[overview]
**Draft Order**: Late round 1 onwards
**Price Range**: 17 points
**Overview**: Mega Gallade takes pride in its ability to be one of the most threatening wallbreakers and sweepers in the format. Boasting a monstrous Attack stat, one of the deepest movepools in the game, and great setup options, it's no surprise that Mega Gallade is a strong contender for the best Mega Evolution. What sets it apart from other wallbreakers is its absurdly diverse movepool, allowing it to muscle through almost all of its checks, while also having great utility options such as Encore and Toxic, allowing it to be tailored to fulfil almost any role. Mega Gallade's one key weakness is its inability to boost its Speed, which can make it relatively prone to faster Pokemon, but these issues tend to be easy to resolve while drafting.
[strategy comments]
Common Roles
========
**Setup Wallbreaker / Sweeper**: With access to both Swords Dance and Bulk Up, Mega Gallade finds itself poised to be able to sweep through teams with both sheer power or the combination of power and bulk. Swords Dance lets it wallbreak past even the bulkiest of foes, usually with STAB Close Combat. Bulk Up sets tend to opt for Drain Punch and use the Defense boosts to set up against opposing physical attackers.
**All-outAttacker**: Having access to strong coverage of almost every type allows Mega Gallade to tailor itself to the opponent's weaknesses and punch holes through foes so that a teammate can clean. These sets tend to carry four attacking moves to be able to 2HKO all Pokemon on most teams.
**Utility Attacker**: Thanks to an absurdly deep supporting movepool, Mega Gallade can forgo some of its offensive capabilities in exchange for strong supporting moves. These can range from Encore and Taunt to punish frailer Pokemon or Toxic to put defensive Pokemon on a timer. These sets can still wallbreak, but it is not their primary aim.
Common Moves
========
**Primary STAB Moves**: Close Combat, Drain Punch, Zen Headbutt, Psycho Cut, Low Kick
**Setup Moves**: Swords Dance, Bulk Up, Power-Up Punch
**Utility Moves**: Encore, Taunt, Toxic, Substitute, Brick Break
**Coverage**: Aerial Ace, Earthquake, Facade, Fire Punch, Ice Punch, Knock Off, Leaf Blade, Poison Jab, Rock Slide, Shadow Sneak, Stone Edge, Thunder Punch, X-Scissor
Niche Moves
========
**Will-O-Wisp**: While Mega Gallade's coverage is able to usually 2HKO most foes, Will-O-Wisp can punish all physical attackers without having to make any difficult predictions and also provide setup opportunities.
**Thunder Wave**: Faster foes may attempt to switch in on a resisted hit and force Mega Gallade out, so Thunder Wave is able to punish them by allowing it to outspeed on the next turn.
**Destiny Bond**: If a slower foe is proving too much to handle both offensively and defensively, trading Mega Gallade for it via Destiny Bond can open the door for teammates.
**Disable**: While usually a downgrade to Encore, Disable can be threatening against Choice-locked attackers as well as those that are primarily threatening due to a singular attack.
**Magic Coat**: Mega Gallade can use Magic Coat to prevent itself from getting inflicted with status while also preventing the foe from setting entry hazards. This can be most impactful against Sticky Web users, as Sticky Web builds tend to not carry hazard removal.
**Safeguard**: While it looks like an alternative to Taunt and Magic Coat at first glance, Safeguard prevents Mega Gallade and its teammates from being inflicted by status while also giving it the ability to attack freely against Flame Body and Static foes without fearing status.
**Reflect / Light Screen**: Reflect and Light Screen both can provide Mega Gallade's teammates with a free turn to set up, although this is usually best reserved for other teammates that can hold Light Clay.
Draft Strategy
========
Mega Gallade is the centerpiece of any draft it's on, so its teammates should enable it to be both a wallbreaker and a sweeper while also providing the longevity to both outlast the opponent and safely get it onto the field.
**Entry Hazard Control**: Mega Gallade appreciates having entry hazards up on the opponent's side to help facilitate its sweeping potential. Pokemon such as Krookodile, Nidoqueen, and Skarmory can make for great partners, all offering reliable ways to set hazards. At the same time, removing hazards is equally important so that it can stay healthy, and as such, Zapdos, Rotom-W, and Scizor can all synergize well with Mega Gallade.
**Faster Pokemon**: While 110 Speed is a great Speed tier, having Mega Gallade be not only the fastest Pokemon on a draft but also item-locked can be incredibly limiting in prep . For this reason, Greninja, Weavile, and Crobat are all strong teammates.
**Additional Wallbreakers**: Offense is king, and having strong partners for Mega Gallade only makes its job that much easier. Landorus and Azumarill are just some examples of wallbreakers that synergize well with it by breaking each other's checks. Z-Move-reliant wallbreakers also synergize incredibly well with Mega Gallade, as it's a high-tier offensive piece that doesn't need them, making Pokémon such as Tornadus-T and Thundurus strong pairings.
