[OVERVIEW]
Alakazam is a strong wallbreaker in UU thanks to its great Special Attack and access to powerful coverage options in Focus Blast and Shadow Ball. Its excellent Speed and ability in Magic Guard also make it a solid revenge killer, outrunning top Pokemon like Terrakion and Keldeo and having the option of utilizing Counter with Focus Sash thanks to its ability to avoid entry hazard damage. Magic Guard also prevents it from taking recoil damage, allowing it to more freely use Life Orb. Its access to Knock Off is also useful, letting it cripple checks like Celesteela and Chansey while offering solid general utility overall. In addition to all-out attacking sets, Alakazam can also employ Nasty Plot to pose a threat as a late-game sweeper. Unfortunately, Alakazam is very weighed down by its frailty, which leaves it prone to severe damage from faster Pokemon like Zeraora or and priority attacks from the likes of Azumarill and Bisharp. Alakazam also often risks heavy damage from Pokemon it can't reliably KO in one hit, such as Victini and Primarina. Its coverage can prove to be inconsistent at times, struggling to reliably power through big threats in Celesteela and Scizor. Lastly, Alakazam suffers decent competition from Victini, another fast Psychic-type with more coverage, set versatility, and utility with its typing.
[SET]
name: All-out Attacker
move 1: Psychic
move 2: Focus Blast
move 3: Shadow Ball
move 4: Knock Off / Counter
item: Life Orb / Focus Sash
ability: Magic Guard
nature: Timid
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Focus Blast offers great synergy with Psychic, powering through Dark- and Steel-types like Krookodile and Magnezone. It's also Alakazam's best coverage option against the likes of Celesteela, Scizor, and Skarmory. Shadow Ball rounds out its coverage, hitting Psychic-types like Victini, Jirachi, and Slowking. Knock Off is a solid option in Alakazam's fourth slot, removing crucial items from switch-ins like Celesteela and Chansey. Counter should be used in conjunction with Focus Sash, allowing Alakazam to lure and KO physical attackers that could otherwise power through it, such as Scizor and Bisharp. This can also allow it to act as an emergency revenge killer to boosted sweepers like Scizor and Gyarados. Psyshock is an option over Psychic for hitting foes with poor physical bulk, like Primarina and Chansey, though both these Pokemon struggle to deal with Alakazam's moveset as is. Life Orb is the preferred option for putting more power behind Alakazam's attacks, while Magic Guard allows it to avoid recoil damage.
Alakazam primarily fits on offensive builds that appreciate the tools it provides, like strong revenge killing capabilities and a good early- to mid-game wallbreaking prowess. Despite its good Speed, however, Alakazam should look out for Choice Scarf users that may be able to outrun and threaten it, like Jirachi, Zarude, and Victini. Sweepers like Terrakion and Nasty Plot Thundurus appreciate Alakazam as a teammate thanks to its ability to threaten opposing fast Pokemon, like Zygarde-10% and opposing Terrakion, while softening teams for them to clean up late-game. Thundurus especially appreciates Alakazam's ability to lure Chansey in and remove Eviolite with Knock Off, leaving it more open to a boosted Focus Blast. Defensive pivots like Tangrowth and Amoonguss make good partners, allowing Alakazam to fall back to them if it loses momentum against a foe like Krookodile or Zeraora and overall compensating a bit for its poor defensive utility. With their access to moves like Knock Off and Spore, respectively, the aforementioned Pokemon can also annoy checks they share with Alakazam, such as Scizor and Celesteela. Pokemon that can handle Steel-types, like Rotom-H and Volcanion, are also helpful as teammates due to Alakazam's shaky matchups against most of them. Entry hazard support allows Alakazam to more easily muscle past opposing teams, making setters like Krookodile and Nidoqueen good means of supporting it. Additionally, the listed options can pivot in on Zeraora, which can outspeed and pressure Alakazam. Pivot support is also useful for enabling Alakazam safe opportunities to come into play, which makes Scizor, Zeraora, and Rotom-H solid partners.
