Pikachu Guide: Builds and Moves | Pokemon UNITE

This is a guide on how to play Pikachu in Pokemon UNITE. Learn about all of Pikachu's moves and skins, and how to use Pikachu with our builds complete with best movesets, items, and combos.

Pikachu Tier Rating and Stats

Pikachu Basic Information

Pikachu	Tier:	Role:
		Attacker
	Attack Type:	Difficulty:
	Ranged	Novice
	Damage Type:
	Special
"Pikachu is a Pokémon that excels at attacking opponents from far away with electricity. Sometimes the attacks even leave opposing Pokémon paralyzed!"

Tier List: Best Pokemon to Use

Pikachu Stats

Offense	Defense	Mobility	Scoring	Support

Pikachu Evolutions

Pikachu This Pokémon does not evolve.

Pikachu Strengths and Weaknesses

Excellent Ranged Control

Pikachu has a great moveset that can give it control over a battle. Attacks that stun and insane damage makes it an invaluable member of any offense-oriented team.

Very Fragile

Pikachu is extremely fragile and a few hits will deplete a lot of its HP. Learn to back away from group fights when necessary.

Best Lane for Pikachu

Top
Jungle
Bottom

Jungle

While the game recommends Pikachu to be a top laner, it is recommended for it to Jungle and basically roam around the map to control the tide of enemies in both top and bottom lanes. Jungling early on allows it to get his best moves safely as you level up defeating the wild Pokemon.

Top

For those on the more aggressive side, Pikachu can take the Top Lane but will still end up providing more support than intense damage since it's so frail. Use its stun skills to provide assistance on the bulkier opponents. Having a Defender or Supporter on your side will definitely help.

Pikachu Builds

Control Build

Moves and Move Upgrade Order

Lv. 1 (R)	Lv. 3 (ZR)	Lv. 4 (R)	Lv. 6 (ZR)
Thunder Shock	Electroweb	Electro Ball	Thunderbolt
This build focuses on controlling crowds of enemies and dealing as much damage to them. Using Electro Ball and Thunderbolt in succession will allow you to deal damage in an area while making sure your target stay in that area.

Battle Item

Item	Tips
Eject Button	Eject Button gives you the ability to teleport short distances. This is an extremely useful Battle Item which can be used in a multitude of scenarios. You can use this to gain some distance when you are in a pinch or to close the distance before using your Unite Move.

Held Items

Items	Tips
Float Stone	The Float Stone is one of the core Held Items for any Pokemon. The Float Stone gives you a significant boost in your movement speed especially when you are out of combat.
Wise Glasses	Wise Glasses significantly increases a Pokemon's Special Attack. Since Pikachu mainly deals Special Attack damage, this is a great Held Item to use to amplify your Moves.
Muscle Band	Muscle Band increases your Basic Attack Damage and Basic Attack Speed. Since Pikachu is an Attacker and mainly focuses on dealing damage, this is a great Held Item to pick up in further increase your damage output.

Hit-and-Run Build

Moves and Move Upgrade Order

Lv. 1 (R)	Lv. 3 (ZR)	Lv. 4 (R)	Lv. 6 (ZR)
Thunder Shock	Electroweb	Electro Ball	Volt Tackle
This is a more defensive Pokemon that fits for those who prefer a less frontal attack. This works with those preferring to Jungle and roam around the map. Using Electro Ball and Volt Tackle in succession allows you to deal huge damage in a few seconds and then quickly back off.

Battle Item

Item	Tips
Eject Button	Eject Button gives you the ability to teleport short distances. This is an extremely useful Battle Item which can be used in a multitude of scenarios. You can use this to gain some distance when you are in a pinch or to close the distance before using your Unite Move.

Held Items

Items	Tips
Float Stone	The Float Stone is one of the core Held Items for any Pokemon. The Float Stone gives you a significant boost in your movement speed especially when you are out of combat.
Shell Bell	Shell Bell gives Pikachu some healing that it may have sustained. Since it deals damage in burst, this gives Pikachu some healing whenever it attacks.
Muscle Band	Muscle Band increases your Basic Attack Damage and Basic Attack Speed. Since Pikachu is an Attacker and mainly focuses on dealing damage, this is a great Held Item to pick up in further increase your damage output.

How to Play Pikachu

Pikachu is a glass cannon - easily shattered but deadly when used. You'll want to be playing away from enemies, behind tougher allies (preferably Defenders) and stunning any enemies that get close and escape.

Pikachu has strong stun capability, so use this to hold enemies in place to defeat them in one go.

AoE or Single Target

The choice of Thunder or Electro Ball at Level 4 should be made based on if you need AoE damage for team fights or high damage single target stun. Similarly, at Level 6 the choice of Volt Tackle or Thunderbolt should be made based on crowd control or AoE necessity.

Attack Safely from Range

Since Pikachu's attack range is quite large you can easily kite and poke enemies safely at the edge of the attack range, before stunning them and finishing them off with an Electro Ball or Thunder. Using Battle Items like Eject Button or X Speed can be used as an emergency retreat or X attack to ensure a KO.

