Malamar (SS) | Hohou's Home | Competitive Movesets

Competitive Pokemon Sword/Shield Movesets and Strategies for Malamar

Base Stats for Malamar

Dark / Psychic

Abilities:
,
,

Evolutions / Family:
Inkay
Malamar

Weakness Chart for Dark/Psychic-type:

Bug

Dark

Dragon

Electric

Fairy

Fighting

Fire

Flying

Ghost

4x

2x

Grass

Ground

Ice

Normal

Poison

Psychic

Rock

Steel

Water

0x

¼x

½x

2x

4x

Movesets for Singles

What is a good competitive moveset for Malamar? These builds have been optimized for Pokemon competing in Sword/Shield Single Battles. The movesets and EVs have been specifically calibrated to deal the most amount of damage to the largest group of potentially common opponents and typing threats for the Sword/Shield generation metagame.

Common single-battle team mates for Malamar in Pokemon Sword/Shield:

GrimmsnarlMiloticCinderaceDarmanitan-GalarMimikyuMarowak-AlolaTorkoalKingdraMeowsticBraviary

Malamar is popular Dark and Psychic-typed Pokemon. Malamar is a not-uncommon Pokemon to see in Generation 8. Malamar's only type-related weaknesses are Bug and Fairy.

Species: Malamar
Item: Rocky Helmet / Lum Berry
Ability: Contrary
Nature: Brave (+Atk, -Spe)
EVs: 252 Hp / 252 Atk / 4 SpD
Moveset:
- Superpower
- Lash Out / Throat Chop
- Topsy-Turvy
- Trick Room / Psycho Cut

Physical Tank Malamar (Popular/Trending)

Malamar is an awesome Physical Tank. It's designed to take a considerable amount of physical hits while dealing some decent damage. With Contrary, if Malamar has a stat stage raised it is lowered instead and vice versa.

♦ Superpower is a physical 120-base power Fighting-type move (increases your Malamar's attack and defense by 1 stage).
♦ Lash Out is a physical STAB-boosted 75-base power Dark-type move (2x power if your Malamar had a stat lowered this turn).
♦ Throat Chop is a physical STAB-boosted 80-base power Dark-type move (for 2 turns, the target cannot use sound moves).
♦ Topsy-Turvy is a status move (inverts the target's stat stages).
♦ Trick Room is a status move (goes last. for 5 turns, turn order is reversed).
♦ Psycho Cut is a physical STAB-boosted 70-base power Psychic-type move (high critical hit ratio).

Species: Malamar
Item: Focus Sash / Tanga Berry
Ability: Contrary
Nature: Adamant (+Atk, -SpA)
EVs: 4 Hp / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Moveset:
- Knock Off / Foul Play
- Psycho Cut
- Superpower
- Slash / Retaliate

Physical Sweeper Malamar (Contrary)

Malamar is a notable Physical Sweeper. It tries to take down the opponent's team with brute physical power. Focus Sash helps protect Malamar from being one-shotted and allowing it to atleast use a crucial move when brought out. With Contrary, if Malamar has a stat stage raised it is lowered instead and vice versa.

♦ Knock Off is a physical STAB-boosted 65-base power Dark-type move (1.5x damage if foe holds an item; Note: This will also remove that item).
♦ Foul Play is a physical STAB-boosted 95-base power Dark-type move (uses target's attack stat in damage calculation).
♦ Psycho Cut is a physical STAB-boosted 70-base power Psychic-type move (high critical hit ratio).
♦ Superpower is a physical 120-base power Fighting-type move (increases your Malamar's attack and defense by 1 stage).
♦ Slash is a physical 70-base power Normal-type move (high critical hit ratio).
♦ Retaliate is a physical 70-base power Normal-type move (power doubles if an ally fainted last turn).

Species: Malamar
Item: Leftovers
Ability: Contrary
Nature: Impish (+Def, -SpA)
EVs: 4 Hp / 252 Atk / 252 Def
Moveset:
- Psycho Cut
- Night Slash
- Superpower
- Substitute

Malamar Physical Tank (Psycho Squid)

Malamar is pretty popular Physical Tank. It's designed to take a hefty amount of physical hits while dealing some decent damage. Leftovers are always a great recovery option to ensure Malamar last longer regaining it's it's health points every turn. With Contrary, if Malamar has a stat stage raised it is lowered instead and vice versa. Substitute first then Superpower your Stats up while dealing nasty amounts of damage to your opponent!

