Overview
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With access to Hyper Voice, Gardevoir has received new relevance in VGC 2015 as a strong and powerful Mega Evolution with good typing and decent stats. With two excellent abilities in Trace and Telepathy, Gardevoir can use similar sets that can work very differently on completely separate teams, and it can work outside of its Mega forme, utilizing different strategies for each variation. Unfortunately, its base 65 Defense and base 68 HP make Gardevoir incredibly physically frail. But with the strongest Fairy-type move in the game and three excellent abilities, it can wreak havoc on teams unprepared for the dressed destroyer.
Mega Gardevoir
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name: Mega Gardevoir
move 1: Hyper Voice
move 2: Psychic / Psyshock
move 3: Shadow Ball / Hidden Power Ground / Focus Blast
move 4: Protect
ability: Trace / Telepathy
item: Gardevoirite
evs: 108 HP / 124 Def / 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 20 Spe
nature: Modest
Moves
========
Pixilate Hyper Voice has incredible power, being only marginally less powerful than Choice Specs Sylveon's Hyper Voice. Whether you should run Psychic or Psyshock depends on your team, as the former has a higher Base Power, but the latter deals physical damage, and many common switch-ins to Mega Gardevoir have lower Defense than Special Defense. Finally, Shadow Ball can be used to hit opposing Psychic-types such as Cresselia and Gothitelle hard, while Hidden Power Ground or Focus Blast can be used to deal with common Steel-type switch-ins such as Heatran, Metagross, and Ferrothorn. Protect is a staple move in VGC, and it gives Gardevoir a free turn to Mega Evolve and shift its mediocre base 80 Speed to a more tolerable base 100 Speed.
Set Details
========
252 Special Attack EVs and a Modest nature maximize spread damage and allow Gardevoir to whittle down or knock out as many foes as possible as quickly as possible. With 20 Speed EVs, Mega Gardevoir outspeeds Bisharp and OHKOes it with Hyper Voice. 108 HP and 4 Special Defense EVs are enough so that Modest Gengar cannot OHKO Mega Gardevoir with Sludge Bomb or Shadow Ball. 124 Defense EVs increase Mega Gardevoir's physical bulk. However, the EVs can be put into Speed, and a spread of 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe could be considered to maximize Speed and power.
Usage Tips
========
As with all Mega Evolutions, Mega Gardevoir is best used as a sweeper instead of a lead, though using it as a lead can take the heat off of other, more frail sweepers that could always benefit from Mega Gardevoir weakening the opponent's team, such as Gengar or Weavile. Mega Gardevoir's poor Defense stat requires it caution next to Earthquake users, and the loss of Telepathy only maximizes this worry. Gardevoir should also be used after its checks, such as Metagross, Mawile, and Scizor, have already been dispatched of or at least weakened.
Team Options
========
Mega Gardevoir adores Intimidate support and partners that beat Pokemon that resist Fairy. Arcanine has access to Intimidate, can threaten most Steel- and Bug-types, and can spread burns. Pokemon such as Volcarona and Amoonguss are just as helpful, as they can beat most Fairy checks and divert attention from Mega Gardevoir with Rage Powder. Milotic has access to Icy Wind to further augment Gardevoir's Speed and let it fully utilize its power; Milotic can also use Scald to burn foes, halving the damage taken from physical attacks and making Gardevoir's frail Defense more tolerable. Mega Gardevoir also works well as a "second Mega Evolution" alongside another Mega Evolution such as Garchomp, Venusaur, Lucario, or Tyranitar, which can all work with or without their Mega Stone, allowing for more diverse in-game decisions to adapt to your opponent's team.
Choice Scarf
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name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Moonblast
move 2: Psychic / Psyshock
move 3: Dazzling Gleam / Healing Wish
move 4: Shadow Ball / Destiny Bond
ability: Trace / Telepathy
item: Choice Scarf
evs: 12 HP / 252 SpA / 244 Spe
nature: Timid
Moves
========
Moonblast has a high damage output and 100% accuracy; because of this, it is usually the move of choice to deal with specific targets. The choice between Psychic and Psyshock depends on your team, as the former has a higher Base Power, but the latter deals physical damage, which is helpful because many of Gardevoir's checks have low Defense stats. Dazzling Gleam is a STAB spread move, which works if Gardevoir wants to cause more spread damage over the opposing team instead of targeting a specific member. However, Healing Wish allows Gardevoir to come in and completely revive an otherwise incapacitated teammate, immediately changing the momentum of the game. Shadow Ball covers opposing Psychic- and Ghost-types such as Gothitelle, Cresselia, and Aegislash, respectively, better than the previous moves do, while Choice Scarf Destiny Bond allows Gardevoir to switch in at low health and get a surprise KO out of a risky situation.
