What is a good moveset for Pikachu?

Question

If you have a good competitive moveset for Pikachu, post an answer below and upvote the best ones. (We're making this one exempt from the pre-evolutions rule, since Pikachu is very popular.)

Be sure to include full set details in your post, e.g. items, abilties, natures and EVs. Some detail, including the intended game mode for your set, is also appreciated. Access the full list of guidelines here.

Pikachu Pokédex and learnset for reference.

Comments

It's still going to function like raichu fir the most part, just with light ball.

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I have a question. ~-~WILL~-~ said that hidden power for a pikachu is fire type, yet i have a shin pikachu with a hidden power of dragon type. is this better or worse for my pikachu?

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Whats mc — commented May 17, 2011 by MewCreation Its your initials xD

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!wow! I just relased he has horrible base states.

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Lord_Ragnarok The Type Depends on the IV's

Answer 1

Oh great, a yellow Rat.

Physical:

Item: Light Ball
Nature Adamant
EV's 252 Atk 252 Speed 4 Hp

Set: All out
Volt Tackle ( STAB )
Iron tail ( Risky with Accuracy )
Brick Break ( Coverage )
Dig ( Avoid using this near an earthquaker XD )

Set: Average Power
Thunder Punch ( No recoil! )
Brick Break ( Coverage )
Quick Attack ( Its always nice to have some kind of Priority)
Dig ( Keep Avoiding Earthquake when using )

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Special!

Nature Modest ( #1 ) Timid ( # 2 )
EV's 252 SpA 252 Speed
Item: Light Ball

Set #1:

Nasty Plot ( Just let him get one... )
Thunderbolt ( STAB )
Grass Knot ( Covered )
HP [ Ice ] / Signal Beam ( Coverage )

Set #2:

Agility ( Stats )
Electro Ball ( Powered Up by Agility )
Grass Knot ( No Ground for me! )
HP [ Ice ] / Signal Beam ( Coverage )

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Comments

Make sure they don't use Earthquake when they Dig, since EQ does Double Damage when they're underground.

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With Pikachu, it won't really matter. It's gonna die either way.

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How did you got a Light Ball to your Pikachu? I heard that the only way is through Dream World but thats really rare...

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i just grabbed 100 quick balls and went on a pika Poaching spree!
the viridian Pikachu are now all gone!

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I like those sets

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pikachu cant learn iron tail. only in the anime it can.

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The thing is it could still get some major damage

Answer 2

I'm pretty sure that Pokemaster's link is pretty much the same thing, but...

There's no room for setup with Pikachu. With the frail defenses, Pikachu will never take more than two hits in the standard game, and will be lucky to take more than one. That means no Agility and no Nasty Plot.

This is the standard set for NU/UU Pikachu. It's a set I usually see when I see Pikachu being used, so I may as well credit this set:

Thunderbolt (STAB)

Grass Knot (Great Ground-type coverage!)

Signal Beam (A nice coverage move)

Hidden Power [Fire] (Great wall coverage, as Ferrothorn, Bronzong, and other Steel-types won't be taking kindly to it)

Comments

my level 54 nidoking got a 1 hit KO on a level 88 pikachu with earthquake.(Pokemon heartgold,Red battle).So ya,horrible defense.

Answer 3

Item: Light ball
Nature: Jolly, Evs: 4 hp, 252 attack, 252 speed
Volt Tackle(STAB)
Brick Break(coverage)
Agility(make his speed great instead of average)
Return(Power filler)

Comments

I can't wait to see more answers

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isnt pikachu too frail for agility?

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Behind a Substitue (lucky) it can setup any stat modifier it learn.

Answer 4

Special Attacker

Pikachu @ Light Ball

Trait: Lightning Rod
Evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
~ Substitute
~ Nasty Plot
~ Thunderbolt
~ Hidden Power Ice
She can do good on a rain team just replace thunderbolt for thunder. Hidden Power Ice covers Grass and Ground that pikachu couldn't hit with a thunderbolt. Substitute to use when you think someone is going to switch and then you can set up nasty plot to de even more damage.

Comments

I like it

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thanks

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why female? i like it though

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its female as it has heart shaped tail           you can see gender deferences on bulbapedia downside one is male see tail

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awesome!

