Hello everyone, the OU tiering council has decided to test Kyurem!
Kyurem has been controverial since it was released with DLC2's drop during December. After it gained new tools last generation such as Freeze Dry and Dragon Dance, Kyurem got banned from OU for the first time ever here. This time around Kyurem has lost a noteworthy tool in Roost, but it still has a menacing offensive presence that has limited counterplay. After receiving significant survey support with a 3.6/5 from qualified players and 3.3/5 from the general playerbase, the SV OU tiering council has decided to suspect Kyurem!
Kyurem uses a few different sets in the current metagame. The most common variant is Heavy-Duty Boots with an all-out-attacking approach. It uses the STAB combination of Ice Beam and Freeze Dry to hit the vast majority of opposing Pokemon. Throw in Earth Power as a coverage option to hit Steel types like Gholdengo, Kingambit, and Heatran or select Poison types like Slowking-Galar or Iron Moth and you have near perfect coverage. To round out the set, there are a plethora of options ranging from Draco Meteor to hit hard, Scale Shot to function as a sweeper, Rock Slide to hit select Fire types like Volcarona or Moltres, Blizzard for extra power when paired with Chilly Reception, Substitute to deter status and limit prediction reliance, and so on. Kyurem has the ability to account for virtually any form of potential counterplay across its options without even going into fringe picks. This is largely thanks to its amazing attacking STABs and stats, which also lend themselves well to other variants.
Many people also cite the Choice Specs variant as being an elite breaker in the metagame, forcing teams to struggle to switch-in while it still possesses impressive natural bulk. Of course, the downside of it is reliance on hazard removal or deflection such as Great Tusk or Hatterene respectively, but if you can get over this barrier to entry, then Choice Specs Kyurem is a major threat to the entire metagame aside from Blissey. Prediction reliance does exist as you can scout what it locks into with Pokemon like Slowking-Galar, but durable Ice resists are few-and-far-between right now, enabling Specs Kyurem to make progress regardless of pivoting in many scenarios. Besides from these two variants, some people opt to use Dragon Dance, especially in tandem with Loaded Dice. It has access to Icicle Spear and Scale Shot as multi-hit STAB options and Kyurem frequently runs Tera Blast on this set with either Ground, Fire, or Electric typing to hit any foes that are able to withstand its STAB attacks. This set is less consistent and more support intensive, but viable and occasionally potent nonetheless.
Kyurem does have some flaws as the standard variant is limited in breaking prowess due to relying on Heavy-Duty Boots rather than a boosting item, other variants are quite vulnerable to omnipresent entry hazards, and numerous Pokemon can serve as situational checks, which cover a lot of ground when piloted properly. For example, Morning Sun Volcarona and Chilly Reception Slowking-Galar can do well into a good amount of Kyurem variants, but Volcarona can die to Rock Slide, struggle with fully physical variants, or lose outright to Choice Specs Draco Meteor while Slowking-Galar fears physical variants as well and the occasional Tera Ground Earth Power. Moreover, Pokemon like Blissey can be great special tanks, which is enough usually, but it does not cover Dragon Dance variants and is restricted to predominantly bulkier playstyles. Offensive teams tend to take advantage of Kyurem's average speed tier, but even then it is bulky enough to withstand attacks and at least trade fairly often. It is very true that they can minimize Kyurem's entry though, which goes a long way relative to some other playstles.
Regarding Tera, Kyurem has a wide array of options ranging from Tera Ice and Ground to boost its common attacking moves to defensive prospects like Tera Fairy to help with Sucker Punch Kingambit, Draco Meteor Dragapult, and other Pokemon like Gouging Fire after a Dragon Dance, Zamazenta, or Iron Valiant. Against it, numerous Pokemon opt to use situational defensive Tera to stop Kyurem, but in the long haul it is hard for any individual type to combat it thanks to great coverage options. Sometimes one turn or one sequence is enough to flip the script though, making it a valid note in the greater discussion of Kyurem in SV OU.
All in all, Kyurem is a menacing offensive threat with a couple of very strong sets and even more options, making reliably checking it a challenge in the current metagame. Some people note that aggressive offensive counterplay can minimize it while certain specific defensive answers exist, which is very much the case. However, others believe that this is not enough and Kyurem leaves balance teams filled with Slowking-Galar backbones, limiting teambuilding as we know it in the tier. It will be up to the suspect voters to determine how they feel on Kyurem in SV OU during this test!
