Alakazam

PVE Movesets Grades

Quick	Charge	ATK	DEF
Psycho Cut	Future Sight	B-	X
Confusion	Future Sight	B	X
Psycho Cut	Psychic*	A-	X
Psycho Cut	Shadow Ball	B	X
Confusion	Psychic*	A	X
Confusion	Shadow Ball	B	A-
Confusion	Dazzling Gleam*	X	A
Confusion	Fire Punch	X	A
Counter*	Focus Blast	B	X
Counter*	Psychic*	D	B
Counter*	Shadow Ball	X	A-
Counter*	Dazzling Gleam*	X	A-
Counter*	Fire Punch	X	A-

Quick	Charge	ATK	DEF
Psycho Cut	Dazzling Gleam*	X	X
Psycho Cut	Focus Blast	C	X
Confusion	Focus Blast	C-	C
Psycho Cut	Fire Punch	X
Counter*	Future Sight	X	X

PVE Offensive Moves Explanation

• Confusion’s higher DPS makes it objectively better than Psycho Cut. However, due to its shorter cooldown, many players prefer Psycho Cut.

• Focus Blast pairs with Counter and gives Alakazam some great type coverage over meta relevant Pokemon such as Blissey, Snorlax, and Lapras, though it's weaker in this role than actual fighting types if not Shadow.

• Psychic is a no-brainer here, sporting the best power that Alakazam can muster while being a 2 bar move. Future Sight just falls short.

• Shadow Ball is useful against Psychic and Ghost-type raid bosses.

• Dazzling Gleam has a use vs. Machamp raids, but even then, Alakazam has a better option.

• Fire Punch is of no value on an attacking Alakazam

PVE Defensive Moves Explanation

• Confusion’s high base damage makes it a clear choice on defense.

• Counter's solid stats and coverage make it a potentially decent choice

• Dazzling Gleam is preferred on defense due to its wide coverage and low energy cost.

• Shadow Ball is an outstanding move on defense, but it leaves Alakazam little more than a bump in the road against Tyranitar and other threatening dark-types.

• Focus Blast can lay the hurt on Dark-types, but it is easy to dodge and Alakazam may not even get a chance to use it.

• Fire Punch is a 3-bar move with decent counter-coverage. But, again, this leaves Alakazam easily crunched by Tyranitar.

• Both Future Sight and Psychic are poor on defense, offering no coverage.

PVE Overview

PVP Movesets Grades

Quick	Charge	ATK
Counter*	Fire Punch Psychic*	A
Counter*	Fire Punch Shadow Ball	A

PvP Moveset Explanation

Counter or Psycho Cut + Fire Punch and Psychic* or Shadow Ball

Counter is generally preferred for its superior damage output and wide relevant coverage, despite STAB and superior energy generation with Psycho Cut. 

Fire Punch costs the least amount of energy, and can be used frequently. Psychic is a move that hits hard with STAB, but is limited by availability. Shadow Ball provides coverage against Alakazam's weakness to Ghost-types, in addition to relatively neutral coverage overall, but lacks STAB. The rest of Alakazam's charge moves cost too much energy to be viable; Alakazam will very likely faint by then. 

PvP Rating Explanation

Great League: 1.5 / 5

Alakazam prior to its Community Day has seen zero use in PvP due to its extreme fragility, but the addition of Counter from CD and Fire Punch from the December 2019 rebalance gave it the tools it needed to compete in the meta. Access to Counter and Fire Punch enables valuable coverage against a large portion of the meta, in particular most Steel-types and a variety of Grass-types. Unfortunately Alakazam's very poor bulk causes it to perform quite badly in most matchups where it can't hit for Super Effective damage, which makes it more of a niche. 

Ultra League: 1.5 / 5

Poor bulk doesn't help Alakazam in Ultra League, where the ubiquitous Giratina becomes a major threat. Access to Shadow Ball is often inadequate due to Alakazam fainting before it can reach it with a prior shield bait. Wins against common Steel-types and certain other meta Pokemon gives Alakazam some play against the meta, but the reliance on very situational and specific matchups can result in difficulties to win consistently. 

Master League: 0 / 5

Alakazam has stats that are somewhat inferior when compared to the meta, especially DEF and STA stats. While it can win certain matchups against popular Pokemon, other Pokemon can fulfill its role with more consistent results. 

