Pokémon Players Argue for Raichu Buffs 26 Years After Introduction

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Some Pokémon players are now arguing for Raichu to receive a stat buff — 26 years after its debut. As the evolved form of series mascot Pikachu, the mouse Pokémon enjoys a healthy level of popularity with appearances in almost every Pokémon game to date, as well as featuring in the anime, movies, and more.

Behind every Pokémon is a set of random stats that dictate its capabilities in battle. Values for HP, Attack, Speed, and the like can be raised by leveling up, consuming certain items, and through EV training. EV training provides a small bonus to raising certain Pokémon stats after defeating a pocket monster, with each Pokémon species being related to a specific stat. Furthermore, each Pokémon has a cap on the total number of stat points it can have, which is again determined by species. In this sense, it can be argued that some Pokémon are inherently better than others, at least in battle. As such, it is important for any serious Trainer to maintain a decent understanding of Pokémon's stat mechanics.

Related: Pokémon: Why You Don’t Want Multiple Pikachu On Your Team

Raichu currently has a stat total of 485, which can be considered a little underwhelming when compared to the franchise's Starter Pokémon, whose final forms typically have stat totals falling between 525 (like Venusaur) and 534 (Charizard). The vast majority have 530 stat points, and this is the number that Reddit user diegomenagin14 argues that Raichu should have as well, stating that the pocket monster deserves a buff (via Dexerto). They note: "Given how important it is I think [Raichu] should have the stat total of a starter Pokémon," pointing out that the evolutions of Eevee already share similar stat totals. Eevee and Pikachu are both Starter Pokémon