Old Gens [BW OU] Alakazam

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:bw/alakazam:
Alakazam @ Focus Sash
Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 2 Atk / 30 Def
- Psyshock / Psychic
- Focus Blast
- Grass Knot / Signal Beam
- Hidden Power Ice

Alakazam's exceptional Speed, Special Attack, and movepool make it one of the most potent offensive threats in BW OU. Psyshock lets it hit Tentacruel, Volcarona, and Terrakion in sand much harder, but Psychic offers more overall damage for teams more prepared against these threats. Focus Blast, in addition to hitting Tyranitar on an attempted switch, targets the multitude of Steel-types in the tier, including Excadrill, Ferrothorn, and Heatran. It also lets Alakazam revenge kill a few more miscellaneous threats in Hydreigon and Kyurem-B. Grass Knot is useful for picking off weakened Gastrodon, Tyranitar, and Starmie, but Signal Beam can be used for Celebi. Lastly, Hidden Power Ice eliminates Ground- and Dragon-types like Gliscor, Landorus-T, and Latios. Magic Guard helps Alakazam bypass its sole issue of frailty by ignoring entry hazards and sand damage and, when combined with Focus Sash, makes it a premier revenge killer. Alakazam is commonly seen alongside Spikes setters like Ferrothorn and Skarmory, which can help whittle down some of its more common Steel-type answers, like Excadrill and Heatran. Tyranitar can help Pursuit trap other bulky Psychic-types that wall it, like Reuniclus and Celebi.
 
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Psychic is still more common/better on most teams than Psyshock and Signal Beam sees similar usage to Grass Knot, but assuming this is the set that was given...

This is all solid. I would mention Gliscor over Garchomp or alongisde the other HP Ice targets as it eats up Psyshock easily and SDef variants chew Psychic with ease as well. Garchomp is less common right now besides weatherless HO, where it oftentimes is weakened or killed earlier than Alakazam enters games.

Rest is good, 1/1
 
Psychic moves either way -- I prefer Psychic, but many newer players like Psyshock and that's totally valid. It depends on team construction entirely imo

Grass Knot first before Signal Beam -- hitting Tar harder is huge as you can 2H without risking Focus with enough Spikes damage. Signal Beam's only worthwhile over it if you fear Celebi or you lack HP Ice and want to hit Latios. It does not do enough to threaten CM Reuniclus anyway, so Encore is better for that and then we approach fringe territory.
 
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:bw/alakazam:
Alakazam @ Focus Sash
Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 2 Atk / 30 Def
- Psyshock / Psychic
- Focus Blast
- Grass Knot / Signal Beam
- Hidden Power Ice

Alakazam's exceptional Speed, Special Attack, and movepool make it one of the most potent offensive threats in the metagame BW OU. Psyshock lets it hit Tentacruel, Volcarona, and Terrakion in sand much harder, but Psychic can offers a more consistent power boost overall damage for teams more prepared against these threats. Focus Blast, in addition to pounding hitting Tyranitar on an attempted switch-in, lets it hit targets the multitude of Steel-types in the tier, including Excadrill, Ferrothorn, and Heatran. It also lets Alakazam revenge kill a few more miscellaneous threats in Hydreigon and Kyurem-Black. Grass Knot is useful in for picking off weakened Gastrodon, Tyranitar, and Starmie, but Signal Beam can alternatively be used for Celebi or and Latios if Alakazam lacks Hidden Power Ice (Hidden Power Ice isn't slashed with anything tho, so I'm not really sure when this would be of use). Lastly, Hidden Power Ice eliminates Ground- and Dragon-types like Gliscor, Landorus-T, and Latios. Magic Guard lets it helps Alakazam bypass its sole issue of frailty by letting it ignore damage from the ever-present entry hazards around it, as well as Sandstorm ignoring entry hazards and sand damage (remove comma) and,(comma) when combined with Focus Sash, makes it a premier revenge killer in BW OU. Alakazam is commonly seen alongside Spikes setters like Ferrothorn and Skarmory, which can help whittle down some of its more common Steel-type answers, like Excadrill and Heatran. Tyranitar can help Pursuit trap other bulky Psychic-types that wall it, like Reuniclus and Celebi.
GP 1/1 when done.
 
alakazam-bwou.png
 
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