Guard Swap Alakazam

[Bal-Sagoth_The_Grim]

Alakazam @ Leftovers
Trait: Synchronize
EVs: 252 SPD/128 Sp.Atk/128 HP
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Recover
- Psychic
- Focus Bomb
- Guard Swap

I think Guard Swap is being somewhat overlooked here. It's a move that switches the defensive stats of the user with that of the target.

Now, given Alakazam's shitty defenses, Guard Swap can REALLY fuck your opponent up, especially if you use it on a defensive tank like Claydol, Dusknoir, or even Magnezone.

Calm nature might actually work better on it.

Does this set have any potential?

 

[wozfe]

Well, you could use it to suprise your opponent if you use guard swap on the switch, predicting something is coming in to wall you, but then it would probably just switch out immediatly, which on the other hand gives you a free turn. If you use guard swap on that switch as well, you will give your opponent the defences of whatever pokemon you used guard swap on first, which is why you shouldn't do so.
Though, it forces a switch most of the time and gives you good defences if you use it on a pokemon like dusknoir. Maybe you should consider using a -s.def nature and 00 IV's in all defences to make your opponent even more defenceless.
If you want to use it as a tank (this just sounds stupid considering it's alakazam we're talking about) you might want to use max HP as well, but then you'd have to sacrifice some s.atk. Alakazam with 300-350ish defences would be nice.

Spiritomb and (lol) sableye say "you can't beat me", and the opponent switching a faster sweeper like weavile (who also has bad defences) into him, predicting a guard swap or psychic, makes him able to pursuit alakazam into oblivion.

 

[Hill]

It might sound noobish, but i prefer Kadabra with Guard Swap set, even though it will be pretty obvious.

But with Kadabra's SDEF he can 2HKO a lot of things Kazam can't, and that includes Blissey.

 

[Surgo]

I absolutely cannot wait to use Guard Swap pokemon to absolutely ruin people's perception of the counter system, at least for a little while. Guard Swap has a lot of potential and really does change everyone's idea of what a counter actually is.

 

[Mike B]

I'm guessing Clear Body is just -X and not swapping, right?

 

[narwhal]

does the original defenses of each pokemon return after switching? if not, then GG.

 

[Hill]

I absolutely cannot wait to use Guard Swap pokemon to absolutely ruin people's perception of the counter system, at least for a little while. Guard Swap has a lot of potential and really does change everyone's idea of what a counter actually is.

i agree with this too, Alakazam will be a monster with prediction, if we consider a true Guard Swap Kazam Counter a faster and with poor defenses pokemon. If you just Psychic or Focus bomb (mostly for Weavile) sometimes instead of guard swaping, alaka will kill 2 or 3 pokes. In the other hand, one wrong predict against Weavile/Dugtrio and gg to your Kazam.

 

[ANinyMouse]

Ambush AND Pursuit on Dugtrio is probably the most evil thing Game Freak ever did, no question. If you use Psychic outright, they might use Ambush and kill you. If you Recover, predicting Ambush, they might just be bold enough to Earthquake you for the win.

I think the mindgames that must go on between a Dugtrio and an Alakazam must be lol-inducing, to say the least. May as well flip a coin as to who will win.

 

[cookie]

This actually has good potential to work, providing Guard Swao exchanges exact stats, in which case you give it a -sdef nature and 0 in its sdef IV, which brings it down to 157. Does anything else get Guard Swap that has good attack/shitty defense?

 

[Surgo]

Be careful about bringing your defenses down too low. Don't forget you have to actually get Alakazam in.

 

[Phuquoph]

Medicham also gets Guard Swap, but he may not be able to abuse as well as Alakazam since he's much slower. Still, I wouldn't fancy taking hits from Medicham if you've just got swapped his crappy defense.

Guard Swap seems like one of those gimmicky moves that actually works, if used correctly.

 

[Kromlech]

Forgive the depletion of my mental faculties, but does Guard Swap switch bonuses and penalties to defensive stats along with the base defense? As in, will amnesia+defensive stats get swapped or just the stats? (and the poke who did amnesia keeps it)

 

[ANinyMouse]

I was thinking of that myself, after reviewing Alakazam's egg moves. It'd be kind of a bugger to test, so I won't touch it.

 

[COalex]

I like Guard Swamp + Focus Punch Medicham. The opponent sure isn't staying in with those terrible defenses, so you what amounts to basically a free OHKO.

 

[Pyr0]

I like Guard Swamp + Focus Punch Medicham. The opponent sure isn't staying in with those terrible defenses, so you what amounts to basically a free OHKO.

Just image if you GS'ed a Skarmory using spikes MUAHAHAHHA!!!!!

 

[Hill]

Be careful about bringing your defenses down too low. Don't forget you have to actually get Alakazam in.

Well, it can always be a starter, it has a lot of speed to do it. Or just switch-in using a slow sommersault.


About Medicham, it's way more intersting to use Power Swap. Steal 403 base atk (806 with pure power) from a Salamence while you give him your intimidated 200 sounds pretty good to me.

 

[Edux]

Well, it can always be a starter, it has a lot of speed to do it. Or just switch-in using a slow sommersault.


About Medicham, it's way more intersting to use Power Swap. Steal 403 base atk (806 with pure power) from a Salamence while you give him your intimidated 200 sounds pretty good to me.

Too bad you get killed by its Aerial Ace before getting a chance, and since AGMence seems to be more standard than the old DDancer you won't be obtaining the max.

Xatu's also a good Guard Swaper, but not so good as Zam obviously...

 

[ANinyMouse]

Power Swap, I thought, targeted yourself? Serebii's description says it swaps the user's Atk & Def.

 

[Hill]

I don't see Medicham dying to a 150~ atk Aerial Ace. AG, in the other hand, could give some more trouble.

EDIT: ANinyMouse, that one is Power Trick

 

[X-Act]

Guard Swap owns. I suggested Guard Swap Girafarig in a Girafarig thread once, and people basically stomped on, and spat on it. Dunno why it's being considered cooler on Alakazam. :|

 

[cookie]

Girafarig doesn't have the speed to hit stuff before it dies, neither does it have enough Satk to hit stuff hard enough, so it couldn't OHKO stuff that's been Guard Swapped.

 

[COalex]

Girafarig doesn't have the speed to hit stuff before it dies, neither does it have enough Satk to hit stuff hard enough, so it couldn't OHKO stuff that's been Guard Swapped.

Girafarig @ Focus Strip/Salac Berry/Leftovers
-Psychic
-Guard Swap
-Shadow Ball
-HP Fighting

90 Special Attack isn't bad at all :]

 

[Pyr0]

compared to Zam's 135 Special A, yeah its bad lol.

 

[Mastadi]

I would use Guard Swap/Recover/Shadow Ball/Focus Bomb, to make it hit atleast neutral on everything.

 

[SDShamshel]

Girafarig isn't built for Guard Swapping.

No, it's built for POWER Swapping.

Consider a 0 attack iv, 0 attack ev Girafarig Earthquaking and attracting a Gyarados in, getting intimidated to FURTHER reduce its attack, only to have it power swapped while Girafarig gets sexy Gyarados-high attack power.