Keldeo #647: the Mythical colt whose sword changes its form

Keldeo is the youngest of the Swords of Justice. This horned colt, a Water- and Fighting-type that arrived from Unova with the fifth generation, runs across the surface of the sea by shooting water from its hooves. Above all, it has a power almost no other Pokémon shares: by learning a single move, it genuinely changes form — and goes back to its old self if it forgets it.

Contents

• Who is Keldeo?
• Type and Ability: the group's special-attacking blade
• Ordinary Form and Resolute Form: a one-of-a-kind change
• Evolution: Keldeo doesn't evolve
• The Swords of Justice, and how to encounter Keldeo
• Keldeo fact sheet
• Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Keldeo?

No. 647 in the National Pokédex, Keldeo slots in between Kyurem and Meloetta. Its official category sums up its character: it's the Colt Pokémon, a young horse still learning the ropes.

In its Ordinary Form, it's a cream-coated quadruped with blue eyes and a long, feathery red mane. A slightly curved cream horn grows from the middle of its forehead, its hooves are blue, and its sky-blue tail looks like a big feather — a soft silhouette that lends itself well to Pokémon plushies.

Its hooves aren't just for galloping: they shoot out water, which lets it run across the surface of the sea. The Pokémon White Pokédex adds that it appears where the water is very pure, and the Pokémon Black entry that its secret weapon is still a kick of its hooves.

Its design blends the kelpie, a water horse from Scottish folklore, the qilin, the "Chinese unicorn" said to walk on water, and d'Artagnan: like him, Keldeo is the youngest and newest member of its band, and its tail recalls the feather in his hat.

Type and Ability: the group's special-attacking blade

Keldeo pairs the Water type with the Fighting type, an uncommon combination that gives it five weaknesses — Grass, Electric, Flying, Psychic and Fairy. In return, it takes half damage from seven types, including Fire, Ice, Steel and Dark, but it has no immunity.

Its stats paint the picture of a swift fencer: 91 HP, 90 in both Defense stats, 108 in Speed and above all 129 in Special Attack. Its physical Attack tops out at 72, its lowest stat, for a total of 580.

This profile is no accident: Cobalion, Terrakion to Virizion share the same 91 HP, the same Speed and the same total. Across all four, it's the 129 that moves from one stat to another, and Keldeo is the only one whose peak lands in Special Attack.

It has only one Ability, Justified, and no Hidden Ability. When a Dark-type move hits it, its noble spirit awakens and its Attack rises by one stage — an effect shared by all four, and one that here boosts its weakest stat.

Its signature move, Secret Sword ("Lame Ointe" in French), can't be learned by any other Pokémon. A Fighting-type move in the special category, it calculates its damage using the target's Defense rather than its Special Defense, with 85 power.

Ordinary Form and Resolute Form: a one-of-a-kind change

Keldeo has two forms, introduced in Pokémon Black 2 and White 2: the Ordinary Form, its everyday look, and the Resolute Form, which it takes on as soon as it knows Secret Sword.

The trigger is unlike any other. In Black 2 and White 2, you need to take Keldeo to the Pledge Grove, north of Floccesy Town, and have it examine a rock marked with three gashes left by its elders. The memory comes back to it, it learns the move, and it changes form.

Better still, the process is reversible: making Keldeo forget Secret Sword returns it to its Ordinary Form. In later games, there's no need for a specific location — knowing the move is enough.

The difference is striking: the horn turns dark blue, longer and sharper, the growths above its eyes get shorter, and three feathers appear on its head — one blue, one orange and one green, for Cobalion, Terrakion and Virizion. A far more martial look that works beautifully for Pokémon figures.

Don't overestimate the upgrade, though: both forms share the same types, Ability and stats. The change is essentially cosmetic.

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Evolution: Keldeo doesn't evolve

Keldeo doesn't evolve, and it isn't the evolution of any Pokémon: its evolutionary line has just one slot. Don't confuse this with its forms — changing form isn't evolving, since the process can be undone and doesn't change any of its stats.

There's also no Mega Evolution, Gigantamax form or regional form of Keldeo. Its only other variant is its Shiny: its tail and fur shift from sky blue to seafoam green, and its coat gets lighter.

Finally, it's genderless and belongs to the Undiscovered Egg Group: it can't breed, so there's no baby Keldeo to hatch.

The Swords of Justice, and how to encounter Keldeo

Cobalion, Terrakion and Virizion form a trio of Legendary Pokémon with which Keldeo is closely linked: together, they make up the Swords of Justice. The quartet is modeled on The Three Musketeers by Dumas: Athos, Porthos, Aramis… and d'Artagnan for Keldeo.

The Pokémon Sword Pokédex puts it plainly: its three elders taught it how to fight, and it continues its training by traveling the world. A difference in status sets them apart: the other three are Legendary, whereas Keldeo is classified as a Mythical Pokémon.

The fifteenth movie, Pokémon the Movie: Kyurem VS. The Sword of Justice, made it the star. In it, Keldeo lies to Kyurem, claiming it already belongs to the group, has its horn broken, runs away, then comes back to face its fear. The film was released in France on February 26, 2013.

On the games side, Keldeo long remained limited to event distributions, held in 2012 and 2013 around the movie. It took the Pokémon Sword and Shield Expansion Pass for players to finally catch it themselves, at Lake Poké Ball, in the Crown Tundra.

Keldeo fact sheet

Frequently Asked Questions

• Does Keldeo evolve?
  No. Keldeo doesn't evolve and isn't the evolution of any Pokémon: it makes up its entire evolutionary line on its own. It does, however, change form, which is a different mechanic: switching to Resolute Form is reversible and changes neither its types, its Ability nor its stats.
• How do you get Keldeo's Resolute Form?
  All it takes is for Keldeo to know its signature move, Secret Sword. In Pokémon Black 2 and White 2, where this form debuted, you need to go to the Pledge Grove, north of Floccesy Town, with Keldeo in your party and examine the large rock marked with three gashes: Keldeo then learns the move and changes form. In later games, knowing Secret Sword is enough, with no need to visit a particular place. And if it forgets the move, it goes back to its Ordinary Form.
• Is Keldeo a Legendary or a Mythical Pokémon?
  Keldeo is a Mythical Pokémon, unlike Cobalion, Terrakion and Virizion, which are Legendary Pokémon. That status explains why it was first offered only through event distributions, in 2012 and 2013, around the fifteenth movie. It became catchable in-game with the Pokémon Sword and Shield Expansion Pass, at Ballimere Lake in the Crown Tundra.
• What is Keldeo's Ability?
  Keldeo has only one Ability, Justified, and no Hidden Ability. When it's hit by a Dark-type move, its noble spirit awakens and its Attack rises by one stage. It's the Ability shared by all four Swords of Justice.
• What are Keldeo's weaknesses?
  As a Water- and Fighting-type, Keldeo is weak to five types: Grass, Electric, Flying, Psychic and Fairy, all super effective against it. On the other hand, it takes half damage from Fire, Water, Ice, Steel, Rock, Bug and Dark-type moves, and it has no immunities. Both of its forms have exactly the same type matchups.
• Does Keldeo have a Mega Evolution or a Gigantamax form?
  No. Keldeo has no Mega Evolution, no Gigantamax form and no regional form. Its only official variants are its Ordinary Form, its Resolute Form and their respective Shiny versions.

In short

Neither evolution nor Mega Evolution: everything that makes Keldeo unique comes down to a one-of-a-kind move and the sword stroke that turns this hesitant colt into the fourth musketeer of Unova.