Usage · September 2026
0.1%
Articuno is ranked #131 in Gen 9 NU, carried by 91 teams
TierD · outside the top 60
Ladder rank#131 of 168
Raw count91
Viability ceiling69
Month on month+0.08pp
13 month peak0.3%
FormatGen 9 NU
Base statsspecies values, before EVs and natureBST 580
HP
90
Atk
85
Def
100
SpA
95
SpD
125
Spe
85
Usage over time0.1%▲ 0.08pppeak 0.3% · Sep '25
hover a month for the exact figure · 13 months of ladder history
Most used set
86.2% of Articuno teamsHP
4
Atk
0
Def
252
SpA
0
SpD
252
Spe
0
NatureCareful
AbilityPressure · 100.0%
ItemFocus Sash · 86.2%
Tera typeIce · 97.6%
Moves
89.0%
86.2%
86.2%
86.2%
Alternative spreads
over 5% usageTimid252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe11.3%
Moves
7 tracked89.0%
86.2%
86.2%
86.2%
13.8%
13.2%
12.3%
Best Articuno build for Gen 9 NU
The set above is the one Gen 9 NU players run most often, taken from 6,316 battles in September 2026. Articuno sits at rank #131 with 0.1% usage, which puts it in D tier, up 0.08 points on the month before.
These are usage numbers, not a recommendation from a council. A move at 90% is close to mandatory; anything under 30% is a tech pick that answers a specific matchup. Read the spreads the same way: the top spread is the safe default, and the alternatives usually trade bulk for speed or the other way round.
The checks and counters table is generated from real games rather than a type chart, so it accounts for items, Tera choices, and how often the matchup ends in a switch instead of a knockout.