Raichu (Analysis) GP:0/2

[Darkaxis]

GP 0/2

[Overview]

Raichu has anything a sweeper would like good Speed and great Special Attack make Raichu a dangerous sweeper, however it's frail defenses and weakness to the ever common Ground-type make it hard for Raichu to even switch in. It also speed ties with other pokemon on UU because of that sub-par base 100-speed. As to it’s move pool it contains various useful amount of moves including Nasty Plot. Raichu has a niche over its fellow Electric Pokemons on UU with,Encore,managing to get past Chansey if switched in correctly.

[SET]

name: Nasty Plot
move 1: Nasty Plot
move 2: Thunderbolt
move 3: HP Ice / Grass Knot
move 4: Encore / Focus Blast
item: Life Orb
ability: LightingRod
nature: Timid
evs: 252 SpA / 252 Spe / 4 HP

[SET COMMENTS]

*Set has not changed a lot since Gen 4.
*Nasty Plot on the switch and proceed to sweep.
*HP Ice to hit Ground-types for SE Damage.
*Encore to lock them into a move Nasty Plot and finish them.
*Focus Blast has shaky accuracy but it grants you a way to hit Registeel.

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

*Timid to boost that Speed to to acceptable levels.
*EVs are self-explanatory offense and speed.
*Lightingrod provides great ability to come in on a Jolteon attack and proceed to sweep.
*Pokemons like Milotic and bulky Grass-types are all good teammates for Raichu due to killing most ground types super-effectively.
*Needs help in the form of entry hazards to KO some threats.
*+2 Thunderbolt Raichu KOs Nasty Plot Mismagius,weakened Empoleon,Clefable.
*Special Attackers can lure in Chansey predict the Thunder Wave and then switch to Raichu.

[Other Options]

*Thunder and Focus Blast both with shaky accuracy can be used with proper support.
*Rain Dance can be used to support Thunder.
*Balloon is a good item to have, but not great as Raichu is frail and probably won't resist a hit.

[Checks and Counters]

*Ground-types in general Earth Power and Earthquake wrecks it.
*Dugtrio can come in trap it and kill him with EQ.
*Priority in the form of Aqua Jet can KO Raichu.
*Entry Hazards in the form of Spikes, and Stealth Rock really hurt Raichu
*Status can cut Raichu's sweep short.
*Double Screens Uxie present a problem to Raichu with or without Light Screen up.
*Quagsire can come in ignore your boosts through Unaware and KO you with Earthquake.

 

[Oglemi]

just formatting stuff:

no periods at all in the EVs

Special Attack is abbreviated SpA

This:

move 2: Thunderbolt/Thunder

should look like this with the proper spacing:

move 2: Thunderbolt / Thunder

I'll get to QCing later

EDIT: oh and you need 3 QC checks in UU

 

[Darkaxis]

thanks implementing all the changes now..

EDIT Implemented all the stuff

 

[MMX]

Focus Punch is illegal with Lightningrod as it can only be obtained through 4th gen while its ability is obtained through DW.

 

[Darkaxis]

holy shit you are right!


EDIT: Fixed, thanks!

 

[breh]

for fuck's sake guys, Raichu? Remember that this is a tier with literally possibly every better pokemon that exists. Manectric is in the same tier, jolteon is in the same tier, zapdos is in the same tier (EDIT: I was thinking Raikou but forgot it lol)... the only electric type that isn't is thundurus, lol.

in 4th gen UU, this thing was ok because it had a nice speed tier. this time around, it's just a crappy pokemon in general. sure, it has nasty plot, but so what? it's very easy to check and not very strong either.

 

[Darkaxis]

i agree but ith lightingrod this thing has become slightly more powerful

 

[pie cream]

manectric gets lightingrod to...but what raichu has over other electric types is encore,nasty plot, focusblast and focus punch to beat chansey(I guess zapdos can beat chansey with toxic stalling).Also, why use HP grass when you have grass knot?Maybe mention agility+nasty plot for doulble dance like set?OO mention of electro ball with agility since you'll be super fast?

 

[Rakan]

IMO, SubPunch is wayy too weak for UU (maybe NU/RU, and even there, its iffy) without investment in SpA, Raichu's STAB won't be doing much damage, nor will its Special coverage move. Nasty Plot + Encore is Raichu's only niche, and even that is not great. Once Zapdos gets Lightningrod, Raichu will be completely outclassed... Even now, when there's things like Zapdos, Jolteon, Raikou, and (omg i'm actually saying this) Electivire... Nobody is going to use Raichu over them for a slightly gimmicky niche. Sorry to rain on your parade, but Raichu really isn't cut out for UU.

