What is a good moveset for Gardevoir?

Question

If you have a good competitive moveset for Gardevoir, post an answer below and upvote the best ones. Movesets for any of its pre-evolutions can also be shared on this thread.

Be sure to include full set details in your post, e.g. items, abilities, natures and EVs. Some detail, including the intended game mode for your set, is also appreciated. Access the full list of guidelines here.

Gardevoir Pokédex and learnset for reference.

Answer 1

Gardevoir @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Trace
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
- Psychic
- Thunderbolt
- Shadow Ball
- Destiny Bond

Psychic is good STAB and hits Poison-types.
Thunderbolt is good for hitting Waters and and Flyers also is a good move overall.
Shadow Ball hits Ghosts and Psychics.
Scarfed Destiny Bond can give something a nasty surprise.

Comments

I’m in a tournament, and there are special rules for it: you can ONLY use atkS moves, so destiny bond won’t work. So can I replace it with draining kiss with big root?

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never use big root

its not a good item

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Or moonblast instead of destiny bond.

Answer 2

I got an epic combo for Gardevoir here.

Gardevoir @ Leftovers
Ability: Synchronize
EVs: 252 Def / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Mean Look
- Encore
- Torment/ Disable
- Psychic

First, use Mean Look. The opponent won't be able to escape anymore. Use Encore then the next turn, if you manage to survive, use Torment or Disable. The foe will now use Struggle and will not be able to escape. You have managed yourself an automatic KO! In the third moveslot, Torment is recommended because Disable doesn't hit Ghosties. Psychic is there so you are not a Taunt bait.

Comments

Disable works on Ghost? Really?

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I know Disable is normal, but it is a status, not an attack.

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You should put dazzling gleam on instead of psychic in case you trap any dark types

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Taunt Kills ...

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@DoPeTitan This moveset was posted when the Fairy type hadnt been introduced yet. So Gardevoir couldnt learn Dazzling Gleam.

@Preo "Psychic is there so you are not a taunt bait."

Answer 3

That new retyping of Gardevoir to Psychic/Fairy is fantastic, now it is no longer Pursuit weak and is immune to Dragon-type attacks. Its Mega-Evolution is also excellent, so it is now much more powerful than Life Orb Gardevoir!

Gen VI ORAS

Gardevoir (F) @ Gardevoirite
Ability: Trace
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Hyper Voice
- Focus Blast
- Calm Mind
- Shadow Ball

Strategy is simple here. Come in on something that Gardevoir can force out, which is actually made easier by normal Gardevoir's fantastic Trace ability, like switching into a Vaporeon and tracing its Water Absorb, thus forcing it out as it cant do much. Set up with Calm Mind while going Mega as they switch, then proceed to sweep.

Shadow Ball + Focus Blast gives perfect neutral coverage, hitting pesky ghosts and steel types for super effective damage (Scizor is a thing but every Pokemon has their counters, no?). Hyper Voice is just insanely powerful, being boosted by STAB and given a 1.3x Boost due to Pixilate. It goes through Substitutes, it wrecks souls, just wow. Gardevoir had always been my favorite Pokemon, and it looks like I'm going to love her more than ever before.

As for people asking how does Gardevoir learn Hyper Voice, it learns it by move tutor at the Battle Resort in Pokemon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire.

Comments

pixalate changes the whole ball game !  pixilate makes hyper beam fairy!     150 stab = 300 x 1.5 if a critical hit = 450 x 2 if its used against a  dragon dark fighting  or bug type  making it come out to a grand total of  900 damage not counting evs and ivs or amie boosts

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your calcs are wrong :P.
STAB is x1.5 so 150x1.5=225. critical hits are x1.5 in gen 6 so 225x1.5=337.5.
SE is x2 so 337.7x2=675.

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so its still 675 and even if its 1/2 power as a critical hit its  225/2 = 112.5 then its still stab = 112.5 x 1.5 =  168.75  
if 1/4  then  37.5 times 3    = 112.5   still puts a huge dent  but seriously what  steel/poison, poison fire , or  fire steel are there !

heateran! thats it!   if you count fairy  its  also got mawile

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plus 675 x 1.3 is  877.5

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@TeamRocketBossJ Actually, the only two poison/steel, poison/fire, and fire/steel types are Heatran and Salazzle.

