First of all, I’d like to report that the moves ice punch, Fire Punch and thunderpunch are not listed under Gallade’s “moves” button, but they are listed on shoddy battle. Second, I’d like to welcome you to my first try to introduce a set. I copy pasted the layout I’m supposed to have, I think. Here I go:
http://www.smogon.com/dp/pokemon/gallade
[SET]
name: trick-lead
move 1: Trick
move 2: Close Combat
move 3: Psycho Cut / Zen Headbutt / Night Slash
move 4: Ice Punch / Thunderpunch / Leaf Blade / Fire Punch
item: Choice Scarf nature: Adamant ability: Steadfast
evs: 104 HP / 252 Atk / 152 Spe
Why this set deserves to be on-site:
-Works well on offensive teams.
-Trick will give you the advantage when faced with a SR or spikes lead.
-Gallade is not outclassed by other trick users. STAB CC, an unpredictable movepool, good special defense and the fact that nothing expects trick from Gallade makes him a fine user of the move.
Additional comments:
-Zen Headbutt is the more powerful option then Psycho Cut, but The accuracy isn’t great. Night Slash is useful to hit ghosts besides Gengar for SE damage who will inevitably try to switch into CC.
-Ice punch is recommended in the last slot as it OHKOs lead dragonite and gliscor, thunderpunch helps to hit water types, especially Gyarados, Leaf Blade destroys Swampert, although Trick cripples it. Fire Punch destroys Forretress and Scizor. Scizor might try to switch in to BP you.
- As for the EV’s: 152 speed EV’s allow you to outspeed CS max speed Tyranitar, who might come in and try to KO you, only to be surprised by a CS CC for a swift KO. The others are used to maximize attack and to help Gallade take hits.
Teammates and Counters:
-Offensive teams will appreciate Gallade’s ability to mess up walls and do heavy damage to unsuspecting foes thanks to its great movepool. You can pick the moves you need to help out your team.
-I recommend other hard hitters like Metagross or Mamoswine who can also lay down SR as decent teammates.
To show you how useful Gallade really is as a lead:
Heatran: if it’s wearing a scarf it can attack first:
Timid Heatran fire blast: 172 - 204 / 56.8% - 67.3%
Modest heatran fire blast: 189 - 223 / 62.4% - 73.6% (modest is not standard)
Close combat is always an OHKO.
Tyranitar: if you ever happen to find it in the lead spot: CC is an OHKO.
Starmie: scarfmie will probably use trick, which is good for you. If not, Night Slash, Thunderpunch, Leaf Blade… with my standard set, you can’t hit it decently, but Starmie never OHKO’s you even with a modest choice specs Hydro Pump.
Infernape: CCwill do between 279 and 328 damage. So that’s a good chance to OHKOif it’s not wearing a focus sash. If it’s the standard fake out lead it will fake out the first turn. Next turn you use trick, and Infernape will be stuck on fake out. You will be left behind with +1 speed and the freedom to switch between attacks thanks to the ability Steadfast. Awesome ability…
Metagross: You can try to trick it while you expect SR, but you’ll have to watch out it isn’t wearing a CS itself or doesn’t attack. I’d say, best to switch to an appropriate counter unless you want to tempt faith.
Swampert: Trick cripples it. Leaf Blade kills it if you have it.
Machamp: Psycho cut : Lead Machamp : 294 - 348 / 77.2% - 91.3%
Zen Headbutt: 340 – 400 (381 hp lead machamp) (sorry, but the calculator I used for the above calculation didn’t have the move Zen Headbutt)
As you see Machamp will be severely wounded if you attack. Zen Headbutt even has a decent chance to OHKO. Dynamic Punch is resisted so it’s only a 3HKO. Payback or stone edge bring you into KO range of BP so watch out. If you have something that doesn’t mind BP and can finish Machamp off, then you’ll probably want to switch. You can also use trick, but I don’t see why.
Azelf: this could go in many different ways, too many to cover. But Azelf is often specially based so don’t run away.
Gliscor: Ice punch, otherwise trick.
Skarmory: Trick.
Dragonite: Ice punch.
Hippowdon: trick.
Aerodactyl: Best thing to do is to attack it twice. It gets rocks up but yeah, Gallade isn’t an anti-SR lead. It only 2HKOs with EQ IF it’s lucky, SE won’t OHKO either.
Forretress: trick, or fire punch if you have it.
Can’t think of any more lead right now.
As you can see, Gallade works best when facing a wall who tries to set up rocks or spikes. Besides this, it’s not a push-over and can go toe-to-toe with special attackers and come out on top. Strong physical attackers are usually better to avoid if you can’t KO them in 1 hit. If you didn’t use trick, Gallade can come back later in the match and act as a revenge-killer or cripple a wall. If you did, it can use it’s useful resistances and good special defense to easily come in later in the game and pose a serious threat, especially to slower teams. It has only 2 weaknesses: ghost and flying, so it’s hard to nail him on weaknesses.
