In-battle formes
Base
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| HP: | 68 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Attack: | 65 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Defense: | 65 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sp. Atk: | 125 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sp. Def: | 115 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Speed: | 80 |
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Mega
| Type | |
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| Abilities | |
| Tier |
| HP: | 68 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Attack: | 85 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Defense: | 65 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sp. Atk: | 165 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sp. Def: | 135 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Speed: | 100 |
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Overview
Gardevoir's high Special Attack stat and good offensive typing of Psychic / Fairy make it a hard Pokemon to switch into, especially for teams that use less sturdy Fairy checks such as Forretress and Steelix as their sole Steel-type. In addition to its main attacking moves, Gardevoir gets access to useful support moves, mainly Healing Wish. Moreover, Trace is a great ability on Gardevoir, as it can copy useful abilities such as Levitate from Flygon, and Regenerator from Slowbro. However, it has pitiful Defense, which makes it revenge killed quite easily and 2HKOed by most neutral hits. Although it outspeeds most bulkier Pokemon, there are faster Choice Scarf users in the tier, such as Flygon, and its unboosted Speed stat makes it slower than most offensive Pokemon. Setup sweepers such as Barbaracle and Dragon Dance Zygarde-10% are also faster than Choice Scarf Gardevoir after boosting, making it imperfect at revenge killing.
Choice Scarf
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Moves
Psyshock is Gardevoir's main STAB move, allowing it to hit threats such as Salazzle, Dragalge, and Venusaur. Moonblast is Gardevoir's secondary STAB move, which is a much safer move to spam and hits threats such as Flygon. Will-O-Wisp cripples offensive Steel-types like Metagross and Escavalier, which are often an opponent's only solid Gardevoir switch-ins, while Trick hinders bulkier Pokemon like Registeel and Curse Snorlax. Healing Wish is used to heal a worn-down teammate in order for them to threaten the opponent's team again. Memento can aid a setup sweeper such as Bararacle, or Dragon Dance Zygarde-10% by lowering the opponent's Attack and Special Attack. Focus Blast is an option to hit Steel-types like Registeel, but it does not hit very hard unboosted.
Set Details
Maximum Special Attack and Speed EVs are used to ensure Gardevoir hits as hard as it can and outspeeds notable threats in the tier, such as Aerodactyl and Noivern as well as Speed tying with other Gardevoir. Trace lets Gardevoir copy useful abilities, such as Regenerator, Sheer Force, Adaptability, and Levitate. It can also copy Chlorophyll and Sand Rush, which turns the tables versus weather teams.
Usage Tips
Gardevoir should be used as a cleaner most of the time after the opponent's team has been worn down. If the opponent's team is too bulky, Trick can be used to cripple a threat. However, refrain from using Trick if the opponent's setup sweepers have not been taken care of. Playing recklessly with allied wallbreakers such as Dragalge is fine, as Gardevoir can use Healing Wish to bring one of them back to full health late-game. Therefore, refraining from using Healing Wish until then is a good idea. Lastly, keep in mind that bluffing a Choice Specs set will cause foes to switch out to Steel-types often.
Team Options
Wallbreakers such as Choice Band Escavalier and Choice Specs Dragalge appreciate Gardevoir as a cleaner and a Healing Wish user; Choice Band Escavalier is frequently used to trap Pokemon like Bronzong and opposing Gardevoir, and Choice Specs Dragalge is commonly used as a switch-in to threats like Virizion. Salazzle has good synergy with Choice Scarf Gardevoir, as it can power through walls with a +2 Acid Downpour, leaving Gardevoir to clean. Salazzle can also take advantage of Pokemon that tend to switch into Gardevoir, such as Florges and Escavalier. Finally, the aforementoned Choice Band Escavalier with Pursuit is also a good partner, as it can weaken Bronzong and Metagross, two of the best checks to Gardevoir.