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I guess you would be help less against poison which resists ghost. I would instead use psychic rather than calm mind it isn't needed to set up.

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Poison-type Pokémon don't resist Ghost-type moves, it's the other way around. I hope this doesn't count as necro as the comment is gonna clear any confusion in the future.

Answer 4

Gardevoir @ Mind Plate
Ability: Synchronize
EVs: 252 SpA / 252 SpD / 4 Spe
Modest Nature
- Shadow Ball
- Focus Blast
- Future Sight
- Moonblast

• Shadow Ball (To get coverage over Ghost types)
• Focus Blast (To get coverage over Steel types and can lower opponent's Special Defence)
• Future Sight (To get coverage over Poison types and takes advantage of Gardevoir's Mind Plate)
• Moonblast (Powerful move with a chance of lowering the target's Special Attack)

Comments

Finally a set with moonblast

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Future sight over Psychic? And if so, why no Subsitute?

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Why don't u use mega gardevoir???? Pokemon x and y already came out in 2013 and added its mega evolution, so why don't use it instead of mind plate?
Better stats plus extra normal to fairy due to pixelate and you get and attack boost!

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This is for the lower tier that regular gardevoir is in

Answer 5

Bulky sweeper

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Gardevoir (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Trace
EVs: 200 HP / 200 Def / 108 Spe
Bold Nature
- Will-O-Wisp
- Calm Mind
- Stored Power
- Shadow Ball

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WoW effectively doubles your Defense, along with Calm Mind, it makes you a bulky offensive force with Stored Power. Shadow Ball is coverage.

Answer 6

Hey guys! New member. Just joined, and thought I should give it a try ~ ( I couldn't know less about Gardevoir, but i'll try to help <3 )

Gardevoir ! @ Big Root / Lum Berry
Ability: Synchronize
EVs: 252 SpA / 6 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest / Timid Nature
- Psychic
- Draining Kiss
- Thunderbolt
- Charm

You can replace Thunderbolt with Shadow Ball / Energy Ball or whatever you need depending on your team.

If you're on X/Y and can't get Draining Kiss (with Big Root), go for Moonblast (with a Lum Berry)

Hope it helped.

Comments

big root is not a great item, and it wont help much with draining kiss still having only 50 base power. I would opt for lum berry or leftovers, and replace draining kiss for moonblast. Otherwise, great set

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I won't use draining kiss.

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Exactly what utility does Charm provide to this set?

Answer 7

Gardevoir @ Choice Specs
Ability: Synchronize
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Moonblast
- Psychic
- Shadow Ball
- Thunderbolt

Pretty standard special sweeper. Moonblast and Psychic are both STAB, Shadow Ball counters Gardevoir's Ghost weakness, and Thunderbolt is coverage. Choice Specs gives Gardevoir a bit of a boost in damage output.

Answer 8

Gen 8 RU

Gardevoir @ Leftovers
Ability: Synchronize
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpA / 4 SpD
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Psychic
- Draining Kiss
- Calm Mind
- Will-O-Wisp

First you start with Calm Mind. If you're up against a Pokemon that's a Physical Sweeper, if you're still alive, try to get in a Will-o-Wisp to cut the opponent's attack in half, acting like Gardevoir's "defense EVs". Psychic is STAB. Draining Kiss is STAB and if you used Calm Mind multiple times, it can heal off any damage you took.

Answer 9

Gen 8 RU

Gardevoir @ Focus Sash / Leftovers
Ability: Trace
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Moonblast
- Psychic / Psyshock
- Mystical Fire
- Calm Mind

Moonblast is STAB. Psychic is also STAB. Psyshock can be used instead to hit specially defensive walls. Mystical Fire is coverage that hits steel types who resist Gardevoir's STAB moves. Calm Mind boosts your Special Attack and Special Defense.

Answer 10

Gardevoir deserves any trainer's full attention. She can be really strong or pathetically weak, depending on how she's treated. Here is the EV spread, IVs and stats and moveset I give ALL of my Gardevoirs when I play.