Answer 5

Special:

Item - Light Ball
Nature - Timid, 4 HP, 252 Sp attack, 252 Speed
Thunderbolt - STAB
Nasty Plot - Boost-Up
Grass Knot - Really good coverage
Swagger - Causes confusion, which lets you Set-up Nasty Plots.

Answer 6

Pikachu (M) @ Light Ball

Trait: Static
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature (+Spd, -SAtk)

• Fake Out
• Endure
• Reversal
• ThunderPunch

Comments

Pikachu sucks xD

Answer 7

Pikachu (M) @ Leftovers

• Rain Dance
• Thunder
• Grass Knot
• Protect

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Rain Dance = Thunder Full accuracy
Thunder = STAB Great power + 100% accuracy with Rain Dance
Grass Knot = Type coverage
Protect = For defences

Note: This works best withDouble/Triple battles; Pikachu is too frail....

Hope I helped ........

Comments

Then put " For use in Double / Triple Battles " You have to be detailed if you want to get your point across.

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k.....Thanx!

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rain dance protect it will just die next turn so whats the point and pikachu is to weak to survive rain dance
thunder stinks

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Thunder doesn't ''stink'', it's awesome in Rain.

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I tryed this in the battle Maison in Oras double battle and got to 20 with just Pikachu ALONE! No Joke

Answer 8

Pikachu @ Light Ball

Trait: Lightningrod
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)

• Substitute
• Hidden Power [Ice]
• Grass Knot
• Thunderbolt

Comments

for my game his hidden power is electric
i cant find grass Knot

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Pretty good Pikachu. +1

Answer 9

Here is what I taught mine

Pikachu(static) -light ball
Volt tackle
Hidden power
Dig
Thunder

Comments

First of all forget dig for rain dance so Thunder then will always hit instead of geprodizing your Pikachu

Answer 10

Pikachu: Item: Light Ball

Moves:
Thunder Bolt
Volt Tackle
Dig
Iron tail

I Hope I was helpful

Comments

EVs? Ability? Other than that pretty useful thanks

Answer 11

How did I NOT answer this?
![][1]![][2]
![][3]![][4]

Physical Attacker

Pikachu @ Light Ball
Jolly Nature
Evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Trait: Static
~ Brick Break
~ Thunder Punch/Volt Tackle
~ Fake Out
~ Extreme Speed

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Special Attacker

Pikachu @ Light Ball
Timid Nature
Evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Trait: Static
~ Thunderbolt
~ Hidden Power Ice/Grass Knot
~ Signal Beam
~ Volt Switch

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Rain Special Attacker

though in NU, you would need a rain dance
Pikachu @ Light Ball
Timid Nature
Evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Trait: Lighting Rod (if its released yet)
~ Thunder
~ Hidden Power Ice
~ Signal Beam
~ Nasty Plot though pikachu is really frail. Use it when the opponent is about to switch.
[1]: http://sprites.pokecheck.org/b/025f.gif
[2]: http://sprites.pokecheck.org/i/025.gif
[3]: http://sprites.pokecheck.org/bs/025.gif
[4]: http://sprites.pokecheck.org/s/025f.gif

Comments

Wow, do you need bigger letter size and bold with this answer?

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Ash's Pikachu Sucks right?
T-Bolt, E-Ball, Iron Tail, Quick Attack
It is ok for In-Game I guess :|
(No offense to people who think ash's pikachu is awesome ;).)

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lol its the anime waht do you expect?

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pikachu himself is awesome: his moveset sucks

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how do you get extremespeed on pikachu?

Answer 12

pikachu @ light ball ![pikachu][1]
evs:252 speed/4 HP/252 Attack
Brick Break
Thunderbolt
Iron Tail
Subsitute
This is what my pikachu has
[1]: http://img.pokemondb.net/sprites/black-white/anim/normal/pikachu-f.gif

Comments

My pikachu has
Thunderbolt
Iron tail
Electric ball
Quick attack

Answer 13

You thought Arceus was God? Think again!

Pikachu(F)@Light ball
Trait: Static
Nature: Naughty (+ Atk - Sp.Def)
EVs: 252Atk/252Spe/4Sp.Atk

• Volt tackle (STAB, high power)
• Attract (Great paired up with static paralysis)
• Grass knot (Covers ground types)
• Brick break (coverage, breaks barriers)

Pikachu is definitely NOT rubbish!

