Is Arcanine Good in Black 2 & White 2 Playthrough?
Fire Stone on Growlithe. Fire with AbilityIntimidate. One of the best Pokemon in BW2. AbilityIntimidate softens every physical attacker, and the raw stats carry through Burgh, Skyla, and the E4. Contributes against Iris's Lapras and Aggron. The Virbank pickup that stays through the credits.
Growlithe has the type edge here and should clean up Cheren's team.
Arcanine has the type edge here and should clean up Roxie's team.
Arcanine resists most of Burgh's coverage and hits back hard.
Arcanine has the type edge here and should clean up Elesa's team.
Arcanine has the type edge here and should clean up Clay's team.
Arcanine has the type edge here and should clean up Skyla's team.
Drayden's team hits Arcanine's weaknesses hard.
Arcanine trades roughly evenly with Marlon's team.
Arcanine has the type edge here and should clean up Shauntal's team.
Arcanine has the type edge here and should clean up Grimsley's team.
Arcanine has the type edge here and should clean up Caitlin's team.
Arcanine trades roughly evenly with Marshal's team.
Arcanine trades roughly evenly with Iris's team.
Catch Growlithe on Virbank Complex (walking, Lv 11-13, uncommon).
You can pick up the Fire Stone in Chargestone Cave. 8 other locations are also available.
How to Get Arcanine in Black 2 & White 2
Arcanine doesn't appear wild. Catch Growlithe instead, it shows up at decent rates. Evolve it through a special method to get Arcanine. The 2-stage line is mapped in the step cards below.
How to Obtain Arcanine in B2W2
Step 1Catch GrowlitheVirbank Complex - InsideLv.11-13FloorRate 25%Any- Step 2Arcanine ✓
Arcanine Weakness
Arcanine's Fire typing leaves it vulnerable to Water, Ground, and Rock. The Fire typing picks up 5 resistances to work with. Flash Fire grants an additional Fire immunity, reshaping the matchup chart. With 90 HP and balanced defenses, Arcanine can afford to eat a neutral hit or two.
| Damage | Types |
|---|---|
| 2x (Weak) | Water, Ground, Rock |
| 0.5x (Resist) | Fire, Grass, Ice, Bug, Steel |
- Fairy type does not exist — Dragon has fewer checks
- Physical / Special split now per-move (introduced Gen IV)
What is Arcanine Weak Against
AvgBest Pokemon Against Arcanine
 Oshawott Water | D | |
Obtain MethodAspertia City Gift | ||
 Sandslash Ground | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Arcanine View Sandslash builds →Dig 2x69-82% Rock Tomb 2x29-35% | ||
 Azumarill Water | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Arcanine View Azumarill builds →Aqua Tail 2x47-55% Dig 2x27-33% Rollout 2x11-14% | ||
 Trapinch Ground | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Arcanine View Trapinch builds →Dig 2x69-82% Rock Slide 2x44-52% | ||
 Jellicent WaterGhost | B | |
 Krokorok GroundDark | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Arcanine View Krokorok builds →Dig 2x59-70% Rock Tomb 2x26-31% | ||
Sandslash Ground | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Arcanine View Sandslash builds →Dig 2x66-78% Rock Tomb 2x30-35% | ||
 Dewott Water | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Oshawott (Aspertia City Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Arcanine View Dewott builds →Razor Shell 2x50-60% Dig 2x35-42% | ||
Azumarill Water | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Arcanine View Azumarill builds →Aqua Tail 2x46-55% Dig 2x28-33% Rollout 2x11-14% | ||
 Floatzel Water | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Arcanine View Floatzel builds →Dig 2x45-54% Aqua Jet 2x35-42% Rock Tomb 2x30-35% | ||
 Alomomola Water | B | |
 Excadrill GroundSteel | A | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Arcanine View Excadrill builds →Earthquake 2x105-124%KO Rock Slide 2x53-63% | ||
 Samurott Water | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Oshawott (Aspertia City Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Arcanine View Samurott builds →Surf 2x83-98% Dig 2x44-52% | ||
 Vaporeon Water | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Arcanine View Vaporeon builds →Surf 2x83-98% Dig 2x32-38% | ||
Azumarill Water | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Arcanine View Azumarill builds →Surf 2x52-62% Dig 2x27-32% Rollout 2x11-14% | ||
 Golduck Water | C | |
