Pokémon Malamar

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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.
I agree, Malamar's best chance of breaking into OU is a bulky attacking set that makes its niche as a Contrary abuser with Superpower.

Not really, With Sticky Web on the loose, Malamar doesn't only benefit from your Web on the team, but he also benefits from the Web on your team (Contrary), Best EV Spread would be 252 HP / 252 Spe or 252 HP / 252 Def or 252 HP / 252 SpD or 252 HP / 252 Atk

All depend on your movepool. You can run Dual Screen, you can run Physical sweeper, or you can run Bulky Physical Sweeper.
The rise of Sticky Web also means the rise of Defog, which stops this in its tracks.
 
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I agree, Malamar's best chance of breaking into OU is a bulky attacking set that makes its niche as a Contrary abuser with Superpower.
Not really, With Sticky Web on the loose, Malamar doesn't only benefit from your Web on the team, but he also benefits from the Web on your team (Contrary), Best EV Spread would be 252 HP / 252 Spe or 252 HP / 252 Def or 252 HP / 252 SpD or 252 HP / 252 Atk

All depend on your movepool. You can run Dual Screen, you can run Physical sweeper, or you can run Bulky Physical Sweeper.
 
Malamar (Sweeney Todd) Leftovers
Ability: Contrary
EVs: 252 HP / 126 Atk / 126 Def
Impish Nature
- Psycho Cut
- Superpower
- Topsy-turvy
- Night Slash

Question, does Topsy-Turvy reserve on itself?

Round 1)
Aegislash uses Swords Dance
I use Topsy-Turvy
(Aegislash now at minus 1 attack)

Round 2)
Aegislash uses Swords Dance
I use Topsy-Turvy
Is Aegislash now at minus 2 attack? or did Topsy-Turvy revert it to + attack?
 

Okuu

Blame [me] for Global Warming!
is a Battle Simulator Admin Alumnus
Malamar (Sweeney Todd) Leftovers
Ability: Contrary
EVs: 252 HP / 126 Atk / 126 Def
Impish Nature
- Psycho Cut
- Superpower
- Topsy-turvy
- Night Slash

Question, does Topsy-Turvy reserve on itself?

Round 1)
Aegislash uses Swords Dance
I use Topsy-Turvy
(Aegislash now at minus 1 attack)

Round 2)
Aegislash uses Swords Dance
I use Topsy-Turvy
Is Aegislash now at minus 2 attack? or did Topsy-Turvy revert it to + attack?
Round 1:
  • Aegislash uses Swords Dance (+0 --> +2)
  • Malamar uses Topsy-Turvy (+2 --> -2)
Round 2:
  • Aegislash uses Swords Dance (-2 --> +0)
  • Malamar uses Topsy-Turvy (+0 --> +0)
Round 3:
  • Aegislash uses Swords Dance (+0 --> +2)
  • Malamar uses Topsy-Turvy (+2 --> -2)
That's all assuming Aegislash is faster than Malamar. If the Malamar in question is faster, it's basically the same thing, except you waste your first Topsy-Turvy, then Aegislash boosts to +2. And next turn, you revert Aegis to -2, then Aegis boosts to +0, letting you repeat the cycle next turn.
 
Round 1:
  • Aegislash uses Swords Dance (+0 --> +2)
  • Malamar uses Topsy-Turvy (+2 --> -2)
Round 2:
  • Aegislash uses Swords Dance (-2 --> +0)
  • Malamar uses Topsy-Turvy (+0 --> +0)
Round 3:
  • Aegislash uses Swords Dance (+0 --> +2)
  • Malamar uses Topsy-Turvy (+2 --> -2)
That's all assuming Aegislash is faster than Malamar. If the Malamar in question is faster, it's basically the same thing, except you waste your first Topsy-Turvy, then Aegislash boosts to +2. And next turn, you revert Aegis to -2, then Aegis boosts to +0, letting you repeat the cycle next turn.
This is how it would go actually

Round 1 :

  • Malamar uses Night Slash
  • Aegislash uses Swords Dance

Round 2:

  • Malamar uses Topsy-Turvy
  • Aegislash uses Iron Head / Gyro Ball / Shadow Claw and fails to 3HKO (Assuming 252 HP / 252 Def Malamar)
Malamar is faster than Aegislash and Malamar wouldn't use Topsy Turvy on an Aegislash that has -2 (even f Aegislash was faster and used Swords Dance)
 

Okuu

Blame [me] for Global Warming!
is a Battle Simulator Admin Alumnus
Ah, I was just explaining how the stat mechanics would play out in those situations. It can be confusing if you think that an Agility (Speed++) and a Scary Face (Speed--) qualify as two separate actions persisting on a Pokemon, rather than one just negating the other. All the game remembers is that your stats are each between -6 and +6 (inclusive), and whenever a stat changes, it's moved appropriately along that scale. Topsy Turvy just turns all of the +'s into -'s and vice-versa.
 
hey guys, FIRST POST YAY!!!
I've been messing around with Malamar in rated and unrated battles. He seems superb in unrated but in rated people check him quite effectively. so i was considering doing something outrageous with Malamar in a doubles team by using a SUPPORT LUCARIO dun dun duuunn. its seems blasphemous but I was considering the prospect of using metal sound on Malamar to give massive bulk and heal pulse to give it some recovery. This would give me the opportunity to use a different item than assault vest and allow the use of trick room. and I reckon with the two of them out together people would assume I have an offensive lucario and prioritize KOing him. if he manages to survive he can get around trick room with access to a plethora of priority moves (inlcuding bullet punch to check Malamar's fairy weakness). My fear is Lucario doesn't have the bulk to pull this off, so the other alternative would be Magnezone who runs both metal sound and screech (superwall anyone?) and make excellent use of the trick room. thoughts or suggestions on this would be greatly appreciated!
 
hey guys, FIRST POST YAY!!!
I've been messing around with Malamar in rated and unrated battles. He seems superb in unrated but in rated people check him quite effectively. so i was considering doing something outrageous with Malamar in a doubles team by using a SUPPORT LUCARIO dun dun duuunn. its seems blasphemous but I was considering the prospect of using metal sound on Malamar to give massive bulk and heal pulse to give it some recovery. This would give me the opportunity to use a different item than assault vest and allow the use of trick room. and I reckon with the two of them out together people would assume I have an offensive lucario and prioritize KOing him. if he manages to survive he can get around trick room with access to a plethora of priority moves (inlcuding bullet punch to check Malamar's fairy weakness). My fear is Lucario doesn't have the bulk to pull this off, so the other alternative would be Magnezone who runs both metal sound and screech (superwall anyone?) and make excellent use of the trick room. thoughts or suggestions on this would be greatly appreciated!
Sounds fun. But as far as SERIOUS BUSINESS COMPETITIVE teams go, everyone will tell you it's a lot of work compared to just using a different poke that is bulkier and hits harder off the bat. But I like it.
 
Idk, out of the new pokemon Malamar caught my attention the most and I love the prospect of it. I just have a hard time believing that super power is the only surefire way he can abuse its ability. On that note I found him matched up vs Goodra last night and his gooey ability just let Malamar steamroll his entire team. Too bad I don't see Goodra making a lot of appearances in OU with all the other dragon types out there.
 
This hasn't been said before, but if you can predict a Defog, Malamar gets a free Double-team from it. So while not really blocking it, it can set up better as a sweeper after.
 
In my mind, Malamar works best(and by best, I mean, BEST) as a Trick Room sweeper.
Contrary(of course), Sassy nature, Item: Iron Ball(this is actually rather crucial)
EV's: 252 HP, 4 ATK, 252 SP. DEF
Moves: Superpower, to milk the crap out of Contrary: Fling, while holding Iron Ball, this move is 130 base power: Psycho Cut, Psychic STAB: Trick Room as 4th move.

This set is pretty much built to work on a dedicated Trick Room team. While it's 70 or so base speed would normally make it way to fast to sweep with TR active, a -Speed nature, as little IV's as you can manage, no EV investment, and holding an Iron Ball, drops it's speed at Level 100 to 67 at the lowest, and even max IV's in speed will put him at 82, which is still well within TR speed range, should he land in OU. The fact that Fling is physical, Dark so as to get STAB, AND 130 base power with the Iron Ball is icing on the cake, and gives this Pokemon the option of doubling it's speed by ditching the Iron Ball, as well as makes Malamar an even more effective late-game sweeper, because after 2.3 - 3x Superpower boost to attack, putting him anywhere from 500-650, not even the bulkiest Dark and Fighting Pokemon will want to stay in and take a Fling.

Yeah, this is one of the best uses for Malamar on an offensive standpoint that I can see working fairly well in OU and better than fairly well in UU, and Malamar better not drop to NU or things will get messy for everything else but TR teams.
 
This is off topic, but I noticed that the only other viable user of Contrary is Serperior.



Serperior is currently listed as NU......it has Contrary and Leaf Storm, which is 130 BP, and lowers SpA by 2 stages. This thing can sweep with no setup from other team mates and has the speed to do so (scarf it if you really want to move first).

Basically Serperior is much faster, its move is STAB, and it is a free nasty plot as opposed to a free Bulk up with Malamar. Wonder why that contrary user is overlooked here. I will most definitely get one ready in BW2 to transfer that up on dec 27.
 
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This is off topic, but I noticed that the only other viable user of Contrary is Serperior.



Serperior is currently listed as NU......it has Contrary and Leaf Storm, which is 130 BP, and lowers SpA by 2 stages. This thing can sweep with no setup from other team mates and has the speed to do so (scarf it if you really want to move first).

Basically Serperior is much faster, its move is STAB, and it is a free nasty plot as opposed to a free Bulk up with Malamar. Wonder why that contrary user is overlooked here. I will most definitely get one ready in BW2 to transfer that up on dec 27.
To the best of my knowledge, Contrary Serperior isn't available yet. That's why it's not in use.
 
The one thing that malamar has over serperior is better coverage. Its main coverage moves are leaf storm and dragan phlse which forces it to run a hp fire/ground. Malamar has STAB psychic and dark with fighting coverage. Which hits everything neutrally. The other good thing about malamar is the defensive boost with superpower. With all these powerful megas def is key. Unfortunately serperior haz okay defenses and weakness to flying (priority flying from talonflame and mEvo pinsir) ohko serperior. There are more poison and fire pokes around to handle the fairies which makes its job harder. Steel/fairy types like mawile and klefki along eith old favorites like heatran and skarmory will give serperior trouble.

While it is very strong when its ability comes out, itll be too late to truly take advantage of due to the xy. It will def be ru/uu worthy but ou probably not ; /
 
@general mild they couldve been hacked. Contrary serpior hasnt been released
Hasn't been released? That's a gen 5 pokemon and X and Y just came out.....Im sorry but I don't understand when you and Justdoinstats says not released as it should be released in the gen it came out in. DLC? What would be the delievery method? I doubt game freak will make this a priority since a new generation just released.

Very weird to announce a hidden ability and not make it available. Same goes for Iron Head Tyranitrum. Ok im done with my rant.
 

Soul Fly

IMMA TEACH YOU WHAT SPLASHIN' MEANS
is a Contributor Alumnus
Hasn't been released? That's a gen 5 pokemon and X and Y just came out.....Im sorry but I don't understand when you and Justdoinstats says not released as it should be released in the gen it came out in. DLC? What would be the delievery method? I doubt game freak will make this a priority since a new generation just released.

Very weird to announce a hidden ability and not make it available. Same goes for Iron Head Tyranitrum. Ok im done with my rant.
They never "announced" it, we just inspected illicit code dumps.
 
Hasn't been released? That's a gen 5 pokemon and X and Y just came out.....Im sorry but I don't understand when you and Justdoinstats says not released as it should be released in the gen it came out in. DLC? What would be the delievery method? I doubt game freak will make this a priority since a new generation just released.

Very weird to announce a hidden ability and not make it available. Same goes for Iron Head Tyranitrum. Ok im done with my rant.
Pokes with their hidden abilities were only available through the dream world and wifi events in bw. Gamefreak never released contrary serperior or shadowtag chandy. Now chandy is available in friend safari with their hidden ability shados tag (i think). Cpntrary serperior has been seen in the battle maison with contrary but is not available.
 
Pokes with their hidden abilities were only available through the dream world and wifi events in bw. Gamefreak never released contrary serperior or shadowtag chandy. Now chandy is available in friend safari with their hidden ability shados tag (i think). Cpntrary serperior has been seen in the battle maison with contrary but is not available.
Chandelure's hidden ability has been changed to Infiltrator. Shadow Tag Chandelure was never released and now it looks like it never will be a reality.
 
Chandelure's hidden ability has been changed to Infiltrator. Shadow Tag Chandelure was never released and now it looks like it never will be a reality.
Finally troll freak had some common sense lol. Must've watched DW battles on sims or something.
 
Finally troll freak had some common sense lol. Must've watched DW battles on sims or something.
They probably just wanted to make Gengar more unique with it.

Contrary Serperior was also seen in the battle subway afaik. And now it's also there in the battle maison. Hopefully they'll release these things sometime...

As for Malamar...

After getting swept by him a few times (because of me missing moves, and/or not being able to KO it quickly enough and having many fighting weak Pokemon...), I wanted to give him a try. Didn't seem that great for now, but I'm sure it can be when used at the right moment. It's definitely an interesting Pokemon. And has better stats than Spinda to pull of the whole Contrary Superpower thing...
 
Malamar helped me do a run without defeat early on, without proper IVs or nature. Naturally, if you can set up, he becomes somewhat unstoppable. But this is partly luck since I had to run into less offensive pokemon, and pokemon that were physically oriented. Might be worth using hypnosis and leftovers, I had to in order to get a few stages up before the enemy could wake up.
 
This hasn't been said before, but if you can predict a Defog, Malamar gets a free Double-team from it. So while not really blocking it, it can set up better as a sweeper after.
That is an interesting thing to note, contrary just seems to give more and more.
 
The one thing that malamar has over serperior is better coverage. Its main coverage moves are leaf storm and dragan phlse which forces it to run a hp fire/ground. Malamar has STAB psychic and dark with fighting coverage. Which hits everything neutrally. The other good thing about malamar is the defensive boost with superpower. With all these powerful megas def is key. Unfortunately serperior haz okay defenses and weakness to flying (priority flying from talonflame and mEvo pinsir) ohko serperior. There are more poison and fire pokes around to handle the fairies which makes its job harder. Steel/fairy types like mawile and klefki along eith old favorites like heatran and skarmory will give serperior trouble.

While it is very strong when its ability comes out, itll be too late to truly take advantage of due to the xy. It will def be ru/uu worthy but ou probably not ; /
Yeah, this was always Serperior's problem. Even if Contrary had been released in Gen V, it never would have been higher than UU, maybe not even RU. Grass is mediocre offensively, and Serperior just doesn't have any coverage moves at all. Malamar has far better coverage, though I'm not convinced it will be OU, either. Definitely high UU if not OU, though.
 
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