Katagami Movesets & Wettbewerbs-Sets

Choice Band Kartana is an immensely threatening wallbreaker that can burst through the opposition with the correct read. Knock Off importantly cripples Flying-types like Zapdos, Venomicon, and Tornadus-T while hitting Dragapult on the switch. Sacred Sword demolishes bulky Steel-types like Heatran, Ferrothorn, and Melmetal. Choice Band Kartana excels at breaking open opposing walls; accordingly, faster wallbreakers like Dragapult and Blacephalon and sweepers like Weavile and Zeraora are good teammate options. Kartana immensely enjoys pivot support from Pokemon like Corviknight and Landorus-T due to its frailty. Tapu Fini is another good teammate that can switch into Heatran while providing Misty Terrain, protecting Kartana from status it would incur from Zapdos's Static or Heatran's Flame Body. Future Sight support from Tapu Lele or Slowbro makes Kartana near unwallable and lessen how reliant Choice Band Kartana is on prediction. Eject Button Toxapex is an interesting option that can give Kartana a free switch; this is especially potent with Tapu Lele's Future Sight support.

Choice Scarf Kartana is one of the most threatening cleaners in CAP, leveraging Beast Boost and its sky-high attack excellently as the second fastest Choice Scarf user in the metagame. Knock Off importantly hits Dragapult and Blacephalon super effectively while removing Heavy-Duty Boots from Tornadus-T, Venomicon, Astrolotl, and Zapdos. Sacred Sword allows Kartana to get past bulky Steel-types like Heatran and Ferrothorn. Defog is an option over Smart Strike on teams that require entry hazard removal that otherwise lack it, but it is a significant opportunity cost, as Smart Strike is often an excellent midground option that also hits Clefable and Tapu Lele super effectively. Choice Scarf Kartana is most commonly found on offense and bulky offense teams. Due to its extremely poor bulk, pivots like Dragapult and Landorus-T are excellent choices for safely getting Kartana in on foes like Blissey and Tapu Fini. Dragapult threatens physically defensive walls like Zapdos and Ferrothorn for Kartana, while Landorus-T can force out Heatran and cripple Zapdos and Tornadus-T with Toxic. Air Balloon Heatran is another excellent teammate that can stonewall opposing Heatran and Astrolotl and trap and eliminate Toxapex. Pairing Kartana up with similarly menacing physical attackers like Weavile and Venomicon-E allows them to weaken their shared checks. Venomicon-E is particularly notable for its ability to guarantee damage on Zapdos. Entry hazards from Pokemon like Garchomp and Astrolotl do amazing work towards enabling Kartana to sweep late-game, particularly Stealth Rock. Both are notable choices for their ability to switch into Heatran effectively. Trick + Sticky Barb Clefable is another excellent option that excels at guaranteeing chip onto foes that normally check Kartana like Toxapex, Ferrothorn, and Heatran. Finally, setup sweepers like Volcarona, Stratagem, and Dragonite greatly enjoy Kartana chipping foes into range of a sweep.

Swords Dance turns Kartana into the most powerful attacker in the metagame. After one Swords Dance, Kartana is capable of OHKOing Toxapex, and it can make quick work of teams that lack a faster Pokemon. Knock Off is necessary coverage that hits Corviknight, Zapdos, Venomicon, and Tornadus-T neutrally. Sacred Sword is necessary for bulky Steel-types like Heatran and Ferrothorn. Life Orb is the preferred item to give Kartana a chance to OHKO Toxapex with +2 Leaf Blade; however, Protective Pads is another option that prevents Kartana having its sweep ended early by contact effects like Zapdos's Static or Heatran's Flame Body. Swords Dance Kartana fits best on offensive teams that appreciate the holes it creates. Because Swords Dance Kartana is easier to revenge kill, specially bulky teammates like Landorus-T and Melmetal are necessary for dealing with potential revenge killers like Dragapult, Choice Scarf Blacephalon, and Choice Scarf Tapu Lele. Melmetal, in particular, is a good option that does quite well at breaking for Kartana. Choice Scarf Blacephalon and Choice Scarf Tapu Lele are great offensive teammates that threaten revenge killers like Zeraora and Dragapult and physical walls like Buzzwole. Bulk Up Zeraora and Dragon Dance Dragonite both appreciate the fact that, if Kartana's sweep is unsuccessful, it will have done enough damage to open up a sweep opportunity for them. Aurora Veil support from Alolan Ninetales can ease Kartana's setup, particularly in the face of special attackers whose moves it resists like Clefable and Tapu Koko.

Kartana has a niche on Kyogre teams, separating itself from other Grass-types such as Venusaur thanks to its access to Max Airstream and stronger matchup against Calyrex-I. Smart Strike grants Kartana Max Steelspike while Dynamaxed to boost its Defense and slam Fairy- and Ice-types such as Grimmsnarl and Calyrex-I. Sacred Sword turns into Max Knuckle and allows Kartana to hit Incineroar super effectively and neutralize Intimidate from it and Landorus-T by raising its Attack. Aerial Ace is used for Max Airstream, which is especially good alongside Kyogre, allowing it to rain down fast and powerful Water Spouts. Assault Vest with Special Defense investment allows Kartana to take strong special attacks such as Kyogre's Water Spout and Dynamaxed Regieleki's Life Orb-boosted Max Lightning. Kartana and Kyogre pair well together, as Kartana provides a check to Electric- and Grass-types such as Regieleki, Amoonguss, and Rillaboom, while Kyogre checks Fire-types such as Incineroar and Charizard as well as Landorus-T. Other common teammates include Tornadus and Regieleki, both providing great speed control with Tailwind and Electroweb, respectively. Tornadus also appreciates the Kartana checking opposing Regieleki, while Regieleki appreciates it checking opposing Grass-types. Kartana cannot properly check Venusaur in sun due to Weather Ball, so Incineroar is a solid teammate that can alleviate this problem.

Kartana's high Attack stat and access to great Max Moves make it an excellent addition to Kyogre teams, where it can remove Gastrodon from play and boost Kyogre's Speed with Max Airstream. Kartana works best as a late-game sweeper, KOing a weakened foe and gaining enough momentum withBeast Boost for it and its partner to sweep through the game. Kartana really needs all four of its coverage moves, as Smart Strike does the most damage to Zacian-C and Calyrex-I, Sacred Sword is necessary to hit Incineroar, and Aerial Ace—via Max Airstream—is essential for winning Speed wars against other common Dynamax users on opposing Kyogre teams like Thundurus, Tornadus, Landorus-T, and opposing Kartana. Max Knuckle from Sacred Sword also helps Kartana snowball through teams quickly, particularly if Zacian-C is in with Kartana to also gain the Attack boosts. White Herb and Life Orb help Kartana maximize its damage output, with the former cancelling out Intimidate and the latter giving it the strongest possible attacks while. Dynamaxed. Assault Vest is an option to patch Kartana's laughable Special Defense, though note that Assault Vest Kartana should use 244 Special Defense EVs to further weather special attacks.

With a Choice Scarf, Kartana becomes a deadly late-game cleaner and revenge killer. Thanks to its high Attack and good Speed tier, it is able to outspeed and threaten to KO the majority of the tier's offensive threats like Weavile and Zeraora. With its Special Defense patched up, it also is able to stomach weak hits in the process, such as Rotom-W's Volt Switch and Tapu Koko's Thunderbolt. Leaf Blade OHKOes common Pokemon like Zygarde-10%., while Smart Strike threatens Fairy-types such as Tapu Lele and Clefable. Knock Off hits Flying-type switch-ins like Corviknight and Ho-Oh, who resist Kartana's STAB moves, and Sacred Sword hits Steel- and Flying-type Pokemon neutral to Fighting such as Heatran and Yveltal. Defog is an option to allow Kartana to serve as an emergency entry hazard remover. Choice Scarf Kartana fits well on bulky offense and balance teams which appreciate its ability to outspeed and revenge kill common threats. It is often paired with offensive gods such as Yveltal and Rayquaza, but can work with many different gods. The exception to this is that some gods with very high Special Defense stats such as Ho-oh and Zamazenta-C would much rather donate their Special Defense to a defensive Pokemon. Magnezone is a great partner, as it is able to trap and remove Steel-types that Kartana has trouble breaking. Powerful wallbreakers such as Swords Dance Weavile are also good partners, as they are able to help weaken Kartana's checks like Corviknight, making it easier to sweep late-game. Special attackers like Kyurem-W and Nidoking are also great partners for Kartana, as they can pressure physical walls such as physically defensive Tangrowth. Teammates who can use Future Sight such as Slowking and Slowbro also pair well with Kartana, taking advantage of the fact that many of Kartana's checks, such as Landorus-T and Skarmory, have lower Special Defense.

