Pokémon Alakazam

[Jayd]

Recent Megakazam shenanigans:

Tracing Lightningrod on a Manetric before it megas, getting a +1 on the attempted Volt Switch -> sweeping
Trapping a Magnezone with its own Magnet Pull -> killing with Focus Blast
Tracing a +1 Dragonite's Multiscale, living the Dragon Claw easily, and revenging with Psychic

Moral of this story: this is one of the most fun Pokemon to play with!

 

[Aragorn the King]

Recent Megakazam shenanigans:

Tracing Volt Absorb on a Manetric before it megas, getting a +1 on the attempted Volt Switch -> sweeping

lol I've done that with a Gardevoir. The one time it failed was when it turned out they were using a MINUS Manectric... btw it's Lightning Rod, not Volt Absorb :)

Trapping a Magnezone with its own Magnet Pull -> killing with Focus Blast

That sounds amazing! It's also funny that you outspeed Scarf Zone, so you really have nothing to worry about, other than Focus Miss missing.

Tracing a +1 Dragonite's Multiscale, living the Dragon Claw easily, and revenging with Psychic

Also have done that with Garde. It's awesome killing dnites with their Multiscale broken.

Other funny things you can trace are: Protean (STAB focus miss), Technician (90 BP HP Fire, Ice), and Sheer Force (do I even have to explain :o)

 

[Always!]

I'm having trouble deciding an entire team for Mega Alakazam, mostly because I can't finalize Taunt, Sub, or CM on the final slot. Trace Shenangigans are nice, and Malaka+defensive core works wonderfully, but giving away momentum in exchange for keeping Malaka alive can often seems hard to do, plus wallbreakers are everywhere now.

But there is no better feel than Tracing Sheer Force and giving the opponent a couple of seconds to realize how bad they fucked up.

 

[Aragorn the King]

I'm having trouble deciding an entire team for Mega Alakazam, mostly because I can't finalize Taunt, Sub, or CM on the final slot. Trace Shenangigans are nice, and Malaka+defensive core works wonderfully, but giving away momentum in exchange for keeping Malaka alive can often seems hard to do, plus wallbreakers are everywhere now.

But there is no better feel than Tracing Sheer Force and giving the opponent a couple of seconds to realize how bad they fucked up.

I'd actually recommend using Protect in the final slot, since it lets you catch mons faster than normal Zam, like Ninja, who would normally one shot you. It's nice to protect, while tracing Protean, then become faster and one shot ninja in return. Of course, you could just mevo earlier, but sometimes it isn't possible, and you need zam to revenge ninja.

Also jc what are your three moves? Are you using the standard Ghost/Psychic/Fighting coverage?

 

[Always!]

I'd actually recommend using Protect in the final slot, since it lets you catch mons faster than normal Zam, like Ninja, who would normally one shot you. It's nice to protect, while tracing Protean, then become faster and one shot ninja in return. Of course, you could just mevo earlier, but sometimes it isn't possible, and you need zam to revenge ninja.

Also jc what are your three moves? Are you using the standard Ghost/Psychic/Fighting coverage?

Yeah, standard coverage because using MAlaka as a sweeper is honestly the best way to use it, I never understood users who use Energy Ball and stuff and say it's simply for Rotom-W. Protect seems nice, but Modest Mega-Zam might as well attempt to setup on something slower than it, and protect has normally one, at best 2 uses, so it can be deadweight especially if you feel like Mega-evoing early. And I've used all types of support moves on Mega-Zam, and they are all so wonderful it's tricky to decide which to use :P

Regardless, I'll test out Protect and see its applications.

 

[Aragorn the King]

Yeah, standard coverage because using MAlaka as a sweeper is honestly the best way to use it, I never understood users who use Energy Ball and stuff and say it's simply for Rotom-W. Protect seems nice, but Modest Mega-Zam might as well attempt to setup on something slower than it, and protect has normally one, at best 2 uses, so it can be deadweight especially if you feel like Mega-evoing early. And I've used all types of support moves on Mega-Zam, and they are all so wonderful it's tricky to decide which to use :P

Regardless, I'll test out Protect and see it's applications.

k cool :) Standard coverage is usually best, but stuff like Dazzling Gleam, HP Fire, HP Ice, and Energy Ball do have niche uses.

 

[Jayd]

I'm having trouble deciding an entire team for Mega Alakazam, mostly because I can't finalize Taunt, Sub, or CM on the final slot. Trace Shenangigans are nice, and Malaka+defensive core works wonderfully, but giving away momentum in exchange for keeping Malaka alive can often seems hard to do, plus wallbreakers are everywhere now.

But there is no better feel than Tracing Sheer Force and giving the opponent a couple of seconds to realize how bad they fucked up.

Taunt ususally finds good usage, like utterly obliterating defensive Heatran (Trace can make you immune to Lava Plume) It's probably the most consistently useful option I think

 

[Always!]

k cool :) Standard coverage is usually best, but stuff like Dazzling Gleam, HP Fire, HP Ice, and Energy Ball do have niche uses.

It's not to say that those are bad, even if niche, it just depends on what you're using it for. People who attempt to sweep using Energy Ball won't have the same luck unless AoA, which is useful, but can either make you walled easier or lack utility.

 

[Jaroda]

Yeah, standard coverage because using MAlaka as a sweeper is honestly the best way to use it, I never understood users who use Energy Ball and stuff and say it's simply for Rotom-W. Protect seems nice, but Modest Mega-Zam might as well attempt to setup on something slower than it, and protect has normally one, at best 2 uses, so it can be deadweight especially if you feel like Mega-evoing early. And I've used all types of support moves on Mega-Zam, and they are all so wonderful it's tricky to decide which to use :P

Regardless, I'll test out Protect and see its applications.