[SET]
name: Nasty Plot
move 1: Nasty Plot
move 2: Psychic / Psyshock
move 3: Focus Blast
move 4: Shadow Ball
item: Life Orb / Focus Sash
ability: Magic Guard
nature: Timid
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Psychic is the preferred STAB move on this set, allowing Alakazam to reliably power through Pokemon like Rhyperior and Quagsire. Psyshock is also an option, however, offering more power against specially bulkier Pokemon like Chansey, Gastrodon, and Diancie, though it's overall a bit more situational. Focus Blast provides coverage against Dark- and Steel-types, smacking Krookodile, Obstagoon, and Stakataka. It also offers an extremely strong neutral hit on several targets after a boost, like Galarian Moltres, Scizor, and Celesteela, and can help break Chansey if Psychic is being used. Shadow Ball hits Psychic-types like Jirachi, Galarian Slowbro, and Reuniclus, OHKOing them all after a boost. Life Orb is best for maximizing Alakazam's sweeping and breaking potential with the boost in power, though Focus Sash can be helpful alongside Magic Guard for enabling more reliable setup.
This set is best on offensive builds due to Alakazam's nature as a late-game cleaner or potential mid-game wallbreaker, though it's also due to its poor defensive utility. Setup opportunities are most easily found against Pokemon that Alakazam can offensively force out, such as Tentacruel, Amoonguss, and Conkeldurr. Due to its frailty, Alakazam should only be brought into play with pivot support, which makes teammates like Scizor and Rotom-H good options. Both also have various means of wearing down or KOing Alakazam's soft checks like Celesteela and opposing Scizor. Entry hazard support is a useful way to position Alakazam for late-game thanks to the residual damage it offers, making Nihilego and Krookodile good options for teammates. Spikes setters like Skarmory are also good options, fitting well on the builds this set often fits best on. Strong priority attacks, faster Pokemon, and Choice Scarf users are paramount to account for if Alakazam wishes to sweep, especially if it isn't running Focus Sash. This makes revenge killers like Zeraora, Choice Scarf Jirachi, and Aqua Jet Crawdaunt good teammates. Other means of speed control, like Body Slam from Jirachi and Sticky Web from Ribombee, can help support Alakazam. Fire-types often make useful partners for their ability to handle a lot of important Pokemon for this set to have weakened or removed, such as Celesteela, Scizor, and Skarmory. Incineroar offers Knock Off support and potentially pivoting if it's running Parting Shot, while Volcanion can pivot into Scizor and whittle down teams with its powerful STABs moves and potentially Toxic poison. Tapu Bulu is a good option for a teammate with its Swords Dance set, which can help overwhelm checks it shares with Alakazam, such as Celesteela. It can also check Zeraora.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Expanding Force should be employed on the Nasty Plot set if Alakazam is used on a Psychic Terrain-based team with Indeedee, giving it an immensely powerful STAB move it can KO the majority of the metagame with after a boost. However, this team archetype is rather niche, and Psychic and Psyshock are more powerful outside of Psychic Terrain. Dazzling Gleam hits Galarian Moltres super effectively while offering more reliability against other Dark-types like Krookodile and Crawdaunt than Focus Blast due to its accuracy. However, it offers generally redundant coverage with Psychic otherwise and prevents Alakazam from hitting most Steel-types very hard. Recover is an option on the all-out attacking set, allowing Alakazam to restore HP in order to retain longevity and wallbreaking prowess throughout a match. If it's been chipped, this can also allow it to heal back up to full for Focus Sash to still work if using the item. It often struggles to fit it over better coverage or utility options, however, in part due to its poor mixed bulk. Substitute is another option on the all-out attacking set that allows Alakazam to work around Bisharp's Sucker Punch more reliably and can also be taken advantage of as it forces switches to guarantee progress against switch-ins like Scizor and Celesteela.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Faster Pokemon**: Despite Alakazam's good Speed, its fragility allows faster Pokemon like Zeraora and the rare Noivern to heavily pressure it. Choice Scarf users like Victini and Jirachi can also outrun and threaten Alakazam.
