Gen 1 Kadabra (UU) [QC 2/2] [GP 2/2]

[phoopes]

This is from a draft that was kept prior to the launch of the RBY UU Analysis Project.

[OVERVIEW]

Even though Kadabra isn't fully evolved, it is one of the premier choices in RBY UU due to its base 105 Speed and base 120 Special. These stats give it a high volatility factor, with a 20.5% critical hit rate combined with the 33.2% chance of a Special drop from an already powerful Psychic. It outspeeds many other Pokemon in the tier and can either hit them hard or cripple them with paralysis. This includes the ever-present Tentacruel, which is outsped and takes massive damage from the strongest Psychic in the tier or loses a lot of its effectiveness if paralyzed. This makes Kadabra an effective anti-lead choice, as Tentacruel is perhaps the most common lead in UU. Due to Kadabra's high Special stat, it can also switch in and tank special attacks surprisingly well.

However, Kadabra is not quite in the conversation for being the best Pokemon in the tier. It is walled hard by Hypno, arguably the second-best Pokemon in RBY UU behind Tentacruel. It's almost a given that when your Kadabra is in, your opponent's Hypno will not be far behind, as Kadabra can only really chip it with Seismic Toss or fish for a Special drop with Psychic. In addition, Kadabra is pitifully frail on the physical side, with only base 40 HP and 30 Defense. It has to watch out for Persian especially, which outspeeds it and hits it hard with STAB Slash. Many other physical attackers like Kangaskhan and Dodrio can 2HKO or even OHKO Kadabra, meaning that you need to tread carefully, especially if Kadabra is paralyzed. That said, its positives as a strong and fast Psychic-type far outweigh its negatives, and it can find a place on most RBY UU teams.

[SET]
name: Standard
move 1: Psychic
move 2: Thunder Wave
move 3: Seismic Toss
move 4: Recover

[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========

This is the bread-and-butter set that you'll see virtually every Kadabra run, and for good reason. As mentioned before, Kadabra has the strongest Psychic in the tier and will hit pretty much everything except Hypno and opposing Kadabra for consistent damage. Thunder Wave is used to paralyze foes, most notably dangerous Wrap users like Tentacruel and Dragonite. After paralysis, Wrap only connects about 66% of the time, which severely hampers the Wrap user's effectiveness. Seismic Toss is Kadabra's go-to damage option against Hypno and opposing Kadabra, and Recover increases Kadabra's longevity, especially over the course of long games where you may need to PP stall opposing Psychic-types. For example, against Hypno that may opt for Hypnosis over Seismic Toss, Kadabra will have the upper hand.

Using Kadabra is an exercise in how well you can spread damage with Psychic and paralysis with Thunder Wave while avoiding it taking physical attacks and paralysis yourself. This can mean having to predict your opponent's switches, which is not always an easy task. This is why Kadabra appreciates Wrap users like Tentacruel and Dragonite on its side to get a free switch-in. Once switched in, Kadabra's job is made a little easier because just by using Psychic, it can get good luck with its naturally high 20.5% critical hit rate and 33.2% chance to drop the other Pokemon's Special. That said, relying on that volatility can put Kadabra in a bad spot against Pokemon that can exploit its physical frailty. Clever switching or a Thunder Wave to catch and paralyze such an attacker may be what is needed to turn the tide of battle in your favor. Just keep in mind that your opponent could have Dugtrio lurking to absorb paralysis, and then your Kadabra could be in trouble, as Dugtrio outspeeds Kadabra and KOes it with Earthquake if it is at about 70% health.

Kadabra is certainly not dead weight when it's paralyzed, as paralysis actually allows it to be an effective sleep absorber against oppsing Hypno. However, it does become harder to use and much easier to revenge kill. Thus, pairing it with a Ground-type that can absorb opposing Thunder Waves like Dugtrio or Golem is a good choice. Just be sure that your Ground-type has enough health to deal with the Thunder Wave user it is switching into. In addition, Flying-types such as Dragonite, Articuno, and Dodrio can help deal with the aforementioned Dugtrio problem by switching in for free on an Earthquake. Haunter is also a good partner for Kadabra given the prevalence of strong Normal-type moves in RBY. Haunter is immune to these moves that can KO Kadabra easily, as well as Wrap. Bulky Water-types such as Omastar and Vaporeon can also check these strong physical attackers. Haunter and Omastar notably form the strongest anti-Wrap core in RBY UU; this is a godsend for a physically frail Pokemon like Kadabra. They pair well with Kadabra because wasting sleep turns against Wrap users to wake Kadabra up is not ideal, as Kadabra takes 6-7% from Tentacruel and 9.1-10.9% from Dragonite on each hit.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============

If you're replacing any move, Seismic Toss is the one to replace. Counter can surprise physical attackers and net some surprise KOs, especially in the niche scenario where you use Explosion with Haunter or Golem and then bring Kadabra in and Counter your own Explosion. Counter can also force Hypno to have to use Rest sooner if it is spamming Seismic Toss. However, your own Seismic Toss is generally a better and more consistent damage dealer, especially to opposing Psychic-types. Reflect can be used to increase survivability, but even with this Defense boost, Kadabra is still pretty frail; it still takes over 50% on Hyper Beams from some of the stronger physical attackers in the tier, such as Kangaskhan and Dodrio. Again, Seismic Toss is almost always the better choice here.

Checks and Counters
===================

**Hypno**: Hypno is easily the best check to Kadabra, as it's on the vast majority of RBY UU teams anyway and stonewalls everything that Kadabra tries to do. If you bring in Kadabra to attempt a revenge kill, you can be sure that your opponent will bring in Hypno to negate your plans with ease. Hypno can easily tank Psychic and is only 4HKOed by Seismic Toss, meaning that it can recover off any damage Kadabra deals and rid itself of Thunder Wave paralysis with Rest. Therefore, outside of getting lucky with Special drops from Psychic or full paralysis, you probably won't be KOing Hypno with Kadabra, and Kadabra will most likely need to use Recover and switch out. Worse still, Hypno can paralyze Kadabra with Thunder Wave, hampering its usefulness for the rest of the game, or even put it to sleep with Hypnosis, which is normally a death sentence in any RBY tier.

**Opposing Kadabra**: Kadabra also does a decent job at checking itself. If the opponent's Kadabra is already paralyzed, it can switch in to absorb a Thunder Wave from your Kadabra. From there, it can threaten with its own Thunder Wave. Most Kadabra versus Kadabra matchups start with them paralyzing each other, and then it becomes a battle of Seismic Toss and Recover until one switches out or faints.

**Dugtrio**: Dugtrio gets a special mention as a check because it can switch in on a Thunder Wave for free and threaten a KO on Kadabra if it is at 70% health or below. Dugtrio is one of the few Pokemon that can outspeed Kadabra and 2HKO it; unless Kadabra scores a critical hit with Psychic, Dugtrio wins the head-to-head matchup from full health. Furthermore, since Kadabra is the best Tentacruel check in the entire tier, it often comes in on Wrap to wait out the attack and then scare out Tentacruel once it ends, but since Wrap immobilizes Kadabra and does chip damage, Tentacruel can whittle Kadabra down just enough so that Dugtrio can switch in while Kadabra is unable to attack and is in the range of Earthquake.

