Black Kyurem Movesets & Competitive Sets

Ice Beam is a very reliable STAB move, hitting numerous common Pokemon such as Landorus-T, Zygarde, Rillaboom, and Zapdos for super effective damage, while Fusion Bolt makes good use of Kyurem-B's great Attack stat, hitting Water-types like Volcanion and Tapu Fini. Earth Power is an excellent coverage move, hitting Fire- and Steel-types including Heatran, Incineroar, and Metagross. Icy Wind provides a means of speed control while also 2HKOing the likes of Zygarde and Dragapult through redirection. The EV spread, combined with Assault Vest, allows Kyurem-B to outspeed maximum Speed Adamant Zygarde and survive a Draco Meteor from Modest Life Orb Naganadel.

Dragon Dance boosts Kyurem-B's already sky-high Attack. Additionally, it outruns the entire unboosted metagame at +1 Speed, and it even outruns the likes of Heatran in Tailwind and Choice Scarf Genesect at +2. Icicle Spear is Kyurem's main attack, OHKOing the likes of Zygarde and Dragapult unboosted while also scoring OHKOs on Rillaboom and Zapdos at +1 with at least three hits. Fusion Bolt gives Kyurem-B great coverage, hitting Water-types like Tapu Fini and Urshifu-R, as well as Steel-types such as Heatran and Genesect that resist Icicle Spear. Protect is necessary for keeping Kyurem-B safe from attacks like Necrozma's Meteor Beam and Fake Out from Incineroar and Rillaboom, in addition to providing a turn to bring in supportive partners like Amoonguss and Incineroar. Chople Berry lets Kyurem-B take a Close Combat from any variant of Urshifu-R, allowing it to use Dragon Dance to then outspeed and OHKO it back with Fusion Bolt, while Sitrus Berry somewhat circumvents the damage Kyurem-B might take while setting up Dragon Dance. Maximum Speed investment allows Kyurem-B to tie Adamant Zygarde unboosted and outrun Dragapult and Zeraora at +1 Speed, while an Adamant nature maximizes its damage output.

Kyurem-B is a solid god on offensive teams thanks to it donating all-around solid stats, notably an amazing base 170 Attack stat. Dragon Dance makes Kyurem-B a terrifying sweeper, outpacing most of the metagame at +1 Speed and raising its Attack even higher. Thanks to Teravolt, it can even break past Unaware Quagsire and Clefable. Icicle Spear is its best STAB move, doing super effective damage to common defensive Pokemon like Landorus-T, Tangrowth, and Giratina. Fusion Bolt has fantastic synergy with Icicle Spear, notably hitting Water-types like Slowking and Tapu Fini that would otherwise wall Kyurem-B. Roost lets it stay healthy throughout longer games and use its impressive bulk to set up multiple times. Heavy-Duty Boots is the preferred item to avoid Stealth Rock chipping Kyurem-B down upon entering the field; however, other items like Life Orb and Lum Berry can also be used, the latter to set up on status-inducing foes. Jolly is the preferred nature to outspeed Pheromosa at +1. Adamant allows Kyurem-B to get more KOs, such as the OHKO against Landorus-T and 2HKO against Slowbro. These KO's can also be achieved by running a Jolly nature with Life Orb. Kyurem-B shines on offensive teams thanks to its good offensive donations. Mimikyu, Rillaboom, Victini, and Zygarde-10% become amazing wallbreakers with Kyurem-B's Attack donation, punching holes in opposing physical walls for Kyurem-B to sweep. Moderately strong special attackers like Tapu Fini, Tapu Koko, and Galarian Moltres make good use of its solid Special Attack; the former weakens Dragon-type moves and blocks status for Kyurem-B with Misty Terrain, while the latter two pressure Buzzwole and Necrozma-DM. It can also pass a decent HP stat onto bulky pivots like Rotom-W and Landorus-T, which fit onto the more offensive teams of Kyurem-B while dealing with its answers such as Necrozma-DM and Sand Rush Excadrill. Many teammates can take advantage of Kyurem-B's less-used stats to fill utility roles. For example, Heatran, Excadrill, and Clefable provide crucial Stealth Rock support. Before setup, Kyurem-B is vulnerable to faster Pokemon such as Zeraora and Zygarde-10%, which Tangrowth and Buzzwole can deal with. Faster Choice Scarf users like Tapu Lele, Kartana, and Yveltal can force out Kyurem-B even at +1, so teammates that can switch into their attacks like Kartana, Tornadus-T, and Tapu Koko also make for good teammates. Choice Scarf Urshifu-R, Kartana, and the aforementioned Tapu Fini provide a crucial answer to fast Pokemon like Zamazenta, Pheromosa, and their Speed receivers, preventing them from outrunning common Kyurem-B team structures. Should Kyurem-B opt for another item, a Defogger like Tornadus-T or Volcanion is also appreciated. Dual screens support from Tapu Koko and Grimmsnarl will also help it set up, but this really only fits on hyper offense teams.

Assault Vest Kyurem-B can easily take on threats such as Victini, Regieleki, and Galarian Moltres. It is seen on faster-paced teams to break through offensive teams by surviving long enough to OHKO their threats. Freeze-Dry 2HKOes physically defensive Tapu Fini and OHKOes Dracovish. Earth Power can OHKO offensive Heatran and 2HKOes Volcanion and non-Assault Vest Metagross. Icy Wind combined with 32 Speed EVs allows Kyurem-B to outrun Kartana and Latios. Draco Meteor provides great, strong coverage against Pokemon such as Volcarona and opposing Kyurem-B. 88 Special Defense EVs with the Assault Vest allow Kyurem-B to survive two full-health Eruptions from Charcoal Heatran, as well as comfortably surviving Life Orb Draco Meteor from Naganadel. 52 Defense EVs prevent OHKOs from Smart Strike from Kartana, Rock Slide from Tyranitar, and three hit Dragon Dance-boosted Scale Shot from Zygarde. Kyurem-B's greatest weakness is Fairy-type threats, such as Tapu Fini and Tapu Lele, which Regieleki or Metagross can offensively check. Rillaboom removes Psychic Terrain from Tapu Lele and provides Fake Out support for Kyurem-B. Kyurem-B is OHKOed by Galarian Zapdos, Pheromosa, and Cinderace, so Choice Scarf Tapu Lele is a great partner to outspeed and OHKO them. Also, Tapu Lele's Psychic Surge prevents Fake Out from Incineroar. Regieleki is a great option to outspeed common threats, as Kyurem-B can OHKO Ground- and Grass-types like Rillaboom, Zygarde, and Landorus-T that resist Electric, while Regieleki removes faster threats that pressure Kyurem-B such as Pheromosa and Galarian Zapdos.

Kyurem-B's exceptional bulk and Chople Berry allow it to survive Fighting-type attacks from Life Orb Galarian Zapdos and Pheromosa to OHKO back. Freeze-Dry removes metagame staples such as Rillaboom, Dracovish, Tapu Fini, and Galarian Zapdos. Earth Power provides great coverage with Freeze-Dry, nailing Ice-resistant foes such as Heatran, Volcanion, and Metagross. Draco Meteor pressures Pokemon that shrug off its other moves such as Volcarona and opposing Kyurem-B, and it more reliably OHKOes Pheromosa. Protect ensures Kyurem-B's safety against Fake Out pressure while punishing foes that concentrate on KOing it. For partners, Togekiss provides Follow Me and Tailwind support and can stave off Fairy-types, such as Tapu Fini and Tapu Lele. In return, Kyurem-B checks Regieleki and staves off Volcanion. Regieleki blasts through bulky Water-types that Kyurem-B cannot KO, such as Blastoise, while slowing down Pheromosa and Naganadel with Electroweb. Kyurem-B breaks through Ground- and Grass-types like Zygarde and Rillaboom that can take Regieleki's STAB Electric-type attacks. Cinderace and Pheromosa both break through Steel-types that Kyurem-B hates, such as Metagross and Heatran. Cinderace also pressures Togekiss, which Kyurem-B greatly appreciates, and Kyurem-B's Freeze-Dry ameliorates Cinderace's weakness to Ground-types.

