Lightningrod

Colonel M

Colonel M

I COULD BE BORED!
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Little Cup stuff is unknown to me, but feel free to post your Little Cup thoughts!

LightningRod has a new perk with it: Whenever the Pokemon absorbs an Electric-type attack, its Special Attack is boosted by one stage and it seems that it doesn't damage the ability-wielder (so yeah LightningRod Seaking isn't THAT much of a joke). New Pokemon that has it? Only one.

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Name: Zebraika
Type: Electric
Base Stats: 75 HP | 100 Atk | 63 Def | 80 SpA | 63 SpD | 116 Spe

Notable Movepool known so far: Pursuit, Spark, Discharge, Agility, Thunderbolt, Thunder, Charge Beam, Hidden Power

Zebraika is already a fast Pokemon, so the lost of Motor Drive isn't as huge as it would be for Electivire. 116 Speed dominates Starmie, which is pretty awesome. Anyway, boosting its modest Special Attack is a great idea since Zebraika won't always have a chance to boost its Special Attack with Charge Beam (but it is an option!). It's actually a decent check for Starmie: Note that it has Pursuit in its movepool!

Sadly, Zebraika is the only new Pokemon that gets LightningRod naturally without access to Dream World. Let's look through the Old Pokemon though to see if it impacts anything. First, let's look through non-Dream World Candidates that are notable.

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Manectric

Base Stats: 70 HP | 75 Atk | 60 Def | 105 SpA | 60 SpD | 105 Spe

Notable Moves: Thunderbolt, Thunder, Discharge, Overheat, Flamethrower, Charge Beam, Switcheroo, Crunch, Fire Fang, Ice Fang, Thunder Fang, Signal Beam, Hidden Power, Howl

Manectric was a cool Electric-type already. Fire-type attack, Charge Beam to boost its Special Attack, Switcheroo, and a decent move to get around Rotom in UU thanks to Crunch. Seems like an awesome buff. If Choice Specs still exists in Gen 5, Switcheroo Specs is very viable when you consider the possibility of +2 SpA Thunderbolts.

Dream World

Notable Candidates taken in briefing:

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Pikachu

Base Stats: 35 HP | 55 Atk | 30 Def | 50 SpA | 40 SpD | 90 Spe

Don't laugh. Yet. Light Ball just makes it insane on the Special Attack spectrum. Now it suddenly just got a little more deadly with the ability. Furthermore, it still retains Grass Knot, so don't think your silly Ground-types will work. Pikachu shall aim for the horn and not miss Rhydon! It is still a glass cannon, but one that can possibly pack a huge wallop. I wouldn't want to be a Pokemon that doesn't resist Electric and takes +3 Thundebolts. Well, maybe Blissey.

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Raichu

Base Stats: 60 HP | 90 Atk | 55 Def | 90 SpA | 80 SpD | 100 Spe

Raichu is only noted because it is a sturdier version of Pikachu. Slightly faster too. Granted that Light Ball doesn't work on Raichu, but its moderate bulk helps. Just hope there isn't a faster Pokemon in the fray. Still, Raichu getting a buff is nice to have. Even if it is somewhat inferior to Pikachu. Being able to pull an Encore easier on slower Thunderbolt users is pretty cool.

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Zapdos

Base Stats: 90 HP | 90 Atk | 85 Def | 125 SpA | 90 Def | 100 Spe

Technically, the Star of The Show<tm> for LightningRod is Zapods.

Pressure is a cool concept for Defensive Zapdos. Since it still has access to Roost, Zapdos just became MUCH more dangerous offensively. Hell, it even learns Agility and Charge Beam to add insult to the injury. Being a quick Pokemon as is, the only weaknesses it has is that it needs Hidden Power to bust through some of the Ground-types and possible lack of Shadow Ball, Extrasensory, Baton Pass, and Heat Wave. Still, consider that Zapdos was already deadly beast, LightningRod just made it scale higher of an offensive threat. Zapdos getting Lightningrod was a nice buff overall.

Finally, Lightningrod is very viable for Doubles and Triples battles. Sadly, not a very big expert on this one either, but Zapdos gets a huge mention for its resist of Earthquake.

Discuss.
 
I think that Lightningrod will probably mostly affect Zapdos, allowing it to both stall and deal excellent damage with a +1 TBolt. Of course, we don't know how useful Zappy will be in B/W, but it'll likely be useful because of its great defenses and amazing Sp.Atk after the boost. Pikachu in UU might work well too, considering its low speed, because of its HUGE power. Azumarill has nothing on Pikachu :). Manectric won't be as powerful as Pikachu, but its movepool is better and it can more easily abuse Lightningrod due to its higher speed.

EDIT: Oh yeah, I forgot about Zebraika. 115 Speed and Wild Bolt+Lightningrod would probably allow it to function as an effective mixed sweeper, being faster than even Starmie and hitting hard with its decent Atk and boosted SAtk.
 
Does the Pokemon with the Lightning Rod still take damage or is it just like Motor Drive where it doesn't take any damage from electrical attacks and raises the speed by 1 stage?
 
CHOMPY said:
Does the Pokemon with the Lightning Rod still take damage or is it just like Motor Drive where it doesn't take any damage from electrical attacks and raises the speed by 1 stage?
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The general consensus is that it probably will take no damage from Electric moves.
 
