Kommo-o, the Armor Pokémon. It lets its arm hang, and then quick as a flash, swings upward to land its specialty punch and send the opponent flying high into the sky. It bashes its scales to test its opponents' mettle. The sound of struck Kommo-o scales frightens weaker foes and sends them running.
Overview
Kommo-o is an anomaly among Powerhouse Pokémon being a balanced more defensive Dragon, contrasting the speedy powerhouses and bulky juggernauts its contemporaries are well known for. This has caused Kommo-o several issues, with it reliant on setup to deal any significant damage while its speed is unimpressive for what is ostensibly an offensively Pokémon. Dragon Fighting typing does little favors to Kommo-o here, giving it an enormous achilles heel to Fairy types both defensively and offensively, which considering how splashable Tera Fairy is on any Pokémon can easily cause Kommo-o lose otherwise winnable matchups. These two points further exasperates its limited moveslots preventing it from running all the coverage Kommo-o needs alongside the mandatory boosting move to deal actual damage. Insane competition not only from other Dragons like Raging Moon, Gouging Fire, Raging Bolt and Dragapault, but physically defensive Fighting types like Great Tusk and Zamazenta further makes it difficult to justify Kommo-o at all, among its sea of competitors.
Despite these flaws, Kommo-o is still an absurd Pokémon in the best of ways. Kommo-o’s movepool is wide enough to make Mew, a Pokémon that can learn every TM, jealous. Kommo-o has a plethora of boosting options, from traditional Dragon Dance, the all or nothing Belly Drum, the omni-boost of Clangorus Soul, passive setup while on the offensive with Throat Spray and the impenetrable Iron Defense Body Press sets. Kommo-o’s great Defense serves it well in this regard, not only giving survivability for facilitating setup but granting it the fourth strongest Body Press in the game pre Terastalization. Supplementing all these boosting options is a deep physical coverage movepool and just enough special options to be viable. Add in utility options like the speed patching Vacuum Wave, recovery in Drain Punch, and opponents are never truly sure of Kommo-o until they see its entire moveset. While Kommo-o’s jack of all trades status may prevent it from being a super star, its flexibility leaves it an unpredictable threat for those who choose to employ it.
Positives
85/125/105 defenses are above average, enabling Kommo-o to take a hit or several as needed.
Utterly absurd movepool with just about every boosting move under the sun with the stats and coverage to match.
Three good abilities that provide a variety of immunities that further increase setup opportunities.
Negatives
Cripplingly bad matchup against Fairy types defensively and to a lesser extent offensively is a huge gap in Kommo-o’s armor.
Struggles to fit all the coverage its needs along with necessary boosting move.
Offenses are unimpressive before boosting.
Movesets
Xaoliz Showdown
-Dragon Dance
-Close Combat
-Dragon Claw
-Iron Head
Ability: Bulletproof
Item: Life Orb
EVs and Nature:
4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
Dragon Dance Kommo-o, like most of Kommo-o's sets uses its wide range of resistances and good Defense to find a chance to throw up a Dragon Dance to remedy Kommo-O's unimpressive speed and Attack into something far more deadly. Close Combat is recommended as STAB due to its sheer power maiming if not OHKOing targets like Ting-Lu, Kingambit, Heatran, Tera Normal Dragonite, Ursaluna and Gargnacl. Dragon Claw is reliable secondary STAB, hitting the Flying, Bug and Psychic types that resist Kommo-O like Galarian Slowking, Gliscor, as well as threatening many other opposing Dragons like Walking Wake, Raging Bolt, and Roaring Moon. Iron Head smashes the Fairy and Tera Fairy types that resist both moves.
Physical Kommo-o stands out from other Dragon Dance sweepers like Roaring Moon thanks to its access to STAB Close Combat, offering fast Fighting type offense otherwise only seen by Booster Energy Iron Valiant, leveraging the most out of Fighting's superb coverage. Offensive teams also appreciate Kommo-o's bulk, giving them a defensive pivot that still fits into the team's overall game plan.
Tera Types:
Despite the many resistances Dragon Fighting provides Kommo-o, it also provides many weaknesses. Ice, Fairy, Psychic, Dragon and above all, Fairy. As such, for most Kommo-o. Tera types that address opposing Fairies are strongly recommended. Tera Steel is ideal for this set, providing resistance to all Kommo-o's weaknesses as well as buffing Iron Head to ruin them. Tera Steel also combines well with Bulletproof in expanded formats, turning Kommo-o into a counter to any Flutter Mane not running Mystical Fire. Tera Poison is the other prominent anti Fairy Tera, and certainly recommended if running Poison Jab, though the shared Psychic weakness really hurts against certain Fairies like Hatterene. Tera Fire doesn't boost damage of anti-Fairy attacks, but it is valued for the Fairy resistance and immunity to burns. Boosting or bluffing Fire Punch to threaten Gholdengo, a notorious wall for these sets is a nice addition.
