Electrode (NU Analysis)

Honko

he of many honks
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mfw I write DPP NU analyses

https://www.smogon.com/dex/dp/pokemon/electrode

[Overview]
- Fastest mon in the tier
- Great suicide rain lead
- Not enough power to sweep, but enough to revenge kill some stuff
- Explosion gives it value as a lure
- A smile that says "I'm gettin' laid tonight"

[SET]
name: Rain Dance Lead
move 1: Rain Dance
move 2: Explosion
move 3: Taunt
move 4: Thunder
item: Damp Rock
ability: Static
nature: Naive
evs: 252 Atk / 104 SpA / 152 Spe

[Set Comments]
- Despite all the good Swift Swimmers being in UU or above, Rain teams are still a threat in NU matches
- Electrode is far and away the best suicide Rain lead available thanks to its extremely high Speed and the perfect movepool for the role
- Rain Dance is the crux of the set
- Explosion is the other crux of the set
- Taunt is sometimes also a crux of the set
- Thunder is obligatory STAB and the crux of the set

[Additional Comments]
- The nature and spread outspeed neutral base 80 and slower scarfers as well all unboosted Pokemon and maximize the power of Explosion. Spare EVs into SpA to power up Thunder if Trode needs to attack; investing in bulk is a waste as Trode is not meant to survive past the first couple turns.
- Can drop speed and go with Naughty 252 Atk / 72 SpA / 184 Spe for a stronger Explosion while still outspeeding all unboosted Pokemon. Base 80 Scarfers are often positive-natured, so you really only miss out on Scarf Hitmonchan. However the stronger Explosion will rarely matter since Electrode usually doesn't get an opportunity to explode against walls where the extra power would be helpful. Could stick with Naive nature and move some EVs from Speed to SpA instead, but Thunder is the move you want to use least.
- Can use HP Water over Taunt or Thunder to donk Golem/Rhydon looking to absorb Thunder and Explosion.
- Obviously you use this with Swift Swimmers. Gorebyss should be on every rain team, Floatzel should be on most, Relicanth is a solid third choice, and Mantine and Huntail are the only other viable options.
- You also need other rain setters. Hypno and Lickilicky are good choices.
- Against Focus Sash leads that can OHKO Electrode (or 2HKO with a priority move) and threaten your Swift Swimmers, you're better off switching to a bulkier supporter or attacking/booming right away, rather than setting up Rain Dance and then dying while they still have their Sash intact. You need something that can take on Cacturne in particular.
- Powerful Scarfers like Medicham and Typhlosion in the lead spot can OHKO Electrode before it does anything, so you need something that can switch in on them. Hypno and Lickilicky are good at this.

[SET]
name: Life Orb
move 1: Thunderbolt
move 2: Hidden Power Ice / Hidden Power Grass
move 3: Taunt / Signal Beam
move 4: Explosion
item: Life Orb
ability: Static
nature: Rash
evs: 72 Atk / 252 SpA / 184 Spe

[Set Comments]
- This set fills two roles: revenge killer and lure
- It can outspeed and OHKO or force out dangerous Pokemon like Charizard, Floatzel, Dodrio, and even a slightly weakened Tauros
- It lures out your opponent's walls and Electric resists and weakens or KOes them with its coverage moves and Explosion, opening up the chance for a teammate with similar counters to sweep
- Thunderbolt is Electrode's main revenge killing move, hits several top threats super effectively and has decent power against neutral offensive targets
- Electrode lacks much in the way of coverage besides Hidden Power. Ice has the best overall coverage, hitting most Grass- and Ground-types super effectively. Grass hits Water/Ground-types and also secures OHKOs on Rock/Ground-types, but leaves a gap in coverage against Grass-types and Gligar. Electrode always outspeeds +1 Whiscash so with HP Grass it revenge kills that easily. Choose based on what your team needs removed more.
- Taunt is a great option in the 3rd slot to prevent walls like Hypno, Lickilicky, Regirock, and Vileplume from simply healing off the damage from Electrode's attacks or using annoying status moves. Also stops them from using Protect as you explode which would be a major bummer.
- However, if using HP Grass over HP Ice, Signal Beam is a good option in this slot to retain coverage against most Grass-types.
- In the end, Explosion is what makes Electrode worthwhile. When the opponent brings out their Electric-resist or special wall, if you can't KO it with coverage, don't hesitate to Explode.
- Actually, hesitate a little bit, because everyone knows Electrode wants to explode, so your opponent may switch to a Ghost or Rock or weakened death fodder and waste your Explosion. Try not to be completely predictable about it.

