OU Celesteela

art by Shaymoo: http://www.smogon.com/forums/thread...ad-op-updated-7-7.3590396/page-5#post-7359281

Ever since its introduction as one of the mysterious Ultra Beasts in SM, Celesteela has stood out as a powerful force in OU. It sports great all-around 97/103/101 bulk and an incredible defensive typing in Steel / Flying, which grants it only two weaknesses and numerous useful resistances and immunities. It also boasts a surprising amount of offensive utility for a primarily defensive Pokemon, with its good attacking stats and access to useful coverage moves in Flamethrower and Earthquake. These qualities make Celesteela a staple choice on offensive and defensive teams alike.

Celesteela @ Leftovers
Ability: Beast Boost
EVs: 252 HP / 132 Def / 124 SpD
Relaxed Nature
- Leech Seed
- Protect
- Heavy Slam
- Flamethrower

This is Celesteela's most popular set, and it is renowned for its ability to blanket check a number of powerful attackers in the OU metagame, such as Tapu Lele, Greninja, Magearna, Tapu Bulu, Garchomp, and Excadrill. The combination of Leech Seed and Leftovers somewhat makes up for Celesteela's lack of reliable recovery and makes it significantly harder to wear down over the course of the match. Protect allows Celesteela to gain more recovery as well as scout out Choice item users such as Garchomp, Nihilego, and Keldeo. Heavy Slam is the best option for a STAB attack, and it hits fairly hard thanks to Celesteela's high weight. Flamethrower is used in the final slot to break through Ferrothorn and Mega Scizor. The given Special Defense and HP EVs allow Celesteela to avoid the 2HKO from Choice Specs Tapu Lele's Psychic and Hidden Power Fire and give it a Special Defense boost upon picking up a KO, making it more difficult to revenge kill. The remaining EVs are invested into Defense with a Relaxed nature to improve Celesteela's ability to take on threats such as non-Gravity Landorus-T, Tapu Bulu, Mega Mawile, and Mega Pinsir.

Celesteela @ Flyinium Z
Ability: Beast Boost
EVs: 52 HP / 252 SpA / 204 Spe
Modest Nature
- Autotomize
- Air Slash
- Fire Blast
- Giga Drain / Earthquake

Celesteela is also able to use more offensively oriented sets. This set takes advantage of Celesteela's good bulk to set up an Autotomize and attempt to sweep with its great coverage options. After a boost, Celesteela hits a respectable 418 Speed, which notably allows it to outpace Choice Scarf Heatran. Combine this with Beast Boost, which grants Celesteela a Special Attack boost every time it KOes something, and this set is a force to be reckoned with in the OU metagame. Maximum Speed EVs can alternatively be used to outspeed Timid Mega Alakazam. Air Slash is the STAB move of choice, as it hits most of the tier reasonably hard, and it transforms into a 140-Base Power Supersonic Skystrike alongside Flyinium Z, allowing Celesteela to nuke most of its switch-ins and gain a Special Attack boost upon KOing them. Fire Blast takes care of the bulky Steel-types that Celesteela hates, namely Skarmory, Ferrothorn, Mega Scizor, and opposing Celesteela. Giga Drain rounds out Celesteela's coverage, breaking through Tapu Fini and Rotom-W. Earthquake is an alternate option that allows Celesteela to hit Fire- and Electric-types like Heatran, Magnezone, and Tapu Koko.

Despite its many positive traits, Celesteela is not without its problems. It packs a weakness to two common types in Electric and Fire, allowing it to be easily revenge killed by the likes of Tapu Koko, Mega Manectric, and Alolan Marowak. Its Speed stat further exacerbates this issue, as it leaves it outsped by almost every offensive Pokemon, and so makes it rather useless if it gets worn down enough. Celesteela is also prone to being trapped and eliminated by Magnezone; while offensive Celesteela can beat weakened Magnezone in a 1v1 scenario, specially defensive Celesteela usually loses to it if it doesn't hit it with Leech Seed on the switch. Finally, Celesteela's lack of reliable recovery is not ideal for a defensive Pokemon, as it makes it easier to weaken throughout the match.

