Took over from CyclicCompound Took his skeleton :3
QC: New Breed / EonX / atomicllamas
GP: Redew / frenzyplant
Overview
########
Gallade is one of the most viable Fighting-types in RU because of its extreme versatility and its great offensive movepool. Its useful Psychic typing allows it to defeat the Poison-type walls in the tier, such as Muk and Amoonguss. Access to boosting moves, such as Bulk Up and Swords Dance, makes Gallade one of the best answers to stall teams. However, Gallade is physically frail with a base Defense of only 65, making it prone to being revenge killed. Fortunately, its sky-high base Attack of 125 and access to a useful ability in Justified makes Gallade a great option to consider on many teams.
Substitute + 3 Attacks
########
name: Substitute + 3 Attacks
move 1: Substitute
move 2: Drain Punch
move 3: Zen Headbutt / Psycho Cut
move 4: Knock Off
ability: Justified
item: Life Orb
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
nature: Jolly
Moves
========
Substitute is the main move on the set, protecting Gallade from status and preventing it from being easily revenge killed. Drain Punch is a mandatory STAB move that allows Gallade to recover the health lost from Life Orb recoil and from setting up Substitutes. Zen Headbutt is a great secondary STAB move that can 2HKO common Poison-types such as Amoonguss. However, Psycho Cut is an option for more reliability at the cost of less power. Knock Off allows Gallade to hit Ghost-types, including Doublade and Cofagrigus, and to cripple walls, such as Alomomola and Gligar, by removing their items.
Set Details
========
The 252 EVs in Attack and Speed help Gallade outspeed and knock out bulky attackers. Life Orb maximizes damage output and its recoil is mitigated by the recovery from Drain Punch.
Usage Tips
========
Gallade is best sent out against Pokemon it can force out, such as Amoonguss, Slowking, and Cobalion, so that it can easily set up a Substitute. However, if you predict that the opponent is going to switch in a counter, such as Cofagrigus or Gligar, use Knock Off instead. Thanks to Gallade's high Special Defense, it can sweep late-game when the opponent's physical attackers have been eliminated. Try not to sacrifice Gallade unnecessarily, as it always has another chance at life thanks to the recovery from Drain Punch.
Team Options
========
Moltres and Zangoose are great partners for Gallade as they can break down walls that Gallade might have trouble with. Because Gallade forces many switches, entry hazard support is extremely welcome. Stealth Rock is highly encouraged, especially when many of Gallade's best checks, such as Braviary and Moltres, are weak to it. However, Gallade is vulnerable to Spikes and Toxic Spikes which can quickly wear it down, therefore a Pokemon that can remove hazards is essential. Pokemon that set up hazards are good in general, such as Qwilfish, Omastar, and Leavanny, which can set up Spikes, Stealth Rock, and Sticky Web respectively.
Bulk Up
########
name: Bulk Up
move 1: Bulk Up
move 2: Substitute
move 3: Drain Punch
move 4: Knock Off
ability: Justified
item: Leftovers
evs: 252 HP / 212 SpD / 44 Spe
nature: Careful
Moves
========
Bulk Up boosts Gallade's Attack and Defense simultaneously, making it very hard to take down. Substitute protects Gallade from status ailments such as burn and poison, while Drain Punch heals Gallade and acts as a reliable STAB move. Knock Off hits most things that Drain Punch doesn't, while also removing the opposing Pokemon's item.
Set Details
========
The set invests 44 Speed EVs in order to outspeed Cresselia and Gligar, allowing Gallade to set up safely against both of them without the threat of Toxic. The rest of the EVs are put into HP and Special Defense to make Gallade as specially bulky as possible. Leftovers is the most appropriate option for passive recovery.
Usage Tips
========
Keep Gallade away from status! Never hesitate to set up a Substitute if you can spare the health so that you can worry less about critical hits and status. Don't forget about Whirlwind, Roar, and sound-based moves such as Bug Buzz and Boomburst, as they all bypass Gallade's Substitutes. Whirlwind and Roar are quite rare, but be wary if your opponent reveals them to you. While sound-based moves are somewhat common, Gallade's bulk usually means that it will never be OHKOed by them.
