Arcanine
#059 Fire / Legendary Pokemon
#059 Fire / Legendary Pokemon
| Arcanine | |
|---|---|
| National Dex | #059 |
| Type | Fire |
| Species | Legendary Pokemon |
| Height | 1.9 m (6'03") |
| Weight | 155.0 kg (341.7 lbs) |
| Abilities | Intimidate / Flash Fire (Hidden: Justified) |
| Generation | Gen 1 (Kanto) |
Last updated: 2026-06-03
Arcanine is a Fire-type Pokemon introduced in Generation 1 in the Kanto region. It evolves from Growlithe when exposed to a Fire Stone. Known as the Legendary Pokemon despite being a non-legendary species, Arcanine is highly regarded for its majesty and power. Its appearance and stats befit its legendary title.
Arcanine is a large, canine Pokemon with orange-and-black striped fur, a flowing mane, and a regal bearing. Its design draws inspiration from Chinese guardian lions and Shisa statues. Arcanine has excellent all-around stats with 90/110/80/100/80/95, making it one of the most well-rounded non-legendary Fire-types.
Arcanine's primary role is an Intimidate pivot with strong offensive presence. Intimidate lowers the opponent's Attack on switch-in, making Arcanine an excellent check to physical attackers like Excadrill, Scizor, and Lucario. Flare Blitz is its main STAB move, hitting hard despite the recoil. Extreme Speed gives Arcanine a powerful priority move, useful for picking off weakened foes.
A standard defensive Arcanine set runs Flare Blitz, Extreme Speed, Will-O-Wisp, and Morning Sun with Heavy-Duty Boots to avoid Stealth Rock damage. Maximum HP and Defense investment lets Arcanine check physical threats reliably. The alternative offensive set uses a Choice Band with Flare Blitz, Extreme Speed, Wild Charge, and Crunch or Close Combat for coverage.
Arcanine can also function as a specially offensive attacker with 100 base Special Attack. Flamethrower or Fire Blast provide special STAB, while Scorching Sands hits Rock-types and has a burn chance. Solar Beam pairs well with sun setters like Torkoal or Ninetales. Flash Fire gives Arcanine a Fire immunity, allowing it to switch into Fire-type moves and power up its own.
Arcanine
Current form
Arcanine has been a solid UU and OU threat across generations. Its combination of Intimidate, reliable recovery in Morning Sun, and priority Extreme Speed give it a unique niche among Fire-types. In Generation 9, Arcanine sits in UU where it functions as a bulky offensive pivot. Its main competition comes from other Fire-types like Heatran (better defensive typing), Rotom-Heat (better resistances), and Blacephalon (more offensive). Common checks include physically defensive Water-types like Slowbro and Milotic, Ground-types like Hippowdon, and Rock-types like Tyranitar.
