Physical
Balanced
BTier
73Speed · Below Avg

Stats & Training

Malamar's stats barely vary. 3 sit in respectable range with no real gaps. It's a blank slate for EV investment. Worth 2 Attack EVs, medium-fast 1M XP curve to max.

Base Stats
Above
HP86
C
Attack92
B
Defense88
C
Sp. Atk68
C
Sp. Def75
C
Speed73
C
Total482
Details
Catch Rate
Challenging80 / 255
Growth Rate
Medium Fast1M XP
Height1.5 m
4'11"Average
Weight47.0 kg
103.6 lbsLight
Base XP169
Average
Abilities
ContraryTop Pick
Inverts stat changes.
Suction Cups
Prevents being forced out of battle by other Pokémon's moves.
InfiltratorHARare
Bypasses light screen, reflect, and safeguard.
EV Yield
HPAtk+2DefSpASpDSpe
Attack training target
Pokedex Entries
No Scarlet Violet entries available

Gazing at its luminescent spots will quickly induce a hypnotic state, putting the observer under Malamar’s control.

Malamar Weakness

Malamar's Dark/Psychic typing leaves it vulnerable to Bug and Fairy. Bug hits land at 4x, so they're the biggest threat. It shrugs off Psychic-type attacks completely. With 86 HP and balanced defenses, Malamar can afford to eat a neutral hit or two.

Malamar Weakness and Resistance Chart
DamageTypes
4x (Critical)Bug
2x (Weak)Fairy
0x (Immune)Psychic
Type ChartAvg
2Weak
0Resist
1Immune
Score-3
4xCritical
Bug
2xWeak
Fairy
½xResist
None
¼xResist
None
0xImmune
Psychic
STAB (4)
PsychicGhostFightingPoison
How to Beat Malamar in Scarlet & Violet (Best Counters)
Lokix
Lokix
BugDark
A
Available Moves
Moves
  • First ImpressionLv. 44
  • Bug BuzzTM162
  • X-ScissorTM105
  • Leech LifeTM95
Damage vs Malamar
First Impression 4x
145-171%KO
Bug Buzz 4x
101-119%KO
X-Scissor 4x
130-153%KO
Leech Life 4x
130-153%KO
View Lokix builds →

Scarlet & Violet Evolution

Malamar is the evolved form of Inkay. Breeding produces Inkay eggs, and they're average hatch time. Evolving from Inkay gave Malamar the biggest boost in Attack (+38), bringing the total to 482 stats. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.

How to Evolve

2 Forms
Inkay
#686Inkay
30
Level 30 (Upside Down)
Malamar
#687Malamar
Stat Comparison 2 Stages
Inkay
DarkPsychic
Malamar
DarkPsychic
HP
53
86+33
ATK
54
92+38
DEF
53
88+35
SP.ATK
37
68+31
SP.DEF
46
75+29
SPE
45
73+28
BST
288D-Tier
482B-Tier+194
ROLE
Balanced
Balanced
TYPE
Utility
Physical

Breeding

Very Easy

Breed with Malamar to get Inkay eggs easily using 87 partners from the Water1 and Water2 egg groups.

Egg Groups
Water1Water2
Gender
♂50.0%♀50.0%
Hatch Time
20 cycles·5,140 steps
Quick~5 min with Flame Body
Breed With (best first)
gyaradosazumarillblastoisegolduckferaligatrkingdraswampertmiloticempoleonslowbroslowkingludicolo
12 of 87·

Scarlet & Violet Malamar Best Moveset

Bulk and offense in one package. Malamar runs Leftovers for passive recovery each turn with a Adamant nature, so it survives long enough to threaten with Superpower. Max HP and Attack EVs and Fighting coverage make it hard to safely switch into.

Best Build

Situational pick
Ability
Contrary
Item
LeftoversSUSTAIN
Best Nature for Malamar
Adamant+ATK

Malamar best EVs are Attack and HP

EVs

Physical Tank Moveset

  • SuperpowerCoverage
  • Knock OffSTAB
  • Psycho CutSTAB
  • RestRecovery

Recommended Teammates

Muk
MukDecent

Moves

Without TMs, Malamar's movepool is bare bones. With them, you get coverage across 9 types on top of Future Sight and Foul Play for STAB. The natural kit handles basics, but TMs are doing the real work.