Comments

Meh you forgot BIDOOF

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Oh yeah Bidoof is God too.

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http://i.imgur.com/WDxMf.png

Answer 14

Belle Pikachu
Item: Light Ball
Nature: Jolly
EV's: 252 Speed 252 Atk 4 Hp

• Icicle Crash (coverage)
• Wild Charge (STAB)
• Helping Hand
• Brick Break

I don't follow tiers or anything so this is just what I would build for my team. This is my first submission and I would love to get into the VGC.

Comments

what the  ****  it is

Answer 15

Speedy Physical Attacker
[email protected] Ball
Ability: Lightning Rod
Nature: Adamant (Atk up, SP. Atk down)
EVs: 252 Atk/252 Spd/4 Def

Volt Tackle (STAB)
Dig (Helps against other electric types, but beware of Earthquake)
Surf/Grass Knot (Ground type coverage. You can only get surf from event)
Nuzzle (Does damage and paralyses)

Personally, I wouldn't use Pikachu in any competitive team, but I find this moveset can do a bit of damage before being ko'd.
(Don't listen to the comments, I have updated my moveset, as the last one was stupid :) )

Comments

Sorry, but this set is bad. I see your logic, but it doesn't work. Just because you don't keep Pikachu in on a Ground type doesn't mean that you should let it be completely walled by them. Pikachu can pick off Ground Pokemon with moves like Hidden Power Ice and Grass Knot. Those moves also offer additional coverage on other types apart from Ground, allowing Pikachu to secure KOs on more Pokemon. Using Volt Tackle and Thunder on the same set does nothing for you - in fact, it's detrimental is it's forcing you to divide your EVs between stats which makes Pikachu weaker. You might as well run coverage and some other useful moves like Substitute. You're pretty much wasting three moveslots with this set, and making Pikachu weaker with your EVs.

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Sorry, you're right.  I've updated it.

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If your insistant on running Electro ball do it on raichu for that little bit extra power

Answer 16

Thunderbolt (STAB)
Grass Knot (for ground, only weakness)
Iron Tail (just because)
Protect

Answer 17

Since someone already covered my preferred set I'll post my backup.

Rock Star Pikachu
Item: Light Ball (of course)
Nature: Adamant (+Atk, -SAtk) or Jolly (+Spe, - SAtk)
EVs: 252 Atk, 252 Spe, 4 Hp (last 4 don't really matter to be honest)
Moves: Wild Charge (Stab)
Meteor Mash (Coverage and buff chance)
Brick Break (Coverage)
Thunder Wave (Last minute status if you're doomed).

Answer 18

Pikachu @ Light Ball

Nature: Hasty (+Spd, -Def)/Naive (+Spd, -SDef)
Ability: Lightning Rod
EVs: 252 Spd / 252 SAtk

• Volt Switch
• Substitute
• Knock Off
• Toxic

Even with the Light Ball doubling Pikachu's Attack and Sp. Attack, Pikachu still won't be a good sweeper. You could instead use it to remove your opponent's held item (by using Knock Off) and to poison them (by using Toxic), then switching out using Volt Switch. Substitute is for protection as Pikachu won't last more than a turn otherwise due to its horrible defences.

Answer 19

ehhh....pikachu isn't really that bulky....
horrible defense, and the highest base stat it has is speed, being at 90.
90 is decent speed for any Pokemon but pikachu deserved a little better :P
anyway

Pikachu
Ability: Static
Evs: 252 attack 252 speed ._.
Item: Light ball (of course)

erm

Fake out (it has priority and makes the opponent flinch b0i)

Quick attack. (if they are about to kill you, might as well get a little more damage up in there.)

Volt tackle (if they are just trying to set up, or you just happen to survive, i'd go to volt tackle :3)

I was going to put roar here, but pikachu cant learn it. fluff sake. DAMMIT roar wouldve helped ;-; I guess put protect here or whatever else you want. suppose its up to you from here :P

Answer 20

Pikachu @ Light Ball
EV: Max Speed and (optional) increased SP. atk and physical atk.

Thunderbolt or Thunder (Thunder has lower accuracy, but stronger. I would rather choose Thunderbolt since you'll be EV training it in sp. atk most likely)

Quick Attack (Kind of an all-around move when nothing you have is super effective)

Brick Break (Useful on multiple types)

Electro Ball (The max speed will really get this to do lots of damage)