Community POTW #092

[Serebii]

Time for the next Pokémon of the Week and this week we go back to Ultra Space

It's Kartana!

Kartana #798 - Serebii.net Pokédex

Kartana Pokémon Serebii.net Pokédex providing all details on moves, stats, abilities, evolution data and locations for Pokémon Sword & Shield

www.serebii.net

 

[Mestorn]

The living embodiment of a paper cut turned up to 11 returns to terrorize once again. While Rillaboom is the de facto Grass type thanks to Grassy Glide + Grassy Surge being so strong, Kartana continues to prove why the Grass-Steel type combination is so strong... while having Attack ever higher than Attack Deoxys with built-in Moxie. Unfortunately (or thankfully) Kartana does not get Grassy Glide, depriving it of a powerful priority move. However with 109 Speed, Kartana still outspeeds huge swaths of the game, making it a simple chore to pick up KOs and escalate to an unmanageable level quickly.

However, not all is good for our wanna-be Origami. Kartana's ludicrously bad Special Defense ensures that even resisted special attacks will do serious damage. An poor HP means that even that amazing Defense won't save Kartana for long. Additionally the addition of a new naturally faster Special threats in the form of Regieleki and Dragapult puts more pressure on Kartana to shoehorn to Choice Scarf which can leave Kartana prone to being walled out by the standard walls in the format. Additionally, Kartana's movepool is rather small, leaving it rather predictable. In the end though, Kartana remains an insanely powerful threat that must be fought with care lest it cut your team in twain.

The Dual Bladed Duelist
Kartana
Ability: Beast Boost
Item: Protective Pads/Life Orb
-Swords Dance
-Leaf Blade
-Knock Off
-Sacred Sword
EVs: 252 ATK / 4 SDEF / 252 SPE
Nature: Jolly (+SPE, -SATK)

Yes I couldn't resist the Origami King reference. Swords Dance Kartana is a potent win condition with a single Swords Dance enabling Kartana to blow past checks that would normally wall it out:

+2 252 Atk Life Orb Kartana Knock Off (97.5 BP) vs. 252 HP / 168+ Def Corviknight: 264-311 (66 - 77.7%) -- guaranteed 2HKO (needs to Roost to avoid being KO'd by Sacred Sword)
+2 252 Atk Life Orb Kartana Knock Off (97.5 BP) vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Skarmory: 200-237 (59.8 - 70.9%) -- guaranteed 2HKO (needs to Roost to avoid being KO'd by Sacred Sword)
+2 252 Atk Kartana Knock Off (97.5 BP) vs. 248 HP / 8 Def Volcarona: 381-449 (102.1 - 120.3%) -- guaranteed OHKO

Leaf Blade is for STAB, while Knock Off and Sacred Sword provide the best coverage of all of Kartana's moves. EVs are standard sweeper array. Item is where it gets interesting. While Life Orb is standard, Protective Pads protects against predicted Flame Body Volcarona and Moltres whose unlucky burns can end a sweep before it starts, while preventing numerous Rocky Helmet/Garchomp/Ferrothorn's from wearing down Kartana via their item/ability.

Team Support is required as Kartana needs allies to provide opportunities to setup and remove or weaken potential checks and counters.

Other Options
Smart Strike -Alternative STAB option, but Steel has much poorer coverage than Grass and the few Fairies that actually have good DEF are neutral to Steel Strike (admittedly, Togekiss is a problem that is covered by Steel Strike)
Psycho Cut -Alternative Coverage option, but the popular fighting types are either Weak/Vulnerable to Leaf Blade/Sacred Sword, naturally Faster than Kartana, or have access to STAB priority.
Aerial Ace -Turns into a Max Airstream in Dynamax format and can combine with Sacred Sword for a Vicious Dynamax setup Sweeper.
Defog -Kartana gets it and isn't weak to Ice or Electric moves (though still doesn't want to take special hits)

 

[BillyBobJoe]

Despite literally looking like paper, Kartana has surprisingly good Defense. It also has the highest base Attack of any Pokémon (excluding Mega’s).

