Pokemon GO Alolan Raichu PvP and PvE guide: Best moveset, counters, and more

In Pokemon GO's upcoming Psychic Spectacular event on September 20-24, 2023, trainers can challenge and capture Alolan Raichu in 3-star raids. Due to this, trainers are curious to know whether this Psychic/Electric-type Pocket Monster has any utility in battles. Fortunately, Alolan Raichu is a solid combatant in Great League PvP and can also battle in low-stakes PvE environments.

Although it may not be the best choice for high-level raids or Ultra/Master League battles, it has its uses. If Pokemon GO players will use or face Alolan Raichu, knowing its best movesets and counters is a good idea.

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What moves can Alolan Raichu learn in Pokemon GO?

Alolan Raichu leans into its Psychic/Electric-typing in Pokemon GO (Image via The Pokemon Company)

Most of Alolan Raichu's learnable moves in Pokemon GO are either Electric- or Psychic-type, but it also has access to one Grass-type move. Overall, Alolan Raichu can learn three different Fast and four Charged Moves before heading into battle.

Alolan Raichu's Fast Moves

• Volt Switch
• Spark
• Thunder Shock

Alolan Raichu's Charged Moves

• Thunder Punch
• Wild Charge
• Grass Knot
• Psychic

It should be noted that Alolan Raichu's access to mostly Electric- and Psychic-type moves isn't exactly a bad thing. These attacks receive a Same Type Attack Bonus (STAB) since Raichu is a Psychic/Electric-type. This bonus improves the attacks' overall damage, though Grass Knot doesn't receive this buff since it's a Grass-type move.

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What is Alolan Raichu's best PvE moveset in Pokemon GO?

A new Friend just joined the adventure ✨️ Alolan Raichu (91%) byu/ThaRealMrRogers inpokemongo

In all fairness, Alolan Raichu isn't a powerful fighter in Pokemon GO PvE. Although Electric/Psychic-typing is compelling to a degree, it doesn't have the Defense and Stamina IVs to endure longer PvE engagements like 5/6-star raids. However, this Pokemon does have decent Attack IVs and can do a decent job in 1/3-star raids and gym attacks where opponents aren't too bulky.

In PvE, Alolan Raichu should focus on its Electric- and Psychic-type moves to deal bonus damage from STAB. However, certain Electric-type moves are better than others, so trainers will want to pick the best one for Alolan Raichu. Of all its Electric attacks, Volt Switch and Wild Charge offer the best combination of damage output and energy generation.

However, Pokemon GO players engaging in gym attacks/defense will want to re-tool Alolan Raichu's moveset accordingly. Thunder Shock and Wild Charge provide the raw firepower for gym assaults, while Volt Switch and Grass Knot offer the best defensive capabilities when this 'mon is placed in a gym.

Recommended PvE movesets

• Standard PvE Battles (Raids, Team GO Rocket Battles) - Volt Switch + Wild Charge
• Gym Attacking - Thunder Shock + Wild Charge
• Gym Defending - Volt Switch + Grass Knot

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What is Alolan Raichu's best PvP moveset in Pokemon GO?

Alolan Raichu requires extra type coverage to succeed in Pokemon GO PvP (Image via Niantic)

When any creature enters Pokemon GO PvP, it benefits from using moves of different types to counter the widest swath of opponents possible. Unfortunately, Alolan Raichu doesn't have the best elemental variance, so it'll need to lean into its Electric- and Psychic-type moves once again for the most part.

Be that as it may, it's also wise for trainers to pick up an extra Charged Move to help Alolan Raichu deal with more opponents. Thunder Punch should be a lock for its cheap energy cost, making it an excellent Electric-type attack. This leaves trainers with either Grass Knot or Psychic as their second Charged Move.

In this case, Psychic receives the benefit of receiving STAB for extra damage, but it's a costlier attack energy-wise compared to Grass Knot. Enemy PvP trainers will also expect Psychic more often since Alolan Raichu is an Electric/Psychic-type. However, both attacks deal the same amount of PvP damage.

At the end of the day, trainers can't go wrong with either move as their second Charged Move. The final decision should come down to what kind of opponents trainers see in the PvP arena. Otherwise, Psychic wins out as the higher-damage option despite being more expensive energy-wise, but only by five points.

Recommended PvP movesets

• Volt Switch + Thunder Punch + Psychic
• Volt Switch + Thunder Punch + Grass Knot

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What are the best counters to beat Alolan Raichu in Pokemon GO?

A capable Ground-type like Garchomp can handle Alolan Raichu effectively in Pokemon GO (Image via Niantic)

As an Electric/Psychic-type species, Alolan Raichu will take super effective damage from Bug, Dark, Ground, and Ghost-type moves. This makes Pocket Monsters of those types natural fits to counter Alolan Raichu, as they'll trigger STAB by using attacks that match their elemental type.

Fortunately, Alolan Raichu isn't durable enough to withstand sustained super-effective damage. To beat this Pokemon quickly, trainers can use the following Pocket Monsters to battle it:

• Groudon
• Giratina
• Garchomp
• Hydreigon
• Landorus
• Mamoswine
• Excadrill
• Rhyperior
• Tyranitar
• Gholdengo
• Darkrai
• Krookodile
• Chandelure
• Pheromosa
• Volcarona
• Hoopa
• Zarude
• Gengar

As long as players take advantage of Alolan Raichu's elemental weaknesses, it should be easy to topple in just about any situation. Even when it gains shields in PvP or boosted health and CP as a raid boss, this variant of Raichu simply doesn't have the durability to be countered for long.