Lightning Rod (Ability)

Lightning Rod	ひらいしん
	Lightning Rod
Flavor text Generation III Draws electrical moves. Generation IV The Pokémon draws in all Electric-type moves. Generation V Draws in all Electric-type moves to up Sp. Attack. Generation VI Draws in all Electric-type moves to boost its Sp. Atk stat. Generation VII The Pokémon draws in all Electric-type moves. Instead of being hit by Electric-type moves, it boosts its Sp. Atk. Generation VIII The Pokémon draws in all Electric-type moves. Instead of being hit by Electric-type moves, it boosts its Sp. Atk. Generation IX Currently unknown

Lightning Rod (Japanese: ひらいしん Lightning Rod), formatted as Lightningrod prior to Pokémon X and Y, is an Ability introduced in Generation III.

Effect

In battle

Generation III

Lightningrod forces all single-target Electric-type moves used by foes to target the Pokémon with this Ability. Electric-type moves used by foes will never miss the Pokémon with this Ability, unless it is in the semi-invulnerable turn of a move such as Dig or Fly (Thunder will never miss it if it is in the semi-invulnerable turn of Fly or Bounce).

Lightningrod cannot redirect Electric-type Hidden Power.

If another Pokémon becomes the center of attention, Electric-type moves will be directed to it instead of the Pokémon with Lightningrod.

Generation IV

Lightningrod now also forces all single-target Electric-type moves used by allies to target the Pokémon with this Ability. Electric-type moves used by allies will now never miss the Pokémon with this Ability, unless it is in the semi-invulnerable turn of a move such as Dig or Fly (Thunder will never miss a Pokémon in the semi-invulnerable turn of Fly or Bounce).

Lightningrod cannot redirect Electric-type Judgment or Natural Gift.

Generations V and VI

Along with its previous effects, Lightning Rod also gives the Pokémon immunity to all Electric-type moves, and raises the Pokémon's Special Attack by one stage whenever it is hit by an Electric-type move. Electric-type multi-strike moves (such as multi-strike moves affected by Electrify or Electric-type moves affected by Parental Bond) will only activate this effect once. If the Pokémon is protected from the move or immune to the move due to being Ground-type, its Special Attack will not increase.

Lightning Rod can now redirect Electric-type Hidden Power, Judgment, and Natural Gift.

If a Pokémon with Lightning Rod is holding a Cell Battery, Lightning Rod absorbs the move, so the Cell Battery's effect is not triggered.

In Triple Battles, Lightning Rod cannot redirect Electric-type moves if the Pokémon is out of range.

Generation VII onward

Even if the Pokémon would be immune to the move due to being Ground-type, Lightning Rod activates and boosts the Pokémon's Special Attack.

The Abilities Propeller Tail and Stalwart bypass the targeting effect of Lightning Rod but not the Electric-type immunity.

Outside of battle

In Pokémon Emerald, Trainers registered with the PokéNav's Match Call function will call twice as often if a Pokémon with Lightningrod is in the first place in the party (even if fainted).

In Pokémon Sword and Shield and Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, if a Pokémon with Lightning Rod is in the first place in the party, there is a 50% chance the game will force an encounter with an Electric-type Pokémon, if one is possible. It shares this effect with Static.

Pokémon with Lightning Rod

#	Pokémon		Types		First Ability	Second Ability	Hidden Ability
0025		Pikachu	Electric		Electric	Static	None	Lightning Rod
025Co	Pikachu	Pikachu	Electric		Electric	Lightning Rod	None	None
0026		Raichu	Electric		Electric	Static	None	Lightning Rod
0104		Cubone	Ground		Ground	Rock Head	Lightning Rod	Battle Armor
0105		Marowak	Ground		Ground	Rock Head	Lightning Rod	Battle Armor
105A	Marowak	Marowak	Fire	Ghost	Cursed Body	Lightning Rod	Rock Head
0111		Rhyhorn	Ground	Rock	Lightning Rod	Rock Head	Reckless
0112		Rhydon	Ground	Rock	Lightning Rod	Rock Head	Reckless
0118		Goldeen	Water		Water	Swift Swim	Water Veil	Lightning Rod
0119		Seaking	Water		Water	Swift Swim	Water Veil	Lightning Rod
0172		Pichu	Electric		Electric	Static	None	Lightning Rod
254M	Sceptile	Sceptile	Grass	Dragon	Lightning Rod	None	None
0309		Electrike	Electric		Electric	Static	Lightning Rod	Minus
0310		Manectric	Electric		Electric	Static	Lightning Rod	Minus
0311		Plusle	Electric		Electric	Plus	None	Lightning Rod
0464		Rhyperior	Ground	Rock	Lightning Rod	Solid Rock	Reckless
0522		Blitzle	Electric		Electric	Lightning Rod	Motor Drive	Sap Sipper
0523		Zebstrika	Electric		Electric	Lightning Rod	Motor Drive	Sap Sipper
0777		Togedemaru	Electric	Steel	Iron Barbs	Lightning Rod	Sturdy
0871		Pincurchin	Electric		Electric	Lightning Rod	None	Electric Surge
Please note that Abilities marked with a superscript are only available in the stated generation or later. For Generation III and IV games, ignore Hidden Abilities.

• In Generation V games, Zapdos has Lightning Rod as its Hidden Ability, but it cannot be obtained by any legitimate means. It is replaced with Static as its Hidden Ability in Generation VI.
• Plusle does not have a Hidden Ability in Generation V.

In other games

Pokémon Mystery Dungeon series

In Red Rescue Team and Blue Rescue Team, Explorers of Time and Darkness, a Pokémon with Lightning Rod draws in all enemy Electric-type attacks on the floor, completely neutralizing them. Unlike the main series, Lightning Rod is capable of attracting moves that target multiple Pokémon.

In Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky, the effect is now only room-wide.

Since Gates to Infinity also increases the Pokémon's Special Attack.

Description

Games Description MDRB Attracts Electric-type moves. MDTDS Draws Electric-type moves to the Pokémon without harm. BSL でんきタイプの わざを あつめて そのわざの こうかをうけない Conq. Absorbs all Electric-type moves to raise Attack. MDGtI Draws Electric-type moves from nearby foes, absorbs them, and raises Special Attack.* The Electric-type moves of enemies in the room are drawn to the Pokémon and absorbed, which also raises its Special Attack!* SMD The Electric-type moves of enemies in the same room are drawn to the Pokémon and absorbed. When the Pokémon absorbs Electric-type moves, its Sp. Atk goes up! MDRTDX The Electric-type moves of enemies in the same room are drawn to the Pokémon and absorbed. When the Pokémon absorbs Electric-type moves, its Sp. Atk goes up.

In the anime

Rhydon Mega Sceptile Togedemaru
The Pokémon draws in Electric attacks.
Pokémon	Method
User	First Used In		Notes
	When Rhydon's opponent uses an Electric attack, the attack changes direction and hits Rhydon's horn instead.
A Scientist's Rhydon	Tag! We're it...!		Debut
	When Mega Sceptile is hit by an Electric-type move, it takes no damage.
Sawyer's Sceptile	Valuable Experience for All!		None
	When Togedemaru's opponent uses an Electric attack, the attack changes direction and hits Togedemaru instead, who takes no damage from that attack. Togedemaru can then use the absorbed electricity to power up its own Electric-type moves.
Sophocles's Togedemaru	The Guardian's Challenge!		None

In the manga

Be the Best! Pokémon B+W

Zebstrika
When the opponent uses an Electric-type attack, the attack is sent to the Pokémon instead.
Pokémon	Method
User	First Chapter Used In		Notes
	When the opponent uses an Electric-type attack, the attack is redirected to Zebstrika.
A Ranger's Zebstrika	The Battle for More Friends!		Debut

Pokémon Adventures

Manectric Rhydon Electrike
When the opponent uses an Electric-type attack, the Pokémon redirects the attack to itself.
Pokémon	Method
User	First Chapter Used In		Notes
	When the opponent uses an Electric-type attack, Electrike raises its tail in the air and can redirect the electric attack to hit its tail instead.
Wattson's Electrike	Plugging Past Electrike II		Debut
	When the opponent uses an Electric-type attack, the attack is redirected to Rhydon's horn instead.
Blue's Rhydon	Double Dealing with Deoxys		None
	Manectric raises its tail in the air and can redirect the electric current near it to hit its tail instead.
X's Élec	PS579		None

• In volume 42, Crystal's Cubone, Bonee, was revealed to have Lightning Rod as his Ability.
• In volume 42, Silver's Rhyperior was revealed to have Lightning Rod as his Ability.

Pokémon Diamond and Pearl Adventure!

Rhyperior
When the opponent uses an Electric-type attack, the Pokémon redirects the attack to itself.
Pokémon	Method
User	First Chapter Used In		Notes
	When the opponent uses an Electric-type attack, the attack is redirected to Rhyperior's horn instead.
Saturn's Rhyperior	The Battle Rages On		Debut

Trivia

• In Riddle Me This, Pikachu is able to defeat Blaine's Rhydon by aiming its electric attack at the Rhydon's horn, with it being stated that the horn acts as a lightning rod, apparently allowing Pikachu to overcome Rhydon's normal immunity to Electric attacks. However, in Generations III and IV, it didn't affect type immunity at all, and nullifies Electric damage in Generations V and on.
• Prior to becoming an Ability, Lightning Rod appeared as a TCG attack.

In other languages

Language Title Chinese Cantonese 避雷針 Beihlèuihjām Mandarin 避雷針 / 避雷针 Bìléizhēn Danish Lightning Rod* Lynafleder Dutch Bliksemstaaf Finnish Ukkosenjohdatin French Paratonnerre German Blitzfänger Hindi Bijli Ka Rod Italian Parafulmine Korean 피뢰침 Piroechim Norwegian Lightning Rod* Lynavleder* Polish Piorunochron Portuguese Para-Raios Russian Громоотвод Gromootvod Spanish Latin America Caña de luz Spain Pararrayos Swedish Lightning Rod* Åskledare* Vietnamese Cột thu lôi

This article is part of Project Moves and Abilities, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on two related aspects of the Pokémon games.