[Additional Comments]
- EVs and nature maximize special attack and give enough speed to beat all unboosted Pokemon, with the leftovers in Atk to beef up Explosion
- Can run Naive 40 Atk / 252 SpA / 216 Spe to beat +2 neutral Gorebyss and neutral Scarfers base 85 and below, but many of those Scarfers run positive natures, and most of them (even Medicham) also survive a Naive T-bolt pretty comfortably, so you're forced to Explode and hope you're faster. Not really worth the loss of power most of the time.
- Can use HP Ground to hit other Electrics, especially Magneton, but it leaves you with no option but to Explode against most Ground-types
- Hazards really help a weak offensive Pokemon like Electrode become much more dangerous. If you can set up Spikes along with Stealth Rock, Electrode can become a threat in its own right. Here are some fascinating calcs to prove it.
- Use this set alongside offensive Pokemon that want Grass- and Ground-types dead. Other Electrics like Manectric and Magneton are obvious choices, but Pokemon like Whiscash and Poliwrath also benefit from Grass-types being gone, and many physical attackers like Medicham, Tauros, and Skuntank appreciate bulky Ground-types being weakened or removed.

[Other Options]
- Charge Beam to sweep (done better by pretty much every other Electric in the tier)
- Toxic to cripple walls (that's what Explosion is for)
- Thunder Wave (too frail)
- Light Screen (too frail)
- Sucker Punch (too weak)

[Checks & Counters]
- Focus Sash leads that can OHKO Electrode or 2HKO with priority and threaten your Swift Swimmers (Cacturne, Shiftry, Golem) prevent the rain lead from being effective
- Powerful Scarfers like Typhlosion and Medicham beat the rain lead and revenge kill the Life Orb set
- Dusclops and Rock-types like Cradily/Regirock/Probopass can absorb Explosion easily, although the latter two are easily disposed of by most Rain sweepers.
- Walls with Protect like Hypno and Lickilicky can make Electrode delay or waste its Explosion. If they manage to avoid the Explosion, they can cripple the Rain sweepers Electrode is supporting.
- In general, most Pokemon that aren't weak to Electric will at worst tie with Electrode 1v1 by forcing it to explode, although that can change if you let your opponent set up a bunch of hazards.
- The bigger threat is whatever Electrode is supporting. Don't let it blow up your only counter to Gorebyss or Manectric.
 
Last edited:

Oglemi

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HP Water is hilarious on the rain set to destroy Golem and friends looking to absorb Explosion/Thunder, probably worth a small mention in AC as an option over Taunt or even Thunder tho both are better in nearly every situation

Not a whole lot else to add, Trode is pretty straightforward lol

maybe add Regirock, Cradily, and Dusclops in particular to C&C (also Probopass 9.9), and Protect users like Licki and Hypno that might be able to predict when Trode's gonna Explode and dodge it
 

Bughouse

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LO should run something more like 168+ speed to outrun Scarf Medicham imo (actually, this outruns Scarf Monferno ie +1 81 base speed, if that's ever a thing... I did it more so to creep things that creeped Scarf 80s)

Not worth it to go any higher than 80 for the scarfers tho because beyond that point pretty much any of them run +speed scarf, but Medicham in my experience is generally adamant if scarf because sadly jolly scarf hits a bit like a girl.
 

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