Hilomilo
High-low My-low
[OVERVIEW]
Thanks to its diverse movepool and solid stats across the board, Celebi is a potent and versatile threat in the UU metagame. It can utilize its decent offensive typing to function as a competent sweeper and stallbreaker with Nasty Plot, forcing out the tier's several popular Ground- and Water-types in order to set up. Thanks to its diverse movepool, it can also work around conventional Grass-type checks through the use of coverage options like Earth Power and Dazzling Gleam, which lure in Steel-types and Dragon-types respectively. Celebi can also viably run a defensive Stealth Rock set due to its expansive support movepool, its decent bulk with investment, and a typing that provides it with the ability to act as a strong defensive pivot that can switch into attacks such as Scald and Earthquake. Its Natural Cure ability is also a relatively useful tool, allowing it to come in on Pokemon that commonly carry status-inducing moves, such as Alomomola and Hippowdon, without fear of a long-term status ailment. Unfortunately, Celebi's defensive typing provides it with as many crippling weaknesses as useful resistances, burdening it with vulnerabilities to several top threats, including Infernape, Scizor, and Hydreigon. Celebi also suffers from its relatively average Speed tier, which leaves it outsped and heavily threatened by the likes of Gengar, Nihilego, and Infernape.
[SET]
name: Nasty Plot
move 1: Nasty Plot
move 2: Giga Drain
move 3: Earth Power
move 4: Psychic / Dazzling Gleam
item: Groundium Z / Colbur Berry
ability: Natural Cure
nature: Timid
evs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Nasty Plot supplies Celebi with a two-stage boost to its Special Attack, turning it into a formidable offensive threat. Giga Drain is a STAB attack that Celebi can use to restore health in addition to OHKOing the likes of Suicune, Hippowdon, Alomomola, and Mega Slowbro after a boost. Earth Power hits Steel-types such as Stakataka, Empoleon, and Klefki super effectively. When Groundium Z is activated, Earth Power turns into Tectonic Rage, which Celebi can use when boosted to OHKO traditional Grass-type checks like Alolan Muk, Scizor, and Mega Aggron. Psychic is a powerful STAB attack with good neutral coverage against Pokemon like Moltres, Mega Altaria, and Togekiss, which are all 2HKOed when Celebi is boosted. It also hits Poison-types like Tentacruel and Amoonguss and Fighting-types like Heracross super effectively. Dazzling Gleam can be used over Psychic to cover Dragon-types that otherwise wall Celebi, such as Latias and Hydreigon and reliably OHKO Mega Altaria when boosted. It's worth noting, however, that Celebi will be unable to power through Flying-types like Togekiss and Moltres without Psychic.
Set Details
========
Full investment in Special Attack maximizes Celebi's offensive presence with a neutral nature. Full investment in Speed with a Timid nature provides Celebi with crucial Speed advantages over Pokemon like Krookodile, Haxorus, and Kyurem. Groundium Z grants access to Tectonic Rage, which Celebi can use to power through Pokemon that could otherwise take a hit and cripple it, like Mega Aggron and Alolan Muk. Colbur Berry is a viable alternative to Groundium Z that Celebi can use if another teammate wishes to use a Z-Move, as it allows Celebi to more reliably match up against Dark-types like Mega Sharpedo, Krookodile, and, if it's running Dazzling Gleam, Hydreigon. It can also circumvent Celebi's weakness to common attacks in Pursuit and Knock Off. Natural Cure is Celebi's only possible ability. However, it can be useful for allowing Celebi to act as the team's status absorber.