Level-Up Moves

Lv 1
Hypnosis
C—6020Psychic
Lv 1
Peck
—3510035Flying
Lv 1
Reversal
D—10015Fighting
Lv 1
Tackle
D4010035Normal
Lv 1
Wrap
D159020Normal
Lv 9
Payback
C5010010Dark
Lv 12
Pluck
—6010020Flying
Lv 15
Psybeam
—6510020Psychic
Lv 18
Swagger
C—8515Normal
Lv 21
Slash
C7010020Normal
Lv 24
Night Slash
C7010015Dark
Lv 27
Psycho Cut
S7010020Psychic
Lv 33
Switcheroo
C—10010Dark
Lv 37
Foul Play
B9510015Dark
Lv 42
Topsy-Turvy
A——20Dark
Lv 47
Superpower
S1201005Fighting

TM Moves

TM
TM27
Aerial Ace
D60—20Flying
TM132
Baton Pass
A——40Normal
TM129
Calm Mind
C——20Psychic
TM94
Dark Pulse
C8010015Dark
TM47
Endure+4
C——10Normal
TM218
Expanding Force
C8010010Psychic
TM25
Facade
C7010020Normal
TM03
Fake Tears
B—10020Dark
TM125
Flamethrower
C9010015Fire
TM43
Fling
D—10010Dark
TM62
Foul Play
B9510015Dark
TM217
Future Sight
B12010010Psychic
TM152
Giga Impact
B150905Normal
TM178
Gravity
C——5Psychic
TM130
Helping Hand+5
C——20Normal
TM163
Hyper Beam
C150905Normal
TM181
Knock Off
S6510020Dark
TM199
Lash Out
C751005Dark
TM75
Light Screen
C——30Psychic
TM110
Liquidation
C8510010Water
TM185
Lunge
C8010015Bug
TM140
Nasty Plot
C——20Dark
TM07
Protect+4
A——10Normal
TM16
Psybeam
—6510020Psychic
TM203
Psych Up
B——10Normal
TM120
Psychic
C9010010Psychic
TM228
Psychic Noise
C7510010Psychic
TM54
Psyshock
C8010010Psychic
TM50
Rain Dance
C——5Water
TM74
Reflect
C——20Psychic
TM85
Rest
S——5Psychic
TM134
Reversal
D—10015Fighting
TM86
Rock Slide
C759010Rock
TM06
Scary Face
B—10010Normal
TM98
Skill Swap
A——10Psychic
TM70
Sleep Talk
A——10Normal
TM177
Spite
——10010Ghost
TM41
Stored Power
A2010010Psychic
TM103
Substitute
C——10Normal
TM49
Sunny Day
C——5Fire
TM32
Swift
D60—20Normal
TM87
Taunt
C—10020Dark
TM171
Tera Blast
A8010010Normal
TM18
Thief
C6010025Dark
TM221
Throat Chop
C8010015Dark
TM126
Thunderbolt
C9010015Electric
TM20
Trailblaze
D5010020Grass
TM109
Trick
C—10010Psychic
TM161
Trick Room-7
A——5Psychic

Egg Moves

Malamar doesn't have any Egg moves

Tutor Moves

Malamar can't learn any Tutor moves

How to Get Malamar in Scarlet & Violet

Malamar can't be caught in Scarlet & Violet. Transfer Inkay from X, Ultra Sun, or Sword and evolve through the 2-stage line to get it. The step cards below map the full chain.

How to Obtain Malamar in Scarlet & Violet

  1. Inkay
    Step 1Obtain Inkay

    Also found in:

    XUltra SunSword
  2. Malamar
    Step 2Malamar ✓

Malamar Guide

  • In Scarlet & Violet, Don't let Malamar's 482 base stat total fool you. Contrary is what makes it tick. It punches way above its weight class. We rate it B-Tier. Superpower with Leftovers is the standard set.

  • Mega Evolution isn't available in Scarlet & Violet, but Malamar does have a Mega form in Gen 6-7 games (X/Y, ORAS, Sun/Moon). Mega Malamar hits 582 BST.

  • In Scarlet & Violet, watch for Scizor (Bug) and Sylveon (Fairy) when using Malamar. They all hit it super-effectively with STAB. Scizor is the most dangerous since Bug moves deal 4x damage. Only 2 weaknesses means fewer dedicated counters to worry about.

  • In Scarlet & Violet, Run Contrary on Malamar. It's the ability that defines how you build around it and the main reason it holds a competitive niche. Malamar also gets Suction Cups and Infiltrator, but they don't compare.

  • In Scarlet & Violet, Malamar fills the balanced role. It's a physical attacker with base 92 Attack. Base 73 Speed is workable. Faster than some, slower than many. And it's enough bulk to take a hit or two.

Game Availability

Malamar first appeared in X & Y and spans 7 games across 5 generations. It later gained a Mega form in Generation 6, adding new dimensions to its competitive identity.

Click a game to view version-specific details

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