 

[Starspinner]

KARTANA'S MOVESET​

NAME: Steel Samurai
FORMAT TYPE: Singles
ABILITY NAME: Beast Boost
NATURE: Jolly (Raised Speed, Reduced Special Attack)
EVS: 252 Attack, 252 Speed, 4 Defense
MOVES:
Leaf Blade (Max Overgrowth)
Smart Strike (Max Steelspike)
Sacred Sword (Max Knuckle)
Aerial Ace (Max Airstream)
ITEM: Choice Specs

With this Singles-orientated moveset, Kartana can use its Choice Specs, Max Airstream, and 252 Speed EVs to outspeed opponents and strike them preemptively. Kartana can also use its enhanced Speed stat to set up Grassy Terrain using Max Overgrowth or boost its stats through Max Knuckle and Max Steelspike. Moreover, since Kartana’s huge Attack stat enhances the damage dealt by its Max Moves, Kartana has a greater chance of knocking out its opponent and activating Beast Boost. In return, Beast Boost will sharpen Kartana’s highest stat, enhancing the existing boosts provided by the Max Moves.

Additionally, Max Knuckle and Max Airstream provide decent coverage against Steel and Fighting-types respectively. The only threats left unchecked are Fire-type moves and special moves. Unlike Storm Drain or Lightning Rod, there is no Ability that absorbs Fire-type moves for partner Pokemon. Normally, Kartana could switch out for a Pokemon resistant to Fire-type moves or a Pokemon with Flash Fire. With Dynamax, however, switching Pokemon is highly unfavorable. In addition, Kartana’s poor Special Defense stat leaves it vulnerable to special attacks regardless of whether it is boosted or not.

 

[XaelOstigian]

KARTANA'S MOVESET​

NAME: Steel Samurai
FORMAT TYPE: Singles
ABILITY NAME: Beast Boost
NATURE: Jolly (Raised Speed, Reduced Special Attack)
EVS: 252 Attack, 252 Speed, 4 Defense
MOVES:
Leaf Blade (Max Overgrowth)
Smart Strike (Max Steelspike)
Sacred Sword (Max Knuckle)
Aerial Ace (Max Airstream)
ITEM: Choice Specs

With this Singles-orientated moveset, Kartana can use its Choice Specs, Max Airstream, and 252 Speed EVs to outspeed opponents and strike them preemptively. Kartana can also use its enhanced Speed stat to set up Grassy Terrain using Max Overgrowth or boost its stats through Max Knuckle and Max Steelspike. Moreover, since Kartana’s huge Attack stat enhances the damage dealt by its Max Moves, Kartana has a greater chance of knocking out its opponent and activating Beast Boost. In return, Beast Boost will sharpen Kartana’s highest stat, enhancing the existing boosts provided by the Max Moves.

Additionally, Max Knuckle and Max Airstream provide decent coverage against Steel and Fighting-types respectively. The only threats left unchecked are Fire-type moves and special moves. Unlike Storm Drain or Lightning Rod, there is no Ability that absorbs Fire-type moves for partner Pokemon. Normally, Kartana could switch out for a Pokemon resistant to Fire-type moves or a Pokemon with Flash Fire. With Dynamax, however, switching Pokemon is highly unfavorable. In addition, Kartana’s poor Special Defense stat leaves it vulnerable to special attacks regardless of whether it is boosted or not.

Pretty sure you meant to have Choice Band as your item, not Choice Specs. Looks like a great steamroll set all the same though.

 

[Starspinner]

Pretty sure you meant to have Choice Band as your item, not Choice Specs. Looks like a great steamroll set all the same though.

Sorry, I actually meant Choice Scarf. I thought that this item would help Kartana move faster than most of the other speedy Pokemon.