Kartana's monstrous 181 base Attack stat, boosted even further via Life Orb and Swords Dance, makes it a fantastic wallbreaker. Inheriting Special Defense makes it much less susceptible to chip damage from resisted attacks like Tapu Koko's Thunderbolt. Kartana's Speed tier also allows it to outspeed many common Pokemon including Yveltal, all Kyurem formes, and Volcarona. Swords Dance helps it beat would-be checks such as Landorus-T inheriting Defense. Leaf Blade is its main form of damage, hitting Water-types like Slowbro and Rotom-W super effectively and dealing large amounts of damage to neutral targets. Knock Off is used to damage Flying- and Fire-type Pokemon such as Corviknight, Ho-oh, and Volcarona, removing their items like Leftovers or Heavy-Duty Boots, respectively, allowing Kartana to wear them down more easily. Sacred Sword hits Steel-type Pokemon like Ferrothorn super effectively, while also Flying-type Pokemon who are neutral to Fighting such as Skarmory. Swords Dance Kartana fits best on offensive teams, as it is excellent at wearing down opposing walls like Landorus-T and Corviknight so another teammate can sweep. Kartana is able to work with most gods, but is most commonly paired with more offensive gods such as Yveltal and Rayquaza, as they can also take advantage of the pressure Kartana puts on opposing teams and provide Kartana with a solid Special Defense donation. However, it is important to understand that Kartana does not work with every god, such as Ho-oh, as Kartana does not have much longevity. Offensive entry hazard setters such as Cloyster make great partners, as entry hazards help wear down Kartana’s checks. Kartana also compliments entry hazard setters well by removing Heavy-Duty Boots from walls, especially Ho-oh. Teammates such as Zygarde-10% who share common checks with Kartana are useful, as together they can slowly wear down their shared checks until one of them has an opportunity to sweep or pick up multiple KOs. Kartana also pairs well with powerful cleaners such as Bisharp inheriting Speed and Weavile inheriting Attack, as they excel at capitalizing off of Kartana's wallbreaking power. While Kartana has a good Speed tier, it is still outsped by common offensive Pokemon such as Tapu Koko and Pheromosa, making other fast Pokemon such as Mewtwo or Choice Scarf users such as Tapu Lele good teammates.

Choice Band Kartana harshly pressures most of its usual checks without having to dedicate a turn to set up. After the boost from Choice Band, Leaf Blade 2HKOes almost every single neutral target in the metagame, making it a very risk-free and spammable move once Kartana's checks have been weakened. A strong Knock Off is another draw of this set, allowing Kartana to greatly damage checks in Mega Latias and Mega Latios and punish sturdier checks such as Zapdos, Corviknight, and Tangrowth by removing their item. Sacred Sword takes care of Steel-types such as Ferrothorn and Heatran, as well as some other Grass-resistant Pokemon in Hydreigon and Kyurem. Return gives Kartana a strong neutral hit on Pokemon like Zapdos, Tangrowth, and Moltres that would otherwise tank its attacks. Alternatively, Smart Strike can be used to hit the likes of Mega Mawile and Tangrowth harder than anything else, while almost always OHKOing physically defensive Clefable. Kartana fits well on balance and bulky offensive teams as a fearsome wallbreaker that can make great amounts of progress throughout the game if it predicts correctly. Stealth Rock setters are very important, since they allow Kartana to heavily pressure Zapdos and Moltres after removing Heavy-Duty Boots. Thus, the likes of Mega Tyranitar, Heatran, Clefable, and Landorus-T pair well with Kartana. Weavile and Mega Tyranitar can trap and weaken or dispose of Mega Latias, Heatran, and Zapdos, making Kartana's job easier and less prediction-reliant. Magnezone is a notable partner due to its ability to trap some of the best checks to Kartana in Mega Scizor, Corviknight, and Skarmory. Other wallbreakers that can pressure Kartana's checks in Zapdos, Tangrowth, and Mega Scizor can also prove to be good teammates. Examples include Heatran and Ash-Greninja. Pivoting support from the likes of Tapu Koko, Mega Lopunny, and Landorus-T can greatly increase the amount of opportunities for Kartana to break walls by granting it safe ways to enter a match. Lastly, late-game cleaners that can wrap up the game after Kartana has done its job such as Mega Lopunny, Choice Scarf Tapu Lele, and Swords Dance Weavile are good options as well.

Choice Scarf Kartana functions as a revenge killer early on in games by outpacing common offensive Pokemon such as Mega Lopunny, Ash-Greninja, Tapu Koko, +1 Mega Gyarados, and Weavile and either defeating them or forcing them out. Once the opponent's team has been weakened sufficiently, Kartana can then clean up late-game with the assistance of its enhanced Speed and Beast Boost. Knock Off is a great move that punishes checks such as Zapdos, Corviknight, and Moltres. It is also Kartana's best option against Mega Latias and Mega Latios. Sacred Sword is a crucial coverage move, enabling Kartana to hit opposing Steel-types such as Ferrothorn and Heatran, as well as almost always OHKOing Mega Lopunny. Smart Strike rounds out the set as a reliable secondary STAB move that provides the strongest hit against threats such as Clefable and Kyurem. Defog may be used instead to remove entry hazards for more offensive teams. Kartana fits best in offensive teams in need of a revenge killer and late-game sweeper in one. As Kartana is a good late-game cleaner once the opposing team has been weakened, it is a good idea to pair it with early-game wallbreakers that can threaten or take advantage of Kartana's checks in Zapdos, Mega Latias, Tangrowth, and Corviknight. Good examples include Garchomp, Kyurem, Weavile, Mega Medicham, and Tapu Lele. Pursuit support from the likes of Mega Tyranitar and Weavile is appreciated in order to trap the likes of Mega Latias, Mega Latios, and Heatran, as this allows Kartana to spam Leaf Blade late-game. Mega Tyranitar also provides Stealth Rock support, which is important to pressure Zapdos and Moltres once Kartana has removed their Heavy-Duty Boots. Similarly, Magnezone is a notable partner due to its ability to trap Steel-types such as Mega Scizor, Corviknight, Ferrothorn, and Skarmory. Kartana is incapable of revenge killing a healthy Mega Mawile, Mega Scizor, and Volcarona, so running Pokemon that can deal with them such as Heatran and Toxapex is very advisable.

