Pichu (Analysis) [QC 2/2]

UltimateKirbyFan



http://www.smogon.com/dp/pokemon/pichu

[OVERVIEW]

Pichu is an extremely outclassed threat. Pichu, like its big brother Pikachu, has horrid stats at first glance, but it ultimately isn't completely useless. Its speed reaches a stat of 15, allows it to outspeed common Pokemon that sit at the 14 Speed stat. Pichu can perform different jobs, albeit sweeping or leading. Overall, Pichu is a Pokemon that an opponent should think twice about before moving.

[SET]
name: Choice'd
move 1: ThunderPunch / Toxic
move 2: Volt Tackle
move 3: Return
move 4: Iron Tail
item: Choice Band / Choice Scarf
nature: Jolly
evs: 118 HP/ 196 Atk/ 196 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
  • ThunderPunch for a reliable STAB attack, while Toxic can be used to drain the opponent's HP
  • Volt Tackle for strong STAB move
  • Return hits hard against Pokemon that are resistant to Electric type moves
  • Iron Tail is used instead of Grass Knot because this is a physical set
  • Choice Band is the recommended item because Pichu's low attacking power greatly appreciates any boost in that area
  • With Choice Scarf, its Speed reaches 22, allowing it to outspeed all non-scarfed Pokemon

[SET]

name: Life Orb
move 1: Volt Tackle
move 2: Thunderbolt
move 3: Return
move 4: Hidden Power Ice
item: Life Orb
nature: Hasty/ Adamant
evs: 36 HP/ 200 Atk/ 76 Sp. Atk/196 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
  • Life Orb boosts the power of Pichu’s below average attacking stats
  • Volt Tackle for a strong STAB move
  • Thunderbolt is used of ThunderPunch here due to its higher base power
  • Return provides good coverage
  • Hidden Power Ice hits both Ground and Grass types

[SET]

name: Encore Orb
move 1: Volt Tackle
move 2: Encore
move 3: Return
move 4: Substitute
item: Life Orb
nature: Hasty/ Adamant
evs: 112 HP/ 200 Atk/ 196 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
  • Pichu is the only electric type in LC to have access to Encore
  • Encore is used to force a switch, then Pichu can attack with Volt Tackle as they switch
  • Return provides more coverage
  • 112 HP evs allow Pichu to set up Substitute four times

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
  • Pichu appreciates any sort of status ailment on the opponent’s Pokemon, especially paralysis, sleep and freeze.
  • Also benefits from entry hazards such as Stealth Rock.

[OPTIONAL CHANGES]

  • Choice Specs set with Thunderbolt, Grass Knot, Hidden Power Ice and Signal Beam is a viable option
  • Nasty Plot Pichu with Thunderbolt, Grass Knot and Hidden Power Ice is also plausible
  • A Leading Pichu could also be used with Fake Out, Encore, Thunderbolt, Protect
  • Thunder Wave may be used over Protect to cripple the opponent's Pokemon and make it easier for your teammates to deal with

[TEAM OPTIONS]
  • Stealth Rock set-up users such as Bronzor
  • Because all three have a common weakness to Ground, a Scarf Gligar is beneficial to the team
  • Scarf Gligar can also scout the opponent's team with U-turn

[COUNTERS]
  • Pokemon with priority moves, such as ExtremeSpeed Dratini and Fake Out + Vacuum Wave Croagunk, can easily beat Pichu.
  • Chinchou doesn't take much damage from super effective Grass Knot, is resistant to HP Ice and is immune to Electric attacks.
  • Pokemon that outspeed Pichu have a easy time defeating it.
 

Siegrin

It's just that Pichu's base attacking stats are too low to do anything, the second you make your second attack, you'll be KOed because of Pichu's low defense.
 
ck49

ck49

I battled someone using a pichu earlier. It may have been you. It didn't do much anything at all. Also, I looked atthe counters section and stopped taking this seriously
 

Siegrin

Are you serious about this, after all you're contradicting yourself, in the overview, you say everybody has to prepare for it but in the counters it said everything counters this.
 
Darkamber8828

Darkamber8828

Pichu y so shitty

Thunderbolt>Thunderpunch

Also, Jolly should be on the Choice set. The difference in power from Adamant to Jolly is minimal, and this lets Pichu speed tie with...stuff.
 

sensible

Pichu is an extremely underrated threat. Pichu, like its big brother Pikachu, has horrid stats at first glance, but it ultimately isn't completely useless. It has a useful base Speed stat of 60, which allows it to outspeedcommon Pokemon that sit at the 14 Speed stat. Pichu can performdifferent jobs, albeit sweeping or leading. Overall, Pichu is a Pokemon that an opponent should think twice about before moving.
Click to expand...
I suggest these changes.

Also: why no life orb set? 60 base speed and underwhelming attack stat coupled with Volt Tackle screams for a boost.

Also: Your team options section is a joke, at best.

Also: I would suggest entry hazard support since it is probably the only way Pichu can will ever damage anything.
 

UltimateKirbyFan

I have updated the analysis with a Life Orb set and changed the Lead set and Team Options. Is this Life Orb set fine? Or are more improvements needed?
 

NightShadow

should HP Ice or something be slashed with Protect on the Lead set, because Diglett is a common lead and you can barely do anything to it. I don't really play LC so I'm not so sure : /
 
Darkamber8828

Darkamber8828

Deslash Choice Band on Pichu unless you can find something Pichu OHKOs/2HKOs with Band it wouldn't with Life Orb. The power difference is minimal in Little Cup, and switching attacks isn't, even with shit movepool. Pichu isn't taking a hit, especially with Hasty, anyway.

Also, slash Quick Attack somewhere on the LO set. Maybe with Thunderbolt.
 

UltimateKirbyFan

I had to remind ShinyAzelf of the absense of Quick Attack in Pichu's movepool. And Choice Band is only a secondary choice, although it's not much difference from LO.
 

sensible

Darkamber8828 said:
Oh, I didn't know that.

Uh, did you get what I said. There is NO benefit to using Choice Band over Life Orb.
Click to expand...

Uh, yeah there is. You don't lose health when you have Choice Band. Since Volt Tackle is one of the primary moves in the set, it benefits Pichu more since it can't reach 19 hp.
 
Darkamber8828

Darkamber8828

Look at that amazing bulk! Throw some defense evs and a bold nature and it isn't 2HKOed by Seel Fake Out+Aqua Jet!

Pichu isn't bulky. See Elekid and Magby and Abra and Gastly and Meowth. If you manage to kill yourself with Volt Tackle, I applaud you. That means you killed at least two, maybe three, average pokemon worth of damage.

Can you see that happening?

No, because Pichu is slow and weak and has bad defensive typing and apparently no priority, so it's bad. :/
 

sensible

Darkamber8828 said:
Look at that amazing bulk! Throw some defense evs and a bold nature and it isn't 2HKOed by Seel Fake Out+Aqua Jet!

Pichu isn't bulky. See Elekid and Magby and Abra and Gastly and Meowth. If you manage to kill yourself with Volt Tackle, I applaud you. That means you killed at least two, maybe three, average pokemon worth of damage.

Can you see that happening?

No, because Pichu is slow and weak and has bad defensive typing and apparently no priority, so it's bad. :/
Click to expand...
True i agree with you. 20 base hp means that its probably gonna kill itself after a volt tackle anyway lol.
 
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