Usage Tips
========
Celebi should switch into passive Water- and Ground-types such as Suicune, Swampert, and Hippowdon in order to find opportunities to set up. However, if it is inflicted with status on the switch, it shouldn't stay in long so as not to compromise its longevity. Celebi excels against several stall builds thanks to its typing, coverage, and access to Natural Cure, meaning it should switch in on Pokemon commonly seen on these builds that give it free turns, like Alomomola and Quagsire, in order to begin stallbreaking. If a foe like Klefki or Mantine is expected to use a status-inducing move, Celebi should switch in on it and switch out again afterwards to absorb status and gain momentum for its team. Celebi should only attempt to sweep once its checks are either removed or weakened. Faster Pokemon capable of outrunning and overpowering it, like Gengar and Crobat, should be removed from play entirely, while Pokemon capable of tanking its attacks, like Hydreigon, Latias, and Blissey, should either be removed or weakened so they are in range of a KO from one of its attacks. Tectonic Rage should be used when Celebi is boosted up and facing a foe that can otherwise tank an attack and cripple or KO it in retaliation. Alolan Muk, Scizor, and Mega Aggron are the most notable Pokemon that fit this criteria. If Celebi is running a Colbur Berry, it should be used to ease prediction against Dark-types capable of beating it in one-on-one situations, such as Mega Sharpedo and Choice Scarf Krookodile. If used alongside Dazzling Gleam, Celebi can better take on Hydreigon, though it should be wary of the Choice Scarf set outspeeding it and hitting it hard with U-turn.
Team Options
========
Stealth Rock support from the likes of Krookodile, Cobalion, and Nihilego is mandatory for allowing Celebi to secure a few vital KOs when boosted, such as OHKOs on Alolan Muk with Tectonic Rage and on offensive Mega Altaria with Psychic. Pivots like Mega Pidgeot, Mega Manectric, and Scizor can safely bring Celebi into play, allowing it to remain healthy as it sets up and cleans. Reliable methods of dealing with faster threats are often appreciated by Celebi due to its vulnerability to a lot of faster foes. Choice Scarf users like Infernape, Latias, and Hydreigon can act as solid revenge killers, while strong priority users like Scizor and Mamoswine can do this as well, albeit less reliably. Dark-type checks such as Sylveon, Primarina, and Heracross can offensively threaten several Dark-types that Celebi often struggles to combat, like Mega Sharpedo, Krookodile, and Hydreigon. Water-types such as Swampert and Mega Slowbro can switch into Fire-types like Moltres and Volcanion for Celebi while appreciating its ability to take on most opposing bulky Water-types. Steel-type Pokemon like Scizor, Doublade, and Klefki can soft check Pokemon like Mega Aerodactyl and Crobat for Celebi, while it can take on Ground- and Water-type Pokemon for them in return. Lastly, the likes of Mega Aerodactyl and Krookodile can utilize their access to Pursuit to trap a few Pokemon that are often burdensome for Celebi, such as Chandelure, Latias, Gengar, and opposing Celebi.
[SET]
name: Defensive
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: U-turn
move 3: Psychic / Giga Drain
move 4: Recover / Giga Drain
item: Leftovers
ability: Natural Cure
nature: Bold
evs: 252 HP / 144 Def / 20 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Stealth Rock is an entry hazard that Celebi can make use of its good bulk and longevity to set reliably, punishing switch-ins with chip damage. U-turn lets Celebi pivot out of predicted switch-ins, adequately chipping Pokemon like Hydreigon and Latias and generating momentum against the likes of Scizor and Mega Aggron. Psychic allows Celebi to damage Poison-types like Amoonguss while wearing down the likes of Cobalion, Rotom-C, and Terrakion. Recover gives Celebi a way of sustaining itself throughout a match, which helps it consistently set Stealth Rock and check what it aims to check. Giga Drain is an option over either Psychic or Recover, allowing Celebi to heal itself while attacking. It can also hit a few important targets that Psychic can't damage well, like Primarina, Mega Slowbro, and Rhyperior. It should be noted, however, that if used in tandem with Psychic, it is a much less reliable form of recovery. Toxic is an option over Stealth Rock if another teammate is using the move. It can be useful for crippling Pokemon that attempt setting up on Celebi, such as Latias and Raikou, while also badly poisoning common switch-ins like Togekiss and Mega Pidgeot. Leech Seed is a useful move to use as Celebi forces switches, as it can passively restore Celebi's health while chipping away at foes. It can be quite hard to find room for, however.
