Kleavor is an interesting pivot from Scyther and Scizor, sacrificing some of Scyther's Speed and Special Defense for a little more Defense and a lot more power. For power is what Kleavor is all about. Rock STAB alone is incredible given the number of significant threats Rock threatens, but Kleavor's Rock STAB is the incredible Stone Axe, causing damage and setting up Stealth Rocks in a single move, generating incredible amount of momentum from the word go and greatly hindering Incineroar in its Intimidate spam antics. Kleavor pushes its power even further with the incredible Sharpness ability, effectively giving its STABs a Choice Band boost without an item slot, and with Base 135 Attack you know Kleavor is going to hit like a truck. Kleavor isn't lacking in utility either, being a rare user of Feint and can make use of Quick Guard. However, when looking past utility and power, everything falls apart for Kleavor. Bug-Rock is horrible defensively, leaving Kleavor with only resistances to Normal and Poison, and with its poor Special Defense and middle of the road Speed, this is not hard to exploit. While Kleavor does make Incineroar's life hellish, the same is also true of Incineroar, robbing Kleavor of its main utility; its power. Horrid matchups into Rain teams, Archaludon, and Ursaluna provide further disincentivization to use Kleavor, reminding many why this lost Relic of a bygone era was indead lost.
Quick Axe
Kleavor
-Stone Axe
-U-Turn
-X-Scissor
-Close Combat
Ability: Sharpness
Item Attached: Choice Scarf
EVs and Nature:
4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Tera Type: Water/Grass
Kleavor stands out from other Scarf users for wanting to lead, as it is imperative to use Stone Axe to setup Stealth Rocks as soon as possible and thus place the opposing team (especially their Incineroar) on a timer. U-Turn is a great pivoting tool if the matchup is bad for Kleavor itself, giving the advantage of positioning, especially after Kleavor has used Stone Axe. Kleavor's massive attack and STAB push U-Turn from mere pivoting to a brutal attack in its own right, while synergizing wonderfully with Choice Scarf. X-Scissor is simply reliable STAB, but its fantastic matchup into staples like Indeedee, Farigiraf and Rillaboom, especially since its Sharpness boosted, easily grabbing KOs on what are normally fairly bulky targets and key support pieces for most teams.
Choice Scarf users usual affair of Max Speed and Attack EVs. Kleavor needs to outrun as many targets as possible. Tera Water is recommended as a solid defensive typing, turning two of Kleavor's weaknesses into resistances while being hard to exploit itself. However, as Kleavor normally is a great answer into Rillaboom, Tera Grass also works well, granting the same Water resistance, but with a Grass resistance on top to prevent Rillaboom from easily wrecking Scizor. Being immune to Amoonguss' Rage Powder and Spore doesn't hurt either.
Preferred Partners:
Grass types love Kleavor's Stealth Rock support, hindering common problems to them such as Incineroar, Dragonite, Delphox, Torkoal, Volcarona, etc. allowing them to be more effective, while threatening the Water types that Kleavor hates. Rillaboom stands out, its Fake Out greatly facilitating a first turn Stone Axe, while the passive healing from Grassy Terrain is always appreciated. Amoonguss also adores Kleavor, since Kleavor's brutal Bug STAB heavily punishes any opponent trying to Tera Grass to avoid Spore or Rage Powder.
Other Options:
Rock Slide is a strong consideration, given how powerful STAB Rock Slide and its flinch chance enabled by Choice Scarf is.
Feint is super priority that breaks Protect, though not a good move to be locked into otherwise.
Covert Cloak is another strong option to help deny turn 1 Fake Outs from denying Stone Axe and opens up move flexibility.
Clear Amulet greatly improves Kleavor's matchup against Incineroar, forcing Incineroar to Terastalize or be cleaved by Stone Axe.
