[OVERVIEW]
Mega Gallade is a decent wallbreaker thanks to its high Attack stat paired with its strong STAB moves and useful coverage moves in Knock Off and Ice Punch. Having access to Swords Dance allows Mega Gallade to boost its Attack stat to even higher levels, which can make it difficult for defensive teams to take on. Knock Off is particularly useful for pressuring bulky Psychic-types that other Fighting-types such as Mega Medicham tend to struggle with. Mega Gallade's good Speed tier allows it to outspeed foes such as Kartana, Garchomp, Mega Medicham, and Tapu Lele, giving it an edge against some offensive teams. Its decent bulk, notably in Special Defense, gives it setup opportunities against a majority of defensive Pokemon. It also allows Mega Gallade to take a hit from certain offensive threats in a pinch. Unfortunately, it faces competition from other Fighting-types like Mega Medicham, which doesn't rely on setup in order to beat bulkier teams, and Mega Heracross, which has an easier time against stall teams as well as a more useful defensive typing. Despite the fact that its bulk isn't terrible, Mega Gallade's poor defensive typing means it's still prone to being revenge killed by a bunch of common faster Pokemon such as Tornadus-T as well as most Choice Scarf users; this is especially true after a Defense drop from Close Combat.
[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Close Combat
move 3: Zen Headbutt
move 4: Knock Off
item: Galladite
ability: Justified
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Swords Dance boosts Mega Gallade's already high Attack stat, helping it overwhelm bulkier teams and break through defensive Pokemon such as Clefable, Mega Latias, and Zapdos. Zen Headbutt is used to beat Pokemon that resist Close Combat like Toxapex, Clefable, and Tapu Fini; it's also the best option against Flying-types such as Tornadus-T and Gliscor if Ice Punch isn't used. Knock Off allows Mega Gallade to beat bulky Psychic-types like Reuniclus, Slowbro, and Mew that would otherwise wall it. Crippling foes by removing their items such as Clefable's Leftovers and Landorus-T's Choice Scarf is also useful in general. Ice Punch targets Flying-types such as Landorus-T, Tornadus-T, and Gliscor; it also OHKOes offensive Garchomp without a boost and does more to Mega Latias and Mega Latios than Knock Off.
Set Details
========
Justified is used as Gallade's pre-Mega ability, as it can punish Knock Off from weaker foes such as Toxapex and Tangrowth.
Usage Tips
========
Mega Gallade is best used early- to mid-game to break through defensive cores; however, thanks to its solid Speed tier, it can also be used to clean late-game. Be careful when switching it in, as taking too much damage early on can limit its ability to wallbreak. Status conditions, especially paralysis and burn, also limit Mega Gallade's wallbreaking ability, so avoid directly switching it into foes like Rotom-W, Heatran, and Toxapex. It'll also struggle to use Swords Dance safely if it's continuously being worn down. For these reasons, Mega Gallade should be brought in through aggressive switches or VoltTurn support from teammates. Use Swords Dance against weaker defensive Pokemon or on forced switches. It's best to set up if a boost is needed to threaten a predicted defensive switch in such as Reuniclus or Clefable. If an offensive pivot such as Tornadus-T or Choice Scarf Landorus-T is predicted, hitting them hard with the appropriate move or removing their item with Knock Off is recommended. Knock Off can be spammed early-game against most teams to chip down certain checks and counters, especially since most Pokemon holding a Mega Stone or Z-Crystal won't want to switch in. Mega Gallade's decent Special Defense means it can take attacks like Moonblast from Clefable and Tapu Fini or multiple Ice Beams from Mega Latias and set up against them, trading its health to weaken them for a teammate. Similarly, it can take a hit from offensive foes such as Greninja and Mega Alakazam, sacrificing most of its health to remove or weaken them. However, this should only be done if Mega Gallade's health is no longer needed.
Team Options
========
Mega Gallade fits best on bulky offense teams with VoltTurn support from Pokemon such as Rotom-W, Assault Vest Magearna, Landorus-T, and Choice Scarf Jirachi. The former two can also switch into Tornadus-T. Other wallbreakers like Swords Dance Garchomp and Landorus-T as well as Choice Band Kartana can weaken physically defensive walls, giving Mega Gallade an easier time cleaning up. The former two also can set up Stealth Rock and pressure common Defog users. Tapu Lele is a particularly useful partner that can assist in wallbreaking while also providing Psychic Terrain to boost Mega Gallade's Zen Headbutt and block priority moves such as Sucker Punch from Mega Mawile and Fake Out from Mega Medicham. Mega Gallade is forced out by Tornadus-T and Mega Alakazam when at low health, so switch-ins to them are necessary. Electric-types such as Rotom-W and Zapdos can switch into Tornadus-T and generate momentum with Volt Switch. Steel-types like Magearna and Celesteela can switch into Mega Alakazam and also take on Fairy-types for Mega Gallade. If not using Knock Off, Mega Gallade struggles to break through bulky Psychic-types. In this case, Pursuit trappers such as Tyranitar and Weavile are useful partners. They can also use Pursuit to weaken Tornadus-T.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Drain Punch and Psycho Cut might seem like reasonable options due to their reliability as well as the former move keeping Mega Gallade healthier, but the severe loss in power is too costly for them to be worth using.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Physically Defensive Pokemon**: Mega Slowbro is one of the best counters to Mega Gallade; it takes a +2 Knock Off with relative ease and can threaten to burn Mega Gallade with Scald or cripple it with Toxic or Thunder Wave. Unaware Clefable ignores Mega Gallade's boosts and can take any two attacks, but it has to be careful of switching in if entry hazards are up, especially if it lost its item due to Knock Off. Tapu Fini can live a +2 Zen Headbutt from full HP, but it lacks reliable recovery and dislikes losing its item.
**Faster Pokemon**: Tornadus-T can switch into any attack from Mega Gallade as long as Stealth Rock isn't up and threaten it with Hurricane. Mega Alakazam and Tapu Koko outspeed and threaten Mega Gallade, although they struggle to switch in. Choice Scarf users such as Landorus-T and Kartana can revenge kill Mega Gallade; however, they can't switch into Mega Gallade's attacks, and losing their item costs them the ability to act as checks.
**Mega Sableye**: Mega Sableye can switch into any of Mega Gallade's attacks, take a +2 Knock Off or Ice Punch, and burn it with Will-O-Wisp.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[DKM, 402001]]
- Quality checked by: [[Jordy, 395754], [lyd, 303291], [Talah, 248449]]
- Grammar checked by: [[GMars, 273636], [Fireflame479.231476]]
Mega Gallade is a decent wallbreaker thanks to its high Attack stat paired with its strong STAB moves and useful coverage moves in Knock Off and Ice Punch. Having access to Swords Dance allows Mega Gallade to boost its Attack stat to even higher levels, which can make it difficult for defensive teams to take on. Knock Off is particularly useful for pressuring bulky Psychic-types that other Fighting-types such as Mega Medicham tend to struggle with. Mega Gallade's good Speed tier allows it to outspeed foes such as Kartana, Garchomp, Mega Medicham, and Tapu Lele, giving it an edge against some offensive teams. Its decent bulk, notably in Special Defense, gives it setup opportunities against a majority of defensive Pokemon. It also allows Mega Gallade to take a hit from certain offensive threats in a pinch. Unfortunately, it faces competition from other Fighting-types like Mega Medicham, which doesn't rely on setup in order to beat bulkier teams, and Mega Heracross, which has an easier time against stall teams as well as a more useful defensive typing. Despite the fact that its bulk isn't terrible, Mega Gallade's poor defensive typing means it's still prone to being revenge killed by a bunch of common faster Pokemon such as Tornadus-T as well as most Choice Scarf users; this is especially true after a Defense drop from Close Combat.
[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Close Combat
move 3: Zen Headbutt
move 4: Knock Off
item: Galladite
ability: Justified
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Swords Dance boosts Mega Gallade's already high Attack stat, helping it overwhelm bulkier teams and break through defensive Pokemon such as Clefable, Mega Latias, and Zapdos. Zen Headbutt is used to beat Pokemon that resist Close Combat like Toxapex, Clefable, and Tapu Fini; it's also the best option against Flying-types such as Tornadus-T and Gliscor if Ice Punch isn't used. Knock Off allows Mega Gallade to beat bulky Psychic-types like Reuniclus, Slowbro, and Mew that would otherwise wall it. Crippling foes by removing their items such as Clefable's Leftovers and Landorus-T's Choice Scarf is also useful in general. Ice Punch targets Flying-types such as Landorus-T, Tornadus-T, and Gliscor; it also OHKOes offensive Garchomp without a boost and does more to Mega Latias and Mega Latios than Knock Off.
Set Details
========
Justified is used as Gallade's pre-Mega ability, as it can punish Knock Off from weaker foes such as Toxapex and Tangrowth.
Usage Tips
========
Mega Gallade is best used early- to mid-game to break through defensive cores; however, thanks to its solid Speed tier, it can also be used to clean late-game. Be careful when switching it in, as taking too much damage early on can limit its ability to wallbreak. Status conditions, especially paralysis and burn, also limit Mega Gallade's wallbreaking ability, so avoid directly switching it into foes like Rotom-W, Heatran, and Toxapex. It'll also struggle to use Swords Dance safely if it's continuously being worn down. For these reasons, Mega Gallade should be brought in through aggressive switches or VoltTurn support from teammates. Use Swords Dance against weaker defensive Pokemon or on forced switches. It's best to set up if a boost is needed to threaten a predicted defensive switch in such as Reuniclus or Clefable. If an offensive pivot such as Tornadus-T or Choice Scarf Landorus-T is predicted, hitting them hard with the appropriate move or removing their item with Knock Off is recommended. Knock Off can be spammed early-game against most teams to chip down certain checks and counters, especially since most Pokemon holding a Mega Stone or Z-Crystal won't want to switch in. Mega Gallade's decent Special Defense means it can take attacks like Moonblast from Clefable and Tapu Fini or multiple Ice Beams from Mega Latias and set up against them, trading its health to weaken them for a teammate. Similarly, it can take a hit from offensive foes such as Greninja and Mega Alakazam, sacrificing most of its health to remove or weaken them. However, this should only be done if Mega Gallade's health is no longer needed.
Team Options
========
Mega Gallade fits best on bulky offense teams with VoltTurn support from Pokemon such as Rotom-W, Assault Vest Magearna, Landorus-T, and Choice Scarf Jirachi. The former two can also switch into Tornadus-T. Other wallbreakers like Swords Dance Garchomp and Landorus-T as well as Choice Band Kartana can weaken physically defensive walls, giving Mega Gallade an easier time cleaning up. The former two also can set up Stealth Rock and pressure common Defog users. Tapu Lele is a particularly useful partner that can assist in wallbreaking while also providing Psychic Terrain to boost Mega Gallade's Zen Headbutt and block priority moves such as Sucker Punch from Mega Mawile and Fake Out from Mega Medicham. Mega Gallade is forced out by Tornadus-T and Mega Alakazam when at low health, so switch-ins to them are necessary. Electric-types such as Rotom-W and Zapdos can switch into Tornadus-T and generate momentum with Volt Switch. Steel-types like Magearna and Celesteela can switch into Mega Alakazam and also take on Fairy-types for Mega Gallade. If not using Knock Off, Mega Gallade struggles to break through bulky Psychic-types. In this case, Pursuit trappers such as Tyranitar and Weavile are useful partners. They can also use Pursuit to weaken Tornadus-T.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Drain Punch and Psycho Cut might seem like reasonable options due to their reliability as well as the former move keeping Mega Gallade healthier, but the severe loss in power is too costly for them to be worth using.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Physically Defensive Pokemon**: Mega Slowbro is one of the best counters to Mega Gallade; it takes a +2 Knock Off with relative ease and can threaten to burn Mega Gallade with Scald or cripple it with Toxic or Thunder Wave. Unaware Clefable ignores Mega Gallade's boosts and can take any two attacks, but it has to be careful of switching in if entry hazards are up, especially if it lost its item due to Knock Off. Tapu Fini can live a +2 Zen Headbutt from full HP, but it lacks reliable recovery and dislikes losing its item.
**Faster Pokemon**: Tornadus-T can switch into any attack from Mega Gallade as long as Stealth Rock isn't up and threaten it with Hurricane. Mega Alakazam and Tapu Koko outspeed and threaten Mega Gallade, although they struggle to switch in. Choice Scarf users such as Landorus-T and Kartana can revenge kill Mega Gallade; however, they can't switch into Mega Gallade's attacks, and losing their item costs them the ability to act as checks.
**Mega Sableye**: Mega Sableye can switch into any of Mega Gallade's attacks, take a +2 Knock Off or Ice Punch, and burn it with Will-O-Wisp.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[DKM, 402001]]
- Quality checked by: [[Jordy, 395754], [lyd, 303291], [Talah, 248449]]
- Grammar checked by: [[GMars, 273636], [Fireflame479.231476]]
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