Competitive Information for Articuno [Black/White]
Ice / Flying
Abilities:
Movesets for Singles
What is a good competitive moveset for Articuno? These builds have been optimized for Pokemon competing in Black/White Single Battles. The movesets and EVs have been specifically calibrated to deal the most amount of damage to the largest group of potentially common opponents and typing threats for the Black/White generation metagame.
Articuno is a remarkable Ice and Flying-typed Pokemon. Articuno are common Pokemon to see in the BW metagame. This Pokemon deserves to see more play in the meta. Articuno is weak to Electric, Fire, Rock, and Steel-typed attacks.
Item: Life Orb / Metal Coat
Ability: Pressure
Nature: Adamant (+Atk, -SpA)
EVs: 4 Hp / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Moveset:
- Steel Wing / Double-Edge
- Sky Attack / Sky Drop
- Avalanche / Ice Shard
- U-turn
Physical Sweeper Articuno (Pressure)
Articuno is a legendary Physical Sweeper. It's purpose is to take down the opponent's team with brute physical power. Life Orb boosts the power of Articuno's damaging moves by 1.3x but it then loses 1/10 its max HP immediately after the attack. With Pressure, if Articuno is the target of a foe's move that move loses one additional pp. Steel Wing was added to provide additional threat coverage.
♦ Double-Edge is a physical 120-base power Normal-type move (has 33% recoil).
♦ Sky Attack is a physical STAB-boosted 140-base power Flying-type move (charges, then hits turn 2. 30% flinch. high crit).
♦ Sky Drop is a physical STAB-boosted 60-base power Flying-type move (Articuno and foe fly up turn 1. damages on turn 2).
♦ Avalanche is a physical STAB-boosted 60-base power Ice-type move (power doubles if Articuno is damaged by the target).
♦ Ice Shard is a physical STAB-boosted priority-increased 40-base power Ice-type move (usually goes first).
♦ U-turn is a physical 70-base power Bug-type move (Articuno switches out after damaging the target).
Link (click to copy):
https://hohoushome.com/b/fs10a90
Item: Life Orb / Never-Melt Ice
Ability: Pressure
Nature: Modest (+SpA, -Atk)
EVs: 4 Hp / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Moveset:
- Ice Beam / Icy Wind
- Extrasensory
- Air Cutter / Gust
- Signal Beam
Special Sweeper Articuno (Pressure)
Articuno is a legendary Special Sweeper. It is designed to take down the opponent's team with high-damaging special attacks. Life Orb boosts the power of Articuno's damaging moves by 1.3x but it then loses 1/10 its max HP immediately after the attack. With Pressure, if Articuno is the target of a foe's move that move loses one additional pp.
♦ Icy Wind is a special STAB-boosted 55-base power Ice-type move (100% chance to lower the foes speed by 1 stage).
♦ Extrasensory is a special 80-base power Psychic-type move (10% chance to flinch the target).
♦ Air Cutter is a special STAB-boosted 55-base power Flying-type move (high critical hit ratio. hits adjacent foes).
♦ Gust is a special STAB-boosted 40-base power Flying-type move (power doubles during bounce, fly, and sky drop).
♦ Signal Beam is a special 75-base power Bug-type move (10% chance to confuse the target).
Link (click to copy):
https://hohoushome.com/b/fs11a90
Item: Leftovers
Ability: Snow Cloak
Nature: Timid (+Spe, -Atk)
EVs: 192 Hp / 64 SpD / 252 Spe
Moveset:
- Roost
- Sheer Cold
- Mind Reader
- Substitute
Articuno Support (Sheer Cold Articuno)
Articuno is a legendary Support. Leftovers are always a great recovery option to ensure Articuno last longer regaining it's stamina every turn. Substitue for Defense then use Mind Reader followed up by Sheer Cold (OHKO). Use Roost for recovery when needed.
♦ Sheer Cold is a special STAB-boosted 0-base power Ice-type move (ohkos the target. fails if Articuno is a lower level).
♦ Mind Reader is a status move (Articuno's next move will not miss the target).
♦ Substitute is a status move (Articuno takes 1/4 its max hp to put in a substitute).
Link (click to copy):
https://hohoushome.com/b/fs12a90
Movesets for Doubles
What is a good doubles moveset for Articuno? These builds have been optimized for Black/White Double Battles. They have movesets and EVs specifically calibrated to generally work best versus multiple Pokemon at once as well as helping to support other team members and allys in the Black/White generation metagame.