With an impressive Attack stat, amazing BoltBeam coverage, and Water and Electric resistances, Kyurem-B has a niche as a Dragon Dance user able to somewhat reliably check Kyogre and be a Sheer Cold absorber. Icicle Spear is its main attacking move, hitting most Dragon-types, Ground-types, and Yveltal super effectively, as well as hitting neutral Pokemon for heavy damage. It can also break Focus Sash, which helps against suicide leads such as Slurpuff and Excadrill. Fusion Bolt OHKOes non-bulky Kyogre unboosted, threatens an OHKO against Ho-Oh, and is the best option against Zacian-C. Shadow Claw is specifically to hit Lunala on Life Orb sets, and OHKOes it if Kyurem-B Dynamaxes at +1 or if Lunala is slightly chipped; Life Orb Max Phantasm also 2HKOes Necrozma-DM. Roost is an option on Heavy-Duty Boots sets, as Kyurem-B can heal when it forces a switch. A Jolly nature is used to outspeed non-Choice Scarf Calyrex-S after one Dragon Dance. Life Orb increases its already stellar offensive power, giving it a 50% chance of OHKOing uninvested Zacian-C with Max Lightning; alternatively, Heavy-Duty Boots can be used to switch into Stealth Rock at the cost of not OHKOing Kyogre. Kyurem-B is best used on balance teams that appreciate its ability to pressure Yveltal lacking Foul Play and Kyogre, although a secondary check to the latter is needed, as Kyurem-B is easily whittled down. Its typing makes it vulnerable to Steel-types and faster Dragon-types, so it’s best not to fight the likes of Necrozma-DM and Eternatus one-on-one without having used Dragon Dance. Groudon is a useful partner to pressure these Pokemon with Precipice Blades. Gothitelle is an excellent partner as well, as it can trap defensive Necrozma-DM and Ferrothorn and remove them before Kyurem-B tries sweeping. Kyurem-B lacking Shadow Claw may find it difficult to take on a healthy Lunala without a lucky Icicle Spear, as it can get burnt with Will-O-Wisp; Yveltal, Calyrex-S, and Marshadow can help it in this case. After boosting, if the opponent can still Dynamax, Ditto is a threat, as it can OHKO Kyurem-B with Max Hailstorm; Necrozma-DM, Zacian-C, and physically defensive Ferrothorn can be used to Imposter-proof it. Zacian-C in particular doubles as an offensive powerhouse that can pressure Necrozma-DM alongside Kyurem-B, each helping the other to make progress against the opposing team. A weakened Kyurem-B can also be revenge killed by faster Pokemon, such as Choice Scarf Zacian and Choice Scarf Calyrex-S, if it isn’t at +3 Speed or above. Teammates like Necrozma-DM and Yveltal, respectively, are valuable as a result, as they can switch into and wall these threats. As Life Orb Kyurem-B is vulnerable to Stealth Rock, Defoggers like Ho-Oh and Yveltal are vital partners.

Moves Fusion Bolt allows Kyurem-B to hit Water-types like Keldeo and Empoleon as well as Flying-types like Skarmory and Mega Charizard Y. Ice Beam lets Kyurem-B revenge kill Ground-types like Garchomp and Landorus-T. Iron Head is an important coverage option for KOing Mega Diancie. Earth Power is another option for hitting Fire- and Steel-types like Rotom-Heat, Heatran, and Excadrill. Outrage is Kyurem-B’s strongest Dragon-type STAB attack, capable of doing incredible damage to neutral targets like Mew and Mega Sableye. Set Details Maximum investment in Attack and Speed is used to make Kyurem-B as fast and strong as possible. A Naive nature is used to allow Kyurem-B to outspeed Choice Scarf users like Heracross and Excadrill without reducing its Special Attack stat. Naive is chosen over Hasty because Kyurem-B appreciates surviving +2 Bisharp's Sucker Punch. A Choice Scarf is used to let it outspeed threats like Mega Charizard Y, Mega Alakazam, and Mega Diancie as well as Choice Scarf users like Heracross, Excadrill, and Landorus-T. Teravolt is Kyurem-B's only ability, which allows it to hit Mega Venusaur super effectively with Ice Beam and hit Volt Absorb users like Lanturn with Fusion Bolt. Usage Tips It's a good idea to conserve Kyurem-B until late-game when all its checks have been removed. However, it can also be sent out frequently to revenge kill threats such as Mega Charizard Y and Keldeo. Choice Scarf Kyurem-B relies heavily on prediction, so make sure to predict when Pokemon such as Swampert or Landorus-T switch into it. Try bringing Kyurem-B in on weak attacks such as Brave Bird from Crobat in order to get it in safely and force something out. Keep entry hazards off the field as much as possible, since they can severely limit the number of times Kyurem-B can switch in. Be careful about what move Kyurem-B locks itself into, or it may risk becoming setup bait for Pokemon like Mega Scizor and Volcarona. Avoid status conditions as much as possible, as they can wear down Kyurem-B and make it unable to sweep effectively. Team Options Alolan Ninetales can set up Aurora Veil for Kyurem-B to increase its survivability while also switching into Dragon-type attacks. In return, Kyurem-B is able to check faster Fighting-types like Mega Gallade and Mega Lopunny. Avalugg can switch into Fighting-types like Heracross and Infernape as well as remove entry hazards with Rapid Spin to allow Kyurem-B to switch in more freely. Mamoswine and Piloswine can set up Stealth Rock for Kyurem-B, allowing it to sweep more effectively. Mamoswine can also revenge kill faster Choice Scarf users like Hydreigon and Latios with Ice Shard, while Piloswine can switch into threatening special attackers like Nihilego, Tapu Koko, and Heatran. Lapras can check Mega Scizor for Kyurem-B while also targeting Water-types that are immune to Fusion Bolt like Swampert and Seismitoad with Freeze-Dry. In return, Kyurem-B checks Electric-types like Magnezone and Zapdos, as well as faster Rock-types like Mega Diancie. Cloyster is a great setup sweeper that appreciates Kyurem-B's ability to outspeed and remove special attackers like Mega Charizard Y and Landorus. Weavile can Pursuit trap Psychic- and Ghost-types like Victini, Latios, and Gengar as well as remove items with Knock Off. It also greatly appreciates Kyurem-B's ability to beat Fairy-types like Azumarill and Mega Diancie. Alolan Sandslash is another revenge killer capable of beating faster Choice Scarf users such as Hydreigon and Garchomp for Kyurem-B under hail, as well as being able to switch into Dragon- and Fairy-type attacks. In return, Kyurem-B can check Water-types like Gyarados and Keldeo that Alolan Sandslash is unable to KO.

Moves Fusion Bolt is essential in order to hit Water-types like Slowbro and Empoleon, as well as Flying-types that take neutral damage from Ice Beam like Celesteela and Mantine. Ice Beam is Kyurem-B's best Ice-type STAB attack, used to target Grass-types like Mega Venusaur, Cradily, and Tapu Bulu as well as Flying-types like Zapdos and Gliscor. Earth Power is important coverage for hitting Fire- and Steel-types like Torkoal, Heatran, and Magnezone. Roost is an option for giving Kyurem-B recovery to offset the damage taken by Life Orb. Hidden Power Fire can be used to hit Steel-types like Ferrothorn and Mega Scizor. Outrage is Kyurem-B’s strongest Dragon-type STAB attack, capable of doing incredible damage to neutral targets like Mew and Mega Sableye. Set Details Maximum investment in Special Attack and Speed is used to make Kyurem-B as strong and fast as possible. A Naive nature is used to outspeed Pokemon like Nidoking, Jolly Excadrill, and Jolly Landorus-T without decreasing its Attack stat. Naive is chosen over Hasty because Kyurem-B's better physical bulk lets it survive attacks such as Bullet Punch from unboosted Mega Scizor. A Life Orb is used to increase the power of Kyurem-B’s attacks. Teravolt is the only ability it has access to, which allows it to hit Levitate users like Rotom-Wash with Earth Power and attack past Mimikyu's Disguise. Alternatively, Leftovers can be used in order to give Kyurem-B passive recovery. If Outrage is being used, maximum investment should be put into Attack over Special Attack. Usage Tips Try bringing Kyurem-B in early-game to wallbreak in order to allow Alolan Sandslash and Cloyster to win late-game. Due to Kyurem-B’s high natural bulk, it's best to bring it in against weaker attacks from Pokemon such as Hippowdon and Crobat. However, against more powerful wallbreakers, it's best to bring it in after a teammate has been taken out. Keep entry hazards off the field as much as possible, since they can severely limit the number of times Kyurem-B can switch in. Use Kyurem-B as a way to gain favorable switches; since it's one of the most threatening wallbreakers in the metagame, if the opponent is going to switch, it should be fairly easy to predict what's coming in. Since Kyurem-B is capable of forcing out many Pokemon, try taking advantage of the free turn by using Roost to recover any health lost. Make sure all switch-ins to Outrage have been dealt with before using it, otherwise Kyurem-B can become setup bait for Pokemon like Mega Scizor, get KOed, or force unfavorable switches. Avoid status conditions as much as possible, as they can quickly wear Kyurem-B down and prevent it from wallbreaking effectively. Team Options Alolan Ninetales can set up Aurora Veil for Kyurem-B to increase its survivability while also switching into Dragon-type attacks and checking Fighting-types like Keldeo. Avalugg can switch into Steel-types like Jirachi and Excadrill, as well as remove hazards with Rapid Spin to allow Kyurem-B to switch in more safely. Mamoswine and Piloswine can set up Stealth Rock for Kyurem-B, allowing it to wallbreak more effectively. Mamoswine is also capable of revenge killing threats like Mega Charizard Y and Tapu Koko if it's holding a Choice Scarf, while Piloswine can phaze setup sweepers with Roar and switch into threatening special attackers like Nihilego, Tapu Koko, and Heatran. In return, Kyurem-B breaks through Water- and Flying-types like Slowbro, Mantine, and Skarmory. Alolan Sandslash can check Rock-types like Nihilego and non-Choice Scarf Terrakion, as well as remove entry hazards with Rapid Spin to let Kyurem-B switch in safely. In return, Kyurem-B can remove Water-types like Mantine and Slowbro. Lapras can check Mega Scizor for Kyurem-B while also targeting Water-types that are immune to Fusion Bolt like Swampert and Seismitoad with Freeze-Dry. In return, Kyurem-B checks Electric-types like Tapu Koko and Zapdos. Weavile can Pursuit trap Psychic- and Ghost-types like Victini, Latios, and Gengar as well as remove items with Knock Off. In return, Kyurem-B beats Skarmory and Toxapex. Cloyster is a great setup sweeper that appreciates Kyurem-B's ability to break through troublesome Water-types like Slowbro and Toxapex.

