Kyurem Weakness In Pokémon GO: Master The Black And White
Kyurem Weakness in Pokémon GO: A Strategic Guide
When it comes to legendary Pokémon in Pokémon GO, Kyurem stands out as a formidable force. This Mythical Pokémon, originating from the Unova region, is known for its immense power and its unique ability to fuse with other legendary dragons, Reshiram and Zekrom, to form Black Kyurem and White Kyurem respectively. Understanding Kyurem weakness is absolutely critical for any trainer looking to defeat it in raids or use it effectively in battles. Whether you're facing the standard Kyurem, or its more powerful fused forms, knowing its elemental vulnerabilities can turn a challenging raid into a triumphant victory. This guide will delve deep into the type matchups, recommended counters, and strategies to help you conquer Kyurem and its variants in Pokémon GO.
Understanding Kyurem's Typing and Base Stats
Before we dive into the specifics of Kyurem's weaknesses, it's essential to grasp its fundamental typing. Kyurem is a dual-type Dragon/Ice Pokémon. This typing is significant because it dictates its resistances and, more importantly, its vulnerabilities. As a Dragon-type, it's strong against other Dragon-types but weak to Ice, Dragon, and Fairy attacks. As an Ice-type, it's weak to Fire, Fighting, Rock, and Steel attacks. When combined, these typings create a complex web of strengths and weaknesses. The Dragon typing grants it resistance to Water, Electric, Grass, and Fire attacks. However, the Ice typing makes it particularly vulnerable to common and powerful attacking types. The combination of Dragon and Ice means Kyurem is 4x weak to Dragon-type attacks and 2x weak to Fighting, Rock, Steel, and Fairy-type attacks. This substantial list of weaknesses, especially the double and quadruple resistances, provides ample opportunities for trainers to exploit. Furthermore, Kyurem boasts impressive base stats, with very high Attack and Stamina, making it a tanky opponent that can endure a lot of damage, further emphasizing the need for a well-prepared counter team. Its base CP can reach extremely high levels, especially when encountered in raids, so bringing the right Pokémon is not just beneficial, it's often the difference between success and failure. Even though Kyurem has a decent defensive typing against many common types like Water and Electric, its numerous offensive weaknesses mean that strategic team building can overcome its raw power.
Kyurem's Weaknesses: The Crucial Details
Let's break down precisely where Kyurem is most vulnerable. As mentioned, Kyurem's Dragon/Ice typing makes it susceptible to several attack types. The most significant weakness, a quadruple weakness, is to Dragon-type attacks. This means that any Dragon-type move will deal double the damage it normally would, effectively quadrupling the damage output from Pokémon with super-effective Dragon moves. This is your primary target when building a team to face Kyurem. Following this, Kyurem has several double weaknesses. These are to Fighting, Rock, Steel, and Fairy type attacks. While not as devastating as the quadruple Dragon weakness, these still represent substantial damage multipliers. A Fighting-type Pokémon using a Fighting-type move will deal twice the normal damage, and the same applies to Rock, Steel, and Fairy types. Understanding which of these weaknesses is most accessible or potent in your Pokémon collection is key. For example, if you have powerful Fighting-type attackers, they will be incredibly effective. If your Rock-type attackers are more developed, they will also perform exceptionally well. The choice often comes down to the specific Pokémon you have available and their move sets. It's also worth noting that while Kyurem has many weaknesses, it also boasts significant resistances. It resists Water, Electric, Grass, and Fire-type attacks. This means using Pokémon with these types, even if they have powerful moves, will likely result in lower damage output, making them less ideal counters. Therefore, focusing on its direct weaknesses is paramount for success. For example, a strong Water-type attacker might seem like a good idea given Kyurem's Dragon typing, but its Ice typing negates much of that advantage. Conversely, a powerful Dragon-type Pokémon, despite the risk of taking super-effective damage from Kyurem's Dragon moves, will often win out due to the sheer multiplier effect on their own attacks.
