Electrike Movesets & Competitive Sets

Moves Volt Switch is Electrike's primary STAB move, as it's great for scouting the opponent's team early-game and maintains offensive momentum for your team. Flamethrower provides helpful coverage against Grass-types, such as Ferroseed, Foongus, and Cottonee. Flamethrower also OHKOes Magnemite after Stealth Rock damage. Hidden Power Grass hits opposing Ground-types and Chinchou super effectively, which is important, as they are immune to Electrike's STAB moves. Alternatively, Thunderbolt can be used over Hidden Power Grass as a stronger STAB option, giving Electrike a better tool for cleaning up late-game. Switcheroo sets Electrike apart from other Electric-type Choice item users, allowing Electrike to cripple opposing walls by replacing their item with a Choice item. Set Details Lightning Rod gives Electrike a useful immunity to Electric-type moves, as well as a boost to its Special Attack if it's hit by one, allowing it to take advantage of opposing Volt Switch users. Maximum investment in Special Attack and a Modest nature let Electrike hit as hard as possible, making it a good revenge killer with Choice Scarf. The given Speed investment lets Electrike hit 24 Speed with Choice Scarf, allowing it to outspeed the entire unboosted metagame, as well as foes such as Choice Scarf Magnemite, Choice Scarf Snover, and +2 Adamant Tirtouga. A Timid nature can be used to hit 25 Speed with Choice Scarf, which outpaces +2 Jolly Tirtouga, Jolly Choice Scarf Larvesta, and Jolly Choice Scarf Pawniard. Choice Specs, on the other hand, lets Electrike's moves hit much harder, especially if Electrike manages to grab a Special Attack boost from Lightning Rod. For example, a +1 Choice Specs Hidden Power Grass can OHKO Berry Juice Chinchou without any prior damage. A Timid nature is preferred with Choice Specs to maximize Electrike's Speed. If Electrike isn't running Hidden Power Grass, a spread of 36 HP / 236 SpA / 236 Spe should be used instead. Usage Tips Electrike typically functions as a revenge killer and a momentum grabber with its access to Volt Switch and good coverage options. With Lightning Rod, Electrike can be switched into predicted Electric-type moves and obtain a Special Attack boost, increasing Electrike's damage output and pressuring the opponent's team. Be cautious, however, as Electrike doesn't have the greatest bulk, so switching into a stray coverage move instead of an Electric-type attack can leave it heavily damaged or KOed. Switcheroo should be used on predicted switches to Pokemon that Electrike has trouble doing much damage to, such as Munchlax, as they won't enjoy being crippled by a Choice item. Switcheroo is also a good catch-all method of crippling Electrike's switch-ins, which is useful if your opponent still has multiple potential switch-ins to Electrike and you're having trouble deciding whether to use Volt Switch, Flamethrower, or Hidden Power Grass. Team Options Electrike works well on VoltTurn teams and pairs well with U-turn users such as Mienfoo, Fletchling, and Larvesta to keep offensive pressure on the opponent. Although Electrike can run Hidden Power Grass, it prefers having Ground-types dealt with by teammates so that it can use Volt Switch more freely. Water-types such as Staryu and Corphish can break through Ground-types easily with their STAB moves and can provide Rapid Spin and Knock Off support, respectively. Grass-types such as Ferroseed and Foongus can take on Ground-types and Chinchou for Electrike, while Electrike can defeat the Flying-types that threaten them in return. Fighting-types such as Pancham and Timburr can take on bulky Normal-types, particularly Porygon, which is important, as Electrike won't be able to break through these Pokemon on its own. Staryu, Drilbur, Archen, and Vullaby can all support Electrike by removing entry hazards, which is helpful, as Electrike doesn't appreciate being worn down by passive damage each time it comes in. Diglett is a helpful partner, as it traps and removes Chinchou from the game, letting Electrike use its STAB moves much more freely.

With decent Special Attack and Speed stats, Electrike is just asking for a Choice item. Electrike's solid 17 Speed allows it to act as an effective sweeper, outspeeding many threats. A Timid nature with 236 Speed EVs are necessary for hitting 17 Speed. Choice Specs are used for hitting hard and switching out afterwards. With 236 Special Attack EVs and Choice Specs, Electrike hits 24 Special Attack, allowing it to deal heavy damage to a slew of common Pokemon. Volt Switch gets STAB and allows Electrike to scout the opposing team. Thunderbolt is Electrike's most powerful STAB option. Flamethrower hits any Grass-types which resist Electrike's STAB moves. For the last slot, Switcheroo cripples an opposing Pokemon with the unwanted Choice Specs, while Hidden Power Grass hits Hippopotas and Wooper for super effective damage. Lightning Rod is Electrike's best ability, and is what sets it apart from other Electric-types, as it can switch in on an Electric-type attack and catch a Special Attack boost. After this boost, Electrike reaches a massive 32 Special Attack (factoring in the Choice Specs boost). If Choice Specs isn't wanted, Electrike can also run a Choice Scarf very well. Using a Modest nature will give an extra point to Special Attack, reaching 17, in exchange for a point of Speed, reaching 24 after factoring in the Scarf. However, a Timid nature can still be used to tie with other base 17 Speed Choice Scarf users. It still can get a boost by switching into an Electric-type attack, and will reach 25 Special Attack (considering a Modest nature) with that boost. After maximizing both Speed and Special Attack, the remaining EVs are placed in HP for a small boost. This set functions as a revenge killer, and can even sweep late-game provided it has a Lightning Rod boost. Diglett is a problem, as it outspeeds Electrike and can OHKO with Earthquake; however, it needs to be careful about switching in on a Hidden Power Grass. Scarf Snover can remove Diglett easily, making it a great partner for Electrike.

