TheKingVillager
VGC 2018 Seniors Champion
[OVERVIEW]
Kartana is a monstrously strong as well as fast attacker that, thanks to Beast Boost, can become even scarier as it racks up Attack boosts with each KO inflicted. Even with its limited attacking toolkit, rarely running more than just Leaf Blade and Sacred Sword, it still manages to pressure metagame staples such as Tapu Fini and Snorlax. It can also provide speed control for its team with Tailwind or set up with moves like Swords Dance and Substitute, both of which put a great deal of pressure on the opposing Pokemon. Unfortunately, Kartana's paper-thin Special Defense will leave it easily OHKOed by even weak special attacks such as Porygon2's boosted Ice Beam or Mega Salamence's Hyper Voice. Additionally, Kartana also struggles with Fire-types like the commonplace Incineroar and Charizard, as well as Flying-types like Zapdos and Mega Salamence, which it cannot hit hard.
[SET]
Name: Focus Sash
Move 1: Leaf Blade
Move 2: Sacred Sword
Move 3: Tailwind / Swords Dance
Move 4: Detect
Item: Focus Sash
Ability: Beast Boost
Nature: Jolly
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Leaf Blade is Kartana's primary STAB move, as it hits several Pokemon like Tapu Fini and Politoed for super effective damage and does considerable damage to neutral targets like Tapu Koko and Tapu Lele. Sacred Sword hits Pokemon like Porygon2, Mega Kangaskhan, and Snorlax for massive damage while also ignoring Defense and evasion stat changes. Combined with Focus Sash, Kartana can usually push out a Tailwind early-game to gain the Speed advantage for the party, or as a last ditch effort while it hangs on with 1 HP. Swords Dance is an alternative to Tailwind that lets Kartana become an unstoppable offensive threat if left unattended for too long. Detect helps preserve Kartana or bait foes when it's barely hanging on, and it bypasses Imprison users running Protect. Focus Sash lets Kartana focus all of its EVs in Attack and Speed.
Focus Sash Kartana pairs up well with Mega Charizard Y. Kartana’s coverage allows it to cut down Pokemon like Tyranitar and Politoed, which pose a threat to Mega Charizard Y as well as the sun it brings. Tailwind also allows for the two to outrun foes like Tapu Koko and Choice Scarf Landorus-T to sweep with powerful physical and special attacks. Kartana also pairs well with Tapu Fini and Incineroar, as these two are strong switch-ins to make up for its weaknesses, as well as providing it Fake Out and Misty Terrain. Tapu Lele's Psychic Terrain protects Kartana from priority moves like Fake Out and Sucker Punch breaking its Focus Sash prematurely, making it a strong partner as well.
[SET]
Name: Z-Move
Move 1: Leaf Blade
Move 2: Sacred Sword
Move 3: Substitute / Swords Dance / Tailwind
Move 4: Detect
Item: Grassium Z / Fightinium Z
Ability: Beast Boost
Nature: Jolly
EVs: 20 HP / 148 Atk / 4 Def / 84 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Leaf Blade is your primary STAB move to cut down bulky Water-types like Tapu Fini and Milotic, as well as about anything that doesn't resist it. With Grassium Z, Bloom Doom takes quick KOs on Pokemon like Landorus-T and ensures OHKOs on Pokemon like Tapu Fini, which can survive Leaf Blade at -1 Attack. Sacred Sword lets Kartana hit Normal-types and Steel-types for more damage than Leaf Blade, and All-Out Pummeling with Fightinium Z lets it break through some of the bulkiest Pokemon in the format like Snorlax, Porygon2, Incineroar, and Heatran, which can all withstand several Sacred Swords. Substitute allows Kartana to preserve itself and take hits it would never realistically survive. Substitute also has the added benefit of blocking Intimidate. Swords Dance similarly lets Kartana counteract Intimidate and snowball through teams unmatched. Tailwind lets Kartana and its team outrun fast Pokemon like Tapu Koko, Choice Scarf Landorus-T, and Ludicolo under rain, as well as allowing it to nuke those threats with a powerful Z-Move before they get the chance to move. All three of these third-moveslot moves allow Kartana to capitalize on positions where its offensive pressure forces the opponent to play safely. Detect shields Kartana from any unfavorable attacks that might OHKO it; however, the given EV spread lets Kartana survive some of the format’s strongest special attacks like Tapu Lele Psychic and Life Orb Tapu Koko Thunderbolt. It can also withstand Gigavolt Havoc from Tapu Koko with Electric Terrain removed.
