Macho Brace

You can only acquire the Macho Brace from the Winstrate family after you defeat them in a series of battles. Their house can be found on Route 111, just north of Mauville City.

The Winstrate family consists of four members, and you need to battle each of them one after another. After beating the fourth Winstrate family member, the mother (Victoria) will give you the Macho Brace when you speak to her.

Reaching the Winstrates’ House

The Winstrates’ House is found on Route 111. The most straightforward way to get there is from the north exit of Mauville City, which leads to Route 111’s south side.

Here’s how to find the house:

Step 1: From the northern exit of Mauville City, head north.

Step 2: After taking two sets of small staircases, go left. You’ll find the Winstrates’ House at the corner just by the water.

Obtaining the Macho Brace

To acquire the Macho Brace, you need to defeat the Winstrate family in separate Pokémon battles. You can start by speaking to Victor, the father, whom you will find standing outside their house by the front door.

In the table below you’ll see an overview of the order in which you’ll battle each Winstrate family member, and their respective Pokémon team.

Once you defeat all members of the Winstrates, go inside their house and speak to the mother Victoria – she will then give you the Macho Brace.

Uses

When held by a Pokémon, the Macho Brace doubles the effort values (EV) gained by its holder during a battle. But this item reduces the holder’s Speed by 50%. It’s worth noting that this item stacks with Pokérus.

And much like the Power Items, the Macho Brace is used for EV training.

If you’re building a competitive team, however, it’s still better to invest in Power Items instead – since those give more EVs during training. But they’re only available in the post-game.