PVP Pikachu Noob HERE!!!

[Kjandy]

Hello everyone! Noob Here...

 

I just started playing PRO and I have around 24hrs of playtime so far. My question is What is the Ideal Pikachu build for PVP? I'm a huge Pikachu fan and I know very little about the games mechanics. I have caught around 50 Pikachu so far but don't really know what I'm looking for. No Shiny yet but that is expected. No light ball yet. Many different personalities. No "high ranking" IVs. That being said could someone explain the "best" most ideal: Personalities, IVs & EVs, Items, Movesets and/or anything else that I might be overlooking. Thanks!!! 

[Namanh]

check on google kk

[Lacomus]

Welcome to PRO. Always nice to see another Pikachu fan.

 

Pikachu in PvP is a tricky one - it’s not the strongest mon out there, but with the right build (and especially with a Light Ball) it can actually hit surprisingly hard. Here’s a breakdown of what to look for:

 

Ability:

• Lightning Rod is generally preferred since it gives an Electric immunity and boosts Special Attack when hit.
• Static is usable (chance to paralyse on contact), but it’s less reliable overall.

Nature (Personality):

• Timid - boosts Speed, great for special attacking sets.
• Modest - boosts Special Attack, gives more damage if you don’t mind losing some Speed.
• Naive / Hasty - useful if you want a mixed build (using both special and physical attacks).
• Jolly / Adamant - best for a pure physical build with Volt Tackle. Jolly gives you Speed, while Adamant sacrifices Speed for Attack power.

IVs:

• For special sets: focus on Speed and Special Attack.
• For physical sets: focus on Speed and Attack.

EVs:

• Special attacker: 252 Special Attack / 252 Speed.
• Physical attacker: 252 Attack / 252 Speed.
• Mixed: 252 Speed / 128 Attack / 128 Special Attack (or similar split depending on your moves).

 

Moveset Options (depending on your set):
These are some of the most popular moves people run on Pikachu. The exact combination depends on whether you’re going special, physical, or mixed:

• Special Attacking options: Thunderbolt (main STAB), Hidden Power Ice/Grass (coverage), Nasty Plot (setup).
• Physical options: Volt Tackle (main nuke), Iron Tail, Brick Break, Knock Off.
• Utility / mixed options: Encore, Substitute, or running one physical move (like Volt Tackle) alongside special moves for surprise value.

Item:

Light Ball is absolutely the best item for Pikachu, since it doubles both Attack and Special Attack. Without it, Pikachu just can’t hit hard enough to compete.

 

Extra tips:

• Pikachu is always fragile, so don’t expect it to tank hits - think of it as a glass cannon.
• If you love Pikachu but want something more reliable, Raichu can be a better option since it doesn’t rely on Light Ball and has more bulk.

So overall:

• For special builds - Timid or Modest.
• For mixed builds - Naive or Hasty.
• For physical builds - Jolly or Adamant.

Good luck with your hunt, and may you find both your Light Ball and your Shiny Pikachu soon!

Edited 32 minutes ago by Lacomus