Set Details
========
The given Speed investment allows Celebi to outrun neutral natured Volcanion and everything slower, and the remaining investment is pooled into HP and Defense to give it a considerable amount of mixed bulk, allowing it to check Pokemon like Cobalion, Rotom-C, and Tsareena. Celebi can invest 136 EVs in Speed and run a Timid nature to outpace the likes of Nidoking, Suicune, Heracross, and Kommo-o. However, this often isn't worth the significant bulk it will cut in doing so. Leftovers gives Celebi a way of passively restoring health every turn. Natural Cure is Celebi's only possible ability but aids it in absorbing status for its team while more comfortably checking defensive Water-types like Swampert and Quagsire.
Usage Tips
========
This set acts as a defensive pivot, meaning that Celebi will mostly attempt switching in on a Pokemon it can beat, like Rotom-C or Swampert, in order to set Stealth Rock, spread status, or wear down opposing Pokemon. Celebi can also come in on Choice Scarf variants of Latias due to tanking its unboosted attacks quite comfortably, though Celebi should be wary of trying to combat Calm Mind variants of Latias. U-turn should be used frequently throughout the match to gain momentum for Celebi's team and chip switch-ins. Using it on predicted switch-ins that can Pursuit trap Celebi or use it as setup fodder, like Alolan Muk and Togekiss, is optimal. If Celebi is using both Giga Drain and Recover, it should mainly look to use Giga Drain in an attempt to damage an opposing Pokemon instead of specifically for recovery. If Giga Drain is the only recovery option being used, however, Celebi should use it to restore health whenever the opportunity presents itself, such as against Stealth Rock setters and walls that can't damage Celebi adequately. Staying in when the opposing team carries a Pokemon capable of Pursuit trapping Celebi can often lead to compromising its longevity, meaning that Pursuit users on opposing teams should always be scouted out in order to make full use of this set.
Team Options
========
Sturdy offensive checks to Water- and Poison-types are required due to Celebi's passiveness and low Speed keeping it from reliably combating Pokemon like Suicune and Nidoking. The likes of Tsareena and Mega Manectric can pressure Water-types, while Pokemon such as Krookodile, Starmie, and Mamoswine can handle most Poison-types fairly well. Water-types like Volcanion and Primarina appreciate Celebi's ability to switch into Electric- and Grass-type attacks for them, and they can switch into Fire- and Ice-type attacks for it in return. Ground- and Rock-types like Swampert and Nihilego also appreciate it for its ability to come in on Grass- and Water-type attacks. Offensive Fairy-types such as Primarina and Mega Altaria can pressure the Dark-types that Celebi hates dealing with and power through Calm Mind Latias. Flying-type checks like the aforementioned Nihilego and Rotom-H can circumvent Celebi's weakness to presences such as Crobat, Mega Pidgeot, and Moltres. Entry hazard removal from the likes of Tentacruel and Empoleon can be helpful in preventing Celebi from taking too much chip damage as it pivots. If it can be fitted on the team, Stealth Rock support can allow Celebi to more comfortably run Toxic, making Mega Aggron, defensive Stakataka, and Cobalion considerable options at teammates.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
An offensive Stealth Rock set is an option due to Celebi's customizable movepool and its ability to match up well against opposing Stealth Rock setters. However, its lacking power without a boosting move will make it relatively easy to switch into compared to the Nasty Plot set, but it is too easily offensively overwhelmed compared to the defensive set. Signal Beam is an option on the Nasty Plot set for hitting targets such as opposing Celebi, Latias, and Hydreigon. However, the main moves listed hit a wider variety of targets, which, depending on the move, even include some of the aforementioned Pokemon. Fairium Z is an