- Reading this is mandatory for participating in the suspect test!!! The voting requirements are a minimum GXE of 80 with at least 50 games played. In addition, you may play 1 less game for every 0.2 GXE you have above 80 GXE, down to a minimum of 30 games at a GXE of 84. Also, needing more than 50 games to reach 80 GXE will suffice.
| GXE | minimum games |
| 80 | 50 |
| 80.2 | 49 |
| 80.4 | 48 |
| 80.6 | 47 |
| 80.8 | 46 |
| 81 | 45 |
| 81.2 | 44 |
| 81.4 | 43 |
| 81.6 | 42 |
| 81.8 | 41 |
| 82 | 40 |
| 82.2 | 39 |
| 82.4 | 38 |
| 82.6 | 37 |
| 82.8 | 36 |
| 83 | 35 |
| 83.2 | 34 |
| 83.4 | 33 |
| 83.6 | 32 |
| 83.8 | 31 |
| 84 | 30 |
- You must signup with a newly registered account on Pokemon Showdown! that begins with the appropriate prefix for the suspect test. For this suspect test, the prefix will be OUOG. For example, I might signup with the ladder account OUOG Finch.
- Laddering with an account that impersonates, mocks, or insults another Smogon user or breaks Pokemon Showdown! rules may be disqualified from voting and infracted. Moderator discretion will be applied here. If there is any doubt or hesitance when making the alt, just pick another name. There are infinite possibilities and we have had trouble for this repeatedly. If you wish to participate in the suspect, you should be able to exhibit decent enough judgement here. We will not be lenient.
- We will be using the regular OU ladder for this suspect test. We will not be creating a new Suspect Ladder. At the beginning of every battle, there will be an announcement denoting the ongoing suspect with a link to this thread.
- The suspect being tested, Kyurem, will be allowed on the ladder.
- Any form of voting manipulation will result in swift and severe punishment. You are more than welcome to state your argument to as many people as you so please, but do not use any kind of underhanded tactics to get a result you desire. Bribery, blackmail, or any other type of tactic used to sway votes will be handled and sanctioned.
- Do not attempt to cheat the ladder. We will know if you did not actually achieve voting requisites, so don't do it. Harsh sanctions will be applied.
- Unlike previous tests, we will be posting the voting identification thread immediately after this thread. Your voting requisites will be confirmed by a Council member or OU moderator, to which we will edit in confirmation. Please avoid getting more games before getting confirmed.
- The suspect test will be lasting until Friday, February 2nd at 11:59 pm (GMT-5), and then we will put up the voting thread in the Blind Voting subforum.
- THIS IS A SLIGHTLY SHORTER TEST THAN NORMAL AS WE ATTEMPT TO BALANCE THE METAGAME AFTER THE RELEASE OF DLC. PLEASE NOTE THIS WHEN PLANNING TO GET VOTING REQUIREMENTS!!!
- No unhelpful one liners nor uninformed posts;
- No discussion on other potential suspects -- if you wish to discuss another Pokemon, we encourage you to do so in the metagame discussion thread, but this thread is strictly to discuss if Kyurem is banworthy or not;
- No discussion on the suspect process -- this includes testing Kyurem vs other potential suspects;
- You are required to make respectful posts;
- You are required to read this thread before posting.
- Failure to follow these simple guidelines will result in your post being deleted and infracted without any prior warning.
- Please also take a moment to read over some suggestions from the OU Council and the OU Moderation team for posting in this thread; adhering these will help out our time moderating the thread and present your arguments better and more educated.
- Do not argue because it's your favorite Pokemon. This should be common sense, but please don't do this, because we will delete posts like this.
- You do not need a boatload of experience to have an informed opinion, but please try to minimize the theorymon aspect and use your experiences watching and playing. Playing some on the ladder before posting is plenty if you're concerned about this.
- Do not flame, belittle, or be disrespectful to users in this thread. While not everyone will read this post in its entirety nor will everyone have an informed opinion, please be sure not to be disrespectful. If there's an issue, bring it up to a moderator.
- Do not use the argument of broken checking broken. Should your argument rest on your opinion that banning the Pokemon or mechanic being tested in this suspect test will make a Pokemon or mechanic broken, overpowered, and/or uncompetitive; don't. If something needs to be banned because of the result this suspect, then so be it.
- This thread is not to voice complaints about the suspect process or decisions of the council. While we are more than open to hearing complaints that may arise, this isn't the place for it. I suggest you message the OU Council, PM our Tier Leaders, Finchinator and Ruft, or make a post in Senior Staff requests, should you have a badge.
Keep in mind that our suspect tests are decided by the community; anyone who rightfully achieves voting requisites is allowed to vote. The outcome is up to you.
), TY!