Although it has its flaws, Celesteela is a very threatening defensive and offensive Pokemon in the OU metagame. Give it a try!
 
Last edited:

Colonel M

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I would simply borrow the sets listed by p2 in the "updated" analysis:

Celesteela @ Leftovers
Ability: Beast Boost
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Sassy Nature
- Leech Seed
- Protect
- Heavy Slam
- Flamethrower

You can mention Earthquake in the comments, but honestly I would have to be extremely paranoid about Heatran before considering it.

Celesteela @ Flyinium Z
Ability: Beast Boost
EVs: 52 HP / 252 SpA / 204 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Autotomize
- Air Slash
- Fire Blast
- Giga Drain / Earthquake

Speed EVs outspeed Scarf Heatran after an Autotomize. Mention max Speed will outspeed max Speed Mega Alakazam after an Autotomize boost as well. I wouldn't go too far into discussion with Earthquake because Earthquake only covers Heatran (and to a lesser extent Tyranitar).
 
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I would simply borrow the sets listed by p2 in the "updated" analysis:

Celesteela @ Leftovers
Ability: Beast Boost
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Sassy Nature
- Leech Seed
- Protect
- Heavy Slam
- Flamethrower

You can mention Earthquake in the comments, but honestly I would have to be extremely paranoid about Heatran before considering it.

Celesteela @ Flyinium Z
Ability: Beast Boost
EVs: 52 HP / 252 SpA / 204 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Autotomize
- Air Slash
- Fire Blast
- Giga Drain / Earthquake

Speed EVs outspeed Scarf Heatran after an Autotomize. Mention max Speed will outspeed max Speed Mega Alakazam after an Autotomize boost as well. I wouldn't go too far into discussion with Earthquake because Earthquake only covers Heatran (and to a lesser extent Tyranitar).
Alright, did this!
 

Colonel M

I COULD BE BORED!
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By the way there is one thing I forgot about the check. There's no mention of Magnezone - something Celesteela isn't a fan of. Earthquake is a valid target for Magnezone. Also, Magnet Pull makes Specially Defensive Celesteela struggle. Though some Celesteela like Offensive can win against weakened Magnezones, in most cases if Magnezone is not switching into Leech Seed Celesteela faces its demise.
 

Gary

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Make the defensive spread the more optimal one:

Celesteela @ Leftovers
Ability: Beast Boost
EVs: 252 HP / 132 Def / 124 SpD
Relaxed Nature
- Leech Seed
- Protect
- Heavy Slam
- Flamethrower

Maximum HP investment with 124 Special Defense EVs gaurantee that Choice Specs Tapu Lele's Psychic and Hidden Power Fire fail to 2HKO Celesteela. The remaining EVs are placed into Defense to help Celesteela tackle physically offensive threats such as Mega Pinsir, non-Gravity Landorus-T, and Garchomp. A Relaxed nature is used to bolster Celesteela's bulk without cutting into the power of Heavy Slam and Flamethrower. Optionally, Celesteela can be tailored to a more specially defensive role instead if physically offensive threats aren't a major concern for Celesteela and its teammates.

Ripped straight from the set details of the analysis.

QC 2/2
 

Lumari

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GP 1/1
Ever since its introduction as one of the mysterious Ultra Beasts in SM, Celesteela has stood out as a powerful force in OU. It sports great all-around 97/103/101 bulk and an incredible defensive typing in Steel / Flying, which grants it only two weaknesses and numerous useful resistances and immunities. It also boasts a surprising amount of offensive utility for a primarily defensive Pokemon, with its good attacking stats and access to useful coverage moves in Flamethrower and Earthquake. These qualities make Celesteela a staple choice on offensive and defensive teams alike.