Of course, this is just my opinion, since QC may think otherwise.

If this does end up being approved, you really need to expand on your AC. It needs to have mentions of several teammates that are useful and actually help it set up. Things that can easily beat Dugtrio for example (which totally destroys Raichu). Things like that. I won't go on here since this is your analysis, but add more, expand, put some thought into it. Also, Attack is abbreviated "Atk."

A few more things, don't mention Fake Out at all its terrible on Raichu with its pitiful Attack stat and lack of a moveslot. You are missing 4 EVs on the NP set, put them in HP or something. Also, you don't need a Dream World section if the ability has been released, which it has, obviously...

Just my few cents.

EDIT: @ The above poster. Absolutely NO mention of Agility or Electro Ball. NP + Encore is virtually the ONLY thing Raichu can even attempt to pull off.

EDIT 2: Sorry if I came across rude, I don't mean for it to come across that way, I just want these analyses up to par, as I'm sure the Smogon community does as well.

 

[Darkaxis]

hmm ill see what QC thinks about Grass Know as it relies mostly on weight. Agility and Nasty Plot is a bit too risky dont you think? it does not have the bulk to resist a attack while it setups so.. i will wait and see as a see that as too risky :/ electro ball will be mentioned as it is fasy anyway

EDIT: Hmm what you are saying it very very true i will delete the subpunch set keep only on set and wait till QC to see if it get approved thanks

 

[Aerodactyl Legend]

Yeah, I'd leave SubPunch out until QC OKs it.

I'd still rather use Pikachu though, haha.

 

[Darkaxis]

yeah thats what i meant Raichu suffer from not having a boost from Light Ball though..

 

[JockeMS]

If I want prority on Raichu, I'd rather use Quick Attack than Fake Out. Fake Out only works on the first turn, while Quick Attack can be used over and over again. If I want to flinch my opponent's Pokémon, then I'd use Fake Out. But not for a priority move. Hope you get what I'm saying here.

 

[Banedon]

for fuck's sake guys, Raichu? Remember that this is a tier with literally possibly every better pokemon that exists. Manectric is in the same tier, jolteon is in the same tier, zapdos is in the same tier... the only electric type that isn't is thundurus, lol.

in 4th gen UU, this thing was ok because it had a nice speed tier. this time around, it's just a crappy pokemon in general. sure, it has nasty plot, but so what? it's very easy to check and not very strong either.

I concur with this to be honest ... Raichu has no business competing with Zapdos, Jolteon and Raikou in UU. Maybe it'll be OK in RU, but not in UU.

 

[PK Gaming]

[Overview]
*Good Speed and Special Attack with respectable Attack make it a dangerous sweeper.
*Frail defences with no useful resistances and weakness to the ever-present Earthquake.
*Hard to switch in with Nidoking, and Dugtrio running around.
*Good support moves in the form of Encore,Nasty Plot and Substitute.
*Priority in the form of Fake Out.

1. You should reword it as, "hard to switch in period with those awful defenses" (although Raichu has no problem switching into Pokemon using none attacking moves with encore)
2. Remove the Substitute mention, its universal
3. Fake Out is garbage on Raichu don't mention it

Why is Thunder slashed on the main set? De-slash it...
I'd remove the mixed attacker set for now.

*Focus Blast has shaky accuracy but it grants you a way to hit rock-types.

Erm, Raichu can already hit most Rock Types with HP Ice... I think the Pokemon you're looking for is Registeel specifically.

@ posters doubting Raichu's viability. Its one of the few Special Attackers that can switch into Chansey and beat it one on one. It also deters Chansey and other walls from from healing (it can encore softboiled) is now immune to Electric moveswhich means it can now set up on Thunder Wave users (Registeel, Slowbro etc) and check choiced Electric types. Obviously its outdone by the dozens of Electric-types that hang around in the tier, however its unique enough to deserve an analysis imo.

Raichu absolutely deserves an analysis.

Edit: I won't approve this analysis because the quality is really, really poor.

 

[breh]

how the hell does encore magically make it get past chansey? Raichu's only "good" move is encore; it's pretty obvious to an opponent that if it switches in on (status move), it can set up on it. however, if raichu switches in on a seismic toss, you just look stupid in general, especially because it takes Raichu 3 NPs to 2hko chansey. plus, you're implying that chansey is the only stop to the juggernaut that is raichu. I can't think of any scarfed pokemon that can't revenge it and take a thunderbolt once or twice. hitmontop has fun taking it out, donphan survives whatever it does (unless spikes are up) and EQs, etc.

PK Gaming, I know that Raichu is one of your favorite pokemon, but that doesn't necessarily mean that it's good :/

 

[PK Gaming]

how the hell does encore magically make it get past chansey?

