
OVERVIEW:
Mega Gallade's high powered STAB moves, great ability in Knight's Blade, and pretty good speed tier in 110 plus access to Swords Dance makes it a quite interesting sweeper in SylveMons. Mega Gallade's Psychic/Fighting-typing allow it to threaten the likes of Kartana, Keldeo, Infernape, Toxapex, and Heatran while making it a great teammate to pair with Tapu Lele. Gallade's ability before Mega Evolving, Guard Up, also makes it easier to setup. However, even with a boost from Guard Up, Gallade's 68/95/115 bulk is only okay uninvested, making it prone to being revenge killed by faster Pokemon or priority moves like Mega Scizor's Bullet Punch. It also faces competition as an offensive Psychic-type Mega from Mega Alakazam and Mega Medicham, as it lacks the former's Speed and the latter's sheer strength. However, it does boast the most sweeping potential out of all three of the them.
Set: Physical Sweeper
Gallade @ Galladite
Ability: Guard Up
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Psycho Cut
- Close Combat
- Night Slash
- Swords Dance
SET COMMENTS:
Guard Up is the preferred ability before Mega Evolving as it nets Gallade a boost to its bulk depending on the foe's higher offensive stat, making taking a hit to setup easier and making it more likely to force the opponent out. Psycho Cut is Gallade's main STAB move, having 105 BP before STAB thanks to Mega Gallade's ability, Knight's Blade. Psycho Cut also targets the foe's Special Defense, allowing it to deal high damage to physical walls like Landorus-Therian or Zapdos. Close Combat is Gallade's secondary STAB moves, hitting Dark and Steel-types like Klinklang, Crawdaunt, and Ferrothorn for massive damage. Night Slash deals with Psychic-types like Mew as well as Ghost-types like Parasect. Swords Dance boosts Mega Gallade's Attack to enough to allow it to break through almost the whole tier after one boost.
OTHER OPTIONS:
Drain Punch can be used over Close Combat to give Gallade more longevity and to allow it to keep the boosts it gets from Guard Up, though the drop in power is notable. Ice Punch can 2HKO Landorus-Therian at -1 and OHKOes Serperior unboosted, though Psycho Cut when boosted can accomplish both of these things, so it usually isn't needed. A bulkier set utilizing Substitute, Bulk Up, and potentially Taunt with HP investment can be used to better abuse the boost Gallade gets from Guard Up, though Gallade's low HP means that abusing Substitute and setting up for multiple turns is challenging. Shadow Sneak gives Mega Gallade priority and is particularly useful is dealing with Mega Alakazam and the rarer Mega Banette. However, since Mega Gallade is commonly paired with Tapu Lele and Psychic Terrain prevents grounded priority moves, this may render that slot useless for multiple turns. Poison Jab and Stalwart Sword can handle Fairy-types like the Tapus and Clefable, though this leaves Gallade more vulnerable to Ghost-types and Mew. Stalwart Sword generally does more damage, while Poison Jab does more to Tapu Fini and Tapu Bulu.
CHECKS AND COUNTERS:
Faster Pokemon: Due to Mega Gallade's low 68 HP, many faster Pokemon can revenge kill a weakened Gallade, even through its defense boost, with notables including Agony Boots Kartana, Serperior, Greninja, Mega Alakazam (especially if Psychic Terrain is active), and Zeraora. Gengar and Raichu both speed tie with Mega Gallade and both have the potential to OHKO Galalde if they win the speed tie.
Fairy-types: Tapu Fini and Clefable can stomach even a boosted Psycho Cut and severely weaken Gallade with Moonblast. The former ends the Psychic Terrain that Gallade was benefiting from, while the latter can also cripple Gallade with Thunder Wave. Milotic can easily take a hit thanks to Multiscale and can burn Gallade with Scald. Tapu Koko and Tapu Lele with a speed item can both outspeed and deal massive damage to Gallade with Thunder Clap and Moonblast respectively. Cresselia can take any hit Gallade throws at it, easily sets up Trick Room against it, and threatens Gallade with Moonblast.
Priority: Strong priority moves like Metagross and Mega Scizor's Bullet Punch, Raichu's Extreme Speed, Mimikyu's Shadow Sneak, Marowak-Alola's Astonish, Mienshao's Fake Out, and Mega Pinsir's Quick Attack can easily revenge kill a weakened Gallade and derail a sweep. However, if Psychic Terrain is active, priority moves won't work unless the user is airborne like Mega Pinsir.