Set Details
========
Choice Scarf supplements one of Gardevoir's weakest points: its base 80 Speed. With maximum Special Attack investment and 244 Speed EVs, Gardevoir outspeeds major threats such as Choice Scarf Adamant Landorus-T, Jolly Smeargle, Mega Gengar, Mega Lopunny, Jolly Mega Tyranitar at +1, and neutral-natured Mega Gyarados at +1 and hits as hard as possible. The remaining EVs go into HP to increase Gardevoir's ability to take hits. However, a variant with 252 Speed and 4 HP EVs works just as well to maximize Speed. Telepathy and Trace work equally well here, catering to whether your team needs a partner to Earthquake users or a counter to specific threats such as Intimidate, Parental Bond, or Competitive users.
Usage Tips
========
Choice Scarf Gardevoir works well in either a lead or a clean-up situation, though not both in the same match. Its ability to inflict incredibly quick and good amounts of damage can work very efficiently in either situation. However, Gardevoir finds itself very vulnerable to priority moves due to its low Defense, and Sucker Punch, Fake Out, Bullet Punch, and Shadow Sneak are very prevalent. Be sure to eliminate users of such moves before attempting to sweep. Paralysis and Trick Room are also crippling to Gardevoir, taking away the best asset of the set and allowing common slower sweepers such as Mawile and Camerupt to knock Gardevoir out first.
Team Options
========
Gardevoir really appreciates Steel-type checks; Heatran, Arcanine, and Rotom-H work especially well, as they all have respectable bulk and appreciate Gardevoir's Speed allowing them to invest into bulk and power. Landorus-T also acts as an excellent partner, as Intimidate cushions Gardevoir's lackluster Defense and its STAB spread move in Earthquake threatens the entire field. However, if Landorus-T is to be Gardevoir's partner, consider Telepathy over Trace, as Earthquake will hit Gardevoir otherwise. Amoonguss acts as a Trick Room check and has access to Rage Powder and Spore, allowing Gardevoir to more effectively focus on one foe at a time while Amoonguss incapacitates the other. Volcarona also provides Rage Powder support and has Fire-type STAB moves, being a great median of Rage Powder user and Steel-type check. Finally, Gardevoir adores Shadow Tag support, as it is able to trap opposing threats for Gardevoir to eliminate. Gothitelle works excellently, as it has considerable bulk and can provide Helping Hand support as well, while Mega Gengar acts as an offensive force with extremely strong STAB moves that hit Fairy- and Psychic-types, which could otherwise sponge hits, super effectively.
Choice Specs
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name: Choice Specs
move 1: Moonblast
move 2: Psychic / Psyshock
move 3: Dazzling Gleam
move 4: Shadow Ball
ability: Trace / Telepathy
item: Choice Specs
evs: 68 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpA / 182 Spe
nature: Modest
Moves
========
Moonblast is the move with the highest damage output that Gardevoir has access to; it also has 100% accuracy, so it is usually the move of choice to deal with specific targets. Whether you run Psychic or Psyshock depends on your team, as the former has a higher Base Power, but the latter deals physical damage against Gardevoir's checks, many of which have low Defense stats. Dazzling Gleam gets a STAB boost and is a spread move, which works if Gardevoir wants to cause more spread damage over the team instead of targeting a specific member. Finally, Shadow Ball acts as coverage for bulky Psychic-types such as Gothitelle and Cresselia, as well as Aegislash.
Set Details
========
Maximum Special Attack investment with Choice Specs allows Gardevoir to have the strongest Fairy-type move in the game, even over Mega Gardevoir, Choice Specs Sylveon, and Mega Altaria's Hyper Voice. 182 Speed EVs allow Gardevoir to outspeed Adamant Bisharp and OHKO it with Moonblast, while the remaining 68 HP and 4 Defense EVs maximize Gardevoir's bulk without wasting EVs. However, a spread with 252 Speed and Special Attack EVs is also extremely effective, maximizing Gardevoir's questionable Speed and dangerous power.
