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Gallade (Analysis)
- Thread starter Galladiator
- Start date
But my reasoning is that they're usually faster and pretty much one- or two-hit KO with Shadow Ball on variants that don't run Shadow Sneak. Even on ones that do, Specs/Scarf Chandy OHKOs with a base 145 Special Attack, STAB-boosted Shadow Ball, and I don't care how amazing Gallade's Special Defense is, he's not gonna survive one of those.
I've been using this set to great effect. Like literally I've always taken down at least one, usually two or three of my opponent's Pokemon before Gallade kicks it.
Gallade @ Life Orb
Jolly, 252 Att/252 Spe/4 Def
Close Combat
Zen Headbutt
Shadow Sneak
Ice Punch
With Life Orb, Zen Headbutt is a guaranteed OHKO on lead Machamp. Close Combat gets Politoed into KO range with Shadow Sneak and scores an OHKO on all but the bulkiest of Ninetales (I've yet to see a bulky Ninetales tho. Most of them are offense oriented). Close Combat scores an easy KO on Abomasnow/Tyranitar, and Ice Punch is a clean 3KO on Hippowdon. Almost every lead in the developing meta has something to fear from Gallade. There isn't much that it can't handle (at least that I've noticed) except Skarmory.
Also, I would leave the ability as Steadfast because of the ever-common Fake Out leads. Gallade really likes the speed boosts and can usually survive a hit or two.
Gallade @ Life Orb
Jolly, 252 Att/252 Spe/4 Def
Close Combat
Zen Headbutt
Shadow Sneak
Ice Punch
With Life Orb, Zen Headbutt is a guaranteed OHKO on lead Machamp. Close Combat gets Politoed into KO range with Shadow Sneak and scores an OHKO on all but the bulkiest of Ninetales (I've yet to see a bulky Ninetales tho. Most of them are offense oriented). Close Combat scores an easy KO on Abomasnow/Tyranitar, and Ice Punch is a clean 3KO on Hippowdon. Almost every lead in the developing meta has something to fear from Gallade. There isn't much that it can't handle (at least that I've noticed) except Skarmory.
Also, I would leave the ability as Steadfast because of the ever-common Fake Out leads. Gallade really likes the speed boosts and can usually survive a hit or two.
Even for Skarmory:
252 Atk Gallade @Life Orb Close Combat vs. 252/0 Bold Skarmory: 52.0%~61.3%
A clean 2HKO. I'm convinced. Adding your set (with credit to you, of course).
That's the anti-lead set on-site for 4th Gen...
It's the second set of the analysis.
Well, crap. Never mind then. Sorry.
(Somewhat) shameless bump for QC purposes.
IMO what separates Gallade from his fighting type brothers is status and potentially being able to run SD with status. Personally I'd like to see a double status set using hypnosis(sleep mechanic abuse), will'o'wisp, close combat, and filler. Use a wide lens and the filler can be stone edge.
Guts users will try to absorb the status, but potentially putting them to sleep will suck for them. Hypnosis the first switch in if you know they could be carrying a guts user, then wow if they have a back up fast physical attacker. Team preview is Status Gallade's bread and butter.
Guts users will try to absorb the status, but potentially putting them to sleep will suck for them. Hypnosis the first switch in if you know they could be carrying a guts user, then wow if they have a back up fast physical attacker. Team preview is Status Gallade's bread and butter.
What is this? I don't even...
If Gallade is going to have a Trick Room set, it's essential that he actually has Trick Room on the set. We don't just give generic TR sweeper sets to everything y'know?
Try something like this:
Gallade @ Life Orb
Brave
180 HP / 252 Atk / 76 Def
0 Spe IV
- Trick Room
- Destiny Bond
- Close Combat
- Stone Edge / Night Slash
Trick Room + Destiny Bond is an excellent combo and Gallade is probably the best user of it. Unlike Banette or Dusknoir he can actually go on the offensive and force the opponent to attack and leave themselves vulnerable to D-Bond - LO CC from 383 Atk stings like a bitch and he can obtain good coverage with Stone Edge or Night Slash in the last slot (or something more specialised like Ice Punch for Gliscor if you wish).
