Kleavor: When to Retreat or Knock Out in Scarlet and Violet

In TCG ·

Kleavor holo card art from Astral Radiance

Image courtesy of TCGdex.net

In the Scarlet & Violet era, Kleavor stands as a thoughtful test of tempo and risk. This Stage 1 Fighting Pokémon, evolved from Scyther and donning a holo shine in Astral Radiance, rewards players who can gauge when to push for a knockout and when to pull the plug and retreat. With a sturdy 140 HP, a two-attack toolkit, and a notable retreat cost, Kleavor invites players to manage momentum like a lumberjack reading the wind before a swing. ⚡🔥

Card snapshot

  • Name: Kleavor
  • Set: Astral Radiance (SwSh10)
  • Rarity: Rare holo
  • Stage: Stage 1 (evolves from Scyther)
  • HP: 140
  • Type: Fighting
  • Retreat Cost: 2
  • Attacks:
    • Timber Cleave — Colorless, Colorless
    • Effect: Flip 2 coins. If both of them are heads, your opponent's Active Pokémon is KO'd.
    • Berserker Tackle — Fighting, Fighting
    • Effect: This Pokémon also does 30 damage to itself. Damage: 120
  • regulation: Mark F
  • Legal: Expanded (Standard currently not legal for this card)
  • Pricing snapshot: CardMarket holo averages around €0.21, non-holo around €0.14; holo trending higher with supply dynamics.

From a collector’s perspective, Kleavor’s holo finish in Astral Radiance captures the rugged, lumberjack aesthetic the card’s name implies. The card’s power lies not just in raw numbers, but in how you apply them. The “Timber Cleave” coin flip is a dramatic swing tool: a successful pair of heads will instantly swing the state of the match by KO’ing the opponent’s Active. Yet like a risky axe swing, a miss leaves Kleavor exposed to responses from an opponent who can punish a mis-timed retreat or misread of your plan. The other option, Berserker Tackle, hits hard at 120 but carries the self-damage consequence that demands careful board management. 💎🎴

When to push for the knockout

Timber Cleave shines when you’ve established a solid board and you can read your opponent’s switches and resources. If you’ve managed to stall or slowly chip away, the chance to KO with two heads on two coin flips can instantly tilt the game in your favor, especially against an Active Pokémon with a vulnerability to Fighting or a suspect of being kept alive only by a thin bench. The excitement comes from the possibility that Kleavor can end a tough trade with a single, well-timed flip sequence.

Pro players can optimize the timing by using Timber Cleave when Kleavor is set up with sufficient support on the bench—ready to absorb any counter-push while your opponent is forced to consider retreat or risky plays of their own. Because Berserker Tackle exists as a powerful alternative, you should also factor in how many resources you’ve committed to Kleavor’s development. If you anticipate your opponent setting up a faster attacker or a bench-destroying follow-up, pushing for a KO with Timber Cleave can be a perfect tempo move to deny them that second turn of momentum.

When to retreat or pivot

Retreat costs in Pokemon TCG are a constant part of the calculus, and Kleavor’s two-energetic cost for retreat makes this decision meaningful. If Kleavor is threatened by a heavy counter-attack or if your opponent’s board threatens a knockout next turn, retreating becomes the smarter long-term play. The decision hinges on a few factors:

  • Opponent’s potential damage output on the next turn: if they can KO Kleavor or threaten a major swing, switching to a safer attacker preserves your tempo.
  • Your energy and resource economy: if you lack the means to power Berserker Tackle or you expect to stall longer, retreat helps you preserve Kleavor for another turn with a cleaner approach.
  • Bench pressure: with a robust bench, you can pivot to accumulating threats while still threatening a future knockout with Timber Cleave when coin flips cooperate.

Judicious retreating is not defeatist—it's tempo management. Kleavor can still be a looming threat even when you aren’t swinging for the KO every turn. The combination of a strong first hit under the right conditions and a cautious, well-timed retreat can yield a game state where your opponent is forced to react rather than dictate the pace.

Deck-building and synergy notes

Because Timber Cleave is colorless on its first attack, Kleavor blends well with flexible energy bases and other Fighting-type support cards in the Astral Radiance era. The second attack demands two Fighting energies, so pairing Kleavor with energy acceleration and support from teammates who can fetch or attach Fighting energy quickly becomes a natural path to maximize Berserker Tackle’s payoff while keeping your board stable. In practice, you’re looking to maximize Kleavor’s on-board clock: a clean path to KO via Timber Cleave, or a powerful, safer mid-game push with Berserker Tackle when the match warrants a decisive attack and you can afford the self-damage risk.

From a collector and player perspective, this card’s Expanded-legal status means it’s a tempting addition for those building a late-rotation Fighting-heavy deck. The holo variant’s value sits modestly in the sub-€0.30 range in many markets, suggesting accessibility for newer collectors while still offering a desirable shine for holo enthusiasts. As always, market dynamics shift with print runs and demand; keep an eye on cardmarket figures and holo supply, especially if you’re aiming to complete an Astral Radiance set or a Kleavor-focused sub-theme.

Rugged Phone Case Polycarbonate TPU iPhone Samsung

More from our network