What it does
Thunderbolt is an Electric-type special move that deals standard damage and has a chance to inflict Paralysis. 100% accuracy. Electric hits Water and Flying for super-effective damage — both are consistent doubles presences, so the coverage is never idle.
Paralysis in Champions reduces Speed and has a 12.5% full-stop chance (halved from standard). The Speed reduction is the more reliable benefit: a paralyzed fast Pokémon might drop from 'faster than most of your team' to 'slower than your key attacker.' That Speed shift persists for the whole match unless the Pokémon switches out.
Ground-types are immune. Full stop. Thunderbolt does nothing to them regardless of coverage or investment.
Thunderbolt hits a single target in doubles — full damage, no spread reduction.
Who runs it
Jolteon at 69% has base 130 Speed and solid Special Attack. Thunderbolt fires before almost everything and threatens Water and Flying leads hard.
Manectric at 67% uses it as its primary STAB. Its Mega Evolution form boosts Special Attack further and triggers Intimidate on the switch — combining offensive pressure with physical debuffing.
Heliolisk at 62% runs Thunderbolt with weather-based ability setups like Solar Power or Dry Skin, turning weather into a damage multiplier on top of the base hit.
Stunfisk at 65% covers Electric and Ground from the same Pokémon. Thunderbolt handles opponents that would otherwise freely pivot into Ground targets.
Raichu at 28% and Pikachu at 27% both run it as the staple Electric attack slot.
Starmie at 24% uses it alongside Water-type moves for two-type coverage that covers a broad set of opposing types.
How to use it
Water-type leads are the primary targets. Super-effective damage on Water threats that many teams lean on is a strong opening move. Bring your Thunderbolt user into those matchups.
When paralysis procs, immediately assess the Speed shift. If it drops the paralyzed Pokémon below a key Speed threshold on your team, you've gained first-move priority on it going forward — that's a meaningful change in how the rest of the match plays out.
Tips & strategy
Ground-types are immune. Full stop. If the opponent leads Ground into your Electric, switch or click a different move immediately — never click Thunderbolt into a Ground matchup.
Manectric's Mega form is worth remembering: it comes in, triggers Intimidate, then fires high-power Thunderbolt. One switch-in does two things at once — that combination is efficient in a way most Pokémon can't replicate.