**Priority Attacks**: Alakazam's frailty leaves it prone to taking heavy damage from the tier's many powerful priority attacks, including Scizor's Bullet Punch, Bisharp's Sucker Punch, Azumarill's Aqua Jet, and Lycanroc-D's Accelerock.
**Steel-types**: Alakazam doesn't have the adequate coverage to hit Scizor, Celesteela, or Skarmory super effectively, which can allow the aforementioned Steel-types to tank a hit and KO or cripple it in return. However, none can consistently tank Focus Blast if Alakazam has boosted with Nasty Plot.
**Dark-types**: Dark-types can pressure Alakazam with super effective attacks. Krookodile can survive Focus Blast with either Chople Berry or Focus Sash or outspeed Alakazam outright if running Choice Scarf. Galarian Moltres's typing and high special bulk allows it to withstand any attack from Alakazam and either set up with Agility or pressure it with Fiery Wrath. Bisharp can apply heavy pressure with Sucker Punch and also cripple a teammate switching in with Knock Off as it forces Alakazam out.
**Specially Bulky Pokemon**: Pokemon with good special bulk can often handle Alakazam, tanking hits and crippling it in return. Chansey doesn't appreciate Knock Off or Focus Blast but can annoy Alakazam with Thunder Wave and Seismic Toss. Assault Vest Tangrowth isn't 2HKOed by any of Alakazam's moves and can pressure it with Knock Off in return, though Alakazam can potentially power through it with either Knock Off or Nasty Plot.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Hilomilo, 313384]]
- Quality checked by: [[avarice, 346653], [Twilight, 344575], [Juno, 444224]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Estronic, 240732]]
Alakazam is a strong wallbreaker in UU thanks to its great Special Attack and access to powerful coverage options in Focus Blast and Shadow Ball. Its excellent Speed and ability in Magic Guard also make it a solid revenge killer, outrunning top Pokemon like Terrakion and Keldeo and having the option of utilizing Counter with Focus Sash thanks to its ability to avoid entry hazard damage. Magic Guard also prevents it from taking recoil damage, allowing it to more freely use Life Orb. Its access to Knock Off is also useful, letting it cripple checks like Celesteela and Chansey while offering solid general utility overall. In addition to all-out attacking sets, Alakazam can also employ Nasty Plot to pose a threat as a late-game sweeper. Unfortunately, Alakazam is very weighed down by its frailty, which leaves it prone to severe damage from faster Pokemon like Zeraora or and priority attacks from the likes of Azumarill and Bisharp. Alakazam also often risks heavy damage from Pokemon it can't reliably KO in one hit, such as Victini and Primarina. Its coverage can prove to be inconsistent at times, struggling to reliably power through big threats in Celesteela and Scizor. Lastly, Alakazam suffers decent competition from Victini, another fast Psychic-type with more coverage, set versatility, and utility with its typing.
[SET]
name: All-out Attacker
move 1: Psychic
move 2: Focus Blast
move 3: Shadow Ball
move 4: Knock Off / Counter
item: Life Orb / Focus Sash
ability: Magic Guard
nature: Timid
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Focus Blast offers great synergy with Psychic, powering through Dark- and Steel-types like Krookodile and Magnezone. It's also Alakazam's best coverage option against the likes of Celesteela, Scizor, and Skarmory. Shadow Ball rounds out its coverage, hitting Psychic-types like Victini, Jirachi, and Slowking. Knock Off is a solid option in Alakazam's fourth slot, removing crucial items from switch-ins like Celesteela and Chansey. Counter should be used in conjunction with Focus Sash, allowing Alakazam to lure and KO physical attackers that could otherwise power through it, such as Scizor and Bisharp. This can also allow it to act as an emergency revenge killer to boosted sweepers like Scizor and Gyarados. Psyshock is an option over Psychic for hitting foes with poor physical bulk, like Primarina and Chansey, though both these Pokemon struggle to deal with Alakazam's moveset as is. Life Orb is the preferred option for putting more power behind Alakazam's attacks, while Magic Guard allows it to avoid recoil damage.
