[PokéReviews] Pikachu · 1:07am May 6th, 2017
Class: Mouse Pokemon
Type: Electric
HP: 35
ATK: 55
DEF: 40
SpA: 50
SpD: 50
SPE: 90
Ability: Static, Lightning Rod (Hidden)
Appearance:
With it's cute face and appealing body shape, I can't think of a single person who would hate Pikachu's design. Okay, maybe animal haters and PETA, but we don't talk about them. It's adorable red cheeks have been staples of Pikachu clones since forever and it's zigzag tail is a staple of anyone who watches the anime. In fact it's such a staple, one guy even thought it looked like the Z of Satan! What a fucking moron, am I right? But is it really so difficult to see why this is the Pokemon uncultured people think of when the word Pokemon enters their mind?
Battle Information:
Single Player:
Pikachu is available on the adventure in most installments except the Gen V games, meaning it can be a reliable Electric-type Pokemon if you're trying to fill that empty void in your team. With only the power of a Thunderstone, which is more often than not easily obtainable, Pikachu can immediately evolve into the far superior Raichu which is another solid Electric-type Pokemon for your team. Of course in most cases there are probably other and better Electric-type Pokemon in the world, but if you're really pushing for a good Electric-type you'll find no disappointment here.
Pikachu's two main draws are its ability Static and the move Thunderbolt. Static has a 30% chance of paralyzing an opponent when it makes direct contact with Pikachu. This can be helpful when dealing with faster enemies, but don't expect it working all the time, and I'm not just talking about why NPC abilities always activate before yours for some goddamn reason. Pikachu is frail with low HP and defensive capabilities, so don't expect it to hold the line for you anytime soon. Thunderbolt is a move Pikachu is really good at using somehow. Though it learns it at Level 42, it can also be learned via TM which is usually pretty easy to get. Unless you're playing Gen II. Fuck you, game corner.
Competitive:
Shockingly, pun absolutely intended, Pikachu is viable in the competitive scene, but only barely. Good luck keeping up with its pathetic defensive stats and HP, but if you can get around that Pikachu is a surprisingly heavy hitter if you give it a little item known as the Light Ball. The Light Ball doubles Pikachu's attack and special attack stat, making them higher than Raichu's base stats. It's actually quite amazing if you think about it! The Light Ball only works for Pikachu however, much like how the Soul Dew only works for Latios and Latias, so if you want to use it for anything else, tough.
I still recommend using Raichu over Pikachu if you're ever going to use this line of Pokemon. As cute as Pikachu is, Raichu has much better defensive capabilities, is a lot faster and still has access to Static and it's hidden ability Lightning Rod, which absorbs all Electric-type attacks in single and double battles. But because Pikachu is a mid-stage evolution, it's hard to be down on the little guy because it hasn't gotten to its full potential yet. So in short, it's great in single player but never bring it into a tournament. Bring Pachirisu instead! That's a story for another day though.
Thanks for reading and I hope this helped you out! If you have a suggestion for a Pokemon I can review next for your competitive or single player use, feel free to comment down below and I'll look into it.
Huh, never knew the little guy was viable in single player. I usually end up swapping him out. Makes sense Raichu would be a better pick for comp though.
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Yeah, the Light Ball basically makes it a glass canon. Still would go for Raichu though.
You know, every time someone tells me "that Pokemon sucks, you're never going to win with it, why are you using it", my thoughts turn back to a certain Gen II NPC: "I'm not using the same strong Pokemon as everyone else. I want to win with my favorites." That has been my motto ever since. Might make me easier to beat, but it's about having fun, isn't it?
4521793
There is truth to that. Unless you're using Luvdisc. I think we can collectively agree Luvdisc sucks.
(Also, if you have any more suggestions, feel free to tell me!)
4522475 If I think of any more, you'll be the first to know.