[OVERVIEW]
Mega Gardevoir is the most powerful special wallbreaker in the tier, capable of breaking past even sturdy resists with just Pixilate-boosted Boombursts. It also has STAB Psystrike, allowing it to decimate certain special walls such as Blissey and Ho-Oh while deterring Poison-types. Boomburst's raw power and capability to break past almost anything make it extremely spammable, making Mega Gardevoir less reliant on predictions, and it also lets Mega Gardevoir forgo coverage moves for a variety of utility options if needed, such as Extreme Speed to provide a degree of speed control. Even with Extreme Speed, Mega Gardevoir is quite slow and is often outsped by a great number of Pokemon that act as its entry points. This, combined with its susceptibility to all forms of entry hazards, can make it annoyingly difficult to find opportunities for Mega Gardevoir to wallbreak, especially against sturdier checks like Steel-types such as Registeel and Arceus-Steel.
[SET]
Pixilate (Gardevoir-Mega) @ Choice Specs
Ability: Pixilate
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpD / 252 Spe OR 252 HP / 252 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Rash / Modest Nature
- Boomburst
- Psystrike
- Extreme Speed / Knock Off
- Armor Cannon / Knock Off
[SET COMMENTS]
Pixilate + Boomburst is capable of 2HKOing nearly the entire tier. Psystrike severely dents physically frailer walls like Blissey and Ho-Oh, as well as nailing Poison-types like Arceus-Poison. Extreme Speed provides some speed control against faster threats like Ash-Greninja and Mega Sceptile, while Armor Cannon hits would-be checks like non-Fire immune Arceus-Steel and Registeel. As an alternative, Knock Off removes key items from checks like Ho-Oh's Heavy-Duty Boots and RegenVest users' Assault Vests, allowing Mega Gardevoir to soften up its own checks. Choice Specs and a Special Attack boosting nature lets Mega Gardevoir hit benchmarks like 2HKOing Ice Scales Arceus formes after Stealth Rock. If Extreme Speed is not opted, Mega Gardevoir should run a Modest nature with minimum Attack EVs and IVs.
Mega Gardevoir is a fairly self sufficient wallbreaker, capable of breaking past most teams if given enough time. Entry hazard support is immensely useful. Stone Axe support from RegenVest Pokemon is crucial for punishing Ho-Oh that has been Knocked, and Spikes from teammates like Arceus Ghost helps put walls like Steel-types and Ice Scales Arceus formes in 2HKO range. Mega Gardevoir often needs to switch in numerous times in a match and trade health with faster Pokemon like Arceus formes, so slow pivots and reliable entry hazard removal to keep it as healthy as possible are necessary. The former can be provided from Pokemon such as RegenVest users like Registeel, and the latter from Pokemon such as Zamazenta, Ting-Lu, and Yveltal. Speed control, most commonly from paralysis, allows Mega Gardevoir to outspeed threats like Arceus formes and Eternatus to threaten KOs. Certain Fairy-weak and/or specially frail Pokemon, such as Ting-Lu and Dondozo, can be offensively Imposter-proofed by Mega Gardevoir. Mega Gardevoir can be Imposter-proofed by bulky Ice Scales Pokemon or Fire-immune Steel-types.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Mega Gardevoir has some other options for its last moveslot. Volt Switch allows Mega Gardevoir to pivot on most special walls to bring in physical wallbreaker teammates like Mega Blaziken. Blue Flare is a slightly stronger alternative to Armor Cannon that does not lower defenses but has chance of missing. Nuzzle is niche but allows Mega Gardevoir to lure and slow down some faster checks like Arceus-Steel.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Steel-types**: Steel-types resist Mega Gardevoir's STAB moves and can retaliate with super effective STAB moves of their own. Arceus-Steel, particularly sets with a Fire-immunity ability or Ice Scales, outspeed and do not care much, if at all, about Knock Off. Solgaleo almost always runs a Fire-immunity ability, outspeeds Mega Gardevoir when it runs a positive Speed nature, and can threaten with Gigaton Hammer. Registeel has enough special bulk to take hits, although RegenVest sets need to be wary of Armor Cannon if it lost its Assault Vest.
**Faster Pokemon**: Mega Gardevoir has a rather middling speed tier, making it susceptible to faster threats, particularly ones that do not really fear Extreme Speed. Offensive Pokemon like Flutter Mane and Eternatus can threaten with super effective moves, while more defensive Pokemon like Arceus formes and Zacian can threaten to neuter Mega Gardevoir with moves like Knock Off.
**Bulky Fire- and Poison-types**: Ice Scales Ho-Oh despises Knock Off, but greatly deters Mega Gardevoir from using Boomburst even if takes Stealth Rock damage; Magic Guard variants are vulnerable to Psystrike but can also sponge Boomburst well. Poison-types like Arceus-Poison don't like Psystrike at all, but can switch in on Boomburst and threaten with STAB moves like Shell Side Arm.
