Jett
gn gobodachis
Hey frens, the SS NFE Council have decided to test Pikachu.
While it looks cute, appearances can be deceiving; having already been banned once, this powerhouse has once again found itself on the chopping block. Pikachu has been a noteworthy Pokemon in the metagame for the entirety of the Crown Tundra due it having a signature item, Light Ball, doubling both its offenses. With a near-perfect movepool, Pikachu can run two very strong sets: FakeSpeed and Mixed Attacker. Access to both Extreme Speed and Fake Out makes Pikachu one of the premier revenge killer in NFE, and allows it to provide immense pressure even against faster Pokemon such as Kadabra and Raboot, as well as setup sweepers. This combination of moves has allowed Pikachu to claim the title of most threatening and reliable cleaner in the metagame as there is little counterplay once foes are in range its priority. Pikachu is very self sufficient with both Knock Off and Volt Switch in its arsenal, which are excellent for crippling its common switch-ins like Tangela and pivot out of its bad matchups. These tools help Pikachu matchup favourably against bulkier and slower teams which often struggle to keep up with its momentum and hate switching into its powerful Knock Offs. Pikachu is also one of the premier abusers of Spikes and Toxic Spikes, and entry hazard focussed teams can be difficult to stop largely due to the Pikachu's potency when residual damage is wearing down its checks.
Mixed Attacker sets forgo Fake Out but make great use of its great Special Attack with coverage moves such as Surf and Grass Knot. Once Pikachu has removed the Eviolite of an opposing Ground-type such as Piloswine and Marshtomp, it can tear them apart with Surf or Grass Knot respectively. Many teams in the metagame rely on a combination of a Ground- and a Grass-type in order to defensively check FakeSpeed Pikachu, but this combination cannot reliably check Mixed Pikachu. Pikachu can also opt for Thunderbolt for more immediate power for its STAB move, with invested Pikachu being able to 2HKO offensive Tangela variants, one of its most reliable switch-ins, once it has been Knocked Off.
However, Pikachu's defenses leave a lot to be desired with most neutral attacks KOing it comfortably; it is often reliant on having teammates to switch in safely, as it can only find switch-ins against attacks it resists or is immune to. If Pikachu fails to KO a target or does not pivot out itself, it is very likely that it will be KOed making it delicate to position. Entry hazards are a bane to Pikachu as it often wants to spam Volt Switch, especially when facing against a Tangela. Speaking of Tangela, it is extremely common in the current metagame, and very splashable, serving as one of the best long term Pikachu counters that does not bleed momentum, given that it invests into its Special Defense. Ghost-types such as Drakloak and Choice Scarf Lampent make for reliable offensive checks as their Ghost-typing lets them ignore Pikachu's dual priority. Pikachu is also useful for keeping several strong offensive threats such as Kadabra and Galarian Mr. Mime in check, as these Pokemon already have few offensive answers due to the mediocrity of Choice Scarf users in NFE.
With that being said, the council feels that Pikachu is deserving of a suspect test.
Suspect Test Information:
The voting requirements are a minimum GXE of 75 with at least 25 games played. For this suspect test, a new account starting with NFECHU, such as “NFECHU Jett” must be used to qualify, as we will be using the NFE Ladder. The suspect will end in around 2 weeks time, on the 24th May 11:59pm EDT (UTC -4), and then we will put up the voting thread in the Blind Voting subforum.
This thread will also be used for posting your voter identification screenshot. Make sure when doing this, you show your alt has met these requirements, as well as proof that the alt belongs to you. When uploading large images, please use a HIDE tag.
When posting in this thread, please keep in mind these rules:
1. No one liners or uninformed posts, unless it is posting that you’ve met the requirements for voting on Pikachu.
2. No discussion on other potential suspects or the suspect process
3. Be respectful
Your post will be deleted and possibly infracted if you fail to follow them.
If you have any questions about this suspect, feel free to ask any of the NFE council team. Have fun laddering!
Tagging Kris to setup suspect and announcement on PS ladder games. Thanks in advance
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