Usage Tips
========
Choice Specs Gardevoir works best as a wallbreaker, as its immense power is incredibly hard to deal with for a majority of the metagame, and having remaining team members to clean up allows Gardevoir to more effectively accomplish this goal throughout the match. Firing off a few Moonblasts or Dazzling Gleams is usually all that Gardevoir will be able to accomplish, but the immense amount of damage it can cause is usually worth it. However, Gardevoir can clean up in the late-game equally well, where its power is needed and its mediocre base 80 Speed is less of an issue. Gardevoir does poorly against most priority moves due to its poor HP and Defense, so Sucker Punch, Bullet Punch, Extreme Speed, and Shadow Sneak should be scouted for and their users eliminated.
Team Options
========
Gardevoir appreciates Fake Out support, as it nearly guarantees that Gardevoir can use a Choice Specs-boosted Dazzling Gleam or Moonblast. Mega Kangaskhan and Scrafty are excellent partners, as the former's ability Parental Bond creates a lot of offensive pressure and the latter has access to Intimidate and Quick Guard, easing the pressure on Gardevoir. Pokemon that can check Steel-types or provide Intimidate support are also useful, such as Landorus-T or Gyarados with Earthquake or Arcanine with Will-O-Wisp. Gyarados also gets access to Thunder Wave, which provides necessary speed control that Gardevoir also really appreciates to supplement its mediocre Speed. Pokemon with access to Tailwind or Icy Wind are always welcome; for example, Suicune can set up Tailwind and also threatens the Fire-types that resist Moonblast. Thundurus with Prankster Thunder Wave and Encore or Cresselia can provide Thunder Wave, Icy Wind, or even the occasional Helping Hand support to boost the power of Gardevoir's moves even further. Finally, redirection in the form of Rage Powder can be helpful as well. Amoonguss can provide this support and also gets access to Spore, which can be used to cripple the opponent's team. Volcarona's Fire-type STAB moves also threaten enemy Steel-types.
Other Options
########
Gardevoir has an immense amount of other options, allowing its moveslots to be adjusted to the needs of your team. Focus Blast is another very strong move in Gardevoir's arsenal that hits many of Gardevoir's checks such as Heatran super effectively, though it has 70% accuracy. Thunderbolt threatens Flying-type Pokemon such as Talonflame, which otherwise is a check to Gardevoir, and allows Gardevoir to be useful against weather teams, as it can Trace abilities such as Swift Swim to outspeed common sweepers and put offensive pressure on the opponent with Thunderbolt. Hidden Power Fire or Ground is Gardevoir's only access to Fire- or Ground-type coverage for the Steel-types that threaten it. However, because of Hidden Power's poor Base Power of 60, Moonblast and Hyper Voice hit neutral targets such as Bisharp harder, so only use it for foes that resist Fairy. Hidden Power Ground is preferred because of Scizor's lack of prevalence and allows Gardevoir to have a higher Speed IV, but it hits Ferrothorn neutrally instead of 4x super effectively. Icy Wind is an excellent spread move as well as a great support move, hitting Landorus-T harder than any of Gardevoir's other moves. It also grants Gardevoir the ability to control its foes' Speed, lessening the support job of the rest of the team and allowing Gardevoir and its teammates to create a better position against faster, more powerful threats.
A support set of Heal Pulse / Helping Hand / Icy Wind / Safeguard or Misty Terrain with Telepathy allows Gardevoir to fill a powerful support role and, when paired with maximum HP and Defense investment, be a difficult Pokemon to KO. Will-O-Wisp can be used to cripple offensive threats, but its 85% accuracy is lackluster. Imprison is a niche move that, when used on Mega Gardevoir, cripples Sylveon, specially offensive Mega Salamence, and Mega Altaria; it also punishes any foe for using Protect. It can also be used on support sets either with Icy Wind to cripple Cresselia and rid the utility of Suicune, Gengar and Milotic or with Thunderbolt to reduce the viability of Rotom, especially Rotom-H. Trick is another interesting move used with the Choice sets to put otherwise difficult Pokemon into an uncomfortable situation. However, with the commonness of Mega Pokemon, it can often backfire and force Gardevoir into multiple Tricks before it works, which allows for easy exploitation, and many Pokemon benefit from the Speed boost that Choice Scarf gives. Memento can be used on the Choice Scarf set to instantly turn the tide of battle in situations where either Gardevoir would not deal enough damage or it is at low health, crippling the opposing Pokemon that could otherwise end the game and allowing for allied Pokemon to capitalize on or punish the switch-in.
