You’d think catching a Pikachu in Scarlet and Violet would be the simplest thing in the world. He’s the face of the multi-billion dollar franchise, the yellow mouse everyone knows, and usually the first thing a new player looks for when they step out into the tall grass of Paldea. But honestly? Getting the most out of Pikachu in Gen 9 is actually a massive headache if you don’t know how the new mechanics have shifted around him.
He’s fragile.
If a Lechonk breathes on him too hard in the early game, he’s basically cooked. Yet, despite the power creep that has defined the Nintendo Switch era of Pokémon, Pikachu remains a weirdly viable niche pick for certain Tera Raids and competitive builds. It’s all about the Light Ball. It’s always been about the Light Ball. Without that specific held item, Pikachu is objectively worse than his evolution, Raichu, and even some of the "Pikaclones" like Pawmot.
Finding Pikachu in the Wilds of Paldea
If you’re looking to add one to your team early, you need to head toward South Province (Area Two) or West Province (Area Three). He likes woods. He likes greenery. But don’t expect him to just pop up every five seconds like he’s a common Zubat in a cave. Pikachu has a lower spawn rate than you’d expect for a mascot.
I’ve spent hours running around the outskirts of Cortondo just trying to find a single one with a decent Nature. The game’s "Density" system means that sometimes you’ll see a group of Pichu led by a Raichu, and you have to squint to see if a Pikachu is actually in the mix. If you’re struggling, eat a sandwich. Specifically, anything with Encounter Power: Electric. A simple Ham Sandwich or an Ultra Avocado Sandwich will make those yellow ears start popping up everywhere. It’s a night and day difference.
Most people forget that Paldean Pikachu doesn't have a regional form. Unlike Alola, where we got that cool psychic surfing Raichu, or Galar with the Gigantamax "Chonky" Pikachu, Scarlet and Violet keep the base design standard. However, the Terastal phenomenon changes everything about how he plays.
The Tera Type Problem
Terastallization is the big gimmick in Scarlet and Violet. For Pikachu, it’s a double-edged sword. Most wild Pikachu you catch will have an Electric Tera Type. This is fine. It boosts his Thunderbolt and Volt Tackle to insane levels, especially when paired with the aforementioned Light Ball which doubles his Attack and Special Attack stats.
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But here’s the thing: Electric is a pure offensive type with only one weakness (Ground). If you keep him as an Electric Tera, you aren't fixing his survivability. You’re just making him a glass cannon that shatters if a Diglett looks at him funny.
During the limited-time 7-Star Tera Raid event back in 2023, Game Freak gave us a Water Tera Type Pikachu. This was a stroke of genius. It gave him access to Surf—a move he usually only gets through special events—and allowed him to flip the script on Ground-type attackers. If you missed that event, you have to grind out 50 Water Tera Shards to change his type manually at the Treasure Eatery in Medali. It’s a slog. It's boring. But if you want to use Pikachu in high-level play, you basically have to give him a Tera Type that covers his fragility.
Why the Light Ball is Non-Negotiable
Seriously. Don't use Pikachu without a Light Ball.
In Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, you can find a Light Ball by catching wild Pikachu and hoping they’re holding one (5% chance), or by using the move "Thief" on them. It’s much easier to just use a Pokémon with the Compound Eyes ability, like Vivillon, at the front of your party. This bumps the item-hold rate up significantly.
Without it, Pikachu’s base Special Attack is a pathetic 50. With it? It’s effectively 100, which actually outclasses Raichu’s base 90. You’re trading away the ability to hold a Focus Sash or Life Orb just to make him viable, which is the eternal struggle of every Pikachu fan.
Flying Pikachu and Mystery Gifts
We have to talk about the "Flying Pikachu" that was given away as a launch bonus. This one came with the move Fly and a Flying Tera Type. While it was a cool nostalgia trip back to the Pokémon Yellow opening cinematic, it’s actually kind of a trap in Gen 9.
