Looks like a tricky set to use, the lack of reliable damaging options hurts it. But proper prediction allows this thing to utterly ruin at least one pokemon, and two if lady luck has her hand in your pants. And that lightning-fast destiny bond looks fun to use, you could easily switch in to something like Scizor and bait their U-Turns or bug bite, only to surprise them with destiny bond. But it's probably not the best use of Malamar's abilities. You might want to run superpower instead of swagger, switcheroo should give you at least two turns to get you at +2 attack and defense, and you can always destiny bond the odd ghost.
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Pokémon Malamar
- Thread starter Upstart
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Looks like a tricky set to use, the lack of reliable damaging options hurts it. But proper prediction allows this thing to utterly ruin at least one pokemon, and two if lady luck has her hand in your pants. And that lightning-fast destiny bond looks fun to use, you could easily switch in to something like Scizor and bait their U-Turns or bug bite, only to surprise them with destiny bond. But it's probably not the best use of Malamar's abilities. You might want to run superpower instead of swagger, switcheroo should give you at least two turns to get you at +2 attack and defense, and you can always destiny bond the odd ghost.
That was what i was going with first, but i think the buffed infiltrator (you also ignore substitutes) was just too valuable.
Oh ffs I didn't even notice infiltrator. Of course it'd have infiltrator what was I thinking. Sheesh, that changes things. That's probably the best set to maximize the use of Topsy Turvy. And Gengar won't have fun getting swaggered through its subs.
I'll try to get some battle logs up soon, but can't use it in link battles yet (Don't have x/y yet :/ ). I'll post some PS ones.
Forretress bait + Malamar turnaround
Forretress bait + Malamar turnaround
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I'm excited to use Malamar in doubles for this exact reason. The only problem I see is Malamar getting outsped and Taunted before it can throw out Topsy-Turvy, leaving a -2 partner, and it looks like it's just a little too fast for Trick Room to be really effective.
In my opinion, I think Malamar has the potential to be a premier sweeper-counter with this set:
Malamar @ Focus Sash
Ability:Contrary
EVs: 252 Atk, 252 Hp, 4 Def
Nature: Adamant/Jolly
- Night Slash
- Topsy Turvy
- Psycho Cut
- Superpower
Speed boost Blaziken tearing through your team? Shell smash Cloyster roughing you up? Send in Malamar after a fellow Pokemon gets ko'd and watch your troubles disappear. Focus Sash ensures survival and allows Malamar to utterly and completely ruin a boosted sweeper with his Topsy-Turvy. A successful Topsy - Turvy will almost guarantee a switch and Malamar can dent any incoming Pokemon with one of his STAB moves or a Superpower, which will then boost his stats.
Checks: Malamar needs to be careful of priority moves. Most priority moves wont OHKO Malamar due to his reasonable physical bulk but he can be easily 2HKO'd by most priority moves except for maybe a boosted Technician Scizor Bullet Punch. While Malamar has good offense typing, his lack of resistances and subpar defensive stats make it difficult for him to switch into oncoming attacks. There is also a possibility that the opponent will not switch even after a successful Topsy - Turvy in an attempt to KO Malamar with a priority move before switching out.
Tips: This Malamar set will work wonders on an sweeper who has boosted speed and boosted attack/special attack. A successful Topsy - Turvy will drastically reduce attack/special attack and speed and will allow Malamar to either dent the ruined sweeper or an incoming Pokemon on the switch
Malamar @ Focus Sash
Ability:Contrary
EVs: 252 Atk, 252 Hp, 4 Def
Nature: Adamant/Jolly
- Night Slash
- Topsy Turvy
- Psycho Cut
- Superpower
Speed boost Blaziken tearing through your team? Shell smash Cloyster roughing you up? Send in Malamar after a fellow Pokemon gets ko'd and watch your troubles disappear. Focus Sash ensures survival and allows Malamar to utterly and completely ruin a boosted sweeper with his Topsy-Turvy. A successful Topsy - Turvy will almost guarantee a switch and Malamar can dent any incoming Pokemon with one of his STAB moves or a Superpower, which will then boost his stats.
Checks: Malamar needs to be careful of priority moves. Most priority moves wont OHKO Malamar due to his reasonable physical bulk but he can be easily 2HKO'd by most priority moves except for maybe a boosted Technician Scizor Bullet Punch. While Malamar has good offense typing, his lack of resistances and subpar defensive stats make it difficult for him to switch into oncoming attacks. There is also a possibility that the opponent will not switch even after a successful Topsy - Turvy in an attempt to KO Malamar with a priority move before switching out.
Tips: This Malamar set will work wonders on an sweeper who has boosted speed and boosted attack/special attack. A successful Topsy - Turvy will drastically reduce attack/special attack and speed and will allow Malamar to either dent the ruined sweeper or an incoming Pokemon on the switch
While this set has some potential as a last resort stop for certain threats it is not getting past Cloyster thanks to Icicle Spear. And while this will definitely rob a lot of your opponent's momentum, you're sacrificing two Pokemon to stop SD/NP sweepers (and sometimes that's what's required, but this set seems to demand that strategy specifically). Not to mention that priority is hardly rare on a lot of top threats these days - Pinsir, Talonflame, Mawile, all of whom are happy to revenge kill this or set up on it.
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Being reliant on focus sash is the problem, you either need heavy spin/defog or wish support to make it work and considering Prankster users like Sableye and Klefki can stop sweeps just as effectively, it's just not worth it.
Didn't see it posted anywhere else, but I can confirm no Shadow Sneak from Greninja.
I'm running 252 Spe Jolly, so I think I'm OK.
Hey how come you guys running Night Slash? Try Dark Pulse for the bit more oomph and flinch chance. Also, Foul Play is not good since it uses the attack of the other guy, so that is why I chose Dark Pulse.
Dark Pulse is abysmal on Malamar who has a mediocre Special Attack stat and gets boosts to it's Physical Attack stat from Contrary Superpower.
Wow, sorry I forgot about special vs attack. I will use Night Slash from now on. Thank you.
what's the best set and spread for malamar right now? she's looking amazing with the potential she can bring to the OU table.
One thing I have to say with Malamar: This guy loves Intimidate. I like to pack Intimidate mons (Mawile, Gyarados, etc) to cushion my team from physical threats. Then I see a Malamar and now I can't switch these guys into it otherwise it gets attack boosts for free.
Superpower takes care of your physical Bulk, Light screen has some oomph for Special Bulk. Jolly 252 Spe is preferred (IMO), You can run Psycho Cut or Night slash, and then last move and the most important one: Topsy-Turvy.
this is the Malamar I use in battle Maison.
Squidward (Male) @ Assault Vest/ Rocky Hemet
Jolly Nature
Contrary
Evs: 252 HP, 252 Atk, 6 HP
Night slash
Psycho Cut
Super Power
Rockslide
Pretty standard, although I started using Rocky helmet to detour people from using U-turn. and assault vest has saved me a few times from Fairy type assaults, but a Yanmega Bug Buzz, will stil OHKO it though. :(
Squidward (Male) @ Assault Vest/ Rocky Hemet
Jolly Nature
Contrary
Evs: 252 HP, 252 Atk, 6 HP
Night slash
Psycho Cut
Super Power
Rockslide
Pretty standard, although I started using Rocky helmet to detour people from using U-turn. and assault vest has saved me a few times from Fairy type assaults, but a Yanmega Bug Buzz, will stil OHKO it though. :(
I've been messing around... could this be a good possible set?
Malamar (F) @ Leftovers
Ability: Contrary
EVs: 220 HP / 36 SDef / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature
- Superpower
- Night Slash
- Light Screen
- Topsy-turvy
220 is for lefties number. 36 could also go into attack, i guess, but i went with sdef as this helps it survive spatk moves better along with light screen. Night slash over psycho cut, as although fairy and toxicroak resists both moves, it's better than a sableye/spiritomb and aegislash ruining your day by being immune or resisting your coverage completely. I've also been thinking about dishing aside light screen and keeping psycho cut for coverage.
What do you guys think?
I've ran the same thing, but the EV spread is 252 HP / 252 Spe / 4 Def (W/ Leftovers) because like you said light screen doubles the SpD, while Super power raises Defense and Attack. Topsy-Turvy makes every pokemon think twice before setting up on you (which is what they will do if you have light screen and a couple of stages of defense) Night Slash or Psycho Cut is really depending on your team IMO, I have Ghost already (which is the same as dark) and then just running Psycho-Cut. And btw, Fairy is SE on you, and if you run night slash without another pokemon that can deal with fairies, Night slash NOR Superpower will do anything.
If your worried over fairies you may want to drop Light Screen for better coverage with Psycho Cut. Having 2 Stab moves is a god send on any Pokemon. and started using Topsy Turvy again, on my old set over Rock Slide, since I would prefer, to just switch out when I see an incoming flying type/ bug type, and let Charizard take the U-Turn. Or anything capable of using the move. (That double battle boss fight at battle Maison with that Pachirisu ruined me!!)
Psyche up, combined with Topsy turvey could be an interesting, if very hard combo to pull off.
Anybody knows how to make malamar learn simple beam? In my opinion, it's really good to make him learn that move. It counters noivern inviltrator, stance change aegislash, etc. So if anyone knows how to cross breed this guy to make him learn the egg move "simple beam" i'd like to know ;) thanks!
Honestly, Malamar has better things to do than use Simple Beam. Also, I don't think anything that can learn it is in the same egg-group as her, and I can't think of a way to chain breed it on to her of the top of my head.
I'm of the opinion that Jolly and Speed EVs are a waste on non-scarfed Malamar since making these investments doesn't really allow it to outrun many relevant targets.
Adamant or Careful with defensive EVs like HP and Sp.Def are better-suited so that he's tanky enough to be able to boost and do his thing.
Adamant or Careful with defensive EVs like HP and Sp.Def are better-suited so that he's tanky enough to be able to boost and do his thing.
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