Z-Move Kartana prefers partners that it can clear paths for, or that help it set up. Incineroar and Tapu Fini provide valuable Fake Out for setup and bulky switch-ins for the frail Kartana. Electric-types like Tapu Koko and Zapdos also make good partners, as they can use strong Electric-type attacks to help put Pokemon like Incineroar and Tapu Fini in range for Kartana to pick off, as well as helping defeat Mega Charizard Y. Mega Gengar is a superb partner, as Shadow Tag lets Kartana easily pick off trapped foes, and it can assist Kartana with strong special attacks, high Speed, and support moves like Icy Wind. Mega Kangaskhan lets Kartana set up with Fake Out, and the two can push through teams together with powerful physical attacks.
[SET]
Name: Bulky Berry
Move 1: Leaf Blade
Move 2: Sacred Sword
Move 3: Tailwind / Substitute
Move 4: Detect
Item: Aguav Berry
Ability: Beast Boost
Nature: Adamant
EVs: 76 HP / 60 Atk / 4 Def / 252 SpD / 116 Spe
Leaf Blade is Kartana's main attack, as it is powerful and reliable. Sacred Sword lets Kartana hit Steel-types like Stakataka and Bisharp, as well as bulkier targets like Incineroar. Tailwind lets Kartana boost its Speed considerably, as this set is only built to outrun 252 Speed Landorus-T. Substitute gives Kartana a strong option to preserve itself and more chances to activate its Aguav Berry, since its HP is divisible by four. Detect lets Kartana also preserves it, as well as helping it take most Z-Moves, which other sets cannot shrug off as easily even with a quarter of the initial power. The given bulky EV spread helps Kartana pave through foes at a slower pace. While slowing it, the Adamant nature lets it keep up with 252 Attack Kartana, and bulk investment lets it survive what no other Kartana can, like Mega Gengar Shadow Ball and Tapu Koko Gigavolt Havoc in Electric Terrain. Aguav Berry's longevity complements this the slow pace of this set perfectly to boot.
Due to this Kartana's lacking Speed investment, it often prefers to be paired with speedy Pokemon. Mega Gengar and Choice Scarf Landorus-T make fast, strong partners that help Kartana with their abilities as well, allowing it to survive longer and push out more attacks. Tapu Koko and Nihilego are fast and also can pressure threats like Mega Charizard Y and Zapdos that outspeed Kartana with Z-Move OHKOs.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[TheKingVillager, 552835]]
- Quality checked by: [[zeefable, 501951], [Giokio, 517038]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Finland, 517429]]
Kartana is a monstrously strong as well as fast attacker that, thanks to Beast Boost, can become even scarier as it racks up Attack boosts with each KO inflicted. Even with its limited attacking toolkit, rarely running more than just Leaf Blade and Sacred Sword, it still manages to pressure metagame staples such as Tapu Fini and Snorlax. It can also provide speed control for its team with Tailwind or set up with moves like Swords Dance and Substitute, both of which put a great deal of pressure on the opposing Pokemon. Unfortunately, Kartana's paper-thin Special Defense will leave it easily OHKOed by even weak special attacks such as Porygon2's boosted Ice Beam or Mega Salamence's Hyper Voice. Additionally, Kartana also struggles with Fire-types like the commonplace Incineroar and Charizard, as well as Flying-types like Zapdos and Mega Salamence, which it cannot hit hard.
[SET]
Name: Focus Sash
Move 1: Leaf Blade
Move 2: Sacred Sword
Move 3: Tailwind / Swords Dance
Move 4: Detect
Item: Focus Sash
Ability: Beast Boost
Nature: Jolly
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Leaf Blade is Kartana's primary STAB move, as it hits several Pokemon like Tapu Fini and Politoed for super effective damage and does considerable damage to neutral targets like Tapu Koko and Tapu Lele. Sacred Sword hits Pokemon like Porygon2, Mega Kangaskhan, and Snorlax for massive damage while also ignoring Defense and evasion stat changes. Combined with Focus Sash, Kartana can usually push out a Tailwind early-game to gain the Speed advantage for the party, or as a last ditch effort while it hangs on with 1 HP. Swords Dance is an alternative to Tailwind that lets Kartana become an unstoppable offensive threat if left unattended for too long. Detect helps preserve Kartana or bait foes when it's barely hanging on, and it bypasses Imprison users running Protect. Focus Sash lets Kartana focus all of its EVs in Attack and Speed.
Focus Sash Kartana pairs up well with Mega Charizard Y. Kartana’s coverage allows it to cut down Pokemon like Tyranitar and Politoed, which pose a threat to Mega Charizard Y as well as the sun it brings. Tailwind also allows for the two to outrun foes like Tapu Koko and Choice Scarf Landorus-T to sweep with powerful physical and special attacks. Kartana also pairs well with Tapu Fini and Incineroar, as these two are strong switch-ins to make up for its weaknesses, as well as providing it Fake Out and Misty Terrain. Tapu Lele's Psychic Terrain protects Kartana from priority moves like Fake Out and Sucker Punch breaking its Focus Sash prematurely, making it a strong partner as well.
