Competitive Information for Pikachu [Gold/Silver]
Bug
Dark
Dragon
Electric
Fighting
Fire
Flying
Ghost
Grass
0.5x
0.5x
Ground
Ice
Normal
Poison
Psychic
Rock
Steel
Water
2x
0.5x
¼x
½x
2x
4x
Movesets for Singles
What is a good competitive moveset for Pikachu? These builds have been optimized for Pokemon competing in Gold/Silver Single Battles. The movesets and EVs have been specifically calibrated to deal the most amount of damage to the largest group of potentially common opponents and typing threats for the Gold/Silver generation metagame.
Pikachu is pretty popular Electric-typed Pokemon. Pikachu is not a Pokemon anyone usually expects sees on the battlefield. There were no known abilities back in the Gold/Silver Pokemon games. Pikachu's only type-related weakness is Ground.
Species: Pikachu
Item: Life Orb / Power Herb
Moveset:
- Double-Edge / Return
- Seismic Toss
- Fly
- Rollout
Item: Life Orb / Power Herb
Moveset:
- Double-Edge / Return
- Seismic Toss
- Fly
- Rollout
Physical Sweeper Pikachu (Retro)
Pikachu is a decent Physical Sweeper. It attempts to take down the opponent's team with brute physical power. Keep in mind back before Generation IV, a move's damage category was determined by its type. Focus Sash helps protect Pikachu from being one-shotted and allowing it to atleast use a crucial move when brought out. Life Orb boosts the power of Pikachu's damaging moves by 1.3x but it then loses 1/10 its max HP immediately after the attack.
♦ Double-Edge is a physical 120-base power Normal-type move (has 1/4 recoil).
♦ Return is a physical 0-base power Normal-type move (max 102 power at maximum happiness).
♦ Seismic Toss is a physical 0-base power Fighting-type move (does damage equal to your Pikachu's level).
♦ Fly is a physical 70-base power Flying-type move (flies up on first turn, then strikes the next turn).
♦ Rollout is a physical 30-base power Rock-type move (power doubles with each hit. repeats for 5 turns).
♦ Return is a physical 0-base power Normal-type move (max 102 power at maximum happiness).
♦ Seismic Toss is a physical 0-base power Fighting-type move (does damage equal to your Pikachu's level).
♦ Fly is a physical 70-base power Flying-type move (flies up on first turn, then strikes the next turn).
♦ Rollout is a physical 30-base power Rock-type move (power doubles with each hit. repeats for 5 turns).
Species: Pikachu
Item: Life Orb / Focus Sash
Moveset:
- Thunderbolt / Thunder Punch
- Surf
- Petal Dance
- Defense Curl
Item: Life Orb / Focus Sash
Moveset:
- Thunderbolt / Thunder Punch
- Surf
- Petal Dance
- Defense Curl
Special Sweeper Pikachu (Retro)
Pikachu is an outstanding Special Sweeper. It is meant to take down the opponent's team with high-damaging special attacks. In the old days prior to Generation IV, a move's damage category was determined by its type. Focus Sash helps protect Pikachu from being one-shotted and allowing it to atleast use a crucial move when brought out. Life Orb boosts the power of Pikachu's damaging moves by 1.3x but it then loses 1/10 its max HP immediately after the attack.
♦ Thunderbolt is a special STAB-boosted 95-base power Electric-type move (10% chance to paralyze the target).
♦ Thunder Punch is a special STAB-boosted 75-base power Electric-type move (10% chance to paralyze the target).
♦ Surf is a special 95-base power Water-type move that deals a decent amount of damage.
♦ Petal Dance is a special 70-base power Grass-type move (lasts 2-3 turns. confuses your Pikachu afterwards).
♦ Defense Curl is a status move (raises your Pikachu's defense by 1 stage).
♦ Thunder Punch is a special STAB-boosted 75-base power Electric-type move (10% chance to paralyze the target).
♦ Surf is a special 95-base power Water-type move that deals a decent amount of damage.
♦ Petal Dance is a special 70-base power Grass-type move (lasts 2-3 turns. confuses your Pikachu afterwards).
♦ Defense Curl is a status move (raises your Pikachu's defense by 1 stage).
Movepool
Wondering what moves can Pikachu learn? Here is the list of moves this Pokemon can learn in this selected generation.
Sort and organize the learnset by move type, category, accuracy, and power. Bolded moves will gain the same-type attack bonus (STAB) if this Pokemon uses them.
Cat
Type
Movename
Damage
Accuracy
PP
Effect
Petal Dance
70
100%
20
Lasts 2-3 turns. Confuses the user afterwards.
Surf
95
100%
15
No additional effect.
Thunder
120
70%
10
30% chance to paralyze. Can't miss in rain.
Thunder Punch
75
100%
15
10% chance to paralyze the target.
