Why doesn't anyone use Charge Beam?

Question

Charge Beam is good isn't it? it has a 70% chance of boosting Sp.Atk by one stage and it does get a little more powerful if you keep useing it to raise your Sp.Atk. Why doesn't anyone use it except people in the games?

Comments

It's too weak, too reliant on the boosts and people can just switch in a Pokemon like a ground type or another electric. Far too predictable

Answer 1

Here are some things to remember:

• It's too weak.
• Doesn't always boost.
• Has an unnecessary miss chance.
• Thunderbolt completely outclasses it, also has the added chance for paralysis.
• Thunderbolt also has better distribution.
• Electric is not the best offensive type in the world, and with that little power, it isn't doing much good.
• The boost is too insignificant
• You're almost always better off with a boosting move (Nasty Plot) or item (Choice Specs).
• Switching is very common in the game, which means a +1 Special Attack can easily be lost

These are the chief reasons Charge Beam is underutilised.

Hope I helped!

Comments

Just wanted to point out there are still a couple of users of Charge Beam. Special Attacking Assault Vest users might use it to boost their SAtk. Serene Grace users are guaranteed to get the stat boost (I think Meloetta is the only pokemon to get this, though).

Answer 2

Mainly because even if it does boost itself, Charge Beam does less damage than Thunderbolt. Also, with all the switching in competitive battling, you're rarely going to hang on to a boost that long. Futhermore, Charge Beam has a 10% chance of missing. Thunderbolt is 100% accurate and is much stronger, Discharge is somewhat stronger and is 100% accurate, as well as having a 30% paralysis chance, and finally Volt Switch is slightly stronger, and allows you to gain switch priority.

Tl;DR: Thunderbolt, Discharge and Volt Switch are more accurate, stronger alternatives with better effects, or they do so much more damage that the +1 doesn't matter.