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This is a guide to movesets and best builds for using Malamar in competitive play for the games Pokemon Scarlet and Violet (SV). Read on for tips on the best Nature, EV spreads, Movesets, Tera Type, and Held Items to use with Malamar, as well as its strengths and weakness.
Malamar - Related Guides | ||
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Evolution and Learnset | Moveset for Ranked Battle | Tera Raid Build |
List of Contents
Blueberry #81 | Type | |
---|---|---|
Malamar | ||
Abilities | ||
Contrary Suction Cups Infiltrator (Hidden) |
||
Weak to: | (4x) | |
(2x) | ||
Damaged Normally By: |
(1x) | |
Immune to: | (0x) |
Ability Name | Description | |
---|---|---|
Contrary | Moves that changes stats now have the opposite effect. | |
Suction Cups | The user negates moves that forces it to switch out. | |
Infiltrator (Hidden) |
The user ignores the opponent's protective moves and stat boosts from moves. |
Stat | Value | Rank |
---|---|---|
HP | 86 | 217 |
Atk | 92 | 278 |
Def | 88 | 235 |
SpAtk | 68 | 411 |
SpDef | 75 | 325 |
Speed | 73 | 372 |
Total | 482 | 361 |
Stat | Max | 0Nat | 0EV | -Nat | Min |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
HP | 193 | 193 | 161 | 161 | 146 |
Atk | 158 | 144 | 112 | 100 | 87 |
Def | 154 | 140 | 108 | 97 | 83 |
SpAtk | 132 | 120 | 88 | 79 | 65 |
SpDef | 139 | 127 | 95 | 85 | 72 |
Spd | 137 | 125 | 93 | 83 | 70 |
Best Natures | ||
---|---|---|
Impish (+Def, -Sp.Atk) |
Careful (+Sp.Def, -Sp.Atk) |
Build Name | Recommendation |
---|---|
Hydrapple | ★★★★★ |
Nature | Impish (+Def, -Sp.Atk) |
---|---|
EV Spread | HP 252 / Def 156 / Sp.Def 100 |
Final Stat Values | HP 193 / Atk 112 / Def 156 / Sp.Def 108 / Spe 93 |
Ability | Contrary |
Tera Type | |
Held Item | Mental Herb |
Moveset | ・
Skill Swap
・ Taunt ・ Helping Hand ・ Foul Play |
Main role is to pass Contrary to a partner Pokemon that can take advantage of it Has access to great utility moves such as Taunt and Helping Hand Foul Play allows it to threaten opposing physical set-up sweepers. |
Ability | Held Item | |
---|---|---|
Contrary | Mental Herb |
Contrary is the required Ability for this support build which reverses the stat changes of the Pokemon with this Ability. Malamar will not take advantage of this and will instead pass it on to its partner with Skill Swap.
Mental Herb is the best held item for this build to prevent Malamar from getting its status moves blocked by Taunt. Keep in mind that this only protects Malamar once during the battle as the herb is consumed when triggered.
Skill Swap | Taunt |
Helping Hand | Foul Play |
Skill Swap allows Malamar to transfer its Contrary Ability to Hydrapple, which in turn can freely use Leaf Storm to receive +2 Special Attack every time it uses the move.
Taunt allows Malamar to assist its partner against opposing support Pokemon and prevents them from using their own status moves.
Helping Hand causes the next move used by Malamar's partner to increase by 50%.
Finally, Foul Play gives Malamar a way to attack if under the effects of Taunt and is a great move to use against opposing physical set up sweepers.
Steel Tera Type Matchup | ||
---|---|---|
Weak to: | ||
(2x) | ||
Damaged Normally By: |
(1x) | |
Resists: | (0.5x) | |
Immune to: | (0x) |
Terastallizing Malamar into a Steel-type allows it to stay on the field against Fairy-type attackers such as Flutter Mane who can deal high damage and knock out Malamar in a couple of hits.