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Flying makes him weak to Ice, Rock, and Electric. You're taking a Pokémon with already low defenses and giving him more weaknesses. It’s fun for the story, sure. Seeing a Pikachu float around with balloons in the Terastal form is adorable. But in a serious battle? You’re better off with a Grass Tera Type to resist the Ground moves that usually one-shot him.
Technical Machines (TMs) You Actually Need
The TM machine in Scarlet and Violet is a blessing. You don’t have to hope for a good move pool anymore; you just need to farm materials. For a solid Pikachu build, you’re looking at:
- Thunderbolt (TM126): The bread and butter. Never leave home without it.
- Grass Knot (TM081): Crucial for hitting those heavy Great Tusk or Ting-Lu builds that switch in to soak up electricity.
- Nasty Plot (TM140): If you can find a single turn to set this up behind a Substitute, Pikachu becomes a monster.
- Play Rough (TM127): If you’re going for a physical build with Volt Tackle, this covers your Dragon-type matchups.
To craft these, you’ll need to hunt Pichu for "Pichu Fur." It feels a little dark, honestly, farming the baby version of the mascot just to power up the adult version, but that’s the Paldean economy for you.
The Raichu Question
Should you just use a Thunder Stone and evolve him?
Logically, yes. Raichu is faster. Raichu is bulkier. Raichu can hold an item like an Air Balloon or a Choice Specs. But there is a specific charm to Pikachu in Scarlet and Violet that Raichu lacks, mostly due to the Static ability. In a game where contact moves are everywhere—think of all those physical attackers like Meowscarada or Quaquaval—having a 30% chance to paralyze the opponent just by existing is huge.
Also, let's be real. Pikachu’s animations in the open world are way better. Watching him waddle behind you in Let’s Go mode is one of the few things that makes the occasionally framey performance of the game tolerable.
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Breeding and Volt Tackle
If you want the strongest Pikachu possible, you can’t just catch one. You have to breed it. This is where most casual players get lost. To get a Pikachu with Volt Tackle, one of the parents must be holding a Light Ball while in the Picnic.
If you forget the Light Ball, the Pichu will never learn the move. And since there’s no Move Tutor in Paldea that can teach it, you’re stuck with a "regular" Pikachu. It’s these weird, legacy mechanics that make Pikachu one of the most complex "simple" Pokémon to optimize in the entire Pokédex.
Actionable Steps for Your Paldean Journey
Stop treating Pikachu like a trophy and start using him as a specialized tool.
- Step 1: Catch a Pikachu in West Province Area Three. Use a sandwich with Encounter Power: Electric Level 1 to save yourself twenty minutes of aimless wandering.
- Step 2: Get the Light Ball immediately. Don't even bother leveling him up until you have it. Use a Pokémon with Thief or Covet on every wild Pikachu you see until you snag one.
- Step 3: Use the Picnic feature to check his Natures. You want Timid (+Speed, -Attack) for a special attacker or Jolly (+Speed, -Special Attack) for a physical one. Speed is everything. If he doesn't move first, he dies.
- Step 4: Head to the Delibird Presents shop in Mesagoza and buy some Carbos. Max out his Speed EVs.
- Step 5: Don't be afraid to Terastallize early. Pikachu needs the defensive shift more than your starter does in most mid-game gym battles.
Pikachu in Scarlet and Violet isn't the "best" Pokémon by any objective metric of base stat totals. He’s a glass cannon that requires a specific item and a specific strategy to function. But when you land a Light Ball-boosted, Electric Tera-boosted Thunderbolt on a legendary Pokémon and watch its HP bar vanish? That’s why people still use him.
The game doesn't hand you a powerful Pikachu on a silver platter this time around. You have to build him. You have to hunt the items, craft the TMs, and pick your battles carefully. It makes the bond feel a bit more earned than just being given a "Starter Pikachu" like in previous generations. Paldea is a rough place for a small mouse, but with the right setup, he’s still the king of the court.