Moves Ice Beam is Kyurem-B's most reliable STAB attack, dealing huge damage to almost any Pokemon that doesn't resist it and serving as its primary move for wallbreaking. Fusion Bolt forms the powerful BoltBeam coverage combination with Ice Beam to enable Kyurem-B to break Flying and Water defensive cores. As it deals physical damage, it combines with Ice Beam to let Kyurem-B break both physical and special walls. Earth Power is the most useful coverage move, able to 2HKO Steel-type Pokemon such as Klefki and Jirachi that can otherwise switch into Kyurem-B's attacks. Roost gives Kyurem-B longevity, letting it heal the Life Orb recoil and chip damage that it may take from walls like Skarmory. For an all-out attacker moveset, Hidden Power Fire is very useful for breaking offensive Steel teams, especially when used in conjunction with Earth Power. It can also simply replace Earth Power instead, sacrificing perfect anti-Steel coverage for Roost's utility. Set Details Maximum Speed investment and a Naive nature make Kyurem-B as fast as possible, outspeeding certain Pokemon including Nidoking and Suicune. Because its Special Attack is much lower than its Attack, Kyurem-B prefers to have 252 Special Attack EVs to improve its STAB Ice Beam's damage output. Life Orb's boost makes Kyurem-B even stronger and lets it wallbreak, making sure it can OHKO threats like Tapu Koko and offensive Mega Scizor with its coverage moves. With Teravolt, Kyurem-B is able to ignore defensive abilities such as Mega Venusaur and Mamoswine's Thick Fat, Skarmory and Forretress's Sturdy, and Rotom-Wash's Levitate. Usage Tips With its decent bulk, Kyurem-B is capable of switching into walls that lack status moves like Skarmory to proceed to force them out with the threat of its powerful attacks. Kyurem-B also serves as a decent switch-in to Ice-type attacks from Pokemon like Mamoswine and Tapu Koko, but it should be careful of the possibility of super effective damage, as Mamoswine can carry Superpower and Tapu Koko occasionally uses Dazzling Gleam. Try to keep entry hazards off the field for Kyurem-B, as even with Roost, the residual damage can wear it down very quickly when combined with Life Orb recoil. Stealth Rock and Toxic Spikes are especially threatening to Kyurem-B's longevity. For a similar reason, while walls are rarely able to actually damage Kyurem-B seriously, all forms of status are crippling to it, and they should be avoided. Preserving Kyurem-B's health is especially necessary for matchups against Pokemon with strong Ice-type attacks, such as Choice Scarf Greninja, where it is needed to reliably check these threats. Once in play, because Kyurem-B has very few switch-ins, it's typically quite safe to just fire off whatever attacks are strongest against the current foe. Even if the opponent switches out, as long as Kyurem-B is faster, it should still be a huge threat to almost anything that comes in. Kyurem-B is very capable of taking out walls like Toxapex that can stop its teammates from sweeping. As a result, it's important to try to bring it in as often as possible early-game through free or double switches. In some matchups, especially against Flying where Kyurem-B's BoltBeam combination is critical to winning, it's even more important to keep it safe, as getting afflicted by Toxic can lead to the foes beating Kyurem-B in ways that aren't otherwise possible, such as being stalled by Substitute Zapdos. In the Steel matchup, your opponent will try to scout Kyurem-B's moveset; because they don't know what combination of coverage moves to expect, try to use that knowledge to your advantage. Team Options Stealth Rock damage is very useful for putting some walls such as Alolan Muk into range of Kyurem-B's attacks, so Garchomp is a fantastic partner. While offensive Garchomp is also capable of breaking Steel-types alongside Kyurem-B, defensive sets can serve as a check to threats like Mega Scizor that Kyurem-B may be unable to pressure without Hidden Power Fire. Choice Band Dragonite's incredibly powerful Outrage can break even walls such as Porygon2 and Mega Sableye that Kyurem-B is unable to get past. Together, they form a strong wallbreaking core that very few teams can handle. Hydreigon is another wallbreaking option that can also use Taunt to be a stallbreaker; while not as generally useful as Dragonite, it is more specialized and able to break types such as Psychic and Steel with its strong Dark Pulse and coverage moves. Setup sweepers such as Kommo-o, Mega Latias, and Mega Altaria all greatly appreciate Kyurem-B's wallbreaking presence, as it is capable of taking out Pokemon such as Toxapex and Skarmory that check them. Due to Kyurem-B's poor Speed, a Choice Scarf user such as Latios or Latias is ideal for revenge killing faster Dragon-types and other fast attackers that force Kyurem-B out. They both also have Defog to keep Kyurem-B safe from entry hazards. In exchange, with Earth Power, Kyurem-B can beat walls such as Alolan Muk and Klefki that wall them. While weaker than Latios, Latias brings the much appreciated Healing Wish, which can give Kyurem-B a second chance to finish off remaining walls. If Kyurem-B lacks Roost, Healing Wish becomes even more valuable.

