What separates Arcanine from the pack is Intimidate — it lowers the opponent's Attack on switch-in. Combine that with Fire typing and it sits at a decent but contested Speed tier. Known as the Legendary Pokemon.
Everything pushes toward mixed damage here. Arcanine's Attack does the work, Defense pays the price. But you're still getting 2 Attack EVs per KO. Moderately hard to find, on a slow 1.25M XP grind.
The sight of it running over 6,200 miles in a single day and night has captivated many people.
Arcanine Weakness
AvgArcanine's Fire typing leaves it vulnerable to Water, Ground, and Rock moves. 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.
- Fairy type does not exist — Dragon has fewer checks
- Physical / Special split now per-move (introduced Gen IV)
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.
How to Evolve
Breed with Arcanine to get Growlithe eggs easily from the Ground egg group. Notable egg moves include Body Slam, Close Combat, Covet and 10 more.
Flashfire helps Arcanine stick around while dealing real damage. Leftovers for passive recovery each turn, Defense and Sp. Def investment EVs for the right balance, and Flare Blitz as the main threat. Not the fastest, but it doesn't need to be.
Best Build
Best Arcanine Moveset
- Flare Blitz
- Morning Sun
- Extreme Speed
- Close Combat
Recommended Teammates
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.
Level-Up Moves
TM Moves
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
Reminder Moves
Transfer Moves
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 Black 2 & White 2
To get Arcanine, start by catching Growlithe through walking encounters at Lv. 11-14. The chain covers 1 catchable stage before reaching the final form.
Step 1Catch GrowlitheEASYVirbank Complex - InsideBlack 2GrassLv.11-13UncommonEarlyPower-plantAnyEASYVirbank Complex - InsideWhite 2GrassLv.11-13UncommonEarlyPower-plantAnyEASYVirbank Complex - InsideBlack 2GrassLv.12-14UncommonEarlyPower-plantAnyDouble grassEASYVirbank Complex - InsideWhite 2GrassLv.12-14UncommonEarlyPower-plantAnyDouble grass
Step 2Arcanine ✓
Arcanine already has 555 BST going for it, and Intimidate pushes the competitive value even higher. A-Tier attacker on our tier list.
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 mixed attacker — base 110 Attack and 100 Sp. Atk. Enough bulk to take a hit or two, too. But the speed tells the real story — base 95 Speed is workable — faster than some, slower than many. Fits the attacker role.
Arcanine appears in 21 games, including Yellow, Red & Blue, and Gold & Silver.
Available since Red & Blue, Arcanine appears in 21 games spanning 9 generations. Beyond its original form, it gained a Hisuian form in Generation 8.
- Gen IY
Yellow - Gen IRBDebut
Red & Blue - Gen IIGS
Gold & Silver - Gen IIC
Crystal - Gen IIIRS
Ruby & Sapphire - Gen IIIFRLG
FireRed & LeafGreen - Gen IIIE
Emerald - Gen IVPt
Platinum - Gen IVHGSS
HeartGold & SoulSilver - Gen IVDP
Diamond & Pearl - Gen VBW
Black & White - Gen VB2W2
Black 2 & White 2 - Gen VIXY
X & Y - Gen VIORAS
Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire - Gen VIIUSUM
Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon - Gen VIISM
Sun & Moon - Gen VIILGPE
Let's Go Pikachu & Eevee - Gen VIIISwSh
Sword & Shield - Gen VIIIPLAHisuian
Legends: Arceus - Gen VIIIBDSP
Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl - Gen IXSV
Scarlet & Violet - Gen IXLZA
Legends: Z-A