Raichu (SS) | Hohou's Home | Competitive Movesets

Competitive Pokemon Sword/Shield Movesets and Strategies for Raichu

Base Stats for Raichu

Electric

Abilities:
,

Evolutions / Family:
Pichu
Pikachu
Raichu
Raichu-Alola

Weakness Chart for Electric-type:

Bug

Dark

Dragon

Electric

Fairy

Fighting

Fire

Flying

Ghost

0.5x

Grass

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 Raichu? 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.

Common team mates for Raichu in Pokemon Sword/Shield:

ConkeldurrLaprasDusclopsIncineroarMimikyuArcanineTyranitarTogekissGyaradosExcadrill

Raichu is a notable Electric-typed Pokemon. Raichu are common Pokemon to see in the SS metagame. Raichu's only type-related weakness is Ground.

Species: Raichu
Item: Focus Sash / Choice Band
Ability: Lightning Rod
Nature: Adamant (+Atk, -SpA)
EVs: 64 Hp / 252 Atk / 28 Def / 164 Spe
Moveset:
- Volt Tackle / Wild Charge
- Double-Edge / Body Slam
- Knock Off / Brutal Swing
- Play Rough

Physical Sweeper Raichu (Lightning Rod)

Raichu is a stupendous Physical Sweeper. The purpose of this moveset is 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 Lightning Rod, Raichu draws electric moves to itself to raise sp. atk by 1; electric immunity.

♦ Volt Tackle is a physical STAB-boosted 120-base power Electric-type move (has 33% recoil. 10% chance to paralyze target).
♦ Wild Charge is a physical STAB-boosted 90-base power Electric-type move (has 1/4 recoil).
♦ Double-Edge is a physical 120-base power Normal-type move (has 33% recoil).
♦ Body Slam is a physical 85-base power Normal-type move (30% chance to paralyze the target).
♦ 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).
♦ Brutal Swing is a physical 60-base power Dark-type move (no additional effect. hits adjacent pokemon).
♦ Play Rough is a physical 90-base power Fairy-type move (10% chance to lower the target's attack by 1 stage).

Species: Raichu
Item: Focus Sash / Choice Specs
Ability: Lightning Rod
Nature: Modest (+SpA, -Atk)
EVs: 64 Hp / 28 Def / 252 SpA / 164 Spe
Moveset:
- Thunderbolt / Discharge
- Surf
- Hyper Beam / Round
- Draining Kiss

Special Sweeper Raichu (Lightning Rod)

Raichu is a wonderful Special Sweeper. 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. 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 Lightning Rod, Raichu draws electric moves to itself to raise sp. atk by 1; electric immunity.

♦ 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).
♦ Hyper Beam is a special 150-base power Normal-type move (Raichu cannot move next turn).
♦ Round is a special 60-base power Normal-type move (power doubles if others used round this turn).
♦ Draining Kiss is a special 50-base power Fairy-type move (Raichu recovers 75% of the damage dealt).

Species: Raichu
Item: Choice Scarf
Ability: Lightning Rod
Nature: Modest (+SpA, -Atk)
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Moveset:
- Volt Switch
- Grass Knot
- Focus Blast
- Thunderbolt

Raichu Special Sweeper (Love Song)

Raichu is an interesting Special Sweeper. It was designed to take down the opponent's team with high-damaging special attacks. Choice Scarf will increase Raichu's speed by 1.5x but will lock you into the first move you pick. With Lightning Rod, Raichu draws electric moves to itself to raise sp. atk by 1; electric immunity.

♦ Volt Switch is a special STAB-boosted 70-base power Electric-type move (Raichu switches out after damaging the target).
♦ Grass Knot is a special 0-base power Grass-type move (more power the heavier the target).
♦ Focus Blast is a special 120-base power Fighting-type move (10% chance to lower the target's special defense by 1 stage).
♦ Thunderbolt is a special STAB-boosted 90-base power Electric-type move (10% chance to paralyze the target).