Kartana is a menacing presence due to its magnificent Attack, high Speed, a great ability in Beast Boost, and Swords Dance. On top of that, Kartana also has a very good offensive and defensive typing. Defensively, its many resistances and good physical bulk aid Kartana in setting up against the likes of Gliscor, Landorus-T, and Ferrothorn. Offensively, Kartana's typing and coverage are also very good, as it is capable of pressuring common bulky Water- and Steel-types, such as Tapu Fini, Slowbro, Heatran, and Ferrothorn, with Leaf Blade and Sacred Sword, respectively. Giga Impact alongside Normalium Z allows Kartana to overwhelm some of its best checks in Zapdos and physically defensive Tangrowth after a Swords Dance boost. On the other hand, Fightinium Z can be used to easily remove Mega Scizor, Skarmory, and Corviknight, with Knock Off in the fourth slot to cripple Pokemon like Volcarona, Zapdos, and Moltres. Kartana fits best on balance and bulky offensive teams that are capable of providing it with proper support it needs to break open teams. Mega Tyranitar is extremely useful for Kartana, as it is capable of removing many roadblocks to Kartana's sweep with Pursuit, such as Mega Latias and Mega Latios, and heavily pressures Zapdos in case Kartana needs to preserve its Z-Move for another target. It can also set Stealth Rock, which is particularly important for Knock Off variants, as it allows Kartana to punish Zapdos more effectively after removing Heavy-Duty Boots. In a similar vein, Magnezone is a potent teammate due to its ability to trap Mega Scizor, Corviknight, and Skarmory, which are some of the very few hard-checks to Normalium Z Kartana. Pokemon that can pressure Kartana's other common checks in Tangrowth and Landorus-T such as Garchomp, Greninja, Mega Lopunny, and Mega Mawile are great partners. In turn, Kartana can heavily pressure some of their checks in Tapu Fini, Slowbro, and Heatran. Kartana requires a good defensive backbone, as it is quite specially frail and prone to being revenge killed by the likes of Mega Lopunny, Ash-Greninja, and Mega Latias. As a result, the likes of Tapu Fini, Toxapex, and Mega Tyranitar make for good teammates. Given Kartana’s poor special bulk, Pokemon that can pivot Kartana into battle such as Mega Lopunny, Rotom-W, and Landorus-T are useful teammates. Lastly, late-game cleaners appreciate Kartana's wallbreaking prowess such as Choice Scarf Tapu Lele, Ash-Greninja, and Mega Lopunny and make for good teammates as well.

With Synthesis, Kartana can reliably check the metagame's dangerous Ground-types in Garchomp, Landorus-T, Mega Swampert, and Gliscor, as well as Mega Tyranitar lacking Fire Punch. Leaf Blade alongside Grassium Z allows Kartana to properly threaten the Ground-types it checks, taking them out after little-to-no chip with Bloom Doom. Knock Off gives Kartana additional utility in punishing common switch-ins such as Zapdos and Corviknight, as well as removing items from the likes of Ferrothorn and Heatran. Alternatively, Sacred Sword may be used to directly threaten Ferrothorn and Heatran, but dropping the utility of Knock Off is undesirable. Defog enables Kartana to fully check Garchomp, Landorus-T, Mega Tyranitar, and Ferrothorn by nullifying their attempts at setting up entry hazards. 120 Attack EVs allow Kartana to OHKO Garchomp with Bloom Doom. The remaining EVs are allocated to HP so that Kartana can check Ground-types more consistently. Kartana fits best on balance and bulky offensive teams in need of a sturdy check to Ground-types. As such, Pokemon that appreciate Ground-types out of the picture such as Heatran, Mega Mawile, and Toxapex can prove to be good teammates. Pursuit support from Mega Tyranitar and Weavile is useful, as it pressures Mega Latias and weakens Zapdos, which are some of Kartana's best checks, especially for non-Knock Off variants. However, when pairing Kartana with Mega Tyranitar, be careful with your timing and positioning, as Synthesis recovers less HP in sand. Kartana is easily forced out by special attackers or faster threats such as Ash-Greninja, Mega Latias, and Mega Lopunny. As such, it requires a sturdy defensive backbone to take these threats on, which may consist of Pokemon such as specially defensive Heatran, Slowbro, and Toxapex. All of these bar Slowbro are susceptible to entry hazards due to the amount of times they are required to pivot into various threats throughout a match and therefore appreciate Kartana’s Defog support. Lastly, Kartana has the tendency to force Knock Off on Pokemon such as Ferrothorn, Heatran, Toxapex, and Tangrowth, so partners like Calm Mind Clefable and Tapu Lele are good options to consider as well.

Kartana's access to Beast Boost makes it a reasonable choice for Choice Scarf revenge killing and late-game sweeping. Guillotine is an emergency attack to have a 30% shot at destroying bulky Pokemon, while Aerial Ace gives Kartana a Speed boost if Dynamax sweeping presents itself to Kartana.

Kartana's impressive Attack stat and Beast Boost make it a capable late-game physical sweeper, only held back by its awful Special Defense and low base power attacks. Aerial Ace may seem weak, but it gives Kartana access to Max Airstream while Dynamaxed, giving it a good shot of sweeping late-game. Smart Strike is weak for a STAB Attack, but it OHKOs Nihilego, and grants access to the useful Max Steelspike while Dynamaxed. While difficult to fit in, Giga Impact is Kartana's best hope of doing decent damage to Zapdos with Max Strike. Swords Dance makes Kartana less reliant on Dynamax and Beast Boost to sweep, and pairs especially well with Focus Sash. Items Focus Sash lets Kartana survive in match-ups that may normally be difficult for it to win, mainly against special attackers. Life Orb makes Kartana a better late-game sweeper when Dynamaxed.

Moves Leaf Blade allows Kartana to hit Water-, Rock-, and Ground-type Pokemon like Mega Gyarados, Mega Slowbro, Mega Tyranitar, and Mega Swampert super effectively while heavily damaging Pokemon like Hoopa-U. Smart Strike hits Ice-, Rock-, and Fairy-type Pokemon like Alolan Ninetales, Nihilego, and Tapu Lele. Sacred Sword can be used against bulky Normal-types and some Steel-types like Chansey, Heatran, and Excadrill. However, this is not the most effective way to deal with Chansey and Heatran, since Chansey can tank a Sacred Sword and return with Counter, while Heatran sometimes has enough bulk to survive a Sacred Sword and KO Kartana with a Fire-type STAB move. Giga Impact is the hardest-hitting neutrally damaging move, giving Kartana a good chance to KO many defensively uninvested Mega Charizard, Garchomp, and Mega Pinsir. Set Details 48 HP EVs allow Kartana to survive two Sucker Punches from maximum Attack Mega Mawile. 252 Speed EVs along with a Jolly nature help it to outspeed maximum Speed non-Choice Scarf Terrakion and Keldeo. The remaining Attack EVs and Choice Band maximize Kartana's damage output. A spread with 128 HP and 252 Special Defense EVs along with a Careful nature allows Kartana to tank Adaptability Choice Scarf Porygon-Z's Hyper Beam and Choice Specs Protean Greninja's Ice Beam. However, such a spread causes Kartana to lose out on other matchups like Landorus-T, and both Greninja and Choice Scarf Porygon-Z usually run Hidden Power Fire. Usage Tips If it's a choice between Leaf Blade and Giga Impact, use Giga Impact unless you are sure that Leaf Blade will KO, since Giga Impact does more damage than STAB-boosted Leaf Blade, but it can miss. Avoid sending in Kartana on faster special attackers like Choice Scarf Porygon-Z, Necrozma, Magnezone, and Naganadel. Also, don’t use Kartana against Sturdy Pokemon like Donphan, Aggron, and Magnezone, since they can use Counter, Metal Burst, or a Z-Move to finish it off. Team Options Since Fire-types and special attackers like Mega Charizard X, Mega Charizard Y, Greninja, Porygon-Z, Magearna, and Magnezone beat Kartana, a specially defensive Pokemon like Mega Charizard X, Primarina, Tapu Fini, or Chansey can be used as a teammate. In return, Kartana can help defeat common Mega Charizard X counters like Mega Gyarados, Primarina and Tapu Fini counters like Nihilego, and common Taunt users that usually give Chansey trouble like Mega Gyarados and Tapu Lele. Choice Specs Necrozma is also a good option, since it beats Donphan, Golem, some Fire-type Pokemon like Mega Charizard X, and Fighting-type Pokemon like Mega Blaziken and Mega Lopunny, while Kartana can help Necrozma with Mega Gyarados, Mega Charizard Y, Tapu Lele, and Mega Gardevoir. Pokemon like Dragonite have trouble against physical threats that Kartana deals with.

