Celebi
QC: dodmen / Bouff / Amaroq
GP: P Squared
[OVERVIEW]
* Great bulk and typing allow Celebi to check large portions of the metagame.
* An expansive offensive and support movepool gives it a lot of customization options.
* Its weakness to several common types is exploitable.
* It struggles against common threats like Bisharp, Latias, (AC) and Mega Aerodactyl.
* The even base 100 stat spread means that while every stat is good, none is exemplary. This is especially noticeable with its Special Attack, as it often struggles with checking Primarina properly and cannot KO Scizor with Hidden Power Fire until it has a boost under its belt.
[SET]
name: Nasty Plot
move 1: Nasty Plot
move 2: Giga Drain
move 3: Psychic
move 4: Hidden Power Fire / Dazzling Gleam / Leech Seed
item: Leftovers / Colbur Berry
ability: Natural Cure
nature: Timid
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
* Nasty Plot boosts Celebi's Special Attack, allowing it to break walls such as Gliscor and Calm Mind users like Suicune.
* Giga Drain is a STAB move that recovers HP and deals with bulky Water-types such as Slowbro.
* Psychic is a STAB move that hits Poison-types, such as Nidoqueen and Toxicroak, that Celebi is weak to.
* Hidden Power Fire is coverage for Steel-types such as Scizor and Metagross.
* Dazzling Gleam can be used to hit Dragon-types like Hydreigon and Latias.
* Leech Seed helps when dealing with stall builds featuring Blissey, and it can pressure Unaware Clefable in combination with Giga Drain.
* Recover is an option in the last moveslot to prevent Celebi from being worn down from switching into Pokemon like Keldeo repeatedly.
Set Details
========
* Maximum Special Attack EVs give Celebi the highest power it can get.
* Maximum Speed investment with a Timid nature lets it outrun everything below base 100 Speed.
* Leftovers gives Celebi passive recovery and sustainability.
* A Colbur Berry can be used so it can check Pokemon like Mega Sharpedo in an emergency.
* A Life Orb can be used to boost Celebi's power.
* Natural Cure is used because it is the only available ability, but it is very useful for absorbing status.
Usage Tips
========
* Try to switch into bulky Water-types like Suicune or an expected status move from Pokemon like Klefki, and either set up to break said Pokemon or switch out again to gain momentum.
* Avoid staying in when the opponent has common Pursuit users such as Bisharp or Pokemon like Scizor that can switch in and gain momentum with U-turn, unless you have a way of removing said Pokemon.
* If you are using Recover, try to keep Celebi healthy before switching.
* Once the opposing team has been sufficiently weakened and Pokemon like Choice Scarf Krookodile have been removed, Celebi can attempt to set up and clean.
Team Options
========
* Fighting-types like Cobalion and Keldeo are good partners, as they resist Bug- and Dark-type attacks.
* Bulky Water-types like Slowbro and Suicune can switch into Fire-types such as Infernape and Entei, while Celebi can break opposing bulky Water-types for them.
* Steel-types like Scizor can deal with threatening Ice-types like Alolan Ninetales and Kyurem and also check Mega Aerodactyl; meanwhile, Celebi deals with the bulky Water-types that trouble them.
* Fire-types like Infernape and Volcanion appreciate Celebi's ability to take on bulky Water-types.
* Pursuit users like Bisharp and Mega Aerodactyl can remove Pokemon such as Latias and Chandelure for Celebi.
* Magneton can trap and remove Scizor, which is incredibly useful if Celebi is not running Hidden Power Fire for coverage.
[SET]
name: Offensive Stealth Rock
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Leaf Storm
move 3: Psychic
move 4: U-turn / Hidden Power Fire / Recover
item: Meadow Plate / Psychium Z
ability: Natural Cure
nature: Timid
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
* Stealth Rock is a great support move, as it punishes the opponent for switching Pokemon into them.
* Leaf Storm is used to hit bulky Water-types like Suicune.
* Psychic is a STAB attack used to hit Poison-types that Celebi is weak to.
* U-turn is used for gaining momentum and hitting opposing Celebi.
* Hidden Power Fire can be used to hit Steel-types, Scizor in particular; it should be noted that standard specially defensive Scizor is not a guaranteed OHKO after Stealth Rock even with Lfie Orb, and more specially defensive ones will easily take on Celebi so long they are healthy.
* Recover can be used for more longevity and to better check Keldeo.
Set Details
========
* Maximum Speed investment with a Timid nature allows Celebi to outspeed everything below base 100 Speed.
* With full Special Attack investment, Celebi hits decently hard.
* Meadow Plate is used to boost Leaf Storm's power so Celebi can take on bulky Water-types better.
* Psychium Z + Psychic followed by a Leaf Storm can KO Clefable, and the ability to break through Amoonguss and Cobalion is always appreciated.
* Natural Cure is the only ability Celebi has, but it allows it to deal with status.
Usage Tips
========
* Switch Celebi in on Water-types or passive Pokemon to set up Stealth Rock.
* Use Leaf Storm or Psychic to chip down expected switch-ins.
* Try to gain momentum with U-turn if you have it, but unless the opponent has a Defogger like Mandibuzz that can remove hazards and beat Celebi, make sure to get Stealth Rock up first.
* If you have Hidden Power Fire, find out which spread an opposing Scizor is; if it is the bulky spread, try to chip it down a bit and then remove it; if it is offensive, just remove it with Hidden Power Fire.
* In case you are running Recover, make sure to keep Celebi as healthy as possible.
