Pokémon Gardevoir

[Sweetstack]

I've been trying out various forms of support for Gardevoir and had some success with screens using Espeon.

Espeon @ Light Clay
Ability: Magic Bounce
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 Spd
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Reflect
- Light Screen
- Yawn
- Baton Pass

Basic premise is to set up, then yawn to give a free switch-in to M-Gardevoir. If the opponent decides to stay in, for whatever reason, M-Gardevoir will at least have the a screen to cushion things. Magic Bounce should protect the screens from being defogged while Espeon is setting up. While M-Gardevoir prefers both screens to be up, I usually try to put up a reflect first, and if possible put up a light screen.

Most notable defoggers won't be outspeeding M-Gardevoir. The Latis are faster but the opponent will have to sacrifice them in order to remove screens since neither will survive a Hyper Voice. Another notable defogger that might give problems is Skarmory since it resist Hyper Voice and can then defog. There's also opponents who will try to stall you out until screens run out with something like Chansey. Then of course there's the issue of finding situations to pull this off since Espeon is frail.

 

[Machi]

Magic Bounce should protect the screens from being defogged while Espeon is setting up. While M-Gardevoir prefers both screens to be up, I usually try to put up a reflect first, and if possible put up a light screen.

No Magic Bounce unfortunately will not stop the screens from being removed it will only prevent the stat drop on Espeon but the screens will be removed.

 

[Sergeant Spooky]

No Magic Bounce unfortunately will not stop the screens from being removed it will only prevent the stat drop on Espeon but the screens will be removed.

Actually, it only works this way for hazards. Defog only removes screens on your opponent's side of the field, not yours, and of course when it gets bounced that flips around.

 

[Machi]

Actually, it only works this way for hazards. Defog only removes screens on your opponent's side of the field, not yours, and of course when it gets bounced that flips around.

The stat drop will be reflected but the property of defog as of now is to remove hazards from both sides so regardless of whether it is bounced the primary effect is the entire field, the stat drop on the other hand is individual and will be bounced back.

 

[Sergeant Spooky]

The stat drop will be reflected but the property of defog as of now is to remove hazards from both sides so regardless of whether it is bounced the primary effect is the entire field, the stat drop on the other hand is individual and will be bounced back.

Yeah I know, but there is an exception for screens.

http://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Defog_(move)

It will still only clear away Light Screen and Reflect from the target's side of the field, however.

 

[Nubbins]

Except it's not all that bulky, it gets 2HKO'd and outsped by most relevant special attackers meaning it can't come in on them, only 'force' them out if it comes in after something dies or from a slow VoltTurn.

That's what I said. No where did I say gardevoir should be switching into special attacks, especially considering that the first time it does it's not mega-evolved.

 

[Awesomejoon]

I don't know......Bisharp can kill gardevoir without life orb boost after defogged or sticky webbed can beat up gardevoir (mega) anyday, even with reflect/light screen. (not sure because I got crit, but I dont think it matters anyway.)

 

[LZH14]

Bisharp destroys EVERYTHING after a free +2 boost. That's a non-issue.

 

[RotomPoison]

Bisharp destroys EVERYTHING after a free +2 boost. That's a non-issue.

No, it really can't. Mega Venusaur wins, really anything faster that can live a Sucker Punch can beat it

 

[Awesomejoon]

Adament nature +2(or 4 from defiant) life orbed +252 att sucker punch beats everything up.......Except for really bulky one plus screens. I think it can put up with MV

 

[Karxrida]

No, it really can't. Mega Venusaur wins, really anything faster that can live a Sucker Punch can beat it

Mega Venu needs Earthquake or HP Fire to actually beat Bisharp, otherwise it's taking +2 Iron Heads.
+2 252+ Atk Life Orb Bisharp Iron Head vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Mega Venusaur: 226-266 (62 - 73%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
+2 252+ Atk Life Orb Bisharp Iron Head vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Mega Venusaur: 304-359 (83.5 - 98.6%) -- 68.8% chance to OHKO after Stealth Rock

 

[Halcyon.]

Of course Bisharp is a problem for Mega Gardevoir, but who in their right mind is sending in their Gardevoir on a +2 Bisharp and not expecting to die to a Sucker Punch? Not to mention Gardevoir can carry Will-O-Wisp to Burn Bisharp before it has a chance to Sucker Punch.

 

[Sweetstack]

+2 252+ Atk Life Orb burned Bisharp Sucker Punch vs. 0 HP / 24 Def Mega Gardevoir through Reflect: 124-146 (44.7 - 52.7%) -- 26.2% chance to 2HKO

So if M-Gardevoir burns Bisharp on a Sucker Punch, M-Gardevoir will survive a Sucker Punch (with Reflect up) and OHKO back with Hyper Voice.

