SteelEdges
Banned deucer.
[Overview]
Raichu will never achieve superstardom in NU, but it is still a decent special sweeper with an intriguing niche. In addition, it sits at a great speed tier . Encore combined with Nasty Plot means it can force switches, disrupt the opposition, and sweep. However, keep in mind that it will always be walled depending on its moves and that it's easily revenge killed.
[SET]
name: Encore + Nasty Plot
move 1: Encore
move 2: Nasty Plot
move 3: Thunderbolt
move 4: Grass Knot / Focus Blast
item: Life Orb
ability: Lightningrod
nature: Timid
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
What separates this from other Nasty Plot users such as Jynx, Shiftry, or Simipour is Raichu's Encore. If used on a non-damaging move, Encore gives the opponent a choice: stay in and be forced to repeat the same move, or switch, and in either situation, Raichu is able to set up a Nasty Plot. At +2 and with STAB, Thunderbolt will severely maim anything except resisting Pokemon or those with absurdly high Special Defense. The secondary move is for extra coverage: Grass Knot, the preferred option, is used to hurt NU's many Thunderbolt-immune Ground-types such as Golurk and Piloswine, while Focus Blast hits super-effectively on many of NU's special walls, such as Munchlax, Probopass, and Regice. Keep in mind: you are walled by specially bulky Grass-types if you elect to use Grass Knot, while Golurk is immune to both Thunderbolt and Focus Blast. Choose wisely.
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
In the fourth slot, Hidden Power Ice is a lesser option to super-effectively hit Grass- and Dragon-types, but it's awfully weak even after a Nasty Plot boost and provides little additional coverage. In addition many of NU's Ground-types, such as Seismitoad and Piloswine, do not take super-effective damage from Hidden Power Ice. If you opt for Grass Knot, a physically offensive Fighting-type such as Choice Band Sawk is a decent partner, as its STAB Close Combat can eliminate the special walls of NU (most are weak to Fighting-type moves). Another good partner for Raichu is Charizard: it easily handles the Grass-types that wall Raichu with its STABs, as well as being immune to Ground-type moves, while Raichu an gain a Lightningrod boost from Electric-type attacks shot at Charizard.
[Other Options]
Choice Specs and Choice Scarf seem good thanks to Raichu's decent Special Attack and great Speed. However, Choice Scarf needs to run Timid and thus misses a great deal of power, while Choice Specs is largely outclassed by the Encore + Nasty Plot combination. Raichu has an interesting supportive movepool, but due to its frailty, it cannot afford to run Knock Off, Toxic, or Thunder Wave. Hidden Power Grass can hit lighter threats for more damage than Grass Knot, but it's generally not worth the loss of power. Lastly, as tempting as Surf may seem, it is illegal in BW2.
[Checks and Counters]
As mentioned before, specially defensive Grass-types, such as Vileplume, Exeggutor, and Roselia, can switch in and either attack or set up hazards. Special walls such as Bastiodon, Audino, Munchlax, Regice, Lickilicky, and Probopass all take super-effective damage from Focus Blast but can wall Raichu otherwise. Ground-types are generally a safe bet in taking down Raichu, but they must beware of Grass Knot. Interestingly, Gardevoir can Trace Raichu's Lightningrod ability and gain an Electric immunity, making it a solid check. Finally, physical Choice Scarf users or Pokemon with physical priority, such as Primeape, are able to outspeed Raichu and promptly take it down.
name: Encore + Nasty Plot
move 1: Encore
move 2: Nasty Plot
move 3: Thunderbolt
move 4: Grass Knot / Focus Blast
item: Life Orb
ability: Lightningrod
nature: Timid
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Raichu will never achieve superstardom in NU, but it is still a decent special sweeper with an intriguing niche. In addition, it sits at a great speed tier . Encore combined with Nasty Plot means it can force switches, disrupt the opposition, and sweep. However, keep in mind that it will always be walled depending on its moves and that it's easily revenge killed.
[SET]
name: Encore + Nasty Plot
move 1: Encore
move 2: Nasty Plot
move 3: Thunderbolt
move 4: Grass Knot / Focus Blast
item: Life Orb
ability: Lightningrod
nature: Timid
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
What separates this from other Nasty Plot users such as Jynx, Shiftry, or Simipour is Raichu's Encore. If used on a non-damaging move, Encore gives the opponent a choice: stay in and be forced to repeat the same move, or switch, and in either situation, Raichu is able to set up a Nasty Plot. At +2 and with STAB, Thunderbolt will severely maim anything except resisting Pokemon or those with absurdly high Special Defense. The secondary move is for extra coverage: Grass Knot, the preferred option, is used to hurt NU's many Thunderbolt-immune Ground-types such as Golurk and Piloswine, while Focus Blast hits super-effectively on many of NU's special walls, such as Munchlax, Probopass, and Regice. Keep in mind: you are walled by specially bulky Grass-types if you elect to use Grass Knot, while Golurk is immune to both Thunderbolt and Focus Blast. Choose wisely.
