[overview]
**Draft Order**: Round 4 onwards
**Price Range**: 12-14 points
**Overview**: Kommo-o is an extremely versatile Pokemon and strong attacker that takes advantage of an expansive movepool, usable mixed attacking stats, and various setup moves to sweep teams. With solid utility moves and good bulk, it can also serve as a defensive Pokemon. However, Kommo-o is slow and has a typing that leaves it vulnerable to a lot of common types, so it needs a lot of support to sweep teams.
[strategy comments]
Common Roles
========
**Physical Setup Sweeper**: With great physical coverage and reliable setup moves, Kommo-o can be a physical sweeper that takes advantage of the unpredictability of its set.
**Special Setup Sweeper**: Due to the interaction of Throat Spray + Clangorous Soul, Kommo-o can also be a special sweeper, once again taking advantage of the unpredictability of its set.
**Defensive Utility**: Using Body Press with its great physical bulk, Kommo-o can be a defensive Pokemon that can check numerous wallbreakers while still dishing out good damage.
Common Moves
========
**Primary STAB Moves**: Close Combat, Body Press, Aura Sphere, Focus Blast, Vacuum Wave, Drain Punch, Low Kick, Scale Shot, Outrage, Dragon Claw, Draco Meteor, Clanging Scales
**Setup Moves**: Clangorous Soul, Dragon Dance, Belly Drum, Bulk Up, Iron Defense, Swords Dance
**Utility Moves**: Taunt, Roar, Dragon Tail, Stealth Rock, Substitute
**Coverage**: Boomburst, Earthquake, Fire Punch, Flamethrower, Flash Cannon, Ice Punch, Iron Head, Poison Jab, Rock Slide, Shadow Claw, Throat Chop, Thunder Punch, X-Scissor, Aerial Ace
Niche Moves
========
**Metal Sound**: If using a special Kommo-o set, Metal Sound can be used to activate Throat Spray while forcing the foe out, allowing Kommo-o to get a free attack off.
**Endure**: Endure is useful for both activating pinch Berries and getting additional Rocky Helmet damage.
Common Items
========
**Throat Spray**: Thanks to Clangorous Soul being a sound-based move, using it with Throat Spray allows Kommo-o to increase its Special Attack two stages. Kommo-o can alternatively use Clanging Scales or Boomburst to deal damage while still activating the Throat Spray.
**Leftovers**: Due to Kommo-o not having any reliable ways to recover health, Leftovers is important for keeping it healthy.
**Salac / Sitrus Berry**: Since both Clangorous Soul and Belly Drum cut Kommo-o's health, it is able to activate both Salac and Sitrus Berry by itself consistently. Thanks to Soundproof, it also does not have to worry about moves that get past Substitute for Belly Drum sets.
**Lum Berry**: Lum Berry allows Kommo-o to get around status spreaders, which would normally hinder its ability to set up.
**Rocky Helmet**: On defensive sets, Rocky Helmet is a great alternative if healing from Leftovers is not necessary.
Niche Items
========
**Damage-boosting Items**: Physical Kommo-o appreciates any boost in damage to its attacks it can get, and it certainly has a wide enough array of coverage to take advantage of a Choice Band. Providing more immediate power than Throat Spray would, Choice Specs can alternatively enable Kommo-o to take advantage of its powerful STAB moves on the special side, including Vacuum Wave to revenge kill, especially if your opponent is anticipating a physical Kommo-o.
**Resistance Berries**: Using Kommo-o's natural bulk, a resistance Berry can allow it to more freely set up on Pokemon that may have super effective coverage against it.
**Eject Pack**: With Clanging Scales and Draco Meteor, Kommo-o can use Eject Pack to get a powerful move off while pivoting away.
**Loaded Dice**: On Swords Dance sets especially, Loaded Dice Scale Shot can give Kommo-o a powerful attack that also gives a boost to its meager Speed.
Tera
========
Kommo-o is a pretty good Tera Captain in spite of its steep price. It is a Pokemon that has to be carefully built around as a Tera Captain, but it also allows for another high-value Tera Captain if picked. Most of its value comes from its versatility in set options that all benefit from Tera; for instance, it can use Tera Normal to give STAB to its Boomburst as well as shed its weaknesses, but it can really take advantage of pretty much any Tera type. Tera Steel, Poison, and Fire all turn Kommo-o's 4x weakness to Fairy into a resistance while boosting its strong moves with STAB and giving it immunity to poison or burn. Tera Electric is a generally neutral Tera type that prevents Kommo-o from being paralyzed and boosts Thunder Punch to hit the bulky Water- and Flying-types that may try to check Kommo-o. Finally, Tera Dragon and Fighting are usable options that boost Kommo-o's already-powerful STAB moves.