**Strong Physical Attackers**: Due to Kadabra's low HP and Defense, many strong physical attackers threaten it. To start, Persian outspeeds Kadabra and easily 2HKOes with Slash, meaning, much like Dugtrio, it wins the one-on-one from full health unless Psychic lands a critical hit. Dodrio and Kangaskhan are both outsped by Kadabra and don't like being paralyzed, but they have a guaranteed OHKO on Kadabra with Hyper Beam, making them scary to face. Raticate also can OHKO Kadabra 74.4% of the time with Hyper Beam, putting it in a similar category to the aforementioned Normal-types. Other physical attackers that can OHKO Kadabra with Hyper Beam include Dragonite and Gyarados. Though these attackers have much lower chances to OHKO, they are still scary in their own right with Body Slam. Finally, Aerodactyl has proven its worth in RBY UU and can outspeed and KO Kadabra from 74.9-88.3% health with Hyper Beam.

**Articuno**: Articuno, though not as common of a selection as some previously mentioned Pokemon, is similar to Hypno as a check because it can sponge hits and heal off damage and paralysis with Rest. Both Psychic and Seismic Toss are only 4HKOs on Articuno, meaning that it should be able to survive most encounters. Articuno can also use Agility to shrug off the paralysis Speed drop and become akin to a Hustle sweeper in later generations with a 75% chance to move. What makes Articuno an especially good check, however, is that it can 2HKO Kadabra over 80% of the time with two Blizzards, or always 2HKO with Blizzard into Hyper Beam. Add in the threat of freeze with Blizzard or Ice Beam, and Articuno is a check that can send Kadabra running.

[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[phoopes, 96315], [Shellnuts, 491544], [Volk, 530877], [Plague von Karma, 236353]]
- Quality checked by: [[EB0LA, 423005], [Plague von Karma, 236353]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Finland, 517429], [Kris, 241023]]

 

[EB0LA]

-Add OO Counter
-Add Check Opposing Kadabra

QC 1/2

 

[phoopes]

-Add OO Counter
-Add Check Opposing Kadabra

QC 1/2

implemented

 

[Plague von Karma]

I don't know if I'll give an official QC check here considering I'm partly the writer, but I have a lot of things I'd like adding in. Generally, I think that this analysis could be much more detailed. It's definitely great right now, but let's aim higher!

Kadabra is walled hard by Hypno, arguably the second-best Pokemon in RBY UU behind Tentacruel.

I think this needs to be emphasized more, as Hypno is the main reason Kadabra has problems revenge killing. Its very existence almost nullifies that strength: whenever Kadabra tries to revenge kill, Hypno can and will come in. It doesn't mind paralysis too much if you predict it, because it can Rest it off later with near-impunity, considering it can use opposing Wrap turns to chop the turns down. You can't revenge kill Tentacruel, because it will go to Hypno. You can't revenge kill anything, because everything will go to Hypno. You can harness this by double switching, but what then? You have to play around its paralysis and/or tank its heavy-hitting Psychics. Bringing in Hypno safely - as you are switching alongside it with the aforementioned in mind - is still a net positive for Hypno. You can hit it with Seismic Toss as it comes in, but you're still forced out after due to the threat of paralysis, allowing Hypno to still pressure it and its teammates.

The main reason you would cast Kadabra off of a team is, in no uncertain terms, because your team's advantage state is eaten up by not being able to wrestle Hypno down. That is a very large opportunity cost. Using Hypno is essentially a clause in this tier, so you will always run into this situation until Hypno is down...Kadabra cannot make progress.

Now, you do point this out here in checks and counters...but it's vague and not specific enough.

**Hypno**: Hypno is the best check to Kadabra, as it’s on the vast majority of RBY UU teams anyway and stonewalls everything that Kadabra tries to do. Hypno can easily tank Psychics and is only 4HKOed by Seismic Toss, meaning that it can Rest off any damage Kadabra deals, as well as rid itself of the paralysis status that you may have inflicted on it with Thunder Wave. Therefore, outside of getting lucky with Special drops from Psychic or full paralysis on Hypno, you probably won’t be KOing it with Kadabra, and will most likely need to Recover and switch out. Worse still, Hypno can paralyze Kadabra with Thunder Wave, hampering its usefulness for the rest of the game, or even put it to sleep with Hypnosis: normally a death sentence in any RBY tier.

You never bring up the fact it nullifies what would initially be seen as strong revenge killing qualities.

--

Now onto the rest of the overview...

One of the first things that new RBY players learn is that the generation is dominated by Psychic-types. This holds true not only for OU, but in lower tiers as well. And even though Kadabra is a Not Fully Evolved Pokemon, it is one of the premiere choices in RBY UU due to its base 105 Speed and base 120 Special. Think of it as a miniature version of Alakazam in OU: it outspeeds many other Pokemon in the tier and can either hit them hard or cripple them with paralysis. This includes the ever-present Tentacruel, which takes massive damage from the strongest Psychic in the tier or loses a lot of its effectiveness when paralyzed. This makes Kadabra an effective anti-lead choice, as lead Tentacruel is perhaps the most common option in UU. However, Kadabra is held back by a few factors that keep it out of the conversation of being the best Pokemon in the tier.

You should bring up Kadabra's volatility factor (20.5% crit rate, 30% Psychic spc drops) for sure, as it's what lets it win out in head-to-head matchups. I would also recommend citing what you notably outspeed (Tentacruel, Dodrio...Raichu I guess since you can para it before it does anything). Its Special makes it surprisingly capable of switching in on the special attacks in the tier too. This is all fairly generic info, but it never hurts to have when whoever's reading this is likely in their early days of learning the tier.

In addition, Kadabra is pitifully frail on the physical side, with only 40 base HP and 30 base Defense. Many physical attackers will 2HKO or even OHKO Kadabra, meaning that you need to tread carefully, especially if Kadabra is paralyzed.

This could use some examples to better illustrate the point you're getting across. Persian is faster and has Slash, for instance, which is the best way to take down Kadabra when it's in range. If paralyzed and chipped, Kangaskhan and Dodrio will absolutely eat it alive too.

--

In Set Details...

PP stall against opposing Psychic-types

You should just note Hypno and opposing Kadabra here, as they're virtually the only Psychic-types you'll see and it reduces the vagaries.

Thunder Wave is used to paralyze opponents, most notably dangerous Wrap users like Tentacruel and Dragonite.

Note that the chance of a Wrap connecting becomes ~66% when paralysis is at play, which heavily reduces its consistency. Furthermore, this means Tentacruel has to Rest and Dragonite has to use Agility to keep the ball rolling, giving you a turn to enact counterplay. This better demonstrates why you want to target them.

Using Kadabra is an exercise in how well you can spread damage with Psychic and paralysis with Thunder Wave, while avoiding physical attacks yourself. This can mean having to predict your opponent’s switches, which is not always an easy task. However, this is made a little easier by the fact that sometimes, just by using Psychic, you can get good luck with Kadabra’s naturally high critical hit rate and a 30% chance to drop their Special. That said, it’s important to acknowledge that while Kadabra’s Psychic is strong and backed by its volatility, it is still a very frail Pokemon that should be wary of strong physical attackers. Clever switching or a Thunder Wave at the right time may be what is needed to turn the tide of battle in your favor. It’s just important to keep in mind that your opponent could have a Ground-type lurking to absorb paralysis, and then your Kadabra could be in trouble.

As a general thing to note in here, bring up that Kadabra appreciates Wrap users to squeeze itself in without having to take damage. It can also switch in on opposing Wrap if it's above exactly 80% (this means max roll tent wrap won't put you in dug range, excluding any crits), enabling Kadabra to get some damage in.

There are some more specific things as well here;

while avoiding physical attacks yourself

And paralysis. While it can absolutely block Sleep and the like, a paralyzed Kadabra is rarely going to live to the late-game. If paralyzed late-game, it's a bit up in the air, depends on how well you spread the paralysis. You do not want this thing to be paralyzed unless it's necessary. If anything, I would want my Kadabra to take a Dugtrio or Persian's Toxic for my Dragonite, letting it block paralysis and sleep.