Fast Moves

20

Confusion

More Info

Psychic

1.6x Damage	VS
1.6x Damage	VS
.714x Damage	VS
.714x Damage	VS
.51x Damage	VS

0.7 secs

CD	DW	EPS	EPU	DPS	DPS w/STAB	True DPS
1.60	1.00	9.38		12.50	15.63

5

Psycho Cut

More Info

Psychic

1.6x Damage	VS
1.6x Damage	VS
.714x Damage	VS
.714x Damage	VS
.51x Damage	VS

0.7 secs

CD	DW	EPS	EPU	DPS	DPS w/STAB	True DPS
0.60	0.20	13.33		8.33	10.42

Elite Fast Moves

12

Counter

More Info

Fighting

1.6x Damage	VS
1.6x Damage	VS
1.6x Damage	VS
1.6x Damage	VS
1.6x Damage	VS
.714x Damage	VS
.714x Damage	VS
.714x Damage	VS
.714x Damage	VS
.714x Damage	VS
.51x Damage	VS

0.7 secs

CD	DW	EPS	EPU	DPS	DPS w/STAB	True DPS
0.90	0.20	8.89		13.33	16.67

Charge Moves

140

Focus Blast

1 Energy

More Info

Fighting

1.6x Damage	VS
1.6x Damage	VS
1.6x Damage	VS
1.6x Damage	VS
1.6x Damage	VS
.714x Damage	VS
.714x Damage	VS
.714x Damage	VS
.714x Damage	VS
.714x Damage	VS
.51x Damage	VS

0.7 secs

CD	DW	EPS	DPE	DPS	DPS w/STAB	DPE*DPS
3.50	0.50	0.00	1.40	40.00	50.00		56.00

120

Future Sight

1 Energy

More Info

Psychic

1.6x Damage	VS
1.6x Damage	VS
.714x Damage	VS
.714x Damage	VS
.51x Damage	VS

0.7 secs

CD	DW	EPS	DPE	DPS	DPS w/STAB	DPE*DPS
2.70	1.30	0.00	1.20	44.44	55.56		53.33

100

Shadow Ball

2 Energy

More Info

Ghost

1.6x Damage	VS
1.6x Damage	VS
.714x Damage	VS
.51x Damage	VS

0.7 secs

CD	DW	EPS	DPE	DPS	DPS w/STAB	DPE*DPS
3.00	0.40	0.00	2.00	33.33	41.67		66.67

55

Fire Punch

3 Energy

More Info

Fire

1.6x Damage	VS
1.6x Damage	VS
1.6x Damage	VS
1.6x Damage	VS
.714x Damage	VS
.714x Damage	VS
.714x Damage	VS
.714x Damage	VS

0.7 secs

CD	DW	EPS	DPE	DPS	DPS w/STAB	DPE*DPS
2.20	0.40	0.00	1.67	25.00	31.25		41.67

Elite Charge Moves

100

Dazzling Gleam

2 Energy

More Info

Fairy

1.6x Damage	VS
1.6x Damage	VS
1.6x Damage	VS
.714x Damage	VS
.714x Damage	VS
.714x Damage	VS

0.7 secs

CD	DW	EPS	DPE	DPS	DPS w/STAB	DPE*DPS
3.50	1.20	0.00	2.00	28.57	35.71		57.14

90

Psychic

2 Energy

More Info

Psychic

1.6x Damage	VS
1.6x Damage	VS
.714x Damage	VS
.714x Damage	VS
.51x Damage	VS

0.7 secs

CD	DW	EPS	DPE	DPS	DPS w/STAB	DPE*DPS
2.80	1.30	0.00	1.80	32.14	40.18		57.86

Purified Charge Moves

35

Return

3 Energy

More Info

Normal

.714x Damage	VS
.714x Damage	VS
.51x Damage	VS

0.7 secs

CD	DW	EPS	DPE	DPS	DPS w/STAB	DPE*DPS
0.70	0.25	0.00	1.06	50.00	62.50		53.03

Purification Cost

Pokemon Type Chart

Vulnerable

	160% damage
	160% damage
	160% damage

Resistant

	62.5% damage
	62.5% damage

Raid Boss Catch Rate

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