Alakazam primarily fits on offensive builds that appreciate the tools it provides, like strong revenge killing capabilities and a good early- to mid-game wallbreaking prowess. Despite its good Speed, however, Alakazam should look out for Choice Scarf users that may be able to outrun and threaten it, like Jirachi, Zarude, and Victini. Sweepers like Terrakion and Nasty Plot Thundurus appreciate Alakazam as a teammate thanks to its ability to threaten opposing fast Pokemon, like Zygarde-10% and opposing Terrakion, while softening teams for them to clean up late-game. Thundurus especially appreciates Alakazam's ability to lure Chansey in and remove Eviolite with Knock Off, leaving it more open to a boosted Focus Blast. Defensive pivots like Tangrowth and Amoonguss make good partners, allowing Alakazam to fall back to them if it loses momentum against a foe like Krookodile or Zeraora and overall compensating a bit for its poor defensive utility. With their access to moves like Knock Off and Spore, respectively, the aforementioned Pokemon can also annoy checks they share with Alakazam, such as Scizor and Celesteela. Pokemon that can handle Steel-types, like Rotom-H and Volcanion, are also helpful as teammates due to Alakazam's shaky matchups against most of them. Entry hazard support allows Alakazam to more easily muscle past opposing teams, making setters like Krookodile and Nidoqueen good means of supporting it. Additionally, the listed options can pivot in on Zeraora, which can outspeed and pressure Alakazam. Pivot support is also useful for enabling Alakazam safe opportunities to come into play, which makes Scizor, Zeraora, and Rotom-H solid partners.
[SET]
name: Nasty Plot
move 1: Nasty Plot
move 2: Psychic / Psyshock
move 3: Focus Blast
move 4: Shadow Ball
item: Life Orb / Focus Sash
ability: Magic Guard
nature: Timid
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Psychic is the preferred STAB move on this set, allowing Alakazam to reliably power through Pokemon like Rhyperior and Quagsire. Psyshock is also an option, however, offering more power against specially bulkier Pokemon like Chansey, Gastrodon, and Diancie, though it's overall a bit more situational. Focus Blast provides coverage against Dark- and Steel-types, smacking Krookodile, Obstagoon, and Stakataka. It also offers an extremely strong neutral hit on several targets after a boost, like Galarian Moltres, Scizor, and Celesteela, and can help break Chansey if Psychic is being used. Shadow Ball hits Psychic-types like Jirachi, Galarian Slowbro, and Reuniclus, OHKOing them all after a boost. Life Orb is best for maximizing Alakazam's sweeping and breaking potential with the boost in power, though Focus Sash can be helpful alongside Magic Guard for enabling more reliable setup.
