Articuno Best Moveset
Ice/Flying at 95 Sp. Atk and 125 Sp. Def with 85 Speed. Held ItemHeavy Duty Boots blocks the TermEntry Hazards damage that costs 50% HP every switch-in. The moveset absorbs special hits and fires back with Ice and Flying TermStab. The hazard weakness defines the entire competitive identity, and even with Boots the 4x Rock weakness is a constant threat.
Ice/Flying with 95 Special and Blizzard in Gen I (Red & Blue). Articuno's bulk and offensive power made it a strong Ice attacker.
Best Moves
Best Build
Utility Moveset
- Blizzard
- Agility
- Hyper Beam
- Ice Beam
Recommended Teammates
125 Sp. Def made it one of the bulkiest special walls in Gen II (Gold & Silver). Ice Beam plus Toxic stalled opponents while Roar shuffled threats.
Support Moveset
- Ice Beam
- Rest
- Sleep Talk
- Toxic
Recommended Teammates
Pressure wasted opponent PP, making stall matchups one-sided. Three gens of competitive relevance built on bulk and Ice STAB.
Wall Moveset
- Ice Beam
- Heal Bell
- Rest
- Roar
Recommended Teammates
Stealth Rock took 25% on every switch-in in Gen IV (Diamond & Pearl). Ice/Flying's 4x Rock weakness was a death sentence in a format where rocks were on every team.
Wall Moveset
- Roost
- Ice Beam
- Toxic
- Substitute
Recommended Teammates
Same Stealth Rock problem in Gen V (Black & White). Articuno needed spinner support just to function, and that support wasn't always worth the slot.
Wall Moveset
- Ice Beam
- Roost
- Haze
- Toxic
Recommended Teammates
Three gens of decline in Gen VI (X & Y). No new tools to overcome the fundamental Stealth Rock problem that crippled it.
Wall Moveset
- Freeze Dry
- Roost
- Tailwind
- Hurricane
Recommended Teammates
Four straight gens below the cutoff in Gen VII (Sun & Moon). Articuno couldn't switch in safely without dedicated hazard control on the team.
Special Sweeper Moveset
- Ice Beam
- Roost
- Freeze Dry
- Ancient Power
Recommended Teammates
Heavy-Duty Boots existed in Gen VIII (Sword & Shield) but Articuno's offensive output wasn't worth the team slot even without the rock damage.
Wall Moveset
- Roost
- Freeze Dry
- Defog
- Heal Bell
Recommended Teammates
Five gens of irrelevance in Gen IX (Scarlet & Violet). A beautiful Pokemon completely undone by a single move introduced in Gen IV.
Special Tank Moveset
- Freeze Dry
- Roost
- U Turn
- Hurricane
Recommended Teammates
Articuno Weakness
Articuno is weak to Rock, Fire, Electric, and Steel. Watch out for Rock attacks, those deal 4x damage. On the flip side, it's immune to Ground-type moves entirely. Articuno's special bulk (base 125 Sp.Def) helps absorb special-type weaknesses, though physical moves exploit the lower Defense.
| Damage | Types |
|---|---|
| 4x (Critical) | Rock |
| 2x (Weak) | Fire, Electric, Steel |
| 0.5x (Resist) | Grass, Bug |
| 0x (Immune) | Ground |
What is Articuno Weak Against
VulnerableBest Pokemon Against Articuno
Dragapult's Draco Meteor hits Articuno for 38-45%.
S | ||
Recommended Build AbilityProtosynthesis ItemHeavy-Duty Boots NatureJolly Moves
Damage vs Articuno View Great Tusk builds →Rapid Spin15-17% | ||
S | ||
Recommended Build AbilityInfiltrator ItemChoice Specs NatureTimid Moves
Damage vs Articuno View Dragapult builds →U Turn7-8% Draco Meteor38-45% Shadow Ball23-28% | ||
B | ||
Recommended Build AbilityPoisonheal ItemToxic Orb NatureCareful Moves
Damage vs Articuno View Gliscor builds →Knock Off12-14% | ||
C | ||
Recommended Build AbilityDrizzle ItemDamprock NatureRelaxed Moves
Damage vs Articuno View Pelipper builds →Hurricane16-19% U Turn4-4% | ||
Recommended Build AbilityIntimidate ItemRocky Helmet NatureJolly Moves View Landorus-Therian builds →
| ||
Evolution
Articuno is strong overall with 580 total stats as a Ice/Flying legendary. Can't breed it, so you're locked to whatever you catch or receive. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.