Moves Freeze Shock acts as the base move for Kyurem-B's Subzero Slammer and is the main driving force behind its power, becoming a one-use 200-Base Power move capable of breaking down or outright KOing a wide range of opposing threats. Fusion Bolt gets excellent coverage with Kyurem-B's Ice-type STAB moves and allows it to deal heavy damage to the Water-types that resist its Z-Move, such as Tapu Fini and Milotic, while Ice Beam grants Kyurem-B a consistent Ice-type STAB move to use even after its Z-Move has been expended. Finally, Protect rounds out the set, allowing it to maneuver around potential deadly attacks to give it a greater chance to successfully fire off its Z-Move. Set Details This set utilizes Icium Z to turn Kyurem-B's Freeze Shock into an extremely powerful but one-use attack, so speed and power are maximized. A Hasty nature is used instead of a Naive nature to slightly bolster Kyurem-B's matchup against Tapu Koko. Usage Tips This set's main selling point is Subzero Slammer, which is great for removing a key threat from an opposing team. Generally, semi-bulky Pokemon like Tyranitar, Tapu Lele, and Gothitelle don't expect to be OHKOed by Kyurem-B and can thus be good targets to remove early due to their tendency to stay in against Kyurem-B. On the other hand, don't use Subzero Slammer carelessly, and try to avoid using it into a Protect or a resisting switch-in, since it's this set's main form of damage output, with the set becoming significantly weaker once it's used. The set is also far less bulky than an Assault Vest set, so Kyurem-B should stay away from potential super effective hits unless it's definitely able to remove the transgressor before it takes a hit itself. In a similar vein, attempt to bring Kyurem-B in before Stealth Rock goes up in a game, since the number of hits it can reasonably take is greatly hindered by the 25% chip damage from Stealth Rock. As long as it's not in direct danger of being KOed, though, Kyurem-B can almost always do significant damage each turn, so it's generally beneficial to play it aggressively. Team Options Icium Z Kyurem-B is mainly used to chunk or KO key threats on an opposing team and thus is often used over other Kyurem-B sets alongside typical strong cleaners and endgame sweepers: Choice Band Zygarde, Choice Scarf Landorus-T, and Calm Mind Tapu Fini are all great examples of Pokemon weak to a small group of specific threats that appreciate Kyurem-B's ability to outright remove those threats. In terms of supporting Kyurem-B itself, offensive Tailwind setters like Zapdos and Kartana are great options to ameliorate Kyurem-B's rather medicore Speed tier while keeping up with the offensive pressure it exerts. Tapu Koko can further enhance Kyurem-B's offensive presence, boosting Fusion Bolt's power by setting Electric Terrain and heavily threatening the bulky Water-types that tend to try to switch in to resist Kyurem-B's Ice-type moves. A number of Pokemon also synergize well with Kyurem-B offensively. Volcanion can offensively threaten Steel-types like Mega Metagross and Ferrothorn, which can deal large amounts of damage to Kyurem-B and doesn't take much from its attacks, while it also appreciates Kyurem-B's tendency to force out Volcanion's largest threats in opposing Landorus-T and Zygarde. On the other hand, a Landorus-T and Zygarde alongside Kyurem-B are also good options to check Tyranitar, Aegislash, and Tapu Koko, which offensively threaten Kyurem-B; Landorus-T's Intimidate also makes Kyurem-B harder to remove in general and gives it more opportunities to fire off its Z-Move. Finally, slow pivots like Landorus-T and Incineroar make it easier to bring Kyurem-B into play safely off the back of a U-turn, preventing it from taking unnecessary damage on the switch in and thus giving it a greater chance of successfully firing off its Z-Move.

Moves Ice Beam is Kyurem-B's most reliable Ice-type STAB attack and lets it hit common Pokemon in the metagame, such as Landorus-T, Tapu Bulu, Zygarde, and Amoonguss, for super effective damage. Earth Power, alongside Ice Beam, gives Kyurem-B perfect neutral coverage and allows it to hit Heatran and Tapu Koko super effectively. Fusion Bolt rounds out the set by allowing Kyurem-B to hit Pokemon that would otherwise wall it, such as Tapu Fini and Mega Charizard Y, for super effective damage. Icy Wind adds to Kyurem-B's utility by giving it a speed control option. Hidden Power Fire is an option over Earth Power or Ice Beam, as it allows Kyurem-B to threaten Kartana, Genesect, Ferrothorn, and Mega Scizor. Set Details 252 HP EVs with 48 Defense EVs allows Kyurem-B to switch in on a Choice Band Zygarde's Thousand Arrows, even with Stealth Rock on the field, and avoid the KO from a second Thousand Arrows so that it gets the chance to attack. In addition, Kyurem-B is guaranteed to take an opposing Icium Z Kyurem-B's Subzero Slammer. 96 Attack EVs allow Kyurem-B to OHKO mimimally invested Mega Charizard Y and 2HKO standard Tapu Fini with Fusion Bolt. 80 Speed EVs ensure that, even with a Speed-reducing nature, Kyurem-B outruns Landorus after an Icy Wind drop. The remaining EVs are dumped into Special Attack; in conjunction with a Quiet nature, this allows Kyurem-B to remain an offensive threat. Those wanting to use a faster Kyurem-B should note that Speed may not be the most efficient stat to reduce with Kyurem-B's nature. Assault Vest takes advantage of Kyurem-B's high natural bulk by boosting its Special Defense and allows it to tank attacks that it normally wouldn't, such as taking Life Orb Tapu Lele's Moonblast and surviving two hits from Choice Specs Tapu Koko's Dazzling Gleam. Teravolt further adds to Kyurem-B's utility, as it is able to ignore abilities and get a "true" super effective hit on Pokemon like Rotom-Wash. Usage Tips This set takes advantage of Kyurem-B's high base defensive stats by investing more in its bulk. While it tends to miss out on KOs that more offensive sets can get, such as against Celesteela and Mega Charizard Y, the added bulk that this set provides allows Kyurem-B to survive more attacks, and Icy Wind gives it added utility. Additionally, with Kyurem-B's high base offensive stats, it will still usually 2HKO those Pokemon even without extra investment. Despite this set's focus on bulk, Kyurem-B is still able to KO key Pokemon, such as Zygarde and Landorus-T. Unlike more offensive variants, the point of this set isn't to snipe common Pokemon in the metagame and punch holes, but rather to support the team with Icy Wind while still being able to weaken common bulky Pokemon, such as Tapu Fini and Celesteela. Don't attack unless using a super effective move because this set won't be doing much damage otherwise. Icy Wind as speed control is almost always the better option unless you need more chip damage on a Pokemon for Kyurem-B's teammate. Team Options Kyurem-B can work on a multitude of teams. Pokemon that benefit from speed control, such as Mega Diancie, Mega Gardevoir, and Tapu Lele, are great partners for this set. Mega Gardevoir and Tapu Lele, while both adding to the Steel-type weakness, are powerful Pokemon that can deal massive damage to the opponent's team. They can also both threaten Fighting-types while Kyurem-B can threaten certain Steel-types, such as Heatran and Celesteela. Mega Diancie benefits greatly from Kyurem-B's ability to threaten common Intimidate users, such as Landorus-T and Salamence, which lower the power of its main move, Diamond Storm. Most teams also lack solid Rock-resistant Pokemon, so Diancie benefits greatly from the speed control that Kyurem-B provides. Fire-types, such as Volcanion, can take out Steel-types that pressure Kyurem-B, such as Aegislash and Ferrothorn. Kyurem-B, in return, can switch into Tapu Koko easily and threaten it out while also beating Landorus-T and Zygarde. Both must be wary of Rock-types, however. Despite the added Special Defense boost from Assault Vest, Kyurem-B will still take massive damage from Fairy-type attacks and can't do much back to them, so Steel-types, such as Genesect and Mega Metagross, are great partners to take out common Fairy-types. Kyurem-B becomes a solid check to rain teams when paired with Tapu Fini because Misty Terrain weakens the power of Kingdra's Dragon-type attacks. Tapu Fini also has access to Heal Pulse, which can increase Kyurem-B's longevity and mitigate its lack of a solid recovery option.

Moves Ice Beam is Kyurem-B's best Ice-type STAB attack and allows it to hit common Pokemon in the metagame, such as Landorus-T, Zapdos, Tapu Bulu, and Amoonguss, for super effective damage. Fusion Bolt greatly threatens Pokemon that would otherwise wall Kyurem-B, such as Tapu Fini and Suicune. Earth Power completes Kyurem-B's perfect neutral coverage while also allowing it to hit Incineroar and Tapu Koko super effectively. Protect shields Kyurem-B from a potential fatal hit and can allow its partner to deal with the threat. Set Details Maximum Speed investment with a Hasty nature allows Kyurem-B to outspeed non-Choice Scarf variants of Landorus-T and Speed tie with Tapu Lele. A Hasty nature is used over a Naive nature because Kyurem-B's typing makes it a passable switch-in to Electric- and Water-type attacks, which are primarily special. With a Life Orb and 144 Special Attack EVs, Kyurem-B can OHKO Tapu Koko with Earth Power; dumping the rest into Attack allows Kyurem-B to 2HKO even the bulkiest Tapu Fini with Fusion Bolt. If Kyurem-B has Stealth Rock support, it can instead use 180 Special Attack EVs to OHKO Mega Manectric after Stealth Rock damage. Usage Tips Kyurem-B works best early- and mid-game to punch holes in the opponent's team. However, it gets worn down easily due to Life Orb, so try to bring it in on free switches or weaker resisted hits, such as Tapu Fini's Muddy Water or Zapdos's Thunderbolt. It is best to retain as much health as possible so that Kyurem-B can pressure the opponent's team more. Because Kyurem-B gets worn down easily, try to not attack foes unless through a super effective hit or if they're about to faint. Due to Kyurem-B's threatening presence, it is common for the opponent to switch around their Pokemon to wear it down, so sometimes it is better to go for a read rather than a super effective hit, especially against Pokemon that can't do much damage to Kyurem-B, such as Amoonguss. Team Options Kyurem-B is very widely usable. Aegislash has access to Wide Guard so it can shield Kyurem-B from common threatening spread moves, such as Diamond Storm, Dazzling Gleam, and Icy Wind. Aegislash can also switch into Fighting-, Fairy-, and Steel-type attacks aimed at Kyurem-B. It can then force out Pokemon that threaten Kyurem-B, such as Mega Metagross, Mega Diancie, and Tapu Lele. Kyurem-B, in return, can threaten common Aegislash answers, such as Volcanion and Landorus-T. Kyurem-B works great on rain teams, as it can threaten common rain answers, such as Tapu Bulu, Tapu Fini, and Amoonguss. Rain teams also make great use of Kyurem-B's ability to punch holes in the opponent's team by allowing Kingdra to spam Muddy Water late-game. Pokemon with speed control work well with Kyurem-B, since this allows it to outrun threats such as Mega Salamence and Tapu Koko and KO them. Kartana has access to Tailwind while also benefiting greatly from Kyurem-B's ability to remove Zapdos and dent Incineroar. Tapu Koko can provide Electric Terrain, which helps Kyurem-B by further boosting the power of its Fusion Bolt.

