Alakazam Movesets & Competitive Sets

Alakazam's high Special Attack and Speed along with access to Nasty Plot make it a dangerous setup sweeper in the metagame. Shadow Ball is great for Alakazam, as it hits a lot of the metagame neutrally and makes it immune to revenge killing from Extreme Speed users. Focus Blast complements Shadow Ball well, allowing Alakazam to 2HKO Dark / Poison Clefable and hit other Dark-types like Lycanroc-D and Hippowdon, although Alakazam has to watch out for Sucker Punch from the former. While Focus Blast provides a strong yet inaccurate secondary STAB move, Dazzling Gleam has less power but lets Alakazam hit Normal / Ghost types like Blissey and more reliably hit threats like Normal / Dark Arcanine and Heracross. Nasty Plot allows Alakazam to 2HKO specially defensive checks like RegenVest Galarian Slowking and Tornadus-T with Focus Blast. Taunt prevents checks like Blissey and Clefable from healing or using status moves, which can allow Alakazam to break past them with boosted attacks. Encore is a less reliable option that locks foes into recovery or status moves, which gives Alakazam an opportunity to set up with Nasty Plot. Life Orb benefits from Magic Guard nullifying its recoil damage. Focus Sash is another option on more offensive teams, as it gives Alakazam an opportunity to revenge kill setup sweepers or use Nasty Plot. Other special setup sweepers like Latias, Galarian Slowking, and Volcarona appreciate Focus Blast Alakazam's ability to break past Unaware Clefable and certain RegenVest users like Slowking and Galarian Slowking, as this gives them opportunities to set up and sweep as well. These teammates also benefit from Alakazam's ability to absorb Toxic, which would otherwise put them on a timer. Alakazam is outsped by threats like Tornadus-T, Naganadel, and Pheromosa, so defensive teammates like Clefable, Mew, and Salamence can help check these threats while controlling entry hazards to support the team. Alakazam is prone to revenge killing from priority users like Rillaboom, Scizor, and Sucker Punch Lycanroc-D; Mew and Salamence can also help check these threats. Bulletproof Kommo-o counters Ghost / Fighting Alakazam and can check Dazzling Gleam variants with its typing, but Clefable, Mew, and Salamence can check it.

Thanks to its ability Magic Guard combined with its stellar Speed stat and a Focus Sash, Alakazam performs the role of a revenge killer for Psychic-type teams. It also has a high Special Attack stat, which lets it hit hard against Pokemon such as Hydreigon, Tyranitar, and Ferrothorn with its coverage moves. Counter in combination with Focus Sash and Magic Guard helps Alakazam beat threatening physical attackers like Sharpedo, Cinderace, and Excadrill. Expanding Force is its STAB move of choice and is boosted to crazy levels in Psychic Terrain, letting Alakazam OHKO Pokemon like Azumarill after minor chip damage. It can also 2HKO Pokemon like Scizor and Araquanid if they switch in against it. Dazzling Gleam can be used to beat Dark- and Dragon-type Pokemon like Crawdaunt and Hydreigon. Shadow Ball lets Alakazam do good damage to Pokemon weak to it like Aegislash and Alolan Raichu. Focus Blast, on the other hand, lets Alakazam threaten Ferrothorn and Tyranitar, which can stomach its other moves easily. Alakazam should not take any unnecessary damage that may result from directly switching it into opposing Pokemon, as they may leave it unable to retain its Focus Sash. Also, it should be preserved in matchups against Bug- and Dark-type teams where it is needed to take on threats like Scolipede and Sharpedo. Maximum Special Attack investment optimizes Alakazam's overall damage output. Maximum Speed investment with a Timid nature lets it outspeed comparably fast Pokemon such as Cinderace and Salazzle. Alakazam's teammates appreciate its role as a revenge killer being able to take on problematic Pokemon. Teammates like Choice Specs Indeedee-M and Nasty Plot Mew can wallbreak opposing foes, making Alakazam's job easier as a revenge killer late-game. Indeedee-M is a notable teammate, as it provides it with Ghost-type immunity and Psychic Terrain support, making the team immune to threatening priority moves like Sucker Punch and Shadow Sneak from Pokemon like Bisharp, Aegislash, and Mimikyu, allowing Alakazam to deal with such threats much better. Nasty Plot Mew, meanwhile, can take care of the Steel-type matchup by taking on Pokemon like Corviknight and Ferrothorn that may be an obstacle for Alakazam late-game. Support teammates like Orbeetle and Celebi provide Sticky Web and Stealth Rock support, enabling Alakazam to outspeed faster Pokemon like Choice Scarf Gengar and score easier KO with Expanding Force against Azumarill under Psychic Terrain. Pokemon like Slowbro can spread paralysis and bring Alakazam onto the field safely with Teleport, acting as a defensive pivot for the team. Choice Scarf users like Gardevoir and Jirachi are good teammates, as the former can deal with weather sweepers like Kingdra, Barraskewda, and Excadrill, while the latter does a good job against Fairy- and Ice-type teams, beating Pokemon like Cloyster, which can otherwise beat Alakazam with its multi-hit moves especially after Shell Smash boost. Hatterene and Alakazam form a great core against offensive types like Dark, Dragon, and Electric where Hatterene can break teams with its defensive Calm Mind set, letting Alakazam clean up late-game.

Alakazam stands as a potent setup sweeper due to its high Speed, coverage options, access to Nasty Plot, and amazing ability in Magic Guard. However, it is a very niche pick due to its extreme frailty, which leaves it helpless against Choice Scarf users, priority, and faster Pokemon once its Focus Sash is broken. Its frailty also means it cannot switch in at all without taking a large amount of damage. Psychic can overwhelm Pokemon that Psyshock cannot, such as Clefable, Landorus-T, and Garchomp; however, Psyshock can be used over it to more consistently deal with Blissey and Chansey. Focus Blast allows Alakazam to blow past Pokemon such as Ferrothorn, Heatran, Corviknight, and especially Tyranitar and Mega Tyranitar, which can otherwise wall it and Pursuit trap it. Shadow Ball hits Pokemon that resist the other two moves, most notably Tapu Lele, Aegislash, and Mega Latias. Focus Sash lets Alakazam more easily set up and revenge kill faster Pokemon or priority users, which would otherwise KO Alakazam due to its frailty, and it cannot be broken by entry hazards or weather chip damage due to Magic Guard. However, Life Orb can be used over Focus Sash to more easily overwhelm Pokemon such as Clefable, Corviknight, and Mega Scizor; however, this set is very susceptible to being revenge killed. Alakazam fits primarily on bulky offense teams, as its high Speed and great Special Attack allow it to sweep late-game for those teams. Mega Tyranitar is a great partner for Alakazam, as it can Pursuit trap Slowking, Aegislash, and Mega Latias, which can all break Alakazam's Focus Sash, leaving it unable to revenge kill Pokemon like Rillaboom. Ferrothorn's Spikes is very beneficial to Alakazam, as it can make Alakazam harder to pivot around and wear down Pokemon that it can struggle with, such as Ash-Greninja, Rillaboom, and Weavile. Tapu Lele is also a good partner for Alakazam, as its Psychic Terrain boosts Alakazam's STAB move to dangerous levels, allowing it to beat Pokemon such as Clefable and Gliscor after a Nasty Plot. Psychic Terrain also prevents Alakazam from being revenge killed by priority from the likes of Mega Mawile and Aegislash.

