Introduction
I first started meddling with the concept of Electric-terrain teams while Rillaboom was still in the tier in June. Such teams were typically extremely ineffective at the time due to Rillaboom's presence on a large number of teams, but these teams displayed how dangerous Seed Necrozma could be. The knowledge that Rillaboom would be rising to OU was also pretty common by this point, so it was a matter of waiting for it to leave, and in matches where Rillaboom wasn't used it was very easy to see how absurdly dangerous Alolan Raichu could be.
The current metagame poses an ideal situation for Electric Terrain based teams, the loss of Blissey and very infrequent use of bulky Water-types with Haze has made Seed Necrozma a dangerous sleeper pick right now capable of easily sweeping teams, while Alolan Raichu's incredible speed and raw power under Electric Terrain gives it the ability to outspeed all Choice Scarf users in the tier while still retaining a lot of bulk for eased set up, and giving it a fantastic matchup versus offensive teams (especially Sticky Webs which can really struggle with you being relatively unaffected). This raw power lets Alolan Raichu pose a serious threat to bulkier and stall teams too, with the power to OHKO even Celebi and Umbreon at +2, making it a fantastic threat versus all team structures.
While the team has gone through very little changes since its inception, apart from which Pokemon have which hazards, this most recent version was recently optimised for use in UUWC for team UK, where Lilburr brought it during the qualifiers stage for a very clean win against pif, showcasing the dangerous threats that Raichu and Necrozma can be. I wanted to show this off officially now UULT is over and make public what many people consider to be the most succesful Electric Terrain team variant in UU currently.
Team In-Depth
she did not answer (Pincurchin) @ Terrain Extender
Ability: Electric Surge
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpA
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Toxic Spikes
- Memento
- Recover
- Discharge
Pincurchin is the necessary setter for Electric Terrain, and is, unfortunately, not a massively useful Pokemon on paper. This set, however, tries to get the most out of what it can do. Its bulk is honestly not terrible, and it can check some Pokemon like Cobalion with maximum investment + Recover. Discharge is used over Rising Voltage primarily because it can punish Pokemon like a Greedy Noivern trying to come in, and, if it has it, potentially Defog away the Terrain, while still being a useful move after Terrain has passed too. Toxic Spikes are very matchup dependent, but in the right matchup, ie. no Grounded Poisons, it can be helpful to set them to ease breaking, otherwise Pincurchin shouldn't bother wasting time with them. Memento is really the most useful move here, it gives your Raichu a free switch in and a real honest shot at getting a Nasty Plot up and breaking, but you should avoid using it too soon in matchups where your Raichu might want to come in a few times throughout the match.
another heaven (Raichu-Alola) @ Magnet
Ability: Surge Surfer
EVs: 228 HP / 252 SpA / 28 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Nasty Plot
- Psychic
- Rising Voltage
- Grass Knot
Nasty Plot Raichu-Alola is an incredibly dangerous threat under Electric Terrain. Depending on your matchup, Raichu may not often want to actually use Nasty Plot, but with Memento support from Pincurchin it's incredibly useful in matchups against Pokemon like Celebi, Umbreon, and Tyranitar that you can OHKO at +2 SpA, and would otherwise check you. In more offensive matchups, Raichu should instead focus on just spamming Rising Voltage, its damage output is so insane that it can even OHKO a Choice Scarf Jirachi from full after Rocks nearly all the time. The spread makes sure that Raichu can outspeed everything up to Choice Scarf Keldeo, and when effected by Sticky Web, Lycanroc-D, when Electric Terrain is present, while maximising its bulk to set up a lot easier and tank hits like Lycanroc-D's Accelerock and Doublade's Shadow Sneak a lot better. (Beware of Sucker Punch from Lycanroc-D) Maximum speed investment is an option for Raichu to be more useful outside of terrain, but living these Priority hits and setting up more easily tends to be far more useful.