Team Options
========
Pokemon that can set up Stealth Rock are almost a necessity, as beating Moltres, Braviary, and Fletchinder becomes far easier with it. As mentioned earlier, Gallade is very weak to status, so a Pokemon that can remove Toxic Spikes is absolutely required. Qwilfish can remove Toxic Spikes, while setting up its own and crippling faster opponents with Thunder Wave. Many Pokemon such as Banette are extremely annoying and can prevent Gallade from working to its full potential, so a solid switch-in such as Moltres is recommended. Teammates that can create free turns, such as Encore + U-turn Whimsicott, can help Gallade set up.
Bulky Swords Dance
########
name: Bulky Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Drain Punch
move 3: Psycho Cut
move 4: Knock Off / Ice Punch
ability: Justified
item: Lum Berry
evs: 212 HP / 252 Atk / 44 Spe
nature: Adamant
Moves
========
Swords Dance is Gallade's setup move that allows it to KO the majority of the tier after a boost. Drain Punch and Psycho Cut are the mandatory STAB moves. Knock Off has the best coverage alongside Drain Punch and Psycho Cut, and is especially handy for getting past bulky Ghost-types. Ice Punch can be used in the last slot to get past Gligar, but Gallade misses out on hitting Doublade, Delphox, and Cresselia for super effective damage.
Set Details
========
The EV spread maximizes Attack so that Gallade can hit as hard as possible, while the 44 Speed EVs help Gallade outspeed Cresselia and Gligar. The rest of the EVs are put into HP to aid Gallade in setting up. Justified is the best ability in order to punish the use of Dark-type moves, and Lum Berry is the best option for Gallade to avoid status.
Usage Tips
========
Try to eliminate Pokemon that counter Gallade, such as Braviary, so that Gallade can set up safely. Gallade can also switch into Pokemon such as Cobalion and Slowking to receive a free turn in order to set up Swords Dance. Gallade is extremely weak to status moves, so it should avoid them at all costs.
Team Options
========
Being able to eliminate Gallade's counters is important for success. These include Moltres, Braviary, and Fletchinder, and they can be dealt with by setting up Stealth Rock or by luring them with Pokemon such as Volt Switch Cobalion. Encore + U-turn users, such as Whimsicott, can often create free turns for Gallade to set up. Because Gallade is weak to hyper offensive teams that can overwhelm and beat it, teammates such as Rotom-C and Choice Scarf Delphox are helpful to check most offensive Pokemon.
Assault Vest
########
name: Assault Vest
move 1: Drain Punch
move 2: Psycho Cut
move 3: Knock Off
move 4: Ice Punch / Close Combat
ability: Justified
item: Assault Vest
evs: 212 HP / 252 Atk / 44 Spe
nature: Adamant
Moves
========
Drain Punch and Psycho Cut are the STAB moves of choice for their reliability. A more powerful option is Close Combat, but the defense drops are undesirable. Gallade has access to many coverage options that can be used in the last two moveslots. Knock Off is useful for weakening opposing walls and hitting Ghost-types such as Doublade; however, Ice Punch is Gallade's best option against Gligar. Rock Tomb is an option to beat Moltres and hit other Flying-types at the same time. Poison Jab is also available to let Gallade eliminate Aromatisse if it is a threat to your team.
Set Details
========
The EV spread maximizes Attack so that Gallade can hit as hard as possible, while the 44 Speed EVs help Gallade outspeed Cresselia and Gligar. The rest of the EVs are put into HP to make Gallade bulky. Justified is the ability of choice, punishing common users of Dark-type moves, particularly ones like Clawitzer that use Dark Pulse.
Usage Tips
========
Gallade should be kept healthy because it has no recovery outside of Drain Punch. Unless you wish to sacrifice it, do not challenge healthy physical attackers such as Druddigon, Rhyperior or Escavalier. Predict switch-ins and use the appropriate coverage move to eliminate them, as nothing can switch safely into this Gallade set.
