Head-to-head
Gengar vs Alakazam
Glass cannon special attacker mirror — Ghost vs Psychic.
Side-by-side
Gengar
Ghost/Poison · #0094
BST: 500
Alakazam
Psychic/None · #0065
BST: 500
Verdict
Winner: Alakazam (no setup) / Mega Gengar (with Shadow Tag)
Alakazam wins via Focus Blast type advantage and higher Speed. Mega Gengar wins via Shadow Tag trapping.
Context: why this matchup matters
Gengar and Alakazam are the two Gen 1 special-attacker icons. Both are glass cannons (poor defenses, high SpA + Speed). They've both held 'top special attacker' rankings in their respective tiers across multiple generations. Their type matchup is symmetric: Psychic doesn't hit Ghost (Gengar is Ghost/Poison — Psychic 0× vs Ghost), Ghost hits Psychic super-effective.
Stat battle: who has the numbers?
Gengar: 60/65/60/130/75/110 BST 500. Alakazam: 55/50/45/135/95/120 BST 500. Alakazam is faster (120 vs 110) and has 5 more SpA. Gengar has 10 more SpDef but is otherwise the bulkier of the two by HP (60 vs 55).
Abilities: Gengar has Cursed Body (30% chance to disable opposing moves on contact) and Levitate (Gen 6 forward — lost in Gen 7 update). Alakazam has Magic Guard (immune to indirect damage — hazards, status, weather) — widely considered the best ability either has.
Mega forms: Mega Gengar (600 BST: 60/65/80/170/95/130) gets Shadow Tag — traps opponents. Mega Alakazam (590 BST: 55/50/65/175/105/150) keeps Magic Guard.
Full matchup analysis
1-on-1 matchup: Alakazam outspeeds and lands Focus Blast (Fighting hits Gengar's Poison-typing 4×) for a clean OHKO. Gengar's Shadow Ball back doesn't OHKO Alakazam without Specs (Alakazam's SpDef of 95 + neutral Ghost = survives 1 hit).
In their Mega forms: Mega Gengar's Shadow Tag traps Mega Alakazam, ensuring Mega Gengar wins. Mega Alakazam wins on raw speed (150 vs Mega Gengar's 130) and outdamages with Magic Guard + Life Orb (no recoil) Psyshock + Focus Blast.
Real verdict: In a vacuum, Alakazam wins via type advantage (Focus Blast 4× super-effective on Gengar). With items + setup, Mega Gengar's Shadow Tag trap turns it into a 1-vs-1 winner. Both are glass cannons — both die instantly to faster priority attacks.
Smogon tier: Both are OU-tier in their best gens. Mega Alakazam is the top special wallbreaker in Gen 6 OU. Gengar was OU until losing Levitate in Gen 7 — now mostly UU.
When to pick each
Pick Gengar for: Hex + Will-O-Wisp + Substitute stall, Mega Gengar Shadow Tag traps in older gens, Encore + Hypnosis lockdown. Gengar's Ghost/Poison typing has 4 immunities (Normal, Fighting, Ground, Poison).
Pick Alakazam for: Magic Guard + Life Orb special sweeper (no recoil), Mega Alakazam's 175 SpA + 150 Speed nuke role, Focus Blast + Psychic + Shadow Ball BoltBeam coverage equivalent. Magic Guard makes Alakazam immune to Stealth Rock — no Heavy-Duty Boots needed.