If you don't know who Pikachu is, you really shouldn't be here. But I'm going to assume no one here is a complete moron of a trainer or lives under a rock and say WELCOME to the first-- this the first, right? Yeah, first. FIRST Pikachu NU analysis thread! Surprisingly enough, this did not exist before I made it. Either no one cares enough about Pikachu, or everyone just assumed someone else will do it and it never happened. Anyhow let's get on with the show.
Everyone who's a highschool girl or an actual Pokemon player must know the iconic mascot of the entire reason this website is even able to exist: Pikachu. Those red cheeks, and thunderbolt-shaped tail are unforgettable, and that hi-pitched "Pika Pika" will either be the most downright adorable or downright annoying thing you've ever heard. Unfortunately, his skills as a Pokemon pale in comparison to his skills as a Smash Bros fighter, which is why he sleeps in the murky depths of NU. However, sets for this Pokemon currently do not exist on its XY Strategy page, so let's shed some light on the subject, shall we? We'll start off with a list of viable moves.
Moves
Volt Tackle*
Thunderbolt*
Encore ★
Fake Out ★
Iron Tail †
Knock Off †
Brick Break
Agility
Discharge*
Hidden Power (duh)
Volt Switch*
Grass Knot
Thunder*
Signal Beam †
Nasty Plot ‡
Meteor Mash +
Icicle Crash +
Flying Press +
Draining Kiss +
* This move's base power is increased by STAB bonus
† This move can only be learned through move tutor
★ This move can only be learned through breeding
‡ This move can only be learned by a prior evolution
+ This move is exclusive to a costume (I doubt you'll see this on any other analysis thread) (also I ran out of bullets to use as footnotes)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When you made it to Signal Beam, I bet you were probably thinking I'm just listing any old move. And you're right. In all honesty, I didn't think he had that big a pool. I mean it's not that big, but more than I expected. But combine this with its litmus paper defenses, average Speed (yes Lucario, you too) and barely any real attacking stats, it's no wonder this thing is NU. Thankfully, this Pokemon is blessed with the signature item Light Ball, meaning its Atk and SpAtk stats are doubled. For those of you who don't know or don't want to do the math, at Level 50, a Jolly Pikachu with full investment in Atk and Spe will have its Atk at 214, and a Timid set will have its SpAtk at 204, which turns meh into beautiful. However, it does lose the benefits of items like Life Orb, but it's the only way Pikachu is viable as an attacker. Before I go into sets, there is an important thing to note:
The Cosplay Pikachu CANNOT be bred. So no Nasty Plot+Draining Kiss or a set involving Fake Out and Icicle Crash is legally possible, which hurts me deeply. Unless you're lucky to legally get one with decent IVs (or at least patient enough to soft reset 3000+ times until you get a good one with the right nature) I doubt you'll be using her.
Let's get some sets, shall we?
Physical Attacker:
@ Light Ball
Nature: Jolly/Adamant
Ability: Lightningrod
252 Atk / 252 Spe / 4 HP
- Volt Tackle
- Iron Tail/Brick Break
- Fake Out
- Knock Off
New gen, same crap, amirite? Volt Tackle is the most powerful STAB move here, and Fake Out is good for breaking any Sturdy and Focus Sash, making both a must on this set. I chose Knock Off as the standard here since it had gotten a neat boost this gen, not to mention before the Fairy-type was added, Dark and Fighting had perfect neutral coverage, which is why I also chose Brick Break as a viable option over Iron Tail. All that really matters at this point is what you want to cover.
Special Attacker:
@ Light Ball
Nature: Timid/Modest/Naive/Hasty
Ability: Lightningrod:
252 SpA / 252 Spe / 4 HP
- Grass Knot/Volt Switch
- Hidden Power Ice
- Fake Out/Volt Switch
- Thunderbolt/Discharge
Thunderbolt or Discharge are the main STAB here, not much else needs to be said. The classic Ice-Electric combo provides perfect neutral coverage, which is perfect for a heavy-hitter like such. We have Grass Knot to take care of heavy Pokemon that dare threaten this yellow gladiator, and Fake Out breaks Sash and Sturdy, so if you're worried about those, this would be a great choice. Volt Switch could replace any move except the main STAB and Hidden Power Ice, though I wouldn't recommend it.
Nasty Plot:
@ Light Ball
Nature: Timid/Naive/Hasty
Ability: Lightningrod
252 SpA / 252 Spe / 4 HP
- Nasty Plot
- Hidden Power Ice
- Thunderbolt/Discharge
- Grass Knot/Fake Out
Pretty much what I said about the last set, except with Nasty Plot. Between Nasty Plot and Light Ball, Pikachu's SpAtk will be at 408 at +2. Pretty sick, right? That's if you're lucky enough to get off that Nasty Plot in the first place, since you won't be forcing many switches.
