Kyurem
QC:[3/3]
GP:[1/1]
[OVERVIEW]
* Beefy attacking stats and great offensive typing make Kyurem a formidable wallbreaker.
* Amazing bulk for an offensive Pokemon allows Kyurem to come in on passive Pokemon and weaker attacks.
* Base 95 Speed, while decent, puts it behind a number of offensive threats, such as Hydreigon, Cobalion, and Keldeo.
* Its typing is a double-edged sword, leaving it vulnerable to Steel-types and weak to Stealth Rock.
* Furthermore, Kyurem faces heavy competition from Hydreigon, which is generally better choice as a special Dragon-type wallbreaker due to requiring less prediction and its superior defensive utility. However, Kyurem has a notable niche over Hydreigon in its Ice typing, which allows it to directly threaten typical checks to Dragon-types, such as Clefable and Togekiss.
[SET]
name: Choice Specs
move 1: Draco Meteor
move 2: Ice Beam
move 3: Hidden Power Fire / Dragon Pulse
move 4: Earth Power / Dragon Pulse
item: Choice Specs
ability: Pressure
nature: Timid
evs: 252 Spa / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]:
Moves
========
* Draco Meteor is an obscenely powerful nuke that does considerable damage even to Pokemon that resist it.
* Ice Beam is Kyurem's secondary STAB attack, and it is extremely spammable due to its awesome offensive coverage and lack of drawbacks.
* Hidden Power Fire removes Steel-types switching in to tank Kyurem's STAB such as Scizor, Forretress, Klefki, and Bronzong.
* Earth Power pairs nicely alongside Hidden Power Fire, as it hits certain Pokemon such as Tentacruel and Metagross harder while maintaining neutral coverage against Scizor and Forretress and netting an OHKO on physically defensive Klefki.
* Dragon Pulse gives a secondary drawback-free STAB with great neutral coverage.
Set Details
========
* A straightforward spread of maximum Special Attack and Speed allows Kyurem to hit as fast and as hard as possible.
* Choice Specs boosts Kyurem's Special Attack by one stage in exchange for locking it into using a single move, making it incredibly powerful.
* A Timid nature is needed to put Kyurem above threats such as Krookodile, Nidoking, Entei, and Toxicroak.
Usage Tips
========
* Make sure entry hazards are off the field if you can, as Kyurem's vulnerability to them cuts considerably into its opportunities to switch in and bulk.
* Volt Switch and U-turn allow Kyurem to come in for free versus Pokemon it can threaten, such as Amoonguss.
* However, Kyurem has the bulk and resistances to switch directly into weaker attacks, such as Earthquake from Hippowdon and Scald from bulky Starmie.
* On more offensive teams, it helps to play Kyurem aggressively, spamming attacks early-game and bringing it in on double switches.
* Be selective with the use of Draco Meteor, however, as it lowers Kyurem's Special Attack by two stages.
Team Options
========
* Starmie, Mega Blastoise, and Tentacruel can remove entry hazards with Rapid Spin, as well as check dangerous Fighting-types such as Keldeo and Cobalion. Tentacruel is especially noteworthy, since it can also set Toxic Spikes, a valuable method for wearing down Kyurem switch-ins that aren't Steel-types.
* Tsareena is another hazard remover that has the unique ability to give Kyurem free switches thanks to U-turn.
* Magneton is an extremely helpful teammate, as it can trap and remove Steel-types, check Fairy-types, and let Kyurem come in for free with Volt Switch.
* Fairy-types such as Primarina and Clefable can reliably check faster Dragon-types such Hydreigon and Latias, which can outspeed and KO it with their own Dragon moves.
* Setup sweepers such as Cobalion, Clefable, and Bisharp greatly appreciate Kyurem's ability to wear down walls such as Suicune, Arcanine, and opposing Clefable.
[SET]
name: SubRoost
move 1: Ice Beam
move 2: Substitute
move 3: Earth Power
move 4: Roost
item: Leftovers
ability: Pressure
nature: Timid
evs: 56 HP / 200 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
* Ice Beam is the primary STAB attack and does decent damage despite the lack of a boosting item due to Kyurem's high Special Attack.