For a team I'm considering BP Celebi. Imagine setting up a Reflect and BP a Nasty Plot boost? *shudders*

I think MegaZam would benefit the most from 1-2 VoltTurn users and Reflect. This allows for getting Zam in safer on switches and Reflect means you can actually power through a priority or two.

 

[Jayd]

For a team I'm considering BP Celebi. Imagine setting up a Reflect and BP a Nasty Plot boost? *shudders*

I think MegaZam would benefit the most from 1-2 VoltTurn users and Reflect. This allows for getting Zam in safer on switches and Reflect means you can actually power through a priority or two.

I've used it with VoltTurners and it's as good as you suspect. Haven't used screen support with it yet but sounds like fun.

 

[Always!]

For a team I'm considering BP Celebi. Imagine setting up a Reflect and BP a Nasty Plot boost? *shudders*

I think MegaZam would benefit the most from 1-2 VoltTurn users and Reflect. This allows for getting Zam in safer on switches and Reflect means you can actually power through a priority or two.

Pretty much all of my successful teams run the Rotom-Celebi core (ridiculously good right now), and I can confirm that yes, using volt-turns to help it come in and destroy is very useful. If so, I would recommend some move other than Calm Mind, if only because you might as well attempt to dent everything and retreat back to a pivot instead of attempting to power through everything.

Also, Smogon-Wash has the ability to take pretty much all priority attacks thrown at Mega-Zam, making it a great parter anyways.

 

[xSilentDeviL]

I have been using Mega Alakazam for quite some time, and I believe Protect should be a main slash on the fourth moveslot. Mega Alakazam is an awesome late game sweeper/revenge killer, but I often find it difficult to Mega evolve him by the time I need him late in the game. Most Mega Alakazam run Modest, which can backfire the first turn before Alakazam mega evolves, allowing threats like Terrakion, the Latis, Gengar, Keldeo, +1 Mega Ttar, Greninja, and +1 Gyarados to outspeed and OHKO. Moreover, Trace does activate on the turn Alakazam Mega evolves for abilities like Sand Rush, Prankster, and Swift Swim, or any other that depend on speed first turn. Protect gives you a free turn to Mega Evolve so Alakazam doesn't have to worry about it during the whole game.

 

[Wargreymon]

I feel Dazzling Gleam is pretty useful in this meta on an all out attacking set. The main draw here is that it allows you to actually fuck with Mega Sableye. Unless it's already at +1, Zam beats it 1v1. It does 63% minimum to standard defensive Mega Sableye and 42% minimum after a CM, not to mention Sableye fails to OHKO with dark pulse. You have a good chance at beating it 1v1 most of the time unless you make a balls of things and let it set up. It also has a chance (albeit very small) to OHKO Mega Sceptile. Guaranteed OHKO after rocks.

Other uses it has include destroying certain threats after a little prior damage, like Chomp (70-82% vs Jolly), Dragonite (31% chance to OHKO after rocks), the now uncommon Mandibuzz (2HKO after rocks), and Grenina. It OHKO's every variant of Greninja (barring a +spdef nature lol) which I feel is extremely important as you no longer have to rely on Focus Miss to beat a water/dark or mono dark Greninja during a sweep.
Obviously Dazzling Gleam did all the above paragraph previously in XY, but with the inclusion of Sableye and Sceptile I think it's actually one of Zam's superior options now.

Edit: All percentages above were calc'd with Timid which is clearly the better nature in this meta. :)

 

[Karxrida]

I feel Dazzling Gleam is pretty useful in this meta on an all out attacking set. The main draw here is that it allows you to actually fuck with Mega Sableye. Unless it's already at +1, Zam beats it 1v1. It does 63% minimum to standard defensive Mega Sableye and 42% minimum after a CM, not to mention Sableye fails to OHKO with dark pulse. You have a good chance at beating it 1v1 most of the time unless you make a balls of things and let it set up. It also has a chance (albeit very small) to OHKO Mega Sceptile. Guaranteed OHKO after rocks.

Other uses it has include destroying certain threats after a little prior damage, like Chomp (70-82% vs Jolly), Dragonite (31% chance to OHKO after rocks), the now uncommon Mandibuzz (2HKO after rocks), and Grenina. It OHKO's every variant of Greninja (barring a +spdef nature lol) which I feel is extremely important as you no longer have to rely on Focus Miss to beat a water/dark or mono dark Greninja during a sweep.
Obviously Dazzling Gleam did all the above paragraph previously in XY, but with the inclusion of Sableye and Sceptile I think it's actually one of Zam's superior options now.

Edit: All percentages above were calc'd with Timid which is clearly the better nature in this meta. :)

The best part about beating Greninja is that the only type that it gets to resist Dazzling Gleam (Poison from Gunk Shot) makes it weak to your Psychic STAB.

Being forced to run Timid in ORAS sucks for Mega Spoony, but it's still pretty good right now for a bunch of these new Megas.

 

[Wargreymon]

The best part about beating Greninja is that the only type that it gets to resist Dazzling Gleam (Poison from Gunk Shot) makes it weak to your Psychic STAB.

Being forced to run Timid in ORAS sucks for Mega Spoony, but it's still pretty good right now for a bunch of these new Megas.

Yeah I agree it sucks. A Pokemon that can outrun base 130's with a freaking neutral nature should never have to run a boosting one. Damn this speed creep. Timid does have some other impressive uses though that help ease the pain of the decrease in power, like being faster than scarf tran and even jolly MegaDos at +1.