Kadabra Best Moveset
Already hitting like a fully evolved Pokemon at 120 Sp. Atk. 105 Speed keeps Psychic TermStab flowing on short cooldowns, and the damage is real. 40/30/70 defenses still collapse under physical pressure. The moveset is one evolution from Mega Alakazam's 175 Sp. Atk.
Alakazam existed and was strictly better in Gen I (Red & Blue). No reason to use the pre-evolution when you could trade for the real thing.
Support Moveset
- Recover
- Psychic
- Thunder Wave
- Tri Attack
Recommended Teammates
In formats where trade evolutions were restricted, Kadabra was the best available Psychic attacker. 120 Sp. Atk was still very good.
Best Moves
Best Build
Utility Moveset
- Psychic
- Recover
- Swagger
- Ice Punch
Recommended Teammates
Strong enough to get banned from the tier below but not quite top-tier material in Gen III (Ruby & Sapphire). A tweener that hit hard but couldn't take a hit.
Special Attacker Moveset
- Trick
- Fire Punch
- Psychic
- Role Play
Recommended Teammates
More options in Gen IV (Diamond & Pearl) meant Kadabra fell behind. Alakazam was always the better choice if available.
Special Sweeper Moveset
- Shadow Ball
- Psychic
- Trick
- Hidden Power Ground
Recommended Teammates
Magic Guard made Kadabra useful in lower tiers, but Alakazam had the same ability with better stats. Always the second choice.
Special Sweeper Moveset
- Shadow Ball
- Psychic
- Thunder Wave
- Hidden Power Fire
Recommended Teammates
Power creep pushed it further down in Gen VI (X & Y). Even Magic Guard couldn't save Kadabra's lower stats compared to its evolution.
Special Sweeper Moveset
- Psychic
- Psyshock
- Trick
- Shadow Ball
Recommended Teammates
Completely overshadowed in Gen VII (Sun & Moon). Alakazam did everything better and there was no item like Eviolite to close the gap offensively.
Special Sweeper Moveset
- Psychic
- Dazzling Gleam
- Shadow Ball
- Energy Ball
Recommended Teammates
Kadabra saw minimal competitive use in Gen VIII (Sword & Shield / BDSP). Kadabra maintained its position from the previous generation. Its most popular set ran Magic Guard with Life Orb, favoring a Timid nature.
Special Sweeper Moveset
- Psychic
- Shadow Ball
- Substitute
- Dazzling Gleam
Recommended Teammates
Kadabra Weakness
Kadabra is weak to Bug, Ghost, and Dark. Kadabra's special bulk (base 70 Sp.Def) helps absorb special-type weaknesses, though physical moves exploit the lower Defense.
| Damage | Types |
|---|---|
| 2x (Weak) | Bug, Ghost, Dark |
| 0.5x (Resist) | Fighting, Psychic |
What is Kadabra Weak Against
VulnerableBest Pokemon Against Kadabra
Chandelure threatens a KO with Shadow Ball (115-136%). Weavile's Knock Off also KOs at 150-176%.
 Volcarona BugFire | B | |
Recommended Build AbilityFlame Body ItemHeavy-Duty Boots NatureModest Moves View Volcarona builds →
| ||
 Chandelure GhostFire | B | |
Recommended Build AbilityFlashfire ItemChoice Scarf NatureTimid Moves
Damage vs Kadabra View Chandelure builds →Shadow Ball 2x115-136%KO Energy Ball43-51% Flamethrower64-76% | ||
 Weavile DarkIce | B | |
Recommended Build AbilityPressure ItemHeavy-Duty Boots NatureJolly Moves
Damage vs Kadabra View Weavile builds →Knock Off 2x150-176%KO Ice Shard47-55% | ||
Evolution
Sitting between Abra and Alakazam, Kadabra is part of a chain that requires a trade. Not your typical level-up setup. HP has grown the most so far (+15), but there's still another 100 stats to gain in the final evolution. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.
How to Evolve
Breeding
Breed with Kadabra to get Abra eggs easily using 70 partners from the Humanshape egg group.
How to Get Kadabra
The chain to Kadabra requires a trade evolution through a trade. Catch Abra at moderate rates and level through the stages, but line up the trade first. The rest of the chain runs on levels alone.
Where To Catch Kadabra in LZA
To get Kadabra, start by catching Abra through walking encounters at Lv. 12-65. The chain covers 3 catchable stages before reaching the final form.
The chain to Kadabra requires a trade evolution through a trade. Catch Abra at decent rates and level through the stages, but line up the trade first. The rest of the chain runs on levels alone.
Where To Catch Kadabra in PLA
To get Kadabra, start by catching Abra through walking encounters at Lv. 9-55. The chain covers 3 catchable stages before reaching the final form.
