Electrode

[Overview]

<p>Electrode is notable for its blistering base 140 Speed, which is among the highest in the game. However, it has trouble effectively utilizing it because the rest of its stats are mediocre. This means Electrode has severe difficulty breaking through most dedicated special walls, and it can't withstand a majority of neutral hits due to its frailty. Furthermore, Electrode has an absolutely barren special movepool, of which the only viable options consist of Electric-type attacks and various Hidden Power types. However, with Electode's aforementioned amazing Speed and access to useful moves such as Rain Dance, Taunt, Thunder, and a new toy in Volt Switch, it can still establish a niche in the NU metagame.</p>

[SET]
name: Rain Dance Support
move 1: Rain Dance
move 2: Thunder
move 3: Taunt
move 4: Volt Switch / Explosion
item: Damp Rock
ability: Static
nature: Timid / Naive
evs: 40 HP / 252 SpA / 216 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>One of Electrode's niches throughout the generations has been its role as the fastest temporary rain inducer. This niche is now threatened by Pokemon such as Volbeat and Murkrow that have the new Prankster ability, which gives Rain Dance +1 priority, meaning Electrode's Speed is essentially useless in comparison. However, Electrode is able to differentiate itself with Volt Switch and its STAB Thunder. Despite Electrode's less-than-stellar Special Attack, Thunder still packs quite a punch given its high Base Power, STAB, and full Special Attack investment. Once the opponent sees Electrode along with rain abusers on team preview, they'll know Electrode is going to lead; Taunt prevents the opponent from setting up early hazards or screens alongside Electrode as it sets up rain. The last slot is a toss-up between Volt Switch and Explosion. Explosion, depending on if it KOs the opponent or not, will enable your rain abuser to come in unscathed, but with the very obvious downside of sacrificing your rain inducer. Volt Switch enables Electrode to serve as a scout until it needs to set up rain again; however as a lead, due to Electrode's high Speed, using Volt Switch will usually lead to the incoming sweeper taking the brunt of the opponent's move.</p>*

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>The EV spread enables Electrode to outspeed Swift Swin Gorebyss in the rain while giving Electrode's Thunder some extra power. If using Explosion, an alternate EV spread of 252 Atk / 40 SpA / 216 Spe with a Naive nature should be used. This spread helps ensure Explosion can net the KO while maintaining Thunder's power. If Electrode is not using Volt Switch in the last slot, Thunderbolt can be used over Thunder to net reliable KOs on Pokemon such as Swellow on the first turn. Life Orb can be used to increase Electrode's damage output, which can be especially useful for Explosion. Focus Sash is also an option to ensure Electrode gets a chance to explode on turn one or set up rain later in a battle, but losing the extra three turns of rain provided by Damp Rock can be crucial to pulling off a successful sweep. Pokemon with Swift Swim are the best Pokemon to pair up with Electrode as their Speed doubles under the rain and the power of their Water-type attacks gets boosted. Good options include Carracosta, Floatzel, and Armaldo. Other abusers, such as Jynx with Dry Skin or Almomola with Hydration, can be used alongside Electrode; however Electrode is more geared towards supporting offensively inclined rain abusers as it often can only set up rain once or twice in a battle.</p>

[SET]
name: Life Orb
move 1: Thunderbolt
move 2: Hidden Power Ice
move 3: Taunt
move 4: Volt Switch / Charge Beam
item: Life Orb
ability: Static
nature: Timid
evs: 88 HP / 252 SpA / 168 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>With Speed that surpasses most Choice Scarf users and a Life Orb equipped, Electrode can serve as a flexible hit-and-run attacker. Thunderbolt is Electrode's reliable STAB and grants unresisted coverage when combined with Hidden Power Ice. Electrode boasts the quickest Taunt in the tier barring Pranksters such as Murkrow. With it, Electrode can prevent strategies such as stall and Baton Pass from being executed. In addition, it also prevents foes from setting up or recovering and Electrode from being statused or Taunted itself. Volt Switch is a great addition to Electrode's movepool, allowing it to scout for potential counters. If scouting is not necessary, Charge Beam can be used to boost Electrode's average Special Attack. Charge Beam also works great with Taunt as it prevents phazing attempts while Electrode sets up.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>The EV spread gives Electrode enough Speed to outspeed Swellow and +1 neutral natured base 80 Pokemon, such as Choice Scarf Braviary, and maximizes Electrode's power. The rest is put into HP to possibly aid Electrode in setting up Charge Beams. Air Balloon and Expert Belt are decent alternatives for items, but Electrode will greatly miss the overall power Life Orb provides. Substitute can prove useful for Electrode over Taunt. Since Electrode is so fast, the opponent will have trouble breaking through its sub as they will have to take two consecutive hits from Electrode. Substitute also works great in tandem with Charge Beam, allowing Electrode to safely boost its Special Attack without fear of status. However, Taunt is generally the better option to prevent the opponent from setting up or phazing Electrode. Electrode can also utilize other Hidden Power types. Hidden Power Grass can be used to hit Golem, Quagsire, and Regirock harder. Hidden Power Water hits the same targets as Hidden Power Grass barring Quagsire but hits Camerupt harder. Signal Beam can be used to hit Dark- and Grass-types slightly harder than Hidden Power Ice; however it has little use otherwise and Electode is better off either scouting with Volt Switch or boosting with Charge Beam.</p>