Farm Wild Pokemon with Ease

Since Pikachu's moves deal high AoE damage and stun, Pikachu can easily clear the Vespiquen and Combee Camps for XP and Aeos Points as well as help take out Rotom. If playing on Bottom lane, Drednaw can even be soloed due to Pikachu's long range and stuns which helps avoid Drednaw's knock up ability.

Save Thunderstorm for Team Fights

Since big team fights typically break out around important map objectives like Rotom, Drednaw and Zapdos, Pikachu's Unite Move Thunderstorm should be save until then. While the damage is not great, it has a large area of effect and can be used to finish of the enemy team at low health.

Pikachu Combos

Control-Damage Combo

Step #	Move
1	Thunderbolt
2	Electro Ball
3	Thunderstorm
This build focuses on controlling a group of enemies and using your best AoE moves to deal insane group damage. Use Thunderbolt to keep a group in place and then use Electro Ball to hit them all at once. If they are still within range and your Unite move is fully charged, you can follow that up with Thunderstorm which hopefully clears off the rest of the enemies.

Hit-And-Run Combo

Step #	Move
1	Electro Ball
2	Volt Tackle
The Hit-And-Run build focuses on making sure Pikachu moves away after every attack since Volt Tackle has the benefit of allowing you to move quickly away from the battle. Use Electro Ball first to keep your target in place and then use Volt Tackle. Then, begin retreating away while still launching your standard attacks when you can. Once fully recharged, continue with the combo.

Pikachu Matchups and Best Counters

Hard Counters
Fair
Easy

Matchup and Counter Explanations

Best Counters for Pikachu

Pokemon	Explanation
Zeraora	Pikachu's greatest advantage is his immense range. However, Zeraora can quickly negate that with its dashing moves and a few solid hits from Zeraora will bring any Pikachu down quickly.
Garchomp	Garchomp's advantage is similar to Zeraora in that it has a pair of gap closers, negating Pikachu's advantage. Combine with its second skill it can hinder Pikachu giving Garchomp time to deal the final blow.
Gengar	At the beginning, Gengar will pose no threat to Pikachu. But, once it gains access to Hex, Gengar gains a gap closing combo that will eliminate any advantage Pikachu has. With multiple Hexes in tow due to the reduction of its CD when paired with Sludge Bomb's effects, Pikachu will fall pretty quickly since it also has bad mobility.
Machamp	Submission is Machamp's counter to Pikachu since it makes him unstoppable allowing it to rush Pikachu undettered even with its Stun Attacks. Once the gap is closed, Pikachu will fall pretty quickly to Machamp's onslaught.
Cinderace	With Cinderace's Feint making him Invulnerable, it can rush in to Pikachu without worrying too much about its defenses. Or it can use Flame Charge to quickly close the gap and attack Pikachu head on.
Absol	Absol's high damage potential will definitely outplay Pikachu. With its opportunistic damaging capabilities as well as gap closers, Pikachu will find it hard to counter Absol especially with its mobility aiding Absol in the fight.

Fair Matchup Explanations

Pokemon	Explanation
Cramorant	Cramorant's skills can outmatch Pikachu when timed right but with its hindrance effects being mediocre compared to Pikachu's stun, Pikachu will gain the upperhand when it comes to all out attack.
Mr. Mime	Mr. Mime's shields will help counter any advancing Pikachu while using Psychic will help bring down Pikachu's already weak defenses if you get close enough. However, with Pikachu's immense range, Mr. Mime will need to find a way to close the gap first before engaging.
Venusaur	Venusaur's skills has pretty long range and self-healing capabilities. Once the gap is closed with Pikachu, Pikachu will find it a little difficult to outlast Venusaur. However, Pikachu has some sure hits and stun attacks that will render Venusaur immobile.
Lucario	Lucario has some pretty good attacking and dashing moves but needs it to be fully upgraded in order to counter Pikachu's stun attacks, making it an easy target for Pikachu early on.
Talonflame	While Talonflame has some advantages with its moveset over Pikachu, a single hit from Pikachu's stun attacks while be enough to bring Talonflame down given its low HP. Timing your attacks against Pikachu will be crucial to survive any encounter with it.
Crustle	Crustle is pretty slow and will be picked apart by Pikachu with its great range. However, when Crustle uses Shell Smash, that's when he has a bigger advantage over Pikachu since with the increased mobility and attack, you can close out the gap over Pikachu and defeat him quickly.

