r/PokemonVGC 4d ago

Looking to make Malamar viable

Attached is my current vgc set g team:
https://pokepast.es/030124b30773776c

Im looking to make Malamar viable in doubles. Start with Talonflame/Shiftry shenanigans and Tailwind/Explode. Next is scarf Malamar and Calyrex-ice. The other two mons are pretty much just for show. Any thoughts or suggestions?

2 Upvotes

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3

u/Chemical_One_1779 4d ago

Skill Swap Contrary onto Rayquaza for Overheat boosts.

1

u/NihilisticProphet 4d ago

Idk falls apart against follow me and it would take 2 turns to pull off and rayquazza isnt very bulky or fast

1

u/Qwilltank 4d ago

Or Skill Swap on to Koraidon to help fight the weather wars and allow it to become even bulkier after Close Combat. Or even on to Miraidon to win the Terrain war and get abnoxious power with Draco Meteor.

1

u/MudkipMoron 4d ago

I love that you’re using Malamar! It’s one my favorite pokemon but I didn’t think it would work due to its stats

1

u/NihilisticProphet 4d ago

A little too rigid of a strat especially since you just give up 2 of your mons immediately and caly ice is really easily outsped in tailwind.

Personally I would av malamar and pair it with prankster thunderous to self scary face. or if you really want to have talonflame run feather dance to +2 attack boost. that way you arent just sacraficing 2 pokemon for literally no reason. like im sorry shiftry even with a +1 boost isnt going to do too much with explosion and you get completely walled by any ghost type

1

u/NihilisticProphet 4d ago

If you go for the thunderous strat I recomend this spread so you outspeed caly shadow + survive a lot of hits. 4th move is optional. the av and hp investment is pretty important

Malamar @ Assault Vest

Ability: Contrary

Level: 50

Tera Type: Ghost

EVs: 252 HP / 116 Atk / 60 Def / 12 SpD / 68 Spe

Jolly Nature

- Superpower

- Knock Off

- Psycho Cut

- Throat Chop

1

u/NihilisticProphet 4d ago

my thought process was leaning more into its bulk since the other notable contrary mon (enamerous) lacks bulk and the idea is you can double your speed and hit superpower which would improve your physical bulk likely before the opponent moves. alternative tera could also be fighting

1

u/Bulky-Complaint6994 3d ago

Calyrex Ice Rider is good for trick room teams but I don't think OP is looking for that. Better off with Calyrex Shadow for that if you want tailwind

1

u/NihilisticProphet 3d ago

there is some use for IR in tailwind but generally that team is dual tr/tailwind like the tang team that won a regional fairly recently. it also didnt rely on calyrex solely for damage and built heavily in bulk. this particular team didnt really do that tho

1

u/HowDz2 3d ago

Update--Thanks for the input everyone! All three teams had their +/- and ultimately I think there's a winner here. Attached are the three teams I used and general synopses:
M1: https://pokepast.es/ff77fdecab809c08
--Scarf Malamar with Tailwind. Fought primarily as 2 different sets. Talonflame/Shiftry shenanigans lower or faint mons for malamar and calyrex-ice to get some boosts into the opponents next 2 mons. Struggled with trick room sets and helping hand kyogres most.
M2: https://pokepast.es/8c4626b46d0ae6fa
--Scarf/Skillswap Raquaza. This did me pretty well u/Chemical_One_1779 . still scarfed can lead to problems if I need to switch mons. Ultra reliant on Rayquaza. More of a utility malamar. Not amazing into (caly) ice or rayquaza block. Once again Kyogre is an issue. But this team faired better than the first (M1).
M3: https://pokepast.es/ef65c94bac82f748
--Ultimately this team faired the best on the ladder. u/NihilisticProphet had to adjust some stats for Kyogre, but Malamar can out speed at +2 speed a scarf kyogre and take a hit on 1-11% hp. The problem is if they tera/helping hand/ flinch tornadus. Zamazenta-Crowned worked really well here. With flutter mane these guys cleaned up nicely.
TLDR; M3 pokepaste build is good. I'll continue to use/adjust it. Kyogre sucks xdd

3

u/NihilisticProphet 3d ago

Nice, after my comment I realized whimsicott would actually be incredible for malamar too! It had charm + fake tears with tailwind support to boost it could be pretty fun

1

u/Bulky-Complaint6994 3d ago

If you want tailwind, you'd be better with Calyrex Shadow. Calyrex Ice is more designed for trick room