In the world of Pokémon, many of the technological advancements have come with the aid of Electric-type Pokémon who help power all of it. Outside of Pikachu, the mascot of the franchise, Electric-types often get overlooked in favor of the Water and Fire-types of the world. It may be interesting to look at which Pokémon is the best Electric-type throughout the generations, excluding legendary and mythical Pokémon to make it more interesting. Let’s now take a look at and rank the best Electric-type Pokémon from every generation up to Pokémon Sword & Shield.
8 Toxtricity (Gen 8)
Though rock music as a genre has been severely limited in the last 2 decades, there’s still an insatiable love for it to this day. Toxtricity brings that energy to the 8th generation of games taking place in the Galar region. On top of evolving from an adorable base form, Toxtricity manages to exude a personality that quickly asserted it as a fan favorite. It has an ability called Punk Rock that amplifies the power of its sound-based moves, and if that wasn’t enough its hidden ability, Technician, powers up its weaker moves.
7 Vikavolt (Gen 7)
Vikavolt, otherwise known as the Stag Beetle Pokémon, is an electrified bug that measures in at over 4 ft. and calls the Alolan Islands of the 7th generation of games home. The odd thing about Vikavolt is that in the lore it’s talked about possessing extreme speed, but when looking at its base stats it has really poor speed.
Its real strength is in its special attack, which is great considering its a partial Electric-type. The pairing of Bug and Electric-types isn’t wholly unique, but it is a neat combination to see explored in a variety of designs.
6 Helioptile (Gen 6)
Is Helioptile strong or intimidating in battle? Well, no, not particularly. With that answer, you must be wondering how it makes the list as the best Electric-type of the 6th generation of games. The truth is that best is a loose term with no real definition, which means the Pokémon merely has to be top of the class in some respect. Helioptile is not only one of the cutest Pokémon in the entire Kalos region, but it’s up there when looking specifically at Electric-typed Pokémon. Reptiles aren’t supposed to register like scale-covered puppies, but Helioptile breaks the mold.
5 Galvantula (Gen 5)
Vikavolt was talked about earlier on the list, but it wasn’t the only Bug and Electric dual-type that made the list. The shockingly large tarantula from the Unova region is an easy choice as the best Electric-type of the 5th generation.
It has alarming reliable accuracy thanks to its ability called Compound Eyes which pairs well with its hidden ability that powers up Bug-type moves called Swarm. Trainers who lead with a paralyzing Electric-type move and follow that up with a strong Bug-type special attack are set for success.
4 Magnezone (Gen 4)
When looking at which Electric-type Pokémon reigned supreme in the 4th generation of games the choice came down to Magnezone and Electivire. Magnezone slightly edges the competition due to it having a higher special attack base stat, which is rather important for an Electric-typed Pokémon. Its speed stat leaves a lot to be desired, but when you factor in its hidden ability called Analytic that boosts move power when Magnezone moves last, it makes it a formidable and tanky Electric-type Pokémon.
3 Manectric (Gen 3)
The 3rd generation of Pokémon games, those being Pokémon Ruby & Sapphire, had a roster that was pretty barren when it came to Electric-types. The clear standout is Manectric, the Discharge Pokémon, that happens to look like it’s dressed up as a member of an ’80s pop band. On top of having both solid speed and special attack base stats, it also happens to be one of the few Pokémon whose shiny form is better than its normal design. On top of that, it looks to be in the canine family and you can never go wrong as a trainer when you add a dog-inspired Pokémon to your roster.
2 Ampharos (Gen 2)
Ampharos is a Pokémon that often gets overlooked or forgotten about. It isn’t an indictment on its battle prowess or competency, but rather the fact that it’s the final evolution of the sheep-inspired Pokémon Mareep. They look so unalike that fans often forget that they’re part of the same evolutionary line.
Ampharos comes with the ability Static which makes it so any Pokémon that touches it has a chance of getting paralyzed. Now if you pair that with its solid special attack and special defense, you’re looking at a solid partner who can overcome its lack of speed.
1 Pikachu (Gen 1)
With legendary Pokémon out of the picture, it’s pretty clear that Pikachu is the best Electric-type in the first generation of games. Not only is it the mascot of the entire franchise, but the anime has shown that special connections supersede statistics in the world of Pokémon. It says a lot about a Pokémon when people need to be convinced to evolve its base form. Normally people are gearing to get their creatures to their most powerful form, but with Pikachu, most people want to follow in Ash Ketchum’s footsteps and keep their Pikachu a Pikachu.
NEXT: Pokémon: The Best Psychic-Type Pokémon From Every Generation, Ranked
