QC: atomicllamas / EonX / Arikado
GP: P Squared / The Dutch Plumberjack
[OVERVIEW]
Gallade boasts an expansive movepool including Trick, Swords Dance, and Bulk Up, which makes it extremely versatile. Gallade's great type combination lets it beat Poison-, Steel-, and Fighting-types such as Amoonguss, Mega Steelix, and Hitmonlee, all of which are common in RarelyUsed. Furthermore, Gallade has access to Knock Off, which complements its dual STAB moves and hits Psychic-types such as Uxie and Sigilyph for heavy damage. Gallade's high-Base Power STAB moves are supported by its monstrous Attack stat, which turns it into a fearsome wallbreaker that can easily threaten defensively oriented teams. Gallade also sports a great Special Defense stat that allows it to switch into many special attacks comfortably. Moreover, Gallade's ability Justified gives it a free Attack boost when it is hit by a Dark-type attack. Unfortunately, Gallade's subpar physical bulk coupled with its low base HP makes it very physically frail, especially after a Defense drop from Close Combat. Its average Speed leaves it vulnerable to revenge killers and priority users such as Flygon, Durant, and Fletchinder. Finally, in a tier saturated with Fighting-types, Gallade faces tough competition from the likes of Medicham, Virizion, and Hitmonlee.
[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Close Combat
move 3: Zen Headbutt
move 4: Knock Off
item: Life Orb / Lum Berry
ability: Justified
nature: Jolly / Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Swords Dance boosts Gallade's Attack by two stages, turning it into a fearsome wallbreaker. Close Combat has a very high Base Power and can punch holes in opposing teams. Zen Headbutt has great coverage with Close Combat, as it hits Poison-types such as Amoonguss and Weezing super effectively. Knock Off rounds off Gallade's great coverage by hitting Psychic-types such as Uxie, Sigilyph, and Musharna hard, and it has the additional utility of removing its target's item.
Set Details
========
Life Orb is used to give Gallade additional damage output. Lum Berry is an option, acting as a safety net against status moves such as Thunder Wave and Scald burns. Justified is the ability of choice in case Gallade is hit by a Dark-type move, giving Gallade a free Attack boost. A Jolly nature is used to outspeed Jolly Tyrantrum and Speed tie with Jolly Glalie before it Mega Evolves. An Adamant nature is an alternative for more firepower. The maximum Attack investment is used to maximize Gallade's wallbreaking capabilities while the rest is put in Speed for Gallade to outspeed Jolly Emboar and Modest Exploud.
Usage Tips
========
It is recommended for players not to expose Gallade to status moves of any kind, as they can cripple it for the entirety of the match. If Gallade is facing defensive teams, players should set up a Swords Dance to threaten foes. If Gallade is facing offensive teams, Gallade need not set up a Swords Dance, as its natural raw power can threaten them with ease. Because Gallade has great natural special bulk, it can safely switch or pivot into weak special attacks. Gallade should switch out most of the time against revenge killers, especially after a Defense drop from Close Combat, as they can KO it or heavily damage it.
Team Options
========
Gallade is very weak to offensively oriented teams, so Pokemon that have great matchups against them such as Choice Scarf Rotom-C and Jolteon are helpful for Gallade. In turn, Gallade can deal with defensive Pokemon that they have trouble against. Gallade appreciates Healing Wish support from the likes of Mesprit and Musharna, as it can then be played more aggressively early-game and be revived late-game to get a second chance at wallbreaking. Spiritomb is a problem for this set, so Pokemon such as Emboar, Exploud, and Aromatisse are helpful in beating it. Fighting-types such as Hitmonlee and Cobalion are great partners, as Gallade can weaken Psychic-types for them to ease the opportunity for them to sweep late-game. Though Uxie shares a Ghost weakness with Gallade, it pairs well with Gallade, as it can provide Thunder Wave and Stealth Rock support and generate momentum with U-turn. In addition, Uxie can provide dual screens support to ease setup for Gallade.