Psychic Surge Alakazam is a terrifying wallbreaker that overwhelms opposing teams with Expanding Force. Expanding Force defines the set, becoming an incredibly strong 120 BP move further boosted by Psychic Terrain that OHKOes many strong attackers such as Zapdos, Cinderace, Terrakion, and Garchomp; Psychic Surge also protects Alakazam from opposing priority users like Triage Tapu Bulu. Psyshock allows Alakazam to threaten Chansey and Blissey, which would otherwise wall it, while Focus Blast threatens Steel- and Dark-types like Ferrothorn and Zarude that could otherwise check it. Trick is used on Choice Specs sets to cripple switch-ins such as Assault Vest Jirachi, while Nasty Plot is used on Twisted Spoon sets to boost Alakazam's damage even further. Choice Specs is the preferred item, providing immediate power and not needing to find setup opportunities, while Twisted Spoon pairs well with Nasty Plot at the cost of not boosting Alakazam's coverage moves. Alakazam fits best on bulky offense and balance teams that appreciate its high Speed and damage output to help deal with powerful wallbreakers such as Galarian Zapdos and Cinderace. Due to Alakazam's poor bulk, slow pivots such as Blissey and Corviknight are welcome partners. Entry hazard setters such as Swampert and Ferrothorn also make good teammates, as they wear down Alakazam's checks Faster Pokemon such as Tapu Koko and Barraskewda force Alakazam out, so Pokemon such as Ferrothorn that can switch into these threats are necessary to pair with Alakazam. Specially defensive Steel-types such as RegenVest Jirachi are able to freely switch into Alakazam, so offensive partners who can force them out, such as Zarude and Cinderace, are good teammates. Opposing Dark-types like Mandibuzz and Zarude severely limit Alakazam's effectiveness, making teammates like Kommo-o that can switch into them great partners.

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Moves Psychic is preferred over Psyshock to reliably 2HKO Landorus-T and physically defensive Clefable. Focus Blast allows Mega Alakazam to hit Steel- and Dark-types like Heatran, Ferrothorn, Weavile, and Mega Tyranitar, which are not bothered by Psychic. Recover enables Mega Alakazam to reliably take on Heatran and Mega Latios. Knock Off is run in the last slot to significantly cripple switch-ins like Equilibra, Celesteela, and Chansey, which rely on their item. Shadow Ball can be run instead so as to not be complete setup fodder to Reuniclus and hit Kitsunoh on the switch-in. Calm Mind turns Mega Alakazam into a potent wallbreaker. Set Details A Timid nature is preferred to outspeed Ash-Greninja and Modest Mega Alakazam. A Modest nature can be run to increase Mega Alakazam's wallbreaking prowess but will leave Mega Alakazam outsped by Timid Mega Alakazam. Magic Guard is chosen to ignore passive damage from sources such as entry hazards prior to Mega Evolving. Additionally, if Mega Alakazam is running Calm Mind, it can choose to not Mega Evolve and set up on Chansey, as Magic Guard ignores Toxic damage. Usage Tips Mega Alakazam is a very self-sufficient wallbreaker that can even sweep late-game thanks to its high Speed and Special Attack. It's best to try switching Mega Alakazam into Pokemon like Mega Latios, Heatran, and Arghonaut, although you should scout for Corkscrew Crash and Draco Meteor from Heatran and Mega Latios before comfortably switching in. From there, it's best to try to weaken the opposition with Mega Alakazam or potentially double switch out to a teammate, as Mega Alakazam will almost always force a switch after it switches in. The opportunity can also be used to recover health with Recover. You should ensure to remove priority users like Colossoil, Mega Mawile, and Mega Medicham from the game before trying to sweep with Mega Alakazam. Additionally, be wary of common Choice Scarf users like Kartana and Greninja, though Mega Alakazam can catch them on the switch with Shadow Ball and Focus Blast, respectively. Team Options Tapu Lele can form a powerful Psychic-type core with Mega Alakazam, as its ability Psychic Surge makes Mega Alakazam menacingly hard to switch into reliably. Tapu Lele also weakens shared checks, such as Steel-types, for Mega Alakazam. Additionally, Psychic Terrain shields Mega Alakazam from priority attacks. In return, Mega Alakazam can check a bunch of faster Pokemon for Tapu Lele like Tornadus-T and Greninja. Magnezone is very good at ensuring damage on Pokemon like Celesteela, Magearna, and Ferrothorn, which Mega Alakazam tends to struggle against. Other Pokemon that can force damage on Steel-types, such as Jumbao and Focus Blast Magearna, are also valued in this regard. Heatran can trap Chansey, consistently force out Steel-types, and pressure bulky Grass-types like Tangrowth and Jumbao, which Mega Alakazam can somewhat struggle against. Pivots such as Tornadus-T, Choice Scarf Kitsunoh, and Greninja can often force the opposition to switch and bring Mega Alakazam in with U-turn. Additionally, Tornadus-T tends to draw in Steel-types and can cripple them with Knock Off, making it easier for Mega Alakazam to consistently wear them down. Due to Mega Alakazam's potential to force many switches, it fits particularly nice on Spikes stacking teams with a setter like Greninja, Ferrothorn, or Arghonaut to set Spikes. Greninja is particularly notable because it can weaken Steel-types with Low Kick if that is desired. Lastly, if Mega Alakazam isn't running Shadow Ball, Dark-types like Weavile and Colossoil are good Pokemon to pair with it because they can consistently force out Psychic-types like Reuniclus and potentially Pursuit trap Kitsunoh.

