How good is Electrode for FR/LG playthroughs?

Question

I'm going to do a hardcore nuzlocke of fire red/leaf green with the worst Pokemon available I wasn't sure if I should allow it It has a bad move pool and not the greatest stats I couldn't decide so I'd like your opinions

Comments

Not a full answer, but https://www.smogon.com/forums/threads/pokemon-firered-and-leafgreen-in-game-tier-list-gp-0-2.3704700/

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Outclassed by other Electric types, namely Raichu and Jolteon but maybe also Magneton. Pretty bad if you ask me.

Answer 1

Availability: Mid-game (Route 10, level 14, 16, or 17).
Typing: Electric is mostly useful for Lorelei, but is terrible against Erika and Giovanni, being neutral elsewhere.
Stats: Electrode is the fastest Pokemon in the entire game. On the other hand, though, its other stats are average at best.
Movepool: Voltorb should be taught Shock Wave through TMs immediately, which upgrades to Thunderbolt or Thunder + Rain Dance through TMs. It can learn Reflect and Light Screen through TMs as it can set them up quickly. Self-destruct at level 27 and Explosion at level 54 are moves it can use to deal damage for the last time before fainting. Flash can also be taught to make navigating Rock Tunnel easier if not planning on using the fourth moveslot.
Major Battles: Electrode performs decently against Sabrina, Koga, and Blaine with Thunderbolt, though it will struggle to sweep the latter two. It can take on Electric-weak Pokemon in the endgame, some of which can be found on Lorelei's team. It can also KO a dangerous foe with a well-timed Self-destruct or Explosion.
Additional Comments: Voltorb is a mostly-decent Pokemon as it can swiftly take out foes with STAB moves. However, it struggles against bulky Pokemon and is generally hardwalled by anything that resists Electric.

Source

Electrode is serviceable, but Zapdos is a better Electric type.

Answer 2

Electrode seems like a very good Electric type on paper, It is rather bad in casual playthroughs. It's stats consist of it's amazing 150 base speed and everything else being below or equal to 80, which it's lowest being 50 for attack.

Electrode (as a Voltorb) can be first encountered in route 10 (before Rock Tunel), making it available before Celadon City. While it performs well against random trainers that you'll come across, It struggles against the majority of the gym leaders, mainly Erika's Grass-types and Giovanni's Ground-types (the later being a boss fight in both Celadon's casino and Saffron's Silph Co., while also being the Gym Leader of Viridian). Electrode can do pretty alright as well against Koga, Sabrina and Blaine, having a neutral matchup against all 3 of them. On the E4, Electrode does pretty well against Lorelei's part-water-types, Agatha's Golbat and Lance's Gyarados, doing neutral damage on everything besides Lance's double Dragonair and does absolutely nothing against Bruno's double Onix. In the champion fight, Electrode's only advantage is against Blue's lead Pidgeot, Blastoise (if Charmander is picked by the player) or Gyarados (If Bulbasaur/Squirtle is picked by the player) or Charizard (if Bulbasaur is picked by the player)

Let's say that you get a Voltorb at around level 14-16/17 at Route 10. It would have the moves Charge, Tackle, Screech and Sonic Boom. For a few levels and a small portion of the game, Sonic Boom will be your Trump Card. In FRLG, Voltorb is blessed with an actual STAB electric type move, in the form of Spark, learned at level 21, not very far from the current level. You can also give it Shock Wave, a major improvement over Spark, obtained as a TM after LT Surge's gym battle. It learns Self Destruct at level 27 ( can be upgraded as explosion at level 54), Rollout at level 34 and Light screen at level 41 .

From the TM/HM department, it doesn't have a good variety. Flash (being the only HM learned) is only useful for Dark caves. It gets Toxic, Thunderbolt, Rain Dance, Thunder, Taunt, Return, Protect, Torment, Secret Power , Rest and Thief which is not impressive. While it can run Toxic, Taunt and Torment to cripple your opponents, you can also give it Rain Dance/Thunder and/or Thunderbolt for maximum STAB damage, but like I mentioned previously, It is heavily walled by Grass and Ground types (be thankful that Torterra didn't exist in gen 3), while the infamous Rock/Ground types of Kanto (Geodude line,Onix and Rhyhorn line) can both take Self Destructs/Explosions like champs.

Electrode, despite being fast, is heavily outclassed by Raichu, Jolteon, Magneton and Zapdos, all of them having better offensive stats and/or defensive typing which allow them to be more viable in anyone's team

source: Experience