Calyrex - Moveset & Best Build for Ranked Battle

Calyrex in Other Pokemon Games
SV	SWSH

This is a strategy guide for using Calyrex 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 Calyrex, as well as its strengths and weak points.

Calyrex - Related Guides
Evolution and Learnset	Build for Ranked Battle

Basic Information for Calyrex

Types and Abilities

Pokemon	Type 1	Type 2
Calyrex
Abilities
Unnerve	Makes the foe nervous and unable to eat Berries.

Calyrex 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 Calyrex

What are Natures?

Singles Movesets for Calyrex

Choice Specs Moveset & Best Build

Calyrex's mediocre Special Attack stat can be bolstered by Choice Specs. This Pokemon is host to a good number of Special Move options, making Calyrex a tricky Pokemon to go up against if positioned well.

About Calyrex's Moves

Psychic is Calyrex's primary STAB move and lets it hit Poison and Fighting-types for super effective damage. Calyrex's most powerful STAB move is Leaf Storm, which reduces its Special Attack by 2 stages after use.

Pollen Puff is Calyrex's coverage move of choice, while Trick is good for choice locking opponents into moves, putting them into disadvantageous situations.

About Calyrex's EV Spread

Maximizing Speed and Special Attack lets Calyrex 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 Calyrex a boost to its Special Attack, so focusing on Speed with a Timid Nature is more beneficial than going with a Modest Nature.

About Calyrex's Ability

Unnerve is Calyrex's only Ability. This stops opposing Pokemon from consuming held Berries.

About Calyrex's Held Item

Choice Specs allows Calyrex to be a decent Special Attacker, boosting its Special Attack stat

Other Viable Moves

Doubles Movesets for Calyrex

Baton Pass Moveset & Best Build

Base Form Calyrex may not be the most powerful restricted Pokemon, but it might be able to find a niche as gimmicky support. With careful move and Pokemon selection, Calyrex can find its place in some teams.

About Calyrex's Moves

Trick Room is a great form of speed control. Reversing turn order can help Calyrex or other slower teammates attack ahead of quicker foes.

Calm Mind boosts Calyrex's Special Attack and Special Defense, which Calyrex should Baton Pass to a teammate because it cannot take full advantage of the boosts itself due to its lack of a strong Special Attack option.

Using Baton Pass without a Calm Mind boost is sometimes not a bad option because it allows a teammate to switch in safely. Turn order is important to note before pulling this off because you would not want a teammate to switch into an incoming attack.

Lasty, Pollen Puff is the set's only attacking move, which can also replenish a teammate's HP.

About Calyrex's EV Spread

Maximizing HP and Special Attack lets Calyrex be as tanky as it can be, and hit sa hard as possible.

The remaining EV's are then put into Special Defense so that Calyrex can better take special moves.

About Calyrex's Ability

Unnerve is Calyrex's only Ability. This stops opposing Pokemon from consuming held Berries.

About Calyrex's Held Item

Because of its lackluster defenses, Focus Sash gives Calyrex some much needed survivability.

Other Viable Moves

How to Use Calyrex Effectively

Requires Good Team Support

Using Calyrex without its steeds requires patience and creativity due to its many weaknesses and meager bulk. With the right team building and redirection support in Doubles however, it can function as a decent offensive and defensive Pokemon that can surprise opposing players.

Use its Other Forms

To use Calyrex effectively, it's best to use one of its other formes. This requires Calyrex to fuse with either Glastrier or Spectrier with the Reins of Unity.

Calyrex Formes
Calyrex (Ice Rider)	Calyrex (Shadow Rider)

Calyrex's Ice Rider forme is a slow but powerful physical attacker that can take advantage of its low Speed in a Trick Room environment and deal huge damage with Glacial Lance. Calyrex's Shadow Rider forme, on the other hand, is a fast special attacker that can deal immense damage with Astral Barrage.

Both formes are a great choice for both balanced and offensive-oriented teams looking for a powerful damage dealer.

Best Legendary Horse to Choose | The Crown Tundra

How to Build a Team with Calyrex

Redirection support is important for ensuring Calyrex's survival. Bulky special attacking Pokemon at the back of your team is also ideal so that Calyrex can Baton Pass into something that can generate value from the boosts.

Trick Room and Baton Pass Calyrex

Calyrex has access to Trick Room, Calm Mind and Baton Pass which are all decent support choices if Calyrex is allowed to set them up.

Example Build Team

Support	Trick Room / Calm Mind Setter	Trick Room Sweeper
Indeedee (Female)	Calyrex	Torkoal

Indeedee is a good partner to have because of its ability to redirect attacks into itself with Follow Me. This can allow Calyrex to set up Trick Room. Indeedee can also use Follow Me while Calyrex sets up Calm Mind, which it can then pass to a physically defensive Special Attacker like Torkoal, a Pokemon that can also benefit from Trick Room's speed reversal.

Calyrex can support its teammates by replenshing their HP with Pollen Puff.

Counters for Calyrex

Weakness

Counter Calyrex with Super-Effective Moves

Any super-effective hit should be able to knock Calyrex out with minimal effort. Calyrex's many weaknesses and mediocre defenses stop it from being a viable pick, so teching specifically to counter it may not be the best teambuilding choice. Double-targeting it should easily get rid of a Calyrex with Focus Sash.

Best Pokemon to Use

Incineroar	Ranking: ★★★★★ ・Resists Calyrex's offensive moves. ・Can break Calyrex's Focus Sash with Fake Out. ・Can knock it out with any of its offensive moves. Moveset & Best Build for Incineroar
Tornadus	Ranking: ★★★★★ ・Can shut down Calyrex's support options with Taunt. ・Can knock out Calyrex with a super-effective Flying-type attack. Moveset & Best Build for Tornadus

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

Best Builds for The Crown Tundra Pokemon

Movesets & Best Builds for The Crown Tundra Pokemon
Galarian Articuno	Galarian Zapdos	Galarian Moltres
Raikou	Entei	Suicune
Articuno	Zapdos	Moltres
Tornadus	Thundurus	Landorus
Tapu Koko	Tapu Lele	Tapu Bulu
Tapu Fini	Regieleki	Regidrago
Latios	Latias	Heatran
Cresselia	Glastrier	Spectrier
Nidoking	Swampert	Dragonite
Salamence	Garchomp	Metagross
Galarian Slowking	Nihilego	Naganadel
Pheromosa	Buzzwole	Celesteela
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