Gardevoir Pokkén Tournament DX Guide

This guide was written by me with several contributions from Kamaal.

- Overview
- Attributes
- Move list
- Combos

How to play Gardevoir in Pokkén - Overview

Gardevoir is a pure zoning character. It has few close quarters moves to defend itself or open opponents up. However, its mid and long range game are filled with long reaching projectiles that deal great chip damage. It also is equipped with decent anti air tools in both phases. This lets Gardevoir set up somewhat of an obstacle course for the opponent - especially in duel phase. One of its goals is to get 3 “stacks” of Calm Mind. This move and its followups are intregal to Gardevoir’s play and let it fire off level 3 Stored Power for massive damage and pushback on block. After resetting the distance, Gardevoir will often attempt to keep the opponent out long enough to store 3 more Calm Minds before unleashing another Stored Power and continuing the cycle.

As with other projectile heavy characters, remember the raw frame data can seem misleading. Projectiles naturally gain better frame data, the later in the active frames they connect. So even though almost all Gardevoir’s moves seem completely unsafe on block, at far ranges they can often be plus.

Attributes

From Shoryuken
HP: 540
Synergy Gauge: 150 CC
Burst Mode Duration: 16 Seconds

Move list

Counter Attack

i31/51. -8/+4 on block. Shifts on hit from field phase. Otherwise +4 on hit. Fully charged launches.

The aerial version is about -20 on block and 0 on block in Burst. Shifts instantly from field, otherwise about +10 on hit.

Aerial CA

Pokémon Moves

Psyshock 5A

i19. -12. Fast, linear projectile. The forward movement makes this move a bit risky, but it has a large hitbox that can clip opponents side walking or trying to jump.

Calm Mind 4A

Calm Mind is one of Gardevoir’s most important attacks. It has multiple functions. First, it can charge up to 3 times. You can see how many Calm Mind charges you have active, by looking at how many rings are around the character. Each charge increases the damage and range of Stored Power. In addition, before Calm Mind finishes recoverying, Gardevoir can cancel into 4 other actions: Energy Ball, Psychic, Dazzling Gleam, and B during Calm Mind teleports Gardevoir into the air.

Energy Ball 4AY

i19. -20. Mid-High. When expanded with 4AYY this move is slightly positive on block in field phase, but only hits aerial in duel phase. This is used to stop people from autopilot jumping over Energy Ball. 4AYY can be juggled from using moves like 5Y or 6X. When Energy Ball touches another projectile, things get most interesting. The attack breaks apart and sends several golden projectiles with S level priority at the opponent. This property lets Gardevoir bully many other characters in projectile wars, as overblasting Energy Ball actually hurts them.

Gardevoir’s Energy Ball actually caused the phase shift here!

4AYY

Psychic 4AX

i103. +38 on block. Stun on hit. Mid. Yes, those properties are as ridiculous as they sound. This won’t actually hit very often, but if you’re good at keeping opponents out, you can rack up some good chip damage after air resets or knockdowns.

Dazzling Gleam 4AA

i29. -8. Mid. A peculiar move since the actual startup does not have blue armor, but the attack itself does. This can be canceled into during block strings to stop opponent from mashing attacks, jumping, or even using command red and blue armored moves. Due to the slow startup, it can be grabbed before it is active and fully charged CAs will absorb the entirety of it.

Because Calm Mind up close can be largely circumvented by grabbing, Gardevoir has access to B which teleports upwards. Unfortunately, this doesn’t have invincibility while starting up. After a 5YY string, Gardevoir can still be grabbed. But after 5X, the push back allows Gardevoir to teleport into the air making grabs whiff and allowing a full punish with jX.

Stored Power 6A

i23. 0 / +4 / +12 / +20. Gardevoir’s staple attack. This move has 4 levels depending on how many Calm Minds are active: level 0, level 1, level 2, and level 3. This higher the level, the more hits, damage and pushback. If you have at least one Calm Mind active, then if only the first hit makes contact, this move becomes -12 on block for levels 1,2 and 3. This mainly happens if you use the move when the opponent is at the wall and you’re point blank facing them. Otherwise each hit true blockstrings into the next. If done close enough, this attack can lead to full juggles. Excellent attack. Use level 3 as much as possible.

Level 0

Level 1

Level 2

Level 3

Future Sight 8A/2A

i78 for the high version and i108 for the mid-low. +81 on block. A duel phase only move that can be done with 7A, 8A, 9A, 1A, 2A, 3B. 7,8, and 9 are the high versions and the other three hit close to the ground as mid-lows. Different versions determine the position the attack spawns at. The initial attack does not a have a hitbox until it detonates. The explosion disappears when Gardevoir grabs allowing you to set up 50/50s after knockdowns. Even though 8A is listed as a high, it actually completely whiffs on most characters unless they are airborne. “Tall” characters such as Mewtwo, Shadow Mewtwo, Machamp, Blaziken, Garchomp, get hit while standing directly underneath this. The angle is very tight on this outside of burst.

