Pokémon Scarlet and Violet has over 400 Pokémon in the game, more than 40 of which are Electric types. With only six slots on your team, choosing the right Pokémon can be a chore, and that's not including which moves to teach them! Luckily, this list will cover the best moves to teach your Pokémon and gets you one step closer to becoming a true master.
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Not all moves on this list can be learned by every Electric-type Pokémon, and some may be better suited for certain Pokémon and not others. This list will not feature unique moves such as Thunder Cage or Wildbolt Storm, as they are exclusive to one Pokémon.
10 Thunder Punch
Thunder Punch is one of the most well-known attacks you can teach a Pokémon. This Physical attack has 75 base power and can be learned by most Electric-type Pokémon early on, and it can be taught to several others, including non-Electric types such as Charizard, Groudon, and even Muk!
While this attack may not be very flashy on paper, it has reliable accuracy and a 10% chance to inflict Paralysis. If a Pokémon on your team cannot learn this, consider Thunder Fang or perhaps another upcoming move on this list.
9 Shock Wave
If you've faced an opponent that used Double Team three or four times in a row, then you know how agonizing it is to land a hit. Fortunately, if you have Shock Wave in your arsenal, then missing your target will be a thing of the past.
Shock Wave has 60 base power plus the useful effect of never missing. Attacks with 100 accuracy still suffer from the chance of missing in the face of a debuff, but Shock Wave will never have that problem. This is a faithful move that will carry you up until the late section of the game.
8 Parabolic Charge
Mono Electric-type Pokémon, like Pikachu and Bellibolt, are weak to Ground types. Unfortunately, getting hit by an Earthquake can sometimes spell an instant K.O. for these squishy Pokémon. If your Electric type doesn't faint, then healing becomes a priority.
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Fortunately, having a move like Parabolic Charge can be a game changer. This attack deals damage to its target while healing the user to up to 50% of the damage delivered. While this move can save you in a pinch, remember that Ground types are immune to Electric-type attacks.
7 Electric Terrain
Old school Pokémon players know a time before Terrain moves were available, and when they arrived, it completely changed the game. Electric Terrain is a must-have for any Electric-type team, as it boosts the power of Electric moves by 30%.
Even if your Pokémon are not all Electric types, this move prevents all Pokémon from falling asleep on the field and turns Nature Power into Thunderbolt. This move offers plenty of traction for Electric-type Double Battles and is just fun to use!
6 Thunder
Thunder is one of the strongest Special Electric-type attacks in the game. It possesses 110 base damage and has a 30% chance of paralyzing the target. While this is all incredibly powerful, the downside to this attack is its underwhelming 70 base accuracy.
Any move that has less than 100 accuracy runs the risk of missing its target, and missing a turn to act can turn the tide of battle quickly. When it's raining, however, Thunder's accuracy increases to 100, making this mighty attack guaranteed to hit every time.
5 Wild Charge
Wild Charge is a favorite among Physical Sweepers such as Luxray, Arcanine, and Tauros. This Physical Electric-type attack has 90 base damage but can be increased to 135 base damage if the user is an Electric type thanks to STAB (Same Type Attack Bonus).
The downside to Wild Charge is the 25% recoil damage that's dealt to the user after hitting its target. This is a small price to pay in exchange for some decent type coverage, though. This damage can also be mitigated if the user has a self-healing move or an item at their disposal.
4 Nuzzle
Paralysis is one of five Status conditions in the game. A Pokémon inflicted with Paralysis has a 50% chance of skipping their turn, but it also lowers their Speed stat by 75%. Inflicting these two effects in one move is tremendous, and that's why Nuzzle is so strong.
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Inflicting a Status condition is based on chance, but hitting an opponent with Nuzzle will deal damage and inflict Paralysis, guaranteed. This can slow down any fast Pokémon and allow your team to catch up if you're behind. In case a Pokémon can't learn Nuzzle, then Thunder Wave is the next best thing, even though it has a 90 base accuracy and deals no damage.
3 Discharge
Discharge is a Special Attack with respectable 80 base damage, and while other Electric-type moves like Thunder and Thunderbolt will hit only one target, Discharge will hit every other Pokémon on the field. This includes allies in Double Battles.
Discharge can dish out incredible damage to entire teams if the user is also an Electric type, boosting its base damage to 120. Support moves like Electric Terrain and Charge will also increase its damage output, making this a nightmare in Double Battles. In order to avoid damaging your ally, make sure they're a Ground type or have an ability like Volt Absorb to nullify the damage completely. This will annihilate any Flying type or Water type in a rain team.
2 Volt Switch
Volt Switch is one of the most useful attacks that any Pokémon could ask for. This Special Attack has 70 base power, 100 accuracy, and allows the user to switch out of the battle for another Pokémon in your team. This move is amazing to use against any unsuspecting opponent.
What makes this move even better is that it has +1 Priority, which means even if your foe's Pokémon is faster than your Rotom, this move will still act first, making sure the switch happens before your enemy attacks. The optimal way to play this is to switch out your Pokémon for another than can withstand your opponent's next attack.
1 Thunderbolt
Anyone who has watched Pokémon knows Pikachu's signature move is Thunderbolt, and it's as effective in the game as it is in the anime. Thunderbolt has a menacing 90 base damage, 135 with STAB, a reliable 100 accuracy, and a 10% chance of causing Paralysis. Once a Pokémon learns Thunderbolt, it almost never leaves its move set.
Thunderbolt is by no means an exclusive move, as nearly any fully evolved Electric Pokémon can learn it. Pokémon with high Special Attack stats, like Gholdengo, Gardevoir, and Regieleki, will benefit the most from this move. Be prepared to see this in competitive play, as almost every team will have Pokémon armed with Thunderbolt. It's that popular.
Next: Pokemon Scarlet & Violet: Best Rock-Type Pokemon, Ranked