However, this is made a little easier by the fact that sometimes, just by using Psychic, you can get good luck with Kadabra’s naturally high critical hit rate and a 30% chance to drop their Special. That said, it’s important to acknowledge that while Kadabra’s Psychic is strong and backed by its volatility, it is still a very frail Pokemon that should be wary of strong physical attackers.

In reference to my suggestion for the Overview, rewrite this sentence to refer back and drill in that volatility factor. This can help establish Kadabra's strengths further, as its offensive potential is high.

It’s just important to keep in mind that your opponent could have a Ground-type lurking to absorb paralysis, and then your Kadabra could be in trouble.

Dugtrio should be noted here, as Kadabra straight-up dies at ~70% while being outsped. It's forced out by Dugtrio so often when trying to beat Tentacruel; 4-5 Wraps from that thing, you're in Dugtrio range, now you have to heal. To make matters worse, you can't even switch in on Wrap in these situations, as it brings in Dugtrio who now forces you out because you're otherwise dead.

Kadabra is certainly not dead weight when it’s paralyzed: a paralyzed Kadabra can be an effective sleep absorber against an opponent’s Hypno. However, it does become harder to use and much easier to revenge kill. Thus, pairing it with a Ground-type like Dugtrio or Golem that can absorb opposing Thunder Waves is a good choice. Just be sure that your Ground-type has enough health to deal with the Thunder Wave user it is switching into. The prevalence of strong Normal-type moves in RBY can also make Haunter a good partner for Kadabra, as it is immune to these moves that can KO Kadabra easily, as well as Wrap. Bulky Water-types such as Omastar and Vaporeon can also check these strong physical attackers.

I would also add that Kadabra appreciates a Flying-type partner (Articuno, Dragonite, Dodrio) because of my prior point. Dragonite helps bait Toxic due to Wrap, which can be used to bring Tentacruel in (or let Kadabra absorb Toxic, very good), and so on. You should note that Omastar + Haunter is the best anti-Wrap core in the tier, which is strong.

--

Reflect can be used over Seismic Toss to increase survivability, but even with this Defense boost, Kadabra is still pretty frail: it takes over 50% on Hyper Beams from some of the stronger physical attackers in the tier, such as Kangaskhan and Dodrio. Counter is also a niche option, as it can surprise physical attackers, but Seismic Toss is generally the better option so you can deal with opposing Kadabra and Hypno a little easier.

I think this could be rewritten with the following structure;

• Introduce Seismic Toss as the move to replace, as you heavily imply this is what's going away. This sets the tone for the rest of the paragraph.
• Go over Counter first, as you imply it's a better option than Reflect. Then compare the opportunity cost with Seismic Toss's, bringing up Hypno and opposing Kadabras as they're what you're normally smacking with it.
• Do the above for Reflect ^

You could also note that if you come in after an Explosion to revenge kill something, you can bait in Hypno and Counter for some funny damage. It's nice against Hypno's Seismic Toss spam if it's using it too, forcing it to Rest earlier.

--

**Dugtrio**: Dugtrio gets special mention as a check because it can switch in on a Thunder Wave for free and threaten massive damage on Kadabra or even an OHKO on a crit.

Once again, note Kadabra dies from 70% if there's no crit. If Kadabra is in range for a KO upon beating something and Dugtrio comes in, you have to switch out. You need to note that Wrap users want to bring it in too, as it's a notable point of entry to gain an advantageous game state.

**Articuno**: Articuno, though not as common of a selection as some previously mentioned Pokemon, is a similar check to Hypno because it can sponge hits and Rest off damage and paralysis. Both Psychic and Seismic Toss are only 4HKOs on Articuno, meaning that it should be able to survive most encounters. What makes Articuno an especially good check, however, is that it can threaten Kadabra with a 2HKO. It can do this over 80% of the time with two Blizzards, or be guaranteed with Blizzard into Hyper Beam. Add in the threat of freeze status with Blizzard or Ice Beam and Articuno is a check that can send Kadabra running.

Mention that Articuno can Agility off the paralysis speed drop and still try to sweep. It's as consistent as a Hustle Pokemon in later generations at that point, but it's still more than relevant enough in my opinion.

 

[Plague von Karma]

Considering Aerodactyl has largely proven its worth in UU, it may be worth adding to the "Strong physical attackers" section. It KOes Kadabra with Hyper Beam from 88.3% onwards while being faster, so it revenge-kills it pretty damn well. It doesn't want to risk paralysis though, so 74.9% (min roll HB) may be best to note.

 

[phoopes]

Plague von Karma finally implemented lol

 

[Plague von Karma]

Nice, nice. Implement the following and I'll QC 2/2 since I've scrutinized this a lot already.

Overview

And even though Kadabra is a Not Fully Evolved Pokemon

Maybe say something like "even though Kadabra isn't fully evolved". I understand what you're trying to say, but it doesn't flow well in a sentence.

However, Kadabra is held back by a few factors that keep it out of the conversation of being the best Pokemon in the tier.

Move this to the beginning of the second paragraph. This can better-frame it as the "negatives" section.

as Kadabra can hardly do anything meaningful to Hypno outside of fishing for Special drops

Ehhh, it can Seismic Toss Hypno coming in as well for more chip, it's just not going to amount to anything substantial. In the end, it'll still be forced to leave. You explain this in the set details, so there's a bit of inconsistency.

Set Details

Kadabra is certainly not dead weight when it’s paralyzed: a paralyzed Kadabra can be an effective sleep absorber against an opponent’s Hypno. However, it does become harder to use and much easier to revenge kill.

Remember that Kadabra takes a pretty hefty amount from Wrap, which makes waking it up harder. Then there's the elephant in the room: Dragonite setting up and hitting with the strongest Wrap in the tier. You mention Wrap later in the paragraph, but it's not framed as that big of a deal when it absolutely can be in many situations. It's just kind of offhanded at the moment.

Case in point:

• Dragonite Wrap vs. Kadabra: 26-31 (9.1 - 10.9%)
• Tentacruel Wrap vs. Kadabra: 17-20 (6 - 7%)

(could be worth noting the amount of damage it takes, actually)

Other Options

Counter can surprise physical attackers and net some cheap KOs or cause Hypno to have to Rest sooner if it is spamming Seismic Toss, but your own Seismic Toss is generally a better and more consistent damage-dealer, especially to Hypno and opposing Kadabra.

Counter is also effective alongside Golem or Haunter, as Kadabra is very capable of forcing Pokemon like Tentacruel out and countering your own Explosion in the process.

You may want to reword things here, as you repeat Hypno a bit which causes the sentence to flow oddly.

Checks and Counters

Articuno, though not as common of a selection as some previously mentioned Pokemon, is a similar check to Hypno because it can sponge hits and Rest off damage and paralysis.

eh?

[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[phoopes, 96315], [Shellnuts, 491544], [Volk, 530877], [Plague von Karma, 236353]]
- Quality checked by: [[EB0LA, 423005], [, ]]
- Grammar checked by: [[, ], [, ]]

You forgot to add EB0LA here!

 

[phoopes]

Plague von Karma implemented everything! Thanks so much!

This is now ready for GP

 

[Blui]

GP amcheck.

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One of the first things that new RBY players learn is that the generation is dominated by Psychic-types. This holds true not only for OU, but in for lower tiers as well. And even though Kadabra isn't fully evolved, it is one of the premiere premier choices in RBY UU due to its base 105 Speed and base 120 Special. This gives it a high volatility factor, with a 20.5% critical hit rate (RC) in addition to combined with the 30% chance of a Special drop from an already powerful Psychic. Think of it as a miniature version of Alakazam in OU: it outspeeds many other Pokemon in the tier and can either hit them hard or cripple them with paralysis. This includes the ever-present Tentacruel, which is outsped and takes massive damage from the strongest Psychic in the tier or loses a lot of its effectiveness when if paralyzed. This makes Kadabra an effective anti-lead choice, as lead Tentacruel is perhaps the most common option as a lead in UU. Due to Kadabra's high Special stat, it can also switch in and tank Special attacks surprisingly well.

However, Kadabra is held back by a few factors that keep it out of the conversation of being the best Pokemon in the tier. Kadabra is walled hard by Hypno, arguably the second-best Pokemon in RBY UU behind Tentacruel. It's almost a given that when your Kadabra is in, your opponent's Hypno will be not be far behind, as Kadabra can only really chip it with Seismic Toss or fish for a Special drop with Psychic. In addition, Kadabra is pitifully frail on the physical side, with only 40 base HP and 30 base Defense. It has to watch out for Persian especially, which outspeeds and can hit it hard with STAB Slash. Many other physical attackers like Kangaskahn Kangaskhan or Dodrio will can 2HKO or even OHKO Kadabra, meaning that you need to tread carefully, especially if Kadabra is paralyzed. That said, its positives as a strong and fast Psychic type far outweigh its negatives, and it can find a place on most RBY UU teams.

[SET]
name: Standard
move 1: Psychic
move 2: Thunder Wave
move 3: Seismic Toss
move 4: Recover

[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========

This is the bread-and-butter set that you’ll see virtually every Kadabra run, and for good reason. As mentioned before, Kadabra has the strongest Psychic in the tier and will hit pretty much everything (RC) with the exception of except Hypno and opposing Kadabra (RC) for consistent damage. Thunder Wave is used to paralyze opponents, most notably dangerous Wrap users like Tentacruel and Dragonite. After paralysis, Warp Wrap only connects about 66% of the time, which severely hampers their the Wrap user's effectiveness. Seismic Toss is your go-to damage option for against Hypno and opposing Kadabra, and Recover helps increase Kadabra's longevity with survivability, especially over the course of long games where you may need to PP stall against opposing Psychic-types. This also keeps it relevant against Hypno that may opt for Hypnosis over Seismic Toss.

Using Kadabra is an exercise in how well you can spread damage with Psychic and paralysis with Thunder Wave, while avoiding physical attacks and paralysis yourself. This can mean having to predict your opponent’s switches, which is not always an easy task. This is why Kadabra appreciates Wrap users like Tentacruel or Dragonite on its side so it can get a free switch-in. Once switched in, Kadabra's job is made a little easier by the fact that sometimes, just by using Psychic, you can get good luck with Kadabra’s naturally high 20.5% critical hit rate and a 30% chance to drop their Special. That said, it’s important to acknowledge that while Kadabra’s Psychic is strong and backed by its volatility, it is still a very frail Pokemon that should be wary of strong physical attackers. Clever switching or a Thunder Wave at the right time may be what is needed to turn the tide of battle in your favor. It’s just important to keep in mind that your opponent could have Dugtrio lurking to absorb paralysis, and then your Kadabra could be in trouble. This is because Dugtrio outspeeds Kadabra and KO's KOes it with Earthquake if it is at about 70% health.

Kadabra is certainly not dead weight when it’s paralyzed: a paralyzed Kadabra can be an effective sleep absorber against an opponent’s Hypno. However, it does become harder to use and much easier to revenge kill. Thus, pairing it with a Ground-type like Dugtrio or Golem that can absorb opposing Thunder Waves is a good choice. Just be sure that your Ground-type has enough health to deal with the Thunder Wave user it is switching into. In addition, Flying-types such as Dragonite, Articuno, or Dodrio can help deal with the aforementioned Dugtrio problem by switching in for free on an Earthquake. Haunter is also a good partner for Kadabra given the The prevalence of strong Normal-type moves in RBY. can also make Haunter a good partner for Kadabra, as it Haunter is immune to these moves that can KO Kadabra easily, as well as Wrap. Bulky Water-types such as Omastar and Vaporeon can also check these strong physical attackers. Kadabra also partners well with as well as the duo of Haunter + and Omastar being which is the strongest anti-Wrap core in RBY UU. This is a godsend for a Pokemon like Kadabra, as it's harder to wake up against Wrap users when taking 6-7% from Tentacruel and 9.1-10.9% from Dragonite on each hit. (Restrcutured this part a bit)

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============

If you're replacing any move, Seismic Toss is the one to replace. Counter can surprise physical attackers and net some cheap KOs, especially in the niche scenario where you use an Explosion with Haunter or Golem, then bring Kadabra in and Counter your own Explosion. Counter can also cause force Hypno to use have to Rest sooner if it is spamming Seismic Toss. but However, your own Seismic Toss is generally a better and more consistent damage-dealer, especially to opposing Psychic-types. Reflect can be used over Seismic Toss to increase survivability, but even with this Defense boost, Kadabra is still pretty frail: it takes over 50% on Hyper Beams from some of the stronger physical attackers in the tier, such as Kangaskhan and Dodrio. Again, Seismic Toss is almost always the better choice here.

Checks and Counters
===================

**Hypno**: Hypno is easily the best check to Kadabra, as it’s on the vast majority of RBY UU teams anyway and stonewalls everything that Kadabra tries to do. If you bring in Kadabra to attempt a revenge kill, you can be sure that your opponent will bring in Hypno to negate your plans with ease. Hypno can easily tank Psychics Psychic and is only 4HKOed by Seismic Toss, meaning that it can Rest off any damage Kadabra deals, as well as rid itself of the paralysis status that you may have inflicted on it with Thunder Wave. Therefore, outside of getting lucky with Special drops from Psychic or full paralysis on Hypno, you probably won’t be KOing it Hypno with Kadabra, and will most likely need to Recover and switch out. Worse still, Hypno can paralyze Kadabra with Thunder Wave, hampering its usefulness for the rest of the game, or even put it to sleep with Hypnosis: normally a death sentence in any RBY tier.

**Kadabra**: Kadabra also does a decent job at checking itself. If your Kadabra is already paralyzed, it can be a good switch-in to absorb a Thunder Wave from an opposing Kadabra. From there, you can threaten with your own Thunder Wave. Most Kadabra vs. Kadabra matchups start with them paralyzing each other, then become a battle of Seismic Toss and Recover until one player switches out or faints.

**Dugtrio**: Dugtrio gets a special mention as a check because it can switch in on a Thunder Wave for free and threaten a KO on Kadabra if it is at 70% health or below. Dugtrio is one of the few Pokemon that can outspeed Kadabra and 2HKO it; unless Kadabra scores a critical hit with Psychic, Dugtrio wins the head-to-head matchup from full health. Furthermore, due to Kadabra’s status as the best Tentacruel check in the entire tier, it often comes in on Wrap to wait out the attack and then scare out Tentacruel once it ends, but since Wrap immobilizes Kadabra and does chip (RC) damage, it allows the Tentacruel to whittle Kadabra down just enough so that it can switch into Dugtrio can switch in while the Kadabra is unable to attack and is in the range of Earthquake.

**Strong physical attackers**: Due to Kadabra’s low HP and Defense, many strong physical attackers threaten it. To start, Persian outspeeds Kadabra and easily 2HKOs 2HKOes with Slash, meaning much like Dugtrio it wins the one-on-one from full health unless Psychic is lands a critical hit. Dodrio and Kangaskhan are both outsped by Kadabra and don’t like being paralyzed, but they have a guaranteed OHKO on Kadabra with Hyper Beam, making them scary to face. Raticate also can OHKO Kadabra 74.4% of the time with Hyper Beam, putting it in a similar category to the aforementioned Normal-types. Other physical attackers that can OHKO it with Hyper Beam include Dragonite and Gyarados. Though these are much lower chances to OHKO, they are still scary in their own right with Body Slam. Finally, Aerodactyl has proven its worth in RBY UU, and can outspeed and KO Kadabra from 74.9-88.3% health with Hyper Beam.

**Articuno**: Articuno, though not as common of a selection as some previously mentioned Pokemon, is similar to Hypno as a check because it can sponge hits and Rest off damage and paralysis. Both Psychic and Seismic Toss are only 4HKOs 4HKOes on Articuno, meaning that it should be able to survive most encounters. Articuno can also use Agility to shrug off the Paralysis paralysis speed drop and become akin to a Hustle sweeper in later gens, with a 75% chance to move. What makes Articuno an especially good check, however, is that it can threaten Kadabra with a 2HKO. It can do this over 80% of the time with two Blizzards, or be guaranteed with Blizzard into Hyper Beam. Add in the threat of freeze status with Blizzard or Ice Beam and Articuno is a check that can send give Kadabra running. a run for its money.

 

[phoopes]

GP amcheck.

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One of the first things that new RBY players learn is that the generation is dominated by Psychic-types. This holds true not only for OU, but in for lower tiers as well. And even though Kadabra isn't fully evolved, it is one of the premiere premier choices in RBY UU due to its base 105 Speed and base 120 Special. This gives it a high volatility factor, with a 20.5% critical hit rate (RC) in addition to combined with the 30% chance of a Special drop from an already powerful Psychic. Think of it as a miniature version of Alakazam in OU: it outspeeds many other Pokemon in the tier and can either hit them hard or cripple them with paralysis. This includes the ever-present Tentacruel, which is outsped and takes massive damage from the strongest Psychic in the tier or loses a lot of its effectiveness when if paralyzed. This makes Kadabra an effective anti-lead choice, as lead Tentacruel is perhaps the most common option as a lead in UU. Due to Kadabra's high Special stat, it can also switch in and tank Special attacks surprisingly well.

However, Kadabra is held back by a few factors that keep it out of the conversation of being the best Pokemon in the tier. Kadabra is walled hard by Hypno, arguably the second-best Pokemon in RBY UU behind Tentacruel. It's almost a given that when your Kadabra is in, your opponent's Hypno will be not be far behind, as Kadabra can only really chip it with Seismic Toss or fish for a Special drop with Psychic. In addition, Kadabra is pitifully frail on the physical side, with only 40 base HP and 30 base Defense. It has to watch out for Persian especially, which outspeeds and can hit it hard with STAB Slash. Many other physical attackers like Kangaskahn Kangaskhan or Dodrio will can 2HKO or even OHKO Kadabra, meaning that you need to tread carefully, especially if Kadabra is paralyzed. That said, its positives as a strong and fast Psychic type far outweigh its negatives, and it can find a place on most RBY UU teams.

[SET]
name: Standard
move 1: Psychic
move 2: Thunder Wave
move 3: Seismic Toss
move 4: Recover

[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========

This is the bread-and-butter set that you’ll see virtually every Kadabra run, and for good reason. As mentioned before, Kadabra has the strongest Psychic in the tier and will hit pretty much everything (RC) with the exception of except Hypno and opposing Kadabra (RC) for consistent damage. Thunder Wave is used to paralyze opponents, most notably dangerous Wrap users like Tentacruel and Dragonite. After paralysis, Warp Wrap only connects about 66% of the time, which severely hampers their the Wrap user's effectiveness. Seismic Toss is your go-to damage option for against Hypno and opposing Kadabra, and Recover helps increase Kadabra's longevity with survivability, especially over the course of long games where you may need to PP stall against opposing Psychic-types. This also keeps it relevant against Hypno that may opt for Hypnosis over Seismic Toss.

Using Kadabra is an exercise in how well you can spread damage with Psychic and paralysis with Thunder Wave, while avoiding physical attacks and paralysis yourself. This can mean having to predict your opponent’s switches, which is not always an easy task. This is why Kadabra appreciates Wrap users like Tentacruel or Dragonite on its side so it can get a free switch-in. Once switched in, Kadabra's job is made a little easier by the fact that sometimes, just by using Psychic, you can get good luck with Kadabra’s naturally high 20.5% critical hit rate and a 30% chance to drop their Special. That said, it’s important to acknowledge that while Kadabra’s Psychic is strong and backed by its volatility, it is still a very frail Pokemon that should be wary of strong physical attackers. Clever switching or a Thunder Wave at the right time may be what is needed to turn the tide of battle in your favor. It’s just important to keep in mind that your opponent could have Dugtrio lurking to absorb paralysis, and then your Kadabra could be in trouble. This is because Dugtrio outspeeds Kadabra and KO's KOes it with Earthquake if it is at about 70% health.

Kadabra is certainly not dead weight when it’s paralyzed: a paralyzed Kadabra can be an effective sleep absorber against an opponent’s Hypno. However, it does become harder to use and much easier to revenge kill. Thus, pairing it with a Ground-type like Dugtrio or Golem that can absorb opposing Thunder Waves is a good choice. Just be sure that your Ground-type has enough health to deal with the Thunder Wave user it is switching into. In addition, Flying-types such as Dragonite, Articuno, or Dodrio can help deal with the aforementioned Dugtrio problem by switching in for free on an Earthquake. Haunter is also a good partner for Kadabra given the The prevalence of strong Normal-type moves in RBY. can also make Haunter a good partner for Kadabra, as it Haunter is immune to these moves that can KO Kadabra easily, as well as Wrap. Bulky Water-types such as Omastar and Vaporeon can also check these strong physical attackers. Kadabra also partners well with as well as the duo of Haunter + and Omastar being which is the strongest anti-Wrap core in RBY UU. This is a godsend for a Pokemon like Kadabra, as it's harder to wake up against Wrap users when taking 6-7% from Tentacruel and 9.1-10.9% from Dragonite on each hit. (Restrcutured this part a bit)

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============

If you're replacing any move, Seismic Toss is the one to replace. Counter can surprise physical attackers and net some cheap KOs, especially in the niche scenario where you use an Explosion with Haunter or Golem, then bring Kadabra in and Counter your own Explosion. Counter can also cause force Hypno to use have to Rest sooner if it is spamming Seismic Toss. but However, your own Seismic Toss is generally a better and more consistent damage-dealer, especially to opposing Psychic-types. Reflect can be used over Seismic Toss to increase survivability, but even with this Defense boost, Kadabra is still pretty frail: it takes over 50% on Hyper Beams from some of the stronger physical attackers in the tier, such as Kangaskhan and Dodrio. Again, Seismic Toss is almost always the better choice here.

Checks and Counters
===================

**Hypno**: Hypno is easily the best check to Kadabra, as it’s on the vast majority of RBY UU teams anyway and stonewalls everything that Kadabra tries to do. If you bring in Kadabra to attempt a revenge kill, you can be sure that your opponent will bring in Hypno to negate your plans with ease. Hypno can easily tank Psychics Psychic and is only 4HKOed by Seismic Toss, meaning that it can Rest off any damage Kadabra deals, as well as rid itself of the paralysis status that you may have inflicted on it with Thunder Wave. Therefore, outside of getting lucky with Special drops from Psychic or full paralysis on Hypno, you probably won’t be KOing it Hypno with Kadabra, and will most likely need to Recover and switch out. Worse still, Hypno can paralyze Kadabra with Thunder Wave, hampering its usefulness for the rest of the game, or even put it to sleep with Hypnosis: normally a death sentence in any RBY tier.

**Kadabra**: Kadabra also does a decent job at checking itself. If your Kadabra is already paralyzed, it can be a good switch-in to absorb a Thunder Wave from an opposing Kadabra. From there, you can threaten with your own Thunder Wave. Most Kadabra vs. Kadabra matchups start with them paralyzing each other, then become a battle of Seismic Toss and Recover until one player switches out or faints.

**Dugtrio**: Dugtrio gets a special mention as a check because it can switch in on a Thunder Wave for free and threaten a KO on Kadabra if it is at 70% health or below. Dugtrio is one of the few Pokemon that can outspeed Kadabra and 2HKO it; unless Kadabra scores a critical hit with Psychic, Dugtrio wins the head-to-head matchup from full health. Furthermore, due to Kadabra’s status as the best Tentacruel check in the entire tier, it often comes in on Wrap to wait out the attack and then scare out Tentacruel once it ends, but since Wrap immobilizes Kadabra and does chip (RC) damage, it allows the Tentacruel to whittle Kadabra down just enough so that it can switch into Dugtrio can switch in while the Kadabra is unable to attack and is in the range of Earthquake.

**Strong physical attackers**: Due to Kadabra’s low HP and Defense, many strong physical attackers threaten it. To start, Persian outspeeds Kadabra and easily 2HKOs 2HKOes with Slash, meaning much like Dugtrio it wins the one-on-one from full health unless Psychic is lands a critical hit. Dodrio and Kangaskhan are both outsped by Kadabra and don’t like being paralyzed, but they have a guaranteed OHKO on Kadabra with Hyper Beam, making them scary to face. Raticate also can OHKO Kadabra 74.4% of the time with Hyper Beam, putting it in a similar category to the aforementioned Normal-types. Other physical attackers that can OHKO it with Hyper Beam include Dragonite and Gyarados. Though these are much lower chances to OHKO, they are still scary in their own right with Body Slam. Finally, Aerodactyl has proven its worth in RBY UU, and can outspeed and KO Kadabra from 74.9-88.3% health with Hyper Beam.

**Articuno**: Articuno, though not as common of a selection as some previously mentioned Pokemon, is similar to Hypno as a check because it can sponge hits and Rest off damage and paralysis. Both Psychic and Seismic Toss are only 4HKOs 4HKOes on Articuno, meaning that it should be able to survive most encounters. Articuno can also use Agility to shrug off the Paralysis paralysis speed drop and become akin to a Hustle sweeper in later gens, with a 75% chance to move. What makes Articuno an especially good check, however, is that it can threaten Kadabra with a 2HKO. It can do this over 80% of the time with two Blizzards, or be guaranteed with Blizzard into Hyper Beam. Add in the threat of freeze status with Blizzard or Ice Beam and Articuno is a check that can send give Kadabra running. a run for its money.

Implemented, thanks for the amcheck!

 

[Adeleine]

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[OVERVIEW]

One of the first things that new RBY players learn is that the generation is dominated by Psychic-types. This holds true not only for OU, but for lower tiers as well. And even though Kadabra isn't fully evolved, it is one of the premier choices in RBY UU due to its base 105 Speed and base 120 Special. This gives These stats give it a high volatility factor, with a 20.5% critical hit rate combined with the 30% chance of a Special drop from an already powerful Psychic. Think of it as a miniature version of Alakazam in OU; (colon -> semicolon) it outspeeds many other Pokemon in the tier and can either hit them hard or cripple them with paralysis. This includes the ever-present Tentacruel, which is outsped and takes massive damage from the strongest Psychic in the tier or loses a lot of its effectiveness if paralyzed. This makes Kadabra an effective anti-lead choice, as Tentacruel is perhaps the most common lead in UU. Due to Kadabra's high Special stat, it can also switch in and tank special attacks surprisingly well.

However, Kadabra is held back by a few factors that keep it out of not quite in the conversation of for being the best Pokemon in the tier. Kadabra It is walled hard by Hypno, arguably the second-best Pokemon in RBY UU behind Tentacruel. It's almost a given that, (AC) when your Kadabra is in, your opponent's Hypno will not be far behind, as Kadabra can only really chip it with Seismic Toss or fish for a Special drop with Psychic. In addition, Kadabra is pitifully frail on the physical side, with only 40 base HP and 30 base Defense. It has to watch out for Persian especially, which outspeeds and can hits it hard with STAB Slash. Many other physical attackers like Kangaskhan or and Dodrio can 2HKO or even OHKO Kadabra, meaning that you need to tread carefully, especially if Kadabra is paralyzed. That said, its positives as a strong and fast Psychic type far outweigh its negatives, and it can find a place on most RBY UU teams.

[SET]
name: Standard
move 1: Psychic
move 2: Thunder Wave
move 3: Seismic Toss
move 4: Recover

[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========

This is the bread-and-butter set that you’ll see virtually every Kadabra run, and for good reason. As mentioned before, Kadabra has the strongest Psychic in the tier and will hit pretty much everything except Hypno and opposing Kadabra for consistent damage. Thunder Wave is used to paralyze opponents, most notably dangerous Wrap users like Tentacruel and Dragonite. After paralysis, Wrap only connects about 66% of the time, which severely hampers the Wrap user's effectiveness. Seismic Toss is your go-to damage option against Hypno and opposing Kadabra, and Recover helps increases Kadabra's longevity, (AC) especially over the course of long games where you may need to PP stall against opposing Psychic-types. This also keeps it relevant against Hypno that may opt for Hypnosis over Seismic Toss. (I'm not sure what you mean by "keeps it relevant". Would Kadabra be rendered irrelevant on a team against Hypnosis Hypno? Irrelevant in the matchup? Does it make the Kadabra Hypno matchup go from terrible to relevantly-not-terrible if Hypno has Hypnosis?)

Using Kadabra is an exercise in how well you can spread damage with Psychic and paralysis with Thunder Wave (RC) while avoiding it taking physical attacks and paralysis yourself itself. This can mean having to predict your opponent’s switches, which is not always an easy task. This is why Kadabra appreciates Wrap users like Tentacruel or and Dragonite on its side so it can to get a free switch-in. Once switched in, Kadabra's job is made a little easier by the fact that sometimes because, just by using Psychic, you it can get good luck with Kadabra’s its naturally high 20.5% critical hit rate and a 30% chance to drop their the other Pokemon's Special. That said, it’s important to acknowledge that while Kadabra’s Psychic is strong and backed by its volatility, it is still a very frail Pokemon that should be wary of strong physical attackers. relying on that volatility can put Kadabra in a bad spot against Pokemon that can exploit its physical frailty. (this is generally what I interpreted, make sure it still makes sense) Clever switching or a Thunder Wave at the right time to catch and paralyze such an attacker may be what is needed to turn the tide of battle in your favor. It’s just important to Just keep in mind that your opponent could have Dugtrio lurking to absorb paralysis, and then your Kadabra could be in trouble, (period -> comma) This is because as Dugtrio outspeeds Kadabra and KOes it with Earthquake if it is at about 70% health.

Kadabra is certainly not dead weight when it’s paralyzed: a paralyzed Kadabra can paralysis actually allows it to be an effective sleep absorber against an opponent’s Hypno. However, it does become harder to use and much easier to revenge kill. Thus, pairing it with a Ground-type like Dugtrio or Golem that can absorb opposing Thunder Waves is a good choice. Just be sure that your Ground-type has enough health to deal with the Thunder Wave user it is switching into. In addition, Flying-types such as Dragonite, Articuno, or and Dodrio can help deal with the aforementioned Dugtrio problem by switching in for free on an Earthquake. Haunter is also a good partner for Kadabra given the prevalence of strong Normal-type moves in RBY. Haunter is immune to these moves that can KO Kadabra easily, as well as Wrap. Bulky Water-types such as Omastar and Vaporeon can also check these strong physical attackers. Kadabra also partners well with the duo of Haunter and Omastar which is notably form the strongest anti-Wrap core in RBY UU; (period -> semicolon) this is a godsend for a physically frail Pokemon like Kadabra, as it's harder to wake up (wake up? do you mean like, from any given mon putting it to sleep? you do say sleep is a death sentence anyway in C/C. or do you mean, like, escaping wrap?) against Wrap users when it's taking 6-7% from Tentacruel and 9.1-10.9% from Dragonite on each hit.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============

If you're replacing any move, Seismic Toss is the one to replace. Counter can surprise physical attackers and net some cheap surprise KOs, especially in the niche scenario where you use an Explosion with Haunter or Golem (RC) and then bring Kadabra in and Counter your own Explosion. Counter can also force Hypno to have to use Rest sooner if it is spamming Seismic Toss. However, your own Seismic Toss is generally a better and more consistent damage dealer, (removed hyphen) especially to opposing Psychic-types. Reflect can be used over Seismic Toss to increase survivability, but even with this Defense boost, Kadabra is still pretty frail; (colon -> semicolon) it still takes over 50% on Hyper Beams from some of the stronger physical attackers in the tier, such as Kangaskhan and Dodrio. Again, Seismic Toss is almost always the better choice here.

Checks and Counters
===================

**Hypno**: Hypno is easily the best check to Kadabra, as it’s on the vast majority of RBY UU teams anyway and stonewalls everything that Kadabra tries to do. If you bring in Kadabra to attempt a revenge kill, you can be sure that your opponent will bring in Hypno to negate your plans with ease. Hypno can easily tank Psychic and is only 4HKOed by Seismic Toss, meaning that it can Rest recover off any damage Kadabra deals (RC) as well as rid itself of the paralysis that you may have inflicted on it with Thunder Wave and rid itself of Thunder Wave paralysis with Rest. Therefore, outside of getting lucky with Special drops from Psychic or full paralysis, you probably won’t be KOing Hypno with Kadabra, and Kadabra will most likely need to use Recover and switch out. Worse still, Hypno can paralyze Kadabra with Thunder Wave, hampering its usefulness for the rest of the game, or even put it to sleep with Hypnosis: normally a death sentence in any RBY tier.

**Opposing Kadabra**: Kadabra also does a decent job at checking itself. If your the opponent's Kadabra is already paralyzed, it can be a good switch-in switch in to absorb a Thunder Wave from an opposing your Kadabra. From there, you it can threaten with your its own Thunder Wave. Most Kadabra vs. versus Kadabra matchups start with them paralyzing each other, and then become a battle of Seismic Toss and Recover until one player switches out or faints.

**Dugtrio**: Dugtrio gets a special mention as a check because it can switch in on a Thunder Wave for free and threaten a KO on Kadabra if it is at 70% health or below. Dugtrio is one of the few Pokemon that can outspeed Kadabra and 2HKO it; unless Kadabra scores a critical hit with Psychic, Dugtrio wins the head-to-head matchup from full health. Furthermore, due to Kadabra’s status as since Kadabra is the best Tentacruel check in the entire tier, it often comes in on Wrap to wait out the attack and then scare out Tentacruel once it ends, but since Wrap immobilizes Kadabra and does chip damage, it allows the Tentacruel to can whittle Kadabra down just enough so that Dugtrio can switch in while the Kadabra is unable to attack and is in the range of Earthquake.

**Strong Physical Attackers**: Due to Kadabra’s low HP and Defense, many strong physical attackers threaten it. To start, Persian outspeeds Kadabra and easily 2HKOes with Slash, meaning, (AC) much like Dugtrio, (AC) it wins the one-on-one from full health unless Psychic lands a critical hit. Dodrio and Kangaskhan are both outsped by Kadabra and don’t like being paralyzed, but they have a guaranteed OHKO on Kadabra with Hyper Beam, making them scary to face. Raticate also can OHKO Kadabra 74.4% of the time with Hyper Beam, putting it in a similar category to the aforementioned Normal-types. Other physical attackers that can OHKO it Kadabra with Hyper Beam include Dragonite and Gyarados. Though these are attackers have much lower chances to OHKO, they are still scary in their own right with Body Slam. Finally, Aerodactyl has proven its worth in RBY UU, and can outspeed and KO Kadabra from 74.9-88.3% health with Hyper Beam.

**Articuno**: Articuno, though not as common of a selection as some previously mentioned Pokemon, is similar to Hypno as a check because it can sponge hits and Rest heal off damage and paralysis with Rest. Both Psychic and Seismic Toss are only 4HKOes on Articuno, meaning that it should be able to survive most encounters. Articuno can also use Agility to shrug off the paralysis Speed drop and become akin to a Hustle sweeper in later gens generations, with a 75% chance to move. What makes Articuno an especially good check, however, is that it can threaten Kadabra with a 2HKO. It can do this 2HKO Kadabra over 80% of the time with two Blizzards, or be guaranteed always 2HKO with Blizzard into Hyper Beam. Add in the threat of freeze status with Blizzard or Ice Beam and Articuno is a check that can give Kadabra a run for its money. send Kadabra running.

[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[phoopes, 96315], [Shellnuts, 491544], [Volk, 530877], [Plague von Karma, 236353]]
- Quality checked by: [[EB0LA, 423005], [Plague von Karma, 236353]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Finland, 517429], [, ]]

GP 1/2

 

[phoopes]

Implemented. Thanks for the check, Finland!

 

[dhelmise]

Hide

[OVERVIEW]

One of the first things that new RBY players learn is that the generation is dominated by Psychic-types. This holds true not only for OU, but for lower tiers as well. And e(these first two sentences are entirely fluff) Even though Kadabra isn't fully evolved, it is one of the premier choices in RBY UU due to its base 105 Speed and base 120 Special. These stats give it a high volatility factor, with a 20.5% critical hit rate combined with the 30%3% (im fairly sure in gen 1 its an approx 33% chance) chance of a Special drop from an already powerful Psychic. Think of it as a miniature version of Alakazam in OU; i(this is a UU analysis, so comparing it to OU pokemon and the ou metagame doesnt make much sense to me and would confuse me as an outside reader) It outspeeds many other Pokemon in the tier and can either hit them hard or cripple them with paralysis. This includes the ever-present Tentacruel, which is outsped and takes massive damage from the strongest Psychic in the tier or loses a lot of its effectiveness if paralyzed. This makes Kadabra an effective anti-lead choice, as Tentacruel is perhaps the most common lead in UU. Due to Kadabra's high Special stat, it can also switch in and tank Sspecial attacks surprisingly well.

However, Kadabra is not quite in the conversation for being the best Pokemon in the tier. It is walled hard by Hypno, arguably the second-best Pokemon in RBY UU behind Tentacruel. It's almost a given that, (RC) when your Kadabra is in, your opponent's Hypno will not be far behind, as Kadabra can only really chip it with Seismic Toss or fish for a Special drop with Psychic. In addition, Kadabra is pitifully frail on the physical side, with only 40 base 40 HP and 30 base Defense. It has to watch out for Persian especially, which outspeeds it and hits it hard with STAB Slash. Many other physical attackers like Kangaskhan and Dodrio can 2HKO or even OHKO Kadabra, meaning that you need to tread carefully, especially if Kadabra is paralyzed. That said, its positives as a strong and fast Psychic type-type (AH) far outweigh its negatives, and it can find a place on most RBY UU teams.

[SET]
name: Standard
move 1: Psychic
move 2: Thunder Wave
move 3: Seismic Toss
move 4: Recover

[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========

This is the bread-and-butter set that you’ll'll (ASCII apostrophe) see virtually every Kadabra run, and for good reason. As mentioned before, Kadabra has the strongest Psychic in the tier and will hit pretty much everything except Hypno and opposing Kadabra for consistent damage. Thunder Wave is used to paralyze opponentsfoes (foe = pokemon, opp = other player), most notably dangerous Wrap users like Tentacruel and Dragonite. After paralysis, Wrap only connects about 66% of the time, which severely hampers the Wrap user's effectiveness. Seismic Toss is yourKadabra's go-to damage option against Hypno and opposing Kadabra, and Recover increases Kadabra's longevity, especially over the course of long games where you may need to PP stall opposing Psychic-types. For example, against Hypno that may opt for Hypnosis over Seismic Toss, Kadabra will have the upper hand.

Using Kadabra is an exercise in how well you can spread damage with Psychic and paralysis with Thunder Wave while avoiding it taking physical attacks and paralysis yourself. This can mean having to predict your opponent’s's (ASCII apostrophe) switches, which is not always an easy task. This is why Kadabra appreciates Wrap users like Tentacruel and Dragonite on its side to get a free switch-in. Once switched in, Kadabra's job is made a little easier because, (RC) just by using Psychic, it can get good luck with its naturally high 20.5% critical hit rate and 303% chance to drop the other Pokemon's Special. That said, relying on that volatility can put Kadabra in a bad spot against Pokemon that can exploit its physical frailty. Clever switching or a Thunder Wave to catch and paralyze such an attacker may be what is needed to turn the tide of battle in your favor. Just keep in mind that your opponent could have Dugtrio lurking to absorb paralysis, and then your Kadabra could be in trouble, as Dugtrio outspeeds Kadabra and KOes it with Earthquake if it is at about 70% health.

Kadabra is certainly not dead weight when it’s paralyzed:'s (ASCII apostrophe) paralyzed, as paralysis actually allows it to be an effective sleep absorber against an opponent’sing Hypno. However, it does become harder to use and much easier to revenge kill. Thus, pairing it with a Ground-type like Dugtrio or Golem that can absorb opposing Thunder Waves like Dugtrio or Golem is a good choice. Just be sure that your Ground-type has enough health to deal with the Thunder Wave user it is switching into. In addition, Flying-types such as Dragonite, Articuno, and Dodrio can help deal with the aforementioned Dugtrio problem by switching in for free on an Earthquake. Haunter is also a good partner for Kadabra given the prevalence of strong Normal-type moves in RBY. Haunter is immune to these moves that can KO Kadabra easily, as well as Wrap. Bulky Water-types such as Omastar and Vaporeon can also check these strong physical attackers. Haunter and Omastar notably form the strongest anti-Wrap core in RBY UU; this is a godsend for a physically frail Pokemon like Kadabra. They pair well with Kadabra because wasting sleep turns against Wrap users to wake Kadabra up is not ideal, as Kadabra takes 6-7% from Tentacruel and 9.1-10.9% from Dragonite on each hit.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============

If you're replacing any move, Seismic Toss is the one to replace. Counter can surprise physical attackers and net some surprise KOs, especially in the niche scenario where you use Explosion with Haunter or Golem and then bring Kadabra in and Counter your own Explosion. Counter can also force Hypno to have to use Rest sooner if it is spamming Seismic Toss. However, your own Seismic Toss is generally a better and more consistent damage dealer, especially to opposing Psychic-types. Reflect can be used to increase survivability, but even with this Defense boost, Kadabra is still pretty frail; it still takes over 50% on Hyper Beams from some of the stronger physical attackers in the tier, such as Kangaskhan and Dodrio. Again, Seismic Toss is almost always the better choice here.

Checks and Counters
===================

**Hypno**: Hypno is easily the best check to Kadabra, as it’s's (ASCII apostrophe) on the vast majority of RBY UU teams anyway and stonewalls everything that Kadabra tries to do. If you bring in Kadabra to attempt a revenge kill, you can be sure that your opponent will bring in Hypno to negate your plans with ease. Hypno can easily tank Psychic and is only 4HKOed by Seismic Toss, meaning that it can recover off any damage Kadabra deals and rid itself of Thunder Wave paralysis with Rest. Therefore, outside of getting lucky with Special drops from Psychic or full paralysis, you probably won’t't (ASCII apostrophe) be KOing Hypno with Kadabra, and Kadabra will most likely need to use Recover and switch out. Worse still, Hypno can paralyze Kadabra with Thunder Wave, hampering its usefulness for the rest of the game, or even put it to sleep with Hypnosis:, which is normally a death sentence in any RBY tier.

**Opposing Kadabra**: Kadabra also does a decent job at checking itself. If the opponent's Kadabra is already paralyzed, it can switch in to absorb a Thunder Wave from your Kadabra. From there, it can threaten with its own Thunder Wave. Most Kadabra versus Kadabra matchups start with them paralyzing each other, and then it becomes a battle of Seismic Toss and Recover until one switches out or faints.

**Dugtrio**: Dugtrio gets a special mention as a check because it can switch in on a Thunder Wave for free and threaten a KO on Kadabra if it is at 70% health or below. Dugtrio is one of the few Pokemon that can outspeed Kadabra and 2HKO it; unless Kadabra scores a critical hit with Psychic, Dugtrio wins the head-to-head matchup from full health. Furthermore, since Kadabra is the best Tentacruel check in the entire tier, it often comes in on Wrap to wait out the attack and then scare out Tentacruel once it ends, but since Wrap immobilizes Kadabra and does chip damage, Tentacruel can whittle Kadabra down just enough so that Dugtrio can switch in while Kadabra is unable to attack and is in the range of Earthquake.

**Strong Physical Attackers**: Due to Kadabra’s's (ASCII apostrophe) low HP and Defense, many strong physical attackers threaten it. To start, Persian outspeeds Kadabra and easily 2HKOes with Slash, meaning, much like Dugtrio, it wins the one-on-one from full health unless Psychic lands a critical hit. Dodrio and Kangaskhan are both outsped by Kadabra and don’t't (ASCII apostrophe) like being paralyzed, but they have a guaranteed OHKO on Kadabra with Hyper Beam, making them scary to face. Raticate also can OHKO Kadabra 74.4% of the time with Hyper Beam, putting it in a similar category to the aforementioned Normal-types. Other physical attackers that can OHKO Kadabra with Hyper Beam include Dragonite and Gyarados. Though these attackers have much lower chances to OHKO, they are still scary in their own right with Body Slam. Finally, Aerodactyl has proven its worth in RBY UU, (RC) and can outspeed and KO Kadabra from 74.9-88.3% health with Hyper Beam.

**Articuno**: Articuno, though not as common of a selection as some previously mentioned Pokemon, is similar to Hypno as a check because it can sponge hits and heal off damage and paralysis with Rest. Both Psychic and Seismic Toss are only 4HKOs on Articuno, meaning that it should be able to survive most encounters. Articuno can also use Agility to shrug off the paralysis Speed drop and become akin to a Hustle sweeper in later generations, (RC) with a 75% chance to move. What makes Articuno an especially good check, however, is that it can 2HKO Kadabra over 80% of the time with two Blizzards, or always 2HKO with Blizzard into Hyper Beam. Add in the threat of freeze with Blizzard or Ice Beam, (AC) and Articuno is a check that can send Kadabra running.

GP 2/2

 

[phoopes]

Implemented, thanks for the check Kris!

 

[Plague von Karma]

This has been uploaded!