What are Inkay and Malamar's weakenesses in Pokemon GO?

Inkay and Malamar are the latest additions to Pokemon GO following the release of the Psychic Spectacular event starting on 8 September 2021. Both Inkay as well as Malamar originate from the sixth generation of main series Pokemon games on the Nintendo 3DS.

With their addition to Pokemon GO and Pokemon GO's competitive Battle League, many players may be wondering what weaknesses there are to the menacing new additions to Pokemon GO's roster.

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Malamar and Inkay's resistances and weaknesses in Pokemon GO

Inkay and Malamar as they appear in the anime (Image via The Pokemon Company)

Before going into battle against any Pokemon in Pokemon GO, trainers first need to know their opponent's weakness. Both Inkay and Malamar are Psychic and Dark-type Pokemon which means that they are weak to only Bug and Fairy-type attacks while being resistant to other Psychic-type attacks.

Malamar's moveset that maximizes its damage output consists of Psycho Cut and Foul Play. These moves are Psychic and Dark-types and are most commonly run together as they deal the most damage. Malamar may scare many players due to it being a new introduction but it is not that big of a threat given how easily accessible its counters are. Pokemon like Pinsir or even Scyther can easily take on Malamar due to its somewhat mediocre stats. However, Malamar can run Peck over Psycho Cut without sacrificing damage output. Pokemon like Scizor or Durant may be a better option due to their higher defense stat. Any Pokemon with a Bug-type move will perform well against Malamar and Inkay as they take 256% more damage from Bug-type attacks.

In summary, while Malamar may not have the best stats, it may have a small niche choice due to its defensive options in lower tier Battle Leagues. Malamar is a Pokemon capable of taking a few hits as it has a slightly above average stamina stat. While its defensive stats leave a lot to be desired, its small amount of weaknesses make up for it. In addition, Malamar only resists other Psychic-type attacks which means its hit normally by every other type it is not weak to. For this reason, Malamar is not likely to be a complete game changer in Pokemon GO's competitive meta game.