How to Evolve
Breeding
How to Get Articuno
No wild encounters for Articuno in Scarlet & Violet. It's available in Red & Blue, Yellow, or Let's Go Pikachu & Eevee and can be transferred over. The details below show where to find it.
Articuno is not available as a wild encounter in this game.
Also Obtainable In:
Pokemon transfers only go forward through generations, never backward. Direct cross-gen trades aren't supported.
Articuno can't be caught in Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl. Bring it over from Red & Blue, Yellow, or Let's Go Pikachu & Eevee instead. The encounter info below covers the source games.
Articuno is not available as a wild encounter in this game.
Also Obtainable In:
Pokemon transfers only go forward through generations, never backward. Direct cross-gen trades aren't supported.
Articuno can't be caught in Sword & Shield. Bring it over from Red & Blue, Yellow, or Let's Go Pikachu & Eevee instead. The encounter info below covers the source games.
Articuno is not available as a wild encounter in this game.
Also Obtainable In:
Pokemon transfers only go forward through generations, never backward. Direct cross-gen trades aren't supported.
Articuno waits at a fixed spot in this game. Head to Seafoam Islands for a one-time encounter. No random spawns or encounter rates involved — it's a set battle at a known location.
How to Get Articuno in Let's Go Pikachu & Eevee
Base Stats
Articuno's spread favors special bulk over offense. Sp. Def leads the defensive side, Attack eats the cost. Yields 3 Sp. Def EVs per defeat. Slow 1.25M XP grind to level.
Its feather-like blades are composed of psychic energy and can shear through thick iron sheets as if they were paper.
Articuno Guide
Articuno is a Legendary Pokemon rated B-Tier. At 580 BST, it hits hard. It excels as a balanced. Base 125 Sp. Def is where it shines.
Articuno's biggest threats include Golem (Rock), Charizard (Fire), and Raikou (Electric), all carrying super-effective STAB moves. Golem is the most dangerous since Rock moves deal 4x damage. Steel-type attackers are also a problem. Articuno has enough bulk to absorb a hit, but don't push the matchup. Pivot to a teammate that resists.
Pressure is the go-to ability for Articuno. It increases the PP cost of moves targetting the Pokémon by one. Its hidden ability Snow Cloak can work in specific setups.
Articuno fills the balanced role. It's a mixed attacker with base 85 Attack and 95 Sp. Atk. Base 85 Speed is workable. Faster than some, slower than many. And it's tanky enough to absorb a few hits.
The core moveset is Freezedry, Roost, U Turn, and Hurricane. Freezedry leads at 0% usage. Hurricane provides reliable STAB damage.
Game Availability
Articuno has appeared in 20 games since Red & Blue, spanning 10 generations. As a Legendary, it's typically a one-per-save encounter tied to the story or post-game content.
Click a game to view version-specific details
- Gen 1RBDebut
Red & Blue - Gen 1Y
Yellow - Gen 2GS
Gold & Silver - Gen 2C
Crystal - Gen 3RS
Ruby & Sapphire - Gen 3E
Emerald - Gen 3FRLG
FireRed & LeafGreen - Gen 4DP
Diamond & Pearl - Gen 4Pt
Platinum - Gen 4HGSS
HeartGold & SoulSilver - Gen 5BW
Black & White - Gen 5B2W2
Black 2 & White 2 - Gen 6XY
X & Y - Gen 6ORAS
Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire - Gen 7SM
Sun & Moon - Gen 7USUM
Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon - Gen 7LGPE
Let's Go Pikachu & Eevee - Gen 8SwShGalarian
Sword & Shield - Gen 8BDSP
Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl - Gen 8PLA
Legends: Arceus - Gen 9SV
Scarlet & Violet - Gen 9LZA
Legends: Z-A - Gen 10WW
Winds & Waves