♦ Psycho Cut is a physical STAB-boosted 70-base power Psychic-type move (high critical hit ratio).
♦ Night Slash is a physical STAB-boosted 70-base power Dark-type move (high critical hit ratio).
♦ Superpower is a physical 120-base power Fighting-type move (increases your Malamar's attack and defense by 1 stage).
♦ Substitute is a status move (Malamar takes 1/4 its max hp to put in a substitute).

Movesets for Doubles

What is a good doubles moveset for Malamar? These builds have been optimized for Sword/Shield Double Battles. They have movesets and EVs specifically calibrated to generally work best versus multiple Pokemon at once as well as helping to support other team members and allys in the Sword/Shield generation metagame.

Common double-battle team mates for Malamar in Pokemon Sword/Shield:

GrimmsnarlMiloticCinderaceDarmanitan-GalarMimikyuRillaboomMarowak-AlolaTorkoalKingdraTogekiss

Species: Malamar
Item: Focus Sash / Tanga Berry
Ability: Contrary
Nature: Adamant (+Atk, -SpA)
EVs: 4 Hp / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Moveset:
- Knock Off / Foul Play
- Psycho Cut
- Rock Slide
- Superpower

Doubles Physical Sweeper Malamar (Contrary)

Malamar is an extraordinary Physical Sweeper. It tries to take down the opponent's team with brute physical power. Focus Sash helps protect Malamar from being one-shotted and allowing it to atleast use a crucial move when brought out. With Contrary, if Malamar has a stat stage raised it is lowered instead and vice versa.

♦ Knock Off is a physical STAB-boosted 65-base power Dark-type move (1.5x damage if foe holds an item; Note: This will also remove that item).
♦ Foul Play is a physical STAB-boosted 95-base power Dark-type move (uses target's attack stat in damage calculation).
♦ Psycho Cut is a physical STAB-boosted 70-base power Psychic-type move (high critical hit ratio).
♦ Rock Slide is a physical 75-base power Rock-type move (30% chance to flinch the foes).
♦ Superpower is a physical 120-base power Fighting-type move (increases your Malamar's attack and defense by 1 stage).

Species: Malamar
Item: Focus Sash / Tanga Berry
Ability: Contrary
Nature: Sassy (+SpD, -Spe)
Nature: Relaxed (+Def, -Spe)
EVs: 252 Hp / 76 Def / 180 SpD
Moveset:
- Toxic
- Knock Off / Foul Play
- Psycho Cut
- Trick Room

Defensive Trick Room Malamar (Contrary)

Malamar is a notable Defensive Trick Room. Focus Sash helps protect Malamar from being one-shotted and allowing it to atleast use a crucial move when brought out. With Contrary, if Malamar has a stat stage raised it is lowered instead and vice versa.

♦ Toxic is a status move (badly poisons the target; Note: Poison types can't miss with Toxic).
♦ Knock Off is a physical STAB-boosted 65-base power Dark-type move (1.5x damage if foe holds an item; Note: This will also remove that item).
♦ Foul Play is a physical STAB-boosted 95-base power Dark-type move (uses target's attack stat in damage calculation).
♦ Psycho Cut is a physical STAB-boosted 70-base power Psychic-type move (high critical hit ratio).
♦ Trick Room is a status move (goes last. for 5 turns, turn order is reversed).

Movepool

Wondering what moves can Malamar learn? Here is the list of moves this Pokemon can learn in this selected generation.
Sort and organize the learnset by move type, category, accuracy, and power. Bolded moves will gain the same-type attack bonus (STAB) if this Pokemon uses them.

Combo List

These are a list of several common move combinations Malamar can perform in Sword/Shield. Not every combo going to be game-changing, but some can be pretty fun to play with. Sometimes these can be easily overlooked or forgotten, hence why we find and list them here. Discover what items, abilities, and moves this Pokemon can use in combination with each other to gain a strategic advantage in competitive battles.

Competitive SS Move and Ability Combos for Malamar

Moves: Swagger + Flatter
Moves: Endure + Reversal
Moves: Rest + Sleep talk
Moves: Stored Power + Psych Up
Ability: Contrary + Move: Superpower
Move: Fling + Item: King's Rock
Move: Facade + Item: Flame Orb
Move: Facade + Item: Toxic Orb
Moves with Priority: Endure, Protect, Ally Switch

Optimize Malamar's EVs for Sword/Shield

Competitive Information for Malamar [Sword/Shield]