Gardevoir
Ability: Synchronize
EVs: 252 SpA / 100 SpD / 158 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: HP: 29 / Atk: 19 / Def: 27 / SpA: 31 / SpD: 30 / Spe: 31
- Psychic / Psychock
- Thunderbolt
- Energy Ball / Shadow Ball
- Signal Beam / Focus Blast / Icy Wind

Psychic / Psyshock: Depends on if you want to kill all physical defenders, or take down some special walls with bad Defense like Snorlax.

Thunderbolt: Great power, good for Water and Flying types.

Energy Ball / Shadow Ball: Depends on whether you are wanting to take down Ghosts or Water/Ground Pokemon like Swampert, which can get annoying.

Signal Beam / Focus Blast / Icy Wind: Yeah, I know. No Calm Mind. I think if her Special Attack is high enough, why raise it? Besides, Signal Beam is great against Grass, Psychic, and the dreaded Dark type. Focus Blast is also good for Darks, but is pretty inaccurate. I'd rather go with Icy Wind. But its your choice.

Answer 11

Gardevoir @ Gardevoirite
Ability: Synchronize
EVs: 252 SpA / 200 SpD / 152 Spe
Mild / Modest Nature
- Hyper Beam / Hyper Voice
- Psychic
- Draining Kiss
- Focus Blast

Hyper Beam / Hyper Voice (bye bye Dragon- and Dark-types)
Draining Kiss (HP restore)
Focus Blast (for Steel-types)

Answer 12

Gen III.

Gardevoir @ Leftovers
Ability: Synchronize
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Psychic
- Thunderbolt
- Calm Mind
- Hypnosis

Pretty limited in Gen III. Shadow Ball is physical in this gen so Thunderbolt is the only other special attack. Use Hypnosis to set up a Calm Mind or two to sweep.

Comments

Actually in Emerald, it has access to Fire Punch, Thunder Punch, Ice Punch, and Icy Wind via Move Tutors.

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Oh. My. Stars. FINALLY A GEN III MOVESET!

Answer 13

Gen 6 Special Sweeper

Gardevoir @ Gardevoirite
Ability: Telepathy
EVs: 128 Def / 252 SpA / 128 SpD
Modest Nature
- Moonblast
- Psychic
- Hyper Voice
- Shadow Ball

So this is pretty basic stuff. Moonblast/Psychic for STAB, Hyper Voice for Pixilate STAB and Shadow Ball for Ghost coverage and Telepathy so your Swamperts and Garchomps can Earthquake whenever!
P.S: EVs are totally not random...

Hope this helps!

Comments

why moonblast? Hyper Voice has the same type as moonblast, and is more powerful thanks to Pixilate. You could replace that with Focus Blast to get rid of steel types.

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Bad EV's. And what Char458 said.

Answer 14

Gardevoir @ Leftovers
Ability: Trace
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
- Hypnosis
- Dream Eater
- Calm Mind
- Stored Power

Put to sleep. Use Calm Mind 6 times, then hit them with Stored Power. If you do manage to take a hit, use dream eater.

Answer 15

Can't stop the sweep! (my favorite set)

Gardevoir @ Gardevoirite / Leftovers
Ability: Synchronize
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Psychic / Psyshock
- Hyper Voice / Moonblast / Shadow Ball / Thunderbolt / Energy Ball / Focus Blast
- Calm Mind
- Thunder Wave / Will-O-Wisp / Taunt

This set Is a sweeper set, but with a twist. It has 3 other uses. It can prevent your opponents Pokemon from setting up a sweep themselves, It can punish tanks, phazers, etc from trying to stop your sweep. It can be used to spread status to your opponents Pokemon in general, while acting as a sweeper. Used this set in gen 3, and still use it now.

Answer 16

This is by far Gardevoir's best moveset.....

Gardevoir @ Gardevoirite
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid / Modest Nature
- Calm Mind / Taunt / Will-O-Wisp / Reflect
- Hyper Voice
- Psyshock
- Focus Blast

Calm Mind/Taunt/Will-o-Wisp/Reflect (I'd prefer Taunt)
Hyper Voice (Pixilate boosted)
Psychock (For special walls and poison-types)
Focus Blast (For the Steel-types)

Furthermore, you could do Thunderbolt/Shadow Ball/Energy Ball instead of Focus Blast, but believe me.....Gardevoir needs something against Steel-types. Don't let Shadow Ball trick you: A Pixilate-boosted Hyper Voice is stronger than a super-effective Shadow Ball against those ghosties.