The Southern Belle:
@ Light Ball
Nature: Jolly/Adamant
Ability: Lightningrod
252 Atk / 252 Spe / 4 HP
- Icicle Crash
- Volt Tackle
- Agility/Brick Break
- Iron Tail
I'm not sure if the Cosplay Pikachu should get her own thread, but on the chance she shouldn't, here it is. A more original set, this damsel of destruction hides evil under that blue bonnet of hers. The Ice-Electric combo strikes again, with Icicle Crash and Volt Tackle being powerful psychical moves for this set, making her able to hit everyone neutrally for great damage. If you decide to go Adamant, Pikachu's Atk will be a whopping 234 after Light Ball, and Agility will put her Speed at 284 at +2, (316 if you choose Jolly, which is for speed-tieing with 90 Base-Speed Pokémon) far outspeeding faster threats like Accelgor. Sadly, she still doesn't have rights.
EL TRUENO RATA!!:
@ Light Ball
Nature: Jolly/Adamant
Ability: Lightningrod
252 Atk / 252 Spe / 4 HP
- Flying Press
- Volt Tackle
- Iron Tail/Brick Break
- Agility/Brick Break
Anything I've already said in previous sets doesn't need to be said again, but because I'm a fan of big stats, (and you should be, too) and have a fetish of really fast, really powerful, really frail sweepers, I will note once again that Agility will make this wrestling rodent the most-feared Luchador in all of Mexico. Flying Press provides some much-needed coverage for this masked Mexican monster, allowing it to hit 10 types super-effectively (with Brick Break over Agility). ¡OLÉ!
Pika Pika Kawaii-Desu!:
Light Ball
Nature: Timid/Modest
Ability: Lightningrod
252 SpA / 252 Spe / 4 HP
- Draining Kiss
- Thunderbolt/Discharge
- Hidden Power Ice
- Agility/Volt Switch/Grass Knot
For those of you who don't speak weeb like I do, the title of the set means "I will suck out your soul and fornicate the shell you leave behind." Which is exactly what this set is built for. Cosplay Pikachu has more options for attack than the last 2 costumes, as you can see. This J-pop idol is blessed with Draining Kiss, the only good form of recovery Pikachu could legally have at all besides Wish, though Pikachu shouldn't be using Wish to begin with. Everything else that can be said about this set I've said before in previous special sets.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
These sets are pretty repetitive, but regardless, I'm sure some of these will be appealing to some of you, so do try them out. The reason why I didn't list a set for Rock Star Pikachu is because it's just the physical attacking set, just with a more reliable Steel-type move and no Fake Out. And Pikachu Ph. D is useless, unless someone can shed a little light on that and open my eyes. Like all threads analyzing Pokemon, this one is open to suggestions, and of course I welcome any corrections on errors I've made here. I hope you enjoyed this bit of knowledge, and thank you for reading my first thread!
Everyone who's a highschool girl or an actual Pokemon player must know the iconic mascot of the entire reason this website is even able to exist: Pikachu. Those red cheeks, and thunderbolt-shaped tail are unforgettable, and that hi-pitched "Pika Pika" will either be the most downright adorable or downright annoying thing you've ever heard. Unfortunately, his skills as a Pokemon pale in comparison to his skills as a Smash Bros fighter, which is why he sleeps in the murky depths of NU. However, sets for this Pokemon currently do not exist on its XY Strategy page, so let's shed some light on the subject, shall we? We'll start off with a list of viable moves.
Moves
Volt Tackle*
Thunderbolt*
Encore ★
Fake Out ★
Iron Tail †
Knock Off †
Brick Break
Agility
Discharge*
Hidden Power (duh)
Volt Switch*
Grass Knot
Thunder*
Signal Beam †
Nasty Plot ‡
Meteor Mash +
Icicle Crash +
Flying Press +
Draining Kiss +
* This move's base power is increased by STAB bonus
† This move can only be learned through move tutor
★ This move can only be learned through breeding
‡ This move can only be learned by a prior evolution
+ This move is exclusive to a costume (I doubt you'll see this on any other analysis thread) (also I ran out of bullets to use as footnotes)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When you made it to Signal Beam, I bet you were probably thinking I'm just listing any old move. And you're right. In all honesty, I didn't think he had that big a pool. I mean it's not that big, but more than I expected. But combine this with its litmus paper defenses, average Speed (yes Lucario, you too) and barely any real attacking stats, it's no wonder this thing is NU. Thankfully, this Pokemon is blessed with the signature item Light Ball, meaning its Atk and SpAtk stats are doubled. For those of you who don't know or don't want to do the math, at Level 50, a Jolly Pikachu with full investment in Atk and Spe will have its Atk at 214, and a Timid set will have its SpAtk at 204, which turns meh into beautiful. However, it does lose the benefits of items like Life Orb, but it's the only way Pikachu is viable as an attacker. Before I go into sets, there is an important thing to note:
The Cosplay Pikachu CANNOT be bred. So no Nasty Plot+Draining Kiss or a set involving Fake Out and Icicle Crash is legally possible, which hurts me deeply. Unless you're lucky to legally get one with decent IVs (or at least patient enough to soft reset 3000+ times until you get a good one with the right nature) I doubt you'll be using her.
