Reshiram: Lore, Stats, Moveset, and Everything You Need to Know

Reshiram at a Glance: Type, Generation, and Mascot Role

Reshiram is a Dragon/Fire-type Legendary Pokémon — Pokédex #643 — introduced in Generation V and best known as the mascot of Pokémon Black Version, appearing on that game’s box art. It does not evolve, belongs to the Tao Trio alongside Zekrom and Kyurem, and carries a catch rate of 45 in the mainline games spanning Generation V through Generation VI.

That dual Dragon/Fire typing is central to everything about Reshiram: its offensive identity, its weaknesses, its competitive role, and even the way its mythology frames it as a being of immense, burning conviction. Whether you’re tracking it down in the mainline series or raiding it in Pokémon GO, these core facts stay constant.

Reshiram’s Origins and Role in Unova Mythology

Reshiram’s lore runs deeper than most Legendaries. To understand it, you need to know the Tao Trio as a whole — and the story starts long before there were three Pokémon at all.

In Unova’s ancient mythology, Reshiram, Zekrom, and Kyurem were not always separate beings. They originated from a single, unnamed dragon Pokémon — an entity of extraordinary power that existed at the founding of the region. Two heroic twin brothers worked together to create the Unova region, and the dragon stood with both of them. But eventually the brothers’ ideals diverged. The older twin sought truth; the younger twin pursued ideals. The singular dragon could no longer serve them both, and so it split into two: Reshiram, who sided with the older twin and his pursuit of truth, and Zekrom, who allied with the younger twin and his burning ideals.

This split is not just narrative flavour — it defines the thematic architecture of Pokémon Black and White. In those games, the player encounters N, a trainer with an absolutist belief in ideals, whose legendary partner is Zekrom in Black Version and Reshiram in White Version. The version mascot arrangement is deliberately inverted: in Pokémon Black, the player seeks Reshiram to counter N’s Zekrom, because truth and ideals are positioned as opposing — but equally necessary — forces.

Reshiram represents yang within the Tao Trio framework. Where Zekrom is associated with passion and physical conviction, Reshiram embodies truth through intellectual fire. This is reflected in its appearance: a white-furred, serpentine dragon with a massive turbine-like tail that radiates heat, visually suggesting that its fire is as much about clarity and illumination as it is destruction.

The third member, Kyurem, is what remained after the split — a hollow, incomplete dragon, representing the absence of both truth and ideals. Kyurem also connects directly to Reshiram through the fusion mechanic covered below. One additional mythological detail: if Reshiram’s body is ever destroyed, it does not simply vanish — it transforms into the Light Stone, a dormant form that can be awakened again. This reinforces its role as an eternal, unkillable principle rather than just a powerful animal.

Base Stats, Abilities, and Key Moves

Reshiram’s Turboblaze ability is its defining trait in battle. Turboblaze nullifies the effects of any opposing Pokémon’s ability when Reshiram uses a move — meaning defensive abilities like Levitate, Thick Fat, or Storm Drain simply don’t apply. This makes Reshiram one of the few attackers that can hit through ability-based immunities and resistances without any setup.

On the offensive side, Reshiram’s Dragon/Fire typing gives it strong STAB coverage in two directions. Its signature move, Blue Flare, is a Fire-type special attack with a chance to burn — a more powerful, Reshiram-exclusive counterpart to Flamethrower. Fusion Flare, another signature move, doubles in power if used immediately after Fusion Bolt (Zekrom’s signature move), which matters specifically in story events and multi-battle scenarios.

Reshiram learns moves in Pokémon Scarlet & Violet, though the exact level-up schedule differs from earlier generations — always check the specific game’s Pokédex entry for the full list. Reshiram’s special attack stat is its dominant offensive stat across generations, making special Fire and Dragon moves the backbone of any set.

One notable absence: Reshiram has no level-up or TM moves in Pokémon Legends: Z-A. If you’re playing that title, normal moveset progression does not apply to Reshiram.

Across all games, Reshiram shares the same three type weaknesses: Dragon, Ground, and Rock.

