If you’re anything like me, you’ve been waiting eagerly for Kyurem’s return to Pokemon GO raids this December 2025. As a dedicated Pokemon GO player who’s tackled countless legendary raids, I can tell you that Kyurem is one of those legendary Pokemon that’s both challenging and incredibly rewarding to add to your collection.
Having personally battled Kyurem multiple times during its previous appearances, I’ve learned quite a bit about what works and what doesn’t. This frigid dragon from the Unova region is back with a vengeance during the Precious Paths season, and I’m here to share everything you need to know to defeat it, catch it, and even fuse it into its more powerful forms.
Kyurem is a legendary Dragon and Ice-type Pokemon originally discovered in the Unova region. In Pokemon GO, it’s known as the “Boundary Pokemon” and serves as a powerful 5-star raid boss that requires strategy and teamwork to defeat.
What makes Kyurem particularly interesting is its unique ability to fuse with Reshiram or Zekrom to create White Kyurem or Black Kyurem respectively. But we’ll get into that fusion mechanic later – first, let’s focus on taking down this formidable raid boss.
Kyurem first appeared in Pokemon GO back in 2020, and Niantic has made it somewhat of a holiday tradition to bring it back during December. This time around, Kyurem is available in 5-star raids from December 4 to December 13, 2025, with a special Raid Hour on December 10 from 6-7 PM local time.
I’ll be honest – there’s something special about facing off against Kyurem that gets me excited every time. Maybe it’s the challenge of coordinating with other trainers, or perhaps it’s the thrill of potentially catching a shiny version of this majestic creature.
What I really love about Kyurem raids is how they bring the community together. During last year’s Kyurem raid hour, I met some amazing trainers at my local park, and we ended up forming a regular raid group. There’s nothing quite like the collective cheer when someone finally catches that perfect IV Kyurem they’ve been hunting for.
The strategy involved also appeals to my competitive side. Kyurem isn’t just about brute force – you need to think about type advantages, weather conditions, and team composition. It’s like solving a puzzle where the reward is an incredibly powerful Pokemon for your collection.
Let’s get down to business – how do you actually defeat this icy dragon? Based on my experience and countless raid battles, here’s everything you need to know:
First, let’s understand what we’re up against:
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Type | Dragon/Ice |
| Attack | 246 |
| Defense | 170 |
| Stamina | 245 |
| Max CP | 4041 |
| Raid CP | 1957–2042 (Lv 20) |
| Weather Boosted CP | 2446–2553 (Lv 25) |
Kyurem is weak to Fighting, Rock, Steel, Dragon, and Fairy type attacks, taking 1.6x damage from these types. It resists Water, Grass, and Electric type attacks, dealing only 0.625x damage to it.
After analyzing data from Pokebattler and my own raid experiences, here are the top counters you should be using:
Top Tier Counters:
Excellent Alternative Counters:
Budget-Friendly Options:
Here’s the reality check: Kyurem can be defeated by 2-3 high-level trainers with optimal counters, but I recommend having 4-6 players for a comfortable win, especially if you’re newer to raids or don’t have maxed-out counters.
Pro Tips for Raid Success:
Now that you know how to defeat Kyurem, let’s talk about actually adding one to your collection. There are three main ways to get Kyurem:
This is the most reliable way to get Kyurem. Here’s what you need to know:
Occasionally, Niantic releases Special Research tasks that reward Kyurem encounters. While there aren’t any active right now, keep an eye out for events like “It’s Not Over Yet” which previously rewarded Kyurem encounters.
This is the least reliable method, but if you reach rank 20 in the GO Battle League, there’s a small chance you’ll encounter Kyurem as a reward. I wouldn’t recommend this as your primary strategy, but it’s worth knowing about.
This is where things get really exciting! Once you have a regular Kyurem, you can fuse it with Reshiram or Zekrom to create even more powerful forms.
For Black Kyurem:
For White Kyurem:
Fusion Energy is obtained by defeating the fused forms in raids:
Pro Tip: I recommend fusing your best Kyurem with your weakest Reshiram/Zekrom. This way, you can still use your stronger Reshiram/Zekrom in battles while getting the benefits of the fused form.
The fused forms come with incredible Adventure Effects that last for 10 minutes:
These effects are game-changers for catching difficult Pokemon, especially other legendaries!
Yes, Kyurem can be shiny in Pokemon GO! The shiny rate for legendary Pokemon is approximately 1 in 20 (5%), which means you could encounter a shiny Kyurem for every 20 raids you complete.
What to look for:
Best Strategy for Shiny Hunting:
Bonus: You can fuse a shiny Kyurem to get shiny Black Kyurem or White Kyurem, and you don’t need shiny Reshiram or Zekrom for this!
Let’s be real – you’re probably wondering if Kyurem is actually worth the effort. Here’s my honest assessment based on current meta analysis:
Regular Kyurem: Not great. It ranks quite low compared to other Dragon and Ice types. There are much better options like Mega Rayquaza, Dialga, or Eternatus.
Fused Kyurem: Now we’re talking! White Kyurem is actually one of the best Ice-type attackers in the game, and Black Kyurem is solid as well.
I’d say Kyurem is absolutely worth getting, but primarily for the fusion potential. The regular Kyurem is more of a collector’s item, but Black and White Kyurem are genuinely powerful Pokemon that can enhance your raid and PvP performance.
Based on my experience, here are some advanced tips that most guides don’t cover:
Kyurem’s return is part of the Precious Paths season in Pokemon GO, which runs from December 2025 to February 2026. Here’s what’s currently happening:
Crowned Sword Zacian with Metal Claw and Behemoth Blade is currently the best counter, followed by Crowned Shield Zamazenta and Mega Lucario.
Technically, 2-3 high-level trainers with optimal counters can defeat Kyurem, but I recommend 4-6 for a comfortable win, especially if you’re newer to raids.
Yes! Kyurem has a 1 in 20 shiny rate, the same as other legendary Pokemon in raids.
Black Kyurem (fused with Zekrom) has the Freeze Shock adventure effect that freezes Pokemon, while White Kyurem (fused with Reshiram) has Ice Burn that slows down the aim ring. White Kyurem is generally considered better for raids.
Regular Kyurem is decent in Master League with Glaciate, but not top-tier. The fused forms are much better but can’t be used in PvP currently.
You need to defeat Black Kyurem raids for Volt Fusion Energy and White Kyurem raids for Blaze Fusion Energy.
A 100% IV Kyurem will have 2042 CP without weather boost, or 2553 CP with weather boost.
Yes, but legendary Pokemon require special trading conditions and cost a lot of Stardust to trade.
There you have it – everything you need to know about tackling Kyurem raids in Pokemon GO this December 2025! From my personal experience, I can tell you that while Kyurem raids can be challenging, they’re also incredibly rewarding, especially when you finally catch that perfect specimen or, even better, a shiny one.
Remember, the key to success is preparation, teamwork, and persistence. Don’t get discouraged if your first few attempts don’t go perfectly – even experienced trainers like myself have off days. The important thing is to learn from each battle and adjust your strategy accordingly.
I hope this guide helps you add not just a regular Kyurem to your collection, but also the powerful Black and White Kyurem forms. Trust me, the fusion mechanics and adventure effects are worth the effort!
What are your experiences with Kyurem raids? Have you managed to catch a shiny one yet? Drop a comment below and share your stories – I’d love to hear about your raid adventures!
Happy hunting, trainers, and may your Premier Balls always find their mark!