Mega Gallade's high powered STAB moves, great ability in Knight's Blade, and pretty good speed tier in 110 plus access to Swords Dance makes it a quite interesting sweeper in SylveMons. Mega Gallade's Psychic/Fighting-typing allow it to threaten the likes of Kartana, Keldeo, Infernape, Toxapex, and Heatran while making it a great teammate to pair with Tapu Lele. Gallade's ability before Mega Evolving, Guard Up, also makes it easier to setup. However, even with a boost from Guard Up, Gallade's 68/95/115 bulk is only okay uninvested, making it prone to being revenge killed by faster Pokemon or priority moves like Mega Scizor's Bullet Punch. It also faces competition as an offensive Psychic-type Mega from Mega Alakazam and Mega Medicham, as it lacks the former's Speed and the latter's sheer strength. However, it does boast the most sweeping potential out of all three of the them.
Set: Physical Sweeper
Gallade @ Galladite
Ability: Guard Up
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Psycho Cut
- Close Combat
- Night Slash
- Swords Dance
SET COMMENTS:
Guard Up is the preferred ability before Mega Evolving as it nets Gallade a boost to its bulk depending on the foe's higher offensive stat, making taking a hit to setup easier and making it more likely to force the opponent out. Psycho Cut is Gallade's main STAB move, having 105 BP before STAB thanks to Mega Gallade's ability, Knight's Blade. Psycho Cut also targets the foe's Special Defense, allowing it to deal high damage to physical walls like Landorus-Therian or Zapdos. Close Combat is Gallade's secondary STAB moves, hitting Dark and Steel-types like Klinklang, Crawdaunt, and Ferrothorn for massive damage. Night Slash deals with Psychic-types like Mew as well as Ghost-types like Parasect. Swords Dance boosts Mega Gallade's Attack to enough to allow it to break through almost the whole tier after one boost.
OTHER OPTIONS:
Drain Punch can be used over Close Combat to give Gallade more longevity and to allow it to keep the boosts it gets from Guard Up, though the drop in power is notable. Ice Punch can 2HKO Landorus-Therian at -1 and OHKOes Serperior unboosted, though Psycho Cut when boosted can accomplish both of these things, so it usually isn't needed. A bulkier set utilizing Substitute, Bulk Up, and potentially Taunt with HP investment can be used to better abuse the boost Gallade gets from Guard Up, though Gallade's low HP means that abusing Substitute and setting up for multiple turns is challenging. Shadow Sneak gives Mega Gallade priority and is particularly useful is dealing with Mega Alakazam and the rarer Mega Banette. However, since Mega Gallade is commonly paired with Tapu Lele and Psychic Terrain prevents grounded priority moves, this may render that slot useless for multiple turns. Poison Jab and Stalwart Sword can handle Fairy-types like the Tapus and Clefable, though this leaves Gallade more vulnerable to Ghost-types and Mew. Stalwart Sword generally does more damage, while Poison Jab does more to Tapu Fini and Tapu Bulu.
CHECKS AND COUNTERS:
Faster Pokemon: Due to Mega Gallade's low 68 HP, many faster Pokemon can revenge kill a weakened Gallade, even through its defense boost, with notables including Agony Boots Kartana, Serperior, Greninja, Mega Alakazam (especially if Psychic Terrain is active), and Zeraora. Gengar and Raichu both speed tie with Mega Gallade and both have the potential to OHKO Galalde if they win the speed tie.
Fairy-types: Tapu Fini and Clefable can stomach even a boosted Psycho Cut and severely weaken Gallade with Moonblast. The former ends the Psychic Terrain that Gallade was benefiting from, while the latter can also cripple Gallade with Thunder Wave. Milotic can easily take a hit thanks to Multiscale and can burn Gallade with Scald. Tapu Koko and Tapu Lele with a speed item can both outspeed and deal massive damage to Gallade with Thunder Clap and Moonblast respectively. Cresselia can take any hit Gallade throws at it, easily sets up Trick Room against it, and threatens Gallade with Moonblast.
Priority: Strong priority moves like Metagross and Mega Scizor's Bullet Punch, Raichu's Extreme Speed, Mimikyu's Shadow Sneak, Marowak-Alola's Astonish, Mienshao's Fake Out, and Mega Pinsir's Quick Attack can easily revenge kill a weakened Gallade and derail a sweep. However, if Psychic Terrain is active, priority moves won't work unless the user is airborne like Mega Pinsir.
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