Set Information Psychic is Mega Alakazam's most powerful STAB option and can break through the majority of its targets while providing a small chance to lower the foe's Special Defense to ease breaking through it. Dazzling Gleam hits Alolan Muk for neutral damage, providing Mega Alakazam the chance to chip it down every time it is forced in. It also has the added benefit of 2HKOing Mega Gyarados after Stealth Rock damage, enabling Mega Alakazam to circumvent an otherwise nuisance to it. Shadow Ball complements Psychic well, targeting Steel- and Psychic-types such as Melmetal and Mew that resist Psychic. Calm Mind can boost Mega Alakazam's offensive presence even further, enabling it to sweep late-game once checks such as Alolan Muk and Melmetal have been significantly weakened. Recover can be useful as a means to increase Mega Alakazam's longevity; however, its poor defenses deny it many chances from doing so often. Furthermore, using Recover forces Mega Alakazam to forego one of its coverage options, meaning that it can have a much more difficult time sweeping when dealing with opposing checks. A Timid nature enables Mega Alakazam to outspeed as many threats as possible alongside letting it Speed tie with Mega Aerodactyl. A Modest nature can be used to offer Mega Alakazam the chance to score 2HKOs against the likes of Melmetal and Snorlax after Stealth Rock. However, this leaves Mega Alakazam outsped by Mega Beedrill and loses out on the Speed tie against Mega Aerodactyl and Electrode. Usage Tips Mega Alakazam should not be directly switched into attacks, as the majority of moderately strong attackers threaten to OHKO it. Therefore, it is advised to bring it in safely through slow pivoting or by foddering off another teammate. While Mega Alakazam should be spamming its STAB attack the majority of the time, Dazzling Gleam and Shadow Ball should be used to target common switch-ins such as Alolan Muk and Melmetal which Mega Alakazam often forces in and can chip down severely with repeated attacks. Calm Mind should be used versus special attackers or when Mega Alakazam can force a switch out, as its meager defenses dissuade it from stacking boosts safely. Additionally, Mega Alakazam shouldn't set up until checks such as Alolan Muk and Snorlax are in range of boosted attacks, preventing any halts in a sweep. Beware of priority users such as Sucker Punch Alolan Dugtrio, as it can threaten to KO Mega Alakazam before it can even inflict any damage itself. Team Options Team members such as Nidoqueen and Poliwrath that can help deal with checks such as Alolan Muk and Melmetal are much appreciated. Other offensive threats such as Dragonite, Melmetal, and Alolan Dugtrio can help apply pressure to Mega Alakazam's common switch-ins, while they appreciate Mega Alakazam's ability to revenge kill threatening foes such as Mega Beedrill and Starmie. Alolan Dugtrio also provides Stealth Rock support, which can get crucial chip damage on the opposing team. Pivots such as Mew and Zapdos enable Mega Alakazam to come in more frequently without needing to sacrifice another teammate in order to bring it safely. Mew can also effectively lure in and remove some of Mega Alakazam's checks such as Alolan Muk when running coverage options such as Earthquake and set up moves such as Bulk Up, increasing Mega Alakazam's sweeping potential.

Moves Counter gives Psychic teams a guaranteed check to physical sweepers such as Bisharp, Choice Scarf Heracross, and Mega Sharpedo as well as countless others. It is also the best way to effectively check any physical threat the opposing team has and can do more damage and be more reliable than Alakazam's other moves. Psychic is Alakazam's main STAB move, maximizing its standard damage output. Focus Blast provides Alakazam with an option for hitting Pokemon that either resist or are immune to Psychic, such as Ferrothorn, Heatran, and Hydreigon. Shadow Ball allows Alakazam to hit Ghost-types such as Mimikyu super effectively and makes Alakazam into a potent threat against other Psychic teams thanks to Psychic having only one viable Ghost-type check in Meloetta. Dazzling Gleam can replace Focus Blast on teams that don't need help against Steel. Instead, Dazzling Gleam can 2HKO almost every Dragon-type and makes Dark almost struggle to get around Alakazam. Hidden Power Fire could be used over Shadow Ball as a way to manage both Bug- and Steel-type threats more reliably, such as Scizor; however, Hidden Power Fire should only be used with Focus Blast, as otherwise Heatran would wall Alakazam, preventing it from applying significant pressure to Steel teams. Set Details Full investment in Alakazam's Special Attack enables it to hit opposing Pokemon as hard as possible. Maximum investment in Speed with a Hasty nature lets Alakazam make use of its great Speed tier, outpacing Pokemon such as Latios, Latias, Gengar, and Thundurus as well as base 60 Choice Scarf users such as Magnezone. 0 IVs in Defense and a Hasty nature allow Alakazam to take as much physical damage as possible in order to make Counter even more powerful. Focus Sash lets Alakazam check physical sweepers that are major threats to Psychic teams like Scolipede and Choice Scarf Heracross. It also works in tandem with Counter to provide a guaranteed check to a multitude of physical threats such as Mega Gyarados and Mega Scizor. Magic Guard prevents Alakazam from taking damage from entry hazards, status, and weather, which is key to preserving Focus Sash and ultimately preventing Alakazam from losing its role of a general check to sweepers. Usage Tips Use Alakazam sparingly, as its overall damage output is fairly limited due to its single typing and lack of an offensive ability and item. In matchups where your team faces immense offensive pressure, preserve Alakazam for checking the most pressing threats, especially physical threats such as Bisharp, Mega Scizor, and Mega Sharpedo, as Counter will most likely be able to OHKO them. If Alakazam is needed for using Counter in a match, be sure to prevent Focus Sash from being broken, or else Alakazam will be rendered useless and its ability to check sweepers and setup Pokemon will go to waste. Thanks to its Focus Sash, this Alakazam set can take on the role of a revenge killer, coming in after a teammate faints or through the use of U-turn. If there is a possibility that the opposing team could Pursuit trap Alakazam, avoid switching in Alakazam unless absolutely necessary. In the case that Alakazam does happen to be caught by a Pursuit trapper such as Alolan Muk and is at full health, simply use Counter and Alakazam will either OHKO the opposing threat or do enough damage that the opposing Pokemon will be able to be KOed by one of Alakazam's other moves. Do not directly switch Alakazam into any opposing Pokemon unless they do not carry attacking moves. Focus Sash Alakazam needs appropriate team support to get onto the field safely, such as with defensive pivot Jirachi or by punishing a switch with U-turn Victini. If worse comes to worst, preserving a weakened Pokemon with the intention of allowing a free switch for Alakazam is a viable strategy. Be careful when facing Pokemon that may run Substitute such as Mega Gyarados and Buzzwole. These threats should be attacked with Focus Blast and Psychic, respectively, in order to avoid missing out on an OHKO by using Counter on their Substitute. Due to Alakazam's many options, it can be advantageous to hide your moveset to force your opponent to play safe for fear of super effective coverage, such as in the matchup against Steel. Avoid confrontations with any specially defensive Pokemon such as Araquanid, Chansey, Gliscor, and Zapdos, as they can easily break Alakazam's Focus Sash. Team Options Victini is an amazing teammate for Alakazam, as it has astounding physical wallbreaking potential thanks to V-create and Bolt Strike and can manage teams that Alakazam often struggles with such as Bug and Steel. Choice Scarf Victini also puts immense pressure on opposing teams and can force switches that it can take advantage of with U-turn to bring Alakazam in for free. Mega Gallade is one of Psychic's best options for a Mega Evolution, especially on offensive teams, as it's able to break down a plethora of defensive cores such as Normal's and Poison's, which Alakazam and the rest of the Psychic team heavily appreciates. Celebi is a solid option to quickly take control of matchups such as Fairy and Water due to these types generally running into issues with managing offensive Grass-types. Deoxys-S is an integral part of offensive Psychic teams, as it acts as the team's suicide lead, running either Stealth Rock and dual screens or hazard stack with Spikes. Choice Scarf Latias is a pretty decent option for keeping faster foes in check thanks to having similar stats to Latios but with the great option of running Healing Wish to potentially full heal Alakazam in a pinch if it has been chipped down and its Focus Sash has yet to be broken. Mega Latias is a solid Mega option for more balanced builds, as it can set up with Calm Mind and put immense pressure on opposing teams as well as potentially sweeping. Jirachi provides incredible utility support through setting Stealth Rock, spreading status, and returning Alakazam's health back to full with Healing Wish. It also has a slow U-turn that can get Alakazam onto the field without the risk of taking damage, ultimately keeping its Focus Sash intact. Slowbro and Mega Slowbro are both great physically defensive Pokemon that are the backbone of the Psychic defensive core and can mitigate damage that Alakazam would greatly prefer not to take. Both also serve as checks to physical attackers in their own right in case Alakazam's Focus Sash has been expended to manage a threat already. Mew's dynamic roles of stallbreaker and setup sweeper can give Alakazam solid support in their own rights. Stallbreaker Mew can cripple opposing threats with Will-O-Wisp and Knock Off, which can take off some of the pressure in needing to preserve Alakazam as a check to sweepers. Meloetta serves as Psychic's only switch-in to Ghost-type Pokemon; Alakazam can safely switch to Meloetta against Ghost-types, such as Blacephalon, Jellicent, and Mimikyu, that it would otherwise struggle with. Meloetta can also serve as a special wallbreaker, alleviating some of the pressure to use Alakazam in more risky situations just for its special damage. Latios in an excellent special wallbreaker that pairs fairly well with Alakazam. Latios is able to spam Draco Meteor and has coverage for Pokemon that Alakazam may struggle with on its own such as Ferrothorn and Heatran. It can also use Defog, which would support the team in general more so than Alakazam.

