Is Growlithe Good in Black 2 & White 2 Playthrough?
Fire with AbilityIntimidate lowering Attack on entry. Wild in Virbank Complex before Roxie's gym. One of the biggest BW2 additions. BW had almost no early Fire options. Here, Growlithe shows up before the second badge and Arcanine at Fire Stone dominates from mid-game onward.
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 Growlithe in Black 2 & White 2
decent spawn rates in early-game routes across 2 locations. Growlithe's one of the easier catches on the list. Knock it out fast and save your time for harder targets.
Where To Catch Growlithe in B2W2
Step 1Growlithe ✓Virbank Complex - InsideLv.11-13FloorRate 25%Any
Step 2Evolve into Arcanine
Growlithe Weakness
Type-wise, Growlithe takes extra damage from Water, Ground, and Rock. 5 resistances help offset the weaknesses. Flash Fire grants an additional Fire immunity, reshaping the matchup chart.
| 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 Growlithe Weak Against
AvgBest Pokemon Against Growlithe
 Oshawott Water | D | |
Obtain MethodAspertia City Gift | ||
 Jellicent WaterGhost | B | |
Available Move Moves
Damage vs Growlithe View Jellicent builds →Bubble Beam 2x91-108%KO | ||
 Azumarill Water | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Growlithe View Azumarill builds →Bubble Beam 2x72-85% Rollout 2x21-26% | ||
 Alomomola Water | B | |
 Psyduck Water | C | |
Oshawott Water | D | |
Obtain MethodAspertia City Gift | ||
Jellicent WaterGhost | B | |
Available Move Moves
Damage vs Growlithe View Jellicent builds →Bubble Beam 2x87-103%KO | ||
Azumarill Water | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Growlithe View Azumarill builds →Aqua Tail 2x84-99% Rollout 2x19-24% | ||
 Dewott Water | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Oshawott (Aspertia City Gift) | ||
Alomomola Water | B | |
Psyduck Water | C | |
 Sandslash Ground | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Growlithe View Sandslash builds →Dig 2x130-154%KO Rock Tomb 2x55-66% | ||
Azumarill Water | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Growlithe View Azumarill builds →Aqua Tail 2x89-106%KO Dig 2x54-63% Rollout 2x22-27% | ||
 Trapinch Ground | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Growlithe View Trapinch builds →Dig 2x130-154%KO Rock Slide 2x80-95% | ||
Jellicent WaterGhost | B | |
Available Move Moves
Damage vs Growlithe View Jellicent builds →Bubble Beam 2x87-102%KO | ||
 Krokorok GroundDark | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Growlithe View Krokorok builds →Dig 2x111-132%KO Rock Tomb 2x48-56% | ||
Sandslash Ground | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Growlithe View Sandslash builds →Dig 2x125-148%KO Rock Tomb 2x54-64% | ||
Dewott Water | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Oshawott (Aspertia City Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Growlithe View Dewott builds →Razor Shell 2x95-112%KO Dig 2x67-79% | ||
Azumarill Water | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Growlithe View Azumarill builds →Aqua Tail 2x84-99% Dig 2x49-59% Rollout 2x20-24% | ||
 Floatzel Water | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Growlithe View Floatzel builds →Dig 2x86-101%KO Aqua Jet 2x67-79% Rock Tomb 2x56-66% | ||
Alomomola Water | B | |
 Excadrill GroundSteel | A | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Growlithe View Excadrill builds →Earthquake 2x200-236%KO Rock Slide 2x100-118%KO | ||
 Samurott Water | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Oshawott (Aspertia City Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Growlithe View Samurott builds →Surf 2x149-175%KO Dig 2x83-99% | ||
 Vaporeon Water | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Growlithe View Vaporeon builds →Surf 2x149-175%KO Dig 2x60-72% | ||
Azumarill Water | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Growlithe View Azumarill builds →Surf 2x93-111%KO Dig 2x50-60% Rollout 2x19-23% | ||
 Golduck Water | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Growlithe View Golduck builds →Surf 2x133-157%KO Dig 2x72-85% | ||
Excadrill GroundSteel | A | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Growlithe View Excadrill builds →Earthquake 2x206-242%KO Rock Slide 2x103-122%KO | ||
Samurott Water | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Oshawott (Aspertia City Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Growlithe View Samurott builds →Surf 2x153-180%KO Dig 2x86-101%KO | ||
 Wailord Water | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Growlithe View Wailord builds →Water Spout 2x206-242%KO Bulldoze 2x59-70% Rock Tomb 2x50-59% | ||
Sandslash Ground | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Growlithe View Sandslash builds →Earthquake 2x158-187%KO Rock Slide 2x80-94% | ||