Draft Strategy
========
Kommo-o needs a lot of support and fits best on offense-oriented teams that enable it as a sweeper. It is slow and does not have a way to recover lost health outside of Rest and Drain Punch, and although it can be either offensive or defensive, it is generally relegated to the role of a late-game sweeper. It often has to be drafted with the knowledge you will not use it until a certain point in the game, so its intended role has to be drafted around craftily to make sure it is successful.
**Speed Control**: Even with a Speed boost, Kommo-o finds itself outsped by a lot of Pokemon. It benefits from being paired with faster teammates such as Iron Moth, Darkrai, and Greninja that can efficiently outrun its checks. Additionally, Sticky Web is usually a gimmick that is easy to work around, but even a cheap setter like Ariados or Cutiefly along with more consistent speed control helps Kommo-o a great deal.
**Defensive Pivot**: Kommo-o desperately needs something that can soak up the common moves it is weak to; slow Steel-types like Scizor and Empoleon can accomplish this while generating momentum with U-turn and Flip Turn, respectively.
**Entry Hazard Control**: Since Kommo-o often needs its foes to be weakened, an entry hazard setter such as Ting-Lu or Hisuian Samurott can accomplish this as the game goes on. On the other hand, Kommo-o can be weakened by opposing entry hazards, especially Toxic Spikes, so it's important to pair it with hazard removers such as Iron Treads and Glimmora.
Checks and Counters
========
**Fairy-types**: Despite having access to both Poison- and Steel-type moves, Kommo-o already struggles with four-move syndrome, and Fairy-types such as Iron Valiant, Enamorus, and Hatterene can deal significant damage to it with even a weak STAB move.
**Mixed Walls**: Even with the unpredictability Kommo-o brings, mixed walls like Toxapex and Scream Tail can tank both physical and special attacks and stop Kommo-o's sweep with their status moves. Wallsto have to be wary of Kommo-o using Taunt, however, and that can work in to its advantage.
**Disruption**: When Kommo-o wants to set up, it is very weak to disruption such as Encore and Haze and phazing moves such as Roar, if not running Soundproof, and Whirlwind. Additionally, foes can utilize Mirror Herb to copy its boosts.
[credits]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/drizzle.313217/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/hacker.387847/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/techno.527276/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/solarbeam.470115/
**Draft Order**: Round 4 onwards
**Price Range**: 12-14 points
**Overview**: Kommo-o is an extremely versatile Pokemon and strong attacker that takes advantage of an expansive movepool, usable mixed attacking stats, and various setup moves to sweep teams. With solid utility moves and good bulk, it can also serve as a defensive Pokemon. However, Kommo-o is slow and has a typing that leaves it vulnerable to a lot of common types, so it needs a lot of support to sweep teams.
[strategy comments]
Common Roles
========
**Physical Setup Sweeper**: With great physical coverage and reliable setup moves, Kommo-o can be a physical sweeper that takes advantage of the unpredictability of its set.
**Special Setup Sweeper**: Due to the interaction of Throat Spray + Clangorous Soul, Kommo-o can also be a special sweeper, once again taking advantage of the unpredictability of its set.
**Defensive Utility**: Using Body Press with its great physical bulk, Kommo-o can be a defensive Pokemon that can check numerous wallbreakers while still dishing out good damage.
Common Moves
========
**Primary STAB Moves**: Close Combat, Body Press, Aura Sphere, Focus Blast, Vacuum Wave, Drain Punch, Low Kick, Scale Shot, Outrage, Dragon Claw, Draco Meteor, Clanging Scales
**Setup Moves**: Clangorous Soul, Dragon Dance, Belly Drum, Bulk Up, Iron Defense, Swords Dance
**Utility Moves**: Taunt, Roar, Dragon Tail, Stealth Rock, Substitute
**Coverage**: Boomburst, Earthquake, Fire Punch, Flamethrower, Flash Cannon, Ice Punch, Iron Head, Poison Jab, Rock Slide, Shadow Claw, Throat Chop, Thunder Punch, X-Scissor, Aerial Ace
Niche Moves
========
**Metal Sound**: If using a special Kommo-o set, Metal Sound can be used to activate Throat Spray while forcing the foe out, allowing Kommo-o to get a free attack off.
**Endure**: Endure is useful for both activating pinch Berries and getting additional Rocky Helmet damage.
Common Items
========
**Throat Spray**: Thanks to Clangorous Soul being a sound-based move, using it with Throat Spray allows Kommo-o to increase its Special Attack two stages. Kommo-o can alternatively use Clanging Scales or Boomburst to deal damage while still activating the Throat Spray.