Mega Alakazam's great Speed stat makes it a potent threat under Psychic Terrain, but because it shares many checks and counters with Tapu Lele, it's a rather niche choice overall. The given EV spread allows it to survive Mega Kangaskhan's Sucker Punch and OHKO it with a Parental Bond-boosted Focus Blast, OHKO Mega Salamence and Landorus-T with Hidden Power Ice while avoiding an OHKO from Choice Scarf Earthquake, survive an unboosted Shadow Claw from Mimikyu, and survive Mega Metagross's Meteor Mash most of the time. Running maximum Speed and Special Attack is also acceptable.

Moves Psychic provides Alakazam with a powerful Sheer Force-boosted STAB move that can OHKO many threats in the metagame, such as Thundurus and even a physically defensive Zapdos after prior Stealth Rock damage. Focus Blast hits Dark- and Steel-type foes that can switch into Psychic, such as Tyranitar and Ferrothorn. Shadow Ball hits Psychic- and Ghost-type foes such as Latios and Doublade, OHKOing both of them. Energy Ball is a coverage move for threats like Manaphy and Suicune, OHKOing the former and 2HKOing the latter if it doesn't have a Calm Mind boost up. Encore is an option that shuts down foes that will attempt to set up, most notably Suicune. It also forces out Poison Heal users that rely on Protect to recover their health. Set Details EVs are set to maximize Speed and Special Attack. A Timid nature lets Alakazam outspeed much of the metagame, most notably Choice Scarf Tyranitar's Pursuit. Sheer Force boosts the power of each of Alakazam's moves. Life Orb works perfectly with Sheer Force by increasing Alakazam's damage output without the recoil damage. Usage Tips Alakazam can be used efficiently as a revenge killer, unless the foe has a Choice Scarf or strong priority. You should utilize Volt Switch or U-turn to get Alakazam safely into play, as Alakazam's poor defenses prevent it from being able to switch into attacks. Entry hazards limit the foe's opportunities to switch in even more. This is especially helpful against checks like RegenVest Goodra and Manaphy if Energy Ball is foregone. You must beware of Pursuit threats such as Escavalier and Scizor, as they are not taken down by Focus Blast. You should also be cautious of priority users such as Gale Wings Braviary and Extreme Speed Entei, as they revenge kill Alakazam. Lastly, Alakazam should only be sent out knowing it will be able to KO the foe, as it is unlikely that it will survive an attack. Team Options Magnet Pull users such as Infernape and Ampharos can remove RegenVest Escavalier and Scizor from play, both of which would otherwise Pursuit trap Alakazam. These two also provide U-turn and Volt Switch support. Strong physical attackers like Lucario and Heracross are recommended to beat special walls like Chansey. Additionally, Pursuit users such as Adaptability Tyranitar can trap counters like Mew and Meloetta. Normalize Gengar with Mean Look and Skill Swap can trap and beat similar counters like Chansey and Meloetta. Sheer Force Gengar has nearly identical counters as Alakazam, making Normalize Gengar a great lure. A counter to Gale Wings and -ate Extreme Speed users is necessary; Doublade and Skarmory fill this role well. Skarmory, Ferrothorn, and Chesnaught offer entry hazard support, making it easier for Alakazam to sweep. Flash Fire Forretress is a great teammate, as it tanks most physical hits and provides Rapid Spin and Volt Switch support. Additionally, it can check many priority users and can provide hazard support of its own. A mixed Genesect set has good synergy with Alakazam, as it can lure in threats like Manaphy and Meloetta, and it can pivot into Alakazam with U-turn to either give it a good matchup or provide solid damage to a main check. Additionally, Flamethrower can take out common Alakazam counters.

Psychic is Alakazam's STAB move of choice, which hits Fighting- and Poison-types for a huge amount of damage. Psyshock is equally notable for being only slightly weaker, but it is able to nail specially defensive Pokemon Blissey and Virizion for greater damage. Shadow Ball allows Alakazam to hit other Psychic- and Ghost-types, such as Latios and Jellicent, both of whom it outspeeds and can KO after some previous damage. Focus Blast gives Alakazam excellent neutral coverage by hitting Dark- and Steel-types, such as Tyranitar and Scizor, who would otherwise wall Alakazam and easily OHKO with Crunch and Bug Bite, respectively. Hidden Power Fire can be used to gain super effective coverage on Steel- and Grass-types, such as Scizor, Escavalier, and Metagross, at the cost of super effective coverage on Tyranitar. Protect insures Alakazam for one turn, allowing its teammates to rid the field of possible threats. Substitute is equally viable thanks to Alakazam’s excellent Speed; it can often put up a Substitute before the opposing Pokemon can attack. With Substitute, Alakazam can also set up on Sucker Punch, survive a subsequent hit, and KO the Sucker Punch user. Life Orb is an excellent item for Alakazam as it does not have to worry about recoil. Focus Sash is a viable option too, as it allows Alakazam to survive a hit and retaliate. A Timid nature allows Alakazam to outspeed many common threats in the metagame, such as Choice Scarf Jellicent and Abomasnow. Magic Guard is an excellent ability as it prevents residual damage; such as weather recoil, Life Orb recoil, and status ailments. Alakazam is quite the glass cannon, so it should simply aim to hit as hard and fast as possible. Therefore, an EV spread of 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe is optimum. When running Hidden Power Fire, use an EV spread of 8 HP / 252 SpA / 248 Spe to avoid wasting EVs. If you just want to outspeed base 60 Speed Choice Scarf users, such as Abomasnow and Jellicent, an EV spread of 28 HP / 252 SpA / 228 Spe puts Alakazam ahead of them by one point. Hidden Power Fighting can be used over Focus Blast for a more reliable way to hit Dark- and Steel-types, though the drop in power is extremely noticeable. Encore and Disable are usable options as well. The former can force Fake Out users out to switch and Trick Room setters to undo their own Trick Room, while the latter gives Alakazam another way of beating Sucker Punch users. Additionally, it allows Alakazam to Disable spread moves used the turn before. Thanks to Magic Guard, Alakazam finds itself on most teams as a fast, strong late-game cleaner. Especially notable is the fact that it takes no recoil from hail or sand, making it an excellent choice for a weather team. Follow Me and Rage Powder users give Alakazam tons of support by letting it attack without worrying about being KOed by threats such as Tyranitar and Scizor. Most notably, they remove the threat of priority moves KOing Alakazam before it can move. Pokemon with access to Quick Guard, such as Terrakion and Virizion, make good partners by being able to block priority moves and provide Fighting-type coverage if Alakazam lacks Focus Blast or Hidden Power Fighting. Wide Guard users can block strong spread moves such as Rock Slide and Earthquake, and are appreciated as well. A great user of Wide Guard and Quick Guard is Hitmontop, who can not only provide Wide Guard protection, but also support from Fake Out, Intimidate, and strong priority moves such as Mach Punch and Sucker Punch. Priority attackers of your own pair well with Alakazam to finish off Pokemon that it barely misses KOs on, such as Latios and Jellicent. Helping Hand users also enable Alakazam to OHKO Latios and Choice Scarf Jellicent with Shadow Ball. Tailwind support can allow Alakazam to outspeed almost everything, including all common Choice Scarf users.

