Mega Malamar is one of the most unique physical attackers available in the Regulation M-B format thanks to both its uncommon type combination—Dark and Psychic—and its Contrary Ability. Rather than just relying on Superpower to boost its own stats, this team is built around creating a Contrary engine that turns status moves into additional stat boosts. This allows Mega Malamar to become stronger, faster, and bulkier as the battle goes on
Mega Malamar Team Overview
Malamar
Ability: Contrary
Stat Points: 32 HP / 8 Attack / 11 Defense / 15 Speed
Stat Alignment: Adamant (Attack +, Sp. Atk −)
Moves: Knock Off, Psycho Cut, Superpower, Protect
Mega Malamar is the centerpiece of this team and is designed to stay on the field for as long as possible. Rather than trying to overwhelm opponents immediately, the goal is to gradually build up its stats while continuing to apply pressure with Superpower. Thanks to Contrary, every use of Superpower increases Mega Malamar’s Attack and Defense by one stage instead of lowering them, making it progressively stronger and more difficult to knock out as the battle goes on
The stat point investment focuses heavily on longevity. Maximizing HP allows Mega Malamar to get the most value from the boosts it receives throughout a battle, while the Defense investment helps cover one of its weaker stats while those boosts begin to stack up. The points in Speed give Mega Malamar the flexibility to outspeed key threats once it has received Speed boosts from its teammates
Knock Off provides excellent utility by removing opposing held items, while Psycho Cut offers a reliable Psychic-type attack. Superpower is the move the entire set is built around, and Protect remains invaluable for positioning, scouting opposing plays, and allowing Mega Malamar’s partners to create safer opportunities for it
Grimmsnarl
Held Item: Roseli Berry
Ability: Prankster
Stat Points: 32 HP / 19 Defense / 15 Sp. Def
Stat Alignment: Careful (Sp. Def +, Sp. Atk −)
Moves: Spirit Break, Fake Tears, Parting Shot, Scary Face
Grimmsnarl is the Pokémon that brings the Contrary support engine together. Thanks to Prankster, all of its status moves gain +1 priority, allowing it to act before most opposing Pokémon and immediately enable Mega Malamar
While Fake Tears, Scary Face, and Parting Shot would normally be used to weaken an opponent, Contrary allows Mega Malamar to turn each of those effects into a boost instead. Fake Tears raises its Sp. Def by two stages, Scary Face increases its Speed by two stages, and Parting Shot boosts both its Attack and Sp. Atk while also allowing Grimmsnarl to pivot into a more favorable teammate. Roseli Berry helps cover one of the team’s biggest weaknesses. It reduces the damage from the first supereffective Fairy-type attack Grimmsnarl takes, giving it a better opportunity to influence the battle before being knocked out.
Sinistcha
Held Item: Occa Berry
Ability: Hospitality
Stat Points: 32 HP / 2 Defense / 32 Sp. Def
Stat Alignment: Relaxed (Defense +, Speed −)
Moves: Matcha Gotcha, Rage Powder, Trick Room, Protect
After Mega Malamar has started building boosts, the next priority is keeping it on the field for as long as possible. That’s where Sinistcha comes in. It restores 25 percent of its partner’s HP with Hospitality when it enters battle, recovering damage Mega Malamar may have taken while setting up and making it even harder for opponents to wear down
Rage Powder gives the team another important layer of protection by redirecting attacks away from Mega Malamar, buying it additional turns to continue boosting or attack safely. Trick Room also provides an alternative form of Speed control, allowing the team to play comfortably into faster Pokémon or opposing Tailwind teams when needed. The stat point investment is designed to help Sinistcha survive some of the strongest Fire-type attacks from common threats, giving it more opportunities to influence the battle.
Gholdengo
Held Item: Life Orb
Ability: Good as Gold
Stat Points: 27 HP / 8 Defense / 5 Sp. Atk / 6 Sp. Def / 20 Speed
Stat Alignment: Modest (Sp. Atk +, Attack −)
Moves: Make It Rain, Shadow Ball, Power Gem, Protect
While Mega Malamar is the team’s primary physical attacker, Gholdengo provides a powerful special attacking option, preventing opponents from focusing entirely on physical defense. Life Orb increases the power of every attack by 30 percent, allowing Gholdengo to invest its stat points more heavily into bulk. This helps it survive key attacks from common threats while maintaining impressive damage output
Gholdengo works particularly well alongside Grimmsnarl. Fake Tears lowers an opponent’s Sp. Def, allowing Gholdengo to capitalize with Life Orb-boosted attacks, while Scary Face helps it move before faster threats
Make It Rain is Gholdengo’s strongest attack and gives the team an excellent answer to Fairy-type Pokémon. While it lowers Gholdengo’s Sp. Atk after each use, Fake Tears support and careful repositioning help it continue applying pressure. Shadow Ball provides a reliable Ghost-type attack without the drawback, while Power Gem offers useful coverage against common Fire- and Flying-type Pokémon
Ninetales (Alolan Form)
Held Item: Light Clay
Ability: Snow Warning
Stat Points: 32 HP / 15 Defense / 3 Sp. Atk / 5 Sp. Def / 11 Speed
Stat Alignment: Timid (Speed +, Attack −)
Moves: Freeze-Dry, Icy Wind, Aurora Veil, Protect
Alolan Ninetales gives the team another flexible utility option while also providing valuable weather disruption. Snow Warning immediately changes the weather when it enters the field, removing opposing harsh sunlight or rain, making it much harder for teams built around Pokémon such as Mega Charizard Y, Mega Swampert, or Archaludon to execute their game plan. Snow also increases Alolan Ninetales’s Defense by 50 percent, increasing its survivability
With snow active, Alolan Ninetales can set up Aurora Veil, one of the team’s strongest defensive tools. Aurora Veil reduces both physical and special damage taken, giving Mega Malamar more opportunities to accumulate Contrary boosts before opponents can break through its defenses. Light Clay extends Aurora Veil from five turns to eight, giving the team longer to take advantage of its protection. The stat point investment focuses on survivability while maintaining enough Speed to consistently control the pace of the battle. This Pokémon being an Ice type also gives the team a reliable answer to some of the format’s biggest threats, including Garchomp and, thanks to Freeze-Dry’s supereffective damage to Water types, Basculegion.
