Alakazam

Pogiforce-14

EV/IV Trainer
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    An alakazam of mine. His nature is horrible for an Alakazam, but I'm already working on getting one with the right nature. Right now, my concern is the moveset. I'll put up my current Alakazam moveset.

    Recover
    Psychic
    Calm Mind
    Trick

    Considering a lot of people like using berries on their pokemon in competitive play, I like the Trick for stealing their item. But my friend Mullet suggests I take it out for somethign else, and that is where I need advice: If I should replace Trick, which move should I replace it with?
     
    My personal advice would be to try reflect, to cover for it's physical defense when you have the oportunity. Though I myself wouldn't bother with calm mind, but that's just my style of play.

    *Grumbles about al the extrenespeed spammers on netbattle these days*
     
    Use Reflect to change Zam's rubbish defences to on-par defences? Seems strange to me.

    Recover often is worthless on Alakazam, since it's OHKOed by nearly everything.
    Code:
    Alakazam used Recover (50% to 100% HP).
    Ludicolo used Hydro Pump.
    Alakazam fainted.


    Alakazam @ Petaya Berry
    Trait: Synchronize
    EVs: 6 HP / 252 Spd / 252 SAtk
    Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
    - Psychic
    - Fire Punch
    - Thunderpunch
    - Substitute


    It's nice when you Sub against a disabler, and they switch so you can get two attacks on whatever comes out next, rather than just one. It also guarantees that you'll be able to get one SpAt boost and be able to attack, rather than use Calm Mind, and be KOed right after getting the SpAt boost.

    The punches are really a matter of taste. I like to be able to use Fire Punch against Metagross and Forretress.
     
    I think that if you are going to pack up all of those elemental punches, you're really going to need either: Nature +Speed or EV's +Speed. To make the punches effective you have to actually be able to use them. If you are having a nature like the one you proposed, Hades, then even a Gyarados would be able to outspeed you. You would be effective against Skarmory and Forretress and other slow pokes.
    If you ask me that's a good moveset :
    Alakazam @ Scope Lens (Since he has no HP for lefties or for berry to be activated the raise of critical hit ratio is sometimes unpeasant surprise.)
    Nature: Modest/Timid
    EV's: 252 Sp. Attack/ 252 Speed/ 6 HP
    - Psychic
    - Thunderpunch
    - Fire Punch
    - Ice Punch/Calm Mind/Recover
     
    GVG said:
    If you are having a nature like the one you proposed, Hades, then even a Gyarados would be able to outspeed you. You would be effective against Skarmory and Forretress and other slow pokes.

    HellishHades said:
    Alakazam @ Petaya Berry
    Trait: Synchronize
    EVs: 6 HP / 252 Spd / 252 SAtk
    Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
    - Psychic
    - Fire Punch
    - Thunderpunch
    - Substitute
     
    Alakazam@Petaya/Lum Berry
    Nature:Modest
    EVs:Sp. Attack. and Speed
    Calm Mind
    Pcychic
    Thunderpunch
    Recover

    You and I already discussed this Saturday but I posted my opinion up. This shold work nicley.

    Oh, and HellishHades Recover is a good move in a tight spot and you can Calm Mind up and if he takes too much damage then he can use a recover, lather, rinse, repeat until he's Calm Minded up and then sweep! If you get low beyond help, like aganist a Dark move and survive, then Petaya will kick in, not that the Lum is a bad choice mind you!
     
    HellishHades, I asked for a substitute move for trick, not the whole moveset. The rest of his moves are fine as they are. :\ To Mullet: I'll take the Thunderpunch into consideration, but what makes that move so much better than others?
     
    Last edited:
    Mullet said:

    Oh, and HellishHades Recover is a good move in a tight spot and you can Calm Mind up and if he takes too much damage then he can use a recover, lather, rinse, repeat until he's Calm Minded up and then sweep! If you get low beyond help, like aganist a Dark move and survive, then Petaya will kick in, not that the Lum is a bad choice mind you!

    You're assuming a lot by using Calm Mind and Recover. In a battle, you'd have to be facing a Special Attacker, and a weak one at that, in order to survive an attack. You'd also have to presume that the opponent is stupid enough to stay with that Special Attacker so that you can Calm Mind up.

    In many situations, you'll have to switch and forfeit your CM boost with only Psychic and Thunderpunch. If Houndoom or any other decent Dark type attacks you with an STAB attack -- and only Dark types should be using Dark-type attacks most of the time -- you're not going to have any, let alone "low beyond help" HP left, unless by some miracle, you have CMed up near-fully (facing a very bad opponent).

    Alakazams need +Spd natures so they're not pummled by other fast sweepers.

    Thunderpunch has the least amount of resistances of the three punches. But it still almost always requires the use of another punch to be effective. Or, we could just CM up the Zam, have a Special tank come in and use Amnesia to trump you, since you don't have any super effective attacks. There goes Zam's usefulness.
     