Moves Extreme Speed is useful for its increased priority bracket and high damage output against offensive threats like Mega Gengar, giving Kyurem-B a needed countermeasure against faster foes and providing the team with revenge killing utility. Boomburst enables Kyurem-B to use a stronger Ice-type attack, do much higher damage to physically defensive foes like Primal Groudon and Fur Coat users like Mega Slowbro, and potentially punish Dazzling users that attempt to take advantage of a predicted Extreme Speed. Bolt Strike gives Kyurem-B crucial coverage against Water-types, preventing Primal Kyogre, Mega Gyarados, and the less common Mega Slowbro from walling this set. Its decent chance to paralyze opposing Pokemon can also be handy against foes that Kyurem-B struggles to bypass and Imposter users that may pivot into Kyurem-B on a pinch. Fake Out further strengthens Kyurem-B's matchup against offensive teams, letting it deal free damage, which is always useful. This also sometimes allows Kyurem-B to take out a threat that cannot be taken down by Extreme Speed alone. Return is a stronger Refrigerate-boosted STAB physical attack that has significantly more PP than Extreme Speed and is powerful enough to have a chance to OHKO Giratina after Stealth Rock damage and cleanly 2HKO Assault Vest Dialga and Mega Audino. Note that forgoing coverage against Water-types or a secondary priority move makes Return often a questionable choice, however. Stealth Rock can be used instead to pressure opposing teams if offensive threats can be sufficiently covered by Kyurem-B's teammates. Precipice Blades targets Flash Fire Steel-types like Registeel and Aegislash that commonly pivot into Kyurem-B, 2HKOing them on the switch. Precipice Blades also serves as a decently strong neutral attack against Water-types if Kyurem-B lacks Bolt Strike. Close Combat is a more accurate coverage move against Steel-types that also hits Mega Gyarados, Mega Tyranitar, and Fur Coat Chansey hard. It fails to cover some Steel-types like Aegislash and Necrozma-DM, however. V-create is a stronger coverage move against Steel-types, having enough power to OHKO many Steel-types with minimal prior damage. Set Details A Lonely nature is typically preferred, as Kyurem-B needs the extra power to 2HKO Registeel with Precipice Blades and do the maximum amount of damage to faster foes with Extreme Speed. Another important benchmark of this nature includes enabling Kyurem-B to KO Primal Kyogre and Mega Gyarados with Bolt Strike after they switch into any other attack. Alternatively, a Naive nature can be considered to outspeed positive-natured base 90 Speed Pokemon like Primal Groudon and Primal Kyogre, but it is rare for said Pokemon to run maximum Speed, and the loss of power isn't generally worth it. Refrigerate turns Kyurem-B's Normal-type attacks into boosted Ice-type STAB attacks, making moves like Extreme Speed and Boomburst significantly more powerful. Boomburst can OHKO Giratina after Stealth Rock damage and 2HKO Mega Audino. Icicle Plate further boosts the power of Kyurem-B's Ice-type STAB attacks, making it an effective mixed attacker that can 2HKO a good number of neutral Pokemon in the metagame, including Mega Audino and Xerneas. Expert Belt can be used instead to increase the odds that Kyurem-B will net OHKOs with super effective attacks like V-create on Registeel. Usage Tips Kyurem-B will not have many opportunities to liberally switch into the field. It takes sizeable damage from Stealth Rock upon switching in, and because of its average Speed stat, it is unable to double switch effectively due to its vulnerability to many faster threats, particularly opposing -ate users that can strike Kyurem-B first. Kyurem-B is generally forced to play with caution and should prefer entering the field by slow pivoting or when it has to revenge kill a foe. Once in, Kyurem-B will have opportunities to surprise and punish its switch-ins with its coverage moves. Due to Ice being less popular of an offensive typing, some teams are loosely prepared for Kyurem-B and tend to rely on offensive pressure or Imposter to keep it in control. Offensive pressure can be dealt with if Kyurem-B is defensively supported by its teammates, but keeping Imposter users in line will require more aggressive strategies, such as using entry hazards or strictly securing momentum. Make sure that foes like Registeel and Primal Kyogre that attempt to sponge hits from Kyurem-B are harshly punished with appropriate coverage moves and weakened enough to be easily taken out by another teammate if Kyurem-B does not get to KO them itself. Kyurem-B also proves to be an annoyance for offensive teams, as not many viable Pokemon from such archetypes resist Ice and some teams rely on a single Steel-type to check -ate users, which Kyurem-B can easily bypass with a coverage move. As it will force a lot of switches against faster threats once they are revealed to lack abilities like Dazzling, setting entry hazards can be helpful for further punishing switch-ins. Though Kyurem-B is capable of doing a good amount of damage to many foes early- and mid-game, it can also be a cleaner late-game. Identify the opposing team's structure and draft plans to use Kyurem-B appropriately. Scouting for opposing abilities is crucially important. Foes like Mega Mewtwo Y with Dazzling can be very dangerous should Kyurem-B waste its turn by choosing a priority attack and give them a chance to set up. Lastly, be cautious about Extreme Speed's PP. If it is wasted on foes that resist it, it will hinder Kyurem-B's revenge killing capabilities. Team Options Steel-types typically become necessary, as Kyurem-B will usually be forced out against opposing -ate users. Most of them can easily justify a slow pivoting move that can help Kyurem-B enter the field easily. However, note that they stack weaknesses to Fighting-types with Kyurem-B, making adding Aegislash for compressing defensive roles or Giratina to cover Fighting-types a good idea. Steel-types can also set entry hazards that Kyurem-B can take advantage of due to the number of switches it easily forces, and they can pivot to bring Kyurem-B in against Magic Bounce users. Depending on its coverage moves, Kyurem-B can be Imposter-proof by varying methods. Water-types can be a decent pivot to Kyurem-B lacking Bolt Strike, though Precipice Blades can be strong enough to 2HKO them on the switch if they are weakened enough. Mega Slowbro, especially Fur Coat variants, can easily wall any variant of Kyurem-B lacking Bolt Strike. Flash Fire Steel-types can be considered if Kyurem-B lacks Precipice Blades and Close Combat, and Fur Coat Chansey can effectively Imposter-proof Kyurem-B, as it easily avoids a 2HKO from any moves. Many offensive partners can benefit from Kyurem-B's ability to bring pressure to the table against offensive foes and certain Steel-types. Primal Groudon can threaten most Steel-types that Kyurem-B may struggle with, provide Stealth Rock support, and pivot into Mega Diancie. Kyurem-B in return pressures Celesteela that can typically check Primal Groudon well with an ability that makes it immune to Fire. Giratina and Zygarde-C, though they share weaknesses to Fairy-types, can provide useful defensive presences against Regigigas and Mega Mewtwo X. As Kyurem-B naturally threatens Giratina and Zygarde-C, can threaten Primal Kyogre with Bolt Strike, and can potentially dispose of Mega Tyranitar and Ferrothorn with Close Combat, Poison Heal users like Regigigas, Primal Kyogre, and Xerneas make great partners, as they all appreciate these threats being weakened. All of them can absorb status and weaker attacks for Kyurem-B in return, and Xerneas is additionally able to switch into Core Enforcer. Entry hazard removers are needed for Kyurem-B to remain healthy. Defoggers like Giratina and Rapid Spinners like Dialga and Yveltal are able to fulfill this role. Imposter users with a Choice Scarf, Unaware users, and Prankster users can effectively take on Dazzling sweepers, which Kyurem-B cannot take down with priority moves.