This is a sample set. We aren't working on BW Monotype analyses at the moment, but check out BW Monotype resources for more information about the metagame.

The most viable set in Dream World for Alakazam is its special attacker set. Like every Alakazam set, Psychic is the primary move, as it gets STAB; however, one can always opt for Psyshock in order to hit specially defensive threats such as Blissey and Chansey harder. Focus Blast and Shadow Ball serve as great coverage moves—together, they have perfect coverage, and they allow Alakazam to hit many threats such as Latios and Tyranitar hard. Just like any other offensive Pokemon with Substitute, the point of this set is to shield the user from crippling status and revenge killing attempts, should it carry Substitute. Therefore, because Alakazam forces so many switches, it makes a great user of Substitute. However, one can opt for a fourth move instead of Substitute, as Alakazam is not hindered by any status other than sleep or paralysis. Hidden Power Ice works well because it allows Alakazam to hit Dragon-types, notably Dragonite and Garchomp, for super effective damage. As far as EVs are concerned, one should always run maximum Speed and Special Attack. Alakazam's main draw is its ability to outspeed a majority of the threats in the metagame without a Choice Scarf due to its high base Speed, so a Timid nature is mandatory. While Alakazam is able to use 4 EVs in HP because it does not take entry hazards damage, it can only set up Substitute three times instead of four with the extra HP investment. The item of choice depends on preference; many people choose to run Focus Sash for its added utility in giving Alakazam a guaranteed turn to switch in and avoid a potential OHKO, though Life Orb adds extra power to all of Alakazam's attacks and allows it to plow through teams without recoil, via Magic Guard. One should not choose Focus Sash on a set with Substitute, as it defeats the purpose of even using the move Substitute. Alakazam is suited for offensive teams that benefit from its high Speed and great Special Attack. Unlike most offensive Pokemon, Alakazam does not need any Rapid Spin support because of Magic Guard—this can be a godsend for teams that cannot fit in a Rapid Spin user. Alakazam works well in any weather because it doesn't take damage from sand or hail, and rain and sun doesn't affect its performance. One should always pack a means of defeating Blissey or Chansey if Alakazam does not run Psyshock or a Life Orb, as both of these are necessary if one wants to take down the pink blobs. Terrakion works well for this purpose, as it tears down these two, and its uses do not stop there. Air Balloon Terrakion works incredibly for KOing the likes of Excadrill that threaten to KO Alakazam. Typically, one should carry a sponge for Genesect, as after Alakazam KOes a Pokemon, Genesect tends to smack its metaphorical lips at the prospect of gaining a free U-turn. For this reason, Heatran is always appreciated, as Genesect cannot touch it.

This set utilizes Calm Mind to boost Alakazam's already-high Special Attack stat to further heights. The best way to pull off a successful sweep with this, because of the lack of Encore, is to reveal it later in the match once your opponent's team has been mostly revealed. This way, Alakazam can avoid being easily trapped by the likes of Spiritomb or walled by Chansey. Psychic is a given on this set since it provides STAB, while Focus Blast lets Alakazam deal heavy damage to the most prominent special walls in the tier: Chansey and Registeel. With a single Calm Mind boost, Focus Blast deals 83% - 97.8% to Registeel, while Chansey takes 56.8% - 67.1%. The final slot boils down to which Pokemon you need Alakazam to hit. Shadow Ball strikes Mismagius and Spiritomb for heavy damage, while Signal Beam can reliably finish off weakened Dark-types without worrying about Focus Blast's 70% accuracy. Additionally, Signal Beam and Shadow Ball allow Alakazam to hit bulky Psychic-types like Uxie and Slowking for super effective damage. Grass Knot can be used in the final slot if inflicting significant damage to Milotic is priority. Substitute is an option to protect Alakazam from priority moves and Pursuit. It can also guard Alakazam from status and critical hits that bypass Calm Mind. However, if you opt for Substitute, Alakazam will have less coverage. The EV spread is as it is because Alakazam's frailty discourages any defensive investment and it really needs the Speed and Special Attack. Spikes support is valuable to make this set deadlier. With two layers of Spikes down, Alakazam can OHKO Registeel and 2HKO Chansey with +1 Focus Blast. Offensively, Cloyster fits the bill as a Spikes supporter thanks to its ability to threaten opposing Pokemon with Explosion and check Swellow with Ice Shard. Spiritomb presents an immediate problem to this set since it has the ability to lock down Alakazam with Pursuit, Shadow Sneak, or Sucker Punch. It is highly recommended that you remove Spiritomb from the match before attempting a sweep; as such, Blaziken or Houndoom make great partners since they can easily switch into Dark- and Ghost-type attacks. Additionally, Houndoom and Blaziken are both immune to Will-O-Wisp, which make checking Spiritomb that much easier if pivoting from a physical attacker.

