[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 Doublade 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 Sheer Force from Nidoqueen, Water Absorb from Mantine, 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 Heracross and Flygon, and its unboosted Speed stat makes it slower than most offensive Pokemon in the tier.
[SET]
name: Choice Specs
move 1: Psyshock
move 2: Moonblast
move 3: Shadow Ball / Hidden Power Fire
move 4: Trick / Healing Wish
item: Choice Specs
ability: Trace
nature: Timid
evs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Psyshock is Gardevoir's primary STAB move, which allows it to get past specially defensive Pokemon such as Florges and Mantine. 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, which otherwise takes 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 setup sweepers not holding a Z-Crystal and bulkier Pokemon. Healing Wish is an option to allow its weakened teammate to sweep after it 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 threats such as Timid Nidoqueen, Adamant Heracross, and Modest Kommo-o. A Modest nature can also 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 be switched 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 appropriate move that deals with their switch-in. Try to have entry hazards up on the opposing side of the field 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 Reuniclus and Slowbro. Gardevoir cannot copy Illusion, so it can be used to identify if the foe is a Zoroark.
Team Options
========
Choice Scarf users such as Heracross and 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 Doublade. Fire-types such as Rotom-H, Moltres, 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 of Gardevoir; Nidoqueen and Doublade are some examples that can also provide offensive pressure, while Refresh Milotic and Mantine can provide support by inflicting status ailments. Toxic Spikes and Spikes setters like Dragalge, Nidoqueen, Chesnaught, and Froslass 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 Flygon and Minior appreciate Gardevoir's ability to wallbreak so they have an easier time cleaning the opposing team.
[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Psyshock
move 2: Moonblast
move 3: Trick
move 4: Healing Wish / Calm Mind
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Trace
nature: Timid
evs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Psyshock is Gardevoir's main STAB move, allowing it to hit threats such as Salazzle, Nidoqueen, and Venusaur. Moonblast is Gardevoir's secondary STAB move, which is a much safer move to spam and hits threats such as Zoroark, Heracross, Flygon, and Kommo-o. Trick is used to cripple setup sweepers not holding a Z-Crystal and bulky Pokemon. Focus Blast is an option to hit Steel-types like Registeel, but it does not hit as hard unboosted. Healing Wish is used to heal a worn down teammate in order for them to threaten the opponent's team again. Calm Mind is an option over Healing Wish to make Gardevoir act as a setup sweeper after it has used Trick on a bulky Pokemon.
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 Adamant Choice Scarf Heracross, as well as Speed tying with other Gardevoir. 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 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. Playing recklessly with allied wallbreakers such as Flame Orb Heracross and Zoroark 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. Gardevoir cannot copy Illusion, so it can be used to identify if the foe is a Zoroark.
Team Options
========
Wallbreakers such as Flame Orb Heracross, Choice Band Escavalier, Choice Specs Kommo-o, and Zoroark appreciate Gardevoir as a cleaner and a Healing Wish user; Heracross tends to switch into Earthquake and Foul Play quite often and get worn down, Escavalier and Kommo-o are prone to status ailments, and Zoroark can disguise itself as Gardevoir and lure threats such as Bronzong and Doublade. Keep in mind that if you have a Zoroark on your team, using Synchronize as an ability will lead the opponent to think your Gardevoir is a Zoroark and end up losing a crucial Pokemon. Nidoqueen and Dragalge check Choice Scarf Heracross, which can outspeed and take down Gardevoir, as well as providing entry hazard support, wearing the opposing team down. Nidoqueen is also a good Steel-type check, and Fire Blast can be used to hit Bronzong, as teams that have Bronzong tend to be weak to Gardevoir otherwise. 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, Stoutland with Pursuit is also a good partner, as it can weaken Bronzong and Doublade, two of the best checks of Gardevoir.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
A set of Substitute + Calm Mind can be used, but Gardevoir is too frail to be using it. Moreover, its STAB combination leaves it walled by the common Steel-types. Destiny Bond can be used on the Choice Scarf set, but it is less reliable, as it may not be used consecutively. A bulky set of Wish + Protect with Heal Bell can be run, but that is outclassed by Florges. Ghostium Z can be used with dual STAB moves + Calm Mind to KO Bronzong and Doublade, but this set gets walled by Registeel and fails to outspeed common threats while lacking power. Will-O-Wisp can be used, but Gardevoir finds little to no room for it. Memento can be used, but Healing Wish provides more support to the team, and there are better Memento users in the tier, such as Alolan Persian and Whimsicott.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Steel-types**: Bronzong, Registeel, Doublade, and Escavalier all take little damage from Gardevoir's STAB moves and can either 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. Doublade risks being 3HKOed, but it can retaliate with Shadow Sneak or use Swords Dance as Gardevoir switches out. Escavalier tanks everything apart from Hidden Power Fire and can KO Gardevoir in return.
**Specially Defensive Pokemon**: Florges, Mantine, Porygon2, Cresselia, and Snorlax can tank Gardevoir's attacks and either inflict status ailments or damage it. They do have to watch out for Trick, however. In Snorlax's case, it has to watch out for Psyshock as well.
**Faster Offensive Pokemon**: Choice Scarf Heracross, Salazzle, Sneasel, Mega Glalie, Roserade, Durant, and Moltres threaten Gardevoir by attempting to outspeed and OHKO it due to its poor bulk.
**Sucker Punch**: Sucker Punch from Zoroark and 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.
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