* Earth Power keeps Steel- and Water-types from coming in completely for free.
* Substitute is necessary to block status and waste the foe's PP.
* Roost gives Kyurem reliable recovery.
Set Details
========
* This set is based around taking advantage of Kyurem's bulk and Pressure to PP stall the opposing Pokemon.
* Substitute blocks status, and the foe has to waste PP breaking it before it can hurt Kyurem.
* 56 HP EVs give Kyurem 101 HP Substitutes, meaning that a single Seismic Toss cannot break it.
* The rest goes into its Special Attack and Speed.
* Leftovers is used to give Kyurem passive recovery so it doesn't have to Roost as often.
Usage Tips
========
* This set shines best versus passive teams that can't break Kyurem's Substitute.
* Due to the lack of boosting item, this set is relatively weak and shouldn't be treated like a wallbreaker.
* Be careful versus bulky setup sweepers such as Calm Mind Clefable and Swords Dance Scizor, which can take advantage of this set with relative ease.
* Toxic Spikes are very important to this set's success, as they make stalling out the opponent much easier.
Team Options
========
* Offensive Steel-types such as Cobalion, Bisharp, and Scizor can check opposing Fairy- and Steel-types and break special walls, but they stack a Fighting weakness, bar Scizor.
* Infernape can check Scizor and threaten opposing special walls such as Clefable with its wallbreaking sets.
* Spikes setters such as Klefki and Forretress can wear down Pokemon that threaten Kyurem such as Scizor while reliably checking opposing Fairy-types.
* Entry hazard removers such as Starmie, Tentacruel, Mega Blastoise, and Latias allow Kyurem to come in without being whittled or crippled by Toxic Spikes, while also resisting Fighting moves for it.
* Tentacruel in particular is helpful, since it can set Toxic Spikes, whittling down the opponent's team further and allowing Kyurem to stall it out.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
========
* Flash Cannon on the Choice Specs set can allow Kyurem to lure and 2HKO Clefable. However, Ice Beam already does this pretty reliably.
* Shadow Ball can do significant damage to Bronzong.
* Life Orb can be run on the SubRoost set if you find its power particularly lacking.
* Choice Scarf Kyurem can act as a neat revenge killer. However, it has trouble standing out from Choice Scarf Hydreigon, which has better Speed, a better defensive typing that isn't weak to Stealth Rock, and access to U-turn.
* A mixed Life Orb set with 92 Attack EVs and Outrage, Iron Head, Ice Beam, and Hidden Power Fire can lure and KO Blissey, Clefable, and Scizor for teams particularly weak to those threats.
Checks and Counters
========
**Steel-types**: Steel-types, such as Scizor, Klefki, and Bronzong, can wall Kyurem's STAB combination and beat it one-on-one. However, they must watch out for Hidden Power Fire and Earth Power.
**Fairy-types**: Fairy-types are immune to Kyurem's Dragon STAB attacks and can threaten it with Moonblast. A special mention goes to Primarina, which also resists Ice and has good special bulk to tank Kyurem's attacks with relative consistency.
**Fighting-types**: Many of the tier's Fighting-types such as Cobalion, Keldeo, and Infernape outspeed Kyurem and eliminate it with their STAB moves. Slower ones, such as Conkeldurr, can also typically chew a hit from full health and retaliate.
**Special walls**: Most dedicated special walls such as Slowking, Empoleon, and Mantine can eat a hit from any Kyurem variant. Blissey in particular gets special mention because its titanic bulk allows it to come in on practically anything Kyurem can throw at it. These Pokemon must watch out for the proper coverage move, however, and can be PP stalled by the SubRoost set.
**Passive damage**: Kyurem is vulnerable to all forms of entry hazards and weak to Stealth Rock, which severely limits its chances to enter the field. Status also wears down Kyurem very quickly, especially if it is lacking Roost. Toxic in particular squanders any hope SubRoost Kyurem might have of doing its job.
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