Team Options
========
Rhyperior is a good teammate for Gallade because it checks Moltres and Braviary and can set up Stealth Rock, which hurts Flying-types that check Gallade. Rhyperior can also act as a physical tank against physical attackers, which Gallade is weak to. Moltres is another great teammate for Gallade because it can absorb Will-O-Wisp as well as check Doublade. Moltres can also remove Spikes and Toxic Spikes, which hurt Gallade. Gallade works well alongside any physical cleaner, as Gallade can wallbreak and wear down physically defensive threats quite well. In general, teammates that are bulkier work well with Gallade.
Other Options
########
Gallade can run a offensive Swords Dance set that bases itself around setting up as soon as possible and proceeding to sweep. Another set Gallade can run is a Choice Band or Choice Scarf set, which capitalizes on its great coverage and usable Speed tier. Gallade can also run a stallbreaking set that utilizes Taunt and Will-O-Wisp, but its other sets are far more effective at this job and not completely stopped by Aromatisse. Gallade can run different moves due to its big movepool, an example being Zen Headbutt, which is a more powerful but less accurate alternative to Psycho Cut. Gallade can also run Leaf Blade in order to hit Alomomola hard. A final option is a specially defensive set, utilizing moves such as Wish and Will-O-Wisp to function as a specially defensive wall or pivot.
Checks & Counters
########
**Flying-types**: Braviary, Fletchinder, and Moltres are all major threats to Gallade by virtue of their super effective STABs, easily checking all the above sets.
**Toxic Spikes / Toxic**: With only Drain Punch as recovery, all four sets will be significantly hampered by Toxic Spikes and Toxic.
**Physical Attackers**: Gallade's low base Defense means that physical attackers can hurt it easily. Gallade cannot take them on unless it has a Substitute up or has accumulated several Bulk Up boosts.
**Burn**: Gallade is effectively neutered if it gets burnt, so take extra care to make sure it doesn't through switching out or setting up Substitutes.
**Doublade**: Doublade can threaten Gallade with a super effective Shadow Sneak or Shadow Claw, and it can survive most of Gallade's attacks.
QC: New Breed / EonX / atomicllamas
GP: Redew / frenzyplant
Overview
########
Gallade is one of the most viable Fighting-types in RU because of its extreme versatility and its great offensive movepool. Its useful Psychic typing allows it to defeat the Poison-type walls in the tier, such as Muk and Amoonguss. Access to boosting moves, such as Bulk Up and Swords Dance, makes Gallade one of the best answers to stall teams. However, Gallade is physically frail with a base Defense of only 65, making it prone to being revenge killed. Fortunately, its sky-high base Attack of 125 and access to a useful ability in Justified makes Gallade a great option to consider on many teams.
Substitute + 3 Attacks
########
name: Substitute + 3 Attacks
move 1: Substitute
move 2: Drain Punch
move 3: Zen Headbutt / Psycho Cut
move 4: Knock Off
ability: Justified
item: Life Orb
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
nature: Jolly
Moves
========
Substitute is the main move on the set, protecting Gallade from status and preventing it from being easily revenge killed. Drain Punch is a mandatory STAB move that allows Gallade to recover the health lost from Life Orb recoil and from setting up Substitutes. Zen Headbutt is a great secondary STAB move that can 2HKO common Poison-types such as Amoonguss. However, Psycho Cut is an option for more reliability at the cost of less power. Knock Off allows Gallade to hit Ghost-types, including Doublade and Cofagrigus, and to cripple walls, such as Alomomola and Gligar, by removing their items.
Set Details
========
The 252 EVs in Attack and Speed help Gallade outspeed and knock out bulky attackers. Life Orb maximizes damage output and its recoil is mitigated by the recovery from Drain Punch.
Usage Tips
========
Gallade is best sent out against Pokemon it can force out, such as Amoonguss, Slowking, and Cobalion, so that it can easily set up a Substitute. However, if you predict that the opponent is going to switch in a counter, such as Cofagrigus or Gligar, use Knock Off instead. Thanks to Gallade's high Special Defense, it can sweep late-game when the opponent's physical attackers have been eliminated. Try not to sacrifice Gallade unnecessarily, as it always has another chance at life thanks to the recovery from Drain Punch.
