Overview
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ORAS was very kind to Gallade; it received a Mega Evolution that greatly increases its Attack, Defense, and Speed, as well as Inner Focus, which grants it an immunity to flinches and thus makes it extremely threatening in the Doubles metagame, as it is able to clean up with ease late-game without being stopped by flinches. Its STAB moves, Close Combat and Zen Headbutt, combined with its large movepool, which contains coverage moves such as Knock Off, Stone Edge and Ice Punch, support its high Attack, though it can be walled when lacking certain moves. Mega Gallade's very high base 110 Speed lets it outspeed Pokemon such as Terrakion and Mega Kangaskhan, allowing it to revenge kill weakened threats and apply more pressure against fast Pokemon. Unfortunately, Mega Gallade's decent defenses are neutered by a poor HP stat, meaning that it can only survive weak attacks and cannot switch in easily. It is also not hard to revenge kill it, as many Pokemon outspeed it, it has several weaknesses, and cannot take strong hits. Mega Gallade's susceptibility to Intimidate users and burns limits its offensive capabilities, as it has no way to make up for a lowered Attack stat.
Physical Attacker
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name: Physical Attacker
move 1: Close Combat
move 2: Knock Off
move 3: Zen Headbutt / Substitute
move 4: Protect
ability: Justified
item: Galladite
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
nature: Jolly
Moves
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Close Combat is Mega Gallade's strongest and most reliable STAB move, heavily damaging anything it hits neutrally. Knock Off provides good coverage, hitting Ghost- and Psychic-types super effectively. Zen Headbutt does not lower Mega Gallade's defenses, unlike Close Combat, and provides perfect neutral coverage, hitting Fairy- and Flying-types harder than any other move on the set, while Substitute blocks status and weaker moves such as Amoonguss's Giga Drain. Ice Punch hits Landorus-T, Togekiss, and Shaymin-S for slightly more damage. Protect allows Mega Gallade to scout for moves and safely Mega Evolve, two important strategies in the Doubles metagame.
Set Details
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Maximum Speed investment with a Jolly nature is essential for Speed tying with other base 110s, such as Latios and Mega Diancie, while outspeeding Keldeo and Terrakion. 252 Attack EVs maximize its damage output. Justified provides an Attack boost whenever Mega Gallade switches into a Dark-type move.
Usage Tips
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Mega Gallade is best used as a mid- to late-game sweeper, when the opposing team has been weakened and faster threats have been removed. Gallade should always Mega Evolve as soon as possible; Protect allows it to Mega Evolve safely and get its Speed boost. Substitute should be used when fearing status from Pokemon such as Rotom-W and Amoonguss. If it does have a Substitute up, Mega Gallade has to be weary of Pixilate Hyper Voice, which will go through the Substitute and OHKO Mega Gallade; otherwise, it should attack with the most appropriate move. Be careful about spamming Close Combat, as the stat drops it inflicts on Mega Gallade's defenses can put it into the KO range of moves such as Keldeo's Hydro Pump and Shaymin-Sky's Air Slash.
Team Options
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Rock- and Ice-types such as Tyranitar and Kyurem-B are able to beat Flying-types that threaten Mega Gallade, while Mega Gallade beats Fighting- and Steel-types in return. Steel-types such as Aegislash and Heatran can take out the Fairy-types that threaten Mega Gallade, while resisting Flying. Dark-types such as Hydreigon and Scrafty deal with Ghost-types, and in return, Mega Gallade can deal with opposing Fighting-types. Most Dark-types are also weak to Fairy-type moves, though Bisharp makes for an excellent teammate, as it resists both Flying- and Ghost-type moves, while being able to take out Fairy-types with its Steel-type STAB moves, and discourage Intimidate users from switching in too often with Defiant. Other Defiant and Competitive users, such as Tornadus and Milotic, also discourage Intimidate users, which weaken Mega Gallade, from switching in too often. Follow Me and Rage Powder users, such as Togekiss, allow Mega Gallade to get a free Substitute up or a free attack off. Amoonguss works particularly well, as it can put opposing threats to sleep and force out Fairy-types, while Jirachi resists two of Mega Gallade's weaknesses: Fairy and Flying. Safeguard users such as Klefki and Cresselia are able to block status that otherwise cripples Mega Gallade. Klefki resists two of Mega Gallade's weaknesses, and both of them can slow down faster threats with Thunder Wave.
Other Options
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Swords Dance boosts Mega Gallade's Attack to high levels, but it's difficult finding setup opportunities. Stone Edge hits Mega Charizard Y and Togekiss harder, but they already are heavily damaged by Zen Headbutt. Poison Jab allows MegaGallade to super effectively hit Fairy-types such as Azumarill and Sylveon, which resist its main coverage moves. Mega Gallade also has a good support movepool that contains Feint, Will-O-Wisp, Thunder Wave, Wide Guard, and Quick Guard, but lacks the bulk or moveslots to utilize it. Mega Gallade can be used without its Mega Evolution, but is mostly outclassed by other stronger, bulkier and faster Fighting-types without Mega Evolving.
Checks & Counters
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**Intimidate and Burns**: Landorus-T can freely switch in, lower Mega Gallade's Attack stat with Intimidate, take any hit, and hit it hard with Earthquake or pivot out with U-turn. Gyarados resists Fighting, allowing it to switch in with ease, Intimidate Mega Gallade, and cripple it with Thunder Wave, or render it setup fodder. Will-O-Wisp severely cripples Mega Gallade; users of the move include Rotom-W, Gourgeist, and Sableye, which is immune to Mega Gallade's STAB moves and can outspeed it thanks to Prankster and burn Mega Gallade before it uses Substitute.
**Typing Advantage**: Flying-types such as Talonflame and Shaymin-S can outspeed and KO Mega Gallade with their Flying-type STAB moves. Togekiss resists both Close Combat and Knock Off, can redirect Mega Gallade's attacks towards itself, and then retaliate with Thunder Wave or Air Slash. Fairy-types such as Azumarill and Mega Mawile can survive any hit from Mega Gallade and OHKO it with their Fairy-type STAB attacks; Sylveon and Mega Gardevoir can also take any hit and hit through Mega Gallade's Substitute with Pixilate Hyper Voice, while Klefki can outspeed and paralyze it thanks to Prankster. Ghost-types such as Mega Gengar and Aegislash can either outspeed or take a hit and KO MegaGallade with their Ghost-type STAB moves; Mega Gengar is particularly effective, as it traps Mega Gallade, forcing it to stay in. Cresselia resistsMega Gallade's STAB moves and has the bulk to take multiple Knock Offs; it then can cripple Mega Gallade with Thunder Wave or KO it with Moonblast.
**Speed Control**: Mega Gallade's high Speed is its main niche, so Trick Room from Pokemon such as Chandelure will allow most of the tier to outspeed Mega Gallade. Thunder Wave users such as Jirachi and Thundurus will also cripple Mega Gallade. The former can survive a hit, while the latter does not have to worry about Substitute, as it can outspeed Mega Gallade with Prankster. Icy Wind users such as Cresselia and Suicune will also make it easier to KO Mega Gallade, though it will not break its Substitute.
**Speed**: Faster Pokemon, such as Deoxys-A and Mega Sceptile, and Choice Scarf users, such as Thundurus-T, can heavily damage or revenge kill a weakened Mega Gallade with their STAB moves.
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