Lightning Rod (Ability)
| Lightning Rod | ひらいしん | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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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
Lightning Rod forces single-target Electric-type moves to target the Pokémon with this Ability.
If another Pokémon becomes the center of attention, Electric-type moves will be directed to it instead of the Pokémon with Lightning Rod.
In Triple Battles, Lightning Rod cannot redirect Electric-type moves if the Pokémon is out of range.
Generation III
Only the moves used by foes are redirected.
Lightning Rod cannot redirect Electric-type Hidden Power.
Generation IV
Moves used by allies are now redirected as well.
Electric-type moves used by foes and 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).
Lightning Rod 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.
If a Pokémon with Lightning Rod is targeted by an Electric-type move while holding a Cell Battery, Lightning Rod absorbs the move, so the Cell Battery's effect is not triggered.
Lightning Rod can now redirect Electric-type Hidden Power, Judgment, and Natural Gift.
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
Generation III
In Pokémon Emerald, Trainers registered with the PokéNav's Match Call function will call twice as often if a Pokémon with Lightning Rod is in the first place in the party (even if fainted).
Generation VIII
In Pokémon Sword and Shield, if a Pokémon with Lightning Rod is in the first place in the party (even if fainted), there is a 51% chance the game will force an encounter with a Electric-type Pokémon, if one is possible. In Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, the chance is 50%. It shares this effect with Static.
Generation IX
In Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, this Ability has no effect outside of battle, with its former field function effectively being replaced by Meal Powers.
Pokémon with Lightning Rod
Pokémon that formerly had Lightning Rod
| # | Pokémon | Types | First Ability | Second Ability | Hidden Ability | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0145 | 
|
Zapdos |
Electric | Flying | Pressure | None | Lightning RodGen V |
Please note that Abilities marked with a superscript are only available in the stated generation or later.
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- 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.
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.
Starting from Gates to Infinity, Lightning Rod now also increases the Pokémon's Special Attack.
Description
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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
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| 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 | |
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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 | Pyroar Breathes | 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
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| 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 his 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 now nullifies damage from Electric-type moves starting from Generation V. In Tag! We're It...!, the ability Lightning Rod and type-effectiveness of Electric-type moves on Ground-types have been correctly depicted.
- Similarly, Pikachu's feat in Electric Shock Showdown! of insulating himself from Lt. Surge's Raichu's Thunderbolt with his tail is similar to the Electric attack nullifying effect of Lightning Rod as of Generation V, where it became the evolutionary line's Hidden Ability. Despite this, Pikachu's Ability is canonically revealed to be Static in Balance of Power, and has consistently remained so afterward.
- Prior to becoming an Ability, Lightning Rod appeared as a TCG attack.
In other languages
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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. |
- Abilities
- Abilities introduced in Generation III
- Abilities that alter damage taken
- Abilities with field effects
- Move-drawing Abilities
- Stat raising Abilities
- Ignorable Abilities
- Abilities that affect appearance of wild Pokémon
- Abilities that affect appearance of wild Pokémon of specific types
- Abilities with negative effects
