Competitive Information for Pikachu [X/Y]
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? These builds have been optimized for Pokemon competing in X/Y 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 X/Y generation metagame.
Pikachu is a marvelous Electric-typed Pokemon. Pikachu is not a Pokemon anyone usually expects sees on the battlefield. Pikachu's only type-related weakness is Ground.
Item: Light Ball / Focus Sash
Ability: Lightning Rod
Nature: Adamant (+Atk, -SpA)
EVs: 4 Hp / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Moveset:
- Volt Tackle / Wild Charge
- Double-Edge / Return
- Knock Off
- Brick Break / Seismic Toss
Physical Sweeper Pikachu (Lightning Rod)
Pikachu is an interesting Physical Sweeper for single 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. With Lightning Rod, Pikachu draws electric moves to itself to raise sp. Atk by 1; electric immunity. With a Light Ball equipped to it, if held by a pikachu, its attack and sp. Atk are doubled.
◆ 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).
◆ Return is a physical 0-base power Normal-type move (max 102 power at maximum happiness).
◆ 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).
◆ Brick Break is a physical 75-base power Fighting-type move (destroys screens, unless the target is immune).
◆ Seismic Toss is a physical 0-base power Fighting-type move (does damage equal to your Pikachu's level).
Link (click to copy):
https://hohoushome.com/b/gs10a19
Item: Light Ball / Focus Sash
Ability: Lightning Rod
Nature: Modest (+SpA, -Atk)
EVs: 4 Hp / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
IVs: 0 Atk
Moveset:
- Thunderbolt / Discharge
- Surf
- Signal Beam
- Grass Knot
Special Sweeper Pikachu (Lightning Rod)
Pikachu is a decent Special Sweeper for single battles. This moveset is designed to take down the opponent's team with high-damaging special attacks. 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. With a Light Ball equipped to it, if held by a pikachu, its attack and sp. Atk are doubled.
◆ 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).
◆ Signal Beam is a special 75-base power Bug-type move (10% chance to confuse the target).
◆ 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/gs11a19
Item: Light Ball
Ability: Static
Nature: Naughty (+Atk, -SpD)
EVs: 252 Hp / 33 Atk / 225 Def
Moveset:
- Brick Break
- Endure
- Reversal
- Agility
Pikachu Physical Wall (Light Ball Pika)
Pikachu is a sensational Physical Wall for single battles. It is primarily designed to take a nice amount of physical hits while dealing some decent damage. With Static, 30% chance a pokemon making contact with Pikachu will be paralyzed. With a Light Ball equipped to it, if held by a pikachu, its attack and sp. Atk are doubled.
◆ Endure is a status move (Pikachu survives attacks this turn with at least 1 hp).
◆ Reversal is a physical 0-base power Fighting-type move (more power the less hp your Pikachu has left).
◆ Agility is a status move (raises your Pikachu's speed by 2 stages).
Link (click to copy):
https://hohoushome.com/b/gs12a19
Item: Light Ball
Ability: Static
Nature: Mild (+SpA, -Def)
EVs: 128 Atk / 128 SpA / 252 Spe
Moveset:
- Electro Ball
- Volt Tackle
- Quick Attack
- Thunderbolt
Pikachu Mixed Sweeper (Pikachuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu)
Pikachu is a notable Mixed Sweeper for single battles. With Static, 30% chance a pokemon making contact with Pikachu will be paralyzed. This is the pikachu used by ash:same moves and ability, just edited to make it usable.With a Light Ball equipped to it, if held by a pikachu, its attack and sp. Atk are doubled.
◆ Volt Tackle is a physical STAB-boosted 120-base power Electric-type move (has 33% recoil. 10% chance to paralyze target).
◆ Quick Attack is a physical priority-increased 40-base power Normal-type move (usually goes first).
◆ Thunderbolt is a special STAB-boosted 90-base power Electric-type move (10% chance to paralyze the target).
Link (click to copy):
https://hohoushome.com/b/gs13a19
Item: Light Ball
Ability: Lightning Rod
Nature: Jolly (+Spe, -SpA)
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Moveset:
- Nuzzle
- Grass Knot
- Volt Tackle
- Fake Out
Pikachu Physical Sweeper (Volt Tackle )
Pikachu is a stupendous Physical Sweeper for single battles. It is designed to take down the opponent's team with brute physical power. With Lightning Rod, Pikachu draws electric moves to itself to raise sp. Atk by 1; electric immunity. With a Light Ball equipped to it, if held by a pikachu, its attack and sp. Atk are doubled.
◆ Grass Knot is a special 0-base power Grass-type move (more power the heavier the target).
◆ Volt Tackle is a physical STAB-boosted 120-base power Electric-type move (has 33% recoil. 10% chance to paralyze target).
◆ Fake Out is a physical priority-increased 40-base power Normal-type move (hits first. First turn out only. 100% flinch chance).
