Urshifu is one of the special Pokemon with multiple forms. The two forms each specialize in different attacking styles. The dual fighting/dark type form Single Strike Style is all about heavy-hitting attacks. The dual fighting/water type form Rapid Strike Style is all about hitting first.
About Urshifu
| First appearance in anime | None |
| First appearance in game | Sword and Shield, Isle of Armor |
| Region | Galar |
| Evolution | Kubfu --> Urshifu |
| Single Strike Style Evo requirement | Take Kubfu to the Tower of Darkness |
| Rapid Strike Style Evo requirement | Take Kubfu to the Tower of Water |
| Pokedex Entry | Single Strike Style: This form of Urshifu is a strong believer in the one-hit KO. Its strategy is to leap in close to foes and land a devastating blow with a hardened fist. Inhabiting the mountains of a distant region, this Pokémon races across sheer cliffs, training its legs and refining its moves. Rapid Strike Style: It's believed that this Pokémon modeled its fighting style on the flow of a river—sometimes rapid, sometimes calm. This form of Urshifu is a strong believer in defeating foes by raining many blows down on them. Its strikes are nonstop, flowing like a river. |
Urshifu’s Base Stats
Single & Rapid Strike Styles
| HP | 100 |
| Attack | 130 |
| Defense | 100 |
| Sp. Attack | 63 |
| Ap. Defense | 60 |
| Speed | 97 |
Appearance of Urshifu
Urshifu is based on both an Asian black bear as well as a wushu fighter. Its black and white fur takes shapes that resemble martial arts uniforms and the largest changes between forms are this uniform fur as well as its stance. The Single Strike Style form is based on the wushu Tiger and Leopard styles, which focus on strong single strikes. The Rapid Strike Style form is based on the wushu Crane and Seven Star Mantis styles, based around flowing movements as well as dodging and deflecting.
Behavior of Urshifu
The two styles have very different attitudes. The Single Strike Style Urshifu is hasty and attacks by getting in close as fast as possible. It’s all about the rash and quick actions which are snappy but not often followed upon. The Rapid Strike Style is much much different. It's much calmer and far more calculated. When it does choose to do something, it's elegant and flowing and will always be intentional.
Strengths and Weaknesses
The two Urshifu styles are different types and therefore have different resistances and weaknesses.
The Single Strike Style is a dual fighting/dark type. Due to its dark typing it is completely immune to psychic type moves. It also takes half damage from rock and ghost type moves as well as taking 25% damage from dark type moves. Though it is weak to fighting, flying, and fairy type moves, taking double damage from the first two and quadruple damage from fairy type moves.
The Rapid Strike Style is a dual fighting/water type, giving it many resistances. It takes half damage from rock, bug, steel, fire, water, ice, and dark type moves. Though it has many weaknesses too, taking double damage from flying, grass, electric, psychic, and fairy-type moves.
Shiny Urshify
Shiny Urshify or Urshifu as it is properly spelled is the rare shiny form of Urshifu. Shiny Urshify or Urshifu is incredibly underwhelming when it comes to its recoloring. There is almost no difference between normal Urshifu and Shiny Urshify or Urshifu. Shiny Urshify or Urshifu has only one color change which changes its small patches of yellow skin to a light orange color.
Urshify Gigantamax
Urshify Gigantamax or Gigantamax Urshifu as it is properly spelled is the gigantic, powered-up form of Urshifu. Each style of Urshifu has its own Urshify Gigantamax or Gigantamax Urshifu forms. The Single Strike Style Urshify Gigantamax or Gigantamax Urshifu is a dark red color and the Rapid Strike Style Urshify Gigantamax or Gigantamax Urshifu is a dark blue. Urshify Gigantamax or Gigantamax Urshifu also has additional spiked markings on its body as well as a more exaggerated headband in both forms.
Urshifu Rapid strike
Urshifu Rapid strike is the form of Urshifu that results from evolving Kubfu at the Tower of Water. Urshifu Rapid strike has the same stats as its other form but focuses on different moves. Urshifu Rapid strike is all about quick, flowing attacks that overwhelm the enemy. Being a water type, Urshifu Rapid strike is less desirable competitively as it can have a lot of weaknesses, especially with its low special defense.
Urshifu single strike
Urshifu single strike is the form of Urshifu that results from evolving Kubfu at the Tower of Darkness. Urshifu single strike has the same stats as its other form but focuses on different moves. Urshifu single strike is all about powerful, hard-hitting attacks which take down enemies in one hit. Being a fighting/dark type, Urshifu single strike is quite useful in battle as many of its weaknesses are countered, though some, like the fairy type, are still incredibly dangerous especially with Urshifu’s low special defense.
Best Movesets for Urshifu
Single Strike Style: This style is incredibly powerful and will be all about KO-ing enemies before they get a hit in. Especially with fairy types with their 4x damage bonus against Urshifu.
| Close Combat | Iron Head |
| Wicked Blow | Bulk Up |
Rapid Strike Style: This style is a little harder to use but can be focused around lots of stat-boosting and keeping safe while making sure the opponent is taking good damage from strong signature moves.
| Close Combat | Detect |
| Surging Strikes | Bulk Up |
How to Catch Urshifu in Pokemon Go
Urshifu cannot be found in Pokemon Go but a few assumptions can be made about how to find it. It could be an important Pokemon, possibly found in raids due to its power but most likely it will have to be evolved from Kubfu. Though since Pokemon Go doesn’t have the unique landmarks that the Isle of Armor has for evolving Kubfu, it's likely that it will be similar to Eevee and evolve to different forms randomly.
Video Guide
Trivia
Despite having an evolution as well as a Gigantamax form, Urshifu is considered a legendary Pokemon.
Urshifu is also the only Pokemon with two Gigantamax forms, one for each of its styles.
Conclusion
Urshifu is a very new Pokemon so its use is low for now. Not only do not many casual players have it but it hasn’t seen competitive use both due to its newness as well as it being legendary. That being said it's a rather weak legendary but with interesting potential and certainly could see lots of use in the future.