If its been weakened at any point in the battle (which you should, before trying to take it on) you can 3HKO it with +2 Thunderbolt. What sets Raichu apart from Jolteon, Raikou, Manectric etc. Is that Raichu's access to Encore stops it from encoring it period.

Raichu's only "good" move is encore; it's pretty obvious to an opponent that if it switches in on (status move), it can set up on it. however, if raichu switches in on a seismic toss, you just look stupid in general.

Is it really obvious? Its a pretty rare Pokemon, I doubt many opponents see it coming. But that isn't enough to argue my case, no. I can always argue that Raichu can Nasty Plot by forcing a switch with threat of encore. Obviously switching into a Seismic Toss is stupid, but baiting Chansey into healing is pathetically easy if its been taking damage.

plus, you're implying that chansey is the only stop the the juggernaut that is raichu. I can't think of any scarfed pokemon that can't revenge it and take a thunderbolt once or twice. hitmontop has fun taking it out, donphan survives whatever it does (unless spikes are up) and EQs, etc.

Please taking shots at me is not a good way to get your point across. This is applicable to pretty much any sweeper. (moreson on Raichu since its frail as fuck) but then I never claimed it was good, just "serviceable"

 

[Darkaxis]

sorry for the late updates im updating them right now.

EDIT: Updated.

 

[Chou Toshio]

A good log:

Hide

ChouToshio: so...
[08:36am] ChouToshio: Raichu...
[08:36am] ChouToshio: thoughts?
[08:36am] PKGaming: The analysis writer sucks
[08:36am] ChouToshio: yeah
[08:37am] ChouToshio: But PK, you think Raichu deserves an analysis?
[08:37am] PKGaming: moving on, I think it deserves an analysis, even if its outdone by other electric. I normally wouldn't have brought him up, but encore + lightningrod is a cool combo
[08:37am] ChouToshio: ohhh....
[08:38am] PKGaming: and besides, it falls under the same category as jumpluff, mediocre but unique + barely usable
[08:38am] ChouToshio: Against pokes spamming thunderwave who think they can stay in on Raichi
[08:38am] PKGaming: yeah, or maybe against chansey with twave
[08:38am] PKGaming: you can switch in, encore and set up
[08:38am] PKGaming: instant + 4
[08:39am] ChouToshio: lol
[08:39am] PKGaming: its not GREAT by any means, and i'd usually rather use Raikou, but Raichu definitely works
[08:39am] ChouToshio: plus, it's RAICHU!!
[08:39am] ChouToshio: to be honest, I'd totally forgotten about this Pokemon
[08:40am] ChouToshio: which is kinda embarrassing considering it's pre-ev is like... well... you know
[08:40am] PKGaming: Heh well considering it was my favorite pokemon of all time, i was afraid people would discredit my opinion because i was biased
[08:40am] PKGaming: lol pikachu...
[08:40am] ChouToshio: nah
[08:40am] ChouToshio: If I really thought Raichu was just awful I wouldn't even have brought it up for discussion
[08:41am] ChouToshio: obviously, it has some interesting options, and is hard to just outright-ignore
[08:41am] PKGaming: Also as an aside its one of the best sub roost zapdos checks (if it switches into Roost, sub or tbolt it wins) something no other electric can mimick \
[08:42am] ChouToshio: encore so gay
[08:42am] PKGaming: anyway I gotta run (long story) see C Y A

But yeah... make this better please. I hate having to reassign stuff but I will if it comes to that. :/

 

[Banedon]

If its been weakened at any point in the battle (which you should, before trying to take it on) you can 3HKO it with +2 Thunderbolt. What sets Raichu apart from Jolteon, Raikou, Manectric etc. Is that Raichu's access to Encore stops it from encoring it period.

Is it really obvious? Its a pretty rare Pokemon, I doubt many opponents see it coming. But that isn't enough to argue my case, no. I can always argue that Raichu can Nasty Plot by forcing a switch with threat of encore. Obviously switching into a Seismic Toss is stupid, but baiting Chansey into healing is pathetically easy if its been taking damage.

Please taking shots at me is not a good way to get your point across. This is applicable to pretty much any sweeper. (moreson on Raichu since its frail as fuck) but then I never claimed it was good, just "serviceable"

Except you will die first if you switch into Seismic Toss - with 4/0 Raichu having 262 HP, Raichu takes a massive 38% from a Seismic Toss. If SR is on the field, that's half Raichu's HP gone just by switching into Seismic Toss. You will not get the chance to 3HKO with +2 Thunderbolt because you'll be dead after attacking once (factoring Life Orb recoil).