Moves Iron Defense is used to boost Kartana’s already-high Defense stat, which makes it easier for it to tank strong physical attacks like Landorus-T's Tectonic Rage. Synthesis helps in recovering the damage incurred while setting up Iron Defense and can be used to set up on Mega Metagross, Zygarde-C, and Landorus-T. Leaf Blade lets Kartana KO Water-, Ground-, and Rock-types like Mega Gyarados, Primarina, Tapu Fini, and Mega Tyranitar, and its high critical hit ratio helps in checking physical setup Pokemon like Coil Zygarde. Swords Dance lets Kartana set up on Zygarde and Mega Metagross after setting up Iron Defense. Substitute prevents Donphan and Golem from using Counter. Set Details The 176 HP EVs along with 24 Defense EVs ensure that Kartana can always use Synthesis after Iron Defense against Mega Metagross without having to worry about Hammer Arm and Bullet Punch, as Kartana will outspeed Adamant sets and tank Jolly variants' attacks. Kartana runs maximum Speed in order to outspeed and OHKO threats such as Terrakion, Keldeo, and non-Choice Scarf Blacephalon. The remaining EVs are given to Attack to increase Kartana's overall offensive presence. Grassium Z turns Leaf Blade into a powerful STAB-boosted Bloom Doom, which can even KO neutral physically bulky Pokemon like Mega Sableye and Landorus-T when boosted. Usage Tips Against most physical attackers like Mega Metagross, Zygarde-C, and Landorus-T, start off by using Iron Defense and healing the damage taken with Synthesis. After fully setting up with Iron Defense, start using either Swords Dance or Substitute. Finish off by using Bloom Doom followed by Leaf Blade if the foe is still standing. Avoid sending in Kartana on faster special attackers like Choice Scarf Porygon-Z, Naganadel, and Blacephalon. Team Options Offensive Rock-type Pokemon like Mega Tyranitar and Choice Band Archeops are the best partners for Kartana, taking care of Mega Charizard X, Mega Charizard Y, Dragonite, and Heatran, and luring Mega Gyarados, Landorus-T, Zygarde-C, and Mega Metagross for Kartana to finish. Fighting-type Pokemon like Mega Lopunny, Sawk, Mega Heracross, and Mega Blaziken counter Kartana; Pokemon like Tapu Fini and Primarina with appropriate Defense investment have an advantage over these Pokemon and hence make for good partners. Since Kartana has poor Special Defense, some specially bulky Pokemon like Chansey and Nihilego can be used as teammates. Both of these Pokemon appreciate Kartana's physical bulk.

Moves Leaf Blade is Kartana's most powerful STAB attack and its strongest attack in general, not counting Giga Impact. It is used to threaten a number of Water-, Rock-, and Ground-type Pokemon. Smart Strike heavily threatens Tapu Lele, Tapu Bulu, Alolan Ninetales, Nihilego, and Mimikyu and allows it to reliably hit evasive foes such as Minimize Muk and a Smeargle that picked up an evasion boost from Moody. Sacred Sword can threaten Steel- and Normal-type Pokemon such as opposing Kartana, Magnezone, Porygon2, Porygon-Z, Drampa, and Snorlax. It is especially useful against Snorlax, as it slices through Snorlax's attempts to boost its Defense via Curse. Night Slash is mostly filler, but it hits Alolan Marowak and Metagross super effectively. These Pokemon can otherwise tank Kartana's attacks with relative ease. Set Details Maximum Speed allows Kartana to outrun Garchomp and Nihilego while Speed tying with opposing Alolan Ninetales and Kartana. 92 HP allows it to survive Garchomp's Fire Fang and Tectonic Rage. The rest are thrown into Special Defense to maximize the function of this set. For example, Tapu Fini will not 2HKO Kartana with Choice Specs-boosted Moonblast. Maximum Special Defense enables Kartana to avoid being 2HKOed by Tapu Koko's Life Orb-boosted Thunderbolt in Electric Terrain 91% of the time. It also enables Kartana to survive two Blizzards from Alolan Ninetales plus two rounds of hail damage. The investment can be lowered, however, should you wish for more physical bulk. The minimum benchmark to look for is surviving Golduck's Hydro Vortex in rain. No Attack investment is used because, due to its high base Attack, Kartana is really not getting much mileage out of it anyway. This set needs bulk. However, 52 Attack EVs can be used to guarantee a 2HKO on uninvested Garchomp with Leaf Blade. Usage Tips The purpose of Assault Vest Kartana is to make great use of its incredible defensive typing and switch into Pokemon such as Tapu Fini, Nihilego, Milotic, and Gastrodon without taking too much damage or getting horribly chunked by a weak special attack. Thus, Assault Vest Kartana finds its home in more balanced or defensively styled teams, as it can now make good use of its resistances. Be extra careful of Fire attacks, as Kartana doesn't have Protect or Focus Sash to scout for it, so switch out if your opponent's Pokemon could reasonably be carrying one. Once your opponent deduces that you are running Assault Vest Kartana, they may begin to double-target your Kartana slot to checkmate either the Kartana or its replacement. Make use of Kartana's increased bulk to pivot and bait your opponent into trying to trap you into the aforementioned awkward position. Remember that, even with all this Special Defense investment, Kartana's special bulk is still unimpressive, so avoid taking powerful neutral special attacks whenever possible. Team Options Water-type Pokemon such as Tapu Fini, Pelipper, Politoed, Gyarados, and Milotic are strong options to support Kartana, as they can take down Fire-type Pokemon. The Pokemon mentioned here all provide additional utility. Tapu Fini's Misty Terrain blocks status, allowing Kartana to switch into Scald repeatedly without the fear of getting burned. Pelipper and Politoed provide rain support to further dissuade the use of Fire-type Pokemon, and the combination of rain and Assault Vest actually allows Kartana to survive Fire attacks. Gyarados provides the generally useful Intimidate support, while Milotic deters the use of opposing Intimidate. Tapu Fini, Gyarados, and Pelipper also all resist Fighting, covering Kartana's only other weakness. Rock-types such as Nihilego and Gigalith also provide additional coverage against Fire-type Pokemon, while Kartana takes care of Water- and Ground-type Pokemon for them. Fire-type Pokemon such as Arcanine and Alolan Marowak appreciate Kartana's ability to remove Water-type Pokemon and support Kartana by checking Celesteela and providing another switch-in to predicted Fire-type attacks.

Moves Leaf Blade is Kartana's most powerful STAB attack and its strongest attack in general. It is used to threaten a number of Water-, Rock-, and Ground-type Pokemon Smart Strike heavily threatens Tapu Lele, Tapu Bulu, Alolan Ninetales, Nihilego, and Mimikyu and allows Kartana to target evasive foes such as Minimize Muk and a Smeargle that picked up an evasion boost from Moody. Sacred Sword can threaten Steel- and Normal-type Pokemon such as opposing Kartana, Magnezone, Porygon2, Porygon-Z, Drampa, and Snorlax. It is especially useful against Snorlax, as it slices through Snorlax's attempts to boost its Defense via Curse. Kartana is often a high-priority threat, and Detect enables it to save itself from double targets. It also allows Kartana to scout for Fire attacks such as Flamethrower from Celesteela and Fire Fang from Garchomp. Detect is chosen over Protect to minimize the risk of getting affected by Imprison. Set Details Maximum Speed allows Kartana to outrun Garchomp and Nihilego while Speed tying with opposing Alolan Ninetales and Kartana. Maximum Attack is used to maximize power. However, with such a high base Attack already, it is not a bad idea to cut off some Attack and invest in Special Defense instead. This reduces Kartana's reliance on Focus Sash and makes better use of its amazing defensive typing. Focus Sash protects Kartana from a single powerful special attack or Fire- or Fighting-type moves. Usage Tips Kartana is best used as a late-game sweeper, when its foes are low on health and are easy pickings for Beast Boost activation. This also allows it to better avoid Intimidates, which are often more prevalent in the early-game, and gives you greater control of its Focus Sash. However, its incredible Speed, offensive pressure, and life insurance from Focus Sash also makes it a viable lead, especially if the opponent lacks a Pokemon with Intimidate. Try to eliminate Fire-types or put Kartana in a position where Fire-type Pokemon are hesitant to stay in. Pairing it with a Water-type or Rock-type Pokemon helps with this. Kartana can usually threaten the Pokemon that threaten its Water- and Rock-type partner. It is not difficult to position Kartana in such a way that it can threaten a foe while the other doesn't threaten it a whole lot. This is a prime opportunity to make a read and catch a switch-in with the appropriate coverage move or switch Kartana back out in anticipation of that switch to maintain momentum. Team Options Kartana can fit into teams very easily and is not difficult to support. Water-type Pokemon such as Tapu Fini, Pelipper, Politoed, Gyarados, and Milotic are strong options to support Kartana, as they can take down Fire-type Pokemon. The Pokemon mentioned here all provide additional utility. Tapu Fini's Misty Terrain blocks status, allowing Kartana to switch into a Scald and not fear getting burned if it has to. Pelipper and Politoed provide rain support to further dissuade the use of Fire-type Pokemon. Keep in mind, however, that Pelipper also commonly holds Focus Sash, creating a conflict with this Kartana set due to Item Clause. Gyarados provides the generally useful Intimidate support, while Milotic deters the use of opposing Intimidate. Tapu Fini, Gyarados, and Pelipper also all resist Fighting, covering Kartana's only other weakness. In return, Kartana can remove the especially troublesome Gastrodon for many of these Water-type Pokemon with Leaf Blade. Rock-types such as Nihilego and Gigalith also provide additional coverage against Fire-type Pokemon, while Kartana takes care of Water- and Ground-type Pokemon for them. Fire-type Pokemon such as Arcanine and Alolan Marowak appreciate Kartana's ability to remove Water-type Pokemon and support Kartana by checking Celesteela and providing another switch-in to predicted Fire-type attacks.

