Kyurem Pokémon GO Raid Battle Tips: Which Pokémon to use in a Kyurem Raid, how to make the most of Premier Balls and Berries, and what to do with Kyurem once you’ve caught it

Kyurem is a Dragon- and Ice-type Legendary Pokémon originally discovered in the Unova region. Kyurem generates a powerful, freezing energy inside itself, but its body became frozen when the energy leaked out. Learn which Pokémon will be most effective in Raid Battles against Kyurem, how to catch Kyurem after winning a Raid Battle, and how best to use the Boundary Pokémon after you’ve caught it.

As a Dragon- and Ice-type Pokémon, Kyurem is vulnerable to Fighting-, Rock-, Dragon-, Steel-, and Fairy-type attacks. When selecting Pokémon for your Kyurem Raid Battle lineup, it helps to choose Pokémon that have a Fast Attack and a Charged Attack of one of these types if you want to deal as much damage as possible. A Pokémon that shares a type with these attacks will benefit from a same-type attack bonus, which will allow these attacks to deal an additional 20% damage.

Although Dragon-type attacks are effective against Kyurem, Dragon-type Pokémon are vulnerable to most of Kyurem’s available attacks—keep that in mind when selecting your Pokémon.

If you have multiple Fighting-, Rock-, Dragon-, Steel-, or Fairy-type Pokémon, choose Pokémon with the highest CP and best overall stats. Remember that speed of victory affects how many Premier Balls you will receive after a successful Raid Battle, so bring your strongest Pokémon and defeat Kyurem as quickly as you can.

• Machamp / Shadow Machamp (Fighting)

  • Fast Attack: Bullet Punch (Steel), Counter (Fighting), Karate Chop (Fighting)*

  • Charged Attack: Close Combat (Fighting), Cross Chop (Fighting), Dynamic Punch (Fighting), Submission (Fighting)*

• Hariyama / Shadow Hariyama (Fighting)

  • Fast Attack: Bullet Punch (Steel), Counter (Fighting)

  • Charged Attack: Close Combat (Fighting), Dynamic Punch (Fighting), Heavy Slam (Steel), Superpower (Fighting)

• Lucario (Fighting/Steel)

  • Fast Attack: Bullet Punch (Steel), Counter (Fighting)

  • Charged Attack: Aura Sphere (Fighting), Close Combat (Fighting), Flash Cannon (Steel), Power-Up Punch (Fighting)

• Conkeldurr (Fighting)

  • Fast Attack: Counter (Fighting)

  • Charged Attack: Dynamic Punch (Fighting), Focus Blast (Fighting), Stone Edge (Steel)

• Aerodactyl / Mega Aerodactyl (Rock/Flying)

  • Fast Attack: Rock Throw (Rock), Steel Wing (Steel)

  • Charged Attack: Ancient Power (Rock), Iron Head (Steel), Rock Slide (Rock)

• Tyranitar / Shadow Tyranitar (Rock/Dark)

  • Fast Attack: Iron Tail (Steel), Smack Down (Rock)*

  • Charged Attack: Stone Edge (Rock)

• Rhyperior (Ground/Rock)

  • Fast Attack: Smack Down (Rock)

  • Charged Attack: Rock Wrecker (Rock)*, Stone Edge (Rock), Superpower (Fighting)

• Terrakion (Rock/Fighting)

  • Fast Attack: Smack Down (Rock)

  • Charged Attack: Close Combat (Fighting), Rock Slide (Rock)

• Dragonite / Shadow Dragonite (Dragon/Flying)

  • Fast Attack: Dragon Breath (Dragon), Dragon Tail (Dragon), Steel Wing (Steel)

  • Charged Attack: Draco Claw (Dragon), Draco Meteor (Dragon)*, Draco Pulse (Dragon)*, Outrage (Dragon)

• Latios / Mega Latios (Dragon/Psychic)

  • Fast Attack: Dragon Breath (Dragon)

  • Charged Attack: Dragon Claw (Dragon)

• Aggron / Shadow Aggron (Steel/Rock)

  • Fast Attack: Dragon Tail (Dragon), Iron Tail (Steel), Smack Down (Rock)

  • Charged Attack: Heavy Slam (Steel), Meteor Beam (Rock), Rock Tomb (Rock), Stone Edge, (Rock)