option as an item on the Nasty Plot set that Celebi can use to OHKO +1 Latias while still dealing fair damage to Alolan Muk. However, it prevents Celebi from taking care of Steel-types like Mega Aggron and Scizor. A Choice Scarf set with Healing Wish and U-turn can allow Celebi to act as a decent offensive support Pokemon that can surprise foes that would normally outpace it, but this set will lack in power, and Celebi will also be strapped for moveslots. Hidden Power Fire is an interesting option for luring in Scizor and KOing it without need for a Z-Move. However, it usually ends up coming at the cost of more valuable coverage.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Specially Bulky Pokemon**: Specially bulky Pokemon can often tank Celebi's attacks and cripple it in return. Blissey can tank attacks from the Nasty Plot set while wearing it down with Seismic Toss and recovering off any damage sustained with Soft-Boiled. However, it does run into some issues as a long-term check to Celebi, given that Celebi can easily restore about the same amount of HP Blissey will take from it with Seismic Toss with a boosted Giga Drain and can use Natural Cure to alleviate status conditions throughout a match. Although Alolan Muk and Mega Aggron fear a boosted Tectonic Rage, they can tank the rest of Celebi's boosted hits while threatening it with super effective STAB attacks; Pursuit in the case of the former, and Heavy Slam and Roar in the case of the latter.
**Dark-types**: Alolan Muk is capable of tanking any of Celebi's attacks barring its boosted Tectonic Rage while threatening to either Pursuit trap it or OHKO it with STAB Gunk Shot. Mega Houndoom, Choice Scarf Krookodile, and Mega Sharpedo all struggle to switch in at times, but once in can offensively threaten Celebi and trap it with Pursuit in Krookodile's case. Hydreigon is particularly troublesome, as unless Celebi is running Dazzling Gleam, Celebi has no way of powering through it while falling victim to its powerful STAB Dark Pulse.
**Faster Pokemon**: Due to Celebi's average Speed and exploitable typing, faster Pokemon like Mega Aerodactyl, Mega Manectric, and Nihilego can outpace and use powerful attacks to KO or severely weaken it. Common Choice Scarf users such as Hydreigon and Krookodile can also outpace Celebi when they otherwise wouldn't, often KOing it with their super effective STAB attacks.
**Steel-types**: While they fear Earth Power, Steel-types often have a way or two of heavily damaging or crippling Celebi, and all of them can generally take on its defensive set. Scizor is OHKOed by a boosted Tectonic Rage but can otherwise force Celebi out with its 4x effective STAB U-turn. Mega Aggron and Stakataka are unreliable against the Nasty Plot set but can wall the defensive set while eventually overpowering it. Magnet Rise variants of Klefki can wall Celebi altogether while setting up Spikes against either variant. Bronzong is particularly troublesome, as, while not particularly common, it can wall either set while wearing Celebi down with Toxic and Psywave.
**Dragon-types**: Several of the tier's top Dragon-type Pokemon are capable of effectively removing Celebi from play if it isn't running super effective coverage. Kyurem tanks all attacks barring a boosted Dazzling Gleam and can OHKO Celebi with its Choice Specs-boosted STAB Ice Beam. Hydreigon and Latias entirely wall sets lacking Dazzling Gleam, and can pressure Celebi with super effective STAB moves in the former's case or take advantage of it for free turns in the latter's case.
**Flying-types**: Flying-types can struggle to comfortably switch in, though they will also often be able to exploit Celebi in one way or another. Crobat, Mega Pidgeot, and Mega Aerodactyl can outrun and OHKO it, while Mantine and Togekiss can tank a hit or two while wearing Celebi down with STAB attacks or Toxic. Despite being uncommon, Mandibuzz is particularly troublesome, as it can tank any hit barring Dazzling Gleam thanks to its typing while wearing Celebi down with its STAB attacks and Toxic.
