The rather tiny Pachirisu appears like an unimposing blue squirrel in all its appearances, with its Pokemon Scarlet and Violet outing particularly notable for its more detailed take on its visual features. Originally hailing from Sinnoh, Pachirisu seems like a difficult Pokemon to acquire in the Paldea setting of Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, making its presence in any Trainer’s team quite a sight to behold.
Thankfully for fans, it’s not necessarily difficult to get Pachirisu in their Pokedex provided they know where to look for this squirrel Pokemon. However, just how can players of Scarlet and VIolet get Pachirisu for their Pokedex, and where in Paldea is this Electric-type squirrel hiding?
Pachirisu: A Basic Background
Before fans try to acquire Pachirisu in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, it might help to first get a look as to what Pachirisu has been like in the previous games. Introduced in Generation 4 (Diamond, Pearl, Platinum, HeartGold, SoulSilver), Pachirisu is an Electric-Type Squirrel Pokemon notable for its white base fur color with light-blue stripes and circles on its cheeks. Being incredibly small, Pachirisu has been designed to look rather cute - an appearance it has maintained throughout its appearances in the game. This is also in reference as its status as Pikachu’s “cutesy stand-in” for Generation 4, given the yellow rodent’s absence in its games.
According to its main Pokedex entries, Pachirisu gathers static electricity on a constant basis while still maintaining key squirrel characteristics, such as hiding fruits and fur balls under the eaves of houses. Here are its Pokedex numbers across its appearances across various Generations:
- National Pokedex: #417
- Generation 4: #055 (Sinnoh)
- Generation 6: #132 (Kalos)
- Generation 8: #055 (Sinnoh), #109 (Hisui)
Pachirisu In Generation 9: An Overview
While Pokemon Scarlet and Violet take place in the Europe-inspired Paldea region, Sinnoh’s Pachirisu can also be found in the area. In its Pokedex entry for the Paldea region, it says Pachirisu is “one” of the many kinds of Pokemon that possess electric cheek pouches. It also says that Pachirisu can shoot electric charges from its tail. Both these descriptions seem to be callbacks to other popular Electric-Type Pokemon like Pikachu, Plusle, Minun, and Pawmi that also have cheeks that store electric currents. In the Paldea Pokedex, Pachirisu is tagged #201.
Pachirisu Base Stats In Gen 9
Players who get to acquire Pachirisu in the Pokemon game may be able to use the Pokemon with certain base stats depending on its level. Before players are able to acquire specific moves or even teach Pachirisu some TMs, they may want to pay attention to certain numbers attached to this creature:
- Egg Steps: 1,280 Steps (10 Cycles)
- Capture Rate: 200
- HP (at Lv1): 60
- ATK (at Lv1): 45
- DEF (at Lv1): 70
- SpATK (at Lv1): 45
- SpDEF (at Lv1): 90
- SPD (at Lv1): 95
Stats-wise, Pachirisu seems geared towards being a more utility or support-leaning Pokemon due to its SpDEF and Speed being much higher on the onset. This is especially the case when compared to the rest of the Pokemon in the Paldea region, as Pachirisu falls along the 70-80th rank range when comparing base SpDEF and Speed with other Pokemon in the area.
Notable Pachirisu Moves In Gen 9
Aside from having Pachirisu as a cute Pokemon in one’s arsenal, there are ways of transforming Pachirisu in the Pokemon game into a viable powerhouse assuming gamers know exactly what to prioritize in terms of Moves and Technical Machines (TMs) to provide. Here are some things to consider:
Abilities: A Nifty Escape, Storage Pokemon
As with all other Pokemon, Pachirisu of Pokemon Scarlet and Violet also possess Abilities that it could use at any point during battle. Again like other Pokemon, these Abilities of Pachirisu are more tailored as utility skills that are triggered in case of emergencies. Abilities to take note are the following:
- Run Away: Pachirisu can always run from battles, except for Trainer battles. However, it remains unable to switch with Pokemon during Block or Mean Look.
