I'm not sure if this would merit a slash over LO/ Z move/whatever in the analysis, but it seems like a decent other options mention since many teams have (in my experience) relied on LO recoil and helmet damage to handle Kartana if they can't check it well. Usually they switch back and forth until it dies. Honestly a lot of my interest comes from the item itself; I didn't even know that something like this existed. Haven't beaten Sun yet so that must be why.Substitute should be considered on the SD set as Toxapex can't always break it with scald. You'll want to run a few SpDef EVs though - 32 is enough for most but 64 guarantees an unbroken sub. Leaf Blade + Night Slash is decent enough coverage with sub but Leaf Blade + Sacred Sword is OK too.
Also, this may come as a surprise but Kartana is one of the more viable users of Protective Pads right now. Rocky Helmet Landorus/Garchomp/Ferrothorn/Celesteela are all common switch-ins, and preventing chip damage can be huge in keeping Kartana alive. Two other switch-ins are Zapdos and Volcarona, but with Protective Pads you don't have to worry about triggering Static and Flame Body.
Yeah, I agree. One of the biggest downsides I've noticed with Protective Pads is that you miss out the Magnezone OHKO, which sucks, so Life Orb or Fightium Z probably is better.I'm not sure if this would merit a slash over LO/ Z move/whatever in the analysis, but it seems like a decent other options mention
I think you mean Tapu Lele.You're right. Toxicroak does check it well. Tapu Bulu seems like a good partner in that case. It can give Psychic Terrain support so that Vacuum Wave (or any priority move fails, Sucker Punch included) and can OHKO Toxicroak with Psychic.
Should've used Bold for the extra DefenseKartana @ Sitrus Berry
Timid Nature
The point is to get Beast Boost to hit speed. One more point in defense means that gets hit instead, which doesn't snowball nearly as hard.Should've used Bold for the extra Defense
Preferably with Z-First?(z-me first) That is WAAAY OP.I find it pretty funny that Kartana is the newest owner of the move Vacuum Wave, when Vacuum Wave is actually its biggest weakness. I mean...
252 SpA Life Orb Toxicroak Vacuum Wave vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD Kartana: 307-367 (118.5 - 141.6%) -- guaranteed OHKO
Even crazier is that if you put in 156 Def EVs...
252+ Atk Life Orb Kartana Smart Strike vs. 0 HP / 156 Def Toxicroak: 242-286 (78.8 - 93.1%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock
... even those 156 Def EVs are taken straight out of SpA:
96 SpA Life Orb Toxicroak Vacuum Wave vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD Kartana: 265-315 (102.3 - 121.6%) -- guaranteed OHKO
So yeah, barring criticals and the off chance that Kartana is carrying Psycho Cut AND predicts your switch, you've got a very unorthodox counter. Not since Quagsire/Golduck in Ubers have I seen something like this.
Of course, Kartana would have to be VERY defining in the metagame, and if it was getting to the point where people were building Toxicroak sets just to beat this guy, I'd say Kartana's biggest threat would be the suspect testers at that point. That said, if you're five Pokémon into a team and suddenly realized "Oh sh-- I can't beat Kartana with this team! I'd get easily swept!" then, uh... There you go!
i mean you could also use lucario but you know, it's wrecked by the much more common secret sword, and also... well... obviously you can use lucario
What is your reason for using Air Slash and Hidden Power (both special moves) on a Pokemon with 59 Special Attack?My build:
Life Orb /Assault vest/Salac, Maranga, or Apicot berry
Gentle Nature
-Swords Dance(cause swords dance+beast boost+181 base atk= 6 decapitated poke heads.)
-Leaf blade(I have no idea. Crits and a healthy dosage of BP?)
-Air Slash(As they say, the best defense is a good offense, and troll by flinching does that good for its two weaknesses. Especially Fighting.)
-HIdden Power Rock/Ground/Water(for those pesky HO fire types.)
!dt sarcasmWhat is your reason for using Air Slash and Hidden Power (both special moves) on a Pokemon with 59 Special Attack?
If you want to get rid of the Fighting-types, go for Psycho Cut (it'll hit harder). And you really shouldn't try to fight Fire-types with Kartana when it's 4x weak to them; that's what teammates are for.
Kartana has more Attack than Speed and therefore gets an Attack Boost, not an Speed Boost which is kinda better at snowballing fatter teamsIt's just so incredibly easy to set up with this mon. Any wall that doesn't carry haze and doesn't have scald (or any other decent special move) is bait for it. get a couple SD boosts, kill the wall, get the speed boost, snowball.
I think he might be talking about the timid 19 attack IV set.Kartana has more Attack than Speed and therefore gets an Attack Boost, not an Speed Boost which is kinda better at snowballing fatter teams