Thanks to its diverse movepool and solid stats across the board, Celebi is a potent and versatile threat in the UU metagame. It can utilize its decent offensive typing to function as a competent sweeper and stallbreaker with Nasty Plot, forcing out the tier's several popular Ground- and Water-types in order to set up. Thanks to its diverse movepool, it can also work around conventional Grass-type checks through the use of coverage options like Earth Power and Dazzling Gleam, which lure in Steel-types and Dragon-types respectively. Celebi can also viably run a defensive Stealth Rock set due to its expansive support movepool, its decent bulk with investment, and a typing that provides it with the ability to act as a strong defensive pivot that can switch into attacks such as Scald and Earthquake. Its Natural Cure ability is also a relatively useful tool, allowing it to come in on Pokemon that commonly carry status-inducing moves, such as Alomomola and Hippowdon, without fear of a long-term status ailment. Unfortunately, Celebi's defensive typing provides it with as many crippling weaknesses as useful resistances, burdening it with vulnerabilities to several top threats, including Infernape, Scizor, and Hydreigon. Celebi also suffers from its relatively average Speed tier, which leaves it outsped and heavily threatened by the likes of Gengar, Nihilego, and Infernape.
[SET]
name: Nasty Plot
move 1: Nasty Plot
move 2: Giga Drain
move 3: Earth Power
move 4: Psychic / Dazzling Gleam
item: Groundium Z / Colbur Berry
ability: Natural Cure
nature: Timid
evs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Nasty Plot supplies Celebi with a two-stage boost to its Special Attack, turning it into a formidable offensive threat. Giga Drain is a STAB attack that Celebi can use to restore health in addition to OHKOing the likes of Suicune, Hippowdon, Alomomola, and Mega Slowbro after a boost. Earth Power hits Steel-types such as Stakataka, Empoleon, and Klefki super effectively. When Groundium Z is activated, Earth Power turns into Tectonic Rage, which Celebi can use when boosted to OHKO traditional Grass-type checks like Alolan Muk, Scizor, and Mega Aggron. Psychic is a powerful STAB attack with good neutral coverage against Pokemon like Moltres, Mega Altaria, and Togekiss, which are all 2HKOed when Celebi is boosted. It also hits Poison-types like Tentacruel and Amoonguss and Fighting-types like Heracross super effectively. Dazzling Gleam can be used over Psychic to cover Dragon-types that otherwise wall Celebi, such as Latias and Hydreigon and reliably OHKO Mega Altaria when boosted. It's worth noting, however, that Celebi will be unable to power through Flying-types like Togekiss and Moltres without Psychic.
Set Details
========
Full investment in Special Attack maximizes Celebi's offensive presence with a neutral nature. Full investment in Speed with a Timid nature provides Celebi with crucial Speed advantages over Pokemon like Krookodile, Haxorus, and Kyurem. Groundium Z grants access to Tectonic Rage, which Celebi can use to power through Pokemon that could otherwise take a hit and cripple it, like Mega Aggron and Alolan Muk. Colbur Berry is a viable alternative to Groundium Z that Celebi can use if another teammate wishes to use a Z-Move, as it allows Celebi to more reliably match up against Dark-types like Mega Sharpedo, Krookodile, and, if it's running Dazzling Gleam, Hydreigon. It can also circumvent Celebi's weakness to common attacks in Pursuit and Knock Off. Natural Cure is Celebi's only possible ability. However, it can be useful for allowing Celebi to act as the team's status absorber.