EVs and Items:
Standard Attacker EV investment of max Attack and Speed is recommended, to get the most out of Dragon Dance and to offset Kommo-o's less than excellent base Attack and Speed. Jolly is recommended, as without the speed boost you are outsped by important targets like Timid Dragapult, Jolly Zamazenta, post Dragon Dance as well as Jolly Mamoswine, Timid Gholdengo and Adamant Max Speed Great Tusk. Item choice is as flexible as Kommo-o's sets. Life Orb provides a good damage boost at the cost of health, while Leftovers provides Kommo-o great longevity. If running Scale Shot, Loaded Dice is a must to have so Scale Shot is stronger than Dragon Claw. If running Belly Drum, Sitrus Berry is great for recouping lost health while Salac Berry can be used for an all important Speed boost to make Kommo-o nearly unmanageable.
Partners:
Allies that can deal with Fairy types are a must for Kommo-o so it doesn't have to pop its Tera to survive. Iron Crown is notable for this, being an excellent pivot that can get in Kommo-o safely while providing pressure on the setup turn with Future Sight, while any Dark types that try to deal with it often struggle against Kommo-o and its brutal Fighting STAB. Heatran is also notable, able to trap would be checks with Magma Storm, melt Gholdengo and burn would be physical attackers to help facilitate a sweep.
Allies that can answer physical walls, especially Dondozo, Moltres, Skeledirge and Zamazenta are invaluable in enabling Kommo-o. Gholdengo is notable given its Ghost typing threatens Skeledirge, and blanks Zamazenta's Body Press while having Thunder Bolt to threaten Dondozo and Moltres, though it admittedly can't switch into either of the Fire types. Primarina is more apt, given its Water and Fairy typing grant it advantageous matches against Moltres, Skeledirge and Zamazenta, while Dondozo struggles to deal damage and is eviscerated thanks to its low Special Defense. Primarina in turn enjoys Kommo-o smashing Special Walls like Blissey, as well as its positive matchups into Rillaboom, and Wellspring Ogerpon.
Other Options:
Clangorus Soul is a far stronger boosting option, granting Kommo-o an omni-boost, but has anti synergy with Life Orb and isn't as repeatable as Dragon Dance thanks to its health cost.
Scale Shot is a far stronger Dragon STAB that ensures that Kommo-o can't be outsped after use, but requires Loaded Dice to surpass Dragon Claw and combined with Close Combat shreds Kommo-o's good Defense.
Outrage is a far stronger Dragon STAB, but given Kommo-o's weakness to Fairies, it is extremely punishing if a Fairy comes in during the attack.
Drain Punch is far weaker than Close Combat, but provides great healing while still applying pressure, thus working great with both Life Orb and Clangorus Soul.
Poison Jab as anti-Fairy coverage is fantastic against Primarina and Azumarill but does far less against Mimikyu and Flutter Mane.
Fire Punch hits Gholdengo, an otherwise major headache for this set and synergizes well with Tera Fire.
Thunder Punch would need Tera Electric, but is Kommo-o's best Physical option against Dondozo, while still threatening Moltres, as well as staple walls like Skarmory and Corviknight.
Belly Drum is risky to use, but turns Kommo-o into a fearsome wallbreaker, or even sweeper if ran with Salac Berry.
Music Monk
-Clangorus Soul
-Clanging Scales
-Boomburst
-Flamethrower
Ability: Bulletproof
Item: Throat Spray
EVs and Nature:
4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
This is a full special attacking Kommo-o, making the most of its sound-based attacks for a loud offense that few Pokémon can replicate. Throat Spray must be mentioned here, as it triggers off Clangorus Soul, a sound-based attack. This effectively gives Kommo-o Nasty Plot on top of the +1 boost to every other stat, a frightening amount off offense while making Kommo-o slightly harder to revenge KO thanks to its increased bulk. Clanging Scales is another move that can trigger Throat Spray right off the bat, and being a base 110 STAB Dragon attack, its hits much of the game for appreciable damage. Clanging Scales is an after through to Boomburst, with Kommo-o taking notes from Noivern’s book to throw super charged Tera Normal Boombursts at the opposition. Flamethrower provides invaluable coverage against Gholdengo, who otherwise resists Clanging Scales and no sells Boomburst, while still being able to hit Fairy Ghosts like Mimikyu and Flutter Mane.