This is a sample set. We aren't working on ORAS Monotype analyses at the moment, but check out ORAS Monotype resources for more information about the metagame.

56 HP EVs allows Kyurem-B's sub to not be broken by Seismic Toss. This is a sample set. We aren't working on ORAS Monotype analyses at the moment, but check out ORAS Monotype resources for more information about the metagame.

Moves Substitute gives the set its name, allowing Kyurem-B to avoid status and chip damage. It also gives Kyurem-B a defensive buffer, letting it avoid the KO from threats that would normally remove it from play and allowing it to attack safely. Ice Beam gets STAB and hits Grass-, Ground-, Dragon-, and Flying-types for lots of damage. Earth Power gives Kyurem-B perfect neutral coverage alongside Ice Beam, and it hits Levitate Pokemon like Rotom-W with the help of Teravolt. Protect allows you to scout for attacks, stall out field conditions such as Tailwind and Trick Room, and regain Kyurem-B's health with Leftovers. Set Details Leftovers restores health lost from creating a Substitute, allowing Kyurem-B to live longer. 252 Special Attack EVs and a Modest nature are used to deal the most damage possible, as Kyurem-B already has great natural bulk without investment. Running 148 Speed EVs allows Kyurem-B to outspeed all base 70 Speed Pokemon such as Bisharp and Breloom, forcing Bisharp to use Sucker Punch instead of Iron Head and avoiding Breloom's Spore with Substitute. Note that Breloom has a chance to 2HKO with Mach Punch, so play around it carefully. The remaining 108 EVs are placed into HP to create bigger Substitutes. Another spread you could opt for would be 52 HP / 232 SpA / 224 Spe and a Timid Nature, which has the advantage of outspeeding all non-Choice Scarf variants of Landorus-T and Modest Hydreigon. The bulk investment guarantees that standard Rotom-W sets cannot break Substitute, and while the power drop is noticeable due to the loss of Modest, Kyurem-B still hits many of the same OHKOs and 2HKOs. Usage Tips Kyurem-B should use Substitute on a predicted switch or Protect, against non-threatening foes, or to avoid status, and from there it can target a threat safely behind its Substitute. When Kyurem-B has a Substitute set up, the opponent is likely to target it with both of their Pokemon on the field in order to remove the Substitute and KO it in the same turn. Accordingly, if you can predict a double target, it helps to use Protect in order to grant your partner a free turn. If Kyurem-B's checks are removed, getting up a Substitute often puts enough pressure on the opponent between its bulk and offensive presence that it almost acts as a 'win' button. However, don't feel like getting up a substitute is necessary; while it is very nice, Kyurem-B also does well without it, and sometimes getting an attack off is more important. Team Options Kyurem-B can fit on the majority of teams thanks to its ability to pressure nearly everything in the metagame. That said, there are a few choices that can help Kyurem-B do its job better. Kyurem-B appreciates redirection support to help it set up Substitute. Amoonguss works well for this, as it resists the Fighting-type attacks that Kyurem-B hates and doesn't share any weaknesses with it. Kyurem-B also partners well with Water-type Pokemon such as Suicune and Rotom-W, as it resists everything they are weak to, while they threaten Rock-type Pokemon and Landorus-T, which can hit Kyurem-B for lots of damage. Mega Diancie works great as a teammate, because it checks most Dragon- and Fighting-types as well as Mega Charizard Y and benefits from the removal of Pokemon that Substitute Kyurem-B beats such as Rotom-W, Landorus-T, Heatran, and Grass-types. Landorus-T works as a good offensive partner for similar reasons to Mega Diancie, with the added bonus of beating Steel-types that don't mind Earth Power as well as providing Intimidate support to make setting up and keeping a Substitute up easier for Kyurem-B. Substitute Kyurem-B is generally a good choice for rain teams, as it beats many of the common threats to rain sweepers, such as Mega Venusaur, Rotom-W, and Amoonguss. It also fits well on sun teams, taking advantage of Mega Charizard Y's powerful Heat Waves to set up Substitutes and checking the rain teams that give sun trouble. Aegislash stands out as a good partner for Kyurem-B, because it can block Rock Slide or Diamond Storm with Wide Guard and easily switches in on Fighting- and Rock-type attacks that force Kyurem-B out.

Moves Ice Beam gets STAB and hits hard, even with only 108 Special Attack EVs. Fusion Bolt completes a pseudo-BoltBeam coverage, hitting Water-types and Mega Charizard Y super effectively. Dragon Claw is Kyurem-B's strongest STAB move available, and coming from a fully invested base 170 Attack, it hits super hard. This also allows Kyurem-B to OHKO Dragon-types that avoid the KO from Ice Beam, such as Hydreigon, Latios, and Kingdra. The last moveslot depends on your team's needs. Iron Head KOes Fairy-types such as Mega Diancie and Mega Gardevoir, which otherwise give Kyurem-B lots of trouble. Earth Power hits Heatran and Rotom formes much harder than Kyurem-B's other options. Rock Slide provides spread damage as well as a 30% chance to induce flinch. Because Choice Scarf Kyurem-B is mostly used to pick off specific threats, Dragon Claw can be dropped from its moveset in favor of more coverage. One example of when to do this would be if the team struggles with Fairies as well as Heatran and other Steel-types, requiring Kyurem-B to run Iron Head and Earth Power on the same set. Set Details With a Choice Scarf, 224 Speed EVs, and a Naive nature, Kyurem-B outspeeds all Choice Scarf Landorus-T sets as well as the entire unboosted metagame. 108 Special Attack EVs guarantee that Ice Beam will OHKO offensive Thundurus sets, and the remaining 176 EVs are placed in Attack to power up Kyurem-B's other moves, notably guaranteeing the OHKO on Hydreigon using Dragon Claw. Usage Tips Bring this set in after a teammate has fallen or as a lead the majority of the time; it doesn't have nearly the bulk that other sets enjoy. Be mindful of opposing Intimidate users or burns for a few reasons. First, this set is primarily focused on physical attacks, so either one hurts its effectiveness. Additionally, Kyurem-B is a Choice Scarf user that lacks access to a pivoting move, and if the opponent pressures Kyurem-B out with the threat of Will-O-Wisp or Intimidate, it will be forced to make a hard switch in order to avoid losing effectiveness. This can be difficult to do safely or without the loss of momentum. Choice Scarf Kyurem-B is fairly uncommon, so use it to net surprise KOs on Pokemon like Landorus-T, Hydreigon, and Mega Diancie, which expect to outspeed Kyurem-B and deal serious damage. Keep in mind the rest of the opponent's team when attacking; if multiple different moves work to get the KO that you're hoping for, go for the move that works best against the rest of the team, as Kyurem-B will be locked into it. This is especially relevant when deciding if you should use Dragon Claw: if the opponent has a Fairy-type in the back, it's probably a better idea to opt for a different move if possible. Team Options Because Choice Scarf locks Kyurem-B into one specific move, it often finds itself in unfavorable matchups and needs a partner to switch out to. Thus, teammates with good defensive synergy with Kyurem-B such as Aegislash, Mega Metagross, Suicune, and Rotom-W work well as partners. Aegislash and Metagross also beat the Rock-, Fighting-, and Fairy-types that trouble Kyurem-B. Bisharp works well to discourage Intimidate and remove Fairy-types, which is especially useful if you opt for a fourth move other than Iron Head. This Kyurem-B set has trouble with most Steel-types, so Heatran and Mega Charizard Y can help by taking care of them. Anything that has trouble with Landorus-T pairs well with Choice Scarf Kyurem-B, as this set is primarily geared towards removing Choice Scarf Landorus-T. This includes Heatran, Mega Diancie, Talonflame, and many others.