Usage Tips
========
Celebi should switch into passive Water- and Ground-types such as Suicune, Swampert, and Hippowdon in order to find opportunities to set up. However, if it is inflicted with status on the switch, it shouldn't stay in long so as not to compromise its longevity. Celebi excels against several stall builds thanks to its typing, coverage, and access to Natural Cure, meaning it should switch in on Pokemon commonly seen on these builds that give it free turns, like Alomomola and Quagsire, in order to begin stallbreaking. If a foe like Klefki or Mantine is expected to use a status-inducing move, Celebi should switch in on it and switch out again afterwards to absorb status and gain momentum for its team. Celebi should only attempt to sweep once its checks are either removed or weakened. Faster Pokemon capable of outrunning and overpowering it, like Gengar and Crobat, should be removed from play entirely, while Pokemon capable of tanking its attacks, like Hydreigon, Latias, and Blissey, should either be removed or weakened so they are in range of a KO from one of its attacks. Tectonic Rage should be used when Celebi is boosted up and facing a foe that can otherwise tank an attack and cripple or KO it in retaliation. Alolan Muk, Scizor, and Mega Aggron are the most notable Pokemon that fit this criteria. If Celebi is running a Colbur Berry, it should be used to ease prediction against Dark-types capable of beating it in one-on-one situations, such as Mega Sharpedo and Choice Scarf Krookodile. If used alongside Dazzling Gleam, Celebi can better take on Hydreigon, though it should be wary of the Choice Scarf set outspeeding it and hitting it hard with U-turn.
Team Options
========
Stealth Rock support from the likes of Krookodile, Cobalion, and Nihilego is mandatory for allowing Celebi to secure a few vital KOs when boosted, such as OHKOs on Alolan Muk with Tectonic Rage and on offensive Mega Altaria with Psychic. Pivots like Mega Pidgeot, Mega Manectric, and Scizor can safely bring Celebi into play, allowing it to remain healthy as it sets up and cleans. Reliable methods of dealing with faster threats are often appreciated by Celebi due to its vulnerability to a lot of faster foes. Choice Scarf users like Infernape, Latias, and Hydreigon can act as solid revenge killers, while strong priority users like Scizor and Mamoswine can do this as well, albeit less reliably. Dark-type checks such as Sylveon, Primarina, and Heracross can offensively threaten several Dark-types that Celebi often struggles to combat, like Mega Sharpedo, Krookodile, and Hydreigon. Water-types such as Swampert and Mega Slowbro can switch into Fire-types like Moltres and Volcanion for Celebi while appreciating its ability to take on most opposing bulky Water-types. Steel-type Pokemon like Scizor, Doublade, and Klefki can soft check Pokemon like Mega Aerodactyl and Crobat for Celebi, while it can take on Ground- and Water-type Pokemon for them in return. Lastly, the likes of Mega Aerodactyl and Krookodile can utilize their access to Pursuit to trap a few Pokemon that are often burdensome for Celebi, such as Chandelure, Latias, Gengar, and opposing Celebi.
[SET]
name: Defensive
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: U-turn
move 3: Psychic / Giga Drain
move 4: Recover / Giga Drain
item: Leftovers
ability: Natural Cure
nature: Bold
evs: 252 HP / 144 Def / 20 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Stealth Rock is an entry hazard that Celebi can make use of its good bulk and longevity to set reliably, punishing switch-ins with chip damage. U-turn lets Celebi pivot out of predicted switch-ins, adequately chipping Pokemon like Hydreigon and Latias and generating momentum against the likes of Scizor and Mega Aggron. Psychic allows Celebi to damage Poison-types like Amoonguss while wearing down the likes of Cobalion, Rotom-C, and Terrakion. Recover gives Celebi a way of sustaining itself throughout a match, which helps it consistently set Stealth Rock and check what it aims to check. Giga Drain is an option over either Psychic or Recover, allowing Celebi to heal itself while attacking. It can also hit a few important targets that Psychic can't damage well, like Primarina, Mega Slowbro, and Rhyperior. It should be noted, however, that if used in tandem with Psychic, it is a much less reliable form of recovery. Toxic is an option over Stealth Rock if another teammate is using the move. It can be useful for crippling Pokemon that attempt setting up on Celebi, such as Latias and Raikou, while also badly poisoning common switch-ins like Togekiss and Mega Pidgeot. Leech Seed is a useful move to use as Celebi forces switches, as it can passively restore Celebi's health while chipping away at foes. It can be quite hard to find room for, however.