White Kyurem: The DNA Splicers Fusion

Reshiram can merge with Kyurem using the DNA Splicers — an item available in Pokémon Black 2 and White 2 — to form White Kyurem. This process is called absofusion: Reshiram is absorbed into Kyurem, filling the hollow dragon with truth’s fire and producing a combined form distinct from either base Pokémon.

The mechanic works in one direction only: use the DNA Splicers on Kyurem while Reshiram is in the same party. The fusion can be reversed by using the DNA Splicers again. This mechanic exists specifically in Black 2 and White 2 — it is not available in the original Black and White, where Reshiram and Kyurem appear as separate Legendaries without any fusion option.

From a lore standpoint, White Kyurem represents Kyurem reclaiming part of the power it lost when the original dragon split. By fusing with Reshiram, Kyurem absorbs the yang half — truth and fire — and becomes something closer to the primordial whole. Reshiram, as an individual Pokémon, ceases to exist separately for the duration of the fusion.

Reshiram in Pokémon GO: Max CP, Best Moveset, and Raid Counters

In Pokémon GO, Reshiram is a raid-exclusive Legendary with a maximum CP of 4565, placing it among the strongest Fire-type attackers available in PvE content.

Its recommended PvE moveset is Fire Fang / Fusion Flare. Fire Fang generates energy efficiently as a fast move, and Fusion Flare — Reshiram’s signature charged move — delivers heavy Fire-type damage with solid damage-per-energy ratios. This combination places Reshiram at S Tier as a Fire-type attacker, ranked #7 among Fire-types in PvE, making it a strong pick for raids against Grass, Bug, Steel, and Ice-type bosses.

For raid counters, the three exploitable weaknesses are the same as in the mainline games: Dragon, Ground, and Rock. Strong Rock-type options like Rampardos, Rhyperior, and Tyranitar work well. Dragon-type attackers such as Rayquaza or Garchomp are effective but take increased damage from Reshiram’s Dragon-type moves in return.

Reshiram receives a weather boost during Windy and Sunny weather — Windy boosts its Dragon-type moves, while Sunny boosts its Fire-type moves. Both weather conditions increase the CP of the Reshiram you encounter, pushing it closer to the maximum.

In PvP, Reshiram is only competitively relevant in Master League, where there is no CP cap. In Great League and Ultra League, its CP ceiling makes it ineligible. Even in Master League, its role is more niche than its PvE performance suggests — Dragon-type attackers with more versatile move coverage often edge it out for top-tier rankings.

Pokémon GO data — including CP values, moveset rankings, and raid availability — updates regularly. Before committing resources to power up Reshiram, verify the current status through Pokémon GO Hub’s Reshiram database entry or the official Pokémon GO site.

Where to Catch Reshiram Across the Pokémon Games

Reshiram’s availability in the mainline series is tied directly to game version. Here’s how it breaks down by confirmed title:

• Pokémon Black: Reshiram is the version mascot and is encountered as part of the main story at N’s Castle. It is a required story encounter — you must face it to progress.
• Pokémon White: Reshiram does not appear as a catchable encounter. To obtain it without trading, you need Pokémon Black or a transfer method.
• Pokémon Black 2 & White 2: Reshiram can be obtained through the Pokémon Dream Radar (for White 2) or via trading and transfer from Black. This is also where the DNA Splicers fusion with Kyurem becomes available.
• Pokémon X & Y: Reshiram can be transferred via Pokémon Bank from Generation V games. The catch rate of 45 confirmed for Generation V through Generation VI applies here.
• Pokémon Scarlet & Violet: Reshiram can be used in these titles and learns moves at specified levels; verify specific encounter methods in current game documentation.
• Pokémon Legends: Z-A: Reshiram has no confirmed level-up or TM moves in this title. Its role in the game should be verified separately before assuming standard availability.

With a catch rate of 45 — relatively generous for a Legendary — Reshiram isn’t the hardest encounter to secure once you’ve reached it. Ultra Balls combined with status conditions like Sleep or Paralysis will noticeably improve your odds. The Dusk Ball at night or in caves provides one of the better catch bonuses if the encounter conditions allow it.

For full location-specific details across every title, Bulbapedia’s Reshiram page maintains generation-by-generation availability data that is regularly updated by the community.