    You keep using a lot of extrenuous situations, when teh fact is Alakazam is very deadly with calm mind. Of course Zam is near useless gainst darks, but you know what? is there a single dark type you can catch in game? Not a one. So the only way your opponent could get anything that is truly strong is if they go to ghost tower, and the ghosts you get are jsut as weak to Zam as zam is to them, or get it from Ruby or sapphire. And I'm just as capable of doing that as my opponent. That's what fighters are for. He's not going to stay out the whoel battle, he'd wear out. :\ NOt to sound rude, but I asked for suggested replacement moves for Trick, not for a lecutre on Alakazam's usefulness.
     
    Hey, there's enough arguing on both sides, so both stop it.

    Pogiforce, if you're gonna post in here, then you need to realise people will give you a workable moveset, no matter how much you think your current moveset will work. If you don't like what people have to say, don't post in here in future. Don't think I'm picking on you here, I'm just stating a fact.
     
    I'm very sure that one of the elite 4 members use dark Pokemons right... well that must mean that dark types exist in the game! Therefore, enough to be a threat.

    If we're talking about outside of RS and into FRLG only, hey Tyranitar is accessible and he's certainly deadly against Alakazam...
     
    You keep using a lot of extrenuous situations
    I hope you meant "extraneous", otherwise I don't get your meaning. In the world of battling where OU monsters run everywhere, most situations are quite applicable, since you will run into a monsters that follow that methodology in their move-sets.

    Of course Zam is near useless gainst darks
    Often, HP Water is standard to face Tyranitar and Houndoom. Going on.

    is there a single dark type you can catch in game? Not a one.
    Every version has Dark types to catch. R/S has Absol, and F/L has Houndoom, for example.


    So the only way your opponent could get anything that is truly strong is if they go to ghost tower, and the ghosts you get are jsut as weak to Zam as zam is to them, or get it from Ruby or sapphire.
    If you're just playing in-game, then Recover is more useful. This looks to be the case by your reference to Lavendar Town's tower. Better to Recover than use a potion.

    NOt to sound rude, but I asked for suggested replacement moves for Trick, not for a lecutre on Alakazam's usefulness.
    Not to sound rude, but I don't take it lightly when someone tells me I'm incorrect when I'm in the right. Recover is useless more often than not in competetive battling. It's very iffy to put it on Zam, and it's very dependant upon the role it plays in a team -- kholdshire's Zam, for example.

    You asked for a replacement for Trick, here's one: one of the elemental punches that works for you. If you're lacking a Fire-type attack on the team, use Fire Punch. Thunderpunch, I believe, has the least resistant types when used with Psychic, so I suggest that if there isn't an attack type lacking on your team.

    If that Zam works well for you, then good for you. In my opinion, it's more important to use move-sets that cover as wide a range of possible opponents as possible. Still, good for you.



    Edit: I was in and out writing this post, so I missed your post, Toothache. Delete this post if you want, but I'd rather leave it as is.
     
    frostweaver said:
    I'm very sure that one of the elite 4 members use dark Pokemons right... well that must mean that dark types exist in the game! Therefore, enough to be a threat.

    If we're talking about outside of RS and into FRLG only, hey Tyranitar is accessible and he's certainly deadly against Alakazam...

    If you're thinking of Agatha, she does not use dark pokemon. In fact, Alakazam floored her on his own. She may after you've cleared the islands, but I haven't been back there since then.

    And Toothy, I understand here, but they're giving me more than what I asked for. I asked for something fairly simple and expected an answer as such. I did not expect a completely rehashed moveset. My Zam has proven very useful with just the three moves on him, and that is why I'm content with them. I wanted to be rid of trick for something else though because I've had no use for trick. So I asked for a subsitute move.one move. By giving me more than I asked for, one would call that being "impolite". Forgive me if I sound edgy, but I haven't been appreciating the loaded language I've noticed in posts of a member that for the sake of dignity will remain nameless.

    It may be just my imagination, but it seems that I'm made out to be the bad guy here. When all I did was defend my reasons for keeping the other three moves and redefine the question. If I am to respect them for offering something they feel is better, tehn they shoudl respect me as well for wishign to keep the moves I want to keep.

    Now, getting on topic. is there any other suggestion besides an elemental punch? And if not, where can I get him to learn it?
     
    how bout: @ choiceband trick, torment, psychic, reflect? good def, good straegy, good sp attack, speed, STAB. weak to dark types, but if u r facing 1, then the trick/torment combo should work. evs and nature into speed, put evs also in sp attack. enough said.
     
    but I haven't been appreciating the loaded language I've noticed in posts of a member that for the sake of dignity will remain nameless.

    At least the commentary is "loaded" with facts. Anyhow, Alakazam must do one of the following to get one of the punches:

    > get the move from the Emerald Tutor (as Mullet suggested)
    > be born with it from breeding

    You'll need to go with the former to keep your current monster, otherwise, you'll need to breed another.
     
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