<p>Torterra makes an excellent partner to Electrode. It can sponge Ground-type attacks aimed at Electrode and lay down Stealth Rock to aid an Electrode sweep. Torterra can also threaten Quagsire and Camerupt—two of Electrode's more prominent checks—with its dual STABs while Electrode can take on Flying-types that resist Torterra's dual STABs. Volbeat should also be considered as a partner for its ability to pass Tail Glows to Electrode. With Electrode's Speed and coverage, it can be incredibly dangerous when passed substantial boosts. Electrode generally appreciates hazards support. Despite not sharing the best type synergy, Garbodor can set up Spikes for Electrode to help it secure more KOs. Finally, dual screen support can prove useful to help Electrode safely set up Charge Beams. Mesprit is an ideal candidate to set up screens as it can switch into Ground-type attacks for Electrode.</p>

[Other Options]

<p>Choice Specs is a viable option on Electrode to compensate for its mediocre Special Attack, but Electrode is generally better off abusing its excellent coverage. An offensive Rain Dance set including Life Orb, Thunder, and Hidden Power Water can be used. While it's stronger than the standard Life Orb set, it still struggles to get past common Electrode checks, bar Camerupt. This set would also mean forgoing the useful Volt Switch and valuable coverage provided by Hidden Power Ice. Light Screen can be used over an attack on the rain support set to help Electrode take special attacks better before it sets up rain, but Electrode doesn't have the bulk to reliably set up both. Torment can be used, but Electrode lacks the bulk to pull such a set off. Magnet Rise can be used to evade Ground-type attacks from Pokemon such as Quagsire or Camerupt, but any of their secondary STAB attacks, such as Scald and Lava Plume, will still KO Electrode due to its frailty. Finally, Electrode can utilize an interesting combination of Thunder Wave and Electro Ball, to slow opponents down while powering up Electro Ball.</p>

[Checks and Counters]

<p>Camerupt and Quagsire are excellent checks to Electrode. Thanks to their secondary Ground typing, they are immune to Electrode's strongest attacks while they both can take an un-STABed, relatively weak HP Ice due to their impressive defensive stats. However, Camerupt and Quagsire must be cautious of Hidden Power Water and Grass, respectively. While Lickilicky's or Throh's set of resistances doesn't imply it, they can do an excellent job at walling Electrode thanks to their great special bulk and they also threaten the frail Electrode with a STAB Body Slam and Circle Throw, respectively. Priority users such as Samurott, Gurdurr, and Absol will usually force Electrode to switch due to its abysmal physical defense.</p>

[Dream World]

<p>Electrode gets Aftermath as its Dream World ability, which could be an interesting option on the rain support set. For instance, if your opponent KOes Electrode, it would lose a fourth of its health and be facing an incoming rain sweeper that has rain set up. However Explosion can accomplish the same thing, so Static is usually the better option as teammates can benefit more from a paralyzed foe.</p>

Magneton is RU

Also, fairly sure Aftermath is supposed to be one word

Edit: The Rain Dance EV spread needs to be changed. Even if Electrode is running Explosion, there is no need for it to run Max attack ever. It should be 40 HP / 252 SpA / 216 Spe

I don't see why Electrode would use Explosion this generation. Volt Switch still lets Electrode get out, does almost the same damage with a specially offensive spread, and it doesn't kill Electrode. :p if you fear a Ground-type switching in, just switch to one of your many Rain sweepers. Also, Electro Ball has 150 BP against all non-Scarf opponents in the tier when they're paralysed by Electrode's Thunder Wave or Static, so maybe it deserves a passing mention.