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
In the fourth slot, Hidden Power Ice is a lesser option to super-effectively hit Grass- and Dragon-types, but it's awfully weak even after a Nasty Plot boost and provides little additional coverage. In addition many of NU's Ground-types, such as Seismitoad and Piloswine, do not take super-effective damage from Hidden Power Ice. If you opt for Grass Knot, a physically offensive Fighting-type such as Choice Band Sawk is a decent partner, as its STAB Close Combat can eliminate the special walls of NU (most are weak to Fighting-type moves). Another good partner for Raichu is Charizard: it easily handles the Grass-types that wall Raichu with its STABs, as well as being immune to Ground-type moves, while Raichu an gain a Lightningrod boost from Electric-type attacks shot at Charizard.
[Other Options]
Choice Specs and Choice Scarf seem good thanks to Raichu's decent Special Attack and great Speed. However, Choice Scarf needs to run Timid and thus misses a great deal of power, while Choice Specs is largely outclassed by the Encore + Nasty Plot combination. Raichu has an interesting supportive movepool, but due to its frailty, it cannot afford to run Knock Off, Toxic, or Thunder Wave. Hidden Power Grass can hit lighter threats for more damage than Grass Knot, but it's generally not worth the loss of power. Lastly, as tempting as Surf may seem, it is illegal in BW2.
[Checks and Counters]
As mentioned before, specially defensive Grass-types, such as Vileplume, Exeggutor, and Roselia, can switch in and either attack or set up hazards. Special walls such as Bastiodon, Audino, Munchlax, Regice, Lickilicky, and Probopass all take super-effective damage from Focus Blast but can wall Raichu otherwise. Ground-types are generally a safe bet in taking down Raichu, but they must beware of Grass Knot. Interestingly, Gardevoir can Trace Raichu's Lightningrod ability and gain an Electric immunity, making it a solid check. Finally, physical Choice Scarf users or Pokemon with physical priority, such as Primeape, are able to outspeed Raichu and promptly take it down.
- It's not the number one special sweeper, and it's not the most powerful, but it can get work done with Encore and Nasty Plot-boosted attacks
- Lightningrod provides an extremely handy immunity and SpA boost
- Great speed for the tier at base 100, average SpA, but awful bulk
- Has a great speed tier for the tier, tying with Charizard and outspeeding non-Scarfed Jynx, Haunter, and Primeape
name: Encore + Nasty Plot
move 1: Encore
move 2: Nasty Plot
move 3: Thunderbolt
move 4: Grass Knot / Focus Blast
item: Life Orb
ability: Lightningrod
nature: Timid
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
- Encore separates this set from other Nasty Plot users. By using Encore on a non-damaging or Electric-type move, Raichu is able to both disrupt the opponent's momentum and set up a Nasty Plot
- Grass Knot is used for coverage against the tier's many Ground-types that are immune to Thunderbolt, as well as providing generally decent coverage, while Focus Blast nails the many special walls of the tier, such as Munchlax and Regice; that said, Golurk will wall you if you go with Focus Blast
- If you're not using Focus Blast, a strong wallbreaker such as Choice Band Sawk can be helpful in removing specially bulky Pokemon.
- This set is walled by specially bulky Grass-types. Charizard can roast them with its Fire- and Flying-type attacks, as well as handling Ground-type attacks shot at Raichu. In addition, Raichu can switch into Electric-type attacks aimed at Charizard and gain a Lightningrod boost.
- Hidden Power Ice is an option to handle Grass- and Dragon-types, but it's awfully weak
- Scarf and Specs seem good on paper, but Scarf has to run Timid to outspeed anything relevant and is thus weak, and there's little reason to use Specs when you have Encore and Nasty Plot
- Its supportive movepool is intriguing, but Raichu rarely has room to run Knock Off, Tickle, Thunder Wave, or Toxic due to its frailty
- Hidden Power Grass can handle threats that Grass Knot is weaker against, but it's generally not worth it
- Surf is tempting, but illegal in BW
- Bulky Grass-types such as Vileplume, Exeggutor, and Roselia resist anything Raichu throws at them and can either attack or set up hazards, in Roselia's case
- Munchlax, Lickilicky, Audino, Bastiodon, Probopass, and Regice can switch in and wall any Raichu not carrying Focus Blast
- Most Ground-types need to be aware of Grass Knot; switching in can be treacherous, especially as they will usually be slower than Raichu
- Gardevoir can switch in on an Electric-type attack and Trace Lightningrod for an SpA boost
- Physical Scarfers or Pokemon with priority will be able to dispatch Raichu easily due to its poor physical defense and HP
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