Celesteela @ Leftovers
Ability: Beast Boost
EVs: 252 HP / 132 Def / 124 SpD
Relaxed Nature
- Leech Seed
- Protect
- Heavy Slam
- Flamethrower

This is Celesteela's most popular set, and it is (or remove "and is") renowned for its ability to blanket check a number of powerful attackers in the OU metagame, such as Tapu Lele, Greninja, Magearna, Tapu Bulu, Garchomp, and Excadrill. The combination of Leech Seed and Leftovers somewhat makes up for Celesteela's lack of reliable recovery and makes it significantly harder to wear down over the course of the match. Protect allows Celesteela to gain more recovery (RC) and also as well as scout out Choice item users such as Garchomp, Nihilego, and Keldeo. Heavy Slam is the best option for a STAB attack, and it hits fairly hard thanks to Celesteela's high weight. Flamethrower is used in the final slot to break through Ferrothorn and Mega Scizor. The given Special Defense and HP EVs and a Relaxed nature allow Celesteela to avoid the 2HKO from Choice Specs Tapu Lele's Psychic and Hidden Power Fire and give it a Special Defense boost upon picking up a KO, making it more difficult to revenge kill. The remaining EVs are invested into Defense with a Relaxed nature to improve Celesteela's ability to take on threats such as non-Gravity Landorus-T, Tapu Bulu, Mega Mawile, and Mega Pinsir.

Celesteela @ Flyinium Z
Ability: Beast Boost
EVs: 52 HP / 252 SpA / 204 Spe
Modest Nature
- Autotomize
- Air Slash
- Fire Blast
- Giga Drain / Earthquake

Celesteela is also able to use more offensively oriented sets. This set takes advantage of Celesteela's good bulk to set up an Autotomize and attempt to sweep with its great coverage options. After a boost, it Celesteela hits a respectable 418 Speed, which notably allows it to outpace Choice Scarf Heatran. Combine this with Beast Boost, which grants Celesteela a Special Attack boost every time it KOes something, and this set is a force to be reckoned with in the OU metagame. Maximum Speed EVs can alternatively be used to outspeed Timid Mega Alakazam. Air Slash is the STAB move of choice, as it hits most of the tier reasonably hard, and it (dont implement this change + RC if you meant this part to go with the "as" clause too) transforms into a 140-Base (AH) Power Supersonic Skystrike alongside Flyinium Z, allowing Celesteela to nuke most of its switch-ins and gain a Special Attack boost upon KOing them. Fire Blast takes care of the bulky Steel-types that Celesteela hates, namely Skarmory, Ferrothorn, Mega Scizor, and opposing Celesteela. Giga Drain rounds out Celesteela's coverage, breaking through Tapu Fini and Rotom-W. Earthquake is an alternate option that allows Celesteela to hit Fire- and Electric-types like Heatran, Magnezone, and Tapu Koko.

Despite its many positive traits, Celesteela is not without its problems. It packs a weakness to two common types in Electric and Fire, allowing it to be easily revenge killed by the likes of Tapu Koko, Tapu Koko, and Alolan Marowak. Its Speed stat further inflates exacerbates (don't think inflate is really the nuance you want) this issue, as it leaves it outsped by almost every offensive Pokemon, and so makes it rather useless if it gets worn down enough. Celesteela is also prone to being trapped and eliminated by Magnezone; while offensive Celesteela can beat weakened Magnezone in a 1v1 scenario, specially defensive Celesteela usually loses to it if it doesn't hit it with Leech Seed on the switch. Finally, Celesteela's lack of reliable recovery is not ideal for a defensive Pokemon, as it makes it easier to weaken throughout the match.

Although it has its flaws, Celesteela is a very threatening defensive and offensive Pokemon in the OU metagame. Give it a try!
 
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I'm not from GP team, but in the last paragraph, when you mention mons that can revenge Kill Celesteela, You mentioned two times Tapu Koko. Maybe you can mention another mon who can do this :)
 
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