The Electric-type in Pokémon always seems a tad underrated. Despite being the typing of its series’ mascot, Pikachu, Electric-types are hardly the first type most trainers would think to select. Water, Fire, and Grass overshadow the Electric-type due to their association with starter Pokémon. This leaves Electric-types feeling like a bit forgotten of the major types, despite having instantly recognizable designs.
The Electric-type is also very strange in how it handles the concept of electricity. It’s incredible that a force so dangerous and uncontrollable is able to be harnessed by anything from sheep to beetles to even some fish. However, this confusion leads to a number of questions about these Pokémon. This list will serve to ask the electrifying questions trainers have about this iconic type.
10 Shouldn’t Electric-Types Be More Dangerous?
One of the running gags in the early seasons of the Pokémon anime is that Ash Ketchum is constantly getting fried and electrified by his partner, Pikachu. This is supposed to be a cute way of viewing their mutual friendship and understanding of each other. Pikachu sparks Team Rocket countless times, as well. Electricity is incredibly dangerous and deadly, yet it seems like both Pokémon and humans can take electric attacks with ease. It, and the similarly dangerous Fire-type, shouldn’t be so easy to brush off.
9 Are Electric-Types Really Electric?
Following up on the previous question, it might be easier to find that Electric-types use a different kind of electricity than what people do. Electric-types use electricity that has similar properties but is clearly not as dangerous. Sure, Pikachu can power electrical devices, but it also isn’t nearly as threatening as a true ball of lightning. Considering such dangerous weather exists in the Pokémon universe, it is hard to tell if Electric-types are really electric or just using a similar type of energy.
8 How Do Electric-Types Create Electricity?
Electricity is a force that has to be created. The one commonality between Electric-types is that they all have the ability to become a generator, which allows them to create electricity. They’re self-sufficient and can generate powerful electric shocks in an instant. How do these Pokémon create electricity? For example, Pikachu stores electricity in the pouches on its cheeks, but how does it create that electricity? There doesn’t seem to be a clear process for it.
7 Can Electric-Types Generate Infinite Energy?
The obvious response to this questions is: no. Of course not, just look at Pikachu. There’s plenty of evidence that it can and will run out of juice after a while. It can also get overloaded and store too much electricity.
However, compare that to Rotom. Rotom is apparently powerful enough to provide seemingly infinite energy into the Rotom Phone used in Pokémon Sword and Shield. If Rotom can do it, surely other Electric-types in the right scenario could as well.
6 What Exactly Is Electric Terrain?
Electric Terrain is an incredibly useful status move, with the ability to shape whole team compositions around its usage. According to the move’s description, the user electrifies the ground under everyone’s feet. This also visibly changes the atmosphere of the battle. The effect is temporary, however, and can be extended through the Terrain Extender. So, how is this effect really created? All it seems to do is ramp up the static in the air to the maximum. How can any non-Electric Pokémon even operate in that kind of environment? It’s just another thing that should be more dangerous than it is.
5 Why Do Only Some Electric-Types Have Static?
Static is an ability that has a chance of inflicting paralysis on an enemy using a contact move like Tackle. Considering how much electricity Electric-types have to have built up during battle, they should all have Static as an ability. However, they don’t, only a select few have the ability. And while it would make sense that creatures with fur would have static, Voltorb and Stunfisk also have Static as an ability. It isn’t consistent and doesn’t make a whole lot of sense.
4 How Do Dragons Resist Electricity?
This is where it's time to really step into Pokémon “logic,” as obviously there’s no real-life parallel to the Dragon-type aside from just regular old lizards. This could be seen as more of a Dragon-type question, but it should still be asked: why they can resist powerful electric attacks? Where in the biology of a Dragon-type would it make them less susceptible to electrocution? It seems like the electricity of an Electric-type is just a lie.
3 What Is So Strange About “Thunder Armor”?
For lovers of the absurd rules of the Pokémon anime, many are probably familiar with “using Thunder as armor”. In the battle against Tate and Liza, Ash uses his intergalactic brain to cloak Pikachu and Swellow in pure electrical power, breaking through their opponents’ defenses and turning the tide of the battle.
This seems ridiculous, but that’s under the assumption that Pokémon electricity works like we understand it. In reality, there’s nothing really weird about Thunder Armor, other than it being funny to joke about.
2 What Exactly Are Magnemite and Voltorb?
Electric-types, compared to other types, are surprisingly consistent in terms of design. There aren’t too many designs that look out of place, and their colors are for the most part consistent. It’s relatively easy to spot an Electric-type. Which makes the Gen 1 Pokémon Magnemite and Voltorb even more of a mystery. Voltorb, even in Pokédex entries, has a mysterious existence that only appeared once Poké Balls were creates. On the other hand, Magnemite is shown to be thousands of years old despite a modern design. They completely stand out despite being some of the first Electric-types, and it’s just weird.
1 What Is The Purpose of Fan Rotom?
There’s one question to ask when looking at the existence of Fan Rotom: why? This Pokémon is an Electric/Flying type, which negates the weakness to Ground, but adds all of Flying’s weaknesses. On top of that, its Levitate ability is literally useless since it’s already Flying. Trainers can even give it an Air Balloon to make it more useless. What does Rotom gain from possessing a fan? It doesn’t become a better fighter, and it doesn’t become stronger defensively either. It can’t even make delicious food in two minutes or less. It’s just a Jokemon.