**Tapu Fini**: Special mention is made to Tapu Fini here, as what it offers Mega Gallade is both unique and greatly appreciated. Firstly, an immunity to status of any kind allows the user to play far more aggressively, not fearing Will-O-Wisp, Flame Body, or Static. Furthermore, Tapu Fini is able to beat most would-be Mega Gallade checks, whether it be through Moonblast for Ghost / Dark types, or Nature's Madness + Taunt to shut down most walls.
Checks and Counters
========
**Bulky Psychic-types**: Bulky Psychic-types are most drafts' immediate defensive response to Mega Gallade. Pokemon such as Uxie, Mesprit, and Necrozma can all take hits from it while also threatening to either KO it or cripple it with moves such as Thunder Wave. They also tend to carry a Colbur Berry to prevent Swords Dance sets from getting out of hand.
**Ghost / Dark types**: Barring Dazzling Gleam, which does pitiful damage, Mega Gallade gets no super effective coverage for both Sableye formes and Spiritomb, making it resort to weaker neutral coverage. They can threaten it in multiple ways and tend to be complete stops to it in a game, giving it no option beyond trying to wear them down.
**Faster Foes**: Mega Gallade does have respectable bulk, but it can find itself overwhelmed easily by both super effective attacks and strong physical attackers. Both naturally faster Pokemon like Tapu Koko and Tornadus-T as well as Choice Scarf users such as Tapu Fini and Garchomp can force it out.
**Resistance Berries**: Being the coverage overlord that it is, Mega Gallade hits most Pokemon for super effective damage, which the opponent can attempt to exploit with resistance Berries, allowing foes to revenge kill it after surviving the hit.
**Foul Play**: While this works usually in conjunction with at least one of the above counters, Foul Play can pose a strong threat to Mega Gallade, being able to outright OHKO it at +2 if it is STAB boosted. Even non-Dark-type Choice Scarf users can use it to reliably pick it off once it is weakened.
**Burn / Paralysis**: Both burn and paralysis can heavily dampen Mega Gallade's effectiveness, either neutering its powerful offenses or slowing it down to be more easily revenge killed. Both status conditions can be easily inflicted thanks to not just Will-O-Wisp and Thunder Wave, but also Flame Body and Static.
**Priority**: Most priority attacks are physical, and sadly, Mega Gallade's physical bulk leaves a lot to be desired. It can find itself prone to being picked off by opposing priority such as Extreme Speed, Shadow Sneak, and Ice Shard.
[credits]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/nyx.564960/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/techno.527276/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/jscurf.608304/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/techno.527276/
**Draft Order**: Late round 1 onwards
**Price Range**: 17 points
**Overview**: Mega Gallade takes pride in its ability to be one of the most threatening wallbreakers and sweepers in the format. Boasting a monstrous Attack stat, one of the deepest movepools in the game, and great setup options, it's no surprise that Mega Gallade is a strong contender for the best Mega Evolution. What sets it apart from other wallbreakers is its absurdly diverse movepool, allowing it to muscle through almost all of its checks, while also having great utility options such as Encore and Toxic, allowing it to be tailored to fulfil almost any role. Mega Gallade's one key weakness is its inability to boost its Speed, which can make it relatively prone to faster Pokemon, but these issues tend to be easy to resolve while drafting.
[strategy comments]
Common Roles
========
**Setup Wallbreaker / Sweeper**: With access to both Swords Dance and Bulk Up, Mega Gallade finds itself poised to be able to sweep through teams with both sheer power or the combination of power and bulk. Swords Dance lets it wallbreak past even the bulkiest of foes, usually with STAB Close Combat. Bulk Up sets tend to opt for Drain Punch and use the Defense boosts to set up against opposing physical attackers.
**All-outAttacker**: Having access to strong coverage of almost every type allows Mega Gallade to tailor itself to the opponent's weaknesses and punch holes through foes so that a teammate can clean. These sets tend to carry four attacking moves to be able to 2HKO all Pokemon on most teams.
**Utility Attacker**: Thanks to an absurdly deep supporting movepool, Mega Gallade can forgo some of its offensive capabilities in exchange for strong supporting moves. These can range from Encore and Taunt to punish frailer Pokemon or Toxic to put defensive Pokemon on a timer. These sets can still wallbreak, but it is not their primary aim.
Common Moves
========
**Primary STAB Moves**: Close Combat, Drain Punch, Zen Headbutt, Psycho Cut, Low Kick
**Setup Moves**: Swords Dance, Bulk Up, Power-Up Punch
**Utility Moves**: Encore, Taunt, Toxic, Substitute, Brick Break
**Coverage**: Aerial Ace, Earthquake, Facade, Fire Punch, Ice Punch, Knock Off, Leaf Blade, Poison Jab, Rock Slide, Shadow Sneak, Stone Edge, Thunder Punch, X-Scissor
Niche Moves
========
**Will-O-Wisp**: While Mega Gallade's coverage is able to usually 2HKO most foes, Will-O-Wisp can punish all physical attackers without having to make any difficult predictions and also provide setup opportunities.