Leaf Blade is your primary STAB move to cut down bulky Water-types like Tapu Fini and Milotic, as well as about anything that doesn't resist it. With Grassium Z, Bloom Doom takes quick KOs on Pokemon like Landorus-T and ensures OHKOs on Pokemon like Tapu Fini, which can survive Leaf Blade at -1 Attack. Sacred Sword lets Kartana hit Normal-types and Steel-types for more damage than Leaf Blade, and All-Out Pummeling with Fightinium Z lets it break through some of the bulkiest Pokemon in the format like Snorlax, Porygon2, Incineroar, and Heatran, which can all withstand several Sacred Swords. Substitute allows Kartana to preserve itself and take hits it would never realistically survive. Substitute also has the added benefit of blocking Intimidate. Swords Dance similarly lets Kartana counteract Intimidate and snowball through teams unmatched. Tailwind lets Kartana and its team outrun fast Pokemon like Tapu Koko, Choice Scarf Landorus-T, and Ludicolo under rain, as well as allowing it to nuke those threats with a powerful Z-Move before they get the chance to move. All three of these third-moveslot moves allow Kartana to capitalize on positions where its offensive pressure forces the opponent to play safely. Detect shields Kartana from any unfavorable attacks that might OHKO it; however, the given EV spread lets Kartana survive some of the format’s strongest special attacks like Tapu Lele Psychic and Life Orb Tapu Koko Thunderbolt. It can also withstand Gigavolt Havoc from Tapu Koko with Electric Terrain removed. Z-Move Kartana prefers partners that it can clear paths for, or that help it set up. Incineroar and Tapu Fini provide valuable Fake Out for setup and bulky switch-ins for the frail Kartana. Electric-types like Tapu Koko and Zapdos also make good partners, as they can use strong Electric-type attacks to help put Pokemon like Incineroar and Tapu Fini in range for Kartana to pick off, as well as helping defeat Mega Charizard Y. Mega Gengar is a superb partner, as Shadow Tag lets Kartana easily pick off trapped foes, and it can assist Kartana with strong special attacks, high Speed, and support moves like Icy Wind. Mega Kangaskhan lets Kartana set up with Fake Out, and the two can push through teams together with powerful physical attacks.

Leaf Blade is Kartana's primary STAB move, as it hits several Pokemon like Tapu Fini and Politoed for super effective damage and does considerable damage to neutral targets like Tapu Koko and Tapu Lele. Sacred Sword hits Pokemon like Porygon2, Mega Kangaskhan, and Snorlax for massive damage while also ignoring Defense and evasion stat changes. Combined with Focus Sash, Kartana can usually push out a Tailwind early-game to gain the Speed advantage for the party, or as a last ditch effort while it hangs on with 1 HP. Swords Dance is an alternative to Tailwind that lets Kartana become an unstoppable offensive threat if left unattended for too long. Detect helps preserve Kartana or bait foes when it's barely hanging on, and it bypasses Imprison users running Protect. Focus Sash lets Kartana focus all of its EVs in Attack and Speed. Focus Sash Kartana pairs up well with Mega Charizard Y. Kartana’s coverage allows it to cut down Pokemon like Tyranitar and Politoed, which pose a threat to Mega Charizard Y as well as the sun it brings. Tailwind also allows for the two to outrun foes like Tapu Koko and Choice Scarf Landorus-T to sweep with powerful physical and special attacks. Kartana also pairs well with Tapu Fini and Incineroar, as these two are strong switch-ins to make up for its weaknesses, as well as providing it Fake Out and Misty Terrain. Tapu Lele's Psychic Terrain protects Kartana from priority moves like Fake Out and Sucker Punch breaking its Focus Sash prematurely, making it a strong partner as well.

Leaf Blade is Kartana's main attack, as it is powerful and reliable. Sacred Sword lets Kartana hit Steel-types like Stakataka and Bisharp, as well as bulkier targets like Incineroar. Tailwind lets Kartana boost its Speed considerably, as this set is only built to outrun 252 Speed Landorus-T. Substitute gives Kartana a strong option to preserve itself and more chances to activate its Aguav Berry, since its HP is divisible by four. Detect lets Kartana also preserves it, as well as helping it take most Z-Moves, which other sets cannot shrug off as easily even with a quarter of the initial power. The given bulky EV spread helps Kartana pave through foes at a slower pace. While slowing it, the Adamant nature lets it keep up with 252 Attack Kartana, and bulk investment lets it survive what no other Kartana can, like Mega Gengar Shadow Ball and Tapu Koko Gigavolt Havoc in Electric Terrain. Aguav Berry's longevity complements this the slow pace of this set perfectly to boot. Due to this Kartana's lacking Speed investment, it often prefers to be paired with speedy Pokemon. Mega Gengar and Choice Scarf Landorus-T make fast, strong partners that help Kartana with their abilities as well, allowing it to survive longer and push out more attacks. Tapu Koko and Nihilego are fast and also can pressure threats like Mega Charizard Y and Zapdos that outspeed Kartana with Z-Move OHKOs.

Moves Leaf Blade and Sacred Sword are staples on Kartana because the coverage provided by these two moves is the best Kartana can achieve with just two attacks, making them worth using on any Kartana set. Tailwind is typically the reason a bulkier Kartana set is chosen, as it turns Kartana from a one-dimensional powerhouse into a slightly more defensive utility Pokemon. However, if the team around Kartana is built such that Tailwind is unnecessary, Substitute can still be used to protect Kartana from damage and possibly buy free turns, though it should be noted that bulky Kartana sets take less advantage of Substitutes due to their less offensive nature. Protect is used in order to keep Kartana safe from strong attacks and preferred over Detect due to its higher PP. Set Details The gratuitous investment in bulk allows Kartana to survive a surprising number of attacks that would otherwise knock it out, such as Psycho Boost outside of Psychic Terrain from Naive Deoxys-A and Hammer Arm from Mega Metagross. If using Substitute, the investment in HP also ensures that Kartana's pinch Berry will activate after three uses of the move. Investing 144 EVs in Speed with a Jolly nature allows Kartana to outspeed all variants of Kyurem-B. The remaining EVs are placed in Attack to retain some of the damage output for which Kartana is so well known. A pinch Berry is the item of choice and provides Kartana with a means of healing itself. Realistically, any of the Berries not named Wiki could be used, but Mago is typically chosen due to its ability to confuse Araquanid and Trick Room Hoopa-U if they steal Kartana's Berry. Usage Tips Unlike its offensive counterpart, bulky Kartana is capable of switching into some specific Pokemon, such as Tapu Fini or Mega Metagross, and absorbing their attacks well. It can typically set Tailwind for its team and then threaten some solid damage output with either of its attacks. This set is much more forgiving when used as a switch-in thanks to its increased defenses and employment of a pinch Berry. Finding ways to activate its Berry when its health is low, such as switching out and back in if Stealth Rock is up or baiting a weak attack, can pay dividends by allowing Kartana more turns on the field. However, it is important to remain vigilant and not be careless. Bulky Kartana is still a Kartana, complete with the same set of weaknesses and pitfalls. Team Options The more defensive nature of this set allows Kartana to play a more defensive role in the Fire / Water / Grass core it forms with Tapu Fini and Incineroar. Bulky Kartana can more freely be used as a pivot to absorb Water-, Electric-, and Grass-type attacks aimed at Incineroar, Tapu Fini, or any of its teammates. This set is far more effective on teams that require speed control, as this Kartana is a much more reliable Tailwind setter than its offensive counterpart. Additionally, teams that need their Steel-type or Grass-type to perform a more defensive role will appreciate the bulkier Kartana set. The most beneficial partners for bulky Kartana are those that can take advantage of its Tailwind while threatening opposing Fire-types, such as Zygarde, Life Orb Earth Power Kyurem-B, or offensive Landorus-T.