Thunder Shock
40
100%
30
10% chance to paralyze the target.
Thunderbolt
95
100%
15
10% chance to paralyze the target.
Zap Cannon
100
50%
5
100% chance to paralyze the target.
Bide
--
100%
10
Waits 2-3 turns; deals double the damage taken.
Body Slam
85
100%
15
30% chance to paralyze the target.
Dizzy Punch
70
100%
10
20% chance to confuse the target.
Double Slap
15
85%
10
Hits 2-5 times in one turn.
Double-Edge
120
100%
15
Has 1/4 recoil.
Dynamic Punch
100
50%
5
100% chance to confuse the target.
Fly
70
95%
15
Flies up on first turn, then strikes the next turn.
Frustration
--
100%
20
Max 102 power at minimum Happiness.
Headbutt
70
100%
15
30% chance to flinch the target.
Iron Tail
100
75%
15
30% chance to lower the target's Defense by 1.
Mega Kick
120
75%
5
No additional effect.
Mega Punch
80
85%
20
No additional effect.
Mud-Slap
20
100%
10
100% chance to lower the target's accuracy by 1.
Pay Day
40
100%
20
Scatters coins.
Present
--
90%
15
40, 80, 120 power, or heals target 1/4 max HP.
Quick Attack
40
100%
30
Usually goes first.
Rage
20
100%
20
Next Rage increases in damage if hit during use.
Return
--
100%
20
Max 102 power at maximum Happiness.
Reversal
--
100%
15
More power the less HP the user has left.
Rollout
30
90%
20
Power doubles with each hit. Repeats for 5 turns.
Seismic Toss
--
100%
20
Does damage equal to the user's level.
Skull Bash
100
100%
15
Raises user's Defense by 1 on turn 1. Hits turn 2.
Slam
80
75%
20
No additional effect.
Snore
40
100%
15
User must be asleep. 30% chance to flinch target.
Strength
80
100%
15
No additional effect.
Submission
80
80%
25
Has 1/4 recoil.
Swift
60
--
20
This move does not check accuracy.
Take Down
90
85%
20
Has 1/4 recoil.
Agility
--
--
30
Raises the user's Speed by 2.
Attract
--
100%
15
A target of the opposite gender gets infatuated.
Charm
--
100%
20
Lowers the target's Attack by 2.
Curse
--
--
10
Curses if Ghost, else -1 Spe, +1 Atk, +1 Def.
Defense Curl
--
--
40
Raises the user's Defense by 1.
Detect
--
--
5
Prevents moves from affecting the user this turn.
Double Team
--
--
15
Raises the user's evasiveness by 1.
Encore
--
100%
5
The target repeats its last move for 3-6 turns.
Endure
--
--
10
User survives attacks this turn with at least 1 HP.
Flash
--
70%
20
Lowers the target's accuracy by 1.
Growl
--
100%
40
Lowers the target's Attack by 1.
Light Screen
--
--
30
For 5 turns, the user's party has doubled Sp. Def.
Mimic
--
--
10
The last move the target used replaces this one.
Protect
--
--
10
Prevents moves from affecting the user this turn.
Rain Dance
--
--
5
For 5 turns, heavy rain powers Water moves.
Reflect
--
--
20
For 5 turns, the user's party has doubled Def.
Rest
--
--
10
User sleeps 2 turns and restores HP and status.
Scary Face
--
90%
10
Lowers the target's Speed by 2.
Sing
--
55%
15
Causes the target to fall asleep.
Sleep Talk
--
--
10
User must be asleep. Uses another known move.
Substitute
--
--
10
User takes 1/4 its max HP to put in a substitute.
Swagger
--
90%
15
Raises the target's Attack by 2 and confuses it.
Sweet Kiss
--
75%
10
Causes the target to become confused.
Tail Whip
--
100%
30
Lowers the target's Defense by 1.
Thunder Wave
--
100%
20
Paralyzes the target.
Toxic
--
85%
10
Badly poisons the target.
Combo List
These are a list of several common move combinations Pikachu can perform in Gold/Silver. Not every combo going to be game-changing, but some can be pretty fun to play with. Sometimes these can be easily overlooked or forgotten, hence why we find and list them here. Discover what items, abilities, and moves this Pokemon can use in combination with each other to gain a strategic advantage in competitive battles.
Competitive GS Move and Ability Combos for Pikachu
- Moves: Defense curl + Rollout
- Moves: Rain dance + Thunder
- Moves: Endure + Reversal
- Moves: Rest + Sleep talk
- Moves with Priority: Quick Attack, Detect, Endure, Protect
Create a build
Have an idea in mind for Pikachu that you'd like to test? Customize the IVs, EVs and their Gold/Silver moveset. This area allows you to examine the typing coverages of selected moves and stat variances.
This feature is currently in the final stages of development.