Overview

Cerneaf is an extremely flexible option that can be slotted onto both stall and more aggressive teams. Despite its flexibility, its game plan is fairly predictable with just a glance at its surrounding team. With the ability to heal itself or its allies, raid boss through its Callosity trait and Bush Synergy effect, or put out offensive pressure with Water Cutting Lily, Cerneaf can be a consistent threat.

What is Cerneaf's role in PVP?

Different from the standard Cerneaf build (which relies heavily on bulk and healing), this Cerneaf spread looks to hit first and hard with the aid of its three priority move Water Cutting Lily. The preferred trait for this build is Settling as the extra 8% damage per turn on the board can be the difference between a double taking out an opponent or just slightly missing the mark. However, Callosity with this exact same spread is more than viable as well as it comes with its own benefits.

What are the goals of this Cerneaf build?

The TV spread for this Cerneaf is relatively simple. The heavy speed investment is to outspeed max speed Vulffy, which allows you to kill off the Vulffy before it can use plague (in most situations). The speed also allows you to under-speed 1 SV speed Nagaise with Frond Whip if the Nagaise is making use of a two priority move like Beta Burst. Max attack is a necessity as the whole point of this build is to output as much damage as possible and secure kills. Hitting the 61 stamina breakpoint allows you to Water Cutting Lily twice and then Revitalize without overexerting with the help of the Sweatband item. Despite the measly 65 Hp investment on this build, this Cerneaf is still more than capable of surviving a single Synergy Master Lava Wave from Fire Koish. The low Hp investment combined with its base Spdef of 46 does make it very frail to Special Attacks and it will be getting one-shot from 100% to - 0% Hp from a Tulcan Fire Chip Pyromaniac Fiery Soul. Use Sharp Leaf as an offensive move to finish off low Hp targets without needing to spend an absurd amount of stamina via Water Cutting Lily or Frond Whip. Revitalize is very nice to have on this set as it allows you to heal allies or yourself. 

What allies does Cerneaf appreciate?

Cerneaf, being a pure nature Temtem, is very weak to toxic and fire. As such it would love to have teammates that can fend of these threats. Oceara is a great partner for Cerneaf as it provides it with Water Cutting Lily synergy while threatening out fire Temtem with the hardest hitting water move in the game (Aquatic Whirlwind). Doubling into a slot with these two also has a very solid chance of securing you a kill or severely crippling an opposing Temtem if both hits are neutrally advantaged. Volarend, Tulcan, and Tukai are great winds that can aid with fighting of toxics. Volarend's typing means it is near impossible for any toxic Temtem (aside from Volarend itself) to challenge it. Tulcan, being a fire/wind type, allows you to fight off enemy fires effectively while simultaneously still killing said toxics. Tukai offers synergy to Cerneaf's Water Cutting Lily while also being able to fight fires very well and do a decent job against toxics.

(1.3 DUKE'S NOTES - A LITTLE BULKIER AND DOUBLE KICK IS A BIT BETTER, SO THAT'S...NICE?)

Cerneaf is a famously stamina-hungry, extremely tanky nature tem who once dominated a meta as a lynchpin of "Salad Stall". It's much less popular with the advent of Fiery Soul and the emergence of special attacking fire tems, but it's still a great check to physical attackers and very good at taking games long.

Water-Cutting Lily is Cerneaf's most threatening attack, and this set only runs one attack. Sharp Leaf can be added for stamina efficiency, though Gaia is preferred here. Frond Whip is a powerful secondary attack, and can be slotted over Bush or Gaia as well. Revit, Bush, and Gaia all help Cerneaf maintain its health while it bulks up.

Supports like Shuine and Kinu can help Cerneaf ball out of control, and Minothor helps it do so offensively as well, whgile Cern lets Minothor Lunge without overexerting.