Competitive Information for Alolan Raichu [Sword/Shield]
Electric / Psychic
Abilities:
Movesets for Singles
What is a good competitive moveset for Raichu-alola? 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.
Tapu KokoMoltres-GalarIndeedee-FPheromosaTogedemaruEscavalierGlastrierRegirockIncineroarDusclops
Raichu is an astounding Electric and Psychic-typed Pokemon. It's not-uncommon to find yourself dealing with Raichu when battling in the 8th generation meta. Raichu is weak to Bug, Dark, Ghost, and Ground-typed attacks.
Item: Focus Sash / Weakness Policy
Ability: Surge Surfer
Nature: Timid (+Spe, -Atk)
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
IVs: 0 Atk
Moveset:
- Psychic / Expanding Force
- Surf
- Rising Voltage / Thunderbolt
- Protect
Special Sweeper Raichu-Alola (Popular/Trending)
Raichu is a fabulous Special Sweeper for single battles. It was designed to take down the opponent's team with high-damaging special attacks. Focus Sash helps protect Raichu from being one-shotted and allowing it to atleast use a crucial move when brought out. Weakness Policy activates if Raichu is hit by a super effective move. The Weakness Policy is consumed and its Attack and Special Attack are increased by two stages each. With Surge Surfer, if electric terrain is active Raichu's speed is doubled.
◆ Expanding Force is a special STAB-boosted 80-base power Psychic-type move (Raichu on psychic terrain: 1.5x power, hits foes).
◆ Surf is a special 90-base power Water-type move (hits adjacent pokemon. Double damage on dive).
◆ Rising Voltage is a special STAB-boosted 70-base power Electric-type move (2x power if target is grounded in electric terrain).
◆ Thunderbolt is a special STAB-boosted 90-base power Electric-type move (10% chance to paralyze the target).
◆ Protect is a status move (prevents moves from affecting your Raichu this turn).
Link (click to copy):
https://hohoushome.com/b/is10b1a
Item: Focus Sash / Choice Band
Ability: Surge Surfer
Nature: Adamant (+Atk, -SpA)
EVs: 28 Hp / 252 Atk / 64 Def / 164 Spe
Moveset:
- Volt Tackle / Wild Charge
- Brick Break / Double-Edge
- Knock Off / Thief
- Play Rough
Physical Sweeper Raichu-Alola (Surge Surfer)
Raichu is an awesome Physical Sweeper for single battles. It tries to take down the opponent's team with brute physical power. Focus Sash helps protect Raichu from being one-shotted and allowing it to atleast use a crucial move when brought out. Choice Band will increase the damage of Raichu's physical moves by 1.5x at the cost of locking you into the first move you pick. With Surge Surfer, if electric terrain is active Raichu's speed is doubled. Brick Break was added to provide additional threat coverage.
◆ Wild Charge is a physical STAB-boosted 90-base power Electric-type move (has 1/4 recoil).
◆ Brick Break is a physical 75-base power Fighting-type move (destroys screens, unless the target is immune).
◆ Double-Edge is a physical 120-base power Normal-type move (has 33% 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 Raichu has no item, it steals the target's).
◆ 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/is11b1a
Item: Focus Sash / Choice Specs
Ability: Surge Surfer
Nature: Modest (+SpA, -Atk)
EVs: 28 Hp / 64 Def / 252 SpA / 164 Spe
IVs: 0 Atk
Moveset:
- Psychic / Psyshock
- Thunderbolt / Discharge
- Surf
- Grass Knot
Special Sweeper Raichu-Alola (Surge Surfer)
Raichu is a remarkable Special Sweeper for single battles. It's primary goal is to take down the opponent's team with high-damaging special attacks. Focus Sash helps protect Raichu from being one-shotted and allowing it to atleast use a crucial move when brought out. Choice Specs will increase the damage of Raichu's special moves by 1.5x but will lock you into the first move you pick. With Surge Surfer, if electric terrain is active Raichu's speed is doubled.
◆ Psyshock is a special STAB-boosted 80-base power Psychic-type move (damages target based on defense, not special defense).
◆ Thunderbolt is a special STAB-boosted 90-base power Electric-type move (10% chance to paralyze the target).
◆ 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).
Link (click to copy):
https://hohoushome.com/b/is12b1a
Movesets for Doubles
What is a good doubles moveset for Raichu-alola? 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.