Alakazam holds the title for the highest Special Attack in the UU tier, so it's a no-brainer that it can utilize a Choice Specs set. However, wielding a Choice Specs set is a mixed blessing in the UU tier. Alakazam will seriously dent a number of things with a stat of 607 or 553, depending on the nature of choice, but its type coverage allows a number of Pokemon to switch in through immunity. The worst possible scenario would be getting trapped by Spiritomb since it is immune to a good portion of this set. All in all, this set attempts to play riskily while dishing out a good amount of damage. This set holds the best possible coverage Alakazam can have. Psychic will hit anything who doesn't resist it incredibly hard -- a possible OHKO for the most part. Signal Beam and Focus Blast round off the coverage nicely. Signal Beam is your only hope against Spiritomb if you predict right. Grass Knot is another alternative if you chose Shadow Ball in the final slot, as it allows Alakazam to hit Milotic for heavy damage. Focus Blast is your main weapon against Steel-types and Chansey. The final slot comes down to three choices, and they each have their own share of usefulness. Trick is an excellent move for restricting Chansey from doing much, while Shadow Ball allows you to OHKO Mismagius. It also allows Alakazam to hit Spiritomb harder than Signal Beam would. Grass Knot is also another option to provide optimal coverage for Alakazam by allowing it to hit nearly every check it has. Getting rid of Spiritomb beforehand is a good idea before sending out Alakazam. Spiritomb absolutely walls the set with no worry, and it can counteract with Pursuit to remove Alakazam from the entire match. Your best bet is to lure in Spiritomb to ensure it is present on the opponent's team. Swords Dance Absol can come in handy since it usually lures out Spiritomb, and it will faint from a boosted Megahorn. You can work a two-punch combo with Hitmonlee and Houndoom. Hitmonlee can lure out Spiritomb, while Houndoom absorbs Will-O-Wisp directed at Hitmonlee. Houndoom can use a free turn to set up Nasty Plot and sweep on its own. Sometimes Houndoom will lure in Chansey and possibly OHKO it with Fire Blast. With Chansey removed from the match, Alakazam doesn't have to worry about using the inaccurate Focus Blast. Last but not least, if you opt to use Focus Blast, be sure to remove Spiritomb beforehand so Alakazam has an easier time. For the most part you would want to save Alakazam for the late game once everything is revealed and dented. You can chip away the opponent's HP by using Stealth Rock and Spikes, providing Alakazam a string of OHKOs in the end of the match. As previously mentioned, Omastar does the job well with its ability to set up Stealth Rock and Spikes for Alakazam. Although it's not a requirement, a spinblocker would be helpful for the entire team (including Alakazam) to keep entry hazards present on the field.

Despite Alakazam's paper thin defenses, you have to consider its blistering Speed stat and ability to create an opening for setting up dual screens. Furthermore, Inner Focus allows Alakazam to bypass the flinch from Ambipom's Fake Out and set up both Reflect and Light Screen. Taking all of this into account, Alakazam can open up opportunities for your entire team, and it can make Baton Passing sufficiently easier. Encore is the crux of the set because it prevents the opponent from attacking you if it sets up, and Alakazam can take advantage of the free turn to set up dual screens. For the final slot, it ultimately comes down to what you decide to do. Taunt restricts the opponent's Ambipom from utilizing Taunt on you; however, the chances of Ambipom using Taunt are very slim since many of Ambipom leads expect Alakazam to attack. Generally, Taunt shuts down the opponent from setting up anything. If you feel the need to space in an attack move, Psychic could go over Taunt. If you decide to place Psychic in the final slot, Taunt could be used in the third slot. The EVs are allocated to outpace Ambipom -- the third fastest lead it will face behind Alakazam and the rare Electrode. 252 HP EVs maximize its ability to take hits. The surplus is dumped to Defense EVs in order to take a Fake Out from Ambipom and survive the following U-turn after setting up Reflect. The number of partners for this particular set is endless since anyone appreciates dual screen support. However, there are certain Pokemon who need dual screens as a staple. Ursaring absolutely needs dual screens to set up Swords Dance and deal huge amount of damage while cushioning the blows. Other candidates include Absol, Houndoom, and Blaziken. These three are quite frail, and they can use a free turn to set up their respective stat-up moves. Rhyperior gets a special mention since Solid Rock and dual screens mesh well together, only making it extra-difficult to take down.

Alakazam can fill a nice role in the lead slot thanks to Taunt and its ability Inner Focus, which prevents Fake Out leads from flinching it. In general, this set fares well against a number of popular leads in the UU tier, aiming to dish as much damage as possible with excellent coverage all-around while preventing an easy set up for the opponent. Taunt makes a fantastic opening move on leads such as Omastar and Cloyster since both of them enjoy deploying entry hazards early in the match; it also prevents Uxie from setting up Stealth Rock and paralyzing you with Thunder Wave. Psychic is Alakazam's obligatory STAB move, and it 2HKOes almost any lead that does not outright resist it. Focus Blast will OHKO a number of leads including Omastar, Cloyster, Ambipom, and Snover, but if its accuracy makes you nervous, Counter is also another alternative to look for in order to OHKO Ambipom after it uses Fake Out. Signal Beam is essential on this set in order to hit Uxie for super effective damage. The choice between Modest and Timid nature is ultimately a choice between power and speed. A Modest nature provides Alakazam with a way to deal more damage to Uxie and Spiritomb, while a Timid nature ensures Alakazam is not outpaced by Dugtrio, Sceptile, and opposing Alakazam in later stages of the match. Flying- and Fire-types are excellent partners with Alakazam since it normally shuts down Stealth Rock users in the start of the match. Moltres, Swellow, Arcanine, and Magmortar enjoy coming in later when Stealth Rock is not present. Alakazam not only shuts down the opponent's Stealth Rock user, but it can also severely damage many common leads. Kangaskhan makes an exceptional offensive partner alongside Alakazam since Focus Blast destroys Omastar, one of its few checks in UU. Spiritomb is a match made in hell for Alakazam since it can't deal any significant damage to Spiritomb without some form of boost. Blaziken and Houndoom make excellent teammates, as they are immune to Will-O-Wisp and can check Spiritomb well. A number of Fighting-types including Hitmonlee, Hariyama, and Hitmontop appreciate it when Uxie is dented early in the match.

