Evolving Kubfu into Urshifu in Pokémon Go is no ordinary upgrade – it’s a strategic choice that could define your battle style. Will you unleash the fierce power of Single Strike Urshifu, the Fighting/Dark type known for its relentless one-hit KO moves? Or will you master the swift and tactical Rapid Strike Urshifu, the Fighting/Water type that excels in versatile, flowing combat? With both forms requiring you to conquer 30 specific-type raids or max battles as Kubfu’s buddy, the question isn’t just how to evolve, but which form will dominate your Pokémon Go journey.
Below we explain how to evolve Kubfu into Urshifu in Pokémon Go and which of the two forms (Single Strike or Rapid Strike) you may want to pick, if you only have one.
How to evolve Kubfu into Urshifu in Pokémon Go
To evolve Kubfu into Urshifu in Pokémon Go, you first need to collect 200 Kubfu Candies and set Kubfu as your buddy Pokémon. The evolution path depends on the type of Pokémon you defeat in raids or Max Battles with Kubfu as your buddy. To get Single Strike Urshifu, defeat 30 Dark-type Pokémon, while for Rapid Strike Urshifu, defeat 30 Water-type Pokémon. Kubfu does not need to participate in the battles; it only needs to be your buddy during these encounters. After meeting these requirements, you can evolve Kubfu into the chosen form of Urshifu.
Depending on which version of Urshifu you want, you’ll need to complete a slightly different task. No matter which one you want, you will need to set Kubfu as your buddy.
- For Single Strike Urshifu, you’ll need to defeat 30 dark-type Pokémon in raids or max battles with Kubfu as your buddy.
- For Rapid Strike Urshifu, you’ll need to defeat 30 water-type Pokémon in raids or max battles with Kubfu as your buddy.
Kubfu does not need to be used in these battles, just set as your buddy. (It’s the same kind of thing as Bisharp/Kingambit, though this counts max battles, too.)
Once you meet that requirement, you can use 200 Kubfu Candy to evolve your little bear into a big bear.
Should you pick Single Strike or Rapid Strike Urshifu?
When deciding whether to evolve Kubfu into Single Strike or Rapid Strike Urshifu in Pokémon Go, the Single Strike form is generally the better choice, especially for PvP. Single Strike Urshifu, a Fighting/Dark type, boasts a powerful moveset with Sucker Punch and Payback, making it a dominant force in the Master League and effective against many meta-relevant Pokémon. It has fewer weaknesses overall and is considered a core breaker in PvP battles. On the other hand, Rapid Strike Urshifu, a Fighting/Water type, has more resistances but also more weaknesses, and its current moveset limits its impact in both PvP and PvE. While Rapid Strike may find niche uses, the consensus among experts is that Single Strike offers superior overall utility and performance, particularly given the scarcity of strong Dark-type attackers in Max Battles.
The general consensus is that the Single Strike (dark-type) form is the better of the two forms across the board.
For PvP, Silph Road expert JRE47 gets into the nitty gritty in his own post, but notes that Single Strike is the correct choice among the two.
As for PvE content, the main lens to look at Urshifu through is aimed at Max Battles. Both versions of Dynamax Urshifu have their faults – Single Strike (dark) is technically outclassed by Gengar, and Rapid Strike (water) is outclassed by Inteleon. Both of these are also not great fighting-types when compared to Gigantamax Machamp.
That being said, there’s just not many dark-type Max Battle attackers around right now, so Single Strike is probably the better choice. (For water-types, you have Kingler, Blastoise, and Inteleon, so.)
As of this writing, we don’t know how Gigantamax Urshifu is going to roll out. Will it be another research? A raid day event? But we’ll tackle that bridge when we get there.
You can also totally just pick which one you like better. In the image below, Single Strike Urshifu is on the left and Rapid Strike Urshifu is on the right. They have few differences outside of their stance.