I'd say Explosion has plenty of merit If you Volt Switch out, yes, Electrode isn't taking any damage. But where does the damage go? Because Electrode is so fast, your sweeper is gonna take the hit. You don't want stuff like your Gorebyss taking any stray damage than it really needs to, especially if you plan on smashing later. Even if you won't, it's just better to stay out of Absol Sucker Punch range.

explosion is not good. I found that electrode actually has a lot of utility throughout a game - it is one of the few mons that can guaranteed get off a Rain Dance for your team and then switch to be used later on. You seldom want to kill it off, especially for explosion, which is not a very strong move without investment or LO boost.

Taunt is not a necessity; that slot can house Hidden Power as well.

Both Explosion and Volt Switch have their downsides; Explosion with the very obvious downside of killing off your rain setter and Volt Switch with making the incoming sweeper take the brunt of the hit (or status move, whatever). I'd say it's worth being on the set, although Volt Switch should be slashed first (and it is), with emphasis placed on Electrode's utility. Electrode does have the niche of being one of the only Taunt users in the metagame so that should be first, then perhaps a Hidden Power (I'd be thinking HP Water, actually).

The EV spread on the first set needs to be changed to what Mike mentioned. Also I'm not exactly sure of the EVs on the LO set; why not just go for Swellow, then? It'll outspeed and OHKO you even though one of Electrode's niches is being naturally faster than it. I understand you want to use Modest for the power boost but are there any specific calcs you could provide that require Modest?

aggreeing with Zeb, an explanation of the lo ev spread would be nice

Also, HP grass should be the main option with HP Ice as the secondary option. Quagsire is much more common than Altaria, who still takes neutral from Tbolt. You loose out on coverage against grass pokemon, but the only one that's common is Cacturne, so its not too much of a loss. HP grass also gives you a stronger se hit on golem which is cool.

To explain how weak it is, Electrode barely gets a guaranteed KO on 252/0 Cryogonal with Explosion (just a frail mon for comparison) with maximum attack. Running Explosion with no attack nets absolutely laughable damage and running maximum attack neuters Electrode's kind of powerful Thunder.

Again, to reiterate, when I used Electrode and played rain, I did not want to kill off Electrode. I wanted to set up with electrode and then get it out to be used again. The utility that it has - a fast mon that hits kind of hard (think NU Jolteon for comparison) is invaluable.

I don't think that HP Grass should be slashed first just for Quaggy and Golem. From last months usage stats you can tell that HP ice's coverage is invaluable over the coverage brought by HP Grass. I'll even show a list of mons in the top 40 who are affected by HP Ice and HP Grass.

HP Ice
HP Grass
Both
Hit Harder By ThunderBolt
Sans the uncolored mons, the coverage provided by HP ice is much more important than what can be provided for by HP Grass. Most of the mons hit hard my HP Grass actually are hit harder by Tbolt anyways, providing redundant coverage.

Bumping...

Ok, so on the LO set I changed the spread to Timid 120 HP / 252 SpA / 136 Spe to outspeed Swellow. Is this spread fine or should I just max out the speed?

For the Rain Dance set I'll change it to max SpA and mention more attack EVs for Explosion in AC. I'll also mention HP Grass and Water.

edit: lmao dat stamp

Thats fine.

On the Rain Dance set, you have Explosion slashed second, after Volt Switch, so maybe slash Timid before Naive? Naive serves no purpose if you choose Volt Switch, as there's no physical attacks.

my god tennis that stamp is boss as hell...
QC 2/3

Rofl

QC APPROVED (3/3)

This is ready for gp checks. Sorry for the delay.

BTzz said:

<p>The EV spread enables Electrode to outspeed Swift Swin Gorebyss in the rain while giving Electrode's Thunder some extra power. If using Explosion, an alternate EV spread of 216 Atk / 40 SpA / 252 Spe with a Naive nature should be used. This spread helps ensure Explosion can net the KO while maintaining Thunder's power.

Click to expand...

Shouldn't this be 216 Atk / 76 SpA / 216 Spe, going by your previous logic on Speed tiers? It doesn't matter too much, but Electrode really wants as much investment in its attacks as possible, especially when going mixed.

Fixed

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Thanks for the check :). This is done.

Okay I'll be uploading this.