Competitive Information for Articuno [Sword/Shield]
Ice / Flying
Abilities:
Movesets for Singles
What is a good competitive moveset for Articuno? These builds have been optimized for Pokemon competing in Sword/Shield 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 Sword/Shield generation metagame.
Ninetales-AlolaLandorus-TherianTornadusGarchompBronzongKabutopsTapu KokoTyranitarKartanaSuicune
Articuno is pretty popular Ice and Flying-typed Pokemon. Articuno are common Pokemon to see in the SS metagame. Articuno is weak to Electric, Fire, Rock, and Steel-typed attacks.
Item: Focus Sash / Bright Powder
Ability: Snow Cloak
Nature: Timid (+Spe, -Atk)
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Moveset:
- Freeze-Dry / Blizzard
- Protect
- Roost
- Tailwind / Hurricane
Special Sweeper Articuno (Popular/Trending)
Articuno is a legendary Special Sweeper. The purpose of this moveset is to take down the opponent's team with high-damaging special attacks. Focus Sash helps protect Articuno from being one-shotted and allowing it to atleast use a crucial move when brought out. With Snow Cloak, if hail is active Articuno's evasiveness is 1.25x; immunity to hail.
♦ Blizzard is a special STAB-boosted 110-base power Ice-type move (10% chance to freeze foes. can't miss in hail).
♦ Protect is a status move (prevents moves from affecting your Articuno this turn).
♦ Roost is a status move (heals 50% hp. flying-type removed until turn ends).
♦ Tailwind is a status move (for 4 turns, allies' speed is doubled).
♦ Hurricane is a special STAB-boosted 110-base power Flying-type move (30% chance to confuse target. can't miss in rain).
Item: Charti Berry / Shell Bell
Ability: Pressure
Nature: Adamant (+Atk, -SpA)
EVs: 4 Hp / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Moveset:
- Brave Bird / Sky Attack
- Triple Axel / Avalanche
- Steel Wing / Double-Edge
- U-turn
Physical Sweeper Articuno (Pressure)
Articuno is a legendary Physical Sweeper. It is primarily designed to take down the opponent's team with brute physical power. 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.
♦ Sky Attack is a physical STAB-boosted 140-base power Flying-type move (charges, then hits turn 2. 30% flinch. high crit).
♦ Triple Axel is a physical STAB-boosted 20-base power Ice-type move (hits 3 times. each hit can miss, but power rises).
♦ Avalanche is a physical STAB-boosted 60-base power Ice-type move (power doubles if Articuno is damaged by the target).
♦ Steel Wing is a physical 70-base power Steel-type move (10% chance to raise your Articuno's defense by 1 stage).
♦ Double-Edge is a physical 120-base power Normal-type move (has 33% recoil).
♦ U-turn is a physical 70-base power Bug-type move (Articuno switches out after damaging the target).
Item: Charti Berry / Life Orb
Ability: Pressure
Nature: Modest (+SpA, -Atk)
EVs: 4 Hp / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Moveset:
- Ice Beam / Frost Breath
- Air Cutter / Air Slash
- Ancient Power / Weather Ball
- Extrasensory
Special Sweeper Articuno (Pressure)
Articuno is a legendary Special Sweeper. It's 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. Ancient Power was added to provide additional threat coverage.
♦ Frost Breath is a special STAB-boosted 60-base power Ice-type move (always results in a critical hit).
♦ Air Cutter is a special STAB-boosted 60-base power Flying-type move (high critical hit ratio. hits adjacent foes).
♦ Air Slash is a special STAB-boosted 75-base power Flying-type move (30% chance to flinch the target).
♦ Ancient Power is a special 60-base power Rock-type move (10% chance to raise all stats by 1 stage (not acc/eva)).
♦ Weather Ball is a special 50-base power Normal-type move (power doubles and type varies in each weather).
♦ Extrasensory is a special 80-base power Psychic-type move (10% chance to flinch the target).
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 health points every turn. With Snow Cloak, if hail is active Articuno's evasiveness is 1.25x; immunity to hail. 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 non-ice targets. fails if Articuno's 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).
Movesets for Doubles
What is a good doubles moveset for Articuno? These builds have been optimized for Sword/Shield 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 Sword/Shield generation metagame.
Ninetales-AlolaLandorus-TherianTornadusGarchompBronzongKabutopsTapu KokoTyranitarKartanaSuicune
Item: Charti Berry / Shell Bell
Ability: Pressure
Nature: Adamant (+Atk, -SpA)
EVs: 4 Hp / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Moveset:
- Brave Bird / Sky Attack
- Triple Axel / Avalanche
- Steel Wing / Double-Edge
- 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. 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.
♦ Sky Attack is a physical STAB-boosted 140-base power Flying-type move (charges, then hits turn 2. 30% flinch. high crit).
♦ Triple Axel is a physical STAB-boosted 20-base power Ice-type move (hits 3 times. each hit can miss, but power rises).
♦ Avalanche is a physical STAB-boosted 60-base power Ice-type move (power doubles if Articuno is damaged by the target).
♦ Steel Wing is a physical 70-base power Steel-type move (10% chance to raise your Articuno's defense by 1 stage).
♦ Double-Edge is a physical 120-base power Normal-type move (has 33% recoil).
♦ U-turn is a physical 70-base power Bug-type move (Articuno switches out after damaging the target).
Item: Charti Berry / Life Orb
Ability: Pressure
Nature: Modest (+SpA, -Atk)
EVs: 4 Hp / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Moveset:
- Air Cutter / Air Slash
- Icy Wind / Ice Beam
- Ancient Power / Weather Ball
- Twister
Doubles Special Sweeper Articuno (Pressure)
Articuno is a legendary Special Sweeper. This moveset 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. Ancient Power was added to provide additional threat coverage.
♦ Air Slash is a special STAB-boosted 75-base power Flying-type move (30% chance to flinch the target).
♦ 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 90-base power Ice-type move (10% chance to freeze the target).
♦ Ancient Power is a special 60-base power Rock-type move (10% chance to raise all stats by 1 stage (not acc/eva)).
♦ Weather Ball is a special 50-base power Normal-type move (power doubles and type varies in each weather).
♦ Twister is a special 40-base power Dragon-type move (20% chance to flinch the foes).
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 Sword/Shield. 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 SS Move and Ability Combos for Articuno
- Moves: Rest + Sleep talk
- Move: Facade + Item: Flame Orb
- Move: Facade + Item: Toxic Orb
- OHKO Combo - Moves: Mind Reader + Sheer Cold
- Moves with Priority: Detect, Endure, Protect, Ice Shard
- Moves that Break Screens: Haze
Most notable and possible best moves for Articuno
- Air Slash
- Blizzard
- Freeze-Dry
- Hurricane
- Ice Beam
- Ice Shard
- Mind Reader
- Protect
- Roost
- Sheer Cold
- Tailwind
Common Effort Values for Articuno in Sword and Shield
- Timid Nature ( 0/0/0/252/4/252 )
- Modest Nature ( 4/0/0/252/0/252 )
- Optimize Articuno's EV spread for Pokemon Sword and Shield
Related Videos
Here are various how-to-use and competitive moveset analysis video guides for Articuno in Sword/Shield. 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 Sword/Shield
Want to have your Competitive Pokemon videos sponsored on our site? Contact us!
Here are the best movesets for Articuno. Top rated Articuno Sword/Shield movesets. You can find Articuno builds Sword/Shield. Articuno movesets Sword/Shield are listed here. VGC Articuno Competitive Movesets can be found here. Find various EV spreads, find the best nature for Articuno in Sword/Shield along with competitive movesets. Basic info and Movesets for evolution