Life Orb allows for a utility in switching moves that Choice Specs cannot, as well as access to the coveted Protect. Though there are few to no key KOs it sacrifices, the loss of damage to neutral targets is noticeable, and the 10% HP penalty is a severe punishment to Gardevoir's longevity.
Checks & Counters
########
**Steel-types**: Mawile and Heatran resist every move Gardevoir usually runs and will always KO Gardevoir with Iron Head and Flash Cannon, respectively. Pokemon with access to Bullet Punch such as Scizor and Lucario should be warranted extreme caution, as their power is usually enough to KO Gardevoir even before it accumulates a mass amount of damage. Bulkier Steel-types such as Metagross and Aegislash pose a similar problem if they dodge or survive the appropriate coverage move, and they always have a move to KO Gardevoir with. Slow Steel-types such as Ferrothorn and Aggron have access to Gyro Ball, which will almost always KO Gardevoir with any Speed investment. The only Steel-types that are threatened by Gardevoir are Bisharp and Lucario, as their secondary type allows Gardevoir to hit them neutrally and neither of them can take more than one Hyper Voice, but they usually can knock Gardevoir out before a second one is used.
**Talonflame**: Gale Wings Brave Bird is the strongest priority move in the game, and even without Choice Band, it still deals a hefty amount and can potentially knock out Gardevoir. Its resistance to Fairy-type moves and Gardevoir's lack of coverage attacks leave Talonflame always on top one-on-one.
**Bulky Fire-types**: Rotom-H, Arcanine, and Entei all resist Hyper Voice and have the bulk and power to hit back hard. Intimidate support and burns from Sacred Fire can cripple Gardevoir and its teammates, and Rotom-H can use its incredible typing and access to Volt Switch to keep the momentum on its side.
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With access to Hyper Voice, Gardevoir has received new relevance in VGC 2015 as a strong and powerful Mega Evolution with good typing and decent stats. With two excellent abilities in Trace and Telepathy, Gardevoir can use similar sets that can work very differently on completely separate teams, and it can work outside of its Mega forme, utilizing different strategies for each variation. Unfortunately, its base 65 Defense and base 68 HP make Gardevoir incredibly physically frail. But with the strongest Fairy-type move in the game and three excellent abilities, it can wreak havoc on teams unprepared for the dressed destroyer.
Mega Gardevoir
########
name: Mega Gardevoir
move 1: Hyper Voice
move 2: Psychic / Psyshock
move 3: Shadow Ball / Hidden Power Ground / Focus Blast
move 4: Protect
ability: Trace / Telepathy
item: Gardevoirite
evs: 108 HP / 124 Def / 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 20 Spe
nature: Modest
Moves
========
Pixilate Hyper Voice has incredible power, being only marginally less powerful than Choice Specs Sylveon's Hyper Voice. Whether you should run Psychic or Psyshock depends on your team, as the former has a higher Base Power, but the latter deals physical damage, and many common switch-ins to Mega Gardevoir have lower Defense than Special Defense. Finally, Shadow Ball can be used to hit opposing Psychic-types such as Cresselia and Gothitelle hard, while Hidden Power Ground or Focus Blast can be used to deal with common Steel-type switch-ins such as Heatran, Metagross, and Ferrothorn. Protect is a staple move in VGC, and it gives Gardevoir a free turn to Mega Evolve and shift its mediocre base 80 Speed to a more tolerable base 100 Speed.
Set Details
========
252 Special Attack EVs and a Modest nature maximize spread damage and allow Gardevoir to whittle down or knock out as many foes as possible as quickly as possible. With 20 Speed EVs, Mega Gardevoir outspeeds Bisharp and OHKOes it with Hyper Voice. 108 HP and 4 Special Defense EVs are enough so that Modest Gengar cannot OHKO Mega Gardevoir with Sludge Bomb or Shadow Ball. 124 Defense EVs increase Mega Gardevoir's physical bulk. However, the EVs can be put into Speed, and a spread of 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe could be considered to maximize Speed and power.