In Burst mode, the hitbox gets much larger. More characters get hit by just standing by it, but the shortest characters still avoid the high versions. Since the aforementioned tall characters can neither easily walk past or quickly low stance this move, Future Sight becomes a strong tool in Burst to rack up chip damage.

Magical Leaf jA

Variable frame data. In field phase, this sends out a flurry of leaves that travel towards the opponent. It leaves Gardevoir airborne, to follow up with attacks such as jY if the opponent completely disrespects them.

In duel phase, this move turns into a single blast. It can be aimed with j8A, jA, and j2A. Point blank it is -24 on block.

Moonblast RL A

-20. Mid. This attack creates an S projectile priority shield and beam itself.

In Burst, the duel phase version scatters upwards, blocking off any jump angles. The field phase version scatters sideways, blocking any lateral evasion.

Field Phase Moves

nY

i15. -4. Special cancelable and cancelable into fY, sY, and bY. Good quick button for putting a projectile on the screen and getting the opponent to stay still long enough to have to block one of the cancel options.

sY

i19. -20. cancelable into fY. Excellent range and even better pushback. This lets you keep the distance between Gardevoir and the opposing character if they’re trying to approach from the ground.

fY

i23/31. normal version is -8. Fully charged is +4. The charged version pierces. Stops the opponent from rushing straight at you and can punish absorbing cancelable moves like nY with their Counter Attack. Pretty easy to side walk.

bY

i23/35. -4 on block. High. Frame 1 upper body invincible. Charged version pierces. One of the few legitimate anti-air field phase moves in the game. You can charge bY immediately after blocking the first hit of Blaze Kicks and punish all variants.

Homing Attack

i25. -8, -4. Two hit homing. This catches opponents jumping, but otherwise it’s mostly a last resort move in field phase.

jY

i24. -16. Fast, scattershot move from the air that’s notorious for clipping opponents trying to move to the side especially after Magical Leaf. Instant phase shift.

jX

-12 on block, shifts on hit. Nothing too special.

Duel Phase Moves

5Y

i15. -4/-8/-12. Mid-low. All hits special cancelable.Basic hit confirm when used raw and can be used in juggles or used to convert from jX. Canceling this string into Dazzling Gleam can punish opponents trying to mash attacks on defense.

5Y

5YY

5YYY

6Y

i19. -12. Mid-low. Crumples on hit. Even though this is -12, the risk reward isn’t terrible. Full conversion combo on hit.

4Y

i23. -8. Low. Quick low damage shot that avoids highs frame 1.

8Y

i15. -8. High. Upper body invincible frame 5. Not nearly as godlike as the field phase bY variant with frame 1 high and mid-high invincibility, but the uncharged version starts up faster than field phase’s. Counter pierce when fully charged.

2Y

i15. -12. Low. Following the rules of most slides, this can be made safe at the tip distance. You can do cheeky gimmicks like tip range slide into jX to beat i11 lows and grabs in an attempt to punish.

5X

i19. -8. Mid. Special cancelable. Combos into Stored Power for lots of juggle potential. Asuka’s 1+2 / Inner Strength.

6X

i23. -16. Only -12 in Burst. Launches on hit. Go to whiff punisher but also a yeet option when opponents are rushing down or just not blocking in neutral. Its slow startup hinder Gardevoir’s whiff punish game quite a bit.

4X

i35/58/104. -4/+4/+12. Mid. All versions pierce. The amount of spins increases the frame advantage and shield damage. Knockdown on hit, but can wall splat. Classic Asuka spin, except doing all the spins does NOT make this move unblockable. This does lots of shield damage though and pierces, so with the right setups it can still lead to unavoidable shield breaks.

8X

i15. -4. Mid-high. Gardevoir’s main grab crush option. Avoids lows frame 5. Knocks down on hit allowing you to set up projectiles or get in a Calm Mind.

2X

i27. -8. Low. Avoids highs frame 1. Counter piercing disk that only does 40 damage but can give opponents pause who CADC frequently.

jY

A quick dart from the air. Shoots two blasts in Burst.

jX

About +20 on hit. -4 on block. Similar to field phase jX but this one is safe on block.

Burst Attack

-4 on block. Mid. Invincible frame 6. This move counts as an S tier priority projectile and homes in on the opponent. Only leads to cinematic at close range.

Combos

Here are a few basic combos, but by no means a go-to bread and butter list.

CA, 2,Y 2Y, ]A[

Low jX, 6Y, 4AYY, 6A

6X, 5X, 4AYY, 6A

5Y, 5A, (wall splat) 5X, 4AA