**Thunder Wave**: Faster foes may attempt to switch in on a resisted hit and force Mega Gallade out, so Thunder Wave is able to punish them by allowing it to outspeed on the next turn.
**Destiny Bond**: If a slower foe is proving too much to handle both offensively and defensively, trading Mega Gallade for it via Destiny Bond can open the door for teammates.
**Disable**: While usually a downgrade to Encore, Disable can be threatening against Choice-locked attackers as well as those that are primarily threatening due to a singular attack.
**Magic Coat**: Mega Gallade can use Magic Coat to prevent itself from getting inflicted with status while also preventing the foe from setting entry hazards. This can be most impactful against Sticky Web users, as Sticky Web builds tend to not carry hazard removal.
**Safeguard**: While it looks like an alternative to Taunt and Magic Coat at first glance, Safeguard prevents Mega Gallade and its teammates from being inflicted by status while also giving it the ability to attack freely against Flame Body and Static foes without fearing status.
**Reflect / Light Screen**: Reflect and Light Screen both can provide Mega Gallade's teammates with a free turn to set up, although this is usually best reserved for other teammates that can hold Light Clay.
Draft Strategy
========
Mega Gallade is the centerpiece of any draft it's on, so its teammates should enable it to be both a wallbreaker and a sweeper while also providing the longevity to both outlast the opponent and safely get it onto the field.
**Entry Hazard Control**: Mega Gallade appreciates having entry hazards up on the opponent's side to help facilitate its sweeping potential. Pokemon such as Krookodile, Nidoqueen, and Skarmory can make for great partners, all offering reliable ways to set hazards. At the same time, removing hazards is equally important so that it can stay healthy, and as such, Zapdos, Rotom-W, and Scizor can all synergize well with Mega Gallade.
**Faster Pokemon**: While 110 Speed is a great Speed tier, having Mega Gallade be not only the fastest Pokemon on a draft but also item-locked can be incredibly limiting in prep . For this reason, Greninja, Weavile, and Crobat are all strong teammates.
**Additional Wallbreakers**: Offense is king, and having strong partners for Mega Gallade only makes its job that much easier. Landorus and Azumarill are just some examples of wallbreakers that synergize well with it by breaking each other's checks. Z-Move-reliant wallbreakers also synergize incredibly well with Mega Gallade, as it's a high-tier offensive piece that doesn't need them, making Pokémon such as Tornadus-T and Thundurus strong pairings.
**Tapu Fini**: Special mention is made to Tapu Fini here, as what it offers Mega Gallade is both unique and greatly appreciated. Firstly, an immunity to status of any kind allows the user to play far more aggressively, not fearing Will-O-Wisp, Flame Body, or Static. Furthermore, Tapu Fini is able to beat most would-be Mega Gallade checks, whether it be through Moonblast for Ghost / Dark types, or Nature's Madness + Taunt to shut down most walls.
Checks and Counters
========
**Bulky Psychic-types**: Bulky Psychic-types are most drafts' immediate defensive response to Mega Gallade. Pokemon such as Uxie, Mesprit, and Necrozma can all take hits from it while also threatening to either KO it or cripple it with moves such as Thunder Wave. They also tend to carry a Colbur Berry to prevent Swords Dance sets from getting out of hand.
**Ghost / Dark types**: Barring Dazzling Gleam, which does pitiful damage, Mega Gallade gets no super effective coverage for both Sableye formes and Spiritomb, making it resort to weaker neutral coverage. They can threaten it in multiple ways and tend to be complete stops to it in a game, giving it no option beyond trying to wear them down.
**Faster Foes**: Mega Gallade does have respectable bulk, but it can find itself overwhelmed easily by both super effective attacks and strong physical attackers. Both naturally faster Pokemon like Tapu Koko and Tornadus-T as well as Choice Scarf users such as Tapu Fini and Garchomp can force it out.
**Resistance Berries**: Being the coverage overlord that it is, Mega Gallade hits most Pokemon for super effective damage, which the opponent can attempt to exploit with resistance Berries, allowing foes to revenge kill it after surviving the hit.
**Foul Play**: While this works usually in conjunction with at least one of the above counters, Foul Play can pose a strong threat to Mega Gallade, being able to outright OHKO it at +2 if it is STAB boosted. Even non-Dark-type Choice Scarf users can use it to reliably pick it off once it is weakened.
**Burn / Paralysis**: Both burn and paralysis can heavily dampen Mega Gallade's effectiveness, either neutering its powerful offenses or slowing it down to be more easily revenge killed. Both status conditions can be easily inflicted thanks to not just Will-O-Wisp and Thunder Wave, but also Flame Body and Static.
**Priority**: Most priority attacks are physical, and sadly, Mega Gallade's physical bulk leaves a lot to be desired. It can find itself prone to being picked off by opposing priority such as Extreme Speed, Shadow Sneak, and Ice Shard.
[credits]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/nyx.564960/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/techno.527276/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/jscurf.608304/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/techno.527276/
Last edited:
