Is it even an NDUU Suspect if the song isn't creatively borrowed
from a previous gen suspect at this point? (shoutouts ORAS UU)
While we had hoped to be able to move directly into the Drought Retest, we believe suspect testing Alakazam now is for the best, as its effects on teambuilding are becoming more and more evidently unhealthy.
Suspect Reasoning
Alakazam's viability has seen highs and lows since it was unbanned in the Great Unban Wave following its initial quickban when it first got Nasty Plot, though it was generally considered "alright but not great" until Weavile's departure, at which point its viability took off like a rocket, quickly taking its place among the heavy weights of the tier. And it's not hard to see why, thanks to its excellent speed tier, high special attack, extreme difficulty to chip thanks to Magic Guard, strong STAB, sufficient coverage and, of course, its newfound Nasty Plot, which propels it from an already above average breaker to an absolute nightmare to deal with. As if that wasn't enough, Magic Guard also allows it to use Life Orb completely drawback free and turns it into one of the very few viable users of Focus Sash that isn't a Hyper Offense lead, and it has just enough overall special bulk to take some average strength special attacks. Its speed and power allows a +2 Alakazam to rip an unprepared team to shreds with only a single free turn. While Nasty Plot is its scariest set, non Nasty Plot sets are definitely still good options, especially to catch an opponent expecting a Nasty Plot off guard or to lure a conventional check with additional coverage (or by surviving a hit you wouldn't against an offensive Pokemon, in Focus Sash's case).
Though the tier has by and large managed to deal with Alakazam better than most things that have been banned, it has become increasingly clear how much of an impact Alakazam has on building and how restrictive it can be and has been, mandating either a very safe defensive check (of which few viable ones exist) or both a defensive check and an offensive check, the latter meaning you need to pick not one but two Pokemon that can check Alakazam on a team. Several Pokemon run a move or even entire sets almost solely for Alakazam - Thunder Wave Slowking went from a niche but acceptable alternative to Future Sight in order to check Nihilego and other sweepers to the standard second move in order to avoid giving Alakazam free setup (admittedly helped by FuturePort not being so free and abusable anymore), and Aqua Jet Urshifu-Rapid-Strike was practically nonexistent in NDUU prior to Alakazam (though Blaziken dropping after gave it a reason aside from Alakazam), for example. It's this constricting factor on teambuilding that we believe merits this suspect more than anything else.
Perhaps no greater testament to its impact exists than the fact that Mega Beedrill, previously considered a bottom of the gutter awful mon comparable to the likes of Breloom and Donphan, was ranked almost solely for the fact it can run Pursuit, be faster than Alakazam and trap it without hitting like a wet noodle otherwise. This is mostly thanks to the fact our list of viable Pursuit users after Weavile's departure is short, and the list of viable Pursuit users that can reliably trap Alakazam is even shorter, consisting of two mediocre at best options, one of which, the aforementioned Mega Beedrill, is only viable because of Alakazam.
Due to the lack of good pursuiters that can trap Alakazam, most teams rely on a faster Pokemon to revenge kill it and a shaky defensive check to manage it. The reason I say "shaky" is because Alakazam has few to no true counters, being able to run options like Hidden Power Fire for Scizor, Z-Zap Cannon for Slowking and Celesteela, or Grass Knot for Swampert and Hippowdon, among others. Even without Grass Knot, Hippowdon can run into issues checking Alakazam, given many run just enough defense to always live Hippowdon's Earthquake from full, giving it a free Nasty Plot or letting it finish Hippowdon off if it was weakened beforehand. Even offensive checks aren't 100% consistent between Focus Sash and Substitute sets, unless you really feel like bringing Choice Scarf Urshifu-Rapid-Strike back from the dead.
Of course, Alakazam has flaws. Its physical bulk can barely be called "bulk" for how lacking it is, and, while fast, some Pokemon outspeed it naturally, namely Zeraora and Mega Manectric (even if the latter struggles to actually kill a healthy Alakazam), and most scarfers can handle it. It is also usually forced to force something out to Nasty Plot, as most of the Pokemon it could use as Nasty Plot fodder often run something to punish it, attack it to put it in range of the revenge killer, phaze it out or switch into the revenge killer with a move like Flip Turn or Teleport. While few unboosted priority Pokemon can OHKO it from full (the list consisting of Choice Band Azumarill with a roll and Offensive Scizor), the fact Alakazam will often be forced to take damage setting up means they are usually good enough. Additionally, while Focus Sash sets can mess with offensive checks, the loss in power is very noticeable, leaving it struggling to break anything without a Nasty Plot boost, though Knock Off on such sets can mitigate this a little. Thanks to its poor bulk and no useful resistances, it also has to be brought in with a double or VoltTurn pivot.
Additionally, while lacking a true counter, its options for defensive counterplay are actually surprisingly common thanks to Alakazam being unable to run everything in one set. Its defensive checks are also already pretty good on their own, namely Scizor, Assault Vest Tangrowth, SpDef Slowking, SpDef Hippowdon and Celesteela, all of which check or help to check several other Pokemon in their own right. This means its impact on teambuilding is smaller than it would otherwise be, though the small pool of checks compared to other prominent threats is still concerning.
Suspect Test Information
- Reading this is mandatory to participate in the suspect test. The voting requirements are a minimum GXE of 79 with at least 40 games played. In addition, you may play 1 less game for every 0.2 GXE you have above 79 GXE, down to a minimum of 20 games at a GXE of 83. Also, needing more than 40 games to reach 79 GXE will suffice.
GXE minimum games 79 40 79.2 39 79.4 38 79.6 37 79.8 36 80 35 80.2 34 80.4 33 80.6 32 80.8 31 81 30 81.2 29 81.4 28 81.6 27 81.8 26 82 25 82.2 24 82.4 23 82.6 22 82.8 21 83 20
- You must use a fresh account that begins with the given prefix for this suspect test. That prefix is NDUUZAM. For example, I could signup and qualify with the name NDUUZAM Niadev.
- You may not impersonate or mock another user with your account name. If there is any slight hesitation, you're probably better off picking a different name. We reserve the right to null your voting requisites if you are found impersonating or mocking another user with your account name. Moderator discretion will be applied.
- If you are found trying to manipulate voting requisites in any way, you will be met with a harsh infraction. Manipulating voting requisites ranges from faking your screenshot to asking another user to forfeit.
- The Pokemon that's being suspect tested, Alakazam, will be allowed on the National Dex UU ladder for the next two weeks so that we can properly assess its position in the metagame.
- This suspect test will go on for two weeks. It will last until March the 4th at 11:59 PM GMT.
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Specially Defensive Hippo is able to heal compared to Swampert but Zam is able to freely spam Psychic on it as well so its mostly just one way to play around it
a +2 Psychic would only end up doing around half your hp if multiscale is active, the problem is that you aren't strong enough to actually OHKO zam so its mostly roost stall and try to get an inmunnity like Scarf Krook or Zarude in for free
Threat Potential 
- Shadow Sneak doesn't kill from full unless you're running some form of Attack investment or Spell Tag.
- Bullet Punch doesn't OHKO unless it's an offensive variant, and those rarely pack the staying power needed to tank Focus Blasts or HP Fires throughout the game.
- OHKOes since it's also naturally faster than Alakazam but hardly switches in safely, if not ever.
- Acts as a check to anything but Zap Cannon and can cripple Zam with TWave or can Teleport out into a revenge killer to finish the job. Unfortunately, being Knock Off and Status weak really hampers its ability to stand up to boosted attacks late-game without being forced to sack a mon.
- SpD sets take any one hit that isn't Grass Knot but it doesn't kill from full with the Defense investment in mind and has no reliable recovery.
- Great mon and check in a pinch with AV since it can OHKO but relying on staying at High HP with Regenerator before Alakazam can get in and boost really cuts into its reliability long-term, Knock Off variants can also potentially straight-up 2HKO Tang.
- Solid Alakazam check against anything that isn't Zap Cannon with SpD sets but Knock Off and overreliance on Leech Seed recovery means that Alakazam can potentially push past it late-game.
- Scarf is arguably an unset vs fatter teams but it does pack some decent role compression which also makes Krookodile a faster Pursuitter vs Alakazam. Unfortunately, that and Chople sets (which could surprise and take out Zam on a double if it hasn't setup yet) rarely kill from full with Pursuit however (If the Zam user knows your item choice) meaning that Focus Blast has good odds at winning the matchup in this 50/50, especially once you're behind a Substitute.
- Doesn't OHKO from full without a Berserk boost, and often relies on Sleep Talk luck to repeatedly check any Alakazam that isn't running Zap Cannon after being forced to Rest. Arguably the elephant in the room out of the bunch despite being really good at the job otherwise (although the RestTalk set can be argued to be more justifiable than beyond just Alakazam since it also acts as a mon to beat Aegislash + Grasses and CM Psychics). Offensive sets work similarly in a pinch, but trade consistency in exchange for the ability to secure the OHKO while healthy.
- OHKOes with a Scarf set but can never switch in safely since any form of Life Orb Focus Blast is instantly dropping it on the switch meaning that Alakazam is free to threaten whatever beforehand.
