Plumberjack, 232216], [Electrolyte, 148071]]
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