Moves Leaf Blade is Kartana's best attack, boasting consistently reliable damage output against common Pokemon like Tapu Fini and an increased critical hit chance to boot. Sacred Sword combines with Leaf Blade for sufficiently wide-ranging coverage and provides Kartana with a way to hit Steel-types and a common would-be counter, Incineroar, for significant damage. Substitute is great at taking advantage of the switches and Protects that Kartana tends to force with its monstrous offensive presence and can buy Kartana an extra turn if executed correctly. Substitute also comes with the bonus of blocking detrimental Intimidates that would otherwise lower Kartana's damage output. Tailwind can be used over Substitute if an element of team support is desired, but offensive sets tend to prefer the safety net of Substitute, especially on teams with another Tailwind setter. Protect is preferred over Detect due to its higher PP, but Detect can be used in its stead if Fightinium Z is chosen to provide Kartana with a last-ditch evasion boost via Z-Detect. Set Details A Jolly nature and 192 EVs in Speed allow Kartana to outspeed all Landorus and anything slower. 252 Attack EVs are used to maximize damage output and also happen to be the exact investment required to OHKO the standard 252 HP / 44 Def Landorus-T with Bloom Doom. The remaining EVs are simply funneled into Kartana's weakest stat—Special Defense. Grassium Z is the best option for Kartana overall, as Bloom Doom is able to OHKO a large number of targets, including Tapu Koko, Araquanid, and the aforementioned bulky Landorus-T at neutral, as well as Tapu Fini at -1 Attack. However, Fightinium Z can be useful if Kartana needs the capability to knock out certain targets while sacrificing wider applicability of its Z-Move. All-Out Pummeling will always OHKO opposing Kartana, Incineroar, and offensive Kyurem-B at neutral, and even has a chance to OHKO standard Incineroar at -1 and Assault Vest Kyurem-B at neutral. This set can also run more bulk if the team calls for it, as Kartana can be successful with a variety of spreads and has many reasonable benchmarks within reach. However, Fightinium sets should avoid using less than 160 EVs in Attack, as they then lose the ability to always KO standard Incineroar with -1 Leaf Blade into -1 All-Out Pummeling. Usage Tips Kartana is best used to blow a hole in an opposing team with its Z-Move or clean up later in a game with its snowball-inducing Beast Boost. Making aggressive use of Substitute can result in Kartana finding itself with a free turn or two, which increases its capability to run away with a game. At the risk of sounding too obvious, Fire-type attacks should be avoided at all costs or else Kartana might find itself quickly incinerated. Even resisted yet strong special attacks like Tapu Lele's Psychic should be avoided; do not overestimate the value of a resistance on a Pokemon as frail as Kartana. Offensive Kartana is best treated as a Pokemon that appreciates free switches and not as a Pokemon that can switch in to take a hit and then attack; its poor defenses with little investment and no means of healing mean that Kartana can't comfortably take many attacks and still find itself in a position to sweep. If Tailwind is chosen over Substitute, it is important to note that this Kartana set cannot function like other Tailwind setters. It still must be treated as an offensive Pokemon that happens to have the option to support itself and its teammates if the opportunity presents itself. Team Options As previously mentioned, any Kartana set pairs well with Incineroar and Tapu Fini—the former for its ability to buy Kartana free turns with Fake Out and protect it with Intimidate, and the latter for its ability to keep Kartana healthy with Heal Pulse and ensure it attacks first with Icy Wind. Additionally, Tapu Fini is one of the best checks to the Fire-types that heavily threaten Kartana, while Kartana and Incineroar can check Grass-types that threaten Tapu Fini. Additional checks to Fire-types such as Zygarde are also appreciated, especially since Zygarde thrives with a partner like Bloom Doom Kartana that can threaten Tapu Fini. If not running Tailwind itself, Kartana appreciates teammates that provide speed control, such as Mega Charizard Y or Zapdos, so it does not have to rely on surviving an attack to dish out big damage. Speaking of Zapdos, Kartana quite desperately needs teammates that can take care of Zapdos, which resists any attack Kartana throws its way while threatening to match its Tailwind, paralyze it with Static, or OHKO it with Heat Wave. Such teammates include Kyurem-B or Tyranitar, both of which threaten Zapdos with their powerful STAB attacks.

Moves Leaf Blade is Kartana's main STAB move and 2HKOes Golisopod, offensive Primal Groudon, and Lucarionite Zygarde after Mega Evolving. Sacred Sword is Kartana's best coverage move, most notably 2HKOing Sablenite Blissey after Stealth Rock as well as OHKOing it after a Swords Dance, hitting every Steel-type for at least neutral damage, and providing otherwise decent neutral coverage. Return is preferred over Smart Strike because it provides decent neutral coverage as well, and it allows Kartana to deal with Pokemon that it otherwise can't, such as Volcarona, Zapdos, Entei, and Victini. Smart Strike can be used over Return, though, because it's Kartana's strongest Steel-type STAB move and has a chance to OHKO Altarianite Zygarde without any prior chip damage while also guaranteeing an OHKO after Stealth Rock. Swords Dance allows Kartana to boost its Attack to monstrous levels in order to change some key 2HKOs into OHKOs such as against defensive Primal Groudon to prevent it from being forced out. Set Details Maximum Attack EVs and access to Tough Claws after Mega Evolving let Kartana hit as hard as possible, notably OHKOing Weavile and Altarianite Zygarde, and Metagrossite, maximum Speed EVs, and a Jolly nature allow Kartana to become stronger, faster, and bulkier in order to outspeed and beat them. Beast Boost is Kartana's only ability prior to Mega Evolving, but it can be useful for a free boost before Mega Evolving against weakened foes. Usage Tips Before Mega Evolving Kartana, try to use it as a revenge killer against slower foes in order for it to utilize Beast Boost for free Attack boosts. Use Kartana as a fast revenge killer against offensive teams after Mega Evolving to take care of weakened Altarianite Zygarde and Lucarionite Terrakion. Unless Kartana has already set up, avoid leaving it in against healthy Fire-types like Primal Groudon, Entei, Victini, and Red Orb Shaymin-S due to its 4x weakness to Fire-type moves, and be wary about leaving Kartana in against bulky special attackers like Magearna and Lunala. Try to set up Swords Dance after opposing faster or bulkier special attackers like Magearna and Diancite Shaymin-S have been weakened or removed to decrease Kartana's risk of being forced out. Use more passive Pokemon like Venusaurite Gliscor as setup fodder for Swords Dance to enable Kartana to deal with physically bulky Pokemon like defensive Primal Groudon more easily. Kartana is still easily KOed despite its nice Defense, so try to use Swords Dance on predicted switches or against more passive Pokemon like Toxapex and the previously mentioned Gliscor. Team Options Stealth Rock setters like Shuckle, Primal Groudon, and Landorus-T are appreciated because Kartana enjoys having as much chip damage dealt to the opposing team as possible to make its job easier. Shuckle is also greatly appreciated due to its ability to set up Sticky Web because Kartana appreciates being able to outspeed foes like Diancite Terrakion. Kartana's special bulk is abysmal, so specially bulky Pokemon like Ho-Oh and Magearna make for good teammates; Ho-Oh is especially useful because it has great type synergy with Kartana, covering Kartana's weakness to Fire-type moves from defensive Primal Groudon while Kartana covers Ho-Oh's weakness to Rock-type moves and physical Water-type moves. Kartana is extremely weak to Fire-type moves; this can be mitigated by having Blue Orb users like Golisopod, Magearna, and Primal Kyogre as teammates. Golisopod is also helpful because it offers utility in the form of Spikes. While not as common, Kartana has issues with Fighting-types like Diancite Terrakion and Keldeo when Sticky Web isn't up, so Altarianite users like Zygarde and Entei are good teammates. Even though Kartana doesn't take much damage from Stealth Rock and is immune to Toxic Spikes, it still loses a significant amount of health from Spikes and can have its effectiveness hindered by a potential Sticky Web being set up on its side of the field, so hazard control from Defoggers like Gliscor, Zapdos, and various Arceus formes is helpful. Venusaurite Gliscor and Zapdos are also useful because they have Thick Fat after Mega Evolving to help Kartana deal with Fire-types, and their type combinations and bulk allow them to deal with Fighting-types as well. Slow pivots like Gliscor, Sablenite Zapdos, and Sablenite Mandibuzz are also helpful to get Kartana in safely to force out more Pokemon for free setup opportunities, and they can use Toxic + Roost to help weaken and stall foes that Kartana struggles with.