Even with Alakazam's monstrous Special Attack stat, he struggles to muscle through dedicated special walls such as Chansey and Milotic. Calm Mind remedies this by giving him the power he needs to defeat said walls, while Encore gives the frail Alakazam opportunities to set up. After a boost, Alakazam will reach a Special Attack stat of 553 or 607, depending on the nature of choice. This, coupled with his high Speed, allows him to sweep unhindered. This set has the potential to hit just as hard as the Specs set, while allowing you the freedom to switch moves at the cost of coverage. Psychic will dent any Pokemon not resistant or immune to it, while the coverage move helps Alakazam deal with Pokemon who have no trouble with his STAB. Signal Beam is an accurate move that helps deal with Psychic- and Dark-types, while the less reliable Focus Blast allows Alakazam to defeat Registeel, Steelix, and Chansey. If you wish to hit Spiritomb and Milotic as hard as possible, Grass Knot can also be used, but it isn't particularly useful outside of that. Depending on the coverage move of choice, Alakazam will have trouble with certain Pokemon. Without Focus Blast, Alakazam struggles to harm Registeel, Chansey, and Steelix as they switch in to foil his sweep. If Focus Blast is chosen, Alakazam will be completely useless against Spiritomb and will lose the accuracy of Signal Beam to reliably take out Dark-type threats. Alakazam will also be walled by Psychic-types like Uxie and Mesprit, making Signal Beam superior in terms of reliability and coverage. Max Speed with a Timid nature is recommended as Alakazam's frailty means he needs to attack as fast as possible before being attacked himself, but the additional power of Modest cannot be ignored. With a Modest nature, Alakazam only needs Stealth Rock to ensure the 2HKO with a +1 Focus Blast on Chansey. Leftovers is the preferred item to heal entry hazard damage and aid setting up, while Life Orb gives Alakazam a further power boost. With Life Orb, Timid Alakazam has a very slight chance to OHKO standard Registeel (using Focus Blast) with Stealth Rock after a Calm Mind, and has a guaranteed OHKO with Stealth Rock and one layer of Spikes. The ability choice is up to preference, as bouncing back status with Synchronize is useful, as is Inner Focus for eliminating Ambipom and Technitop as they attempt to flinch you with Fake Out. Alakazam's frailty doesn't allow him many opportunities to set up, and this is where Encore comes in. Encoring setup moves such as Stealth Rock or recovery moves from walls gives him the time he needs to set up without fear of retaliation. With proper prediction, Alakazam can switch in on set-up sweepers such as Toxicroak or Leafeon and foil their attempts at a sweep, while beginning his own. Substitute users are also susceptible to Encore, including SubSeeders and SubPunchers. Encore also allows Alakazam to defeat revenge killers who rely on Sucker Punch to stop him, such as Houndoom, Toxicroak, and Absol. Encoring Sucker Punch allows Alakazam to continue Calm Minding while the opponent remains helpless, and after Sucker Punch's PP wears out, Alakazam can KO the Pokemon with the appropriate move. Alakazam is best played from mid to late game when the majority of your opponent's team is revealed and you've scouted potential threats. Even if the opportunity to sweep hasn't presented itself, Alakazam can fire off a few attacks and Encore key moves to support his team until he can finally attempt a sweep. Although Alakazam hits hard on his own, he still appreciates support from his team. Entry hazards are especially useful, as they allow Alakazam to get KOs he otherwise wouldn't on Pokemon such as Chansey and specially defensive Milotic. Omastar makes a good partner, as he has access to all forms of entry hazards and makes an effective lead. Blaziken and Houndoom make ideal partners for their ability to get rid of Spiritomb and any other threats who may pester Alakazam with the loss of one of his coverage moves. Venusaur can lure Registeel, put it to sleep, and begin setting up Swords Dance. Venusaur can also KO Milotic before she can become a hindrance to Alakazam. Pokemon who can take priority attacks aimed at Alakazam are also recommended. Slowbro is a good choice as his high Defense allows him to easily sponge hits from Arcanine and Azumarill. Hitmonlee can eliminate Chansey and pesky Steel-types with his Fighting STAB while hitting Spiritomb hard with Stone Edge. Dugtrio gets a special mention for being able to trap and defeat Registeel, Chansey, and weakened Steelix on his own, which is especially useful for Alakazam who choose Signal Beam as their coverage move.

This set aims to tone Alakazam down offensively in order to support your entire team with its unique move: Encore. Much like the previous sets, Substitute is used to ensure Alakazam is protected from Pursuit and priority hits. However, the tried-and-true strategy with Substitute is used in conjunction with Encore. The opponent is forced to attack you when you are behind the Substitute, giving Alakazam a chance to use Encore. If the opponent decides to use a Dark-type attack, for instance, you can bring in someone who appreciates a free turn to set up, such as Blaziken. Even without a Substitute, Encore can be useful on something that decides to set up on Alakazam. Much like the previous set, Psychic is already a given, and the choice is between Signal Beam and Focus Blast. Since this set aims to support the team instead of dishing out damage, the choice for the final slot isn't a huge concern. Signal Beam will hit Spiritomb for neutral damage, while Focus Blast will hit Steel-types and Chansey for super effective damage. Take advantage of Alakazam's ability to lure in certain attacks. Dark-type attacks will give Blaziken a free turn to set up Swords Dance. Other candidates include Aggron, who can take advantage of a free turn to set up Substitute and Magnet Rise -- a tough task to accomplish without support. Equally effective offensive partners are Pokemon who can switch into opponents locked into Ghost-type moves. Linoone and Ursaring are ideal partners since they both appreciate a free turn to set up due to their miserable defensive stats. Overall, anyone who enjoys a free turn to set up could be considered as a partner. Since Alakazam creates multiple switch-outs by using Encore, it would only make sense to fit in both Stealth Rock and Spikes to rack up residual damage. Omastar seems to fill this job correctly since it's capable of using them in the same moveset. If you're looking to split the work, Uxie and Cloyster can exchange attacks dished at each other and use a free turn to set up Stealth Rock or Spikes.

One of Alakazam's most prominent drawbacks as a sweeper is his miserable Defense stat, which leaves him completely open to the omnipresent priority attacks in the UU tier. Furthermore, Pursuit users can often OHKO Alakazam even if he decides to stay in, making it extremely difficult to pull off a successful sweep. It would only make sense for Alakazam to utilize Substitute to help it overcome these problems. Substitute shields him from priority hits and also helps Alakazam escape from a possible Pursuit trap from the likes of Spiritomb. Behind a Substitute, Alakazam becomes extremely dangerous, and the opponent will usually be forced to resort to sacrifices in order to break its Substitute. Considering Alakazam's monstrous offensive stats, it isn't difficult to use Substitute on a predicted switch out. Psychic, along with Signal Beam / Shadow Ball, and Focus Blast provide the best possible coverage. Alakazam possesses three attacks to provide the best possible coverage. In contrast to the OU tier, where Steel-types are ubiquitous, Psychic makes an excellent STAB attack in UU. Psychic can be used to threaten a number of Poison-types who plague the metagame, letting Alakazam take advantage of a free turn to set up Substitute. Focus Blast is an excellent way of dealing damage to Registeel, Aggron, Chansey, and Steelix, all of whom are hit for super effective damage. The final move provides Alakazam a way to hit Spiritomb and Psychic-types. Shadow Ball can be used to inflict more damage on Spiritomb and Mismagius, but Signal Beam's confusion effect might come in handy in order to make it extra-difficult for the opponent to hit you behind the Substitute. Additionally, Signal Beam reduces the chances of a Dark-type Pokemon switching in. Grass Knot is another alternative if Milotic might be problematic, and it also hits Spiritomb for 100 Base Power. For the most part, Alakazam can sweep on its own, but it still appreciates support. Stealth Rock and Spikes support can increase damage output and punish the switches Alakazam causes. For instance, 252 HP / 116 SpD Spiritomb takes 27% - 32% from Signal Beam, and with Stealth Rock and Spikes support, that can easily turn into a solid 2HKO (assuming Alakazam is behind Substitute). Another noteworthy example is Chansey taking 38% - 44% from a Life Orb Focus Blast. With Stealth Rock and Spikes support, Alakazam has a chance to grab the 2HKO on Chansey. Omastar is one of the few Pokemon in the tier that can provide both Stealth Rock and Spikes, and it is ideally used on the lead slot to dispatch entry hazards as soon as possible. If you're looking to remove Spiritomb without directly using Alakazam, Blaziken makes an exceptional partner since it is resistant to Dark-type attacks, which are often directed at Alakazam. Houndoom can switch into Spiritomb with impunity and can hurt it with Fire Blast.

