I don’t want to formulate an extensive reply to this just yet, but I feel like it’s necessary to note: if a para, crit, spdef drop, or whatever else results in a ko you wouldn’t get otherwise, it is equally impactful as a freeze. Don’t downplay that. Furthermore, Kyurem doesn’t get to freely and inconsequentially click freeze-dry or ice beam. Roost is necessitated by the amount of chip you take in a match; thus, you are made more predictable and can be played around.Saying that pokemon other than Kyurem have RNG is like saying that pokemon other than Urshifu-Single-Strike do damage as well as a justification for no-ban. Freezing is far more devistating than a special defense drop or a critical hit, not to mention that critical hits are far more rare, being 1/24. Freezing is not exclusive to Kyurem, but Kyurem is the best freezer by far. Arctozolt needs a lot of support to work on a team, needing a minimum of a hail setter. Arctozolt also has much less special attack than Kyurem, often making Blizzard or Freeze Dry a subpar option in many situations. I don't know how this data could be compiled, but the amount of times Arcotozlt gets an opportunity to freeze is far less than Kyurem. Comparing the two is completely absurd. Lastly, using the "it loses to hail teams so it's bad" argument is really not making sense to me. Not only is Kyurem very good against the current most popular hail (Ox Hail) but it also can tank a hit from Arctozolt and OHKO in return, making it generally decent AT LEAST against hail teams.
Let me speak frankly: Comparing being frozen to being SpDef dropped by a Shadow Ball or paralyzed by a Thunderbolt or hit by a Critical Hit is absolutely absurd, and this argument counterpoint should be thrown out immediately by all using it.
The impact of a freeze is far worse than a Special Defense drop. Absolutely no pokemon in the tier (other than ice types that cannot be frozen) can weather the impacts of a freeze without dying the majority of the time. NONE.
I won't go through every ludicrous comparison, but let's take a look at Shadow Ball from Dragapult:
- Dragapult is vastly more frail than Kyurem, and has to pick spots to click Shadow Ball often more carefully than Kyurem with Ice Beam / Freeze Dry.
- Specially Defensive Toxapex lives a Shadow Ball (drop) into another Shadow Ball and is free to Toxic or Knock Off.
- Specially Defensive Clefable lives a Shadow Ball (drop) into another Shadow Ball and still consistently walls with Wish + Protect until another drop.
- HDB Weavile lives a Shadow Ball (drop) into another Shadow Ball and OHKOs in return
- Mandibuzz is not barely inconvenienced by Shadow Ball drops.
- Tyranitar is barely inconvenienced by Shadow Ball drops.
- Specially Defensive Heatran lives a Shadow Ball (drop) into another Shadow Ball
- Assault Vest Melmetal lives a Shadow Ball (drop) into another Shadow Ball easily, taking about 60% and OHKOing in return.
- Specially Defensive Hippowdon lives a Shadow Ball (drop) into another Shadow Ball.
Please tell me a single pokemon that's OK with being frozen, like these pokemon are OK with being Shadow Ball dropped.
Before anyone posts another "Haha well if we should ban kyurem then why dont we ban excadrill bc iron head can flinch" please make sure your post has the following points:
1. Explain why this move can be used as frequently as Kyurem uses Ice Beam or Freeze Dry.
2. Explain why this pokemon is good enough that it can be used in OU regardless of this additional effect, like Kyurem can be.
3. Explain why this secondary effect is as bad as freezing.
If these criteria are not met, please, reconsider your comparison.
Also, I never said that Arctozolt gets to click blizzard as much as Kyurem would it own freezing move. I only brought it up because you acted as if freeze only matters coming from Kyurem. And, no, Kyurem has a horrible mu against hail in general. Both Ninetales-Alola and Arctozolt do well against it. Ninetales-Alola outspeeds and threatens Kyurem with moonblast, whereas Kyurem can’t threaten through aurora veil. For Arctozolt, it has great ranges against Kyurem with low sweep, letting it beat a chipped Kyurem, whether from rocks or some other way, very easily.
Edit: I was gonna change this, but Pinka alr responded. Anyways, I don’t think Kyurem has an AWFUL mu against hail. Tales and Zolt can be exploited, but in general I’d say that it doesn’t have the best mu.
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