Legendary Pokémon

Pokemon of the Week: Arcanine

General info

Type

Ability

Intimidate (Upon entering battle, the opponent's Attack lowers one stage. In a Double Battle, both opponents' Attack are lowered. Pokémon with the Clear Body, Hyper Cutter, or White Smoke ability are unaffected. In a link battle, if both sides switch on the same turn, and first player sends out a Pokémon with Intimidate, the opponent's Attack will be lowered before the opponent's Pokémon switches. If the Pokémon is in the lead spot, chance of encountering a low level wild Pokémon decreases by 50%. This applies to Pokémon five levels lower than or below the level of the lead Pokémon.) or Flash Fire (Activates when user is hit by a damaging Fire-type move (including Fire-type Hidden Power). Once activated, user's Fire-type moves deal 1.5 times damage. While this ability is in effect, this Pokémon is immune to damage from Fire-type attacks and Fire-type Hidden Power (accuracy and effect from these moves are ignored). For Fire-type Pokémon with this ability, Will-O-Wisp activates this ability without having an effect. If a non-Fire-type Pokémon has this ability, Will-O-Wisp will activate the ability and will have an effect.)

Base Stats

HP	90
Attack	110
Defense	80
Sp.Atk	100
Sp.Def	80
Speed	95

Description

Despite its excellent stats, Arcanine is not all that great mostly because of its extremely limited movepool. It learns certain interesting moves such as Extremespeed but the lack of special moves cripples him considerably. Most people utilize it as a Physical Sweeper since his Attack stat is greater than his Special Attack and having Howl in his repertoire of moves, actually helps Arcanine out in the aforementioned situation.

Strategy against Arcanine

Arcanine is not to be underestimated. It possesses excellent stats and can wipe out many Pokémon before fainting. Usually, the use of a strong Physical move will neutralize it, provided it hasn’t pumped up way too much, or else you will be the one who’ll get scorched by its flames. Earthquake, Rock Slide and Hydro Pump do miracles against Arcanine.

Online Pokédex

Info

Flavour

Imagery

Breeding

Stats

Moves

Location

Search

Role #1: Physical Sweeper

Item Held

Leftovers (Recovers a small amount of Hit Points at the end of each round) OR Liechi Berry (Attack increases when Hit Points drop low)

Nature

Adamant (+Attack –Special Attack)

Effort Points

252 Attack, 252 Speed, 6 HP

Moveset

• Howl
• Extremespeed
• Hidden Power Ground/Fighting
• Overheat

Strategy

Since Arcanine’s Attack stat is of an outstanding value of 110, it is normal that a moveset for a Physical Sweeper can be put into action. Use Howl a few times to pump up your Attack and then start sweeping with Extremespeed. Hidden Power will prove being effective against those Pokémon that Extremespeed barely harms. Use Overheat in this moveset only to knock out Steel types that might become a pain later on. Do not choose any other Fire Type move; you need Overheat’s base damage. The loss of Special Attack will not hamper your strategy in any way.

Role #2: Sunnybeamer

Item Held

Petaya Berry (Special Attack increases when Hit Points drop low)

Nature

Modest (+Special Attack –Attack)

Effort Points

252 Special Attack, 252 Speed, 6 HP

Moveset

• Sunny Day
• Flamethrower
• Solarbeam
• Crunch

Strategy

As a Fire Type Pokémon, it is logical that Arcanine can become a good Sunnybeamer. Allocate the EVs into Special Attack and Speed, select a nature that improves Special Attack and attach it a Petaya Berry. Then, set up Sunny Day, and attack accordingly either with Solarbeam or the empowered Flamethrower. Crunch is to be used when all else would prove futile and its effect, the chance of lowering the foe’s Special Defense, also comes in handy most of the times.

Egg Moves

These are the moves Growlithe can learn through breeding with Pokémon of the Ground Egg Group. Click here for the Pokémon it can get them from.

Training Grounds

This section is to advise you on the areas in which you can train for the acquisition of the Effort Points presented above. It is recommended you use 10 vitamins on the stat you desire to raise. Do not use vitamins on stats that require less than 100 Effort Points. Equip the Macho Brace on your Pokémon to speed up the process even more.

Ruby/Sapphire/Emerald

HP

Rusturf Tunner [Wishmur +1]

Attack

Fish with Super Rod on Route 118 [Carvanha +1]

Special Attack

Route 113 [Spinda +1]

Speed

Route 118 [Elektrike +1] [Manectric +2] [Zigzagoon +1] [Linoone +2] [Wingull +1]

Fire Red/Leaf Green

HP

Viridian Forest [Caterpie +1]

Attack

Routes 16, 18 [Doduo +1] [Dodrio +2]

Special Attack

Pokemon Tower [Gastly +1] [Haunter +2]

Speed

Route 1 [Pidgey +1] [Rattata +1]

Diglett’s Cave [Diglett +1] [Dugtrio +2]

Contests

Item Held

Red Scarf

Nature

Adamant, Brave, Lonely or Naughty

Contest Moveset

Agilty [Cool]

Aerial Ace [Cool]

Howl [Cool]

Swift [Cool]

A moveset for a Cool contest seen every so often. It makes use of Agility’s ability to place you first into the next round of appeals and should be followed by either Aerial Ace or Swift in order to hustle even more. Since you will be obtaining tons of Appeal Points by doing this, keep both of the aforementioned moves in case you are placed first in the next round as well, in order to avoid repeating the same move. Howl is there just in case, to up your condition when you wish.

Useful Links: If you are not familiar with game language used above, read through the Stats & Training Guide, the Team Building Guide and the Egg Group Guide. More guides shall be added soon to help you out. If you have suggestions on additional movesets for either Battles or Contests, please post them in the Comments section. I will then evaluate them and probably add some of them, giving you credit.

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