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Alakazam
- Thread starter Emperor
- Start date
It's a shame it's schooltime now, but really, since the moment i heard Alakazam even got Magic Guard i wanted it released. I didn't expect it to happen so soon though xD. Also, thought Spooky Manor would remain exclusive for Japan, but luckily... We can't really say yet if Ala will reach just UU or OU, although OU wouldn't surprise me at all. Magic Guard was the push in the right direction Alakazam needed this gen, and with Magic Guard it can switch safely from the hazards/come in on a crippling move (apart from paralyze, ala doesn't like that) and he can SWEEP. Seriously, guys like Conkeldurr and Breloom aren't that safe anymore... Reuniclus ruins with base 120, so what potential does Ala have with base 135?! Can't wait, just can't wait for the weekend and have time to start playing around with this monster.
Anyway, a set with will work for OU...
Alakazam@Life Orb
Magic Guard
Timid, 4 Def/252 Sp.Atk/252 Spe
-Calm Mind/Substitute
-Psychic/Psyshock
-Shadow Ball
-Focus Blast/HP Fighting
No Life Orb recoil FTW! this 'ere set will wreck OU. Can't be different than that, Ala's stats are just too good, especially with the Life Orb recoil-free boost. Timid seems like the preferable nature, even though it outspeeds that much already...
Calm Mind or Sub is the 'setup' move of choice, Phychic/Psyshock is STAB, Shadow Ball because it's badass and good, and the preferred Fighting-type move of choice: Power or Reliability.
Because this is a 'OU' set, it should cover OU threats, so Focus Blast could be preferable over HP Fighting, to make place for a HP instead of Shadow Ball; Stuff like HP Fire and HP Ice are things which are essential in OU (Scizor, Forretress, Ferrothorn, Latis, Salamence, D-nite etc etc).
Really, the moment I saw this on Serebii i was THIS excited. Bring it on, Ala!
Anyway, a set with will work for OU...
Alakazam@Life Orb
Magic Guard
Timid, 4 Def/252 Sp.Atk/252 Spe
-Calm Mind/Substitute
-Psychic/Psyshock
-Shadow Ball
-Focus Blast/HP Fighting
No Life Orb recoil FTW! this 'ere set will wreck OU. Can't be different than that, Ala's stats are just too good, especially with the Life Orb recoil-free boost. Timid seems like the preferable nature, even though it outspeeds that much already...
Calm Mind or Sub is the 'setup' move of choice, Phychic/Psyshock is STAB, Shadow Ball because it's badass and good, and the preferred Fighting-type move of choice: Power or Reliability.
Because this is a 'OU' set, it should cover OU threats, so Focus Blast could be preferable over HP Fighting, to make place for a HP instead of Shadow Ball; Stuff like HP Fire and HP Ice are things which are essential in OU (Scizor, Forretress, Ferrothorn, Latis, Salamence, D-nite etc etc).
Really, the moment I saw this on Serebii i was THIS excited. Bring it on, Ala!
BurningMan
fueled by beer
Alakazam@Life Orb
Timid; 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Sub
Psychic
Shadow Ball
Focus Blast
This is really all you need. Perfect coverage, and the speed to outrun everything in OU bar weather sweepers and Deoxys-S. Scizor is crippled by Focus Blast, while Alakazam has the safety of a Substitute to force an attack that will allow it to adequately predict its next move. Shadow Ball is actually useful, hitting Celebi, Latios, Latias, Starmie, Reuniclus, etc.
The only things I see with the bulk to stop this are SpD Jirachi (damn this thing checks so much) and Blissey, so pairing it with a strong fire or fighting type should do the trick.
Timid; 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Sub
Psychic
Shadow Ball
Focus Blast
This is really all you need. Perfect coverage, and the speed to outrun everything in OU bar weather sweepers and Deoxys-S. Scizor is crippled by Focus Blast, while Alakazam has the safety of a Substitute to force an attack that will allow it to adequately predict its next move. Shadow Ball is actually useful, hitting Celebi, Latios, Latias, Starmie, Reuniclus, etc.
The only things I see with the bulk to stop this are SpD Jirachi (damn this thing checks so much) and Blissey, so pairing it with a strong fire or fighting type should do the trick.
Still, i'd consider a Hidden Power which picks off certain threats. Perfect neutral damage is nice, but to be able to kill stuff like gliscor and dragons with HP Ice can be helpful. So can HP Fire be helpful for certain threats, and let us not forget Focus Blast has been rebaptized to Focus Miss for a reason ----> HP Fighting?
HP Fighting is significantly weaker. Remember that with a Sub, you have 2 chances to hit with Focus Blast (so a 91% chance to hit overall). Gliscor, Dragonite, Haxorus, and Salamence are annihilated by LOPsychic, Hydreigon eats Focus Blast, and the Lati twins will not enjoy taking Shadow Ball to the face.
Ferrothorn and Scizor are already destroyed by Focus Blast, so there is no need to run HP Fire. The only thing it would hit is SpD Jirachi (who is not 2HKOd), and it costs you speed and coverage.
EDIT: What are people's opinion on TrickSpecs? The things that wall/check the soon-to-be-standard Alakazam do not appreciate being loaded down with Specs (SpD Jirachi, Tyranitar, Blissey, Eviolite Chansey, Scizor), so it could be an interesting curve ball.
Ferrothorn and Scizor are already destroyed by Focus Blast, so there is no need to run HP Fire. The only thing it would hit is SpD Jirachi (who is not 2HKOd), and it costs you speed and coverage.
EDIT: What are people's opinion on TrickSpecs? The things that wall/check the soon-to-be-standard Alakazam do not appreciate being loaded down with Specs (SpD Jirachi, Tyranitar, Blissey, Eviolite Chansey, Scizor), so it could be an interesting curve ball.
Its about damn time!
I personally believe this set could grab a few surprise points!
Alakazam@Focus Sash
4 Hp/ 252 SpA/ 252 Spe
(Ivs: 0 Def, 0 SpD)
Timid Nature
Magic Guard
~Guard Split
~Psychic
~Shadow Ball
~Focus Blast
Blissey stil troubling you? do those pesky walls have just too much Defense? Well Not anymore Welcome to guard split Alakazam!!!! It would nearly half all the common switch ins defenses while also boosting your own!
I personally believe this set could grab a few surprise points!
Alakazam@Focus Sash
4 Hp/ 252 SpA/ 252 Spe
(Ivs: 0 Def, 0 SpD)
Timid Nature
Magic Guard
~Guard Split
~Psychic
~Shadow Ball
~Focus Blast
Blissey stil troubling you? do those pesky walls have just too much Defense? Well Not anymore Welcome to guard split Alakazam!!!! It would nearly half all the common switch ins defenses while also boosting your own!
This sounds very entertaining. My only piece of useful information is that I wonder if there's a better option than Sash. It's insurance against a mispredicted Guard Split but if you land one on a wall the list of things that OHKO you could go down a fair amount.
It doesnt steal the actual boosts, but it does split their defeses after they get the boost iirc. And the item is to ensure that Zam survives at least one attack which is valuable in case you mispredict your Guard Split. But I guess Life Orb would work just as well.
This looks interesting.
Just curios, but what if this had HP Ice over Shadow Ball, and you Guard Split Multiscale D-nite on a switch in.
Next turn, what would E-speed do to Zam, and what would Zam's HP Ice do to D-nite (with, and without Life Orb)?
Magic Guard is indeed helpful.. I dont understand why you dont think so, and Gardevoir is just slightly more bulky. Alakazam(55/45/85) Gardevoir(68/65/115). Not including special defense, Gardevoir is frail. Plus, Alakazam has enough bulk to take a hit and instantly KO right back.
From what I remember, Guard Split ignores any stat changes when calculating the average of both mons' defenses. EDIT: Ninja'd.
Blissey needs Seismic Toss in order to do appreciable damage to Alakazam, correct? If she does run it however, I have a feeling that ST Blissey will still wall the new Zam sets coming up lately (well, all except those running Psyshock, which I think is a bad choice). Maybe a few simplified calcs would help here (let's hope I get them all right :V).
Standard one is Zam just attacks. Timid LO Focus Blast does 37.8%-44.5% to Bold Blissey before lefties, so she can do some combination of stalling out Focus Blast with Softboiled/Wish and attacking with Seismic Toss for the 3HKO.
If Alakazam gets a CM on the switch, then a +1 LO Timid FB does 56.6%-66.9% to Bold Blissey before lefties, which is certainly more threatening, but at the same time there's that 49% chance to even get FB to hit twice in a row. Better than nothing I suppose.
Guard Split from absolute-min S.Def Zam brings Bold Blissey down to 231, so LO Timid FB does 50.1-59.1% before lefties. That's less than the CM set, and Guard Split is more situational. If you're going to raise your S.Def on any turn, why not also raise your S.Atk and allow yourself to keep that extra power against future foes after you theoretically kill Blissey?
Blissey needs Seismic Toss in order to do appreciable damage to Alakazam, correct? If she does run it however, I have a feeling that ST Blissey will still wall the new Zam sets coming up lately (well, all except those running Psyshock, which I think is a bad choice). Maybe a few simplified calcs would help here (let's hope I get them all right :V).
Standard one is Zam just attacks. Timid LO Focus Blast does 37.8%-44.5% to Bold Blissey before lefties, so she can do some combination of stalling out Focus Blast with Softboiled/Wish and attacking with Seismic Toss for the 3HKO.
If Alakazam gets a CM on the switch, then a +1 LO Timid FB does 56.6%-66.9% to Bold Blissey before lefties, which is certainly more threatening, but at the same time there's that 49% chance to even get FB to hit twice in a row. Better than nothing I suppose.
Guard Split from absolute-min S.Def Zam brings Bold Blissey down to 231, so LO Timid FB does 50.1-59.1% before lefties. That's less than the CM set, and Guard Split is more situational. If you're going to raise your S.Def on any turn, why not also raise your S.Atk and allow yourself to keep that extra power against future foes after you theoretically kill Blissey?
Alakazam is one of my many favorites from gen 1, for good reason. A simple LO set can ohko tyranitar. Im pretty sure a thunder can ohko politoed as well. Making it a good weather counter. however, my favorite set is probably the trick set, with scarf or specs. it can totally ruin a wall like chansey and still has the firepower needed for early damage. Ahh, if only it got psycho boost.
Alakazam doesn't learn Thunder.