**Ice Scales**: Ice Scales Pokemon such as Mega Audino generally don't like switching into Boomburst, but can generally take two hits from full health and threaten Mega Gardevoir with moves like Knock Off and status-inducing moves.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/chessking345.355040/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/rightclicker.589755/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/sammyce123.563422/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user5.104/
Mega Gardevoir is the most powerful special wallbreaker in the tier, capable of breaking past even sturdy resists with just Pixilate-boosted Boombursts. It also has STAB Psystrike, allowing it to decimate certain special walls such as Blissey and Ho-Oh while deterring Poison-types. Boomburst's raw power and capability to break past almost anything make it extremely spammable, making Mega Gardevoir less reliant on predictions, and it also lets Mega Gardevoir forgo coverage moves for a variety of utility options if needed, such as Extreme Speed to provide a degree of speed control. Even with Extreme Speed, Mega Gardevoir is quite slow and is often outsped by a great number of Pokemon that act as its entry points. This, combined with its susceptibility to all forms of entry hazards, can make it annoyingly difficult to find opportunities for Mega Gardevoir to wallbreak, especially against sturdier checks like Steel-types such as Registeel and Arceus-Steel.
[SET]
Pixilate (Gardevoir-Mega) @ Choice Specs
Ability: Pixilate
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpD / 252 Spe OR 252 HP / 252 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Rash / Modest Nature
- Boomburst
- Psystrike
- Extreme Speed / Knock Off
- Armor Cannon / Knock Off
[SET COMMENTS]
Pixilate + Boomburst is capable of 2HKOing nearly the entire tier. Psystrike severely dents physically frailer walls like Blissey and Ho-Oh, as well as nailing Poison-types like Arceus-Poison. Extreme Speed provides some speed control against faster threats like Ash-Greninja and Mega Sceptile, while Armor Cannon hits would-be checks like non-Fire immune Arceus-Steel and Registeel. As an alternative, Knock Off removes key items from checks like Ho-Oh's Heavy-Duty Boots and RegenVest users' Assault Vests, allowing Mega Gardevoir to soften up its own checks. Choice Specs and a Special Attack boosting nature lets Mega Gardevoir hit benchmarks like 2HKOing Ice Scales Arceus formes after Stealth Rock. If Extreme Speed is not opted, Mega Gardevoir should run a Modest nature with minimum Attack EVs and IVs.
Mega Gardevoir is a fairly self sufficient wallbreaker, capable of breaking past most teams if given enough time. Entry hazard support is immensely useful. Stone Axe support from RegenVest Pokemon is crucial for punishing Ho-Oh that has been Knocked, and Spikes from teammates like Arceus Ghost helps put walls like Steel-types and Ice Scales Arceus formes in 2HKO range. Mega Gardevoir often needs to switch in numerous times in a match and trade health with faster Pokemon like Arceus formes, so slow pivots and reliable entry hazard removal to keep it as healthy as possible are necessary. The former can be provided from Pokemon such as RegenVest users like Registeel, and the latter from Pokemon such as Zamazenta, Ting-Lu, and Yveltal. Speed control, most commonly from paralysis, allows Mega Gardevoir to outspeed threats like Arceus formes and Eternatus to threaten KOs. Certain Fairy-weak and/or specially frail Pokemon, such as Ting-Lu and Dondozo, can be offensively Imposter-proofed by Mega Gardevoir. Mega Gardevoir can be Imposter-proofed by bulky Ice Scales Pokemon or Fire-immune Steel-types.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Mega Gardevoir has some other options for its last moveslot. Volt Switch allows Mega Gardevoir to pivot on most special walls to bring in physical wallbreaker teammates like Mega Blaziken. Blue Flare is a slightly stronger alternative to Armor Cannon that does not lower defenses but has chance of missing. Nuzzle is niche but allows Mega Gardevoir to lure and slow down some faster checks like Arceus-Steel.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Steel-types**: Steel-types resist Mega Gardevoir's STAB moves and can retaliate with super effective STAB moves of their own. Arceus-Steel, particularly sets with a Fire-immunity ability or Ice Scales, outspeed and do not care much, if at all, about Knock Off. Solgaleo almost always runs a Fire-immunity ability, outspeeds Mega Gardevoir when it runs a positive Speed nature, and can threaten with Gigaton Hammer. Registeel has enough special bulk to take hits, although RegenVest sets need to be wary of Armor Cannon if it lost its Assault Vest.
**Faster Pokemon**: Mega Gardevoir has a rather middling speed tier, making it susceptible to faster threats, particularly ones that do not really fear Extreme Speed. Offensive Pokemon like Flutter Mane and Eternatus can threaten with super effective moves, while more defensive Pokemon like Arceus formes and Zacian can threaten to neuter Mega Gardevoir with moves like Knock Off.
**Bulky Fire- and Poison-types**: Ice Scales Ho-Oh despises Knock Off, but greatly deters Mega Gardevoir from using Boomburst even if takes Stealth Rock damage; Magic Guard variants are vulnerable to Psystrike but can also sponge Boomburst well. Poison-types like Arceus-Poison don't like Psystrike at all, but can switch in on Boomburst and threaten with STAB moves like Shell Side Arm.
**Ice Scales**: Ice Scales Pokemon such as Mega Audino generally don't like switching into Boomburst, but can generally take two hits from full health and threaten Mega Gardevoir with moves like Knock Off and status-inducing moves.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/chessking345.355040/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/rightclicker.589755/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/sammyce123.563422/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user5.104/
Last edited:
