Thunder Wave

Type

Electric

Category

status

Power

—

Accuracy

90

PP

20

Priority

0

Target

adjacent

Contact

No

Spread

No

Protect blocks

Yes

Wide Guard blocks

No

Persistent speed control and disruption; blocked by Ground types and Electric Terrain (grounded).

Thunder Wave is a Electric-type status move. It targets a single adjacent target and has 20 PP. Paralyzes the target, halving its Speed and risking full paralysis.

Persistent speed control and disruption; blocked by Ground types and Electric Terrain (grounded).

Consider Thunder Wave when your team needs the utility it provides rather than direct damage. Status moves define speed control, redirection, protection and disruption in VGC. Its value depends on whether your team can exploit the turns it creates. Check your team composition for Pokémon that benefit from the positioning or tempo it generates.

In team building, Thunder Wave competes with other support and disruption options for a limited number of moveslots. Ask whether your team has enough offense to justify a utility move, and whether you have the speed or bulk to use it safely. Many successful teams run one or two status moves that enable the rest of the roster, so treat it as part of your overall gameplan rather than an afterthought.

Common mistakes with Thunder Wave include: Using it without a clear plan for the turns it creates. Forgetting that Protect and Detect can block it, wasting a key turn. Not considering how redirectors like Follow Me and Rage Powder change targeting.

Protect and Detect block this move. These interactions are situational, so test them in the team builder and matchup analyzer before committing to the moveslot.

Use the tools below to test Thunder Wave in a full team context and compare it with alternative options.

• Protect / Detect: blocks this move.
• Wide Guard: does not block this move.
• Follow Me / Rage Powder: spread moves are not redirected.
• Quick Guard: no effect (non-priority).