Team Options
========
Moltres and Zangoose are great partners for Gallade as they can break down walls that Gallade might have trouble with. Because Gallade forces many switches, entry hazard support is extremely welcome. Stealth Rock is highly encouraged, especially when many of Gallade's best checks, such as Braviary and Moltres, are weak to it. However, Gallade is vulnerable to Spikes and Toxic Spikes which can quickly wear it down, therefore a Pokemon that can remove hazards is essential. Pokemon that set up hazards are good in general, such as Qwilfish, Omastar, and Leavanny, which can set up Spikes, Stealth Rock, and Sticky Web respectively.
Bulk Up
########
name: Bulk Up
move 1: Bulk Up
move 2: Substitute
move 3: Drain Punch
move 4: Knock Off
ability: Justified
item: Leftovers
evs: 252 HP / 212 SpD / 44 Spe
nature: Careful
Moves
========
Bulk Up boosts Gallade's Attack and Defense simultaneously, making it very hard to take down. Substitute protects Gallade from status ailments such as burn and poison, while Drain Punch heals Gallade and acts as a reliable STAB move. Knock Off hits most things that Drain Punch doesn't, while also removing the opposing Pokemon's item.
Set Details
========
The set invests 44 Speed EVs in order to outspeed Cresselia and Gligar, allowing Gallade to set up safely against both of them without the threat of Toxic. The rest of the EVs are put into HP and Special Defense to make Gallade as specially bulky as possible. Leftovers is the most appropriate option for passive recovery.
Usage Tips
========
Keep Gallade away from status! Never hesitate to set up a Substitute if you can spare the health so that you can worry less about critical hits and status. Don't forget about Whirlwind, Roar, and sound-based moves such as Bug Buzz and Boomburst, as they all bypass Gallade's Substitutes. Whirlwind and Roar are quite rare, but be wary if your opponent reveals them to you. While sound-based moves are somewhat common, Gallade's bulk usually means that it will never be OHKOed by them.
Team Options
========
Pokemon that can set up Stealth Rock are almost a necessity, as beating Moltres, Braviary, and Fletchinder becomes far easier with it. As mentioned earlier, Gallade is very weak to status, so a Pokemon that can remove Toxic Spikes is absolutely required. Qwilfish can remove Toxic Spikes, while setting up its own and crippling faster opponents with Thunder Wave. Many Pokemon such as Banette are extremely annoying and can prevent Gallade from working to its full potential, so a solid switch-in such as Moltres is recommended. Teammates that can create free turns, such as Encore + U-turn Whimsicott, can help Gallade set up.
Bulky Swords Dance
########
name: Bulky Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Drain Punch
move 3: Psycho Cut
move 4: Knock Off / Ice Punch
ability: Justified
item: Lum Berry
evs: 212 HP / 252 Atk / 44 Spe
nature: Adamant
Moves
========
Swords Dance is Gallade's setup move that allows it to KO the majority of the tier after a boost. Drain Punch and Psycho Cut are the mandatory STAB moves. Knock Off has the best coverage alongside Drain Punch and Psycho Cut, and is especially handy for getting past bulky Ghost-types. Ice Punch can be used in the last slot to get past Gligar, but Gallade misses out on hitting Doublade, Delphox, and Cresselia for super effective damage.
Set Details
========
The EV spread maximizes Attack so that Gallade can hit as hard as possible, while the 44 Speed EVs help Gallade outspeed Cresselia and Gligar. The rest of the EVs are put into HP to aid Gallade in setting up. Justified is the best ability in order to punish the use of Dark-type moves, and Lum Berry is the best option for Gallade to avoid status.
Usage Tips
========
Try to eliminate Pokemon that counter Gallade, such as Braviary, so that Gallade can set up safely. Gallade can also switch into Pokemon such as Cobalion and Slowking to receive a free turn in order to set up Swords Dance. Gallade is extremely weak to status moves, so it should avoid them at all costs.