Usage Tips
========
As with all Mega Evolutions, Mega Gardevoir is best used as a sweeper instead of a lead, though using it as a lead can take the heat off of other, more frail sweepers that could always benefit from Mega Gardevoir weakening the opponent's team, such as Gengar or Weavile. Mega Gardevoir's poor Defense stat requires it caution next to Earthquake users, and the loss of Telepathy only maximizes this worry. Gardevoir should also be used after its checks, such as Metagross, Mawile, and Scizor, have already been dispatched of or at least weakened.
Team Options
========
Mega Gardevoir adores Intimidate support and partners that beat Pokemon that resist Fairy. Arcanine has access to Intimidate, can threaten most Steel- and Bug-types, and can spread burns. Pokemon such as Volcarona and Amoonguss are just as helpful, as they can beat most Fairy checks and divert attention from Mega Gardevoir with Rage Powder. Milotic has access to Icy Wind to further augment Gardevoir's Speed and let it fully utilize its power; Milotic can also use Scald to burn foes, halving the damage taken from physical attacks and making Gardevoir's frail Defense more tolerable. Mega Gardevoir also works well as a "second Mega Evolution" alongside another Mega Evolution such as Garchomp, Venusaur, Lucario, or Tyranitar, which can all work with or without their Mega Stone, allowing for more diverse in-game decisions to adapt to your opponent's team.
Choice Scarf
########
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Moonblast
move 2: Psychic / Psyshock
move 3: Dazzling Gleam / Healing Wish
move 4: Shadow Ball / Destiny Bond
ability: Trace / Telepathy
item: Choice Scarf
evs: 12 HP / 252 SpA / 244 Spe
nature: Timid
Moves
========
Moonblast has a high damage output and 100% accuracy; because of this, it is usually the move of choice to deal with specific targets. The choice between Psychic and Psyshock depends on your team, as the former has a higher Base Power, but the latter deals physical damage, which is helpful because many of Gardevoir's checks have low Defense stats. Dazzling Gleam is a STAB spread move, which works if Gardevoir wants to cause more spread damage over the opposing team instead of targeting a specific member. However, Healing Wish allows Gardevoir to come in and completely revive an otherwise incapacitated teammate, immediately changing the momentum of the game. Shadow Ball covers opposing Psychic- and Ghost-types such as Gothitelle, Cresselia, and Aegislash, respectively, better than the previous moves do, while Choice Scarf Destiny Bond allows Gardevoir to switch in at low health and get a surprise KO out of a risky situation.
Set Details
========
Choice Scarf supplements one of Gardevoir's weakest points: its base 80 Speed. With maximum Special Attack investment and 244 Speed EVs, Gardevoir outspeeds major threats such as Choice Scarf Adamant Landorus-T, Jolly Smeargle, Mega Gengar, Mega Lopunny, Jolly Mega Tyranitar at +1, and neutral-natured Mega Gyarados at +1 and hits as hard as possible. The remaining EVs go into HP to increase Gardevoir's ability to take hits. However, a variant with 252 Speed and 4 HP EVs works just as well to maximize Speed. Telepathy and Trace work equally well here, catering to whether your team needs a partner to Earthquake users or a counter to specific threats such as Intimidate, Parental Bond, or Competitive users.
Usage Tips
========
Choice Scarf Gardevoir works well in either a lead or a clean-up situation, though not both in the same match. Its ability to inflict incredibly quick and good amounts of damage can work very efficiently in either situation. However, Gardevoir finds itself very vulnerable to priority moves due to its low Defense, and Sucker Punch, Fake Out, Bullet Punch, and Shadow Sneak are very prevalent. Be sure to eliminate users of such moves before attempting to sweep. Paralysis and Trick Room are also crippling to Gardevoir, taking away the best asset of the set and allowing common slower sweepers such as Mawile and Camerupt to knock Gardevoir out first.