Through its use of priority Ice-type STAB attacks, Refrigerate Kyurem-B acts as an effective revenge killer, sweep-stopper, and general offensive powerhouse. Fake Out + Extreme Speed can easily dispatch most No Guard users and Shell Smash sweepers lacking King's Shield, as well as chunking bulky Ice-weak support Pokemon like Giratina. Boomburst can be used to damage sweepers behind Substitute, as well as immediately threatening Magic Bounce Giratina and unboosted Primal Groudon. Pursuit gives Kyurem-B the option to punish physically frail foes, like Mega Gengar and Mega Latios, on a switch out. Sacred Fire is an option to threaten bulky Steel-types like Mega Scizor, Registeel, and Mega Steelix, which makes Stealth Rock easier to use in matchups against said foes. Stealth Rock itself is a great way to punish switches. Finally, Gastro Acid instead lets Kyurem-B force most Wonder Guard Pokemon out, escape offensive Shadow Tag users, and remove Mold Breaker from sweepers running King's Shield if it predicts correctly. Lum Berry is used to avoid sleep from Mold Breaker sweepers once and dodge other status if they aren't in play, while Icicle Plate buffs Kyurem-B's Ice-type moves and gives it the power to KO Giratina with Boomburst after Stealth Rock. On sets running Boomburst, a Naughty nature is preferred to avoid lowering Kyurem-B's Special Attack; otherwise, an Adamant nature is preferred. Maximum Defense investment allows it to survive one V-create or Thousand Arrows from boosted Primal Groudon at full. Kyurem-B fits best on offensive teams that appreciate it revenge killing frailer threats that outspeed its teammates. Kyurem-B's largest weakness is its inability to consistently damage Wonder Guard users because of its narrow coverage. Because of this, it benefits greatly from Mold Breaker teammates like Mega Gengar, Pokemon that use a wide variety of coverage moves like offensive Wonder Guard Xerneas, and Perish Song trappers like Lugia. Choice Scarf + No Guard Mega Mewtwo X and Mega Mewtwo Y can help the matchup against Primal Groudon. Additionally, special attackers like the Mega Mewtwo Y or Mega Gengar can stop physical walls from walling Kyurem-B out. Finally, due to its Stealth Rock weakness, Defog support is needed to maximize its longevity when switching in to revenge kill.

Moves With Skill Link, Icicle Spear has an effective Base Power of 125 and can bypass Substitute. The move also does not make contact, allowing Kyurem-B to handle Pokemon that are reliant on King's Shield or Rocky Helmet to check standard Refrigerate Kyurem-B. Bone Rush provides perfect coverage barring Levitate users and also benefits from Skill Link. Water Shuriken gives Kyurem-B reasonably hard-hitting priority and pick off certain fast and frail sweepers, such as Mega Aerodactyl, or other weakened Pokemon without the need to set up. However, if eliminating Pokemon such as Kyogre is more important, Bullet Seed is an option. U-turn is also an option to scout the foe and potentially bluff Refrigerate. Shift Gear is the preferred set up move to allow Kyurem-B to outspeed faster Pokemon. However, Swords Dance can be used instead to hit harder and also bluff Refrigerate. King's Shield lets Kyurem-B deal with Fake Out and Extreme Speed more easily. The move can also be run in the third slot if set up is needed more than additional coverage. Set Details The given EV spread allows Adamant Kyurem-B to outspeed Timid Mega Mewtwo Y after a single Shift Gear. This spread also still keeps an odd HP to minimize Life Orb and Stealth Rock damage. An alternative spread of 144 HP / 252 Atk / 112 Spe can be used to outspeed positive nature Deoxys-S after one boost. Another spread of 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe with a Jolly nature can be used to maximize Kyurem-B's sweeping potential. Life Orb significantly boosts Kyurem-B's power, allowing it to break past many Pokemon without needing to set up. Lum Berry gives some protection from otherwise crippling status. Finally, King's Rock gives just under a 50% chance to make the foe flinch after every multi-hit attack. Usage Tips While this set is not as immediately powerful as the Refrigerate set, it can lure in and deal with several checks, such as Substitute + Protect PP stall, King's Shield users, and certain strong walls, that the Refrigerate set and other physically offensive -ate ability users can have trouble with. As such, this set gets most of its mileage by bluffing a traditional Refrigerate set and not revealing its multi-hit moves until the time is right. Be wary of opposing Imposters, as they can invalidate the element of surprise. Team Options As this set's main draw is to lure in checks to -ate ability users, this set pairs excellently with any common -ate user, especially a second Kyurem-B running the first set. These -ate ability users also have the benefit of checking Imposters of this set very well. However, although Skill Link Kyurem-B has excellent coverage, something that can wall boosted neutral hits, such as Mega Slowbro, Unaware Cresselia, or Sturdy Shedinja, is mandatory to stop an opposing counter sweep if your -ate ability user cannot switch in safely against an Imposter. During the bluffing phase of the game, Kyurem-B is liable to force several switches, so it appreciates entry hazard support to rack up damage. It is also weak to all entry hazards, so Rapid Spin and Defog support are always appreciated. This set is weak to Shedinja, so a reliable counter to it, such as a Pokemon with Mold Breaker + Pursuit, is mandatory.

Moves The first two moves on this set are mandatory, as they are what make Kyurem-B so dangerous. Fake Out helps Kyurem-B rack up free damage against many targets so that they can be finished off with an Extreme Speed. Most frail Pokemon are 2HKOed by the combination. In the third slot, Bolt Strike gives Kyurem-B amazing coverage that is only resisted by Pokemon with abilities granting an Electric immunity. It also allows it to quickly dispatch Kyogre and Mega Gyarados, which Kyurem-B has trouble with otherwise, while allowing it to hit Steel-types neutrally. If Steel-types are more of a concern, Thousand Arrows is an option to deal with them better. It can also be run in the last move slot alongside Bolt Strike to allow Kyurem-B to bypass many would-be checks. Earth Power can be run for similar reasons to bypass certain Pokemon with lopsided defenses that have the physical bulk to otherwise wall Kyurem-B with even Thousand Arrows, such as Mega Aggron. In the last slot, King's Shield helps keep Kyurem-B from being revenge killed by opposing -ate ability users, most notably Mega Diancie, and Imposters, while also threatening and potentially shutting them down thanks to the -2 Attack drop it induces on contact. Swords Dance can be used on predicted switches to help Kyurem-B sweep the opponent's team, though running this move makes stopping an Imposter more difficult. As Kyurem-B often forces switches, U-turn can be used to scout the foe and maintain offensive pressure. Set Details The listed EVs maximize Kyurem-B's power and bulk while also allowing it to switch into Stealth Rock five times. Icicle Plate maximizes the power of Kyurem-B's STAB moves without any recoil while Rocky Helmet can punish opposing physically offensive -ate ability users, Imposters, and Shedinja that attempt to attack Kyurem-B, especially when paired with King's Shield. Usage Tips Because Extreme Speed has very limited PP and is Kyurem-B's main attack, it is necessary to scout before committing fully to a sweep. As such, early- and mid-game, Kyurem-B should be used to force switches, prevent set-up, revenge kill, and occasionally use Extreme Speed on a Pokemon that would be seriously hurt and will likely switch out to keep your opponent from predicting your own switch. While Kyurem-B is a threatening sweeper, it needs to be able to set up. However, once its checks and counters are out of play, Kyurem-B can clean up game very efficiently. Be wary of King's Shield, as it is a very common defensive move that can easily force Kyurem-B to switch due to the attack drop. Rocky Helmet holders are also fairly common and can quickly inflict a lot of residual damage. Team Options As Kyurem-B forces a lot of switches, it appreciates entry hazard support to build up damage against checks and counters and to guarantee some KOes with Fake Out and Extreme Speed. As it is also weak to entry hazards itself, Kyurem-B appreciates Rapid Spin or Defog support to keep its side of the field clear. Kyurem-B also appreciates Wish and cleric support to keep it healthy, as it may need to switch into status moves or weak attacks to pressure the foe. Offensively, teammates that can eliminate Kyurem-B's checks and counters are useful. While Rocky Helmet KOes Shedinja, Kyurem-B does not appreciate being hit with Endeavor from Sturdy Shedinja. As such, Mold Breaker + Pursuit users, such as Mega Gengar, are good teammates, as they can easily eliminate Shedinja. Illusion users can disguise themselves as Kyurem-B to lure in and trap or destroy its checks and counters. Mega Gengar does this particularly well when Mega-Evolved so that it can trap the foe with Shadow Tag. Aegislash-Shield makes for a good defensive partner, as it resists or is immune to all of Kyurem-B's weaknesses, is slow enough to bring it in safely with a U-Turn or Parting Shot, and can easily check Pokemon that have transformed into Kyurem-B with Imposter should Kyurem-B lack Precipice Blades. Poison Heal Kyogre is another good partner if Kyurem-B does not run Bolt Strike, as it can set up on Imposters of Kyurem-B and also take down most of Kyurem-B's checks.