overcome the myth (Necrozma) @ Electric Seed
Ability: Prism Armor
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Calm Mind
- Earth Power
- Stored Power
- Moonlight
Its no secret to anyone who played during the Rillaboom metagame in June that Necrozma with a Seed is an incredibly dangerous threat capable of plowing through even teams moderately prepared for it. As I mentioned in the introduction, common counterplay like Haze Milotic/Mantine is much rarer, and teams are generally a lot less prepared for it in the current metagame, which is highly beneficial for it. Electric Seed Necrozma is able to easily either wallbreak early-game for Raichu to clean, or clean up after Raichu has weakened the opposing team, depending on the matchup, and using its increased defense to easily deal with would be checks like Krookodile and Incineroar. Earth Power is generally preferred in this current metagame, where Tyranitar is fairly common, which you otherwise are completely unable to touch, although you still preferably want it chipped before you try and set up because its Sandstorm makes your Healing extremely weak. It also prevents Swords Dance Incineroar dealing with you properly. While Heat Wave lets you prevent being forced out by Whirlwind Skarmory and deal better with Nasty Plot Celebi, Earth Power is genreally preferred for these reasons, especially on a team full of Pokemon that pressure Skarmory.
brave shine (Skarmory) @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 252 HP / 232 Def / 24 Spe
Impish Nature
- Brave Bird
- Spikes
- Roost
- Body Press
Skarmory is kind of the necessary glue mon this team needs to actually deal with Pokemon like Sucker Punch Lycanroc-D, Bisharp, and Mimikyu, which Raichu-Alola dislikes. Its Spikes support is also fantastic in wearing down the switch-ins of the Psychic pair. Brave Bird is incredibly important on this team, as it lets Skarmory properly check Mimikyu and Celebi, while preventing Keldeo using you as an easy one-time switch in, due to the lack of switch-ins the team has to it. Skarmory also has a lot of importance as a Ground-immunity for the team, which Krookodile could otherwise take advantage of to annoy Pincurchin, Jirachi, and Raichu out of terrain.
i beg you (Jirachi) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Serene Grace
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Hasty Nature
- Iron Head
- Thunder
- U-turn
- Healing Wish
Choice Scarf Jirachi is another fantastic Glue mon for most teams in UU currently. It's ability to provide a solid Kyurem switch-in is greatly appreciated by Krookodile, Skarmory, and Pincurchin, while it provides secondary speed control so that you aren't only reliant on Electric Terrain, and one that deals with Pokemon like Swords Dance Lycanroc-D that raichu-Alola cannot deal with. Thunder is also nice on Jirachi to cripple Skarmory switch-ins, and give an extra check to Keldeo. Jirachi's Healing Wish support can be very helpful to bring a teammate like Raichu or Necrozma back to full for a second chance at cleaning, noting that Necrozma doesn't always need a Defense boost to actually clean, while it can also be used to bring Skarmory back in an emergency if necessary for a Pokemon like Mimikyu, if Skarmory got crippled by something like an opposing Jirachi.
blazing ashes (Krookodile) @ Chople Berry
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- Knock Off
- Smack Down
- Stealth Rock
Krookodile rounds out the team with a great Stealth Rock setter, an Electric-immunity, and a check to Doublade and Tyranitar. Smack Down is handy to punish Pokemon like Rotom-W and Galarian Weezing for trying to switch into Krookodile, which can easily Defog away the teams hazards against Skarmory. Chople Berry is useful to properly check Pokemon like Doublade and Tyranitar, who run Fighting-type coverage, and provide a check to Calm Mind Jirachi, which can attempt to set up on Skarmory, and is not easily revenge killed by Raichu unless sufficiently chipped.
Threat List
Due to the powerful offensive nature presented by Raichu and Choice Scarf Jirachi, this team tends to have ways around most of the Pokemon that can offensively threaten it. Most priority Pokemon like Bisharp, Doublade, Mimikyu, and Sucker Punch Lycanroc-D are more then adequately dealt with by Skarmory, but can get out of hand if Skarmory is chipped down.