**Leftovers**: Due to Kommo-o not having any reliable ways to recover health, Leftovers is important for keeping it healthy.
**Salac / Sitrus Berry**: Since both Clangorous Soul and Belly Drum cut Kommo-o's health, it is able to activate both Salac and Sitrus Berry by itself consistently. Thanks to Soundproof, it also does not have to worry about moves that get past Substitute for Belly Drum sets.
**Lum Berry**: Lum Berry allows Kommo-o to get around status spreaders, which would normally hinder its ability to set up.
**Rocky Helmet**: On defensive sets, Rocky Helmet is a great alternative if healing from Leftovers is not necessary.
Niche Items
========
**Damage-boosting Items**: Physical Kommo-o appreciates any boost in damage to its attacks it can get, and it certainly has a wide enough array of coverage to take advantage of a Choice Band. Providing more immediate power than Throat Spray would, Choice Specs can alternatively enable Kommo-o to take advantage of its powerful STAB moves on the special side, including Vacuum Wave to revenge kill, especially if your opponent is anticipating a physical Kommo-o.
**Resistance Berries**: Using Kommo-o's natural bulk, a resistance Berry can allow it to more freely set up on Pokemon that may have super effective coverage against it.
**Eject Pack**: With Clanging Scales and Draco Meteor, Kommo-o can use Eject Pack to get a powerful move off while pivoting away.
**Loaded Dice**: On Swords Dance sets especially, Loaded Dice Scale Shot can give Kommo-o a powerful attack that also gives a boost to its meager Speed.
Tera
========
Kommo-o is a pretty good Tera Captain in spite of its steep price. It is a Pokemon that has to be carefully built around as a Tera Captain, but it also allows for another high-value Tera Captain if picked. Most of its value comes from its versatility in set options that all benefit from Tera; for instance, it can use Tera Normal to give STAB to its Boomburst as well as shed its weaknesses, but it can really take advantage of pretty much any Tera type. Tera Steel, Poison, and Fire all turn Kommo-o's 4x weakness to Fairy into a resistance while boosting its strong moves with STAB and giving it immunity to poison or burn. Tera Electric is a generally neutral Tera type that prevents Kommo-o from being paralyzed and boosts Thunder Punch to hit the bulky Water- and Flying-types that may try to check Kommo-o. Finally, Tera Dragon and Fighting are usable options that boost Kommo-o's already-powerful STAB moves.
Draft Strategy
========
Kommo-o needs a lot of support and fits best on offense-oriented teams that enable it as a sweeper. It is slow and does not have a way to recover lost health outside of Rest and Drain Punch, and although it can be either offensive or defensive, it is generally relegated to the role of a late-game sweeper. It often has to be drafted with the knowledge you will not use it until a certain point in the game, so its intended role has to be drafted around craftily to make sure it is successful.
**Speed Control**: Even with a Speed boost, Kommo-o finds itself outsped by a lot of Pokemon. It benefits from being paired with faster teammates such as Iron Moth, Darkrai, and Greninja that can efficiently outrun its checks. Additionally, Sticky Web is usually a gimmick that is easy to work around, but even a cheap setter like Ariados or Cutiefly along with more consistent speed control helps Kommo-o a great deal.
**Defensive Pivot**: Kommo-o desperately needs something that can soak up the common moves it is weak to; slow Steel-types like Scizor and Empoleon can accomplish this while generating momentum with U-turn and Flip Turn, respectively.
**Entry Hazard Control**: Since Kommo-o often needs its foes to be weakened, an entry hazard setter such as Ting-Lu or Hisuian Samurott can accomplish this as the game goes on. On the other hand, Kommo-o can be weakened by opposing entry hazards, especially Toxic Spikes, so it's important to pair it with hazard removers such as Iron Treads and Glimmora.
Checks and Counters
========
**Fairy-types**: Despite having access to both Poison- and Steel-type moves, Kommo-o already struggles with four-move syndrome, and Fairy-types such as Iron Valiant, Enamorus, and Hatterene can deal significant damage to it with even a weak STAB move.
**Mixed Walls**: Even with the unpredictability Kommo-o brings, mixed walls like Toxapex and Scream Tail can tank both physical and special attacks and stop Kommo-o's sweep with their status moves. Walls
**Disruption**: When Kommo-o wants to set up, it is very weak to disruption such as Encore and Haze and phazing moves such as Roar, if not running Soundproof, and Whirlwind. Additionally, foes can utilize Mirror Herb to copy its boosts.
[credits]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/drizzle.313217/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/hacker.387847/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/techno.527276/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/solarbeam.470115/
Last edited:
