The only Pikachu build Pikachu - Kristoff

Guide

Edit: Focus band in place of Energy Amp is arguably a better build at this point to help provide an ounce of survivability. Pikachu's Ult also charges crazy fast regardless of Energy Amp. Amp essentially only gets you one extra Ult in maybe half your games. I personally just notice a consistent overall damage increase using Amp but it can be argued as irrelevant considering the match/team or even your playstyle. Amp rewards active participation in engagements, whereas focus band is better suited for more cautious/calculated playstyle.


I usually go top lane but works in any lane. Not the best Jungler but you can make it work.

Reason I'm putting this build up, is because I see nothing but Sp. Atk. Builds for Pikachu and I've messed with all of them and then instantly see my dmg. Double with this build. Sp. Atk. Just doesn't do it for Pikachu, at least in solo queue.

Overall strategy is hope you don't have another attacker as a lane partner, then be aggressive but keep max distance early. Pikachu has a great power spike around level 4 or 5, especially if you have a level advantage. You can use this to lock down your lane early and buy yourself ample time to help kill dreadmaw.

Usually I keep an eye on dreadmaw, if bottom is steamrolling I stay top. Pikachu has terrible auto attack so it's really usually a bad idea to try and solo Rotom, so I usually just farm and push top lane and try to get ult asap if I don't need to help bottom. That way I'm in prime position to gank enemy if they engage Rotom.

Keep up your farm, try to only engage with teammates and always be running away from the enemy. Getting yourself out of position usually leads to a gank unless you blow your ULT.

Get to level 13 before Zapdos and try to have your ult ready. Hope your team engages together and try to be the last one to engage. Use your combo and finish up with ULT. Score and gg.

I usually get 80k-120k with this build and don't have nearly the same amount of success running any combination of sp. Atk. Items.

EDIT: Should be pointed out that current meta is to run 3 bottom 1 top. So Pikachu is higher tiers is usually played Bottom. Hovering right around 2k in rank, I rarely ever see this meta played out however, but it should be pointed out that Pikachu does really well bottom as well. Key thing with Pikachu is just keeping yourself out of bad situations since he's so easily burst down. Little things like not blowing your ult before Tsareena will make the difference between a good Pikachu and a bad one. Also Gengar's latest buff and rise in popularity is a big hit to Pikachu. So be very careful facing off against an enemy Gengar.