Black Kyurem

After its unintended release on December 16, 2023 and its subsequent removal from the game, Black Kyurem returns for real as the star legendary in GO Tour: Unova. An absolute behemoth of a Pokemon, Black Kyurem reigns from its frozen throne as one of the top raid attackers thanks to its jaw dropping Attack stat and wonderful signature move, Freeze Shock. Black Kyurem stands out compared to its starring counterpart, White Kyurem, by possessing superior DPS in Party Play or in matchups where Dragon and Ice are equally effective. It can even flex as an amazing Dragon attacker if the target isn't weak to Ice.

Raid prowess is not the only reason to use Black Kyurem. Freeze Shock possesses an Adventure Effect - during encounters, it prevents Pokemon from attacking or moving (much like a Nanab Berry), and increases catch rate by 25%. For 5000 Stardust and 5 Kyurem Candies, this effect becomes active for 10 minutes, extending up to 2 hours per individual use. Moreover, this catch rate boost also applies to autocatchers, although Ice Burn is a superior option for this purpose.

Best PvE Offensive Moveset

• Dragon Tail and Freeze Shock* possesses by far the highest raw DPS and is especially excellent at slaying other Dragon-type Pokemon who are also weak to Ice.
• Shadow Claw's short duration makes it a valid option over Dragon Tail in a 2-man Party Play, as it charges up Party Power more quickly than Dragon Tail.
• Outrage is an option over Freeze Shock to make Black Kyurem an amazing attacker against Dragon-type Pokemon who aren't weak to Ice,
• Fusion Bolt is a powerful Electric-type move, but Black Kyurem's lack of STAB and Electric-type Fast Attack means that there are many other better Electric attackers. However, Black Kyurem is strong enough to work in a pinch.
• Iron Head, Stone Edge, and Blizzard are subpar.

Shadow Claw's high energy generation helps fuel Black Kyurem's powerful Charged Attacks, generally making it preferable over Dragon Tail. However, Dragon Tail's high power and STAB still makes it a strong alternative option.

Fusion Bolt is Black Kyurem's cheapest option and forms the infamous hard-to-resist "Bolt Beam" combination when paired with the terrifying Freeze Shock. Outrage can be used over Freeze Shock to blast apart other Dragon-type Pokemon who aren't weak to Ice, but it is generally outclassed. Iron Head and Stone Edge are generally outclassed, while Blizzard is just inferior to Freeze Shock.