Answer 17

Gardevoir-Mega @ Gardevoirite
Ability: Pixilate
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Psychic
- Hyper Voice
- Shadow Ball
- Focus Blast

• Psychic- STAB and great power
• Hyper Voice- Stab and deals with Dragon, Dark, and Fighting
• Shadow Ball- Coverage for Ghost
• Focus Blast- Coverage for Steel

Answer 18

Gardevoir @ Gardevoirite
Ability: Trace
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
- Moonblast
- Psychic
- Shadow Ball
- Focus Blast / Will-O-Wisp

Moonblast (STAB)
Psychic (STAB, covers Poison-types)
Shadow Ball (to hit Ghost-types)
Focus Blast/Will-o-wisp (Steel-/Status)

Answer 19

Gardevoir @ Salac Berry
Ability: Trace
EVs: 248 Def / 8 SpD / 252 Spe or 252 Def / 4 SpD / 252 Spe.
Timid / Bold Nature
- Calm Mind
- Stored Power
- Draining Kiss
- Hypnosis / Endure / Double Team / Shadow Ball

If you Calm Mind twice your Stored Power will have a base 100 power. If your Special Attack stat is multiplied by 2 then Draining Kiss will also have a base power of 100 so you'll heal al least 50% of a 100 power move. Use Hypnosis to set up even more. Use Endure to survive Earthquake or any other powerful physical move (which is why you should put Defense EVs on it). Use Double Team to be annoying. Use Shadow Ball to avoid ghost weakness. Also when you use Endure and get left on 1 HP then the Salac Berry will increase your speed by one stage. If you pair this with a Pokemon with simple beam then Gardevoir gets even more powerful. Hope this helps!

Comments

That jut sounds like weedletwineedle's simple beam linoone trace gardevoir Ser with extra steps

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I can't tell if it should be 252 Spe / 248 Def / 8 SpDef or Spe and Def switched but yeah I can edit it.

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Recommended nature: Calm or Bold.

Answer 20

Ok ok

What if, instead of trying to salvage Gardevoir’s crummy speed to make it a speedy sweeper, we make use of its solid defenses?

Gardevoir @ Focus Band
Ability: Trace
EVs: 252 HP /4 Def / 252 SpA
Modest Nature
- Wish
- Calm Mind
- Will-O-Wisp
- Psychic / Moonblast

Wish - for recovery
Calm Mind - SpA and SpD
Will-O-Wisp - for physical attackers looking to capitalise on Gardevoir’s low defense stat
Psychic / Moonblast - Whatever STAB you want.

So basically you set up calm mind while recovering with wish, and if you come across any physical attackers, make sure to shut them down first with will o’ wisp. Takes some health off of the enemy too.

Psychic or Moonblast when you get tired of setting up, though I prefer Moonblast since there are no types immune to Fairy damage.

Edit: EVs

Comments

2 things, it is better to put 252 in HP than to split it between defenses.  Then, you have an extra 4 EV's you can put in a defense or Speed.  Also, EV's only work in 4, so the 2 doesn't matter

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Gardevoir’s HP stat isn’t really something though, so wouldn’t splitting EVs between def and spdef be better?

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No, because investing in HP is (not quite but for the sake of this argument) equivalent to investing in both Def and spdef simultaneously. Splitting it between def and spdef makes it so neither stat is high enough to reduce damage by a significant enough margin to be useful over just having more HP.

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Also, you should also drop the mentality that having a low stat means you shouldn't invest EVs into that stat. Defensive Pokemon almost universally use HP no matter how bad their HP stat is. Many slower Pokemon like Gardevoir invest Speed because it still allows them to move before a greater variety of opponents and hit important benchmarks.
This is not to say you can't use defensive Gardevoir, but it's not as though a defensive set is an inherently better utilisation of its base stats.

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Thanks, i’ve learned a lot from this thread.