Choice Specs
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Moves
Psyshock is Gardevoir's primary STAB move, which allows it to get past specially defensive Pokemon such as Florges. Moonblast hits Dark-types and is a more spammable STAB move, as no Pokemon are immune to it and it is much stronger. Shadow Ball is an option to hit Bronzong and Metagross, which otherwise take all of Gardevoir's hits relatively easily. Hidden Power Fire allows Gardevoir to lure and KO Escavalier, which is one of its best answers. Alternatively, Focus Blast can be used to hit Registeel hard, as it resists both of Gardevoir's STAB moves. Trick cripples bulkier Pokemon. Healing Wish is an option to allow a weakened teammate to sweep after Gardevoir has weakened the opposing team.
Set Details
Maximum Special Attack and Speed investment ensures that Gardevoir outspeeds bulky Pokemon and hits as hard as possible. A Timid nature is preferred for this set, as it allows Gardevoir to outspeed Pokemon like Vanilluxe, Mega Blastoise, and Necrozma. A Modest nature can be used for more power at the cost of outspeeding these Pokemon. Trace lets Gardevoir copy useful abilities such as Regenerator, Water Absorb, Sheer Force, Adaptability, and Levitate. It can also copy Chlorophyll and Sand Rush, which turns the tables versus weather teams.
Usage Tips
Gardevoir should be used as a wallbreaker and should never switch into attacks from an offensive Pokemon. Most bulky Pokemon will attempt to switch out and play around Gardevoir, so try to predict the opponent and use the move that deals with their switch-in. Try to have entry hazards up before wallbreaking with Gardevoir. Trick can completely dismantle setup sweepers, but watch out for Z-Crystals, as it will fail if the foe is holding one; notable examples of Z-Crystal users are Cresselia on stall teams and Slowbro.
Team Options
Choice Scarf users such as Flygon capitalize on Gardevoir's ability to break bulky Pokemon. They can also take care of the Steel-types that check Gardevoir, especially Registeel and Metagross. Fire-types such as Arcanine, Ninetales, and Salazzle have nice synergy with Gardevoir, as they can help it take down Steel-types, while Gardevoir can break the bulky Water- and Ground-type Pokemon for them. Pokemon that can switch into Steel-types, in general, are good partners; Metagross is an example that can also provide offensive pressure, while Refresh Milotic can provide support by inflicting status ailments. Toxic Spikes and Spikes setters like Dragalge and Roserade have nice synergy with Gardevoir, as it can have an easier time wallbreaking with those entry hazards wearing the opposing team down. Setup sweepers such as Zygarde-10% appreciate Gardevoir's ability to wallbreak so they have an easier time cleaning the opposing team.
Other Options
Destiny Bond can be used on the Choice Scarf set, but it is less reliable, as it may not be used consecutively. Hidden Power Fire can be used on the Choice Scarf set to hit Escavalier very hard, but is not worth using over Will-O-Wisp or Trick in most situations. Ghostium Z can be used with dual STAB moves + Calm Mind to KO Bronzong, but this set gets walled by Registeel, fails to outspeed common threats, and lacks power.
Checks and Counters
Steel-types: Bronzong, Registeel, and Escavalier take little damage from Gardevoir's STAB moves and weaken it or KO back. However, Bronzong needs to be wary of Choice Specs-boosted Shadow Ball, while Registeel has to watch out for Choice Specs-boosted Focus Blast. Escavalier tanks everything apart from Hidden Power Fire.
Specially Defensive Pokemon: Florges, Porygon2, Cresselia, and Snorlax can tank Gardevoir's attacks and either inflict status ailments or damage it. They have to watch out for Trick, however. In Snorlax's case, it has to watch out for Psyshock as well.
Faster Offensive Pokemon: Salazzle, Sneasel, Mega Glalie, Roserade, and Ninetales threaten Choice Specs Gardevoir by attempting to outspeed and OHKO it due to its poor bulk.
Priority: Sucker Punch from Honchkrow hits Gardevoir very hard due to its poor physical bulk. Toxicroak at +2 Attack is also very dangerous to Gardevoir, as it can straight up OHKO Choice Specs variants while threatening to OHKO Choice Scarf variants with Sucker Punch. Bullet Punch Machamp and First Impression Golisopod threaten major damage to any Gardevoir.