- Pickup: The Pokemon has a 10% chance of finding and holding an Item after battle. This won’t work if Pachirisu is already holding an item.
- Volt Absorb (Hidden Ability): When hit with Electric-Type Moves, Pachirisu can heal up to 25% of its maximum HP.
Viable Moves: Utility With Lack Of Defense
When building Pachirisu as a member of a combat team, players need to consider that this Pokemon doesn’t have a nifty recovery tool as well as poor defense. This means Pachirisu is best used for utility and supporting other Pokemon instead of taking the front lines or dishing out damage. In that regard, here are some Moves to prioritize in order to maximize Pachirisu in the field:
- Nuzzle (acquired Lv19): Pachirisu attacks by nuzzling the enemy with its cheeks. This leaves enemies Paralyzed.
- Protect (TM007): This protects Pachirisu from attacks. The Move may fail if used in succession.
- Encore (TM122): This is a punishing tactic that makes Pachirisu force enemies to use the same Moves they have been Encoring. This is a viable tactic against Protect and Fake Out that work less when used more often.
- U-Turn (TM060): When Pachirisu attacks, it switches with a Pokemon that is already waiting. This is a nifty move for a decent combo with a powerful attacker.
- Super Fang (acquired Lv37): Pachirisu blares its front fangs and attacks a target, cutting their HP in half immediately.
How To Get Pachirisu In Pokemon Scarlet And Violet
Unlike other returning Pokemon from other regions in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet gameplay, catching Pachirisu for one’s team doesn’t necessarily need complicated mechanics. However, the areas where Pachirisu is common aren't as widespread as players think. In turn, players need to be more intentional with their desire to capture Pachirisu as it needs them to linger in particular Paldea areas unlike other Wild Pokemon that have higher chances of appearing regardless of the player’s location. Here are things to take note:
Pokedex Entry: Trees Are The Key
Given the 3D graphics of Scarlet and Violet, some Pokedex entries describing Pokemon behavior have been more visually accurate instead of just being literary fodder. This is applied to Pachirisu’s description, wherein the Pokedex states that the Pokemon is located in Paldea’s southern coast and especially among trees.
In turn, players need to go to the region’s southernmost beaches and roam around its tree to get a chance of spotting a Pachirisu and its Shiny Pokemon counterpart. It’s possible to also headbutt trees with Koraidon and Miraidon to force Pachirisu to come out and do battle.
Pachirisu: Specific Locations
Players who want more specific advice when tracking Pachirisu may want to take note about specific places in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet where the Pokemon may be located. When players end up in the southern part of the Paldea region, their search for Pachirisu should start in these areas:
- Area Three (West Province): Perhaps the location with the most distance from other Pachirisu locations, West Province’s Area Three is a viable location for this Pokemon due to its abundance of headbuttable trees.
- Area One (South Province): Connecting to titanic Mesagoza to the north and the short Poco Path in the south, Area One of South Province is perhaps the most accessible location in the region to players. Pachirisu isn’t a random encounter here, but may be encountered via headbutting trees.
- Area Four (South Province): Located to the southwest of Mesagoza is Area Four, with the South Paldean Sea directly to its south. Trees in this area may be headbutted to force Pachirisu out of hiding.
- Area Five (South Province): Containing a mixture of both grasslands and rather tall cliffs, Area Five of South Province is perhaps the most scenic part of Pachirisu locations. As per usual, headbutting trees may force the Pokemon out of its seclusion.
- Los Platos: Located specifically along South Province’s Area One region, Los Platos is a small town with an abundance of trees, some of which may contain Pachirisu.
- Cascarrafa: Located just outside Giacomo’s Team Star base, the trees here seem to be viable locations and hiding spots for Pachirisu.
Pokemon Scarlet & Violet are currently playable on the Nintendo Switch.