Team Options
========
Being able to eliminate Gallade's counters is important for success. These include Moltres, Braviary, and Fletchinder, and they can be dealt with by setting up Stealth Rock or by luring them with Pokemon such as Volt Switch Cobalion. Encore + U-turn users, such as Whimsicott, can often create free turns for Gallade to set up. Because Gallade is weak to hyper offensive teams that can overwhelm and beat it, teammates such as Rotom-C and Choice Scarf Delphox are helpful to check most offensive Pokemon.
Assault Vest
########
name: Assault Vest
move 1: Drain Punch
move 2: Psycho Cut
move 3: Knock Off
move 4: Ice Punch / Close Combat
ability: Justified
item: Assault Vest
evs: 212 HP / 252 Atk / 44 Spe
nature: Adamant
Moves
========
Drain Punch and Psycho Cut are the STAB moves of choice for their reliability. A more powerful option is Close Combat, but the defense drops are undesirable. Gallade has access to many coverage options that can be used in the last two moveslots. Knock Off is useful for weakening opposing walls and hitting Ghost-types such as Doublade; however, Ice Punch is Gallade's best option against Gligar. Rock Tomb is an option to beat Moltres and hit other Flying-types at the same time. Poison Jab is also available to let Gallade eliminate Aromatisse if it is a threat to your team.
Set Details
========
The EV spread maximizes Attack so that Gallade can hit as hard as possible, while the 44 Speed EVs help Gallade outspeed Cresselia and Gligar. The rest of the EVs are put into HP to make Gallade bulky. Justified is the ability of choice, punishing common users of Dark-type moves, particularly ones like Clawitzer that use Dark Pulse.
Usage Tips
========
Gallade should be kept healthy because it has no recovery outside of Drain Punch. Unless you wish to sacrifice it, do not challenge healthy physical attackers such as Druddigon, Rhyperior or Escavalier. Predict switch-ins and use the appropriate coverage move to eliminate them, as nothing can switch safely into this Gallade set.
Team Options
========
Rhyperior is a good teammate for Gallade because it checks Moltres and Braviary and can set up Stealth Rock, which hurts Flying-types that check Gallade. Rhyperior can also act as a physical tank against physical attackers, which Gallade is weak to. Moltres is another great teammate for Gallade because it can absorb Will-O-Wisp as well as check Doublade. Moltres can also remove Spikes and Toxic Spikes, which hurt Gallade. Gallade works well alongside any physical cleaner, as Gallade can wallbreak and wear down physically defensive threats quite well. In general, teammates that are bulkier work well with Gallade.
Other Options
########
Gallade can run a offensive Swords Dance set that bases itself around setting up as soon as possible and proceeding to sweep. Another set Gallade can run is a Choice Band or Choice Scarf set, which capitalizes on its great coverage and usable Speed tier. Gallade can also run a stallbreaking set that utilizes Taunt and Will-O-Wisp, but its other sets are far more effective at this job and not completely stopped by Aromatisse. Gallade can run different moves due to its big movepool, an example being Zen Headbutt, which is a more powerful but less accurate alternative to Psycho Cut. Gallade can also run Leaf Blade in order to hit Alomomola hard. A final option is a specially defensive set, utilizing moves such as Wish and Will-O-Wisp to function as a specially defensive wall or pivot.
Checks & Counters
########
**Flying-types**: Braviary, Fletchinder, and Moltres are all major threats to Gallade by virtue of their super effective STABs, easily checking all the above sets.
**Toxic Spikes / Toxic**: With only Drain Punch as recovery, all four sets will be significantly hampered by Toxic Spikes and Toxic.
**Physical Attackers**: Gallade's low base Defense means that physical attackers can hurt it easily. Gallade cannot take them on unless it has a Substitute up or has accumulated several Bulk Up boosts.
**Burn**: Gallade is effectively neutered if it gets burnt, so take extra care to make sure it doesn't through switching out or setting up Substitutes.
**Doublade**: Doublade can threaten Gallade with a super effective Shadow Sneak or Shadow Claw, and it can survive most of Gallade's attacks.
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