 

[LZH14]

Mega Venu needs Earthquake or HP Fire to actually beat Bisharp, otherwise it's taking +2 Iron Heads.
+2 252+ Atk Life Orb Bisharp Iron Head vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Mega Venusaur: 226-266 (62 - 73%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
+2 252+ Atk Life Orb Bisharp Iron Head vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Mega Venusaur: 304-359 (83.5 - 98.6%) -- 68.8% chance to OHKO after Stealth Rock

Even with those moves, they do:
252+ SpA Mega Venusaur Hidden Power Fire vs. 4 HP / 0 SpD Bisharp: 184-218 (67.6 - 80.1%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
So pretty sure Venusaur loses anyways. But whatever.

We're still hoping that Z/X2/Y2/OR/AS will have actual move tutors but until then, we have to transfer from B2W2. RIP WiFi though when Gardevoir gets a legal hyper voice.

 

[Awesomejoon]

+2 252+ Atk Life Orb burned Bisharp Sucker Punch vs. 0 HP / 24 Def Mega Gardevoir through Reflect: 124-146 (44.7 - 52.7%) -- 26.2% chance to 2HKO

So if M-Gardevoir burns Bisharp on a Sucker Punch, M-Gardevoir will survive a Sucker Punch (with Reflect up) and OHKO back with Hyper Voice.

Or, predicting that she'll use will-o-wisp, 252+ attack +2 adament natured life orb bisharp could go for iron head, which is a guaranteed OHKO without reflect, or 56.8% of being OHKOed with reflect, because sucker punch won't work with status anyway.

 

[Sweetstack]

Or, predicting that she'll use will-o-wisp, 252+ attack +2 adament natured life orb bisharp could go for iron head, which is a guaranteed OHKO without reflect, or 56.8% of being OHKOed with reflect, because sucker punch won't work with status anyway.

If the player thinks that the opponent will use Iron Head, then M-Gardevoir could then use Hyper Voice to OHKO before it can use Iron Head. Basically, it's a 50/50 guessing game for both sides. If the M-Gardevoir player guesses wrong, M-Gardevoir is KO'd. If the Bisharp player guesses wrong, Bisharp is KO'd.

 

[Awesomejoon]

Fair point

 

[Awesomejoon]

but gardevoir is still a very handy pokemon. As long as it survives, it hits very hard. Heck, she even survived Mega Gengar's shadow ball.

 

[Argol228]

So what i want to know is, why is focus blast always recommended? it's an unreliable move that is only there for a few pokemon that will OHKO her when she does miss. my moveset on mega gardy is
Hyper voice
Thunderbolt
Shadow Ball
Protect

Protect ensures you get mega unscathed, the rest cover fairly well. yeah I get the idea is to hit Heatran or TTar. but the move is too unreliable to hit Heatran twice. TTar and Beartic are the only ones I can think of that Focus Blast will decimate but Hitting them on a switch in with Hyper voice will be better or of course having SR set up for an OHKO.

 

[Talpr0ne]

So what i want to know is, why is focus blast always recommended? it's an unreliable move that is only there for a few pokemon that will OHKO her when she does miss. my moveset on mega gardy is
Hyper voice
Thunderbolt
Shadow Ball
Protect

Protect ensures you get mega unscathed, the rest cover fairly well. yeah I get the idea is to hit Heatran or TTar. but the move is too unreliable to hit Heatran twice. TTar and Beartic are the only ones I can think of that Focus Blast will decimate but Hitting them on a switch in with Hyper voice will be better or of course having SR set up for an OHKO.

My philosophy about Focus Blast/Stone Edge is that it's better losing 20%/30% of the time than losing 100% of the time.

 

[RotomPoison]

Beartic...

Also TTar is hit pretty hard by Hyper Voice anyway

 

[Megoodraggon]

Beartic

U wot m8?

 

[Sergeant Spooky]

Focus Blast is for Heatran, Excadrill and Ferrothorn. They're pretty much the only things you use have to use it on.

Protect isn't that necessary, you have tons of a special bulk so you can safely MEvolve against Greninja and the like.

And what is Thunderbolt supposed to hit?

 

[Sweetstack]

My philosophy about Focus Blast/Stone Edge is that it's better losing 20%/30% of the time than losing 100% of the time.

Pretty much this. The less pokemon that can get in the way of M-Gardevoir's Hyper Voice rampage, the better (especially since Heatran, Excadril, and Ferrothorn are all top 20 in usage).

I used to have that same mentality regarding Focus Blast and had chosen to run Shadow Ball as my third attack move since it would at least hit Steels for neutral damage (besides Bisharp but it shouldn't be switching into M-Gardevoir anyway since Hyper Voice is an OHKO). The problem was that Shadow Ball was not a guaranteed 2HKO on any of the steels that took neutral damage so they could come in and force a switch whereas with Focus Blast M-Gardevoir at least had a fighting chance.

 

[Argol228]

Fair enough I suppose. I am just really salty over that move since I lost two tournaments and a special exhibition match due to it missing. Thunderbolt I carry to OHKO Talonflame, Gyrados and Charizard on predicted switch in or Heavily Damage Zard-Y I used beartic as an example just because I have seen him on some rain teams and he can survive hyper voice. I should have instead used Mamoswine as an example.

You have to hit Ferrothorn with Focus blast on a switch in otherwise he will survive a hit and counter with OHKO Gyroball