Set Details
========
The given Speed investment allows Celebi to outrun neutral natured Volcanion and everything slower, and the remaining investment is pooled into HP and Defense to give it a considerable amount of mixed bulk, allowing it to check Pokemon like Cobalion, Rotom-C, and Tsareena. Celebi can invest 136 EVs in Speed and run a Timid nature to outpace the likes of Nidoking, Suicune, Heracross, and Kommo-o. However, this often isn't worth the significant bulk it will cut in doing so. Leftovers gives Celebi a way of passively restoring health every turn. Natural Cure is Celebi's only possible ability but aids it in absorbing status for its team while more comfortably checking defensive Water-types like Swampert and Quagsire.
Usage Tips
========
This set acts as a defensive pivot, meaning that Celebi will mostly attempt switching in on a Pokemon it can beat, like Rotom-C or Swampert, in order to set Stealth Rock, spread status, or wear down opposing Pokemon. Celebi can also come in on Choice Scarf variants of Latias due to tanking its unboosted attacks quite comfortably, though Celebi should be wary of trying to combat Calm Mind variants of Latias. U-turn should be used frequently throughout the match to gain momentum for Celebi's team and chip switch-ins. Using it on predicted switch-ins that can Pursuit trap Celebi or use it as setup fodder, like Alolan Muk and Togekiss, is optimal. If Celebi is using both Giga Drain and Recover, it should mainly look to use Giga Drain in an attempt to damage an opposing Pokemon instead of specifically for recovery. If Giga Drain is the only recovery option being used, however, Celebi should use it to restore health whenever the opportunity presents itself, such as against Stealth Rock setters and walls that can't damage Celebi adequately. Staying in when the opposing team carries a Pokemon capable of Pursuit trapping Celebi can often lead to compromising its longevity, meaning that Pursuit users on opposing teams should always be scouted out in order to make full use of this set.
Team Options
========
Sturdy offensive checks to Water- and Poison-types are required due to Celebi's passiveness and low Speed keeping it from reliably combating Pokemon like Suicune and Nidoking. The likes of Tsareena and Mega Manectric can pressure Water-types, while Pokemon such as Krookodile, Starmie, and Mamoswine can handle most Poison-types fairly well. Water-types like Volcanion and Primarina appreciate Celebi's ability to switch into Electric- and Grass-type attacks for them, and they can switch into Fire- and Ice-type attacks for it in return. Ground- and Rock-types like Swampert and Nihilego also appreciate it for its ability to come in on Grass- and Water-type attacks. Offensive Fairy-types such as Primarina and Mega Altaria can pressure the Dark-types that Celebi hates dealing with and power through Calm Mind Latias. Flying-type checks like the aforementioned Nihilego and Rotom-H can circumvent Celebi's weakness to presences such as Crobat, Mega Pidgeot, and Moltres. Entry hazard removal from the likes of Tentacruel and Empoleon can be helpful in preventing Celebi from taking too much chip damage as it pivots. If it can be fitted on the team, Stealth Rock support can allow Celebi to more comfortably run Toxic, making Mega Aggron, defensive Stakataka, and Cobalion considerable options at teammates.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
An offensive Stealth Rock set is an option due to Celebi's customizable movepool and its ability to match up well against opposing Stealth Rock setters. However, its lacking power without a boosting move will make it relatively easy to switch into compared to the Nasty Plot set, but it is too easily offensively overwhelmed compared to the defensive set. Signal Beam is an option on the Nasty Plot set for hitting targets such as opposing Celebi, Latias, and Hydreigon. However, the main moves listed hit a wider variety of targets, which, depending on the move, even include some of the aforementioned Pokemon. Fairium Z is an option as an item on the Nasty Plot set that Celebi can use to OHKO +1 Latias while still dealing fair damage to Alolan Muk. However, it prevents Celebi from taking care of Steel-types like Mega Aggron and Scizor. A Choice Scarf set with Healing Wish and U-turn can allow Celebi to act as a decent offensive support Pokemon that can surprise foes that would normally outpace it, but this set will lack in power, and Celebi will also be strapped for moveslots. Hidden Power Fire is an interesting option for luring in Scizor and KOing it without need for a Z-Move. However, it usually ends up coming at the cost of more valuable coverage.