Team Options
========
Gardevoir really appreciates Steel-type checks; Heatran, Arcanine, and Rotom-H work especially well, as they all have respectable bulk and appreciate Gardevoir's Speed allowing them to invest into bulk and power. Landorus-T also acts as an excellent partner, as Intimidate cushions Gardevoir's lackluster Defense and its STAB spread move in Earthquake threatens the entire field. However, if Landorus-T is to be Gardevoir's partner, consider Telepathy over Trace, as Earthquake will hit Gardevoir otherwise. Amoonguss acts as a Trick Room check and has access to Rage Powder and Spore, allowing Gardevoir to more effectively focus on one foe at a time while Amoonguss incapacitates the other. Volcarona also provides Rage Powder support and has Fire-type STAB moves, being a great median of Rage Powder user and Steel-type check. Finally, Gardevoir adores Shadow Tag support, as it is able to trap opposing threats for Gardevoir to eliminate. Gothitelle works excellently, as it has considerable bulk and can provide Helping Hand support as well, while Mega Gengar acts as an offensive force with extremely strong STAB moves that hit Fairy- and Psychic-types, which could otherwise sponge hits, super effectively.
Choice Specs
########
name: Choice Specs
move 1: Moonblast
move 2: Psychic / Psyshock
move 3: Dazzling Gleam
move 4: Shadow Ball
ability: Trace / Telepathy
item: Choice Specs
evs: 68 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpA / 182 Spe
nature: Modest
Moves
========
Moonblast is the move with the highest damage output that Gardevoir has access to; it also has 100% accuracy, so it is usually the move of choice to deal with specific targets. Whether you run Psychic or Psyshock depends on your team, as the former has a higher Base Power, but the latter deals physical damage against Gardevoir's checks, many of which have low Defense stats. Dazzling Gleam gets a STAB boost and is a spread move, which works if Gardevoir wants to cause more spread damage over the team instead of targeting a specific member. Finally, Shadow Ball acts as coverage for bulky Psychic-types such as Gothitelle and Cresselia, as well as Aegislash.
Set Details
========
Maximum Special Attack investment with Choice Specs allows Gardevoir to have the strongest Fairy-type move in the game, even over Mega Gardevoir, Choice Specs Sylveon, and Mega Altaria's Hyper Voice. 182 Speed EVs allow Gardevoir to outspeed Adamant Bisharp and OHKO it with Moonblast, while the remaining 68 HP and 4 Defense EVs maximize Gardevoir's bulk without wasting EVs. However, a spread with 252 Speed and Special Attack EVs is also extremely effective, maximizing Gardevoir's questionable Speed and dangerous power.
Usage Tips
========
Choice Specs Gardevoir works best as a wallbreaker, as its immense power is incredibly hard to deal with for a majority of the metagame, and having remaining team members to clean up allows Gardevoir to more effectively accomplish this goal throughout the match. Firing off a few Moonblasts or Dazzling Gleams is usually all that Gardevoir will be able to accomplish, but the immense amount of damage it can cause is usually worth it. However, Gardevoir can clean up in the late-game equally well, where its power is needed and its mediocre base 80 Speed is less of an issue. Gardevoir does poorly against most priority moves due to its poor HP and Defense, so Sucker Punch, Bullet Punch, Extreme Speed, and Shadow Sneak should be scouted for and their users eliminated.
Team Options
========
Gardevoir appreciates Fake Out support, as it nearly guarantees that Gardevoir can use a Choice Specs-boosted Dazzling Gleam or Moonblast. Mega Kangaskhan and Scrafty are excellent partners, as the former's ability Parental Bond creates a lot of offensive pressure and the latter has access to Intimidate and Quick Guard, easing the pressure on Gardevoir. Pokemon that can check Steel-types or provide Intimidate support are also useful, such as Landorus-T or Gyarados with Earthquake or Arcanine with Will-O-Wisp. Gyarados also gets access to Thunder Wave, which provides necessary speed control that Gardevoir also really appreciates to supplement its mediocre Speed. Pokemon with access to Tailwind or Icy Wind are always welcome; for example, Suicune can set up Tailwind and also threatens the Fire-types that resist Moonblast. Thundurus with Prankster Thunder Wave and Encore or Cresselia can provide Thunder Wave, Icy Wind, or even the occasional Helping Hand support to boost the power of Gardevoir's moves even further. Finally, redirection in the form of Rage Powder can be helpful as well. Amoonguss can provide this support and also gets access to Spore, which can be used to cripple the opponent's team. Volcarona's Fire-type STAB moves also threaten enemy Steel-types.