Easy Matchup Explanations

Pokemon	Explanation
Alolan Ninetales	Unless Alolan Ninetales traps you in a wall or something, Pikachu would not have much difficulties with Ninetales given its fragility (even with boosts from Aurora Veil). Add stun into the mix, it almost becomes a free kill.
Wigglytuff	While Wigglytuff has a lot of debuffs to weaken Pikachu, it needs to get close in to inflict them. Pikachu will rip it apart before it could even get close with its stun moves.
Slowbro	Slowbro is slow and has no way to increase its mobility apart from items and its only stunning move, Telekinesis, has a short range. Using its stun moves, Pikachu will make short work of Slowbro even with its tankiness.
Eldegoss	Eldegoss has no good damaging move that can counter Pikachu and Pikachu's stun moves will be its doom.
Greninja	A single stun and follow up combos will make quick work of Greninja and offers little counters to Pikachu's moves.
Charizard	Charizard can be easily stunned for great damage and following it up with combos will surely bring this Pokemon down.
Snorlax	Snorlax is slow and while it has gap closing attacks, its damage output will not eclipse Pikachu. A simple stun and follow up combo and Pikachu can take away more than half of Snorlax's HP, leaving it vulnerable to finishers from your teammates or Pikachu's own Unite move.

How to Counter Pikachu

Team Up On Pikachu

One on one, Pikachu is a force to be reckoned with. With its stun moves, it can bring down even the tankiest of characters. Mobile characters with Supporters right behind them is the perfect team up against Pikachu users. Pikachu isn't all great on mobility so flank him up and he'll fall down easily.

Positioning Is Crucial

If you are alone, use bushes and hide while Pikachu does its thing. Once its distracted, close the distance immediately if you're a melee character and use your skills to whittle its HP down. If you're a ranged attacker, use your skills immediately while in the bush to surprise Pikachu and bring it down quickly.

Pikachu Moves and Ability

Pikachu Moves

Level	Move 1 (R)	Move 2 (ZR)
1 or 3
4
6
9

Move Slot 1 (R)

Thunder Shock (Lv. 1 or 3)	Move Type: Sure Hit Damage Type: Special Cooldown: 5s Total Damage: 481 (Lv. 3)
Unleashes electricity at the target area, damaging and stunning enemy Pokemon.
Thunder (Lv. 4) Upgrade Lv. 11	Move Type: Area Damage Type: Special Cooldown: 8s Total Damage: 1115 (Lv. 4) / 2947 (Lv. 15)
Summons lightning bolts at the target area, damaging enemy Pokemon. When upgraded, increases the number of lightning strikes.
Electro Ball (Lv. 4) Upgrade Lv. 11	Move Type: Sure Hit Damage Type: Special Cooldown: 5s Total Damage: 735 (Lv. 4) / 1869 (Lv. 15)
Hurls an electric orb, damaging and stunning enemy Pokemon within the area of effect. When upgraded, increases the damage dealt by Electro Ball.

Move Slot 2 (ZR)

Electroweb (Lv. 1 or 3)	Move Type: Hindrance Damage Type: Special Cooldown: 9s Total Damage: 414 (Lv. 3)
Throws an electric net, stunning the enemy Pokemon.
Thunderbolt (Lv. 6) Upgrade Lv. 13	Move Type: Hindrance Damage Type: Special Cooldown: 8s Total Damage: 683 (Lv. 6) / 1358 (Lv. 15)
Summons a powerful blast of lightning, damaging and stunning enemy Pokemon in the area. When upgraded, increases the damage dealt by Thunderbolt.
Volt Tackle (Lv. 6) Upgrade Lv. 13	Move Type: Hindrance Damage Type: Special Cooldown: 10s Total Damage: 610 (Lv. 6) / 1015 (Lv. 15)
Pikachu engulfs himself with electricity and leaps forward, knocking back enemy Pokemon. When upgraded, reduces the cooldown of Volt Tackle.

Unite Moves (ZL)

Thunderstorm (Lv. 9)	Move Type: Area Damage Type: Special Cooldown: Percent Based Total Damage: 3096 (Lv. 9) / 4388 (Lv. 15)
Discharges lightning strikes to each opponent while also gaining a bonus to movement speed. Opponents within the radius will get struck by lightning while this move is active.

Standard Attack

Standard Attack	Becomes a boosted attack with every third attack, dealing increased damage. This boosted attack also paralyzes opposing Pokemon for a short time when it hits.

Ability (Passive)

Static	When it takes damage, nearby opponents will be paralyzed for a short time. There is a cooldown between each time this effect activates.

Pikachu Skins (Holowear)

Hip-hop Style

Hip-hop Style

Battle Pass Reward

All Pokemon Skins (Holowear)

Pokemon UNITE Related Guides

List of All Pokemon and Builds

Pokemon by Role

All Pokemon Roles
Attackers		All-Rounders		Defenders
Speedsters			Supporters

All Pokemon Guides and Builds

Pokemon Roster
Pikachu	Charizard	Snorlax	Crustle
Greninja	Eldegoss	Talonflame	Lucario
Venusaur	Mr. Mime	Slowbro	Absol
Machamp	Wigglytuff	Alolan Ninetales	Cramorant
Gengar	Garchomp	Cinderace	Zeraora
Blastoise	Gardevoir	-	-