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Community POTW #019

Serebii

And, as if by magic, the webmaster appeared...
Staff member
Admin
Time for the next Pokémon of the Week, and in celebration of the coming anime series, we're focusing on Amethio's partner Pokémon!

937.png


It's Ceruledge!

 

Divine Retribution

Conquistador de pan
Ceruledge is one of two new Fire/Ghost Pokemon introduced in Gen 9, making the type somewhat oversaturated. It sets itself apart from Skeledirge, however, by being even more offensively inclined, acting as a frightening wallbreaker and late-game cleaner. Its signature move, Bitter Blade, is a 90 base power draining move, which lets it sustain its own HP especially against more defensive teams. This combined with its excellent typing and good movepool lets it easily power through stall teams once key opponents like Dondozo have been weakened.


ceruledge.gif

Ceruledge @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Jolly - Weak Armor
Tera Type: Fighting
252 Attack, 252 Speed, 4 Defense
-Shadow Sneak
-Bitter Blade
-Close Combat
-Sword's Dance

This version of Ceruledge acts as a potent sweeper, smashing through defensive teams and even threatening faster offensive Pokemon with a boosted Shadow Sneak, or potentially a +2 Speed boost from Weak Armor. Bitter Blade is not only a reasonably powerful physical Fire STAB, it also restores some of your HP, giving him some longevity against more passive opponents. Close Combat + Fighting Terastalyzation blasts through Garganacl and Ting-Lu and provides excellent neutral coverage with its Ghost STAB. Finally Swords Dance is what allows Ceruledge to power through teams and synergizes excellently with Weak Armor. Flash Fire is still worth considering though; Weak Armor's defense drops are exploitable especially by the defensive teams that Ceruledge often preys upon, and he isn't exactly the bulkiest Pokemon to begin with so reliably activating Weak Armor isn't always possible.​
 
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XaelOstigian

Competitive...kinda
I'm going to be honest, the whole reason I got Violet version over Scarlet was because of this cool and edgy swordsman. Just when you thought Corviknight was the pinnacle of badass and edginess, this ghost knight of vengeance with flaming swords for hands comes into the picture. Ceruledge is also a potent contender in the competitive tiers to top it all off no thanks to excellent typing, offensive stats, access to priority, and possessing the most powerful draining move and physical Fire attack that has zero draw back in Bitter Blade. It's iffy speed tier is its only hold back, but even then it's hard to pass up both as a competitive player and as a casual player.
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I am the Burn of my Sword
Ability: Flash Fire/Weak Armor
Item: Life Orb/Charcoal
Nature: Jolly
EVs: (HP 4) (Attack 252) (Speed 252)
Tera Type: Fire or Ghost

Moves:
Swords Dance
Flame Charge
Bitter Blade
Shadow Claw/Shadow Sneak

A Swords Dance sweeper set with a built in means to rectify your speed problem. Set up Swords Dance to give yourself the extra power you need, Flame Charge can pick off weakened targets and more importantly give Ceruledge the speed boost it desperately needs, Bitter Blade is your most powerful STAB and comes with the incredible extra bonus of healing off half the damage you deal thus keeping you in the fight longer, and finally we have Shadow Claw as your secondary STAB, though Shadow Sneak is an option too if you want to sacrifice some power in exchange for priority. Life Orb gives you added power, Charcoal gives you slightly less power to your Fire STAB but has no recoil, stats all go into attack but mostly speed, and your ability is a matter of preference since Flash Fire's extra immunity and a further boost to your Fire attacks is always helpful to have to counter incoming Fire attacks for your teammates, but Weak Armor has the potential to shore up your speed even faster if you end up eating a direct attack. Tera typing serves the purpose of boosting your STAB further while removing extra weaknesses when needed.

Since Annihilape got banned by Smogon, if you are in the need of a new physical sweeping Ghost type to fill the vacant slot in your party, I think I have just the burning soul in mind that will be your loyal knight through the worst the metagame has to offer:
755
 

RishRaff

Prince of the Sea
I agree with all the suggested sets so far, and unfortunately, there isn’t too much to add in terms of what Cerluedge can do. I just want to add where Cerluedge (and by extension Armorogue) got shorted.

1. Some of the most bland shinies ever with only the eyes changing color
2. It is a real disappointment that Cerluedge didn’t get the Sharpen ability nor Armorogue got the Mega Launcher ability. Both would benefit much more from these abilities than their current line-up
 

Yveltal91057

It’s Kalos season!
Return of the Phantom Warrior

Nature: Jolly
Ability: Flash Fire

Moveset

Swords Dance
Bitter Blade
Flame Charge/Solar Blade
Shadow Claw


Other moveset options

Iron Head
Dragon Claw
Flare Blitz
Brick Break
Bulk Up
Poison Jab
Iron Defense
X-Scissor
Close Combat
Tera Blast
Flamethrower
Phantom Force


Ceruledge+Koraidon is a deadly combination in double battles.
 