Link (click to copy):
https://hohoushome.com/b/gs14a19
Movesets for Doubles
What is a good doubles moveset for Pikachu? These builds have been optimized for X/Y 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 X/Y generation metagame.
Item: Light Ball / Focus Sash
Ability: Lightning Rod
Nature: Adamant (+Atk, -SpA)
EVs: 4 Hp / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Moveset:
- Volt Tackle / Wild Charge
- Double-Edge / Return
- Knock Off
- Brick Break / Seismic Toss
Doubles Physical Sweeper Pikachu (Lightning Rod)
Pikachu is a phenomenal Physical Sweeper for double battles. It's goal is 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. With Lightning Rod, Pikachu draws electric moves to itself to raise sp. Atk by 1; electric immunity. With a Light Ball equipped to it, if held by a pikachu, its attack and sp. Atk are doubled.
◆ 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).
◆ Return is a physical 0-base power Normal-type move (max 102 power at maximum happiness).
◆ 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).
◆ Brick Break is a physical 75-base power Fighting-type move (destroys screens, unless the target is immune).
◆ Seismic Toss is a physical 0-base power Fighting-type move (does damage equal to your Pikachu's level).
Link (click to copy):
https://hohoushome.com/b/gd10a19
Item: Light Ball / Focus Sash
Ability: Lightning Rod
Nature: Modest (+SpA, -Atk)
EVs: 4 Hp / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
IVs: 0 Atk
Moveset:
- Discharge / Electroweb
- Surf
- Signal Beam
- Grass Knot
Doubles Special Sweeper Pikachu (Lightning Rod)
Pikachu is an interesting Special Sweeper for double battles. It tries to take down the opponent's team with high-damaging special attacks. 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. With a Light Ball equipped to it, if held by a pikachu, its attack and sp. Atk are doubled.
◆ 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).
◆ Signal Beam is a special 75-base power Bug-type move (10% chance to confuse the target).
◆ 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/gd11a19
Item: Light Ball
Ability: Lightning Rod
Nature: Naive (+Spe, -SpD)
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
IVs: 0 Atk
Moveset:
- Grass Knot
- Fake Out
- Protect
- Thunderbolt / Thunder
Pikachu Special Sweeper (Double-battle Pikachu)
Pikachu is a notable Special Sweeper for double battles. It's purpose is to take down the opponent's team with high-damaging special attacks. With Lightning Rod, Pikachu draws electric moves to itself to raise sp. Atk by 1; electric immunity. This Pikachu is really more of a 2v2 style build.
Use Fake Out first to allows your partner to use a support moves (Tailwind, Icy Wind, or Spore) for an easier second turn.
Thunderbolt is Pikachu's main STAB move, which does plenty of damage to anything that doesn't resist it. The alternative Thunder is a harder-hitting option should only be used with rain teams since its horrible accuracy without the rain isn't worth the extra damage.
Grass Knot is an excellent way for Pikachu to smack a wide variety of Pokemon with super effective damage Especially those super heavy Ground- and Rock-types likes Rhyperior, Gastrodon, Tyranitar, and Terrakion.
Protect is useful to allows Pikachu to last longer during battle, and it allows your teammates to give Pikachu to power up and go on the offensive. With a Light Ball equipped to it, if held by a pikachu, its attack and sp. Atk are doubled.
◆ Fake Out is a physical priority-increased 40-base power Normal-type move (hits first. First turn out only. 100% flinch chance).
◆ Protect is a status move (prevents moves from affecting your Pikachu this turn).
◆ Thunderbolt is a special STAB-boosted 90-base power Electric-type move (10% chance to paralyze the target).
◆ Thunder is a special STAB-boosted 110-base power Electric-type move (30% chance to paralyze. Can't miss in rain).
Link (click to copy):
https://hohoushome.com/b/gd12a19
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.
Damage Modifiers:
Combo List
These are a list of several common move combinations Pikachu can perform in X/Y. 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 XY Move and Ability Combos for Pikachu
- 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
- 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: Dynamic Punch
- Moves with Priority: Bide, Endure, Follow Me, Helping Hand, Protect, Extreme Speed, Fake Out, Feint, Quick Attack
- Moves that Break Screens: Brick Break
- Moves that inflict status: Yawn, Thunder Wave, Toxic
Moves that boost Pikachu's stats
- Agility
- Charge
- Charge Beam
- Defense Curl
- Nasty Plot
Most notable and possible best moves for Pikachu
- Fake Out
- Knock Off
- Light Screen
- Protect
- Rest
- Toxic
- Volt Switch
Common Effort Values for Pikachu in X and Y
- Adamant Nature ( 0/252/0/0/0/252 )
- Modest Nature ( 0/0/0/252/0/252 )
- Optimize Pikachu's EV spread for Pokemon X and Y
Related Videos
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