Moves Sunsteel Strike 2HKOes defensive Pokemon such as Giratina and Zygarde-C and OHKOes many other Pokemon such as Mega Tyranitar, Mega Audino, and Fur Coat Chansey after Stealth Rock. It bypasses Fur Coat on Giratina and Zygarde-C and Sturdy, allowing Kartana to use it more liberally against teams built around Shedinja. Power Whip is the Grass-type STAB move of choice to hit Water-types that may attempt to switch into Kartana, OHKOing Primal Kyogre and Mega Gyarados and OHKOing Mega Slowbro after Stealth Rock. In addition, Power Whip 2HKOes Primal Groudon, which would otherwise comfortably switch into Kartana. Bolt Strike can be run over Power Whip, as, while it requires Stealth Rock support and prior damage to OHKO Mega Slowbro, it has the benefit of OHKOing Celesteela, which can especially be useful against Flash Fire variants. Thousand Arrows can be run to cover every Steel-type Pokemon in the tier besides Ferrothorn, which gets worn down anyway. However, it is weak and won't do much damage to neutral targets. V-create is used to OHKO Steel-types such as Registeel, Aegislash, and Magearna. It also has the benefit of OHKOing any Imposter Pokemon that attempts to switch into Kartana, but it can force Kartana out due to the stat drops. Close Combat can be run to 2HKO Flash Fire Steel-types such as Registeel and Ferrothorn, but it does not 2HKO Imposter Chansey switch-ins and cannot hit Aegislash. Precipice Blades can be used to OHKO Aegislash after minimal prior damage but does not 2HKO Ferrothorn or Imposter Chansey switch-ins and cannot hit Celesteela. Bullet Punch can be used to OHKO Mega Diancie and pick off weakened offensive foes that may attempt to stay in and KO Kartana, such as Mega Gengar and Mega Mewtwo Y. Trick can be used to ease prediction while potentially crippling a defensive Pokemon or a specially oriented Pokemon. However, Kartana loses an incredible amount of power if it loses Choice Band, failing to 2HKO Giratina and Zygarde-C. U-turn can be used to pivot on switches Kartana may force, such as against Mega Audino, Xerneas, and Mega Gyarados. However, Kartana will generally 2HKO the switch-in with Sunsteel Strike or the correct coverage move anyway, so U-turn is not often needed. Set Details Steelworker boosts Kartana's Sunsteel Strike and Bullet Punch to incredible power levels, allowing Kartana to 2HKO Zygarde-C and Giratina with the former while also helping Kartana pick off weakened offensive Pokemon more easily. Choice Band allows Kartana to 2HKO Zygarde-C and Giratina in conjunction with Steelworker as well as OHKO Mega Slowbro after Stealth Rock, OHKO Celesteela with Bolt Strike and OHKO Imposter Pokemon that may want to switch into it with V-create. An Adamant nature is used to ensure a 2HKO on Zygarde-C while improving Kartana's ability to wallbreak. The Speed boost from a Jolly nature is not required, as it is only useful for beating Mega Kangaskhan, a threat Kartana can take on regardless. Usage Tips Use slow pivoting to bring Kartana in on targets it can force out such as Kyurem-B, Shedinja, and Xerneas. Don't use Sunsteel Strike liberally unless it is safe to do so, as it only has 8 PP and is vulnerable to being PP stalled out. Be sure to scout for Prankster Pokemon such as Registeel, Giratina, and Zygarde-C. Physically bulky and Steel-resistant Prankster Pokemon can PP stall Kartana's Sunsteel Strike if they come on it, meaning you may need to predict their switch correctly to get the most out of Kartana. Alternatively, make sure you deal with any Prankster Pokemon beforehand so Kartana can freely wallbreak. Keep in mind Kartana is not made to take on offensive Pokemon, so staying in on one is unwise, especially if it's specially offensive, as Kartana's Special Defense is poor. Make sure to scout for status moves, as Kartana needs both its decent Speed stat and its colossal Attack stat to function well and being burned or paralyzed can give it difficulty. Being burned in particular can make Kartana useless as a wallbreaker, as it no longer attains many of the OHKOs and 2HKOs it wishes to get. Use Trick when you would like to lock a defensive Pokemon into a move or when you wish to be able to switch moves. Team Options Mega Mewtwo Y appreciates Kartana's ability to break down the opponent's defensive Pokemon. In return, with its Sheer Force sets, Mega Mewtwo Y has a good matchup against many of the offensive Pokemon in the tier that may threaten Kartana. A solid defensive core with checks to fast Pokemon such as Mega Gengar, Mega Diancie, and Mega Mewtwo X can be very useful, as Kartana is forced out by them. Flash Fire Steel-types, such as Celesteela and Registeel, can help wall Mega Diancie while also being able to Imposter-proof Kartana and provide slow pivoting. Bulky Psychic-types such as Mega Slowbro and Cresselia can also help check Mega Mewtwo X for Kartana. Poison Heal Pokemon, such as Regigigas, Primal Kyogre, and Xerneas are appreciated due to their ability to scout status moves such as Will-O-Wisp and Glare. They are also able to switch in on Knock Off, which is very beneficial, as Kartana requires Choice Band to be a threatening wallbreaker. In addition, they can force switches and put opposing Pokemon to sleep, granting Kartana more opportunities to come in. In return, Kartana can break walls down for them, which helps them sweep. Imposter Chansey is appreciated due to its ability to scout for Fur Coat on Pokemon that resist Sunsteel Strike, such as Mega Slowbro. This can help determine if Kartana can use a coverage move or if it needs to use Sunsteel Strike. Imposter Chansey can also scout for Flash Fire Steel-types if Kartana opts to run V-create, as well as for common utility moves that Kartana may dislike having to take such as Knock Off, Will-O-Wisp, and Glare, and it has a good matchup against the faster Pokemon that threaten Kartana. Choice Scarf Imposter Chansey in particular can reliably beat many offensive threats, even after setup. In return, Kartana can weaken opposing Pokemon meant to Imposter-proof another threat on the team, which can help facilitate an Imposter sweep. If Kartana opts to run Trick, putting a Z-Move on the Pokemon meant to Imposter-proof Kartana is a good idea, protecting them against opposing Trick. Bulky Water-type Pokemon such as Primal Kyogre, Mega Slowbro, and Mega Gyarados can be used in order to switch into Fire-type Pokemon such as Mega Blaziken.