Excadrill GroundSteel | A | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Arcanine View Excadrill builds →Earthquake 2x107-126%KO Rock Slide 2x53-63% | ||
Samurott Water | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Oshawott (Aspertia City Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Arcanine View Samurott builds →Surf 2x85-100%KO Dig 2x45-53% | ||
 Wailord Water | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Arcanine View Wailord builds →Water Spout 2x114-134%KO Bulldoze 2x31-36% Rock Tomb 2x26-31% | ||
Sandslash Ground | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Arcanine View Sandslash builds →Earthquake 2x83-98% Rock Slide 2x42-49% | ||
Vaporeon Water | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Arcanine View Vaporeon builds →Hydro Pump 2x107-126%KO Dig 2x32-38% | ||
Excadrill GroundSteel | A | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Arcanine View Excadrill builds →Earthquake 2x106-125%KO Rock Slide 2x54-63% | ||
Samurott Water | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Oshawott (Aspertia City Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Arcanine View Samurott builds →Surf 2x83-98% Dig 2x44-52% | ||
 Relicanth WaterRock | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Arcanine View Relicanth builds →Dive 2x61-71% Rock Slide 2x57-68% Bulldoze 2x30-36% | ||
 Kingler Water | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Arcanine View Kingler builds →Dive 2x82-96% Dig 2x54-64% Rock Slide 2x51-61% | ||
Wailord Water | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Arcanine View Wailord builds →Water Spout 2x112-132%KO Bulldoze 2x30-36% Rock Tomb 2x26-31% | ||
 Rampardos Rock | B | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Cranidos (Nacrene City Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Arcanine View Rampardos builds →Head Smash 2x188-221%KO Earthquake 2x83-98% Surf 2x36-43% | ||
Relicanth WaterRock | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Arcanine View Relicanth builds →Head Smash 2x111-131%KO Dive 2x60-71% Earthquake 2x50-59% | ||
 Omastar RockWater | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Omanyte (Nacrene City Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Arcanine View Omastar builds →Hydro Pump 2x109-129%KO Ancient Power 2x55-65% Mud Shot 2x34-40% | ||
 Carracosta WaterRock | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Tirtouga (Nacrene City Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Arcanine View Carracosta builds →Aqua Tail 2x79-93% Stone Edge 2x87-103%KO Earthquake 2x58-69% | ||
 Kabutops RockWater | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Kabuto (Nacrene City Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Arcanine View Kabutops builds →Waterfall 2x74-87% Stone Edge 2x92-108%KO Dig 2x49-58% | ||
S | ||
Recommended Build AbilityIron Barbs ItemLeftovers NatureCareful Moves View Ferrothorn builds →
| ||
A | ||
Recommended Build AbilitySerenegrace ItemLeftovers NatureCareful Moves
Damage vs Arcanine View Jirachi builds →U Turn7-8% | ||
A | ||
Recommended Build AbilityFlame Body ItemLum Berry NatureTimid Moves
Damage vs Arcanine View Volcarona builds →Giga Drain12-14% Fire Blast17-21% | ||
B | ||
Recommended Build AbilitySturdy ItemLeftovers NatureCareful Moves View Skarmory builds →
| ||
B | ||
Recommended Build AbilityDrought ItemLeftovers NatureTimid Moves
Damage vs Arcanine View Ninetales builds →Fire Blast12-15% Flamethrower10-12% | ||
Arcanine Evolutions
Arcanine evolved from Growlithe's chain using an evolution item. It's a non-standard trigger, so check the details below. Breed this form to get Growlithe eggs (average hatch time). The evolution from Growlithe pushed Arcanine to 555 total stats. Attack saw the largest single gain at +40. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.
How to Evolve
Breeding
Breed with Arcanine to get Growlithe eggs easily using 181 partners from the Ground egg group. Notable egg moves include Body Slam, Close Combat, Covet and 10 more.
B2W2 Arcanine Best Moveset
Physical damage recalculates every time AbilityIntimidate triggers, forcing opponents to account for the Attack drop. 110 Attack at 95 Speed fires physical Fire TermStab before most targets act. The moveset answers physical attackers through the drop and retaliates immediately. AbilityFlash Fire absorbs Fire as an alternative.