Mestorn

Wandering Battler
Protoman.exe Engage!

Charcadet has certainly caught the love of fans everywhere with two potent Megaman inspired evolutions. Of those Ceruledge may have gotten the short end of the stick with its typing being redundant with the regional starter, but Ceruledge's role is anything but redundant. While Skeledirge makes for an amazing physical wall and special attacker, Ceruledge is a bit faster and a setup physical sweeper in most iterations. Ghost Fire, while having a worrying amount of weaknesses, also has a wide variety of immunities and resistances. Bitter Blade is an absurd STAB move, having above average damage for a draining move, and the only Fire draining move at that. Additionally, Ceruledge has multiple remedies for its admittedly awkward speed (much faster than most Tanks, but slower than a lot of primarily offensive Pokémon) in the forms of Shadow Sneak and Weak Armor.

In doubles, Ceruledge has had a rough time. So many popular Pokémon (Flutter Mane, Iron Bundle, Gholdengo, Arcanine, Great Tusk, Roaring Moon, Kingambit, Dondozo) have a favorable matchup against Ceruledge. However the reverse is also true for Ceruledge, who can in turn threaten a large number of these targets right back (like Flutter Mane, Gholdengo and Kingambit with STAB, Great Tusk and Dondozo with Solar Blade, Great Tusk, Roaring Moon, Kingambit, Dondozo with Will-o-Wisp). Being able to heal while applying offensive pressure is also of great value and has Ceruledge be more defensive in comparison to its Scarlet Armored counter part.

Phantom Knight of Break Soul
Ceruledge

-Bulk Up
-Bitter Blade
-Shadow Sneak
-Protect
Ability: Flash Fire
Item Attached: Leftovers
Tera Type: Grass/Steel
EVs and Nature:
252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SDef
Adamant Nature

Bulk Up Ceruledge aims for the long game in a doubles battle, accruing several Bulk Ups to become untouchable against a team's physical attackers while pushing horrifying damage as well. Bitter Blade is vital, keeping Ceruledge healthy as it sets up and applies pressure to the opponent as well. Shadow Sneak is a great patch for Ceruledge's speed, allowing it to get the jump on would be counters like Flutter Mane and Gholdengo. Protect rounds out the set as the best move in doubles, whose laurels I have sung time and time again.

Flash Fire is recommended as the ability as Weak Armor runs contrary to Ceruledge's game plan and protects Ceruledge while Terastalizing, still keeping its valuable Fire (and more importantly Burn) immunity while greatly improving its matchup against the current super stars in the metagame. Grass Tera beats the many Water and Ground type attackers running around as well as shutting down Amoongus' and Brute Bonnet's Spore and Rage Powder attempts. Steel Tera simply supplies a whole mess of resistances. While you remain weak to Ground, being able to shrug off so much is often worth the trade.

Item is Leftovers for added bulk, though Clear Amulet is worth consideration to dodge Intimidate and Parting Shot. EVs are to balance Bulk and Attack, though sacrificing Attack for extra Special Defense is recommended as Bulk Up is patching up Ceruledge's physical stats.

Preferred Partners
Screen Setters make great partners for this set, turning Ceruledge's bulk from good to Ludicrous, giving extra opportunities to setup Bulk Up. Sableye and Grimmsnarl stand out for this role, not sharing weaknesses with Ceruledge.
Strong offensive attackers work well with this set as well, offering a distraction to your opponent while you setup. Flutter Mane, Iron Bundle, Chien-Pao all offer immediate pressure that forces your opponent to answer.
Torkoal if you want to run Solarblade, you need Sun Support and Torkoal is your answer. Also can proc Flash Fire with Lava Plume.
 

Kiyoshi

Veteran Trainer
I Am The Black Swordsman
-Bitter Blade
-Shadow Claw/Sneak
-Psycho Cut
-Dragon Claw
Ability: Weak Armor
Item: Assault Vest
EV's and Nature: 4HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Jolly/Adamant Nature

Primarily for Singles. Bitter Blade is your primary STAB, strong and provides healing. Shadow Claw is secondary STAB, useful for all the Ghosts popping up in competitive lately, while Shadow Sneak is for priority. Psycho Cut is primarily to deal with Clodsire, who eats up Ceruledge otherwise, and also lets you hurt Fighting types easier. Dragon Claw is for catching Garchomp, not-Tera Hydreigon, Roaring Moon, Walking Wake, and whatever other Dragon-types are doing good in the Meta on the switch (whether or not Ceruledge should stay in after the ambush is debatable): it's also a safe prediction move for when you don't know what your opponent will switch in, or you have nothing better to hurt the opponent. (Remember, Dragon is only resisted by Steel and Fairy... One of those is weak against Ceruledge, the other is one you resist.)
Item is to buff your impressive SpeDef stat, and force your opponent to target your Def to take you down, while Ability is to increase your Speed stat; a cruel irony, forcing your opponent to raise your stats for you, but Ceruledge can pull it off.
Jolly is preferred for a guaranteed Speed advantage, but if things work right then you'll be boosting your Speed high enough that Adamant is worthwhile.