Tera Types:
Tera Normal is highly recommended for Boomburst Kommo-o. Getting STAB on a Base 140 Power move with no drawback is a level of power few can match. Even resists and specially bulky Pokémon like offensive Heatran and Assault Vest Primarina are solidly 2HKOd by Boomburst after Clangorus Soul + Throat Spray. Tera Normal Boomburst OHKOs so much of the game, and what little it does is often handled by Kommo-o’s STABs. Tera Steel makes for defensive options, invaluable in getting Clangorus Soul setup while preventing Kommo-o from being rolled over by its weaknesses, especially Fairy types. Tera Fire is a best of both worlds, pushing Flamethrower closer to STAB attacks, while providing valuable Fairy and Ice resistances.
EVs and Items:
Max Speed and Special Attack are recommended, with how middling Kommo-o’s offenses are otherwise, it needs every drop it can to get the most out of its boosts. Timid is recommended, as without the speed boost you are outsped by important targets like Timid Dragapult, Jolly Zamazenta, post Dragon Dance as well as Jolly Mamoswine, Timid Gholdengo and Adamant Max Speed Great Tusk. Throat Spray is the sole item recommended, as this set thrives with the free Special Attack boost from the item and is underwhelming without it.
Partners:
Allies that can remove prominent sponges like Specially Defense Heatran, Blissey and Unaware Clodsire are greatly recommended, as they are some of the few stops to this set. Great Tusk clearly stands out at this role with its powerful Fighting and Ground STABs taking quick care of all three targets, opening the way for Kommo-o. Psyshock Iron Valiant can perform similarly, but doesn’t like switching into Heatran.
Anti Fairy support is still greatly appreciated, especially with Ghost Fairies like Flutter Mane and Mimikyu that no sell both Clanging Scales and Boomburst. Scizor is great at this role thanks to potent Bullet Punches making short work of both, and drawing in Fire types that can be setup opportunities for Kommo-o.
Other Options:
Flash Cannon is great for dealing with opposing Fairy and Tera Fairy types and better synergizes with Tera Steel.
Aura Sphere is great coverage option for Specially Defensive Heatran that can otherwise wall the set, though Focus Blast can also be considered to bypass Blissey, though its unreliability is a notorious pain point.
Vaccuum Wave is Kommo-o's lone priority option, but its utility cannot be understated.
Going mixed with Close Combat can really flip the script on traditional special walls like Blissey and Heatran.
Doubles and VGC Options
Kommo-o’s jack of all trades tendencies have left it struggling to make a name for itself in Doubles, and even when they don’t, Kommo-o’s common weakness in conjunction the prominence of the Tapus in Gen 7 and Max Airstream in Gen 8 did a lot to keep it down. Kommo-o’s surge in the ninth generation despite the oppressiveness of Flutter Mane is a bit of a surprise as a result, but Terastalization does a lot to address Kommo-o’s issues and allow its good points to shine. Kommo-o’s excellent Defense and access to Iron Defense make it a deadly Body Press sweeper, able to take over games once opposing Special Attackers have been removed, while being a physical attacker that is hard to disrupt thanks to Body Press not being impacted by Intimidate. Bulletproof and Overcoat also shine as abilities, the former blocking key moves like Shadow Ball, turning some Pokémon like Flutter Mane into setup fodder after terastalization while the latter is amazing against Amoonguss and Volcarona, greatly reducing the disruption they can perform. At least, before Regulation G, where Zamazenta-Crowned has all but subsumed Kommo-o and others as a Body Press sweeper. Kommo-o’s Tera hungry nature and otherwise unimpressive stats makes it unattractive to most teams, while the very few it does find home on is as a pseudo Zamazenta that does not take up the restricted slot.
Armor Press
-Iron Defense
-Body Press
-Iron Head
-Protect
Ability: Overcoat/Bulletproof
Item: Leftovers
Tera Type: Steel
EVs and Nature:
172 HP / 4 Atk / 76 Def / 252 SDef / 4 Spe
Impish Nature
IronPress Kommo-o can take over a battle once its gets going, becoming a wall that many physical attackers struggle to stop. Iron Defense is both defensive and offensive setup in a single attack, while Body Press is the main beneficiary of the move, being Kommo-o's primary STAB, dealing at around 3/4s of Incineroar's HP pre-setup, while post setup, just missing out on the OHKO on Kyogre, dealing 2/3 to Max HP Rillaboom to Urshifu. Iron Head handles the Pokémon Body Press can’t, namely Flutter Mane and popular Tera Fairy Pokémon like Raging Bolt and Kommo-o. Protect has invaluable utility in Doubles, baiting out switching and Terastalization, stalling for allied setup, stalling out opposing setup, stalling for Leftovers recovery, blanking Fake Out, etc.
EVs are to improve Kommo's matchup against the many Special Attackers in the format. This specific EV spread is meant to survive even Specs Terapagos Terastal's Hyper Beam and Max Special Attack Tornadus' Hurricane, while heavily favored to not be 2HKO'd by Mystic Water Kyogre's Water Spout . Tera Steel is necessary for this set, both ensuring Flutter Mane is a free win for Kommo-o as well as handle the many other Fairy and Tera Fairy users in the format. Ability is up to preference, with Bulletproof blocking Shadow Ball from Gholdengo and Flutter Mane, as well as Acid Spray from the likes of Overqwill, while Overcoat matches well into Amoonguss and Rage Powder Volcarona.