Set Description Psychic is a threat to any non-resistant Pokemon—even Chansey cannot withstand extended exposure if it is paralyzed. Thunder Wave is irreplacable, as paralysis is what allows Alakazam to break down Chansey and opposing Psychic-types. Unlike in RBY, however, Substitute blocks Thunder Wave, making it a risky move if Alakazam is paralyzed itself—fast physical users like Tauros, Persian, and Kangaskhan become much more threatening if given the opportunity to set it up. Recover lets Alakazam heal off damage, but can invite in physical attackers if Alakazam is paralyzed. Seismic Toss is strongly recommended, as it allows Alakazam to pressure opposing Psychic-types effectively while saving Psychic PP, but Substitute can be used instead to protect Alakazam from status moves and critical hits, making it an effective late-game sweeper if opposing Psychic-types are removed. Chansey cannot break Substitute in one hit without Seismic Toss, so Alakazam can pressure BoltBeam Chansey safely. Furthermore, Substitute can help Alakazam PP stall some foes more effectively, as Alakazam won't be vulnerable to secondary effects from damaging moves when using it. Unfortunately, Substitute Alakazam itself is much easier to PP stall by switching between Psychic-types and Chansey to waste PP. Alakazam is better used in the back, but as a lead it sports fair matchups against Chansey and the rare Jynx, as it can paralyze them with Thunder Wave and then proceed to pressure them with Psychic or Seismic Toss. Unfortunately, Exeggutor is the most common lead and fares well against it, as Exeggutor can scout for Substitute with Double-Edge and hamstring it with Stun Spore when it is forced to use Recover. Snorlax performs well against Alakazam too; Body Slam 2HKOes and threatens paralysis simultaneously. Alakazam can choose to take paralysis and become a decent status absorber, providing an avenue to protect teammates like Reflect Chansey from paralysis so it can switch into and wall Snorlax for Alakazam. However, this forfeits its excellent Speed. Unparalyzed Alakazam can revenge kill fast offensive threats like Tauros, Zapdos, and the rare Persian, threaten them with Thunder Wave, and act as a sweeper. Psychic's ability to break past paralyzed Chansey can provide an opportunity for Alakazam to paralyze a Pokemon when Chansey switches out or use Seismic Toss to pressure paralyzed Psychic-types as they enter. In an Alakazam mirror match, the typical strategy is to paralyze the opposing Alakazam, use Seismic Toss to chip it down, and switch out to a physical attacker when it is expected to use Recover. Unlike in RBY, Special drops from Psychic no longer reapply the paralysis Speed penalty, so there is little reason to waste Psychic PP in the mirror match. The threat of Thunder Wave puts pressure on fast Pokemon, such as Starmie and Tauros, to switch out to a paralyzed teammate or Chansey to absorb it. While this means Alakazam will rarely paralyze multiple Pokemon, it can use Psychic or Seismic Toss instead to pressure and potentially overwhelm these status absorbers as they come in, or it can switch out to a physical threat that can deal significantly higher immediate damage to them, like Snorlax. Alakazam works well with teammates that can deal with other Psychic-types and Chansey. Zapdos' STAB moves 2HKO Starmie, Slowbro, and the omnipresent Exeggutor; Zapdos also 3HKOes Chansey and opposing Alakazam. In return, Alakazam can threaten Rhydon and take Psychic and Ice-type moves for Zapdos. Tauros and Persian can threaten most of Alakazam's walls, though care must be taken with them, as they despise being paralyzed. Notably, Persian 3HKOes Exeggutor with Slash, allowing it to switch in on its Rest and KO it or force it out. Alakazam returns the favor by providing valuable paralysis support and dealing with Gengar. Alakazam also appreciates teammates that can switch into physical attackers. Cloyster walls Snorlax and Tauros lacking Thunderbolt, 2HKOes Exeggutor with Blizzard, and leaves Starmie in OHKO range with Explosion. Gengar is another excellent partner, as it can wall Snorlax and Tauros should they lack Earthquake. Offensively, it carries a strong Thunderbolt to hit Starmie and Slowbro, and its Explosion can be used to deal significant damage to Chansey.

Set Description Alakazam's Psychic is nothing to scoff at, dealing massive damage to anything that doesn't resist it, with Alakazam's high critical hit rate and Psychic's chance for a Special drop frequently able to turn 3HKO ranges into 2HKOs frequently. Psychic can potentially 2HKO Rhydon, Persian, and even Tauros if either occurs. Alakazam's Speed makes its Thunder Wave largely uncontested in many instances, forcing slower Pokemon like Starmie and Gengar out if they wish to remain threatening later. Recover's 32 PP gives Alakazam excellent longevity, ensuring it can remain offensively threatening for long periods of time. The choice of coverage for Alakazam in Tradebacks OU requires a good bit of forethought. Seismic Toss remains its most consistent option: its fixed damage and the low HP of opposing Alakazam and Starmie mean it should win most interactions against foes that resist Psychic. It also makes Exeggutor far more inclined to use Explosion if even one connects, as it lacks recovery. Ice Punch functions similarly, improving Alakazam's matchups against Exeggutor, Rhydon, Zapdos, and Dragonite. It can also let Alakazam fish for freeze against Chansey, though it's unreliable against it due to the possibility of Alakazam being overwhelmed by repeated full paralysis and Seismic Toss. Thunder Punch allows Alakazam to be far stronger against Starmie, 2HKOing it with even a tiny bit of prior chip damage. It also improves Alakazam's matchups against Lapras, Cloyster, Articuno, and the niche Vapeoreon. However, if running the new elemental punches, Alakazam will always lose to something unless it drops its trusty Thunder Wave: running Psychic + Thunder Punch means it loses to Exeggutor, while Psychic + Ice Punch means it loses to Starmie and gets set up on by Slowbro and Vaporeon. Simply put, these moves improve its consistency in some matchups but forfeit others, so they should be used in cases where a less consistent but more potent Alakazam is affordable. Alakazam makes for a strong lead, as it can paralyze virtually any target before they can make a move, something notably effective when paired with physical sleepers like Snorlax and Persian, which can break through paralyzed Psychic-types and Chansey. Gengar and Persian tend to be forced out; if it isn't for the Thunder Wave, it's for Alakazam's devastating Psychic. In some situations it can force out opposing Starmie, which might want to avoid getting paralyzed. This is usually to Chansey, which absorbs Thunder Wave well and can threaten with Sing thereafter. If faced with a sleep lead like Jynx, Alakazam is content with taking sleep, as it can wake up against opposing Psychic-types like Exeggutor, Hypno, and non-Seismic Toss Alakazam. Against sleep lead Alakazam has a positive matchup against, such as Gengar and Persian, Alakazam is best off using Thunder Wave and pressuring the switch-in or double switching into a sleeper. Chansey is also relatively easy to wake up on if it lacks Seismic Toss. Given its speed and power, Alakazam is also usable in the back as a strong late-game cleaner. The elemental punches let Alakazam excel here so long as its teammates remove its checks. Starmie makes for a strong partner here, making use of the coverage Alakazam lacks to form a concentrated offensive core with a strong backbone. In the case Alakazam is used in the back, it should avoid paralysis in most situations, but adapting Alakazam's role to the situation at hand is essential for succeeding with it.