A bulk up set is FAR from gimmicky. I used it quite a few times and found FAR MORE EFFECTIVE than the SD set. I takes more time to set up but it is truly amazing.
Gallade@Leftovers
Careful / Adamant
252 HP / 244 Sp Def / 12 Spe
-Drain Punch
-Bulk Up
-Psycho Cut
-Night Slash / Stone Edge / Ice Punch
Takes more turns to set up but after 2-3 Bulk Ups it becomes quite hard to take down (with a careful nature, it easily handles powerful hits from popular scarfers like Draco Meteor from Sazandora and Bug Buzz from Genosect. It can even survive a Shadow Ball from Scarf Chandelure at full health! Isnt it amazing!).
The choice of the last slot depends on your team needs. Night Slash for Calm Minders like Rankurusu, Stone edge for most bulky flyers and Ice punch for Gliscor and the Dragons. Leaf Blade is also usable if you have major problems with bulky ground and water-types.
---To the intention of the writer: You are strictly forbidden to make any negative comments about this set before trying it for 10 battles.
Gallade@Leftovers
Careful / Adamant
252 HP / 244 Sp Def / 12 Spe
-Drain Punch
-Bulk Up
-Psycho Cut
-Night Slash / Stone Edge / Ice Punch
Takes more turns to set up but after 2-3 Bulk Ups it becomes quite hard to take down (with a careful nature, it easily handles powerful hits from popular scarfers like Draco Meteor from Sazandora and Bug Buzz from Genosect. It can even survive a Shadow Ball from Scarf Chandelure at full health! Isnt it amazing!).
The choice of the last slot depends on your team needs. Night Slash for Calm Minders like Rankurusu, Stone edge for most bulky flyers and Ice punch for Gliscor and the Dragons. Leaf Blade is also usable if you have major problems with bulky ground and water-types.
---To the intention of the writer: You are strictly forbidden to make any negative comments about this set before trying it for 10 battles.
What is Psycho Cut really hitting on this set that Night Slash wouldn't (other than the obvious Hera/Toxicroak)? I think Gallade might get more mileage out of Drain Punch / Bulk Up / Night Slash or Shadow Sneak / Thunder Wave.
This way Gallade is simultaneously providing paralysis support which always helps, and while Night Slash has near-perfect coverage with Drain Punch, a priority Ghost move could really help against LO Gengar or SpecsLatios before they get a chance to attack.
I'll probably be taking a lot of heat for this, but I think that Bulk Up is Gallade's best set this generation. The buff to Drain Punch really helps as far as survivability goes, and in addition to superior special bulk, one think that Gallade has that Roobushin lacks is a way to smack through Gliscor: Ice Punch. I strongly reccomend it be added as its own set.
Well, holy crap...now I just feel stupid...
<adds Bulk Up set>
<opens mouth>
<inserts foot>
I think this is a very good reason to use Zen Headbutt.
Should these really be in the same bullet point? Roobushin has some shitty ass speed.
Also, Gallade gets some nifty status moves. Will-o-wisp/[Thunder Wave/Hypnosis)/Close Combat/Night Slash wasn't a half-bad set, last gen.
---Btw Using Psycho cut or not on the bulk up set really depends on your team, you could change it if you want but it makes gallade an ok response to comme fighting types. Do as you wish.
Also, Shadow sneak is useless since it suffers from a drastic lack of power. Bulky Gallade prefers to take the hit than retaliate with force. (trust me, ive done over 50 battles with that guy and tried pretty much all the options possible).
EDIT: I dont really like seeing Thunder Wave as first option. Gallade as so much better options to use like Ice Punch, Thunder Punch and Psycho cut. Thunder Wave only merits a place in OO imo.