[SET]
Name: Z-Move
Move 1: Leaf Blade
Move 2: Sacred Sword
Move 3: Substitute / Swords Dance / Tailwind
Move 4: Detect
Item: Grassium Z / Fightinium Z
Ability: Beast Boost
Nature: Jolly
EVs: 20 HP / 148 Atk / 4 Def / 84 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Leaf Blade is your primary STAB move to cut down bulky Water-types like Tapu Fini and Milotic, as well as about anything that doesn't resist it. With Grassium Z, Bloom Doom takes quick KOs on Pokemon like Landorus-T and ensures OHKOs on Pokemon like Tapu Fini, which can survive Leaf Blade at -1 Attack. Sacred Sword lets Kartana hit Normal-types and Steel-types for more damage than Leaf Blade, and All-Out Pummeling with Fightinium Z lets it break through some of the bulkiest Pokemon in the format like Snorlax, Porygon2, Incineroar, and Heatran, which can all withstand several Sacred Swords. Substitute allows Kartana to preserve itself and take hits it would never realistically survive. Substitute also has the added benefit of blocking Intimidate. Swords Dance similarly lets Kartana counteract Intimidate and snowball through teams unmatched. Tailwind lets Kartana and its team outrun fast Pokemon like Tapu Koko, Choice Scarf Landorus-T, and Ludicolo under rain, as well as allowing it to nuke those threats with a powerful Z-Move before they get the chance to move. All three of these third-moveslot moves allow Kartana to capitalize on positions where its offensive pressure forces the opponent to play safely. Detect shields Kartana from any unfavorable attacks that might OHKO it; however, the given EV spread lets Kartana survive some of the format’s strongest special attacks like Tapu Lele Psychic and Life Orb Tapu Koko Thunderbolt. It can also withstand Gigavolt Havoc from Tapu Koko with Electric Terrain removed.
Z-Move Kartana prefers partners that it can clear paths for, or that help it set up. Incineroar and Tapu Fini provide valuable Fake Out for setup and bulky switch-ins for the frail Kartana. Electric-types like Tapu Koko and Zapdos also make good partners, as they can use strong Electric-type attacks to help put Pokemon like Incineroar and Tapu Fini in range for Kartana to pick off, as well as helping defeat Mega Charizard Y. Mega Gengar is a superb partner, as Shadow Tag lets Kartana easily pick off trapped foes, and it can assist Kartana with strong special attacks, high Speed, and support moves like Icy Wind. Mega Kangaskhan lets Kartana set up with Fake Out, and the two can push through teams together with powerful physical attacks.
[SET]
Name: Bulky Berry
Move 1: Leaf Blade
Move 2: Sacred Sword
Move 3: Tailwind / Substitute
Move 4: Detect
Item: Aguav Berry
Ability: Beast Boost
Nature: Adamant
EVs: 76 HP / 60 Atk / 4 Def / 252 SpD / 116 Spe
Leaf Blade is Kartana's main attack, as it is powerful and reliable. Sacred Sword lets Kartana hit Steel-types like Stakataka and Bisharp, as well as bulkier targets like Incineroar. Tailwind lets Kartana boost its Speed considerably, as this set is only built to outrun 252 Speed Landorus-T. Substitute gives Kartana a strong option to preserve itself and more chances to activate its Aguav Berry, since its HP is divisible by four. Detect lets Kartana also preserves it, as well as helping it take most Z-Moves, which other sets cannot shrug off as easily even with a quarter of the initial power. The given bulky EV spread helps Kartana pave through foes at a slower pace. While slowing it, the Adamant nature lets it keep up with 252 Attack Kartana, and bulk investment lets it survive what no other Kartana can, like Mega Gengar Shadow Ball and Tapu Koko Gigavolt Havoc in Electric Terrain. Aguav Berry's longevity complements this the slow pace of this set perfectly to boot.
Due to this Kartana's lacking Speed investment, it often prefers to be paired with speedy Pokemon. Mega Gengar and Choice Scarf Landorus-T make fast, strong partners that help Kartana with their abilities as well, allowing it to survive longer and push out more attacks. Tapu Koko and Nihilego are fast and also can pressure threats like Mega Charizard Y and Zapdos that outspeed Kartana with Z-Move OHKOs.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[TheKingVillager, 552835]]
- Quality checked by: [[zeefable, 501951], [Giokio, 517038]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Finland, 517429]]
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