This set is best on offensive builds due to Alakazam's nature as a late-game cleaner or potential mid-game wallbreaker, though it's also due to its poor defensive utility. Setup opportunities are most easily found against Pokemon that Alakazam can offensively force out, such as Tentacruel, Amoonguss, and Conkeldurr. Due to its frailty, Alakazam should only be brought into play with pivot support, which makes teammates like Scizor and Rotom-H good options. Both also have various means of wearing down or KOing Alakazam's soft checks like Celesteela and opposing Scizor. Entry hazard support is a useful way to position Alakazam for late-game thanks to the residual damage it offers, making Nihilego and Krookodile good options for teammates. Spikes setters like Skarmory are also good options, fitting well on the builds this set often fits best on. Strong priority attacks, faster Pokemon, and Choice Scarf users are paramount to account for if Alakazam wishes to sweep, especially if it isn't running Focus Sash. This makes revenge killers like Zeraora, Choice Scarf Jirachi, and Aqua Jet Crawdaunt good teammates. Other means of speed control, like Body Slam from Jirachi and Sticky Web from Ribombee, can help support Alakazam. Fire-types often make useful partners for their ability to handle a lot of important Pokemon for this set to have weakened or removed, such as Celesteela, Scizor, and Skarmory. Incineroar offers Knock Off support and potentially pivoting if it's running Parting Shot, while Volcanion can pivot into Scizor and whittle down teams with its powerful STABs moves and potentially Toxic poison. Tapu Bulu is a good option for a teammate with its Swords Dance set, which can help overwhelm checks it shares with Alakazam, such as Celesteela. It can also check Zeraora.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Expanding Force should be employed on the Nasty Plot set if Alakazam is used on a Psychic Terrain-based team with Indeedee, giving it an immensely powerful STAB move it can KO the majority of the metagame with after a boost. However, this team archetype is rather niche, and Psychic and Psyshock are more powerful outside of Psychic Terrain. Dazzling Gleam hits Galarian Moltres super effectively while offering more reliability against other Dark-types like Krookodile and Crawdaunt than Focus Blast due to its accuracy. However, it offers generally redundant coverage with Psychic otherwise and prevents Alakazam from hitting most Steel-types very hard. Recover is an option on the all-out attacking set, allowing Alakazam to restore HP in order to retain longevity and wallbreaking prowess throughout a match. If it's been chipped, this can also allow it to heal back up to full for Focus Sash to still work if using the item. It often struggles to fit it over better coverage or utility options, however, in part due to its poor mixed bulk. Substitute is another option on the all-out attacking set that allows Alakazam to work around Bisharp's Sucker Punch more reliably and can also be taken advantage of as it forces switches to guarantee progress against switch-ins like Scizor and Celesteela.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Faster Pokemon**: Despite Alakazam's good Speed, its fragility allows faster Pokemon like Zeraora and the rare Noivern to heavily pressure it. Choice Scarf users like Victini and Jirachi can also outrun and threaten Alakazam.
**Priority Attacks**: Alakazam's frailty leaves it prone to taking heavy damage from the tier's many powerful priority attacks, including Scizor's Bullet Punch, Bisharp's Sucker Punch, Azumarill's Aqua Jet, and Lycanroc-D's Accelerock.
**Steel-types**: Alakazam doesn't have the adequate coverage to hit Scizor, Celesteela, or Skarmory super effectively, which can allow the aforementioned Steel-types to tank a hit and KO or cripple it in return. However, none can consistently tank Focus Blast if Alakazam has boosted with Nasty Plot.
**Dark-types**: Dark-types can pressure Alakazam with super effective attacks. Krookodile can survive Focus Blast with either Chople Berry or Focus Sash or outspeed Alakazam outright if running Choice Scarf. Galarian Moltres's typing and high special bulk allows it to withstand any attack from Alakazam and either set up with Agility or pressure it with Fiery Wrath. Bisharp can apply heavy pressure with Sucker Punch and also cripple a teammate switching in with Knock Off as it forces Alakazam out.
**Specially Bulky Pokemon**: Pokemon with good special bulk can often handle Alakazam, tanking hits and crippling it in return. Chansey doesn't appreciate Knock Off or Focus Blast but can annoy Alakazam with Thunder Wave and Seismic Toss. Assault Vest Tangrowth isn't 2HKOed by any of Alakazam's moves and can pressure it with Knock Off in return, though Alakazam can potentially power through it with either Knock Off or Nasty Plot.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Hilomilo, 313384]]
- Quality checked by: [[avarice, 346653], [Twilight, 344575], [Juno, 444224]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Estronic, 240732]]
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