How To Evolve Kubfu In Pokemon GO - Complete Guide 2026

Kubfu is a Legendary Fighting-type Pokemon that can evolve into two different forms of Urshifu in Pokemon GO. This comprehensive guide covers everything you need to know about evolving Kubfu into either Single Strike Style or Rapid Strike Style Urshifu in 2026.

Quick Answer: Kubfu evolves into Urshifu with 200 candies after completing a specific raid task: defeat 30 Dark-type raids for Single Strike Style (Fighting/Dark) or 30 Water-type raids for Rapid Strike Style (Fighting/Water).

Two Evolution Forms

Kubfu can evolve into one of two distinct forms of Urshifu, each with different typing and moves:

Urshifu Forms Comparison

FormTypeEvolution TaskBest For
Single Strike StyleFighting/DarkDefeat 30 Dark-type raidsMaster League PvP (#1 ranked)
Rapid Strike StyleFighting/WaterDefeat 30 Water-type raidsRaids & PvE (Good in PvP too)

Important: You can only evolve each Kubfu once! Choose carefully which form you want based on your battle needs. Most players prefer Single Strike Style for Master League dominance.

Evolution Requirements

Both forms require the same process, just with different raid types:

What You Need

  1. Kubfu as Your Buddy - Must be your active buddy Pokemon
  2. Complete Raid Task - Defeat 30 raids or Max Battles of the appropriate type
  3. 200 Kubfu Candy - Required for evolution (very expensive!)
  4. Choose Your Form - Dark raids = Single Strike, Water raids = Rapid Strike

How to Get Kubfu

Before you can evolve Kubfu, you need to obtain one first:

  • Special Research: “Might and Mastery” Special Research (introduced March 2025)
    • Available during the “Powerful Potential” event
    • Complete all research tasks to encounter Kubfu
    • Limited to one Kubfu per Special Research
  • GO Battle Week: Final Strike Event (May 21-27, 2025)
    • New chapter of Might and Mastery Special Research unlocked
    • Featured Kubfu encounters
  • Rare Candy
    • Use Rare Candy to get the 200 candy needed
    • Walking Kubfu as buddy gives 1 candy per 20km

Single Strike Style Evolution (Fighting/Dark)

This form is recommended for most players due to its dominance in Master League PvP.

Step-by-Step: Single Strike

  1. Make Kubfu Your Buddy
    • Tap your Trainer profile icon
    • Select your current buddy and choose “Swap Buddies”
    • Choose Kubfu
  2. Defeat 30 Dark-Type Raids or Max Battles
    • Kubfu must be your buddy (doesn’t need to participate in battle)
    • Any raid tier counts (1-star, 3-star, 5-star, Mega)
    • Max Battles with Dark-types also count
  3. Dark-Type Raid Bosses to Look For:
    • 5-Star: Darkrai, Yveltal, Hoopa Unbound
    • Mega: Mega Absol, Mega Houndoom, Mega Tyranitar
    • 3-Star: Umbreon, Absol, Tyranitar
    • 1-Star: Houndour, Poochyena, Seedot, Purrloin
  4. Verify Progress
    • Check Kubfu’s page to see task progress
    • Should show “30/30 Dark-type raids completed”
  5. Evolve with 200 Candies
    • Single Strike Style silhouette should appear on evolve button
    • Tap evolve and use 200 Kubfu Candy

Rapid Strike Style Evolution (Fighting/Water)

This form is better for PvE content and still performs well in PvP.

Step-by-Step: Rapid Strike

  1. Make Kubfu Your Buddy
    • Same process as Single Strike
  2. Defeat 30 Water-Type Raids or Max Battles
    • Kubfu must be your buddy during raids
    • Any raid tier counts
    • Max Battles with Water-types also count
  3. Water-Type Raid Bosses to Look For:
    • 5-Star: Kyogre, Primal Kyogre, Palkia, Suicune
    • Mega: Mega Blastoise, Mega Gyarados, Mega Swampert
    • 3-Star: Azumarill, Blastoise, Vaporeon, Milotic
    • 1-Star: Magikarp, Wailmer, Krabby, Carvanha
  4. Verify Progress
    • Check Kubfu’s page for task completion
    • Should show “30/30 Water-type raids completed”
  5. Evolve with 200 Candies
    • Rapid Strike Style silhouette should appear on evolve button
    • Tap evolve and use 200 Kubfu Candy

Tips for Completing 30 Raids Quickly

Here are strategies to complete your raid task efficiently:

Best Strategies:

  • Focus on 1-Star Raids: Easier to solo and complete quickly
    • Use free daily raid pass
    • Can complete 1-2 per day for free
    • Takes approximately 2-4 weeks with daily free passes
  • Raid Hours: Wednesday Raid Hour events (6:00-7:00 PM local)
    • Complete multiple raids in one hour
    • If the featured Pokemon is Dark or Water-type, this is ideal
    • Use Premium Raid Passes or Remote Raid Passes
  • Remote Raid Apps: Join raids from anywhere
    • PokeRaid, PokeGenie, or Campfire apps
    • Find Dark/Water-type raids globally
    • Can participate in raids 24/7
  • Max Battles: Count toward your total
    • If Max Battle features Dark or Water-type Pokemon
    • Easier than traditional raids
    • Can be done with fewer trainers
  • Events with Increased Raids: Watch for special events
    • GO Fest, GO Battle Week, Legendary raid weekends
    • Sometimes feature themed raids (Dark or Water-types)

Pro Tip: Complete 1-star raids daily with your free pass. This is the most cost-effective way to complete the task without spending PokeCoins. It takes about 1 month but costs nothing!

Which Form Should You Choose?

The choice between Single Strike and Rapid Strike depends on your battle priorities:

Type: Fighting/Dark

Best For: Master League PvP

Strengths:

  • #1 ranked Pokemon in Master League
  • Dominates the current meta
  • Excellent against Psychic, Ghost, and Dragon-types
  • Unique Dark/Fighting typing provides great coverage
  • Best moveset: Counter + Close Combat + Wicked Blow

Weaknesses:

  • Vulnerable to Fighting, Flying, Fairy, and Bug-types
  • Less useful in PvE/Raids compared to Rapid Strike

Choose This If: You focus on Master League PvP and want the #1 ranked Pokemon

Rapid Strike Style

Type: Fighting/Water

Best For: Raids, PvE, and versatile battles

Strengths:

  • Better for raid battles and PvE content
  • Still performs well in PvP (just not #1)
  • Effective against Rock, Fire, Steel, and Dark-types
  • Only 2x weak to Grass and Fairy (more balanced)
  • Best moveset: Counter + Close Combat + Aqua Jet/Surging Strikes

Weaknesses:

  • Not as dominant in Master League as Single Strike
  • More common typing (Fighting/Water less unique)

Choose This If: You prefer PvE content, raids, or want a more balanced Pokemon

Expert Recommendation: For most players, Single Strike Style Urshifu is the better choice. It’s the #1 ranked Pokemon in Master League and provides more value for competitive PvP. If you primarily do raids, choose Rapid Strike Style.

Getting 200 Kubfu Candy

The biggest challenge is obtaining 200 candy for evolution:

Candy Sources:

  • Catch Rewards: 3 candy per Kubfu caught (very rare)
  • Transfer: 1 candy per Kubfu transferred (not recommended for Legendaries!)
  • Buddy Walking: 1 candy per 20km walked
    • 200 candy = 4,000 km of walking (not practical)
    • Better to use Rare Candy instead
  • Rare Candy (Best Option): Convert to Kubfu candy
    • Get from raid rewards (especially 5-star raids)
    • GET Battle League rewards
    • Special Research rewards
    • Field Research tasks
  • Pinap Berries: Double catch candy (6 instead of 3)

Candy Tip: Start saving Rare Candy now! You’ll need approximately 200 Rare Candy to evolve Kubfu. Focus on completing 5-star raids for Rare Candy bundles (3-6 per raid).

Urshifu in Battle

Single Strike Style - PvP Performance

Master League:

  • Ranked #1 overall in Master League
  • Counters: Giratina, Mewtwo, Lugia, Dialga, Reshiram
  • Loses to: Togekiss, Zacian, Groudon, Landorus
  • Signature Move: Wicked Blow (guaranteed critical hit)

Rapid Strike Style - PvE Performance

Raids & Gyms:

  • Excellent against Rock, Fire, and Steel-type raid bosses
  • Top-tier Fighting-type attacker
  • Signature Move: Surging Strikes (multi-hit, guaranteed crits)
  • Competes with Lucario, Conkeldurr, and Machamp for raid utility

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I get both forms of Urshifu?

Yes, but you need two Kubfu. Each Kubfu can only evolve into one form. If you want both, you need to obtain Kubfu from different Special Research opportunities.

Can I change forms after evolution?

No. Once you evolve Kubfu into Single Strike or Rapid Strike Style, it cannot be changed. Choose carefully!

Do I need to use Kubfu in the raids?

No. Kubfu just needs to be your active buddy. You don’t have to bring it into battle - it can stay on the bench.

Can I switch buddies while completing the task?

You can swap buddies, but progress only counts when Kubfu is your active buddy. It’s best to keep Kubfu as your buddy until you complete all 30 raids.

Do raid bosses need to be pure Dark or Water-type?

No. Dual-type Pokemon count as long as one of their types is Dark or Water. For example, Tyranitar (Rock/Dark) counts for Single Strike, and Gyarados (Water/Flying) counts for Rapid Strike.

How long does it take to complete?

Using only free daily raid passes: approximately 30 days. If you buy Premium Raid Passes or use Remote Raid Passes, you can complete it in a few days or even one day during raid events.

Final Tip: Always verify the correct Urshifu form silhouette appears on the Evolve button before confirming. Single Strike shows a darker, more aggressive pose, while Rapid Strike has a flowing, water-like stance.

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