Other Options
########
Gardevoir has an immense amount of other options, allowing its moveslots to be adjusted to the needs of your team. Focus Blast is another very strong move in Gardevoir's arsenal that hits many of Gardevoir's checks such as Heatran super effectively, though it has 70% accuracy. Thunderbolt threatens Flying-type Pokemon such as Talonflame, which otherwise is a check to Gardevoir, and allows Gardevoir to be useful against weather teams, as it can Trace abilities such as Swift Swim to outspeed common sweepers and put offensive pressure on the opponent with Thunderbolt. Hidden Power Fire or Ground is Gardevoir's only access to Fire- or Ground-type coverage for the Steel-types that threaten it. However, because of Hidden Power's poor Base Power of 60, Moonblast and Hyper Voice hit neutral targets such as Bisharp harder, so only use it for foes that resist Fairy. Hidden Power Ground is preferred because of Scizor's lack of prevalence and allows Gardevoir to have a higher Speed IV, but it hits Ferrothorn neutrally instead of 4x super effectively. Icy Wind is an excellent spread move as well as a great support move, hitting Landorus-T harder than any of Gardevoir's other moves. It also grants Gardevoir the ability to control its foes' Speed, lessening the support job of the rest of the team and allowing Gardevoir and its teammates to create a better position against faster, more powerful threats.
A support set of Heal Pulse / Helping Hand / Icy Wind / Safeguard or Misty Terrain with Telepathy allows Gardevoir to fill a powerful support role and, when paired with maximum HP and Defense investment, be a difficult Pokemon to KO. Will-O-Wisp can be used to cripple offensive threats, but its 85% accuracy is lackluster. Imprison is a niche move that, when used on Mega Gardevoir, cripples Sylveon, specially offensive Mega Salamence, and Mega Altaria; it also punishes any foe for using Protect. It can also be used on support sets either with Icy Wind to cripple Cresselia and rid the utility of Suicune, Gengar and Milotic or with Thunderbolt to reduce the viability of Rotom, especially Rotom-H. Trick is another interesting move used with the Choice sets to put otherwise difficult Pokemon into an uncomfortable situation. However, with the commonness of Mega Pokemon, it can often backfire and force Gardevoir into multiple Tricks before it works, which allows for easy exploitation, and many Pokemon benefit from the Speed boost that Choice Scarf gives. Memento can be used on the Choice Scarf set to instantly turn the tide of battle in situations where either Gardevoir would not deal enough damage or it is at low health, crippling the opposing Pokemon that could otherwise end the game and allowing for allied Pokemon to capitalize on or punish the switch-in.
Life Orb allows for a utility in switching moves that Choice Specs cannot, as well as access to the coveted Protect. Though there are few to no key KOs it sacrifices, the loss of damage to neutral targets is noticeable, and the 10% HP penalty is a severe punishment to Gardevoir's longevity.
Checks & Counters
########
**Steel-types**: Mawile and Heatran resist every move Gardevoir usually runs and will always KO Gardevoir with Iron Head and Flash Cannon, respectively. Pokemon with access to Bullet Punch such as Scizor and Lucario should be warranted extreme caution, as their power is usually enough to KO Gardevoir even before it accumulates a mass amount of damage. Bulkier Steel-types such as Metagross and Aegislash pose a similar problem if they dodge or survive the appropriate coverage move, and they always have a move to KO Gardevoir with. Slow Steel-types such as Ferrothorn and Aggron have access to Gyro Ball, which will almost always KO Gardevoir with any Speed investment. The only Steel-types that are threatened by Gardevoir are Bisharp and Lucario, as their secondary type allows Gardevoir to hit them neutrally and neither of them can take more than one Hyper Voice, but they usually can knock Gardevoir out before a second one is used.
**Talonflame**: Gale Wings Brave Bird is the strongest priority move in the game, and even without Choice Band, it still deals a hefty amount and can potentially knock out Gardevoir. Its resistance to Fairy-type moves and Gardevoir's lack of coverage attacks leave Talonflame always on top one-on-one.
**Bulky Fire-types**: Rotom-H, Arcanine, and Entei all resist Hyper Voice and have the bulk and power to hit back hard. Intimidate support and burns from Sacred Fire can cripple Gardevoir and its teammates, and Rotom-H can use its incredible typing and access to Volt Switch to keep the momentum on its side.
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