One of the original 151 Pokemon of generation one from the Pokemon Red, Blue and Green games, Electrode is your monotypic electric Pokemon. It evolves from Voltorb and is not known to evolve into any other Pokemon. In terms of design, it resembles an upside down Pokeball but is fairly larger than Voltorb’s more spot on appearance. Electrode’s role in the game is very similar to that of a bomb which makes it more like a trap than a Pokemon. This guide will showcase Electrode’s appearances in the anime, its capabilities in battle, as well as other general facts about Electrode.
About Electrode
As a generation one Pokemon, Electrode made its first appearance in the original series with the episode The Underground Round Up. Its roles in the anime are very similar to the ones in the game, in that it likes to explode. Many trainers and players of the game mistake Electrode for an item and end up triggering its explosive capabilities. A lot of depictions of Electrode show it powering generators or power plants (or stealing the electricity) and it appears in the games at these locations as well. Electrode evolved from Voltorb and its design remains its typical Pokeball appearance.
| First appearance in anime | Pokemon Original Series The Underground Round Up |
| First appearance in game | Red/Green (Japan) Red/Blue (International) |
| Region | Kanto |
| Evolution | Evolves from Voltorb, not known to evolve into any other Pokemon |
| 1st Evo level | 30 |
| 2nd Evo level | N/A |
| Pokedex Entry | Stores electrical energy inside its body. Even the slightest shock could trigger a huge explosion. |
Electrode Base Stats
(Generation 1 - Generation 6)
| HP | 60 |
| ATTACK | 50 |
| DEFENCE | 70 |
| SP. ATTACK | 80 |
| SP. DEFENCE | 80 |
| SPEED | 140 |
| TOTAL | 480 |
(Generation 7+)
| HP | 60 |
| ATTACK | 50 |
| DEFENCE | 70 |
| SP. ATTACK | 80 |
| SP. DEFENCE | 080 |
| SPEED | 150 |
| TOTAL | 490 |
Appearance
Electrode looks like an upside-down Pokeball. It is almost always depicted with a snarky grin and its use in battle typically ends with an explosive bang. The underside of Electrode is red with the top half being white. It is almost always depicted as right side up with that probably to prevent many from confusing it with, its pre-evolution, Voltorb.
Behavior
Electrode is known as the “Bomb Ball” and the Pokedex labels it as the ball Pokemon. Both are apt descriptions of Electrode given its explosive capabilities and Pokeball-like appearance. The Pokedex states that it is capable of storing large amounts of energy and exploding with little or no provocation. In fact, it is known to explode simply for amusement rather than any other reason. As such it is typically a danger to power plants where players will often encounter this explosive Pokemon.
Strengths and Weaknesses
Electrode is incredibly fast but beyond that, none of its other stats are worth mentioning. This speed makes it a problem to encounter as it will likely use the move Explosion or Self-Destruct to deal large amounts of damage to Pokemon in your party. Even without a high special attack or physical attack stat, this Pokemon poses a threat to the health of your party due to its explosive nature. As a monotype electric Pokemon, it is only weak to ground type moves and thus capable of resisting flying, electric, or steel type moves at ease.
Best Moveset
Since most competitive battling formats do not allow Self-Destruct type moves in battle, Electrode has to fulfill a different niche. As a very fast Pokemon, it is typically used as a disabler or a special attacker. Using a Life Orb or Choice Specs, as a held item, can help make it a threat but it will rarely One-Hit KO your opponent’s Pokemon. For a decent moveset, consider running Thunderbolt, Thunder Wave, Hidden Power Grass/Ice, and Taunt for your Electrode. Of course if the format allows it, run Explosion as a last resort to at least one for one with your opponent. Thunderbolt will typically act as Electrode’s primary source of damage, Thunder Wave can support your team by disabling opposing Pokemon, Hidden Power Grass/Ice exists as a type coverage option and Taunt/Explosion will allow your Electrode to support your team more easily.
| Thunderbolt | Thunder Wave |
| Hidden Power Grass/Ice | Taunt/Explosion |
How to Catch Electrode in Pokemon Go
If you want to obtain an Electrode in Pokemon Go, the easiest way to go about it is to capture a Voltorb and eventually evolve it into Electrode. Of course Electrode can spawn in the wild but it is far more likely that you’ll find a Voltorb. Just like in the mainline games, you can find Voltorbs or Electrodes in commercial areas, industrial parks, or college campuses. Essentially effectively anywhere where there is a large amount of electricity generated and Electrode is also a tier two raid boss in Pokemon Gyms, so keep an eye out. It will cost 50 Voltorb candies in order to evolve into Electrode.
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Trivia
- Electrode functions as a unique take on mimics, popular RPG enemies that resemble chests but exist as a trap for unsuspecting players.
- The name Electrode is a portmanteau of the words electric and node.
FAQ
Is Electrode a Good Pokemon?
It is particularly fast but unfortunately Electrode’s only impact is typically through Self-Destruct or Explosion. This will almost always result in a one for one trade but if you want to accomplish more with your Electrode, you will need to reserve it as a status inflicting Pokemon. It can fulfill this role but there are many better choices and thus that leaves Electrode in a bit of a limbo in terms of its usability.
Is Electrode better than Voltorb?
As the evolution of Voltorb, Electrode has higher base stats and, more importantly, is much faster than Voltorb. If your goal is to trade one for one with your opponent then having a much higher speed stat is relevant to this strategy. Furthermore, the additional stats provided by Electrode makes it a much better option than Voltorb empirically.
Who does Electrode evolve into?
Electrode is not known to evolve into any other Pokemon. It is the final evolution of Voltorb and thus does not evolve further as there are just two Pokemon in this evolution chain. Furthermore, the design would be rather challenging as it would need to maintain its Pokeball appearance while still being distinguishable from the other two in the evolution line.
Conclusion
Congratulations, you now know just about everything there is to know about this ball Pokemon. While Electrode’s role in the games, and in media, is typically limited to its explosive capabilities, it is a rather memorable Pokemon. All items in Pokemon games are depicted as small Pokeballs on the ground, and interacting with one and suddenly entering battle makes you think twice about picking one up. Even the lore implications around Electrode’s existence is rather interesting. This generation one Pokemon is difficult to forget and will likely remain in the minds of trainers throughout the franchise’s future.