Other Options & Partners:
Calyrex Shadow Rider has enjoyed Kommo-o as a check against Incineroar and Terapagos, two Pokémon that greatly trouble it, while Kommo-o's positive matchups into other popular staples such as Flutter Mane, Chi-Yu and Rillaboom give it utility in many games.
Whimsicott provides invaluable utility, with both the Speed Boosting Tailwind, Special Damage reduction in Light Screen and disruption in Encore that can be invaluable in garnering multiple Iron Defenses.
Damage mitigation in generation is invaluable for this set in keeping Kommo-o around to get more boosts. Intimidate from Incineroar and Rillaboom’s Grassy Terrain are common, but effective ways to increase Kommo-o’s bulk.
Shadow Claw is worth considering for decimating Gholdengo who is a hard wall otherwise and eliminating Calyrex Shadow Rider and still doing good damage to pre-Tera Flutter Mane.
Countering Kommo-o
Kommo-o’s wide variety of sets and fantastic coverage ensuring having a catch all Pokémon that can wall every set impossible, though there are several consistent choices for sets that can give Kommo-o trouble.
Just about every Kommo-o is reliant on boosting to be effective, so Unaware walls excel in the face of Kommo-o. Dondozo and Skeledirge completely wall out physical and Iron Defense Kommo-o while Clodsire handily deals with most Special sets. Unaware Clefable also works, though Kommo-o can’t be running Steel or Poison coverage for it to truly be effective and it struggles greatly against Tera Steel.
Gholdengo is a considerable thorn in Kommo-o’s side immune to Fighting STAB and resisting both Dragon STAB and common coverage options in both physical and special sets. Physical Kommo-o have it worse, struggling to fit in coverage for Gholdengo without being overly exposed, though Special Kommo-o not running Flamethrower can find Kommo-o impossible. It should be noted that Tera Steel and Bulletproof can make it difficult for Gholdengo to damage Kommo-o in turn if not running Thunderbolt.
Moltres is nightmarish, while often not able to pick up a KO without Hurricane, can easily cripple physical Kommo-o between Flame Body and Will-O-Wisp while only the rare Outrage and Thunder Punch can reliably pick up a 2HKO. Gargancl can also work, Salt Cure ripping into Kommo-o, especially after Tera Steel and Clangorus Soul, but Close Combat and Body Press can OHKO after setup and requires Terastalization on Gargnacl’s end to survive the hit.
Special sets largest bane is Heatran given they often struggle to fit in Fighting coverage to handle it, though Heatran needs to catch Kommo-o post Tera to deal significant damage with Magma Storm. Blissey also preys on Special Kommo-o’s proclivity to run no Fighting attacks and of the Special Fighting attacks it can run, only Focus Blast does enough to 2HKO even at +2.
Taking advantage of Kommo-o’s weaknesses with faster attackers like Enamorus, Scarf Mamoswine, Iron Valiant, Triple Axel Meowscarada, Walking Wake, etc. can all OHKO Kommo-o, though barring Mamoswine, all of them will need an external Speed boost to handle Kommo-o post Clangorus Soul or Dragon Dance. Kommo-o often runs defensive Teras that can disrupt these Pokémon, but its Terastalization hungry nature can cripple its team in the long run and opposing Fairy Teras can ruin Kommo-o at the starting gate.
Locations in Games
Red/Blue/Yellow:
Not in game
Gold/Silver/Crystal:
Not in game
Ruby/Sapphire/Emerald:
Not in game
FireRed/LeafGreen:
Not in game
Colosseum/XD:
Not in game
Diamond/Pearl/Platinum:
Not in game
HeartGold/SoulSilver:
Not in game
Black/White:
Not in game
Black 2/White 2:
Not in game
X/Y:
Not in game
Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire:
Not in game
Sun/Moon:
Vast Poni Canyon
Ultra Sun/Ultra Moon:
Vast Poni Canyon
Let's Go, Pikachu!/Let's Go, Eevee!:
Not in game
Sword/Shield:
Dusty Bowl (Sword)
Max Raid Battles: Axew's Eye, Rolling Fields, Loop Lagoon, Workout Sea, Honeycalm Sea
Brilliant Diamond/Shining Pearl:
Not in game
Legends: Arceus:
Not in game
Scarlet/Violet:
Evolve Hakamo-o
Tera Raid Battles: 5 Star Raid Battles, 6 Star Raid Battles
Anime Appearences
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Kommo-o has made a few appearances in the anime. Most notably, Ash has one and used it in multiple leagues and gyms. |
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