Competitive Information for Pikachu (unova) [Sword/Shield]
Electric
Abilities:
Note: Pokemon with the Lightning Rod ability are immune to Electric attacks.
Movesets for Singles
What is a good competitive moveset for Pikachu-unova? These builds have been optimized for Pokemon competing in Sword/Shield 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 Sword/Shield generation metagame.
Pikachu is a remarkable Electric-typed Pokemon. It's a pretty usual sight to see Pikachu out in the 8th generation battlefield. Pikachu's only type-related weakness is Ground.
Item: Focus Sash / Choice Band
Ability: Lightning Rod
Nature: Adamant (+Atk, -SpA)
EVs: 4 Hp / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Moveset:
- Volt Tackle / Wild Charge
- Knock Off / Thief
- Body Slam / Facade
- Play Rough
Physical Sweeper Pikachu-Unova (Lightning Rod)
Pikachu is a wonderful Physical Sweeper for single battles. It tries to take down the opponent's team with brute physical power. Focus Sash helps protect Pikachu from being one-shotted and allowing it to atleast use a crucial move when brought out. Choice Band will increase the damage of Pikachu's physical moves by 1.5x at the cost of locking you into the first move you pick. With Lightning Rod, Pikachu draws electric moves to itself to raise sp. Atk by 1; electric immunity. Facade's damage doubles when the user has a status affliction.
◆ Wild Charge is a physical STAB-boosted 90-base power Electric-type move (has 1/4 recoil).
◆ Knock Off is a physical 65-base power Dark-type move (1.5x damage if foe holds an item; Note: This will also remove that item).
◆ Thief is a physical 60-base power Dark-type move (if your Pikachu has no item, it steals the target's).
◆ Body Slam is a physical 85-base power Normal-type move (30% chance to paralyze the target).
◆ Facade is a physical 70-base power Normal-type move (power doubles if Pikachu is burn/poison/paralyzed).
◆ Play Rough is a physical 90-base power Fairy-type move (10% chance to lower the target's attack by 1 stage).
Link (click to copy):
https://hohoushome.com/b/is10e19
Item: Focus Sash / Throat Spray
Ability: Lightning Rod
Nature: Modest (+SpA, -Atk)
EVs: 4 Hp / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
IVs: 0 Atk
Moveset:
- Thunderbolt / Discharge
- Surf
- Grass Knot
- Round / Snore
Special Sweeper Pikachu-Unova (Lightning Rod)
Pikachu is an awesome Special Sweeper for single battles. It's goal is to take down the opponent's team with high-damaging special attacks. Throat Spray activates when a Pokemon uses a sound-based move (in this case Round or Snore) and boosts Pikachu's special attack stat by 2 stages. Focus Sash helps protect Pikachu from being one-shotted and allowing it to atleast use a crucial move when brought out. With Lightning Rod, Pikachu draws electric moves to itself to raise sp. Atk by 1; electric immunity.
◆ Discharge is a special STAB-boosted 80-base power Electric-type move (30% chance to paralyze adjacent pokemon).
◆ Surf is a special 90-base power Water-type move (hits adjacent pokemon. Double damage on dive).
◆ Grass Knot is a special 0-base power Grass-type move (more power the heavier the target).
◆ Round is a special 60-base power Normal-type move (power doubles if others used round this turn).
◆ Snore is a special 50-base power Normal-type move (Pikachu must be asleep. 30% chance to flinch target).
Link (click to copy):
https://hohoushome.com/b/is11e19
Movesets for Doubles
What is a good doubles moveset for Pikachu-unova? These builds have been optimized for Sword/Shield Double Battles. They have movesets and EVs specifically calibrated to generally work best versus multiple Pokemon at once as well as helping to support other team members and allys in the Sword/Shield generation metagame.
Item: Focus Sash / Choice Band
Ability: Lightning Rod
Nature: Adamant (+Atk, -SpA)
EVs: 4 Hp / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Moveset:
- Volt Tackle / Wild Charge
- Knock Off / Thief
- Body Slam / Facade
- Play Rough
Doubles Physical Sweeper Pikachu-Unova (Lightning Rod)
Pikachu is a wonderful Physical Sweeper for double battles. It is meant to take down the opponent's team with brute physical power. Focus Sash helps protect Pikachu from being one-shotted and allowing it to atleast use a crucial move when brought out. Choice Band will increase the damage of Pikachu's physical moves by 1.5x at the cost of locking you into the first move you pick. With Lightning Rod, Pikachu draws electric moves to itself to raise sp. Atk by 1; electric immunity. Facade's damage doubles when the user has a status affliction.