Moves Belly Drum is used to maximize Kartana's Attack while also putting it in range of Sitrus Berry, activating Unburden. Sunsteel Strike is Kartana's primary STAB move, bypassing Unaware and Fur Coat to help Kartana sweep. After Belly Drum, it OHKOes every Pokemon that does not resist it except for Zygarde-C 50% of the time. Close Combat is used to hit Steel-types, including Flash Fire ones, which Fire-type coverage can't hit. It also has the benefit of OHKOing Kartana's Imposter after a Belly Drum and Stealth Rock, ensuring that Imposter cannot pull off a reverse sweep. However, it misses covering Aegislash, which can potentially stop a sweep. Sacred Fire is used to hit non-Flash Fire Steel-types while still OHKOing Kartana's Imposter. However, Close Combat is generally better, and Sacred Fire should only be used if your team lacks ways of dealing with -ate users, as the defense drops from Close Combat make Kartana more susceptible to their Extreme Speed. Power Whip is used to guarantee an OHKO versus Primal Kyogre, Mega Slowbro, and Mega Gyarados. Bolt Strike can be used over Power Whip to OHKO Celesteela while OHKOing all of the aforementioned targets, especially Flash Fire Aegislash. However, if Kartana needs to attack prior to using Belly Drum, Bolt Strike sacrifices a crucial amount of power. In addition, after a Belly Drum, Close Combat OHKOes Celesteela anyway, so Bolt Strike should only be used when your team lacks Stealth Rock and Kartana is using Sacred Fire. Icicle Crash can be used to guarantee the OHKO on Zygarde-C, but Kartana heavily prefers being able to OHKO Mega Slowbro and OHKOes Zygarde-C with Sunsteel Strike after one layer of Spikes anyway. Horn Leech can be used over Power Whip to grant some sustainability as well as more reliable accuracy, but Power Whip's power is more useful so Kartana can break down more Pokemon before Belly Drum. Set Details Unburden allows Kartana to defeat Imposter Pokemon that attempt to transform into it, as it outspeeds even Choice Scarf variants after Unburden activates. Unburden also gives Kartana a better matchup against offensive Pokemon by making it more difficult to revenge kill. Sitrus Berry is the best item for Kartana on a Belly Drum set, as it activates after a Belly Drum and thus activates Unburden. An Adamant nature is used in order to help Kartana's offensive power, as Kartana outspeeds the entire unboosted metagame after Unburden activates regardless of nature. If Kartana elects to run Close Combat, running 124 Defense EVs is an option so that it doesn't need Stealth Rock to OHKO Imposter Chansey. Usage Tips Look for Prankster Pokemon, such as Registeel, Zygarde-C, and Giratina on the opponent's team and deal with them early on. If a Prankster Pokemon is not taken early on, it may neuter Kartana's ability to sweep. Make sure to deal with Flash Fire Aegislash prior to sweeping if you are not running Bolt Strike, as it can neuter Kartana's ability to sweep. Do your best to get entry hazards up prior to setting up with Kartana, as they help facilitate a sweep due to the extra damage being useful on targets such as Zygarde-C and Celesteela while also breaking Focus Sash. Try to make sure that your opponent's -ate Mega Charizard Y or Kyurem-Black either lack Fake Out or aren't Triage, in Mega Charizard Y's case. These are the only two ways the aforementioned Pokemon can stop a Kartana sweep, so it is important to deal with them beforehand. Try not to set up on slower Pokemon that have Spectral Thief or Core Enforcer. Spectral Thief can steal Kartana's boosts as it tries to set up, and it will be unable to set up again. Core Enforcer can suppress Unburden, allowing Imposter Pokemon to beat Kartana and allowing other offensive Pokemon to beat it. Kartana only has one chance to set up and sweep, so you should not click Belly Drum until you are sure that Kartana can secure a sweep. Bluffing Kartana's Choice Band set by coming in on Mega Sableye can grant Kartana a setup opportunity. Team Options Wallbreakers such as Mega Diancie and Mega Mewtwo X can eliminate Prankster Pokemon for Kartana and wear down potential defensive checks. Mega Diancie can also function as entry hazard support for Kartana, helping facilitate its sweep. Other Pokemon that provide entry hazard support include Zygarde-C, Ferrothorn, and Yveltal. Imposter can be useful to scout for Prankster Pokemon as well as Flash Fire Pokemon if Kartana has Sacred Fire. A backup Pokemon that Imposter-proofs Kartana after it is set up can be useful, in case Unburden is somehow removed or suppressed. Prankster Pokemon such as Giratina, Zygarde-C, and Aegislash will generally do the job. Pokemon that check -ate users such as Flash Fire Steel-types can be useful in order to cripple -ate users or slowly defeat them. Triage Mega Charizard Y can be used to pressure and defeat opposing Prankster Pokemon, helping Kartana sweep.

Leaf Blade is the Grass-type STAB option of choice, hitting bulky Water-type Pokemon such as Tapu Fini and Suicune, and common Ground-types such as Mamoswine and Hippowdon. Sacred Sword hits Steel-types such as Ferrothorn, Stakataka, and Magnezone for super effective damage while also hitting Hydreigon and opposing Kartana. Smart Strike is Kartana's strongest Steel-type STAB move, able to OHKO Tapu Lele and Tapu Bulu whilst also hitting common Minimize users such as Clefable, Chansey, and Alolan Muk. Knock Off hits Aegislash, which would otherwise wall Kartana, while also hitting Psychic-types such as Cresselia and removing important items such as Porygon2's Eviolite. Psycho Cut allows Kartana to hit Blaziken, Naganadel, Mega Venusaur, and Mega Gengar harder than any of its other options. Guillotine can be used as a fourth move to have a 30% shot of OHKOing a threat, but it's a very high-risk move that should usually only be used in emergencies. A Jolly nature is needed to both maximize the use of Choice Scarf and also outspeed other Choice Scarf users such as Tapu Lele, Garchomp, and Blacephalon. Kartana appreciates bulky partners such as Porygon2 and Tapu Fini to fall back on, as Kartana can be easily walled depending on what move it is locked into. A Fire-resistant or -immune Pokemon is appreciated, as Kartana sports a 4x Fire-type weakness, which it can't patch up by itself.

Swords Dance allows Kartana to boost its already immense Attack stat to assist in breaking bulkier Pokemon. Leaf Blade is Kartana's strongest Grass-type STAB move, hitting bulky Water-types such as Suicune and Tapu Fini whilst also giving it great damage on Ground-type targets such as Mamoswine, Garchomp, Landorus-T, and Hippowdon. Sacred Sword is used to hit Hydreigon and Porygon2 for more damage as well as Steel-type Pokemon such as Ferrothorn, Stakataka, Magnezone, and opposing Kartana. Smart Strike has great all-around coverage hitting Fairy-, Ice-, and Rock-types and the occasional Minimize Clefable and Alolan Muk. Knock Off provides coverage for Aegislash and hits Psychic-types such as Cresselia harder while removing items. However, in order to OHKO these threats after a boost, Darkinium Z and Night Slash is required instead. Psycho Cut hits Blaziken, Mega Gengar, Mega Venusaur, and Breloom. The given spread with a Jolly nature is ideal for Kartana to perform the role of a fast wallbreaker, outspeeding Garchomp, non-Choice Scarf Tapu Lele, and Hydreigon. Fightinium Z lets Kartana break threats such as Celesteela when at +2 while also OHKOing Porygon2. Focus Sash ensures that Kartana can set up Swords Dance especially against dedicated special attackers, as even neutral special moves can threaten to OHKO Kartana. Normalium Z and Giga Impact give Kartana the ability to break both Charizard and Zapdos as well as hitting Blaziken very hard through Protect via Breakneck Blitz. Grassium Z turns Leaf Blade into a 175-Base Power move, letting Kartana temporarily patch up its weak physical movepool and hit much harder. Suffering from a relatively awkward Speed tier, Kartana appreciates a Choice Scarf partner to check faster foes. Kartana's horrible special bulk also highly suggests a bulky partner to take hits. A Fire-resistant Pokemon is also greatly appreciated, as Kartana has a 4x weakness to Fire and is OHKOed even by a physical Fire-type move. Consider Pokemon such as Heatran, Mega Salamence, and Mega Charizard Y.