Best Steel Tera Type Pokemon for Ranked Battle
Malamar's EV spread gives it as much bulk possible on both Defense and Special Defense since the opposing team will most likely target it first.
An Impish Nature is preferred makes it more physically bulky with the given EV spread.
Knock Off | A great alternative to Foul Play that allows Malamar to threaten Pokemon that rely on held items. |
---|
Damage Received by Malamar |
|
---|---|
Item: Choice Specs | Mystical Fire Malamar Tera Type: 138 ~ 164 (71.5 ~ 84.90%) Guaranteed 2-Hit KO |
Item: Life Orb | Play Rough 151 ~ 179 (78.2 ~ 92.7%) Guaranteed 2-Hit KO |
Item: Leftovers | Moonblast 102 ~ 122 (52.8 ~ 63.2%) Guaranteed 2-Hit KO |
Game8's Competitive Damage Calculator
Malamar's main niche is filling the role of a lead support Pokemon that can pass its semi-unique Contrary Ability to its partner.
Hydrapple is one of the best partners for Malamar since it can learn Draco Meteor and Leaf Storm, allowing it to continue boosting its Special Attack when one of its moves runs out.
Malamar is a powerful ally to a Pokemon that can take advantage of its Contrary once it passes it with Skill Swap.
Lead Support | Special Attacker |
---|---|
Malamar | Hydrapple |
Offensive Pivot | Special Attacker |
Incineroar | Landorus (Incarnate Forme) |
Malamar's main role is to use Skill Swap on Hydrapple to pass on its Contrary, which will then allow Apple Hydra Pokemon to boost and sweep with Draco Meteor and Leaf Storm.
Malamar should then use Skill Swap again, swapping Supersweet Syrup to the opposing Pokemon. This causes Hydrapple to get an increased evasion boost due to Contrary, making it hard to hit while it boosts its Special Attack.
Incineroar is the main offensive pivot that Malamar should switch with once it's done passing its Ability, with Landorus (Incarnate Form) providing secondary special offense with Life Orb and Sheer Force-boosted attacks.
Even with defensive EV investment, Malamar will go down fairly easily when facing a strong attacker that can take advantage of its weakness to Bug and Fairy-types, as well as have coverage moves against Steel-types.
Pokemon | Description |
---|---|
Volcarona | Ranking: ★★★★★
・Easily KOs Malamar with Bug Buzz even without setting up with Quiver Dance. ・Can take out Malamar once it terastallizes into a Steel-type with STAB Fire Blast or Fiery Dance. ▶️Volcarona Best Movesets |
Flutter Mane | Ranking: ★★★★
・Easily KOs Malamar with STAB Moonblast even without Life Orb or Choice Specs boost. ・Can 2HKO Malamar once it terastallizes into a Steel-type with Mystical Fire or Fire Tera Blast. ▶️Flutter Mane Best Movesets |
Scizor | Ranking: ★★★★
・Easily KO's Malamar with STAB X-Scissor even without Choice Band or Swords Dance boost. ・Easily KOs Malamar once it terastallizes into a Steel-type with Close Combat. ▶️Scizor Best Movesets |
Movesets & Best Builds for Ranked Battle
New Indigo Disk Pokemon Builds |
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New Indigo Disk Pokemon Builds |
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Blueberry Pokedex: List of All Indigo Disk Pokemon
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Kitakami Pokedex: List of All Teal Mask DLC Pokemon
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Best Treasures of Ruin Builds for Ranked Battle and Raids
All Paradox Pokemon Builds |
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Paradox Pokemon Builds for Competitive Battles and Tera Raids
All Other Gen 9 Meta Pokemon Builds |
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Gen 9 Pokemon: All New Pokemon
All Gen 1~8 Meta Pokemon Builds |
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All Off-Meta Pokemon Builds |
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Competitive Team Building for Singles Ranked Battle
Banned/Restricted Builds |
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Malamar Movesets and Best Builds
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