◆ Wild Charge is a physical STAB-boosted 90-base power Electric-type move (has 1/4 recoil).
◆ Knock Off is a physical 65-base power Dark-type move (1.5x damage if foe holds an item; Note: This will also remove that item).
◆ Thief is a physical 60-base power Dark-type move (if your Pikachu has no item, it steals the target's).
◆ Body Slam is a physical 85-base power Normal-type move (30% chance to paralyze the target).
◆ Facade is a physical 70-base power Normal-type move (power doubles if Pikachu is burn/poison/paralyzed).
◆ Play Rough is a physical 90-base power Fairy-type move (10% chance to lower the target's attack by 1 stage).
Link (click to copy):
https://hohoushome.com/b/id10e19
Item: Focus Sash / Throat Spray
Ability: Lightning Rod
Nature: Modest (+SpA, -Atk)
EVs: 4 Hp / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
IVs: 0 Atk
Moveset:
- Discharge / Electroweb
- Surf
- Grass Knot
- Round / Snore
Doubles Special Sweeper Pikachu-Unova (Lightning Rod)
Pikachu is pretty popular Special Sweeper for double battles. It is meant to take down the opponent's team with high-damaging special attacks. Throat Spray activates when a Pokemon uses a sound-based move (in this case Round or Snore) and boosts Pikachu's special attack stat by 2 stages. Focus Sash helps protect Pikachu from being one-shotted and allowing it to atleast use a crucial move when brought out. With Lightning Rod, Pikachu draws electric moves to itself to raise sp. Atk by 1; electric immunity.
◆ Electroweb is a special STAB-boosted 55-base power Electric-type move (100% chance to lower the foes speed by 1 stage).
◆ Surf is a special 90-base power Water-type move (hits adjacent pokemon. Double damage on dive).
◆ Grass Knot is a special 0-base power Grass-type move (more power the heavier the target).
◆ Round is a special 60-base power Normal-type move (power doubles if others used round this turn).
◆ Snore is a special 50-base power Normal-type move (Pikachu must be asleep. 30% chance to flinch target).
Link (click to copy):
https://hohoushome.com/b/id11e19
Movepool
Wondering what moves can Pikachu-unova 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.
Damage Modifiers:
Combo List
These are a list of several common move combinations Pikachu-unova can perform in Sword/Shield. 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 SS Move and Ability Combos for Pikachu-unova
- Moves: Rain dance + Thunder
- Moves: Endure + Reversal
- Moves: Rest + Sleep talk
- Moves: Rest + Snore
- Moves: Substitute + Reversal
- Move: Swagger + Item: Mirror Herb
- Move: Fling + Item: King's Rock
- Move: Facade + Item: Flame Orb
- Move: Facade + Item: Toxic Orb
- Moves with Priority: Quick Attack, Endure, Protect, Helping Hand, Feint
- Moves that Break Screens: Brick Break
- Moves that inflict status: Thunder Wave, Toxic
Moves that boost Pikachu-unova's stats
- Agility
- Charge Beam
- Nasty Plot
Most notable and possible best moves for Pikachu-unova
- Knock Off
- Light Screen
- Protect
- Reflect
- Rest
- Toxic
- Volt Switch
Common Effort Values for Pikachu-unova in Sword and Shield
- Adamant Nature ( 0/252/0/0/0/252 )
- Modest Nature ( 0/0/0/252/0/252 )
- Optimize Pikachu-unova's EV spread for Pokemon Sword and Shield
Related Videos
Here are various how-to-use and competitive moveset analysis video guides for Pikachu-unova in Sword/Shield. These featured videos will most likely contain additional strategies and combos not listed on our site. Disclaimer: All videos belong to their respective owners along with the views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in the videos. They belong solely to the author and not to us.
We currently do not have any competitive video guides for Pikachu-unova in Sword/Shield
Want to have your Competitive Pokemon videos sponsored on our site? Contact us!
Some builds on this page have been hidden, click here to display them
Here are the best movesets for Pikachu-unova. Top rated Pikachu-unova Sword/Shield movesets. You can find Pikachu-unova builds Sword/Shield. Pikachu-unova movesets Sword/Shield are listed here. VGC Pikachu-unova Competitive Movesets can be found here. Find various EV spreads, find the best nature for Pikachu-unova in Sword/Shield along with competitive movesets. Basic info and Movesets for evolution