Team Options
========
* Fire-types like Infernape and Entei can deal with Bug-types like Scizor for Celebi, while Celebi can pressure bulky Water-types like Slowbro for them.
* Fighting-types such as Cobalion can also deal with opposing Bug-types while also dealing with Dark-types like Mandibuzz and Hydreigon.
* Steel-types such as Scizor beat Ice-types like Alolan Ninetales for Celebi, and Celebi can break bulky Water-types for them.
* Water-types like Keldeo and Mega Sharpedo enjoy having Celebi to break bulky Water-types that give them issues.
* Pursuit users like Mega Absol, Bisharp, Choice Scarf Krookodile, and Mega Aerodactyl make for good partners, as they can trap and remove Defog Latias.
[SET]
name: Bulky Support
move 1: Stealth Rock / Thunder Wave
move 2: Recover
move 3: U-turn
move 4: Giga Drain
item: Leftovers
ability: Natural Cure
nature: Bold
evs: 252 HP / 88 Def / 148 SpD / 20 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
* Stealth Rock punishes the opponent for switching, as their team will be continually taking hazard damage.
* Thunder Wave can be used if Stealth Rock is fit elsewhere on the team, as spreading paralysis helps Celebi's teammates.
* Recover is used so Celebi can keep itself healthy.
* U-turn lets Celebi pivot freely and chip opposing Psychic-types such as Latias.
* Giga Drain is used as the STAB move to take on offensive Water-types like Primarina and Ground-types like Hippowdon.
* Psychic can be used in the last slot to weaken Poison-types such as Nidoqueen that will not fear Celebi once they find out it is running a defensive set.
Set Details
========
* The given spread ensures Celebi always survives two Life Orb-boosted Draco Meteors from Latias after Stealth Rock, and the leftover EVs are added to physical defense.
* With 20 Speed EVs, Celebi outpaces neutral-natured base 70 Speed Pokemon as well as Timid Primarina.
* Leftovers is used for passive recovery.
* Natural Cure helps Celebi pivot into status moves.
Usage Tips
========
* This set fits best on offense and balance teams.
* Use Celebi as a pivot; switch it into Pokemon like Keldeo and Latias, and try to get Stealth Rock up or spread status.
* Use U-turn freely to weaken opposing Celebi and Latias and also to gain momentum.
* Make sure to keep Celebi healthy through use of Recover.
* Try to avoid staying in when the opponent has a Pokemon that can Pursuit trap Celebi.
Team Options
========
* Offensive checks to bulky Water-types are necessary. Pokemon like Raikou and Toxicroak do this well.
* Fire-types like Entei and Infernape can not only take on Bug-types such as Scizor for Celebi but also benefit from Celebi's ability to pivot into Fire-type checks such as Latias and Keldeo.
* Offensive Water-types such as Mega Sharpedo and Keldeo appreciate having Celebi to absorb Thunderbolts and Trop Kicks for them.
* Fighting-types such as Cobalion and Conkeldurr can absorb Knock Off for Celebi.
* Steel-types like Scizor can help mitigate Celebi's weakness to Ice-types like Alolan Ninetales.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
* Earth Power, Shadow Ball, and Signal Beam can be used in the last slot on the Nasty Plot set. Earth Power hits Steel-types such as Metagross, Doublade, and Empoleon harder than Hidden Power Fire does. Shadow Ball can hit bulky Psychic-types such as Latias and opposing Celebi while retaining coverage for Doublade. Signal Beam is mainly used for hitting opposing Celebi harder, but it also maintains coverage for other Psychic-types as well as Dark-types such as Hydreigon. It is, however, fairly weak compared to its other coverage options.
* A bulky Nasty Plot set is viable and acts as a better pivot than its offensive counterpart.
* Perish Song variants of Celebi are a great option for stall teams having trouble with several scenarios such as Reuniclus or Snorlax being the last remaining Pokemon on an opposing team.
* With a Choice Scarf, Celebi can act as an offensive pivot and use Healing Wish to help an allied Pokemon.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Scizor**: Scizor does not fear Celebi's STAB moves and can OHKO it with ease; however, it must watch out for Hidden Power Fire.
**Steel-types**: Pokemon like Klefki and Metagross can come in on Celebi and either defeat it or use it to lay down hazards; while they must watch out for Hidden Power Fire, Celebi needs to boost with Nasty Plot first to be a threat.
**Dark-types**: Many Dark-types such as Bisharp, Choice Scarf Krookodile, Hydreigon, and Sharpedo can threaten to KO Celebi with a STAB attack or even Pursuit trap it; other Dark-types such as Mandbuzz can wall many of its sets.
**Flying-types**: While most Flying-types want to avoid switching in on Celebi, especially if Stealth Rock is up, Pokemon such as Togekiss and Mantine still threaten it. Faster Flying-types like Aerodactyl and Crobat can severely damage or even KO Celebi with their STAB moves.
**Fire-types**: Even though they do not want to switch in, Pokemon like Infernape and Entei threaten to KO Celebi with their STAB moves.
**Ghost-types**: Pokemon like Gengar and Choice Scarf Chandelure cannot switch in on Celebi, but they can easily OHKO it.
**Special Walls**: Pokemon like Blissey and Unaware Clefable can easily take on most Celebi variants. While Leech Seed Celebi can take advantage of them, they are still nuisances.
**Ice-types**: Pokemon like Kyurem and Alolan Ninetales threaten Celebi with their STAB moves.
Last edited:
