What is a good moveset for Gallade?

Question

Share your best competitive movesets for Gallade on this thread! Movesets for Mega Gallade can also be posted here.

Check the submission guidelines before posting! Only competitive movesets with all relevant details (item, nature, exact EVs, ability, moves) and a solid explanation will be accepted.

Gallade Pokédex and learnset for reference.

Answer 1

Gallade @ Leftovers
Ability: Steadfast
EVs: 240 HP / 200 SpD / 64 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Substitute
- Bulk Up
- Drain Punch
- Ice Punch / Night Slash

This is the Gallade that Fear Itself Fears! xD

Late-game sweeper set that relies on sustainability from Leftovers, Drain Punch, and Bulk Up. Substitute helps it set up against status users. Night Slash lets it not be walled by Ghost- and Psychic-types.

Comments

This is the Gallade I fear.

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Fear Itself, fears this Gallade.

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That's how effective and powerful it is.

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Ah my Peanutbutter, making me proud as always.

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This should be called the FEAR Gallade. It's so fearsome that even Fear fears it!

Answer 2

Gen 8 SS NU Substitute + Swords Dance

Gallade (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Justified
EVs: 252 HP / 12 Atk / 188 SpD / 56 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Drain Punch
- Psycho Cut
- Swords Dance
- Substitute

A bulky Substitute + Swords Dance set for SS NU. Substitute allows you to scout opposing Pokemon as well as dodge status condition such as Burns and Toxic Poisoning. Swords Dance is used to boost your attack so you can deal more damage to opposing Pokemon. Drain Punch is used for the Fighting STAB on this set to let you recover HP. Psycho Cut is used for the Psychic STAB to avoid making contact with Vileplume, Talonflame, and random Rocky Helmet Pokemon. Psycho Cut also doesn't miss, unlike Zen Headbutt.

Leftovers is used as the item to give Gallade a little HP recovery each turn. 56 Speed EVs allow you to outspeed Golurk. 252 HP and 188 SpD EVs allow Gallade's Substitute to not get broken by 1 Scald from Vaporeon, allowing you to use it as setup fodder. The rest of the EVs are dumped into Attack. Adamant Nature is used to give some power to Gallade's attacks.

Answer 3

Gallade @ Leftovers
Ability: Justified
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpD
Careful / Impish Nature
- Mean Look
- Encore
- Disable / Torment
- Psycho Cut / Close Combat

The same strategy as my previously posted Gardevoir moveset. First, use Mean Look. Then, use Encore to lock the foe into a move. Next turn, if you resist, use Torment/Disable. The opponent is now forced to use Struggle and you have an automatic KO! The opponent can't escape anymore. Psycho Cut/Close Combat is STAB and is for not being a Taunt bait.

Comments

needs moar speed

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Meh, right.

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gallades sp def is alredy high

Answer 4

Gen 7 OU / National Dex Monotype (Psychic and Fighting)

Gallade (M) @ Galladite
Ability: Justified
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Substitute
- Swords Dance
- Zen Headbutt
- Drain Punch / Close Combat

Substitute is to protect yourself from status. Swords Dance boosts your attack. Zen Headbutt is STAB. Drain Punch is STAB that heals you. Close Combat can be used for a stronger fighting STAB move.

Answer 5

Gen 8 SS NU Choice Band

Gallade (M) @ Choice Band
Ability: Justified
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly / Adamant Nature
- Close Combat
- Psycho Cut
- Knock Off
- Trick

A Choice Band Gallade set for SS NU. Sirfetch'd and Machamp are banned from SS NU, meaning Gallade has potential in SS NU as a Fighting-type that can beat Vileplume thanks to its part Psychic typing.

Close Combat is Gallade's Fighting STAB since it is pretty powerful. Psycho Cut is used for the Psychic STAB so you don't touch Vileplume and get affected by Effect Spore. Knock Off is useful against Ghost-types such as Decidueye, Dhelmise, Golurk, Psychic-types such as Xatu and Starmie, as well as defensive Pokemon such as Mudsdale by removing their items to cripple them. Trick allows you to cripple a defensive Pokemon by giving them your Choice Band to make them locked into one move. Jolly Nature gives you more speed, while Adamant can be used for more power if your team can handle +speed base 70s Pokemon such as Decidueye, Tsareena, and Tyrantrum.

Answer 6

(Gen 9) National Dex UU Bulky Swords Dance

Gallade (M) @ Galladite
Ability: Justified
Tera Type: Psychic
EVs: 116 HP / 140 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Swords Dance
- Drain Punch
- Knock Off
- Zen Headbutt / Psycho Cut / Triple Axel

Since National Dex UU is currently suspect testing Mega Gallade at the time this was posted, I've decided to post the Bulky Swords Dance set Mega Gallade uses in NatDex UU. Mega Gallade can pull off Bulky Swords Dance set thanks to its bulk and access to Drain Punch to recover HP, helping with Mega Gallade not being revenge killed as easily by its offensive counterplay. For example, Bulky Mega Gallade at full HP has a 44% chance to live a Scarf Moonblast from Enamorus. Swords Dance lets Mega Gallade boost its attack to tear through teams, with the HP investment and Drain Punch allowing Mega Gallade to get off more than one Swords Dance. Drain Punch is the STAB move on this set since it lets Mega Gallade recover HP, which is useful for staying out of range for revenge killers such as Zeraora and Iron Boulder to finish off Mega Gallade. Knock Off provides Mega Gallade with useful coverage to hit checks such as Aegislash and Slowbro super effectively as well as providing utility in removing items. Zen Headbutt provides a Psychic STAB that is useful to hit Pokemon such as Mega Venusaur, Iron Moth, Buzzwole, and Amoonguss super effectively, as well as hitting Clefable for neutral damage. Psycho Cut can be used for the Psychic STAB for a Psychic STAB that doesn't miss and doesn't make contact with opposing Pokemon. Triple Axel is an option to hit Pokemon such as Mega Latias and Hippowdon super effectively. Shadow Sneak is an option to have a priority move to chip faster Pokemon. Justified is the Ability pre Mega Evolution to get an attack boost should it switch into a Dark move.

252 Speed EVs are used to give Mega Gallade as much speed as possible since Bulky Mega Gallade still wants to be fast. 140 Attack EVs allow a +4 Drain Punch to OHKO Celesteela (Celesteela are specially defensive in NatDex UU). The rest of the EVs are used in HP to give Mega Gallade bulk.

Answer 7

Gen 9 National Dex Monotype Bulky Assault Vest (Fighting)

Gallade (M) @ Assault Vest
Ability: Sharpness
Tera Type: Psychic
EVs: 252 HP / 236 SpD / 20 Spe or 252 HP / 16 Atk / 220 SpD / 20 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Sacred Sword
- Psycho Cut
- Knock Off / Night Slash
- Leaf Blade

A bulky Assault Vest set Gallade can use on Fighting teams in Gen 9 National Dex Monotype. While most Fighting teams use Mega Gallade, base Gallade has a niche of running Assault Vest to tank special hits, which can be useful for the Psychic and Fairy matchups. By using Assault Vest Gallade, Iron Hands can be freed up to use a wallbreaker set like a Swords Dance set. Sacred Sword and Psycho Cut are used for the STAB moves since they get boosted by Sharpness. Sacred Sword is also useful to avoid the defense boosts from Archaludon and Iron Press Skarmory. Knock Off is usually used for the Dark move on this set due to the utility it has of removing items from opposing Pokemon. Night Slash can be used instead for a Sharpness boosted move that deals more damage to Pokemon such as Mega Latios and Gholdengo holding a Z crystal. Leaf Blade is used as a sharpness boosted coverage move that has a good chance of OHKOing Mega Diancie, a problematic Pokemon for Fighting teams.

0+ Atk Sharpness Gallade Leaf Blade vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Diancie-Mega: 238-282 (98.7 - 117%) -- 93.8% chance to OHKO

20 Speed EVs allow Gallade to outspeed Mega Venusaur running enough speed EVs to outspeed Pokemon such as Max speed Adamant Azumarill. 252 HP EVs and 236 Special Defense EVs are used to help Gallade tank special hits better combined with Assault Vest. Adamant Nature is used to give Gallade's attacks some power. Alternatively, you can add in 16 EVs in attack to guarantee the Lead Blade OHKO vs Mega Diancie, using the spread of 252 HP / 16 Atk / 220 SpD / 20 Spe. You can consider going Careful for more special bulk, though do keep in mind you miss that good chance of being able to OHKO Mega Diancie (provided Reflect isn't up).

Comments

give him a little more attack and do +SpD instead, it would guarantee the KO on mega-diance.

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Added another EV spread that guarantees the OHKO chance. The point of going Careful Nature is for a bit more special bulk, so going the Careful Nature route with enough attack EVs to OHKO Mega Diancie would just make the EV spread this: 252 HP / 132 Atk / 104 SpD / 20 Spe, which is essentially same as the alternative EV spread I listed of 252 HP / 16 Atk / 220 SpD / 20 Spe

Answer 8

Role: Tricker / Sweeper

Gallade (M) @ Lagging Tail
Ability: Steadfast
EVs: 96 HP / 80 Atk / 252 Def / 80 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Trick
- Bulk Up
- Drain Punch
- Zen Headbutt

Trick gives opponents a Lagging Tail to screw their speed up, and let him outspeed easier.
Bulk Up increases physical bulk, and allows an attack boost, while Drain Punch is STAB and recovery, and Zen Headbutt is STAB and Flinching.

Comments

Put fling on instead of trick, give him 0Evs and Ivs in speed and make him a trick room sweeper when trick room runs out use fling

Answer 9

Gallade @ Galladite
Ability: Steadfast
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Swords Dance
- Ice Punch / Shadow Sneak
- Drain Punch
- Psycho Cut

Swords Dance wallbreaker. Shadow Sneak and Drain Punch together give Gallade priority and sustainability that could help it sweep late-game.

Comments

Zen Headbutt is better than Psycho Cut because you can use a different attack if you need something that won't miss. Justified is better than Steadfast because it's a nice way to swap Gallade into defensive mons clicking Knock Off mindlessly.

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Drain punch doesn't give gallade priority

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Shadow Sneak and Drain Punch collectively do, but I'll change the wording.

Answer 10

Mega Gallade

Gallade @ Galladite
Ability: Justified / Steadfast
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Adamant / Jolly Nature
- Swords Dance
- Close Combat / Drain Punch
- Knock Off
- Psycho Cut / Zen Headbutt / Ice Punch

• Swords Dance boosts it's attack by two stages, making it a terrifying physical sweeper.
• Close Combat is for sheer power at the cost of lowering your defences. Drain Punch is an alternative STAB which recovers health but isn't as strong.
• Knock Off provides almost perfect coverage and is a great move to hit Ghost and Psychic types as well as removing items.
• Psycho Cut or Zen Headbutt can be used for a second STAB option, providing a strong hit on Fighting and Poison types.

As an extra option, Ice Punch can be used over one of the Psychic STAB options to cover Dragon, Flying, Ground and Grass types. Justified is useful before mega evolving as it allows you to have your attack raised. Likewise steadfast is also useful in raising your speed if flinched, but outside of Fake Out it's very situational.

Answer 11

Gallade @ Life Orb / Lum Berry
Ability: Justified
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Swords Dance
- Close Combat
- Zen Headbutt
- Knock Off

• Swords Dance: Boosts attack by 2 stages
• Close Combat: High base power, STAB
• Zen Headbutt: Great coverage, hits poison types like Amoongus and weezing effectively, STAB
• Knock Off: More great coverage, hits psychic types like Uxie and Musharna hard

Life Orb gives more damage to Gallade's attacks
Lum Berry is an option that protects Gallade from status attacks

Answer 12

I have noticed that a lot of these posts have no Galladite so here's a moveset WITH the mega stone

Gallade @ Galladite
Ability: Inner Focus
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Adamant / Jolly Nature
- Psycho Cut
- Close Combat
- Ice Punch
- Night Slash

• Psycho Cut - Sig move+high crit ratio
• Close Combat - STAB (next move you can replace with Reflect for cover)
• Ice Punch - Coverage (against Flying, Grass, Dragon, and Ground)
• Night Slash - Coverage against Ghost and high crit ratio

Comments

What nature? Also, is "SPD" supposed to be special defense or speed?

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I recommend Jolly or Adamant Nature but you can do brave nature if you want and SPD is Speed

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Psycho Cut isn't actually Gallade's signature move. Pokémon like Absol and Mewtwo can learn it. Though I do recommend it over Zen Headbutt. Accuracy>Power

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Why 4HP, I would recomenda 4 SpD because SP Attackers are very common

Answer 13

Gen 9 Monotype Choice Scarf/Band + Sharpness Ability (Fighting)

Gallade @ Choice Scarf / Choice Band
Ability: Sharpness
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Sacred Sword
- Psycho Cut
- Night Slash
- Shadow Sneak

A Choice Scarf/Band set with Gallade's new ability for Fighting teams in Gen 9 Monotype. In Gen 9, Gallade gets access to a new Ability called Sharpness, which gives Gallade's slicing moves a 1.5x boost. This Ability is basically a Choice Band for slicing moves. This Gallade set has 3 slicing moves that get boosted by Sharpness: Sacred Sword, Psycho Cut, and Night Slash.

In Gen 9, Gallade gets access to Sacred Sword, which gets boosted by Sharpness. This means that STAB + Sharpness Sacred Sword stronger than STAB Close Combat. Psycho Cut is for Psychic STAB that gets boosted by Sharpness. Night Slash, which gets boosted by Sharpness, is used to deal super effective damage to most of the Ghost-types in the meta. Shadow Sneak is used to revenge kill weakened Pokemon that Gallade can't outspeed with a Choice Scarf if you use Choice Scarf. Choice Scarf allows Gallade to serve as a revenge killer and help with the Ghost matchup, while Choice Band can let Gallade become a more potent wallbreaker.

Answer 14

Gen 9 NU Swords Dance

Gallade @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Sharpness
Tera Type: Ghost
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Swords Dance
- Sacred Sword
- Psycho Cut
- Shadow Sneak

A Swords Dance set Gallade can use in Gen 9 NU. Swords Dance makes Gallade's attack powerful, allowing it to use its Sharpness STAB moves, Sacred Sword and Psycho Cut, to OHKO or 2HKO most of the tier. Most Pokemon in NU can't resist both Sacred Sword and Psycho Cut. Shadow Sneak allows Gallade to deal super effective damage to Pokemon such as Galarian Articuno, Hoopa, Bruxish, Hisuian Braviary, Uxie, and Delphox, Pokemon who resist its STAB combination. Shadow Sneak is also useful to pick off faster Pokemon since it is a priority move. Heavy-Duty Boots is used since Gallade's STAB moves are powerful thanks to Sharpness, and Gallade really doesn't want to get chipped by hazards. Tera Ghost lets Gallade have a more powerful Shadow Sneak, allowing it to OHKO Delphox after a Swords Dance boost.

Answer 15

Gen 9 NU Agility

Gallade @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Sharpness
Tera Type: Dark / Poison
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Agility
- Sacred Sword
- Psycho Cut
- Knock Off / Poison Jab

An Agility set Gallade can use in Gen 9 NU. This set should be used as a late game cleaner. With the speed boost from Agility, Gallade outspeeds the entire metagame, including Choice Scarf users such as Flamigo and Tauros-Paldea-Aqua. Even without any boosts from Swords Dance, Gallade can deal out quite a bit of damage to most Pokemon with its STAB combination that is boosted by Sharpness. Knock Off rounds out this set's coverage by allowing Gallade to hit most Psychic-types in the tier that resist Sacred Sword and Psycho Cut. Knock Off is also nice to remove items from opposing Pokemon should you want Gallade to do something early game. If you use Knock Off, use Tera Dark to make Knock Off a STAB move. Poison Jab with Tera Poison is an option to hit Fairy-types such as Sylveon, Scream Tail, and Florges super effectively. Heavy-Duty Boots is used to prevent Gallade from taking hazards chip. Not taking hazards chip can let Gallade live a special attack from full HP to get off an Agility or attack opposing Pokemon. Adamant Nature gives Gallade more power since this set has Agility to boost its speed.

Answer 16

Gen 9 NU Assault Vest

Gallade @ Assault Vest
Ability: Sharpness
Tera Type: Steel / Dark
EVs: 160 HP / 252 Atk / 96 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Sacred Sword
- Psycho Cut
- Leaf Blade
- Knock Off

An Assault Vest set Gallade can use in Gen 9 NU. Assault Vest Gallade has been picking up in usage in Gen 9 NU thanks to its good special defense stat and Ability in Sharpness. Sharpness + Gallade's Assault Vest and good Special Defense stat allows Gallade to soft check the Special wallbreakers in the tier while using its Sharpness boosted attacks to slice and dice most of the Pokemon in the tier as if they were fruits and vegetables. Sacred Sword + Psycho Cut are used for Gallade's STAB moves since they are boosted by Sharpness, making most Pokemon not wanting to switch into to Gallade's STAB moves. Sacred Sword and Psycho Cut pair well with each other due to the coverage the moves provide. Leaf Blade is a useful coverage move that targets Water-types such as Slowbro, Swampert, and Quagsire, giving them a reminder on why Water-types don't like going outside to touch grass. Knock Off is a nice coverage and utility move that allows Gallade to remove crucial item from opposing Pokemon and hit Ghost- and Psychic-types such as Brambleghast, Reuniclus, Typhlosion-Hisui, Mew, Munkidori, and Chandelure super effectively. Tera Steel lets Gallade have a nice defensive typing, while Dark boosts the power of Knock Off and gives Gallade a Psychic immunity.

252 Attack EVs are used with an Adamant Nature to give Gallade as much power as possible. 96 Speed EVs allow Gallade to outspeed max speed Modest Sylveon. The rest of the EVs are used in HP to give Gallade some bulk so it can help tank special attacks better.

Answer 17

Gen 9 NU Scope Lens + Sharpness

Gallade @ Scope Lens
Ability: Sharpness
Tera Type: Dark
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Psycho Cut
- Sacred Sword
- Night Slash
- Leaf Blade / Agility / Swords Dance

A Scope Lens set Gallade can use in Gen 9 NU. Some of Gallade's moves that are boosted by Sharpness have a high chance to crit, so with Scope Lens as the item, Gallade can deal out more damage with Sharpness boosted attacks that are a critical hit. Psycho Cut and Sacred Sword are the STAB moves since they are boosted by Sharpness, and most Pokemon don't like switching into Gallade's STAB moves. Most Pokemon that can switch into one STAB move don't want to switch into the other STAB move. Night Slash is used to hit Psychic- and Ghost-types such as Espeon, Munkidori, Cresselia, Brambleghast, and Chandelure. Leaf Blade targets the Water/Ground types named Swampert, Gastrodon, and Quagsire. If Leaf Blade crits, it can OHKO Vaporeon. Agility can be used instead to boost Gallade's speed so it can outspeed Pokemon it normally wouldn't. Swords Dance can be used to make Gallade's attacks that are already dangerous to switch into more powerful to break through teams. Adamant Nature is used to give Gallade as much power as possible, though you can consider Jolly for more speed. Tera Dark is used to allow Gallade to become immune to Psychic moves and makes Night Slash a STAB move so it can hit harder.

Answer 18

Role: Sweeper / Tank

Gallade (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Steadfast
EVs: 96 HP / 144 Atk / 252 Def / 16 Spe
Impish Nature
- Destiny Bond
- Thunder Wave
- Leaf Blade
- Drain Punch

His speed is pretty bad, but Thunder Wave makes up for that, on top of the fact that it lets him strike first for a Destiny Bond!
Drain Punch is STAB and can keep him going for a while.
Leaf Blade is coverage.

Answer 19

Gallade @ Assault Vest
Ability: Justified
EVs: 202 HP / 54 Atk / 252 SpD
Careful Nature
• Drain Punch
• Psycho Cut
• Knock Off
• Shadow Sneak

Uses Gallade's good Special Defence to make it a switch-in against special attackers. Wide coverage including Shadow Sneak for priority gives Gallade options against a range of targets.

Answer 20

Gallade-Mega @ Galladite
Ability: Justified
EVs: 252 Atk / 116 Def / 120 SpD / 20 Spe
Impish Nature
- Swords Dance
- Zen Headbutt
- Drain Punch
- Thunder Punch

With this set, you have recovery, boosts, and coverage for flying types! This works well in Pokemon Showdown in addition!