Vaporeon Water | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Growlithe View Vaporeon builds →Hydro Pump 2x195-230%KO Dig 2x61-72% | ||
Excadrill GroundSteel | A | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Growlithe View Excadrill builds →Earthquake 2x206-243%KO Rock Slide 2x104-123%KO | ||
Samurott Water | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Oshawott (Aspertia City Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Growlithe View Samurott builds →Surf 2x150-177%KO Dig 2x86-102%KO | ||
 Relicanth WaterRock | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Growlithe View Relicanth builds →Dive 2x117-139%KO Rock Slide 2x111-132%KO Bulldoze 2x59-70% | ||
 Kingler Water | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Growlithe View Kingler builds →Dive 2x160-189%KO Dig 2x107-126%KO Rock Slide 2x100-118%KO | ||
 Terrakion RockFighting | B | |
Obtain MethodRoute 22 Interact Encounter Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Growlithe View Terrakion builds →Rock Slide 2x150-177%KO Bulldoze 2x80-94% | ||
 Rampardos Rock | B | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Cranidos (Nacrene City Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Growlithe View Rampardos builds →Head Smash 2x374-440%KO Earthquake 2x167-196%KO Surf 2x67-79% | ||
Relicanth WaterRock | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Growlithe View Relicanth builds →Head Smash 2x221-261%KO Dive 2x119-140%KO Earthquake 2x99-116%KO | ||
 Omastar RockWater | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Omanyte (Nacrene City Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Growlithe View Omastar builds →Hydro Pump 2x202-238%KO Ancient Power 2x102-120%KO Mud Shot 2x62-73% | ||
 Carracosta WaterRock | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Tirtouga (Nacrene City Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Growlithe View Carracosta builds →Aqua Tail 2x155-183%KO Stone Edge 2x173-203%KO Earthquake 2x115-135%KO | ||
 Kingdra WaterDragon | C | |
In Black 2 & White 2, Excadrill's Earthquake hits Growlithe for 82-96%. Rhyperior threatens a KO with Earthquake (139-163%).
Excadrill GroundSteel | A | |
Recommended Build AbilitySandforce ItemChoice Scarf NatureJolly Moves
Damage vs Growlithe View Excadrill builds →Earthquake 2x82-96% Rapid Spin14-16% Rock Slide 2x41-48% | ||
 Rhyperior GroundRock | B | |
Recommended Build AbilitySolidrock ItemChoice Band NatureAdamant Moves
Damage vs Growlithe View Rhyperior builds →Earthquake 2x139-163%KO Stone Edge 2x139-163%KO Megahorn27-32% | ||
Growlithe Evolutions
Growlithe doesn't evolve by leveling. You'll need an evolution item to push it forward to Arcanine. Evolving adds up to 205 stat points total. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.
How to Evolve
B2W2 Growlithe Best Moveset
Attack drops on the opposing Pokemon every time AbilityIntimidate activates, turning Growlithe into a physical check at the lowest levels. AbilityFlash Fire absorbs Fire for a power boost instead. The moveset fires 70 Attack physical Fire TermStab but can't hold against anything that resists the typing. Arcanine one evolution away.
Best Build
Growlithe best EVs are HP and Defense
Wall Moveset
- Flamethrower
- Toxic
- Will O Wisp
- Morning Sun
Recommended Teammates
Moves List
The egg pool carries weight here. Body Slam and Close Combat aren't available any other way for Growlithe, and they meaningfully change what it threatens. Stack those on top of Overheat and Flare Blitz for solid options.
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
Transfer Moves
Base Stats
Extremely loyal to its Trainer, it will bark at those who approach the Trainer unexpectedly and run them out of town.
Growlithe Black 2 & White 2 Guide
Growlithe is meant to evolve into Arcanine. At 350 BST, the stats aren't there for competitive play yet. Pre-evolution Pokemon rarely hold up against fully evolved threats.
Intimidate is what you want on Growlithe. Every competitive set worth running is built with that ability in mind. The alternatives (Flash Fire, Justified) work on paper but Intimidate is what makes Growlithe worth using.
At base 60 Speed, it won't be moving first often. On offense, Growlithe is a special attacker with base 70 Sp. Atk. Defensively? Fragile, can't afford to take many hits.
For Black 2 & White 2, you can run Growlithe through the first few routes without issues. 350 BST won't carry you far though. Get it to Arcanine as fast as you can.
Game Availability
Since debuting in Red & Blue, Growlithe has appeared in 21 titles over 10 generations. Along the way, it received a Hisuian form in Generation 8, keeping it relevant across different competitive metas.
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