[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: Close Combat
move 2: Zen Headbutt
move 3: Knock Off
move 4: Drain Punch / Trick
item: Choice Band
ability: Justified
nature: Adamant / Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Close Combat is an extremely powerful STAB move that, when boosted with a Choice Band, can 2HKO or OHKO the majority of the tier. Zen Headbutt is used to nail Pokemon that resist Fighting, such as Qwilfish and Amoonguss. Knock Off has great coverage with Gallade's STAB moves and allows it to smash Psychic-types such as Uxie, Sigilyph, and Mesprit; it also has the additional utility of removing the foe's item. Drain Punch is another Fighting-type STAB attack that gives it recovery but is weaker compared to Close Combat. Trick is an option over Drain Punch to cripple Pokemon that Gallade has trouble with, such as Spiritomb and Togetic. Poison Jab is an option in the last slot to 2HKO Aromatisse and Togetic.
Set Details
========
Choice Band is used to amplify Gallade's already high Attack, making it a scary wallbreaker. Justified is useful in case Gallade is hit by a Dark-type move, giving Gallade a free Attack boost. An Adamant nature is used for more damage output while a Jolly nature is an option for Gallade to outspeed Jolly Tyrantrum and Speed tie with Jolly Braviary. 252 EVs in Attack are used to maximize Gallade's wallbreaking capabilitites. The rest is put in Speed to outspeed Jolly Scrafty and Modest Exploud regardless of Gallade's nature.
Usage Tips
========
This set is mainly used as a wallbreaker that can threaten defensive teams. Players should use Gallade as a hit-and-run Pokemon. Gallade should be brought in via predicted switches or U-turn, as it does not like taking unnecessary damage or being worn down by potential status moves. Gallade should use Trick on defensive Pokemon such as Aromatisse and Jellicent in order to cripple them and provide team support. Gallade should be wary of Close Combat's defense drops, as they make Gallade even more vulnerable to priority moves and revenge killers.
Team Options
========
Pokemon that can clean up late-game such as Choice Scarf Braviary and Flygon pair well with Gallade, as they appreciate its ability to wallbreak while Gallade benefits from their ability to threaten offensive teams. Choice Band Tyrantrum and Rhyperior form a great wallbreaking core with Gallade, and they can beat Flying-types such as Fletchinder and Braviary, which plague Gallade. Clerics such as Togetic and Roselia benefit from Gallade's ability to break their defensive checks and counters, while they can provide Heal Bell and Aromatherapy support, respectively. Lastly, entry hazard support from the likes of Qwilfish, Seismitoad, and Rhyperior works well with Gallade to wear down walls such as Jellicent, Alomomola, and Togetic.
[SET]
name: Bulk Up
move 1: Bulk Up
move 2: Drain Punch
move 3: Knock Off
move 4: Substitute / Safeguard
item: Leftovers
ability: Justified
nature: Careful
evs: 248 HP / 96 SpD / 164 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Bulk Up is used to boost Gallade's Attack and subpar Defense. Drain Punch is a decent STAB move that works well with the slow-boosting nature of this set by providing longevity. Knock Off provides great coverage with Drain Punch, nailing Mesprit, Uxie, and Sigilyph, and has the additional utility of removing the target's item. Substitute is used to block status as well as to make Gallade very difficult to revenge kill. Safeguard is an interesting move that gives Gallade another method to block status without having to reduce its health. It also allows Gallade to set up on Spiritomb variants that do not carry Foul Play and prevents 50-50s with Jellicent.
Set Details
========
Leftovers provides plenty of longevity alongside the recovery provided by Drain Punch, which is very important when making Substitutes. Justified is the ability of choice in case Gallade is hit by a Dark-type move, giving Gallade to get a free Attack boost. Near-maximum HP investment is used to augment Gallade's bulk. The Speed investment is used to outspeed Modest Exploud and Jolly Scrafty in order to get off a Drain Punch before they can heavily damage Gallade. The rest is put in Special Defense with a Careful nature to make Gallade as specially bulky as possible. A spread with maximum HP and Special Defense is an option to make Gallade more bulky.