The main threat to this team is for certain Keldeo
, the team has offensive outs to it through Alolan Raichu and Thunder Jirachi, but Keldeo can force kills most of the time when it comes in, and can be more annoying if it is a Specs set, which cannot be set up on by Necrozma if locked into a Water-stab. Thunder Jirachi provides a nice way of potentially punishing greedy Keldeo play, which is one of the easier ways it'll find opportunities to come in, and can threaten it in a pinch.Playing around Keldeo with this team is not too difficult in the grand scheme since it gives Raichu free opporutnities. You should be careful not to let it come in freely to often, and make sure to take advantage of it with Raichu, as the sort of more offensive teams its found on can't tend to switch into it very easily at all.
Replays
Honestly I haven't really saved a lot of replays for this team since I didn't originally have much intention to RMT it until once UUWC had started. This team is not difficult to use, and has seen some decent ladder usage by various people, but the below replay from UUWC demonstrates the team nicely and the massive danger that Electric Seed Necrozma poses.
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen8uu-1165433643 - Lilburr vs Pif, UUWC.
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen8uu-1173948988-48gkpd6rghfbe6u3xsqwhc4x8crb0r5pw - alice vs amaroq
Shoutouts
Juno - I know you don't always feel appreciated, especially with all the UUWC drama lately, but you have been doing an amazing job and are my best friend on this site and I really care about you a lot, and will always appreciate you <3
UUWC Team UK - martha Lilburr Twilight Freeroamer SOMALIA bugzinator Hamhamhamhamham Cam Cynara - Ty all of you for helping out and making UUWC really fun, pity we didn't qualify but we got really close and did well overall :)
UU friends - Accelgor A Cake Wearing A Hat PinkDragonTamer avarice Stoward Renny TSR Panther-T TMM esche hs Ramolost solonor24 Moutemoute Cynde vivalospride Euphonos Smallsmallrose Donphantastic DraconicLepus Eve Daiyaga BChezza Hilomilo basaninho Mygrein TaxiCab pokemonisfun Clefable Sickist lucqq Amukamara Hogg eden Bebo explodingdaisies Amane Misa Fusion Flare - ty all for making UU a great place and worth investing my time in :)
Other friends - gum lyd Jordy Brandon Averardo TJ keppy Specs Jho Estronic Splash maroon Decem Gross Sweep PH Toy Time King Many TPP Rage yogi Expulso temp Perish Song zS PTF curiosity - also ty for making the other Discs's / Tiers i share with you great places to be in :)
Massive apologies if I left anyone out, I didn't do it on purpose :x
she did not answer (Pincurchin) @ Terrain Extender
Ability: Electric Surge
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpA
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Toxic Spikes
- Memento
- Recover
- Discharge
another heaven (Raichu-Alola) @ Magnet
Ability: Surge Surfer
EVs: 228 HP / 252 SpA / 28 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Nasty Plot
- Psychic
- Rising Voltage
- Grass Knot
overcome the myth (Necrozma) @ Electric Seed
Ability: Prism Armor
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Calm Mind
- Earth Power
- Stored Power
- Moonlight
brave shine (Skarmory) @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 252 HP / 232 Def / 24 Spe
Impish Nature
- Brave Bird
- Spikes
- Roost
- Body Press
i beg you (Jirachi) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Serene Grace
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Hasty Nature
- Iron Head
- Thunder
- U-turn
- Healing Wish
blazing ashes (Krookodile) @ Chople Berry
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- Knock Off
- Smack Down
- Stealth Rock
Ability: Electric Surge
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpA
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Toxic Spikes
- Memento
- Recover
- Discharge
another heaven (Raichu-Alola) @ Magnet
Ability: Surge Surfer
EVs: 228 HP / 252 SpA / 28 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Nasty Plot
- Psychic
- Rising Voltage
- Grass Knot
overcome the myth (Necrozma) @ Electric Seed
Ability: Prism Armor
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Calm Mind
- Earth Power
- Stored Power
- Moonlight
brave shine (Skarmory) @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 252 HP / 232 Def / 24 Spe
Impish Nature
- Brave Bird
- Spikes
- Roost
- Body Press
i beg you (Jirachi) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Serene Grace
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Hasty Nature
- Iron Head
- Thunder
- U-turn
- Healing Wish
blazing ashes (Krookodile) @ Chople Berry
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- Knock Off
- Smack Down
- Stealth Rock
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