Encore on Raichu should be expected because, like you said, it's the only thing it really has over the other Electric types. Saying it's uncommon doesn't make it any more viable. I mean, if you switch Gorebyss into Chansey and they stay in, you can Shell Smash twice and Baton Pass out. But you win not because Gorebyss beats Chansey on its own; you win because your opponent did not expect Baton Pass on Gorebyss. Them being oblivious to the threat, however, doesn't mean they won't be oblivious the next time round.

Raichu has a hard time switching into anything other than Electric attacks, and Chansey is no exception. Consider the attacks Chansey might use:

Seismic Toss - you can't switch in, per above.
Thunder Wave - good for you, but then you must decide if you are going to Encore, NP, etc. Predicting wrong means you eat big damage from Seismic Toss, or lets a Raichu killer switch in for free. The situation is hardly ideal (close to 50/50), yet it's the best case Raichu can achieve.
Toxic - still relatively good for you, but Raichu dies even faster now and you still have to choose between Encore and NP, with mispredictions carrying the Toxic counter as a price. Still hardly ideal.
Wish - still relatively good for you, but if you Encore then Chansey fully heals itself and there're still plenty of Pokemon that will beat a +2 Raichu. For example, if Chansey has a Scarf Flygon on its team the only way you're winning is by attacking with HP Ice on the switch. But will you do that? You use a non-STAB attack that hardly scratches Chansey, take LO damage and risk Chansey taking off 38% health with Seismic Toss. This kind of prediction is possible, but very brave.
Softboiled - similar to Wish, but worse for you because Chansey will already be healed, meaning your choice between NP, Encore and attacking will be even closer than it is now.

You could threaten Volt Tackle instead of NP Thunderbolt, but 252 Attack Raichu's Volt Tackle does 28.7% - 33.8% to 252/252 Bold Chansey, something it's not going to care about, too.

Finally you also have to consider the teams without Chansey. What is Raichu then? Its speed tier is relatively good I suppose, but it's only going to tie Pokemon like Celebi and Victini, so it can't be used to revenge easily. Instead it is the one getting revenged easily, in part because base 100 is such a metagamed-against level, but also because it doesn't get priority and has horrible defenses.

Raikou has a lot more bulk, much higher speed, higher SpA and learns Aura Sphere. Zapdos has great typing, is quite a bit more versatile, has reliable recovery, learns Heat Wave, and also has higher SpA. Jolteon is extremely fast, again has more SpA and again has more options. It's clear to me that all three are simply better than Raichu. If we rejected Absol because it's outdone by Bisharp, I don't see why we shouldn't reject Raichu because it's outdone by Raikou + Jolteon + Zapdos.

 

[TheSpecialOne]

A few changes:

- You forgot to add 4 EVs, put them into HP
- Raichu outspeeds Nidoking and KOs it with a +2 Hidden Power Ice
- Arcanine with Wild Charge KOs Raichu? lol. Also, Raichu can take CB Adamant Extremespeed and KO Arcanine with a +2 Thunderbolt.
- There's not a single unboosted priority move that KOs Raichu in one shot, except for CB Adamant Aqua Jet in the rain from Azumarill.

Correct me if I am wrong though.


@Banedon: +1 from Twave on switch in, +2 from Encore and second Twave, and +4 from Nasty Plot

 

[Darkaxis]

added your changes and more!

 

[PK Gaming]

Geez i'm going to have to drag this out...

Except you will die first if you switch into Seismic Toss - with 4/0 Raichu having 262 HP, Raichu takes a massive 38% from a Seismic Toss. If SR is on the field, that's half Raichu's HP gone just by switching into Seismic Toss. You will not get the chance to 3HKO with +2 Thunderbolt because you'll be dead after attacking once (factoring Life Orb recoil).

Don't switch into Seismic Toss then. Easy enough to predict, Chansey's never throw out blind Seismic Toss'. Switching into any of the other support moves that don't hurt you (Stealth Rock, Softboiled, Heal Bell etc) will concede on the second point however.

Encore on Raichu should be expected because, like you said, it's the only thing it really has over the other Electric types. Saying it's uncommon doesn't make it any more viable. I mean, if you switch Gorebyss into Chansey and they stay in, you can Shell Smash twice and Baton Pass out. But you win not because Gorebyss beats Chansey on its own; you win because your opponent did not expect Baton Pass on Gorebyss. Them being oblivious to the threat, however, doesn't mean they won't be oblivious the next time round.

It should be expected it, but I can honestly people never see it coming. Anyway, didn't I say that point was irrelevant anyway?