Tapu KokoMoltres-GalarIndeedee-FPheromosaTogedemaruEscavalierGlastrierRegirockIncineroarDusclops
Item: Focus Sash / Choice Band
Ability: Surge Surfer
Nature: Adamant (+Atk, -SpA)
EVs: 28 Hp / 252 Atk / 64 Def / 164 Spe
Moveset:
- Volt Tackle / Wild Charge
- Brick Break / Double-Edge
- Knock Off / Thief
- Play Rough
Doubles Physical Sweeper Raichu-Alola (Surge Surfer)
Raichu is an astounding Physical Sweeper for double battles. This moveset attempts to take down the opponent's team with brute physical power. Focus Sash helps protect Raichu from being one-shotted and allowing it to atleast use a crucial move when brought out. Choice Band will increase the damage of Raichu's physical moves by 1.5x at the cost of locking you into the first move you pick. With Surge Surfer, if electric terrain is active Raichu's speed is doubled. Brick Break was added to provide additional threat coverage.
◆ Wild Charge is a physical STAB-boosted 90-base power Electric-type move (has 1/4 recoil).
◆ Brick Break is a physical 75-base power Fighting-type move (destroys screens, unless the target is immune).
◆ Double-Edge is a physical 120-base power Normal-type move (has 33% 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 Raichu has no item, it steals the target's).
◆ 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/id10b1a
Item: Focus Sash / Choice Specs
Ability: Surge Surfer
Nature: Modest (+SpA, -Atk)
EVs: 28 Hp / 64 Def / 252 SpA / 164 Spe
IVs: 0 Atk
Moveset:
- Discharge / Electroweb
- Psychic / Psyshock
- Surf
- Grass Knot
Doubles Special Sweeper Raichu-Alola (Surge Surfer)
Raichu is an interesting Special Sweeper for double battles. This moveset attempts to take down the opponent's team with high-damaging special attacks. Focus Sash helps protect Raichu from being one-shotted and allowing it to atleast use a crucial move when brought out. Choice Specs will increase the damage of Raichu's special moves by 1.5x but will lock you into the first move you pick. With Surge Surfer, if electric terrain is active Raichu's speed is doubled.
◆ Electroweb is a special STAB-boosted 55-base power Electric-type move (100% chance to lower the foes speed by 1 stage).
◆ Psychic is a special STAB-boosted 90-base power Psychic-type move (10% chance to lower the target's special defense by 1 stage).
◆ Psyshock is a special STAB-boosted 80-base power Psychic-type move (damages target based on defense, not special defense).
◆ 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).
Link (click to copy):
https://hohoushome.com/b/id11b1a
Movepool
Wondering what moves can Raichu-alola 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 Raichu-alola 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 Raichu-alola
- Moves: Defense curl + Rollout
- Moves: Rain dance + Thunder
- Moves: Endure + Flail
- Moves: Endure + Reversal
- Moves: Endure + Endeavor
- Moves: Rest + Sleep talk
- Moves: Rest + Snore
- Moves: Substitute + Reversal
- Moves: Yawn + Protect
- Moves: Nasty plot + Stored power
- Moves: Psyshock + Tickle
- Ability: Surge surfer + Move: Electric terrain
- Move: Swagger + Item: Mirror Herb
- Move: Fling + Item: King's Rock
- Move: Facade + Item: Flame Orb
- Move: Facade + Item: Toxic Orb
- Move: Endeavor + Item: Focus Sash
- Item: Blunder Policy + Move: Zap Cannon
- Item: Blunder Policy + Move: Dynamic Punch
- Moves with Priority: Quick Attack, Detect, Endure, Protect, Extreme Speed, Fake Out, Follow Me, Magic Coat, Helping Hand, Feint, Ally Switch
- Moves that Break Screens: Brick Break
- Moves that inflict status: Thunder Wave, Toxic, Yawn
Moves that boost Raichu-alola's stats
- Agility
- Calm Mind
- Charge
- Charge Beam
- Curse
- Defense Curl
- Nasty Plot
- Skull Bash
- Note:This Pokemon can also learn Stored Power.
Most notable and possible best moves for Raichu-alola
- Draining Kiss
- Electro Ball
- Electroweb
- Encore
- Expanding Force
- Fake Out
- Fling
- Focus Blast
- Grass Knot
- Knock Off
- Light Screen
- Protect
- Psychic
- Psyshock
- Reflect
- Rest
- Rising Voltage
- Stored Power
- Surf
- Teleport
- Thunderbolt
- Toxic
- Volt Switch
Common Effort Values for Raichu-alola in Sword and Shield
- Timid Nature ( 0/0/0/252/4/252 )
- Mild Nature ( 0/4/0/252/0/252 )
- Optimize Raichu-alola's EV spread for Pokemon Sword and Shield
Related Videos
Here are various how-to-use and competitive moveset analysis video guides for Raichu-alola 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.
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Here are the best movesets for Raichu-alola. Top rated Raichu-alola Sword/Shield movesets. You can find Raichu-alola builds Sword/Shield. Raichu-alola movesets Sword/Shield are listed here. VGC Raichu-alola Competitive Movesets can be found here. Find various EV spreads, find the best nature for Raichu-alola in Sword/Shield along with competitive movesets. Basic info and Movesets for evolution