You forgot Wild Bolt on the zebra. It's what will set apart from Electrivire, actually having a notable Physical electric move.
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I didn't know anything about the new moves. If you can, can you please post the move's stats and such? I'd appreciate it. :P
Does the Pokemon with the Lightning Rod still take damage or is it just like Motor Drive where it doesn't take any damage from electrical attacks and raises the speed by 1 stage?
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It supposedly works like Motor Drive, except that it boosts Special Attack and I'm assuming still draws all Electric-type attacks toward it in Double and Triple battles.
 
Zapdos will probably be the best user of this (assuming we can get a good Hidden Power) followed by Manectric. It already has good Spe and great SpAtk so it can easily abuse a LO Roost set or a Choice Scarf set even more effectively now and has an extra immunity. In fact, Scarf Zapdos with a Lightning Rod boost is faster and more powerful than Specs Jolteon. The SR weakness is usually what forces Zapdos to use Roost but it's now immposible to Spin Block so it will probably see less use.

I've never actually used Manectric, but with Thunderbolt and Overheat it will be a powerful Choice attacker. The main reason to use it over Zapdos is it's 105 Base Speed that allows it to outrun Salamence and Garchomp and hit them with HP Ice without risking a speed tie.

Pikachu and Raichu finally get the ability to actually switch in on an attack and could potentially use a Choice locked Electric attack to get up a Nasty Plot but they're still going to be outclassed by Manectric and Zapdos and will remain in the lower teirs.

Zebraika has only average SpAtk so I don't think it will be abusing a Special set (atleast not a pure one) but the immunity is nice.

In Doubles and Triples, Lightning Rod will be even more useful since it still draws Electric attacks. We could definitely see combinations like Gyarados+Zapdos or Kyogre+Zapdos in Doubles.
 
I've absolutely love using Manectric, both in NU and UU. He definately has enough attacks to make a Sp Atk boost usefull, his only problem is his general frailty. But he's fast, and he hits hard even with just a Life Orb. If he can come in on an Electric attack, granted he has a Life Orb and Timid nature, his Sp Atk will be just over 600 (correct me if my calc is wrong), that's not even factoring in STAB on Thunderbolt, but his other special attacks will still be devestating.

Then you have Zapdos, who is naturally a bulky pokemon. He's going to hit like a truck if he gets this boost, with or without Life Orb. Even with a Life Orb, he has enough bulk to be able to fire off several attack, and not be in critical condition. Again, assuming my calc is right, and he has Life Orb and Timid nature, he will have about 680 Sp Atk. Ouch.
 
Xing said:
Wait... now that's the difference between Lightningrod and Volt Absorb?
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Volt Absorb gives you 25% health back, while Lightningrod gives you a special attack boost.

EDIT: @SithLord: It increases its special attack, boosting all of its special moves, unlike Flash Fire, which only boosts Fire moves.
 
Manectric should easily be able to abuse this in UU, absorbing Thunder Wave from the likes of Registeel and using it to power Flamethrower/Thunderbolt/HP Ice. Zapdos does quite nicely in OU, as well.
 
Raichu/Pikachu + Lightning Rod + Nasty Plot from when it was caught as a Pichu = O___O;

I think most of these types are the winners of Lightningrod boost, with the exception of the zebra cause it's a bit underwhelming. But I can see a lot more people using offensive Zapdos due to this shift, and maybe even Magnetric will be given some love.
 
Maybe Manitric will be bumped to UU this gen with LightningRod?

I love the buff for lightningrod since frankly that ability sucked. I can see more offsensive zapos' but defensive will still be good. Pikachu will get another buff this gen but it will still take in it's little NU hole, or maybe UU.
 
Colonel M said:
Yes. IIRC it also raises SpA up one stage.
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Gastrodon and Cradily now have an immunity to something that was neutral before, and their special attacks are decent enough to be useful with a boost. I doubt many Cradily will give up suction cups though, and they definitely aren't sweepers.

Marakacchi (pure grass type with water absorb/chlorophyll) has 106 special attack, so with prediction will be able to do some serious damage, though again it's too slow.

Still, worth a look.
 
I'm pretty sure I remember reading that Thunder Wave now ignores the Ground immunity which would make Lightning Rod, Volt Absorb, and Motor Drive even more viable so you still have a good switch in to things like Blissey.
 
Suction cups is part of what makes Cradily so deadly; it would never give them up for a special attack boost on its mediocre STABs.

It is unfortunate that most of the lightningrod pokemon don't really have a use for it. Zeburaiki will likely prefer Wild Bolt for the consistency, and Rhydon is lol with Sp.A.
 
Hey! Don't diss mixed Rhyperior just yet! Quake, Edge, Fire Blast, and Megahorn/Rock Polish/Sword Dance can be very effective.
 
Yes, technically the most notable users are Manectric and possibly Zapdos, but I wouldn't diss too much on Zebra yet. It's high Speed and access to a physical Electric-type attack is nice to have since it can sort of Mixed Sweep.
 
I would hope LightningRod finally makes Zapdos immune to electric-type attacks, since I've always found it strange that an electric bird would be harmed by its own element, as would an ice bird, and a fire bird, which, speaking of Articuno and Moltres, even though the abilities aren't parallel with LightningRod, I hope if LightningRod grants immunity that it's a sign that Snow Cloak and Flame Body also grant immunity to ice and fire respectively!
 
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