Kyurem - Moveset & Best Build for Ranked Battle

This is a strategy guide for using Kyurem in competitive play for the games Pokemon Sword and Shield. Read on for tips on the best Nature, EV spreads, Movesets, and Held Items to use with Kyurem, as well as its strengths and weak points.

Kyurem - Related Guides
Evolution and Learnset	Build for Ranked Battle

Basic Information for Kyurem

Types and Abilities

Pokemon	Type 1	Type 2
Kyurem
Abilities
Pressure	The Pokemon raises the foe's PP usage.

Kyurem Weaknesses and Resistances

	Type
Takes 4x damage	-
Takes 2x damage
Takes 0.5x damage
Takes 1/4x damage	-
Takes 0x damage	-

What is Type Effectiveness?

Base Stats

Best Nature for Kyurem

What are Natures?

Singles Movesets for Kyurem

Choice Specs Moveset & Best Build

Kyurem has a very good offensive typing, giving it access to powerful STAB Dragon and Ice-type moves. However its typing isn't too good defensively because it hosts a myriad of weaknesses. Going offensive with Kyurem is a good idea because of its good selection of offensive moves.

About Kyurem's Moves

Draco Meteor is Kyurem's most powerful STAB move, able to deal good damage to any Pokemon that doesn't resist it. Equipping Kyurem with Choice Specs further boosts this move's damage potential.

Freeze-Dry is the Ice-type STAB of choice, allowing Kyurem to attack into bulky Water-types.

Earth Power is our coverage move of choice because it can attack into Ground-weak Pokemon. When used as Max Quake, Kyurem can boost its Special Defense.

Focus Blast allows Kyurem to attack into Dark-type Pokemon. Focus Blast is not an accurate move and it can sometimes miss its target.

About Kyurem's EV Spread

Maximizing Speed and Special Attack lets Kyurem be as quick as it can be, and hit sa hard as possible with a Timid Nature with more emphasis on its Speed. Choice Specs already gives Kyurem a boost to its Special Attack, so focusing on Speed with a Timid Nature is more beneficial than going with a Modest Nature.
The remaining EV's are then put into Special Defense so that Kyurem can better take special moves.

About Kyurem's Ability

Pressure is a decent Ability to have, punishing opponents for repeated use of moves by increasing the amount of PP consumed by each move.

About Kyurem's Held Item

Choice Specs dramatically boosts Kyurem's offensive power, letting it deal huge chunks of damage to un-Dynamaxed Pokemon. Choice Specs has no effect when Kyurem Dynamaxes, however, as it can only grant a boost to its Special Attack if un-Dynamaxed.

Alternatively, equipping Kyurem with Heavy-Duty Boots can help it against entry hazards that it is weak against such as Stealth Rock.

Other Viable Moves

Doubles Movesets for Kyurem

Life Orb Moveset & Best Build

Kyurem is a good Pokemon to have at the back of your team. It can effectively pick off low HP Pokemon late-game with its decent Speed and Special Attack stats. Its access to good STAB and coverage moves make it a decent late-game attacker.

About Kyurem's Moves

Draco Meteor is Kyurem's most powerful STAB move, able to deal good damage to any Pokemon that doesn't resist it. Freeze-Dry is the Ice-type STAB of choice, allowing Kyurem to attack into bulky Water-types.

Earth Power is our coverage move of choice because it can attack into Ground-weak Pokemon. When used as Max Quake, Kyurem can boost its Special Defense. Max Quake has perfect synergy with a partner Pokemon that can use Intimidate, both of which can improve Kyurem's survivability.

Protect is its last move and is mostly used to scout the opposing team's moves or for stalling out an opponent's Dynamax.

About Kyurem's EV Spread

Maximizing Speed and Special Attack lets Kyurem be as quick as it can be, and hit sa hard as possible with a Modest Nature with more emphasis on its Special Attack. The abundance of speed control options as well as redirection in Double Battles lets us run a slower but more offensive Kyurem.
The remaining EV's are then put into Special Defense so that Kyurem can better take special moves.

About Kyurem's Ability

Pressure is a decent Ability to have, punishing opponents for repeated use of moves by increasing the amount of PP consumed by each move.

About Kyurem's Held Item

Life Orb gives Kyurem a much needed boost to its offensive power.

Other Viable Moves

How to Use Kyurem Effectively

Kyurem works best if positioned at the back of hyper-offensive teams. Knock out multiple Pokemon using your leads so that Kyurem does as little work as possible. Kyurem serves as your last offensive option.

How to Build a Team with Kyurem

Positioning Kyurem at the back of your team means that a team must have powerful lead options. The Pokemon at the front-end of the team must be able to knock out as many Pokemon as they can before Kyurem cant come in to pick off the remaining Pokemon. Kyurem might not be the best Pokemon to have out if your opponent has plenty of options left.

Late-Game Attacker

Kyurem can pick off low HP Pokemon late-game, so positioning for this kind of endgame may be a good strategy for a team.

Example Hyper Offense Team

Pivot	Late-Game Attacker	Sweeper
Thundurus	Kyurem	Charizard

Kyurem is most effective late-game, using it to clean up after an opponent's threats have either been knocked out or are at low HP.

Thundurus can run Volt Switch and use it on a partnered Charizard holding Weakness Policy, pivoting into either Torkoal who can set up sun and further boost Solar Power Charizard's Special Attack, or into Kyurem if anticipating an Ice-type attack going into Thundurus.

How to Build an Offensive Team

Counters for Kyurem

Weakness

Counter Kyurem with Faster and More Powerful Pokemon

Kyurem's mediocre stats make it very easy prey to faster, more powerful Pokemon. Kyurem's many weaknesses also hold it back from being a viable Pokemon to include in most teams.

Best Pokemon to Use

Pokemon	Description
Zacian	Ranking: ★★★★★ ・Can outspeed Kyurem. ・Has enough bulk to tank Kyurem's offensive options. ・Can easily knock out Kyurem with its boosted STAB moves. Moveset & Best Build for Zacian
Cobalion	Ranking: ★★★★★ ・Can outspeed Kyurem. ・Resists Kyurem's offensive options. ・Can easily knock out Kyurem with its STAB moves. Moveset & Best Build for Cobalion

Related Links

All Competitive Builds for Ranked Battle

Competitive Guides for Pokemon Sword and Shield

Competitive Pokemon Battle Guides
Tier List		Best Builds		Series 10 List of Contenders
Doubles Tier List		Team Building		Rental Teams

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Tapu Koko	Tapu Lele	Tapu Bulu
Tapu Fini	Regieleki	Regidrago
Latios	Latias	Heatran
Cresselia	Glastrier	Spectrier
Nidoking	Swampert	Dragonite
Salamence	Garchomp	Metagross
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Kartana	Stakataka	Blaziken
Kyogre	Yveltal	Xerneas
Necrozma (Dusk Mane)	Calyrex (Shadow Rider)	Mewtwo
Calyrex (Ice Rider)	Dialga	Lugia
Black Kyurem	Zekrom	Ho-Oh
Rayquaza	Zygarde	Reshiram
White Kyurem	Groudon	Regirock
Palkia	Regigigas	Registeel
Regice	Giratina	Solgaleo
Lunala	Kyurem	Necrozma
Uxie	Mesprit	Azelf
Calyrex