Step 1Catch AbraWindswept RunLv.9-12GrassRate 15%Lake AcuityLv.12-15GrassRate 15%Sandgem FlatsLv.12-15GrassRate 15%
Step 2Kadabra ✓Sandgem FlatsLv.16-19GrassRate 15%Space-Time Distortion - Cobalt CoastlandsLv.40-55CaveRate 15%Lake AcuityLv.49-52GrassRate 15%or evolve from Abra (Step 1)
Step 3Catch or Evolve into AlakazamSandgem FlatsLv.12-33GrassRate 15%Space-Time Distortion - Cobalt CoastlandsLv.40-55CaveRate 5%or evolve from Kadabra (Step 2)
Kadabra's 3-stage chain starts with Abra, which appears at decent rates in the locations below. Level through 3 stages while you find a trade partner. Everything except the trade step is solo.
Where To Catch Kadabra in BDSP
Abra is your first catch on the way to Kadabra. You'll find walking encounters from Lv. 4-47 across 12 total spots in the chain.
A trade step sits in Kadabra's 3-stage chain from Abra. The step cards below map each stage with catch locations and evolution methods. Abra shows up at moderate rates, so the starting catch is the easy part.
How to Obtain Kadabra in SwSh
The path to Kadabra starts with Abra at Lv. 10-15 via walking encounters. 1 catchable stage total, with locations listed for each one below.
Step 1Catch AbraFields of HonorLv.10-15OverworldRate 5%RainingFields of HonorLv.10-15OverworldRate 5%SnowstormFields of HonorLv.10-15OverworldRate 5%Intense SunFields of HonorLv.10-15OverworldRate 5%Heavy FogFields of HonorLv.10-15OverworldRate 5%SnowingFields of HonorLv.10-15OverworldRate 5%OvercastFields of HonorLv.10-15OverworldRate 5%SandstormFields of HonorLv.10-15OverworldRate 5%ThunderstormFields of HonorLv.10-15OverworldRate 5%Normal Weather
Step 2Kadabra ✓BREEDINGAvailableLeave Alakazam with a compatible partner at the Pokemon Day Care to receive a Kadabra egg.
Step 3Evolve into Alakazam
Base Stats
Sp. Atk leads and Defense gets almost nothing. That's Kadabra's stat line in a nutshell. 2 stats sit in respectable range, but the spread is brutal. Moderately hard to find and yields 2 Sp. Atk EVs.
Using its psychic power, Kadabra levitates as it sleeps. It uses its springy tail as a pillow.
Kadabra Guide
Kadabra is meant to evolve into Alakazam. At 400 BST, the stats aren't there for competitive play yet. Pre-evolution Pokemon rarely hold up against fully evolved threats.
Kadabra's biggest threats include Scyther (Bug), Misdreavus (Ghost), and Tyranitar (Dark), all carrying super-effective STAB moves. Kadabra's base 105 Speed lets it outpace many threats and strike first, which matters more than trying to tank hits.
Kadabra evolves into Alakazam via trade. Trade needs a Game Boy Advance link cable and a second GBA running another Gen 3 game (FireRed, LeafGreen, Ruby, Sapphire, or Emerald). Trade Kadabra to a friend, then have them trade it back. The 2026 Switch re-release supports the same trade through local wireless on the Pokemon Center 2F Wireless Club, with no cables required.
Magic Guard is what you want on Kadabra. Every competitive set worth running is built with that ability in mind. The alternatives (Synchronize, Inner Focus) work on paper but Magic Guard is what makes Kadabra worth using. With base 105 Speed, Magic Guard gives Kadabra an edge before opponents can react.
Magic Guard is the hidden ability. It protects against damage not directly caused by a move. Worth hunting for if you want Kadabra to compete at a higher level.
Game Availability
One of the original 151, Kadabra has appeared in 21 games — nearly every mainline game. From Red & Blue through the latest titles, it's rarely been left out of a regional Pokedex.
Click a game to view version-specific details
- Gen 1RBDebut
Red & Blue - Gen 1Y
Yellow - Gen 2GS
Gold & Silver - Gen 2C
Crystal - Gen 3RS
Ruby & Sapphire - Gen 3E
Emerald - Gen 3FRLG
FireRed & LeafGreen - Gen 4DP
Diamond & Pearl - Gen 4Pt
Platinum - Gen 4HGSS
HeartGold & SoulSilver - Gen 5BW
Black & White - Gen 5B2W2
Black 2 & White 2 - Gen 6XY
X & Y - Gen 6ORAS
Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire - Gen 7SM
Sun & Moon - Gen 7USUM
Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon - Gen 7LGPE
Let's Go Pikachu & Eevee - Gen 8SwSh
Sword & Shield - Gen 8BDSP
Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl - Gen 8PLA
Legends: Arceus - Gen 9SV
Scarlet & Violet - Gen 9LZA
Legends: Z-A - Gen 10WW
Winds & Waves