• Metagross / Shadow Metagross (Steel/Psychic)

  • Fast Attack: Bullet Punch (Steel)

  • Charged Attack: Flash Cannon (Steel), Meteor Mash (Steel)*

• Dialga (Steel/Dragon)

  • Fast Attack: Dragon Breath (Dragon), Metal Claw (Steel)

  • Charged Attack: Draco Meteor (Dragon), Iron Head (Steel)

• Gardevoir / Shadow Gardevoir (Fairy/Psychic)

  • Fast Attack: Charm (Fairy)

  • Charged Attack: Dazzling Gleam (Fairy)

• Zacian (Fairy)

  • Fast Attack: Metal Claw (Steel)

  • Charged Attack: Close Combat (Fighting), Iron Head (Steel), Play Rough (Fairy)

*An Elite Fast TM or an Elite Charged TM is typically required to teach this Pokémon this attack.

After a successful Kyurem raid, you’ll have a limited number of Premier Balls you can use to catch Kyurem, so make each one count. You can earn extra Premier Balls by battling with friends and defeating Kyurem more quickly.

In an encounter with Kyurem, your chance of catching it is greatest when the target ring is small enough for you to score Excellent Throws. Throwing Curveballs can improve your chances even more. But work within your abilities—if you don’t think you can reliably make Excellent Curveball Throws, aim for Nice Throws or Great Throws rather than risk missing the target ring completely.

Kyurem isn’t going to make it easy on you by sitting still while you’re trying to catch it. Don’t waste your Premier Balls by throwing while it’s moving around. Watch Kyurem to get a feel for its cycle of movement and the pauses in between the cycles. During one of these pauses, wait for the target ring to reappear, and then throw as it starts to grow smaller to increase your odds of making a Great Throw or an Excellent Throw.

Berries can help you catch Kyurem. A Razz Berry will make Kyurem easier to catch, and a Golden Razz Berry will make it much easier to catch. If you find yourself failing to land any throws, a Nanab Berry will calm Kyurem, making its movements less erratic and allowing you to make precise throws more easily. If you need extra Kyurem Candy, using a Silver Pinap Berry will make Kyurem easier to catch and grant you extra Candy when you catch it.

Buddy Pokémon with a Buddy Level of Great Buddy or higher have the Catch Assist Perk. If a Pokémon—even a Legendary Pokémon—deflects a Poké Ball, your buddy might bounce it back for a second catch opportunity!

Like all Legendary Pokémon, Kyurem is tricky to catch, so don’t be discouraged if it escapes. Get a second wind by stocking up on useful items—like Max Potions, Max Revives, and Golden Razz Berries—and try again.

As a Dragon- and Ice-type Pokémon, Kyurem is resistant to Water-, Grass-, and Electric-type attacks. With and access to Dragon-, Ice-, and Steel-type attacks, Kyurem can be useful against many Raid Bosses, including Palkia, Reshiram, and Zekrom. While choosing the best attacks can be challenging, remember that Kyurem’s Ice- and Dragon-type attacks will benefit from a same-type attack bonus, making these attacks even more effective. No matter which attacks you choose, you can increase Kyurem’s versatility by increasing Kyurem’s CP and teaching it a second Charged Attack. Raising Kyurem’s CP to its maximum requires a lot of Kyurem Candy and Stardust, so try to catch as many Kyurem as possible to help you get there faster—and don’t forget the Pinap Berries!

Kyurem is not considered to be highly competitive within the GO Battle League. Between the Great League, Ultra League, and Master League, it performs best in Master League, but it struggles to hold its own against Dragon-type competitors Dragonite, Dialga, and Zekrom. While its Ice-type attacks are a powerful counter to other Dragon-type Pokémon, other Pokémon are considered stronger additions to the team. However, with the new addition of its signature attack, Glaciate, Kyurem may prove more formidable against Pokémon when Protect Shields are no longer in play. Only time will tell whether this will make it competitive with the Dragon-type greats that appear so frequently in Master League. Regardless of whether you plan to take Kyurem to the GO Battle League, it’s helpfulness in Raid Battles still makes Kyurem a great choice to catch and power up.

Good luck with your next Raid Battle, and remember to check back to Pokemon.com/Strategy for more Pokémon GO, video game, and Pokémon TCG tips.