Is Manectric good for PvP in Pokemon GO? (January 2023)

Pokemon GO trainers are extremely excited about the new Electric Cup competition. It is a limited format, so a few special rules differentiate this tournament from open formats like the Great League, Ultra League, and Master League. The upper limit for competitive points in this is 1,500 CP, equal to the Great League limit.

As the title of this competition suggests, only the use of Electric-type Pocket Monsters is allowed in your teams. There are also four outright bans to consider, as you're not allowed to field Stunfisk, Charjabug, Heliolisk, and Vikavolt. Considering this, players have been curious about the specific electric-type fighter, i.e., Manectric, and its use in PvP battles.

The Pokemon is quite famous in the community due to the September update that promoted low energy costs and debuff utility. Below is everything you need to know.

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Manectric and its use in Pokemon GO PvP battles

Participating in Pokemon GO PvP battles allows players to test their skills. One of the Pocket Monsters that trainers often wonder about is Manectric, an Electric-type Pokemon originally found in the Hoenn region (Gen 3). It is a quadruped monster famous for speed, agility, and powerful electrical attacks. As a staple of the Pokemon franchise for years, its popularity has widely increased with the fame of Pokemon GO.

Pokemon's viability in PvP battles greatly depends on factors including its stats, moveset, and metagame. The mono electric-type monster Manectric boasts a decent stat spread and is known for its huge damage-dealing abilities. It has a maximum Pokemon GO CP of 2646, with 215 Attacking, 127 Defense, and 172 Stamina stats. The lackluster aspect is its defensive capability, which is visible through the stats.

Manectric is only weak against Ground-type moves, which is an advantage for type-battles. It can only resist three types of moves in Pokemon GO, i.e., Electric, Flying, and Steel-type.

With powerful moves like Wild Charge that possess great damaging capabilities and the addition of Psych Fangs after the September 2022 update, Manectric has greatly benefited. This is not because they have strong Charge Moves but rather due to their low energy requirements and debuff ability.

The Charge Move Overheat provides much more serious damage than Flame Burst and offers coverage in case of resistance to electric-type attacks.

However, using Wild Charge and Overheat together makes Manectric extremely vulnerable due to their self-debuffs. This is also why the addition of Psych Fangs is celebrated in Pokemon GO.

The Fast Move Snarl generates high energy, allowing Manectric to use its charge moves more quickly. Another Pokemon GO fast move, Charge Beam, can be used if extra STAB damage and Electric-type coverage are required, but it is more situational.

The final Fast Move Thunder Fang offers a different playstyle centered on damage output but is used less often in the game.

In terms of the metagame, Manectric still lacks many angles from other similar type fighters, such as Galarian Stunfisk and Jolteon.

The mono electric-type Jolteon has higher stats overall, while Galarian Stunfisk also has a unique type, making it more powerful and versatile. Therefore, Manectric may not be the optimal pick for every scenario, but it remains a possible option for players to play with.