Let's get some sets, shall we?
Physical Attacker:
@ Light Ball
Nature: Jolly/Adamant
Ability: Lightningrod
252 Atk / 252 Spe / 4 HP
- Volt Tackle
- Iron Tail/Brick Break
- Fake Out
- Knock Off
New gen, same crap, amirite? Volt Tackle is the most powerful STAB move here, and Fake Out is good for breaking any Sturdy and Focus Sash, making both a must on this set. I chose Knock Off as the standard here since it had gotten a neat boost this gen, not to mention before the Fairy-type was added, Dark and Fighting had perfect neutral coverage, which is why I also chose Brick Break as a viable option over Iron Tail. All that really matters at this point is what you want to cover.
Special Attacker:
@ Light Ball
Nature: Timid/Modest/Naive/Hasty
Ability: Lightningrod:
252 SpA / 252 Spe / 4 HP
- Grass Knot/Volt Switch
- Hidden Power Ice
- Fake Out/Volt Switch
- Thunderbolt/Discharge
Thunderbolt or Discharge are the main STAB here, not much else needs to be said. The classic Ice-Electric combo provides perfect neutral coverage, which is perfect for a heavy-hitter like such. We have Grass Knot to take care of heavy Pokemon that dare threaten this yellow gladiator, and Fake Out breaks Sash and Sturdy, so if you're worried about those, this would be a great choice. Volt Switch could replace any move except the main STAB and Hidden Power Ice, though I wouldn't recommend it.
Nasty Plot:
@ Light Ball
Nature: Timid/Naive/Hasty
Ability: Lightningrod
252 SpA / 252 Spe / 4 HP
- Nasty Plot
- Hidden Power Ice
- Thunderbolt/Discharge
- Grass Knot/Fake Out
Pretty much what I said about the last set, except with Nasty Plot. Between Nasty Plot and Light Ball, Pikachu's SpAtk will be at 408 at +2. Pretty sick, right? That's if you're lucky enough to get off that Nasty Plot in the first place, since you won't be forcing many switches.
The Southern Belle:
@ Light Ball
Nature: Jolly/Adamant
Ability: Lightningrod
252 Atk / 252 Spe / 4 HP
- Icicle Crash
- Volt Tackle
- Agility/Brick Break
- Iron Tail
I'm not sure if the Cosplay Pikachu should get her own thread, but on the chance she shouldn't, here it is. A more original set, this damsel of destruction hides evil under that blue bonnet of hers. The Ice-Electric combo strikes again, with Icicle Crash and Volt Tackle being powerful psychical moves for this set, making her able to hit everyone neutrally for great damage. If you decide to go Adamant, Pikachu's Atk will be a whopping 234 after Light Ball, and Agility will put her Speed at 284 at +2, (316 if you choose Jolly, which is for speed-tieing with 90 Base-Speed Pokémon) far outspeeding faster threats like Accelgor. Sadly, she still doesn't have rights.
EL TRUENO RATA!!:
@ Light Ball
Nature: Jolly/Adamant
Ability: Lightningrod
252 Atk / 252 Spe / 4 HP
- Flying Press
- Volt Tackle
- Iron Tail/Brick Break
- Agility/Brick Break
Anything I've already said in previous sets doesn't need to be said again, but because I'm a fan of big stats, (and you should be, too) and have a fetish of really fast, really powerful, really frail sweepers, I will note once again that Agility will make this wrestling rodent the most-feared Luchador in all of Mexico. Flying Press provides some much-needed coverage for this masked Mexican monster, allowing it to hit 10 types super-effectively (with Brick Break over Agility). ¡OLÉ!
Pika Pika Kawaii-Desu!:
Light Ball
Nature: Timid/Modest
Ability: Lightningrod
252 SpA / 252 Spe / 4 HP
- Draining Kiss
- Thunderbolt/Discharge
- Hidden Power Ice
- Agility/Volt Switch/Grass Knot
For those of you who don't speak weeb like I do, the title of the set means "I will suck out your soul and fornicate the shell you leave behind." Which is exactly what this set is built for. Cosplay Pikachu has more options for attack than the last 2 costumes, as you can see. This J-pop idol is blessed with Draining Kiss, the only good form of recovery Pikachu could legally have at all besides Wish, though Pikachu shouldn't be using Wish to begin with. Everything else that can be said about this set I've said before in previous special sets.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
These sets are pretty repetitive, but regardless, I'm sure some of these will be appealing to some of you, so do try them out. The reason why I didn't list a set for Rock Star Pikachu is because it's just the physical attacking set, just with a more reliable Steel-type move and no Fake Out. And Pikachu Ph. D is useless, unless someone can shed a little light on that and open my eyes. Like all threads analyzing Pokemon, this one is open to suggestions, and of course I welcome any corrections on errors I've made here. I hope you enjoyed this bit of knowledge, and thank you for reading my first thread!