That’s about it. Now I’m wondering if I should post some battle logs or not. Anyways, I hope you like it and if you're sceptical then try it out.
Blast
http://www.smogon.com/dp/pokemon/gallade
[SET]
name: trick-lead
move 1: Trick
move 2: Close Combat
move 3: Psycho Cut / Zen Headbutt / Night Slash
move 4: Ice Punch / Thunderpunch / Leaf Blade / Fire Punch
item: Choice Scarf nature: Adamant ability: Steadfast
evs: 104 HP / 252 Atk / 152 Spe
Why this set deserves to be on-site:
-Works well on offensive teams.
-Trick will give you the advantage when faced with a SR or spikes lead.
-Gallade is not outclassed by other trick users. STAB CC, an unpredictable movepool, good special defense and the fact that nothing expects trick from Gallade makes him a fine user of the move.
Additional comments:
-Zen Headbutt is the more powerful option then Psycho Cut, but The accuracy isn’t great. Night Slash is useful to hit ghosts besides Gengar for SE damage who will inevitably try to switch into CC.
-Ice punch is recommended in the last slot as it OHKOs lead dragonite and gliscor, thunderpunch helps to hit water types, especially Gyarados, Leaf Blade destroys Swampert, although Trick cripples it. Fire Punch destroys Forretress and Scizor. Scizor might try to switch in to BP you.
- As for the EV’s: 152 speed EV’s allow you to outspeed CS max speed Tyranitar, who might come in and try to KO you, only to be surprised by a CS CC for a swift KO. The others are used to maximize attack and to help Gallade take hits.
Teammates and Counters:
-Offensive teams will appreciate Gallade’s ability to mess up walls and do heavy damage to unsuspecting foes thanks to its great movepool. You can pick the moves you need to help out your team.
-I recommend other hard hitters like Metagross or Mamoswine who can also lay down SR as decent teammates.
To show you how useful Gallade really is as a lead:
Heatran: if it’s wearing a scarf it can attack first:
Timid Heatran fire blast: 172 - 204 / 56.8% - 67.3%
Modest heatran fire blast: 189 - 223 / 62.4% - 73.6% (modest is not standard)
Close combat is always an OHKO.
Tyranitar: if you ever happen to find it in the lead spot: CC is an OHKO.
Starmie: scarfmie will probably use trick, which is good for you. If not, Night Slash, Thunderpunch, Leaf Blade… with my standard set, you can’t hit it decently, but Starmie never OHKO’s you even with a modest choice specs Hydro Pump.
Infernape: CCwill do between 279 and 328 damage. So that’s a good chance to OHKOif it’s not wearing a focus sash. If it’s the standard fake out lead it will fake out the first turn. Next turn you use trick, and Infernape will be stuck on fake out. You will be left behind with +1 speed and the freedom to switch between attacks thanks to the ability Steadfast. Awesome ability…
Metagross: You can try to trick it while you expect SR, but you’ll have to watch out it isn’t wearing a CS itself or doesn’t attack. I’d say, best to switch to an appropriate counter unless you want to tempt faith.
Swampert: Trick cripples it. Leaf Blade kills it if you have it.
Machamp: Psycho cut : Lead Machamp : 294 - 348 / 77.2% - 91.3%
Zen Headbutt: 340 – 400 (381 hp lead machamp) (sorry, but the calculator I used for the above calculation didn’t have the move Zen Headbutt)
As you see Machamp will be severely wounded if you attack. Zen Headbutt even has a decent chance to OHKO. Dynamic Punch is resisted so it’s only a 3HKO. Payback or stone edge bring you into KO range of BP so watch out. If you have something that doesn’t mind BP and can finish Machamp off, then you’ll probably want to switch. You can also use trick, but I don’t see why.
Azelf: this could go in many different ways, too many to cover. But Azelf is often specially based so don’t run away.
Gliscor: Ice punch, otherwise trick.
Skarmory: Trick.
Dragonite: Ice punch.
Hippowdon: trick.
Aerodactyl: Best thing to do is to attack it twice. It gets rocks up but yeah, Gallade isn’t an anti-SR lead. It only 2HKOs with EQ IF it’s lucky, SE won’t OHKO either.
Forretress: trick, or fire punch if you have it.
Can’t think of any more lead right now.
As you can see, Gallade works best when facing a wall who tries to set up rocks or spikes. Besides this, it’s not a push-over and can go toe-to-toe with special attackers and come out on top. Strong physical attackers are usually better to avoid if you can’t KO them in 1 hit. If you didn’t use trick, Gallade can come back later in the match and act as a revenge-killer or cripple a wall. If you did, it can use it’s useful resistances and good special defense to easily come in later in the game and pose a serious threat, especially to slower teams. It has only 2 weaknesses: ghost and flying, so it’s hard to nail him on weaknesses.
That’s about it. Now I’m wondering if I should post some battle logs or not. Anyways, I hope you like it and if you're sceptical then try it out.
Blast