Top Counters for Kyurem Raids
Now that we understand Kyurem's weaknesses, let's talk about the best Pokémon to bring into battle against it. Given its quadruple weakness to Dragon-type attacks, Dragon-type Pokémon are your absolute top priority. Pokémon like Rayquaza, Dragonite, Salamence, and Garchomp are excellent choices. They boast high attack stats and access to powerful Dragon-type moves like Dragon Tail and Outrage. When facing Kyurem, ensure your Dragon-type attackers have these moves equipped. If you don't have many high-level Dragon-types, or if you're concerned about Kyurem's own Dragon-type attacks, your next best bet is to focus on its other double weaknesses: Fighting, Rock, and Steel. Fighting-type Pokémon such as Machamp (with Counter and Dynamic Punch), Terrakion, and Lucario can dish out significant damage. Terrakion, in particular, is a fantastic option due to its high Attack stat and Rock typing, hitting Kyurem for super-effective damage with both its primary typing and potential Rock moves. Rock-type attackers like Rampardos (with its incredibly high Attack stat), Tyranitar (especially with Smack Down and Stone Edge), and the aforementioned Terrakion are also fantastic choices. They exploit Kyurem's weakness to Rock-type attacks. Finally, Steel-type Pokémon can also be viable, though generally less powerful than Dragon or Rock types. Pokémon like Metagross (with Meteor Mash) can be useful, especially if they have access to Steel-type charge moves. Zacian (Crowned Sword), with its Fairy typing, can also be a potent attacker if you have one. When selecting your team, consider not only the Pokémon's type but also its move set and overall stats. A Pokémon with a slightly lower stat but a super-effective fast move and charge move will often outperform a stronger Pokémon with neutral or resisted moves. Remember that Kyurem is a raid boss, meaning you'll likely face it with multiple trainers. Coordinating your counters and ensuring everyone brings their best is key to victory. Don't forget to power up your chosen counters as much as possible! The higher their level, the more damage they will do and the longer they will survive. Using Pokémon with resistance to Ice-type attacks (like Fire or Steel) might seem tempting for survivability, but the massive damage boost from super-effective Dragon, Fighting, Rock, or Steel attacks usually outweighs the benefits of resisting Kyurem's Ice attacks. Always prioritize offense when dealing with a raid boss whose weaknesses are so pronounced. A well-prepared team focusing on Dragon, Rock, or Fighting types will make short work of this legendary Ice and Dragon Pokémon.
Strategies for Defeating Black Kyurem and White Kyurem
While the base Kyurem has significant weaknesses, its fused forms, Black Kyurem and White Kyurem, present an even greater challenge. Fortunately, their weaknesses largely remain the same, though their stats and movesets can differ. Black Kyurem, which draws power from Zekrom, retains its Dragon/Ice typing. This means its quadruple weakness to Dragon-type attacks persists. However, its Attack stat is significantly boosted, making it an even more fearsome opponent. Therefore, your best counters remain powerful Dragon-types like Rayquaza, Dragonite, and Garchomp. The increased Attack stat of Black Kyurem means that your Dragon-type counters will need to be as powered up as possible, and you should aim to have multiple Pokémon with Dragon-type moves in your lineup. Its double weaknesses to Fighting, Rock, and Steel also remain potent. So, Pokémon like Terrakion, Machamp, and Rampardos are still excellent choices. You might consider adding more Steel-types like Metagross to your team given Black Kyurem's increased power, as they can potentially resist some of its attacks while still dealing super-effective damage. White Kyurem, which draws power from Reshiram, also keeps its Dragon/Ice typing. Consequently, it shares the same quadruple weakness to Dragon-type attacks. Its Special Attack is significantly boosted, making its charged moves particularly devastating. Again, prioritizing powerful Dragon-type Pokémon such as Rayquaza, Dragonite, and Garchomp is essential. Given White Kyurem's increased Special Attack, having Pokémon that can resist Ice or Dragon attacks, while still hitting hard with their own super-effective moves, is ideal. Pokémon like Zacian (Crowned Sword), with its Fairy typing, becomes even more valuable here as it resists Dragon-type attacks and deals super-effective Fairy damage. While Rock and Fighting types are still strong, Steel types might be less preferred against White Kyurem if it leans more towards Ice-type moves. However, for both Black and White Kyurem, the core strategy remains the same: exploit the quadruple Dragon weakness and the double weaknesses to Fighting, Rock, and Steel. Focus on high-attack Pokémon with the correct movesets. Using items like Golden Razz Berries during the catch phase after a successful raid is highly recommended to maximize your chances of catching these powerful legendaries. Remember that dodging charged attacks is crucial, especially against the more powerful fused forms, to conserve your Pokémon's health and maximize your damage output over the course of the battle. Understanding the specific movesets Kyurem might use during the raid can also inform your choices, though generally sticking to the most powerful super-effective types is the safest bet.
Conclusion: Mastering Kyurem's Weaknesses
In summary, defeating Kyurem and its powerful forms, Black Kyurem and White Kyurem, in Pokémon GO hinges on a deep understanding of its Kyurem weakness. As a Dragon/Ice-type Pokémon, Kyurem is exceptionally vulnerable to Dragon-type attacks, taking quadruple damage. It is also double-weak to Fighting, Rock, and Steel-type moves. Your primary objective when building a raid team should be to field the strongest Dragon-type Pokémon you possess, such as Rayquaza, Dragonite, and Garchomp, equipped with their best Dragon-type moves. If Dragon-types are scarce or you need more options, pivot to powerful Fighting-types like Machamp and Terrakion, or formidable Rock-types like Rampardos and Tyranitar. Always remember to power up your chosen counters to maximize their effectiveness. By focusing on these key weaknesses and preparing your team strategically, you’ll be well-equipped to overcome this legendary trio and add its power to your own roster. For further insights into Pokémon stats and types, the PokéAPI documentation offers a comprehensive resource.