Other Options:
-Brick Break = stops Double Screens and counters Normal and Dark types who'd otherwise think they're safe.
-Poison Jab = pretty much exclusive for Grimmsnarl, who otherwise walks all over Ceruledge if it has any offensive attacks besides Spirit Break.
-Iron Head = your best option against Fairies if you must have Super-Effective damage.
-Close Combat = hahaha-no. Don't. Despite the power difference compared to Brick Break, the drop to your Def and SpeDef destroys Ceruledge's best selling point, that it is a tanky sweeper with decent Speed. If you want a fast Ghost-killer that can't take a hit, use Zoroark (either one) or wait for Liepard to be reintroduced instead.
-Solar Blade = if you can ensure the Sun is up, your best option against Water types.

PARTNERS:
-Gardevoir/Gallade
Although stacking a Ghost weakness, there are some advantages to running one of the two on the same team as Ceruledge. Yes, besides SAO jokes about Kirito-Ceruledge and Asuna-Gardevoir.
~Ceruledge nicely soft checks the Fairy types (not named Dachsbun) that would otherwise threaten Gallade, and hard-checks the Steel types that would see Gardevoir as easy setup. Of special note is Corviknight, whom troubles both Gardevoir and Gallade, but can't do much to Ceruledge.
~With access to Thunderbolt (Gardevoir) and Leaf Blade (Gallade), the Psychic Twins can provide cover for Ceruledge's weakness to Water, while Aqua Cutter and Energy Ball also lets Gallade and Gardevoir (respectively) handle most Ground types.
~Despite stacking a Ghost weakness, Gardevoir and Gallade are not helpless against Ghost types. Gardevoir can carry Shadow Ball, which lets her handle any Ghost not named Hisuian!Zoroark, while Gallade can carry Night Slash, which trades a hit on Mimikyu for a sure hit on Hisuian!Zoroark. Any Ghost-type that survives & takes down one of Ceruledge or Gardevoir/Gallade should not be in a position to survive the counterattack, especially a Ceruledge/Gallade combo; both can run Shadow Sneak.
~Gardevoir and Gallade also nicely handle Ceruledge's weakness to Dark types. Gallade's Sacred Sword handles most Dark types well enough, while Gardevoir's Moonblast and Aura Sphere hits almost every Dark type of note.
~If using in Doubles, Gardevoir is a really good partner for Ceruledge, and not just for the not-insignificant offensive pressure mentioned above. Access to Life Dew lets her heal up Ceruledge more than Bitter Blade alone, Icy Wind and Thunder Wave for Speed control, dual-Screens, Will-o-Wisp, Gardevoir can apply offensive pressure to complement Ceruledge and support to make him stronger.
~Gardevoir also counters most Dragon types, who otherwise give Ceruledge trouble, allowing you to swap out Dragon Claw for something else.
-Kingambit
Despite stacking a Ground weakness, this is another Pokemon that complements Ceruledge nicely. That X4 weakness to Fighting becomes a free switch-in for Ceruledge, while Ceruledge's weakness to fellow Ghost types becomes a free switch-in for Kingambit. Furthermore, Dachsbun becomes manageable, as the defensive doggo now has to face a STAB-Steel instead of Ceruledge's not-STABed Iron Head.
-Lucario
Rather hard to not stack a Ground weakness, but consider Lucario a compromise between Gallade and Kingambit. A wide offensive movepool with good anti-Ghost type coverage, and Steel's praised-to-death defensive typing (that Ceruledge's Ghost-typing helps protect)... The main thing Lucario brings to the team that neither Gallade or Kingambit provide is lots of reliable Priority moves. Extremespeed, Vacuum Wave, Bullet Punch... If Ceruledge didn't knock it out, Lucario will finish it.
-Water
Speaking of Ground weaknesses...
~Gyarados is flat-out immune to Ground, using Ceruledge as bait for a free switch-in on any Ground type not named WaterAbsorb!Clodsire.
~Vaporeon can run Wish to keep Ceruledge healthy, Chilling Water to pseudo-buff Ceruledge's lower Defense, Ice Beam to handle Dragons, and Water Absorb so that Ceruledge can bait in Water types. Meanwhile, Ceruledge checks the Grass types that would otherwise take a chance with Vaporeon.
 
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