How to get more Kubfu in Pokémon Go
To get more Kubfu in Pokémon Go, there are two main methods available. The first is to complete the initial step of the free “Might and Mastery” seasonal Special Research, which rewards an encounter with Kubfu after tasks like exploring 3 km, defeating Team Go Rocket members, and using a supereffective Charged Attack. This quest must be started before its deadline, or the opportunity might be lost permanently. The second method is to purchase the paid Special Research called “Fuzzy Fighter” for about $8, which grants a second Kubfu upon completion of its stages. This paid option allows players to obtain an additional Kubfu and extra rewards, but it is only available for a limited time. Together, these methods let players potentially have multiple Kubfu to evolve into different Urshifu forms.
As of writing this, there’s only two ways to get Kubfu (so you can technically have two, and thus one of each type of Ushifu).
- Complete the first step of the “Might and Mastery” seasonal Special Research. This research needs to at least be started by June 3 at 10 a.m. in your local time, or you lose the chance to get it (probably forever, based on past seasonal research).
- Buy the “Fuzzy Fighter” Special Research for $7.99. This research is available again until May 27 at 8 p.m. in your local time. Once you buy it, you can take your time completing it. It was previously available at the start of the season for a limited time. If you bought this research at the start of the season, you cannot buy it again.
But, yep. That’s it! Though keep in mind that like we mentioned above, Gigantamax versions of Urshifu will likely debut in the game at some point. We don’t know how or when, but seeing as the Kubfu we got is Dynamax and not Gigantamax, you’ll be able to get both big bears at some point (and a stronger version of them, at that) in the future.
Should I choose Single or Rapid Strike Urshifu for my battle style
Choosing between Single Strike and Rapid Strike Urshifu in Pokémon Go depends largely on your preferred battle style and goals, but overall, Single Strike Urshifu is generally considered the stronger and more versatile option.
Single Strike Urshifu (Fighting/Dark)
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Excels in PvP, especially in the Master League, thanks to its powerful Fast Move Sucker Punch and strong Charged Moves like Dynamic Punch and Payback.
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It ranks among the top Fighting-type attackers and can handle many meta threats, including legendary Pokémon like Giratina and Dialga.
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Its signature move, Wicked Blow, is more powerful than Rapid Strike’s Surging Strikes, enabling it to sweep opponents quickly.
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Has a 4x weakness to Fairy types, which is a notable vulnerability.
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Preferred for offensive dominance and breaking cores in competitive battles.
Rapid Strike Urshifu (Fighting/Water)
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Offers better type coverage and survivability with no 4x weaknesses, making it less vulnerable defensively.
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Its multi-hit moves can bypass certain defensive abilities like Mimikyu’s Disguise.
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However, its Fast Move Waterfall is considered mediocre compared to Single Strike’s Sucker Punch.
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Performs decently but is generally outclassed by Single Strike in PvP and PvE scenarios.
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May appeal if you want a more balanced, tactical approach rather than raw power.
Summary:
If your focus is on competitive PvP dominance and raw offensive power, Single Strike Urshifu is the better choice. If you prefer a form with better type coverage and survivability, Rapid Strike is viable but less impactful overall. Most experts and players recommend evolving Kubfu into Single Strike Urshifu for the best results in raids and Master League battles.
Which Urshifu form is more effective in competitive battles for me
For competitive battles, especially in Pokémon Go’s Master League and raids, Single Strike Urshifu (Fighting/Dark) is widely regarded as the more effective form. It ranks among the top 10 Fighting-type and top 20 Dark-type Pokémon for these formats, boasting powerful moves like Sucker Punch and Wicked Blow that make it a dominant offensive force capable of taking down many meta threats including Giratina and Dialga.
While Rapid Strike Urshifu (Fighting/Water) has some niche advantages-such as breaking substitutes and Mimikyu’s Disguise with its multi-strike Surging Strikes and having fewer weaknesses to Fairy types-it generally falls behind Single Strike in overall damage output and versatility. Rapid Strike is outclassed by other Water-type Pokémon in PvE and doesn’t perform as strongly in Master League battles.
In summary, if your goal is to maximize competitive effectiveness and sweeping power, Single Strike Urshifu is the recommended choice. However, if you prefer a more balanced or tactical approach with fewer Fairy weaknesses and synergy with Steel types, Rapid Strike can still be viable but is less dominant overall. Given your interest in competitive battle styles, Single Strike Urshifu aligns best with a hyper-offensive, meta-breaking strategy.