Raichu has a hard time switching into anything other than Electric attacks, and Chansey is no exception. Consider the attacks Chansey might
use:

Seismic Toss - Obvious
Thunder Wave - This was the case in gen IV too, it always came down to a 50-50 to mess up walls. Oftentimes simply Encoring is a better idea since not many users deal with Raichu. You may need to mix it up with players familiar with Raichu though.
Toxic - Yeah this one definitely sucks. Still, Chansey is locked in Toxic and is fodder for a vast majority of Pokemon.
Wish - Team Preview eases the prediction . A Chansey locked into Wish is switching out.
Softboiled - Again its a 50-50. You can predict the switch out and Nasty Plot (or attack on the switch) or encore and use Chansey as set up fodder

You cold threaten Volt Tackle instead of NP Thunderbolt, but 252 Attack Raichu's Volt Tackle does 28.7% - 33.8% to 252/252 Bold Chansey, something it's not going to care about, too.

If you really wanted to threaten Chansey you could run a subpunch + encore set.

Finally you also have to consider the teams without Chansey. What is Raichu then? Its speed tier is relatively good I suppose, but it's only going to tie Pokemon like Celebi and Victini, so it can't be used to revenge easily. Instead it is the one getting revenged easily, in part because base 100 is such a metagamed-against level, but also because it doesn't get priority and has horrible defenses.

Again, isn't this true for many other Pokemon? Its a weakness that makes Raichu "mediocre" but i've already accepted that.

Raikou has a lot more bulk, much higher speed, higher SpA and learns Aura Sphere. Zapdos has great typing, is quite a bit more versatile, has reliable recovery, learns Heat Wave, and also has higher SpA. Jolteon is extremely fast, again has more SpA and again has more options. It's clear to me that all three are simply better than Raichu. If we rejected Absol because it's outdone by Bisharp, I don't see why we shouldn't reject Raichu because it's outdone by Raikou + Jolteon + Zapdos.

Can any of them force out Chansey with the threat of Encore? Can Raikou and Zapdos switch into Thunder Wave / are immune to it? As i've said before, Lightningrod + Encore are definitely enough to give . The reason I rejected Absol was because it was flat out, nearly 99% outclassed by Bisharp. Like it literally had nothing over Bisharp, whereas Raichu has a few tools that make it unique / viable.

I'm not arguing that Raichu is "good" in UU. I'm arguing that its "decent" and on the same level as several other "niche" Pokemon like Clefable, Lickilicky, Jumpluff etc that have gotten analysis' in the past because they were unique and had traits that made them at least "usable"

I posted this earlier but here's a battle to illustrate my point about Raichu being "usable" in UU
(http://pastebin.com/18p6560F)

Even though Raichu didn't "beat' Chansey it pressured it to point of near death, so it could not heal or support its team members making it "useless" How many special attackers can do that to Chansey?

 

[breh]

I stopped reading that log after I saw ferroseed. EDIT: yes, it is a pokemon I consider to be bad. if I see a player using it, he or she is likely not a good player. same goes for things like ambipom.

And yes, its base speed is an issue. base 100 is full of speed ties; with raichu's frailty, it cannot afford to go last, unlike zapdos.

also, other pokemon can pressure chansey. Specs empoleon, for example, especially if it's in torrent range.

raichu in past generations is not the same thing as raichu in the current generation. for god's sake, literally every electric type from last gen's OU or BL is now UU, bar Rotom-A. if people chose other electric types over raichu back then, why would they choose raichu over them now?

also, hitmontop can KO raichu with mach punch + fake out.

 

[PK Gaming]

I stopped reading that log after I saw ferroseed.

And yes, its base speed is an issue. base 100 is full of speed ties; with raichu's frailty, it cannot afford to go last, unlike zapdos.

also, a bunch of pokemon can do that. Specs empoleon can pressure chansey into doing the same, especially if it's in torrent range.

Really? Are you serious, you can't read a log because it contains a Pokemon you deem "bad?"With that kind of elitism you will never get anyway in life. (as an aside Ferroseed is actually pretty decent in UU)

Its full of speed ties, yes but its better than nothing. It can't take a hit from most of the base 100s, but then we're dealing with the likes of Victini, Celebi (who you can tank a hit barring a Earth Power) Mew (only offensive versions are a pain) Flygon (typically choiced) I wouldn't even consider Raichu if it had less than base 100 speed. As for pressuring Chansey, you'd know what I mean if you read the log (and no this isn't a jab towards you, i literally mean it) Raichu can pressure Chansey a 100% of the time (whereas Empoleon has a 64% chance of pulling it off when Chansey's at a really low %, its easier to check with grass types etc) Its much better at pressuring Chansey than Empoleon.