Usage Tips
========
Gallade should not be exposed to status ailments, as they could cripple it severely. If Gallade is running Substitute, it should be careful of Spiritomb and Exploud, as the former can burn Gallade through Substitute thanks to Infiltrator while the latter can use its STAB Boomburst to damage it severely. Set up Substitute, Safeguard, or Bulk Up on Pokemon that cannot do much against Gallade, such as Alomomola and Jellicent. Gallade should not recklessly set up on Pokemon that carry Roar or Whirlwind, as they can phaze Gallade even through a Substitute. It should be noted that even though Gallade can set up on Spiritomb, it needs to be careful of Foul Play variants, as they can 2HKO it.
Team Options
========
Pokemon that can get rid of Toxic Spikes, such as Flygon and Drapion, are great partners, as poison cripples Gallade; the latter can also provide its own Toxic Spikes support to help wear down opposing foes for Gallade. Alomomola in particular makes for a great partner, as it can handle physical attackers that beat an unboosted Gallade as well as provide Wish support. Pokemon that can take care of Spiritomb, such as Aromatisse and Togetic, work well with Gallade, and both of them can provide Heal Bell support to keep Gallade safe from status. Wallbreakers such as Mega Glalie and Tyrantrum can still heavily dent Gallade even at +1 Defense, so Pokemon that can beat them are great teammates. Mega Steelix and Durant are great partners; the latter can also provide Stealth Rock support, and both of them have the additional benefit of being able to beat Fairy-types that annoy Gallade, such as Mega Audino and Aromatisse.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
An Assault Vest set is an option that takes advantage of Gallade's great Special Defense and lets it take many special attacks comfortably. A bulky Swords Dance set can also be used, but it will be very susceptible to revenge killers. Choice Scarf can be used on Gallade to make it a great revenge killer, but Medicham generally does the job better. Gallade can also utilize a specially defensive set with Wish + Protect and Will-O-Wisp to make it a decent special wall, with Will-O-Wisp helping it to punish physical attackers. Because Gallade has a wide movepool, it can run many alternate moves. Leaf Blade can be used to hit Alomomola and Seismitoad very hard. Stone Edge is a great alternative to nail Togetic, Braviary, and Fletchinder. Memento and Destiny Bond can be used on the Choice Band set in order to cripple or potentially knock out Gallade's foes, respectively.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Revenge Killers**: Due to Gallade's average Speed, it is very vulnerable to revenge killers. Pokemon that naturally outspeed Gallade such as Durant, Virizion, and Mega Glalie can heavily damage Gallade or KO it with their powerful STAB moves. Fletchinder can also easily revenge kill Gallade with its priority Acrobatics. Choice Scarf users such as Emboar, Tyrantrum, Braviary, and Flygon all outspeed Gallade and deal a lot of damage to it.
**Status**: Gallade is extremely susceptible to status. If Gallade gets burnt through Scald or Will-O-Wisp, its Attack is cut in half, crippling it for the rest of the game. Paralysis cuts Gallade's Speed to a quarter of its original, making it even easier to be revenge killed as well as giving it a chance to be fully paralyzed. Poison puts Gallade on a timer, slowly reducing its longevity.
**Spiritomb**: Spiritomb can survive any attack from Gallade even at +2, and thanks to Infiltrator it can burn Gallade even through a Substitute or threaten it with STAB Sucker Punch and Pursuit when it switches out. Furthermore, it can 2HKO Gallade with Foul Play and OHKO it when Gallade attempts to set up a Swords Dance against it. However, if Spiritomb does not run Foul Play, it loses to Gallade's Safeguard + Bulk Up set.
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