Charge Beam is a fun move to spam in order to gain Special Attack boosts. Investing 236 Speed EVs and using a Timid nature, Electrike hits 17 Speed. The 236 Special Attack EVs bring it to 16 total, allowing it to hit quite hard. This combination of Speed and Special Attack, not to mention its fantastic ability, Lightning Rod, allows Electrike to abuse Charge Beam better than any other Electric-type in the metagame. Substitute allows Electrike to take a hit while gaining a boost. Hidden Power Grass hits Wooper, one of Electrike's biggest counters due its ability to ignore boosts, for super effective damage. Thunderbolt is a reliable STAB attack to use in the last slot. Life Orb increases Electrike's damage output, giving its attacks an extra kick. Each Charge Beam boost raises Electrike's Special Attack by 8 points, so after a few boosts, it will be dishing out major damage. Flamethrower is a nice move to hit Ferroseed and Snover, which both wall this set otherwise. It can be used instead of Thunderbolt, as Electrike already has Charge Beam for a STAB move. It should be noted, however, that Thunderbolt does significantly more damage to targets not 4x weak to Fire-type attacks thanks to the STAB boost it gets. If both Thunderbolt and Flamethrower are desired, Substitute should be dropped. The 36 remaining EVs are placed into HP to add a point. This set appreciates Stealth Rock support to weaken incoming threats and make sweeping easier. This set is best used during the late-game, as it is very effective for cleaning up weakened foes. Diglett outspeeds Electrike and can switch in on an Electric-type attack and KO with Earthquake (provided a Substitute is not set up). Wynaut can turn the tables on Diglett and trap it, proceeding to KO it with Counter.

Electrike can be a potent Choice attacker with its good Special Attack and decent Speed. Thunderbolt is Electrike's best STAB move, and is the main attacking option on this set. Being locked into an Electric-type attack can be trouble, however, particularly if your opponent has a Pokemon that is immune to Ground, such as Gligar. Flamethrower is a good option on this set mainly because it can hit Bronzor, one of the best defensive Pokemon in the game, for super effective damage. It also provides decent neutral coverage on the Pokemon that Thunderbolt can't hit. When choosing between Hidden Power Ice and Hidden Power Ground, you need to consider which Pokemon are a greater threat to your team. Hidden Power Ice OHKOes Gligar and hits other Ground-types who would otherwise be able to beat Electrike, such as Hippopotas and Phanpy, hard. Hidden Power Ground hits Electric-types, such as Chinchou and other Electrike, who could otherwise switch in on a resisted Thunderbolt. Note that if you choose to use Hidden Power Ground, Electrike needs 240 to maximize its Special Attack, so you have to sacrifice the extra point in HP. Switcheroo is a fun move that can put the opponent in trouble if played correctly. If Electrike manages to switch items at the right time, it can give another Pokemon a free turn to possibly set up and sweep a team. An example of this would be if Electrike is about to take a Gligar's Earthquake, it could quickly Switheroo a Choice item onto it, locking it into Earthquake. This could give a free turn to your own Gligar to come in, use Agility, and sweep your opponent's team. Switcheroo is slightly less valuable with Choice Scarf because many Pokemon won't really mind; in fact, many Pokemon enjoy the boost in a Speed-centralized metagame such as Little Cup. However, it is possible to Switcheroo faster with Choice Scarf, which can be the difference between getting the Switcheroo off and not managing to do so. Switcherooing Choice Specs is nice because it can put physical attackers in a bad position, locking them into attacks while boosting their useless Special Attack. One of the best checks to special attackers in Little Cup is Munchlax. But with Switcheroo, Munchlax is no longer a safe switch-in to Electrike. This means it is one of the few special attackers in the game that can beat Munchlax, which sets it apart from other special attackers out there. Mantyke and Diglett used alongside Electrike can work very well. An Electrike spamming Thunderbolt is likely to draw out two types of Pokemon: Ground-types and Electric-types. Diglett does very well against the latter, trapping them and hitting them with STAB super effective Earthquake. Diglett can also trap and either kill or weaken Munchlax, who would stop a sweep by either Mantyke or Electrike. Once the Electric-type has been removed, this frees up either Mantyke or Electrike for a sweep. If a Ground-type is lured out, Mantyke can easily switch in and set up an Agility. If both Electric- and Ground-types have been removed, Electrike will have an easy time sweeping as well. One sweeper that also benefits greatly from Electrike is Agility Gligar. Electrike can take out two of Gligar's primary counters, Mantyke and Snover, with Thunderbolt and Flamethrower, respectively. Electrike also invites Ground-type attacks, which can let Gligar get in for free if you predict correctly. Likewise, Electrike can give Gligar a free turn of set up if it Switcheroos on a Ground-type attack or non-attacking move.