Top 5 Cards to Boost Alolan Raichu in Pokémon TCG

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Top 5 Cards to Boost Alolan Raichu in Pokémon TCG

Alolan Raichu, a lively Stage 1 Lightning Pokémon, enters the fray with 110 HP and a signature flair that makes it much more than a one-hit wonder. Its Surge Surfer ability—If there is any Stadium card in play, this Pokémon has no Retreat Cost—offers a nimble edge in tempo decking and mid-battle shift. This card evolves from Pikachu and joins the SM Black Star Promos set, illustrated by Akira Komayama. The Psychic attack—70 base, with the potential to surge higher depending on how many Energy are attached to your opponent’s Active Pokémon—gives Raichu a dynamic, energy-driven payoff that rewards clever energy management. Weakness to Fighting and a -20 resistance to Metal shape the metagame considerations, while a modest 2 for Retreat keeps Raichu in the fight even when the prize is a long game. If you’re building a Raichu-centric deck, these five supporting cards help you maximize its tempo, damage, and reliability. ⚡🔥💎

1) Evolution Incense

First and foremost for a Stage 1 like Alolan Raichu is the ability to fetch the evolution. Evolution Incense lets you search your deck for an Evolution Pokémon, reveal it, and put it into your hand. In practice, you can grab Alolan Raichu from your deck when you’re ready to diversify your board state, then place it on the bench and evolve Pikachu to Raichu for the next turn. This is especially potent when you’re timing a Stadium in play for Surge Surfer, because you can ensure you have the exact evolution to hit the field when you need it. A reliable fetch card keeps Raichu’s momentum alive and minimizes missed turns, which is the kind of polish that separates good Raichu lists from great ones. Collecting the right evolution is half the battle—and Evolution Incense makes that step swift. 🪄🎴

2) Professor’s Research

Draw power is the lifeblood of midrange Lightning decks, and Professor’s Research delivers seven cards on a single Supporter play. When you’re balancing Raichu’s 3-colorless energy cost for Psychic (70+) damage and a potentially amplified return, you’ll want a steady stream of options to find Energy, support, and the right Stadium or Switch. In decks running Surge Surfer, being able to refill your hand after a couple of exchanges is essential—it keeps you from grinding to a halt and lets Raichu keep pressuring the opponent’s Active Pokémon. The thrill of a clean, decisive draw is a collector’s joy and a player’s practical tool all in one. ⚡🎨

3) Switch

Raichu’s efficiency hinges on mobility. Surge Surfer reduces Retreat Cost if a Stadium is in play, but you’ll still appreciate a clean way to reposition Raichu on your turn. Switch lets you move Raichu out of a threatening Active spot after applying pressure with Psychic, or simply to re-engage with a fresh target. In the heat of a match, the ability to snap Raichu into the action—then bring it back for another Psychic hit or to chain into the next combination—keeps the tempo high and the opponent guessing. This is a card that plays well with the “play the board, pressure the Active” philosophy that defines Raichu builds. ⚡🎮

4) Escape Rope

In parallel to Switch, Escape Rope gives you an active option that also disrupts your opponent’s setup. By forcing both Players to switch their Active Pokémon, you can prevent your opponent from stacking a favorable matchup against Raichu or forcing a retreat calculation you don’t want to face. If you’re riding a Stadium-dependent surge, you’ll appreciate that Escape Rope provides a tactical reset. It’s a tool that rewards thoughtful timing and helps you preserve Raichu’s momentum, especially when you’ve got energy committed to the attack that requires one more clean turn to connect for a big Psychic payoff. Strategic disruption can be as deadly as raw damage. 🎯💎

5) Twin Energy

Alolan Raichu’s Psychic attack costs three Colorless energy. Twin Energy—a versatile Special Energy card from the earlier eras of the game—helps you bridge that gap, providing a second source of energy that can contribute to meeting the three-colorless requirement. When paired with Professor’s Research for draw and Evolution Incense for reliable evolution timing, Twin Energy lets Raichu hit with smooth, consistent pressure rather than stalling for a missing energy. It’s the kind of efficiency improvement that makes a mid-range Lightning deck feel like it’s running on rails. Plus, the card’s dual-energy nature aligns nicely with Raichu’s dynamic, energy-forward playstyle. ⚡🎴

These five cards—Evolution Incense, Professor’s Research, Switch, Escape Rope, and Twin Energy—form a compact toolkit that complements Alolan Raichu’s speed, versatility, and damage ceiling. The key is timing: evolve Pikachu when the moment is right, draw into the bunched hand that can sustain multiple attacks, and use mobility to keep Raichu in ideal matchups while leveraging Surge Surfer’s no-retreat advantage. The result is a deck that feels fast, responsive, and just a little bit cheeky—perfect for players who love lightning-fast tempo and a dash of nostalgia. ⚡💎

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