Moves Most Imposters run the default maximum happiness, so Frustration is the best choice for the first slot, as it not only hits hard after a Refrigerate boost, but also causes Imposters to inflict very little damage back. Bolt Strike is Kyurem-B's best coverage move, as not only does Kyurem-B resist it, but it beats Kyogre and Mega Gyarados, which would wall the set otherwise, and it hits most Steel-types neutrally. Infestation not only allows Kyurem-B to KO Shedinja, which otherwise walls this set, on the switch, but also to trap opposing Imposters, allowing Kyurem-B to knock them out. Spore is another option if using Safety Goggles, as it allows Kyurem-B to put the Imposter to sleep, making it easier for Kyurem-B to remove it. Leech Seed doesn't cripple Imposters as much but allows for Kyurem-B to take HP from them and KOes Shedinja. Shift Gear not only allows for an easier sweep, but it can also lure Imposters in. Fake Out allows Kyurem-B to not only bluff a standard Refrigerate set, but also inflict free damage on foes and sometimes revenge KO on weakened Pokemon. U-turn helps to scout the foe's moves. It is particularly good on a Choice Band set. Set Details As the set's primary goal is to eliminate opposing Imposters, EVs are invested into HP to maximize Kyurem-B's bulk without increasing the Imposter's own survivability. The remainder is put to Attack for more power. However, if greater sweeping capability is desired, a spread of 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe can be used. Rocky Helmet is the preferred item, as all of Kyurem-B's attacks are contact moves, which whittles down the opposing Imposter as it tries to hit back. Safety Goggles are primarily used on a set running Spore, but the immunity to opposing Spore users is always handy. Choice Band gives Kyurem-B great wallbreaking capabilities while also inflicting more damage on Imposters than they can do back. Usage Tips This set can be used to bluff Extreme Speed sets, especially if Fake Out is run, so use this to force switches by threatening a KO with Extreme Speed. While Rocky Helmet can KO Shedinja after Endeavor, Kyurem-B cannot counter an Imposter at 1 HP, so avoid taking an Endeavor just to get rid of Shedinja. Additionally, if using Shift Gear to lure an Imposter in, do not boost too much while the Imposter is still alive, as, after several boosts, even resisted coverage moves can inflict large amounts of damage if Kyurem-B loses a Speed tie. Team Options Thanks to an Imposter's Frustration often being very weak, Pokemon that would otherwise have poor synergy with Kyurem-B can be good teammates, such as Giratina and Lugia. Sweepers weak to Imposters appreciate this Kyurem-B's ability to shut Imposters down and also to deal with certain walls such as Giratina. As it is weak to all entry hazards, Kyurem-B is greatly helped by Rapid Spin and Defog support. The given coverage moves mean that Kyurem-B has trouble breaking certain walls, such as physically defensive Registeel and Aegislash-Shield, so partners that can break them down are appreciated. This set is also checked by opposing -ate ability users, so Pokemon such as Aegislash-Shield help greatly to stop them. As this set is merely resistant to Imposters, rather than immune, it appreciates Wish support to help it do its job over the course of the match, especially against teams with two Pokemon with Imposter. If not running Infestation, a teammate that can eliminate Sturdy Shedinja, such as one with Mold Breaker + Pursuit, is necessary.

This is a sample set. We aren't working on BW Monotype analyses at the moment, but check out BW Monotype resources for more information about the metagame.

This is a sample set. We aren't working on BW Monotype analyses at the moment, but check out BW Monotype resources for more information about the metagame.

This is a sample set. We aren't working on BW Monotype analyses at the moment, but check out BW Monotype resources for more information about the metagame.

This is a sample set. We aren't working on BW Monotype analyses at the moment, but check out BW Monotype resources for more information about the metagame.

This is a sample set. We aren't working on BW Monotype analyses at the moment, but check out BW Monotype resources for more information about the metagame.

This set takes advantage of Kyurem-B's excellent natural bulk and decent defensive typing to easily set up Substitute on common Pokemon such as Jellicent and Amoonguss. Access to unresisted coverage and reliable super effective coverage makes Kyurem-B great at breaking down the opposing team while its bulk and typing can make it difficult to remove, allowing Kyurem-B to act as a wincon. Ice Beam is a reliable STAB attack that hits common Pokemon such as Landorus-T and Thundurus super effectively. Earth Power gives Kyurem-B unresisted coverage and works well with Ice Beam by allowing Kyurem-B to hit Steel-types, such as Heatran and Metagross, super effectively. This EV spread outruns Jolly Landorus-T. The Special Attack guarantees a 2HKO on Metagross with Earth Power. The HP investment guarantees that Kyurem-B's Substitute will not be broken by Seismic Toss, while the extra Defense investment allows Kyurem-B to live a Meteor Mash from Metagross. As mentioned previously, Kyurem-B aims to set up Substitute on Pokemon that cannot break it easily, which then allows it to control the game with its unresisted coverage. Substitute also allows Kyurem-B to shield it from a lethal attack, such as Latios's Draco Meteor, which makes it difficult for the opposing Pokemon to reliably trade with Kyurem-B. Therefore, it is best to preserve Kyurem-B's health until it finds an opportunity to use Substitute.

A sky-high Attack stat combined with Choice Band makes Kyurem-B one of the tier's most devastating wallbreakers, capable of decimating the opposing team with its powerful attacks. In fact, Choice Band-boosted Outrage is capable of 2HKOing even foes that resist Dragon, making it difficult for them to switch in to Kyurem-B. This allows Kyurem-B to brute-force its way through defensive cores, gaining quick and decisive advantages for the team. Choice Band further boosts Kyurem-B's high Attack stat. Outrage is the preferred Dragon-type STAB move due to its damage output, while Dragon Claw is a second STAB attack that trades damage for reliability, since it allows you to select the target. Fusion Bolt can hit bulky Water-types, such as Jellicent and Politoed, super effectively without relying on Outrage. Sleep Talk bypasses the effects of Spore, allowing Kyurem-B to attack even while asleep. Ice Beam is an option to hit Landorus-T, as Intimidate is a common way of slowing down Kyurem-B. An Adamant nature maximizes Kyurem-B's damage potential. A Jolly nature is an option to outrun Jolly Landorus-T. Even though Kyurem-B cannot select its target, do not be afraid of using Outrage. Choice Band-boosted Outrage can OHKO traditionally bulky neutral hits, such as Amoonguss and Conkeldurr, and can even 2HKO foes that resist Dragon, such as Heatran, which mitigates the inability to select a target. This set benefits from speed control. Thundurus is an excellent teammate, because it can easily slow down faster threats such as Latios. Cresselia is another great teammate due to its access to speed control and ability to threaten Fighting-types such as Conkeldurr and Hitmontop. Landorus-T and Heatran can threaten Steel-types that commonly switch in to Kyurem-B.

Rather than focusing on damage, this set takes advantage of Kyurem-B's reliable Ice-type STAB move to focus on and threaten key Pokemon such as Landorus-T, Thundurus, and Latios. With Choice Scarf, Kyurem-B is capable of outrunning and OHKOing these common threats, giving teams a reliable answer to the pressure posed by these Pokemon. Ice Beam is a reliable Ice-type STAB move that hits Landorus-T and Thundurus super effectively. Earth Power allows Kyurem-B to hit Steel-types, such as Heatran or Metagross, super effectively. Fusion Bolt can hit bulky Water-types, such as Jellicent, which are common switch-ins to this set. Dragon Claw is a second STAB attack that is powerful even with minimal Attack investment. Notably, a Dragon-type STAB move matches up better against opposing Kyurem-B and can allow it to OHKO Latios, whereas Ice Beam is only a roll. Since this set lacks high damage output, Toxic can be used to punish common bulky switch-ins such as Cresselia or Gastrodon. Finally, Draco Meteor is a stronger Dragon-type STAB move, albeit less reliable due to the Special Attack drop after its use. Due to the reliance on Speed, this set benefits greatly from teammates that can stop common speed control options. Landorus-T is immune to Thunder Wave and can threaten Thundurus. Similarly, Pokemon that can threaten Steel-types, such as Heatran and Conkeldurr, are excellent teammates. Conkeldurr, in particular, benefits greatly from Kyurem-B's ability to threaten Landorus-T and Latios.