Item: Life Orb / Metal Coat
Ability: Pressure
Nature: Adamant (+Atk, -SpA)
EVs: 4 Hp / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Moveset:
- Steel Wing / Double-Edge
- Sky Attack / Sky Drop
- Avalanche / Ice Shard
- U-turn
Doubles Physical Sweeper Articuno (Pressure)
Articuno is a legendary Physical Sweeper. The purpose of this moveset is to take down the opponent's team with brute physical power. Life Orb boosts the power of Articuno's damaging moves by 1.3x but it then loses 1/10 its max HP immediately after the attack. With Pressure, if Articuno is the target of a foe's move that move loses one additional pp. Steel Wing was added to provide additional threat coverage.
♦ Double-Edge is a physical 120-base power Normal-type move (has 33% recoil).
♦ Sky Attack is a physical STAB-boosted 140-base power Flying-type move (charges, then hits turn 2. 30% flinch. high crit).
♦ Sky Drop is a physical STAB-boosted 60-base power Flying-type move (Articuno and foe fly up turn 1. damages on turn 2).
♦ Avalanche is a physical STAB-boosted 60-base power Ice-type move (power doubles if Articuno is damaged by the target).
♦ Ice Shard is a physical STAB-boosted priority-increased 40-base power Ice-type move (usually goes first).
♦ U-turn is a physical 70-base power Bug-type move (Articuno switches out after damaging the target).
Link (click to copy):
https://hohoushome.com/b/fd10a90
Item: Life Orb / Sharp Beak
Ability: Pressure
Nature: Modest (+SpA, -Atk)
EVs: 4 Hp / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Moveset:
- Air Cutter / Gust
- Icy Wind / Ice Beam
- Twister
- Extrasensory
Doubles Special Sweeper Articuno (Pressure)
Articuno is a legendary Special Sweeper. It is meant to take down the opponent's team with high-damaging special attacks. Life Orb boosts the power of Articuno's damaging moves by 1.3x but it then loses 1/10 its max HP immediately after the attack. With Pressure, if Articuno is the target of a foe's move that move loses one additional pp.
♦ Gust is a special STAB-boosted 40-base power Flying-type move (power doubles during bounce, fly, and sky drop).
♦ Icy Wind is a special STAB-boosted 55-base power Ice-type move (100% chance to lower the foes speed by 1 stage).
♦ Ice Beam is a special STAB-boosted 95-base power Ice-type move (10% chance to freeze the target).
♦ Twister is a special 40-base power Dragon-type move (20% chance to flinch the foes).
♦ Extrasensory is a special 80-base power Psychic-type move (10% chance to flinch the target).
Link (click to copy):
https://hohoushome.com/b/fd11a90
Movepool
Wondering what moves can Articuno learn? Here is the list of moves this Pokemon can learn in this selected generation.
Sort and organize the learnset by move type, category, accuracy, and power. Bolded moves will gain the same-type attack bonus (STAB) if this Pokemon uses them.
Damage Modifiers:
Combo List
These are a list of several common move combinations Articuno can perform in Black/White. Not every combo going to be game-changing, but some can be pretty fun to play with. Sometimes these can be easily overlooked or forgotten, hence why we find and list them here. Discover what items, abilities, and moves this Pokemon can use in combination with each other to gain a strategic advantage in competitive battles.
Competitive BW Move and Ability Combos for Articuno
- Moves: Rest + Sleep talk
- Moves: Rest + Snore
- Move: Swagger + Item: Mirror Herb
- Move: Facade + Item: Flame Orb
- Move: Facade + Item: Toxic Orb
- OHKO Combo - Moves: Mind Reader + Sheer Cold
- Moves with Priority: Endure, Protect, Ice Shard
- Moves that Break Screens: Defog
- Moves that inflict status: Toxic
Moves that boost Articuno's stats
- Agility
- Ancient Power
- Ominous Wind
- Steel Wing
Most notable and possible best moves for Articuno
- Ice Beam
- Protect
- Reflect
- Rest
- Roost
- Toxic
- U-turn
Common Effort Values for Articuno in Black and White
- Nature ( )
- Nature ( )
- Optimize Articuno's EV spread for Pokemon Black and White
Related Videos
Here are various how-to-use and competitive moveset analysis video guides for Articuno in Black/White. These featured videos will most likely contain additional strategies and combos not listed on our site. Disclaimer: All videos belong to their respective owners along with the views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in the videos. They belong solely to the author and not to us.
We currently do not have any competitive video guides for Articuno in Black/White
Want to have your Competitive Pokemon videos sponsored on our site? Contact us!
Some builds on this page have been hidden, click here to display them
Here are the best movesets for Articuno. Top rated Articuno Black/White movesets. You can find Articuno builds Black/White. Articuno movesets Black/White are listed here. VGC Articuno Competitive Movesets can be found here. Find various EV spreads, find the best nature for Articuno in Black/White along with competitive movesets. Basic info and Movesets for evolution