Best Build
Arcanine best EVs are Defense and Sp. Def
Bulky Support Moveset
- Flare Blitz
- Morning Sun
- Extreme Speed
- Close Combat
Recommended Teammates
Moves List
You'll want to breed for Body Slam and Close Combat on Arcanine. These egg moves aren't just nice to have. Combined with STAB from Overheat and Flare Blitz, they expand what Arcanine can actually threaten in practice.
How to Read the Moves Table
Tabs
- Level-Up
- Learned by leveling up.
- TM
- Taught by a Technical Machine.
- Egg
- Inherited via breeding.
- Tutor
- NPC tutor (cost: items, BP, money).
- Reminder
- An NPC reteaches any move this Pokemon could have learned by leveling up.
- Transfer
- Carried over from an older game using Pokemon HOME.
- Event
- Given out through Mystery Gift events.
Visual Signals
CAT (Category)
How the move deals damage and which stats it uses.
A small dot on the icon's corner marks the move as contact. That triggers abilities like Static, Flame Body, Rough Skin, or Iron Barbs, plus items like Rocky Helmet and Sticky Barb.
Tier (S to D)
Each move's competitive rank in RankedBoost's system. TM, Egg, and Tutor sort by tier by default (best first). On Level-Up, click the Tier header to do the same.
PWR (Power)
Base damage. Numbers shown in a type color include STAB (base × 1.5). Hover any colored number to see the math.
— means no power (status moves) or variable power.
Sorting & Filter
Click any column header to sort. Level-Up opens with Lv 1 at the top. TM, Egg, and Tutor open with the highest-tier moves at the top.
Search filters by move name or type. The Filter button limits the list to STAB, Physical, Special, or Status moves.
Level-Up Moves
TM Moves
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
Reminder Moves
Transfer Moves
Base Stats
The sight of it running over 6,200 miles in a single day and night has captivated many people.
Arcanine Black 2 & White 2 Guide
In the Black 2 & White 2 meta, Arcanine already has 555 BST going for it, and Intimidate pushes the competitive value even higher. B-Tier attacker on our tier list. Flare Blitz with Leftovers is the standard set.
In Black 2 & White 2, watch for Starmie (Water), Golem (Ground), and Aerodactyl (Rock) when using Arcanine. They all hit it super-effectively with STAB.
Arcanine gets Intimidate, Flash Fire, and Justified. But Intimidate is the one that matters. It's the centerpiece of every viable set. Build around that.
Arcanine is a physical attacker with base 110 Attack. Enough bulk to take a hit or two, too. Speed tells the real story. Base 95 Speed is workable. Faster than some, slower than many. Fits the attacker role.
In Black 2 & White 2, run Flare Blitz, Morningsun, Extreme Speed, and Close Combat on Arcanine. Flare Blitz is the most common pick at 0% usage. This set covers the attacker role with a mix of damage and utility.
Game Availability
Available since Red & Blue, Arcanine appears in 21 games spanning 10 generations. Beyond its original form, it gained a Hisuian form in Generation 8.
Click a game to view version-specific details
- Gen 1RBDebut
Red & Blue - Gen 1Y
Yellow - Gen 2GS
Gold & Silver - Gen 2C
Crystal - Gen 3RS
Ruby & Sapphire - Gen 3E
Emerald - Gen 3FRLG
FireRed & LeafGreen - Gen 4DP
Diamond & Pearl - Gen 4Pt
Platinum - Gen 4HGSS
HeartGold & SoulSilver - Gen 5BW
Black & White - Gen 5B2W2
Black 2 & White 2 - Gen 6XY
X & Y - Gen 6ORAS
Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire - Gen 7SM
Sun & Moon - Gen 7USUM
Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon - Gen 7LGPE
Let's Go Pikachu & Eevee - Gen 8SwSh
Sword & Shield - Gen 8BDSP
Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl - Gen 8PLAHisuian
Legends: Arceus - Gen 9SV
Scarlet & Violet - Gen 9LZA
Legends: Z-A - Gen 10WW
Winds & Waves