[SET]
name: Choice Specs
move 1: Moonblast
move 2: Psychic
move 3: Mystical Fire
move 4: Shadow Ball
item: Choice Specs
ability: Trace
nature: Timid
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Gardevoir's good coverage, high Special Attack, and acceptable Speed tier makes it a good Choice Specs user in RU. Mystical Fire provides crucial coverage for Steel-types that aren't hit neutrally by Gardevoir's STAB moves, such as Metagross, Klefki, Steelix, and Magnezone. Shadow Ball hits Assault Vest Reuniclus, allows Gardevoir to check a weakened Galarian Slowbro even if it has accrued a Calm Mind, and hits Doublade and Metagross slightly harder than Mystical Fire. Focus Blast allows Gardevoir to OHKO Stakataka and Steelix and 2HKO Registeel, but the other moves hit more relevant targets overall. Psyshock can be used to hit Snorlax hard with a STAB move, but it is overall weaker, especially against physically bulky threats such as Cobalion and Seismitoad. Trace is the preferred ability to grab useful abilities from opposing Pokemon, such as Regenerator from Mienshao, Punk Rock from Toxtricity, and Water Absorb from Seismitoad and Volcanion.
Choice Specs Gardevoir's wallbreaking prowess can be taken advantage of by a myriad of Pokemon that thrive late-game. This includes Pokemon such as Xurkitree, Zygarde-10%, and Choice Scarf Heracross. The latter two are capable of bashing through Steel-types, which is a good trait considering Gardevoir can sometimes struggle to break through them alone. Gardevoir is also quite frail, and it can struggle to properly switch into battle sometimes. Pivots such as Choice Scarf Mienshao, Zarude, and Crobat are good teammates that are capable of bringing Gardevoir in safely. The latter two are capable of teaming up with Gardevoir to eventually beat down Steel-types that don't have a reliable recovery option, such as Metagross, Registeel, and Stakataka, while Mienshao can just outright force them out. Spikes setters like Klefki, Roserade, and Golisopod are another very useful way to pile on the damage to Steel-types. Knock Off support from the likes of Seismitoad and Incineroar can also be useful, as it removes Assault Vest from Reuniclus, Eviolite from Porygon2, Leftovers from Steel-types like Registeel and Metagross, and Heavy-Duty Boots from Zarude and Incineroar. This allows Gardevoir to make more progress against these threats, as the former two will take more damage from Gardevoir and the latter two will be more vulnerable to cumulative chip damage, therefore making it easier for Gardevoir to break past them.
[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Moonblast
move 2: Psychic
move 3: Trick
move 4: Healing Wish
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Trace
nature: Timid
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Choice Scarf Gardevoir's main niche comes from its access to useful utility moves in Trick and Healing Wish, which give it a notable advantage over other Choice Scarf users in the tier like Mienshao, Heracross, Xurkitree, and Darmanitan. Trick allows Gardevoir to cripple defensive Steel-types such as Registeel, Steelix, and Stakataka. Healing Wish can be especially useful when paired with a strong, frail wallbreaker or a defensive teammate that lacks a consistent form of recovery. Memento can also be useful to give a teammate such as Barbaracle, Cloyster, or Linoone a setup opportunity. Teleport is also very good when paired with a wallbreaker that threatens Steel-types, as Gardevoir has a tendency to lure them in. Gardevoir can also use Mystical Fire over a utility move in order to hit Metagross, Steelix, and Doublade, but these utility moves give Choice Scarf Gardevoir its niche. Trace allows Gardevoir to copy useful abilities such as Regenerator from Mienshao, Adaptability from Dragalge, Storm Drain from Gastrodon, and Beast Boost from Stakataka and Xurkitree. It also gives Gardevoir an excellent matchup against weather teams, as it can copy the Speed boosting abilities from the weather sweepers and revenge kill them as a result.
Choice Scarf Gardevoir is a very good partner for powerful wallbreakers that are prone to being worn down throughout the course of a match. Alolan Marowak, Reckless variants of Mienshao, and Chandelure are all powerful wallbreakers that get worn down by entry hazards and can be crippled by assorted status moves. Healing Wish can heal these Pokemon back to full; many teams are not equipped to deal with these dangerous Pokemon getting what is essentially an extra life. These wallbreakers, as well as others such as Zygarde-10% and Bewear, all threaten the Steel-types that might prevent Gardevoir from cleaning late-game. Gardevoir can further help these Pokemon out by revenge killing threats to them, such as Zygarde-10%, Zarude, Obstagoon, and Toxtricity. Pivots such as Noivern, Mienshao, Darmanitan, and Zarude can help Gardevoir to get into battle safely. Gardevoir is rather slow for a Choice Scarf user, so it can't revenge kill most other Choice Scarf users in the tier. Having defensive answers to Choice Scarf users such as Heracross, Xurkitree, and Darmanitan is therefore useful. Heracross can be hindered with Flying-types such as Togekiss and Crobat, Xurkitree can be pressured via Ground-types like Steelix and Seismitoad or Electric-types such as Raikou, and Darmanitan is annoyed by Water-types like Suicune, Milotic, Volcanion, and Seismitoad. A user of strong priority, such as Zygarde-10%, can also help remedy this issue.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Sputnik, 475916]]
- Quality checked by: [[zizalith, 410251], [Jmash, 363823], [gorex, 244449]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Finland, 517429]]
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