Pikachu is like the mascot of the Pokemon series and is probably the most well-known Pokemon of all time. We can attribute that to the anime series, as Pikachu has always been Ash’s partner in crime.
That being said, Pikachu is a good and cute Pokemon, and we’re tackling the topic of what level does Pikachu evolve if you want it to become a Raichu.
For the most experienced Pokemon gamers, this question is quite easier to answer, especially if they also watched the anime series.
However, it’s not the same case with the new players, who didn’t grow up playing the earliest generations of Pokemon games.
Other related topics
- What Level Does Eevee Evolve?
- What Level Does Ghastly Evolve?
- What Level Does Magikarp Evolve?
- When Does Noibat Evolve?
Editor’s Update (September 2024): Pikachu remains one of the most notable Pokemon of the franchise. The method of evolving a Pikachu never changed, even with the release of Generation 9 Pokemon.
Table of Contents
Things To Know About Pikachu
Pikachu in Pokemon Games
Before we get to the point as to what level does Pikachu evolves, we have to talk abouit our little mouse friend first
Pikachu is an Electric-type Pokemon that was added in the very first batch of Pokemon ever released, Gen 1.
Based on its stats, Speed is Pikachu’s specialty, as well as high Sp. Attack. Its initial form is Pichu, and Pikachu can later evolve into a Raichu.
Pikachu is also one of the few Pokemon with a Gigantamax Form and special versions that don’t add anything, but they’re cute and provides variety to this fan-favorite Pokemon.
What Level Does Pikachu Evolve?
This is what you’re waiting for, and the answer to that question is that Pikachu doesn’t evolve by leveling up.
To evolve Pikachu, all you need to do is use a Thunder Stone. This means that regardless of whether the Pikachu is level 1 or 100, it will evolve right away if you use a Thunder Stone on it.
If you use a Thunder Stone to a Pikachu outside Alola, it will turn into the usual variant of Raichu. However, if you used the same stone to a Pikachu in the Alola region, that Pokemon will evolve into an Alolan variant of Raichu,
The Alolan Raichu is still Electric but has a secondary type, which is Psychic. Both Raichus still excel in Speed and Sp. Atk should you evolve them.
When to Evolve a Pikachu?
Just because you can evolve a Pikachu at any level doesn’t mean that you should. There is a glaring problem if you evolve your Pikachu at a low level. That problem is that a Raichu does not learn any moves upon leveling up.
If you breed a Raichu, it will have its set of moves, but regardless of what level, Raichu doesn’t learn anything. A Raichu can be taught TM moves if you want to.
An ideal level when you should evolve your Pikachu is around level 30 or more. That’s because Pikachu learns a lot of powerful moves.
You might want to take a look at the Pikachu’s to learn set because different Generations and games have different moves for a Pikachu.
If you find a move that you want to learn, then learn it and then evolve your Pikachu using that Thunder Stone.
In Closing
Now that you know when you can evolve Pikachu, the next step is to get the Thunderstone if you want it to evolve into Raichu. Pikachu is still somewhat a strong Pokemon.
A lot of people play it because it has some value when it comes to their overall Pokemon team.
That’s given if the Pikachu is available in the game. Keep in mind these critters have some of the lowest encounter rates in the game.
In some games, the only way to get a Pikachu is by trading them or evolving a Pichu, and even getting a Pichu is hard.
It’s up to you if you want to use a Pikachu, especially if there are other alternatives.