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Specially Bulky Pokemon**: Specially bulky Pokemon can often tank Celebi's attacks and cripple it in return. Blissey can tank attacks from the Nasty Plot set while wearing it down with Seismic Toss and recovering off any damage sustained with Soft-Boiled. However, it does run into some issues as a long-term check to Celebi, given that Celebi can easily restore about the same amount of HP Blissey will take from it with Seismic Toss with a boosted Giga Drain and can use Natural Cure to alleviate status conditions throughout a match. Although Alolan Muk and Mega Aggron fear a boosted Tectonic Rage, they can tank the rest of Celebi's boosted hits while threatening it with super effective STAB attacks; Pursuit in the case of the former, and Heavy Slam and Roar in the case of the latter.
**Dark-types**: Alolan Muk is capable of tanking any of Celebi's attacks barring its boosted Tectonic Rage while threatening to either Pursuit trap it or OHKO it with STAB Gunk Shot. Mega Houndoom, Choice Scarf Krookodile, and Mega Sharpedo all struggle to switch in at times, but once in can offensively threaten Celebi and trap it with Pursuit in Krookodile's case. Hydreigon is particularly troublesome, as unless Celebi is running Dazzling Gleam, Celebi has no way of powering through it while falling victim to its powerful STAB Dark Pulse.
**Faster Pokemon**: Due to Celebi's average Speed and exploitable typing, faster Pokemon like Mega Aerodactyl, Mega Manectric, and Nihilego can outpace and use powerful attacks to KO or severely weaken it. Common Choice Scarf users such as Hydreigon and Krookodile can also outpace Celebi when they otherwise wouldn't, often KOing it with their super effective STAB attacks.
**Steel-types**: While they fear Earth Power, Steel-types often have a way or two of heavily damaging or crippling Celebi, and all of them can generally take on its defensive set. Scizor is OHKOed by a boosted Tectonic Rage but can otherwise force Celebi out with its 4x effective STAB U-turn. Mega Aggron and Stakataka are unreliable against the Nasty Plot set but can wall the defensive set while eventually overpowering it. Magnet Rise variants of Klefki can wall Celebi altogether while setting up Spikes against either variant. Bronzong is particularly troublesome, as, while not particularly common, it can wall either set while wearing Celebi down with Toxic and Psywave.
**Dragon-types**: Several of the tier's top Dragon-type Pokemon are capable of effectively removing Celebi from play if it isn't running super effective coverage. Kyurem tanks all attacks barring a boosted Dazzling Gleam and can OHKO Celebi with its Choice Specs-boosted STAB Ice Beam. Hydreigon and Latias entirely wall sets lacking Dazzling Gleam, and can pressure Celebi with super effective STAB moves in the former's case or take advantage of it for free turns in the latter's case.
**Flying-types**: Flying-types can struggle to comfortably switch in, though they will also often be able to exploit Celebi in one way or another. Crobat, Mega Pidgeot, and Mega Aerodactyl can outrun and OHKO it, while Mantine and Togekiss can tank a hit or two while wearing Celebi down with STAB attacks or Toxic. Despite being uncommon, Mandibuzz is particularly troublesome, as it can tank any hit barring Dazzling Gleam thanks to its typing while wearing Celebi down with its STAB attacks and Toxic.
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