Species: Raichu
Item: Zap Plate
Ability: Lightning Rod
Nature: Serious
EVs: 80 Hp / 96 Atk / 76 Def / 92 SpA / 72 SpD / 92 Spe
Moveset:
- Brick Break
- Iron Tail
- Sleep Talk / Facade
- Thunderbolt / Thunder Punch

Raichu Mixed Tank (Surge)

Raichu is a stupendous Mixed Tank. With Lightning Rod, Raichu draws electric moves to itself to raise sp. atk by 1; electric immunity. Facade's damage doubles when the user has a status affliction.

♦ Brick Break is a physical 75-base power Fighting-type move (destroys screens, unless the target is immune).
♦ Iron Tail is a physical 100-base power Steel-type move (30% chance to lower the target's defense by 1 stage).
♦ Sleep Talk is a status move (Raichu must be asleep. uses another known move).
♦ Facade is a physical 70-base power Normal-type move (power doubles if Raichu is burn/poison/paralyzed).
♦ Thunderbolt is a special STAB-boosted 90-base power Electric-type move (10% chance to paralyze the target).
♦ Thunder Punch is a physical STAB-boosted 75-base power Electric-type move (10% chance to paralyze the target).

Movesets for Doubles

What is a good doubles moveset for Raichu? 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.

Common team mates for Raichu in Pokemon Sword/Shield:

ConkeldurrLaprasDusclopsIncineroarMimikyuArcanineTyranitarTogekissGyaradosExcadrill

Species: Raichu
Item: Focus Sash / Choice Band
Ability: Lightning Rod
Nature: Adamant (+Atk, -SpA)
EVs: 64 Hp / 252 Atk / 28 Def / 164 Spe
Moveset:
- Volt Tackle / Wild Charge
- Double-Edge / Body Slam
- Knock Off / Brutal Swing
- Play Rough

Doubles Physical Sweeper Raichu (Lightning Rod)

Raichu is a sensational Physical Sweeper. It's designed 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 Lightning Rod, Raichu draws electric moves to itself to raise sp. atk by 1; electric immunity.

♦ Volt Tackle is a physical STAB-boosted 120-base power Electric-type move (has 33% recoil. 10% chance to paralyze target).
♦ Wild Charge is a physical STAB-boosted 90-base power Electric-type move (has 1/4 recoil).
♦ Double-Edge is a physical 120-base power Normal-type move (has 33% recoil).
♦ Body Slam is a physical 85-base power Normal-type move (30% chance to paralyze the target).
♦ 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).
♦ Brutal Swing is a physical 60-base power Dark-type move (no additional effect. hits adjacent pokemon).
♦ Play Rough is a physical 90-base power Fairy-type move (10% chance to lower the target's attack by 1 stage).

Species: Raichu
Item: Focus Sash / Choice Specs
Ability: Lightning Rod
Nature: Modest (+SpA, -Atk)
EVs: 64 Hp / 28 Def / 252 SpA / 164 Spe
Moveset:
- Discharge / Electroweb
- Surf
- Hyper Beam / Round
- Draining Kiss

Doubles Special Sweeper Raichu (Lightning Rod)

Raichu is an astounding Special Sweeper. It tries 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 Lightning Rod, Raichu 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).
♦ 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).
♦ Hyper Beam is a special 150-base power Normal-type move (Raichu cannot move next turn).
♦ Round is a special 60-base power Normal-type move (power doubles if others used round this turn).
♦ Draining Kiss is a special 50-base power Fairy-type move (Raichu recovers 75% of the damage dealt).

Movepool

Wondering what moves can Raichu 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.

Combo List

These are a list of several common move combinations Raichu 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

Moves: Defense curl + Rollout
Moves: Rain dance + Thunder
Moves: Endure + Flail
Moves: Endure + Reversal
Moves: Endure + Endeavor
Moves: Rest + Sleep talk
Moves: Substitute + Reversal
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, Helping Hand, Feint
Moves that Break Screens: Brick Break

Optimize Raichu's EVs for Sword/Shield

Competitive Information for Raichu [Sword/Shield]