Pichu

It joins its tail with another Pichu’s and withstands the spark that jumps between them. Pokédex entries describe this game as a test of courage, and it is practically the only thing that makes it resemble training. It still has not mastered storing electricity, so it releases it when frightened, when it feels a strong emotion, or when it is simply playing with others: sparks fly in every direction until Pichu itself squeals, frightened by the mess it has made.

These involuntary discharges take their toll. One entry warns that, if its Trainer is careless, Pichu can end up paralyzed by its own electricity. It charges more easily on overcast days or when the air is very dry, and while standing still you can hear the static crackling from its body.

It is 30 centimeters tall, weighs 2 kilograms, and is listed as the Mouse Pokémon. Wild specimens often carry an Oran Berry.

It occupies stage zero in its evolutionary line: it does not come from anything before it, evolves into Pikachu through friendship, and then into Raichu with a Thunder Stone. It arrived in Generation II, as part of the group of baby Pokémon that debuted alongside the Egg system.

205 base stat points, distributed in the worst possible way. Its 15 Defense alongside 20 HP means that any neutral physical hit knocks it out, and its 35 Special Defense does not hold up to much either. The only respectable numbers are 60 Speed, decent for a baby Pokémon, and 40 Attack, which is only slightly higher than its 35 Special Attack even though almost all of its Electric-type repertoire is special: Thunderbolt at 90, Thunder at 110, and Electro Ball.

Static paralyzes on the slightest contact, punishing anyone who takes it down with punches, although to do that you have to let yourself be hit with 15 Defense. Lightning Rod, its Hidden Ability, draws in Electric-type moves, nullifies them, and raises its Special Attack. In Double Battles, that redirection has a real use; the problem is that a sturdier partner can do the same thing without dying to the first spread move.

Nasty Plot, at level 16, doubles its Special Attack. Doubling 35 still leaves a poor number. As a pure Electric type, it only fears Ground, and against a Ground type it has nothing to do except use Grass Knot, which punishes heavy opponents.

It is not a competitive Pokémon, and there is no way to disguise that: its function is to evolve. Where it does perform is in a normal playthrough and at low levels, with Nuzzle (level 12, power 20) to paralyze something faster without fail, or Thunder Wave for the same purpose from farther away. It yields 1 Speed effort point and only 41 base experience, so it is not even worthwhile as a training dummy.

Its Egg Group is Undiscovered, so it cannot breed: it is obtained by breeding Pikachu or Raichu, and the egg always hatches into the baby. The 10 incubation cycles equal about 2805 steps, making it one of the quickest eggs to hatch. The sex ratio is even, half male and half female.

The egg can produce moves it cannot learn in any other way: Wish, Tickle, Present, Fake Out, Flail, Charge, and Disarming Voice. Wish is the only one with any real mileage, because it heals on the following turn and works both for Pichu and for the Pokémon switching in. If one of the parents is holding a Light Ball (Light Ball), Pichu is also born knowing Volt Tackle, a mechanic added in Generation III.

It evolves when it gains any level with a friendship value of 220 or higher. It starts at 70, leaving a difference of 150 points to cover by walking with it, using it in battle, and preventing it from fainting; no item or stone shortens the journey. It grows at a medium pace, without the penalties of the slow growth tables.

Its habitat is the forest. Its catch rate, 190, puts it among the easy ones: a regular Poké Ball is almost always enough, and at a low level with 20 HP there is a risk of knocking it out before throwing one.