Alakazam on a competitive team.

Jinnai taichou

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    Alakazam on a competitive team. (STUPID HP POWER!)

    Now, I know that topic is a little mis-leading, but I know how much of a major threat Alakazam can be. Well, I know he lost his punches, sadly, gained some nice things in D/P, and frowns at Pursuit becoming physical, but to say he's not a good Pokemon at all is CLEARLY an understatement. However, I'm having a bit of a problem.

    I'm an Alakazam fan, and he's always been on my team. Now, D/P is the first Pokemon game I'm actually getting competitive in. However, I'm trying to make a team, and I'm starting to think Zam is the reason why I'm hitting some road blocks. Here are some of the Pokemon I've been contemplating on teaming him with:

    Garhcomp (Which I will end up using anyway)
    Togekiss (FlinchHax is sexy and I would like it in my team)
    Spiritomb (Grr)
    Milotic
    Umbreon
    Skarmory
    Forretress

    I know this looks like a plea to help me with a team, but that's not quite it. My question is are what Pokemon compliment Zam nicely, and vice versa, and still make for a good team? I make it sound like Zam is weak as hell(everything other than SP ATTK and SPEED it is, of course)and that it needs MUCH help.

    -Edit-
    I am not looking for movesets and EV spreads. I can figure those out on my own.
     
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    Actually, I'm interested to hear what your moveset would be. Zam has suffered a great loss in his movepool, but still has some tricks up his sleeves.

    The best way to team up with him is to have Pokemon that resist his weaknesses. Although, any good physical attack is usually a 2KO at most, so I'd just suggest having some bulky Pokemon around him. Alakazam always has, and always will, have trouble actually getting into play, so just use prediction and outwit your opponent, and you should be fine.

    However, when you use him, make sure you've chipped your enemy's HP down enough for one hit to be a KO (as is the story with most sweepers), because Alakazam can't risk being hit very much. So he would work perfectly with Skarmory's Spikes.
     
    yeah, Alakazam needs a lot of support to do anything worthwhile. Subpassing really suits what he needs to pull off any kind of sweep and then there's Hypnosis support.

    only thing he's good for these days is Energy Ball and Focus Blast, two moves that have major disadvantages. however, if you manage to pull of HP Ice or HP Electric, then you can use him as a speedy little assassin.

    EDIT: yannow i just thought of something. with Choice Band and full attack evs, his atk stat can reach either 327 or 299. that would be a great shock going up against a CBZam with elemental punches. lol sounds fun...
     
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    Lol, moveset isn't a problem. Before I was going to go with the standard sweeper set:

    Psychic
    Grass Knot/Energy Ball (I prefer Grass Knot)
    Focus Blast
    Shadow Ball

    But now I'm thinking I want a TrickSpecs set, and replace Shadow Ball, or maybe Grass Knot, with Trick. Probably Grass Knot. I know that once the opponent's Pokemon in play has their health around eh, I'd say 60-70%, given the moves are the right one to use, it'll be sweep time for Zam.

    -Edit-
    Hmm...I'm afraid I might have to remove him from my team, and I would rather not. :/ I need to experiment anyway, but ><.

    -Edit 2-
    Hahaha, nice Samson. I didn't think of that. I might look into that. As for HP Power, I was trying to remember what my Zam's was, and I think it's dragon. ;-;

    -Edit 3-
    Eh...checked his HP and it's HP Bug, power at 67. BOO! Perhaps with that though I can drop some attacks? I dunno...doesn't seem powerful enough.
     
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    67 is plenty powerful enough. Too bad it's Bug.
     
    Jinnai taichou said:
    But now I'm thinking I want a TrickSpecs set, and replace Shadow Ball, or maybe Grass Knot, with Trick. Probably Grass Knot. I know that once the opponent's Pokemon in play has their health around eh, I'd say 60-70%, given the moves are the right one to use, it'll be sweep time for Zam.
    Click to expand...

    TrickSpecs can be deadly... once he gets into play, no Physical Sweeper (or even Blissey) can risk switching in. Imagine giving a Tyranitar Choice Specs, locking him into a single move (especially where Choice Specs can't help him out at all!).

    I'd think it'd be extremely difficult to pull off, but with prediction, it cancompletely shut down many, many physical sweepers and any kind of wall.
     
    yeah trickspecs is only good for the end of the battle where you're well aware of your opponent's pokemon. the trouble is, however, with blissey trying to paralyze alakazam with twave most of the time. are you willing to have a alakazam paralyzed to use trickspecs? i sure as hell ain't. besides, all the person has to do is just switch it out and work around choice specs.
     
    Personally I'd keep Umbreon if she is a Baton Passer. Her tanking abilities make her formidable and the perfect candidate to setting up Alakazam.
     
    I plan to use Zam on my team, so I can help you out here.

    -First, make sure Kazam knows Guard Swap
    -Wait till your opponent plays a Poke with high defenses
    -Switch in a poke with BP and Mean Look. Sub can be included if you wish.
    -Use ML and BP to Alakazam
    -Use Guard Swap
    Quite a hard strategy to pull off but if you can get it done, all Alakazam will have to worry about afterwards are PHazers and faster sweepers (not that they are plentiful).
     
    And here I thought I'd never post in strategies and movesets again...but yeah, I'd say Trickspecs Zam is rather smexy;

    Alakazam @ Choice Specs
    Trait: Synchronize
    Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
    EVs: 252 SAtk / 252 Spd / 4 HP
    Psychic
    Energy Ball/Charge Beam
    Focus Blast
    Trick

    Possibly with Calm Mind replacing one of the special fillers, especially fun if you manage to swap yourself a Life Orb. Guard Swap is a load of crap on Zam, though, since it only works with stat changes, not the stats themselves, which means that it's basically a watered down Psych Up. :\ Charge Beam is sort of a toss-up, but theoretically you've got yourself a real snowball effect with that if you get a hit on the switch (and so hopefully have your SAtk boost with which to finish the target off at the next turn).
     
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    Alter Ego said:
    Guard Swap is a load of crap on Zam, though, since it only works with stat changes, not the stats themselves
    Click to expand...

    Ah. Well then, looks like I have to find a new special sweeper.
     
    Samson said:
    yeah trickspecs is only good for the end of the battle where you're well aware of your opponent's pokemon. the trouble is, however, with blissey trying to paralyze alakazam with twave most of the time. are you willing to have a alakazam paralyzed to use trickspecs? i sure as hell ain't. besides, all the person has to do is just switch it out and work around choice specs.
    Click to expand...

    That's true, but it can still be a PITA for them, and give you plenty of free switches (when the Poke you Tricked comes out, switch to someone who resists the attack he'll make), and bingo, free move to Swords Dance or Calm Mind, or whatever you want to do. Not to mention (ruling out Baton Passers) that is can completely destroy a physical sweeper's attempts to Swords Dance, or someone like Taunt-DragonDance Gyarados.
     
    I don't use him, but maybe Alakazam could use some Reflect support. Thats why I have Noctowl. I'm not saying use Noctowl, but you get the idea. Reflect setup could help.
     
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