Incineroar
Held Item: Sitrus Berry
Ability: Intimidate
Stat Points: 32 HP / 13 Defense / 15 Sp. Def / 6 Speed
Stat Alignment: Careful (Sp. Def +, Sp. Atk −)
Moves: Fake Out, Flare Blitz, Throat Chop, Parting Shot
Incineroar rounds out the team by acting as a reliable defensive pivot. Intimidate immediately lowers the Attack of opposing Pokémon, helping cover Mega Malamar’s lower Defense as it builds its own boosts while also allowing the rest of the team to better absorb physical attacks
Parting Shot lowers an opponent’s offensive stats before allowing Incineroar to pivot into a more favorable teammate. Its slower pivot often brings the incoming Pokémon onto the field safely after the opponents have attacked, while also giving the team a means of slowing down the Dark-type Pokémon that are immune to Grimmsnarl’s Prankster-boosted status moves. As a Fire type, Incineroar also provides an important resistance to Fire-type attacks, giving Gholdengo, Alolan Ninetales, and Sinistcha a safe switch from some of the format’s biggest offensive threats. The stat point investment focuses on longevity, helping Incineroar survive powerful special attacks and continue creating opportunities for its teammates.
Mega Malamar Team Tips
In most games, Mega Malamar and Grimmsnarl will be your preferred lead. Grimmsnarl gives Mega Malamar immediate access to the team’s Contrary support engine, allowing you to choose the most useful boost for the matchup. The aim in most battles is to begin building Mega Malamar’s stats with Superpower while using the rest of the team to keep it healthy, protect it from incoming attacks, and provide whichever Contrary boosts are needed for the situation. Once Mega Malamar has accumulated a few boosts, it becomes increasingly difficult to stop and is often capable of taking over the game on its own.
Incineroar is another strong partner for Mega Malamar, particularly against physical attackers. Intimidate immediately softens incoming attacks while the slower Parting Shot provides a safe way to reposition your team and continue supporting Mega Malamar. Alolan Ninetales is generally best kept in the back, although it can be a good lead when your opponent has no reliable way of removing snow, allowing you to establish Aurora Veil early
The most common four Pokémon:
- Lead: Malamar + Grimmsnarl
- Back: Sinistcha + Incineroar
These four put opponents under immediate pressure. Mega Malamar can start building boosts with Superpower, while Grimmsnarl uses Fake Tears, Parting Shot, or Scary Face depending on the matchup. The goal is to come out of the opening turns with Mega Malamar already boosted and in a position where the rest of the team can keep it on the field for as long as possible
If opponent has Mega Floette or another strong Fairy type:
- Lead: Gholdengo + Grimmsnarl
- Back: Malamar + Incineroar
This lead allows you to focus on Gholdengo early while keeping Mega Malamar safely in the back until opposing Fairy-type Pokémon have been dealt with. If your opponent leads a Fairy type alongside a threat to Gholdengo, don’t be afraid to Protect while using Parting Shot or making a hard switch to improve your position
The goal in these games is to remove the opposing Fairy type as early as possible. Once that threat is gone, Mega Malamar can usually function much more freely for the rest of the battle. Sinistcha is also a strong alternative to Incineroar in these matchups, offering recovery for both of your main attackers while helping them stay on the field for longer
If opponent’s team strategy is to change the weather:
- Lead: Malamar + Grimmsnarl
- Back: Alolan Ninetales + Sinistcha
Against weather teams, the priority is getting Mega Malamar set up while keeping Alolan Ninetales in the back until its weather disruption will have the biggest impact. Against sun teams, opening with Fake Tears on Mega Malamar followed by Superpower often gives it the Sp. Def it needs to comfortably absorb incoming attacks while beginning to build its own Attack and Defense boosts
From there, the focus shifts to preserving Mega Malamar’s momentum. Parting Shot and Hospitality allow you to reposition safely, recover any damage taken, and continue building boosts before bringing in Alolan Ninetales to remove the opposing weather. Once the weather has been disrupted, Mega Malamar is usually in a much stronger position to take control of the battle
Against rain teams, Scary Face can allow Mega Malamar to outspeed Adamant max Speed Mega Swampert even while rain is active, giving the opportunity to land a Superpower before Swampert can attack. In most situations, however, it’s better to Parting Shot or switch directly into Alolan Ninetales while using Superpower to immediately remove rain and the boost it provides to Water-type attacks
When using this team, try to plan a turn or two ahead. Mega Malamar is the centerpiece of the strategy and losing it too early can quickly put you on the back foot. Choosing the right Contrary boost for each situation takes practice, and thinking a few turns ahead will help you get the most value from Hospitality recovery and your pivoting options
Mega Malamar isn’t a Pokémon that typically picks up immediate knockouts. Instead, it’s all about gradually building boosts, staying healthy, and wearing opponents down over the course of the battle. Once you become comfortable with that more methodical playstyle, our friend Mega Malamar can be incredibly difficult to stop
Pokémon Champions
Release Date
April 8, 2026
Genre
Battle
Platform
Nintendo Switch, iOS, and Android
Learn more
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