Thanks in no small part to Pikachu, the Electric-type has managed to keep a sense of popularity and usefulness in the Pokemon franchise. Since most regions have a decent number of Water-type Pokemon, these thunderous creatures often prove themselves more than worthy of catching.
Each generation has its strengths and weaknesses, and it often manifests in the types of Pokemon it harbors. Even with the release of Pokemon Sword & Shield, there’s always an Electric-type Pokemon that most would consider the worst of the bunch.
8 Pincurchin (Galar)
Pincurchin drew the short end of the stick in the Galar region, and it’s pretty handily labeled worst Electric-type introduced in Pokemon Sword & Shield. The Sea Urchin Pokemon is native to such a beautifully diverse region, but it was competing against two incredibly cute and endearing Pokemon. The only two Pokemon as weak or weaker than Pincurchin were Yamper and Toxel — an Electric-type corgi with a heart-shaped patch of fur on its butt and a tiny demon baby, respectively.
7 Charjabug (Alola)
This is going to be something of a theme, but sometimes the worst part of something might be average in a different context. Charjabug is the middle stage of a two-stage evolution and its base stats are decent for what it is. It happens to be a part of the Alolan region featured in Pokemon Sun & Moon, which didn’t have many Electric-types. The moment someone’s Grubbin turns into a Charjabug at level 20, they can immediately have it evolve into a Vikavolt with the use of a Thunder Stone or by leveling it in a highly magnetic area.
6 Helioptile (Kalos)
The Generator Pokemon of the 6th, Helioptile, is an adorable little creature that happens to be a figurative and literal bright spot in such a lackluster generation. Pokemon X & Y in a vacuum aren’t terrible, but when compared to every other generation most fans consider it the low point of the series.
The reason Helioptile made this list is simply that the Kalos region has very few Pokemon, which means it doesn’t have more than a couple of Electric-types. It’s one of only three Electric-types in the region, with one of the other two being its final form.
5 Tynamo (Unova)
The Unova region is considered by many to be the best or second-best generation due to it introducing over 150 new Pokemon for the first time since the release of Pokemon Red & Blue. With that many new Pokemon being added, there were bound to be a few duds. Tynamo is an electrified eel that eventually evolves into one of the franchise’s uglier designs. As the base form in a two-stage evolutionary line, it’s meant to have bad stats. The issue is that it takes 39 levels for it to evolve, which is a big investment in a region full of new creatures.
4 Pachirisu (Sinnoh)
With each new generation, Pikachu is destined to receive a brand new clone of itself as The Pokemon Company pays homage to the franchise mascot. Pachirisu is nothing more than their 4th generation attempt at such a feat.
This Electric-type Pokemon doesn’t evolve from or into anything, and it doesn’t do anything that sets it apart in any meaningful way. It’s not even the best squirrel variant of Pikachu in the franchise, as Emolga has it beat in that regard.
3 Electrike (Hoenn)
Electrike is an Electric-type Pokemon from the Hoenn region and fans became familiar with the lightning canine in Pokemon Ruby & Sapphire. The final form it evolves into at level 26, named Manectric, has solid stats and is mostly known for its special attack and speed. Like most base forms of evolutionary lines, Electrike provides a glimpse at what it can become. For the sake of Pokemon ownership it also never hurts when a creature resembles a canine or feline in their design as that’s generally appealing to humans.
2 Pichu (Johto)
Fans of the hit Nintendo fighting game franchise Super Smash Bros. know just how weak Pichu is. It’s considered to be the weakest character in the game, which is impressive considering how large the roster has become in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. Thankfully for it, its horrific base stats mean nothing since it’s the baby version of the Pokemon that serves as the face of the entire franchise. It also doesn’t hurt that it looks like an alternate version of Pikachu. Pichu may not be good, but it certainly is sought after.
1 Voltorb (Kanto)
Truth be told, Voltorb doesn’t have the worst stats among Kanto native Electric-type Pokemon, but it does happen to have the least amount of potential or usefulness. It also doesn’t help that every time a trainer runs into one in the wild its go-to move is to explode. This causes the Voltorb to faint in exchange for dealing damage to the opposing Pokemon and making it impossible for the trainer to catch it. All in all, the thing Voltorb is most known for is looking like a Pokeball. Ironically, most trainers don’t try to put it inside of one.
NEXT: 10 Grass-Type Pokemon That Are Basically Plants