Also, Shadow sneak is useless since it suffers from a drastic lack of power. Bulky Gallade prefers to take the hit than retaliate with force. (trust me, ive done over 50 battles with that guy and tried pretty much all the options possible).
EDIT: I dont really like seeing Thunder Wave as first option. Gallade as so much better options to use like Ice Punch, Thunder Punch and Psycho cut. Thunder Wave only merits a place in OO imo.
Gallade's only form of priority is Shadow Sneak, but it won't be doing /enough/ damage to threatening foes until he's at +2. It's a shame he doesn't have any other priority moves, but if he had Mach Punch and no Shadow Sneak, he wouldn't be able to severely cripple Pokemon like Gengar or Shanderra. I think it's worth mentioning at least, as it is his only form of priority.
Actually, it's worse, since Vacuum Wave is special, whereas Shadow Sneak is at least physical, not to mention actually covers Gallade's main weakness.
Which means Shadow Sneak is pretty usable on Gallade, since he can run Close Combat, Ice Punch, and Shadow Sneak on the same sets to check otherwise troublesome Pokemon. The only problem is where to fit Psycho Cut / Zen Headbutt, Night Slash, or Stone Edge with this combination in mind.
Zen Headbutt/Psycho Cut is usually better than Night Slash because is OHKOs dumb things like Roobushin and Machamp.
Bumping to avoid lockup. I have been reading this, and the suggestions pretty much mirror my original thoughts.
too many slashes on the Bulk Up set IMO
Gallade w/ Leftovers
Ability: Steadfast/Heart of Justice
Nature: Careful
EVs: 252 HP;16 Atk; 240 SpDef
-Bulk Up
-Drain Punch
-Shadow Sneak
-Substitute
This is the best version of this set that I've seen so far. Sub and Bulk Up work great together, as they allow Gallade to always get up a Bulk Up while protecting it from nasty status effects like Burn and Toxic(which surprises me that you don't even have Substitute as a slash in the 4th move slot) The new buffed Drain Punch is great because it gives Gallade a "reliable" recovery move and gets boosted by Bulk Up. Shadow Sneak has amazing type coverage with Drain Punch and bypasses Gallade's Base 80 Speed (which without investment isn't very good). It also allows those speed EVs to be placed in something useful (like attack).
Night Slash is another option for this set, due to the awesome coverage, but Sneak is just so much better. Psycho Cut should probably not even be mentioned, since Roobushin probably won't be coming in on Gallade anyway.
As for the last move slot, sure Gallade can probably get a status off, but what does that accomplish for this set? Sub just works so much better with Bulk Up, and Gallade can reach a point where pokes can't even break its Subs.
Hope this helps!
Gallade w/ Leftovers
Ability: Steadfast/Heart of Justice
Nature: Careful
EVs: 252 HP;16 Atk; 240 SpDef
-Bulk Up
-Drain Punch
-Shadow Sneak
-Substitute
This is the best version of this set that I've seen so far. Sub and Bulk Up work great together, as they allow Gallade to always get up a Bulk Up while protecting it from nasty status effects like Burn and Toxic(which surprises me that you don't even have Substitute as a slash in the 4th move slot) The new buffed Drain Punch is great because it gives Gallade a "reliable" recovery move and gets boosted by Bulk Up. Shadow Sneak has amazing type coverage with Drain Punch and bypasses Gallade's Base 80 Speed (which without investment isn't very good). It also allows those speed EVs to be placed in something useful (like attack).
Night Slash is another option for this set, due to the awesome coverage, but Sneak is just so much better. Psycho Cut should probably not even be mentioned, since Roobushin probably won't be coming in on Gallade anyway.
As for the last move slot, sure Gallade can probably get a status off, but what does that accomplish for this set? Sub just works so much better with Bulk Up, and Gallade can reach a point where pokes can't even break its Subs.
Hope this helps!
@mike: Thanks a lot, that set looks really clean compared to mine. I've tested it, and Sub does work pretty well. Editing set.