Is Houndoom Good in Ruby & Sapphire Playthrough?
AbilityFlash Fire gives Fire immunity and powers up Fire moves. AbilityEarly Bird for sleep recovery. Trade-only in RS. Dark/Fire handles Phoebe, Sidney, and Steven's Skarmory. If imported from Colosseum, Houndoom is one of the strongest Dark-type options available.
Roxanne's team hits Houndoom's weaknesses hard.
Houndoom trades roughly evenly with Brawly's team.
Houndoom has the type edge here and should clean up Wattson's team.
Houndoom trades roughly evenly with Flannery's team.
Houndoom trades roughly evenly with Norman's team.
Houndoom trades roughly evenly with Winona's team.
Houndoom has the type edge here and should clean up Tate & Liza's team.
Houndoom has the type edge here and should clean up Wallace's team.
Houndoom has the type edge here and should clean up Sidney's team.
Houndoom has the type edge here and should clean up Phoebe's team.
Houndoom has the type edge here and should clean up Glacia's team.
Houndoom trades roughly evenly with Drake's team.
Houndoom has the type edge here and should clean up Steven's team.
Trade
Houndoom cannot be caught in this game. It must be traded in from a compatible game where it appears in the wild. Cross-region trading typically becomes available after defeating the Elite Four. Alternatively, transfer the pre-evolution and level it up to Lv 24.
Recommended Moves
- LV 27DarkBitePower 90Accuracy 100%PP 25
- After Flannery
- TM50FireOverheatPower 210Accuracy 90%PP 5Prize for defeating Flannery
- After Norman
- TM38FireFire BlastPower 180Accuracy 85%PP 5Lilycove Department Store
- TM15NormalHyper BeamPower 150Accuracy 90%PP 5Lilycove Department Store
- TM22GrassSolar BeamPower 120Accuracy 100%PP 10Safari Zone
- LV 43DarkFeint AttackPower 90Accuracy 100%PP 20
- LV 51FireFlamethrowerPower 143Accuracy 100%PP 15
- LV 59DarkCrunchPower 120Accuracy 100%PP 15
How to Get Houndoom in Ruby & Sapphire
Houndoom is the level-24 evolution of a traded Houndour, with no wild pack roaming Ruby or Sapphire.
How to Obtain Houndoom in RS
- Step 1Obtain HoundourCARTRIDGE TRADEfrom EmeraldAvailableCatch in Emerald via Walking · Safari Zone · Safari Zone: 500 entry fee, 30 Safari Balls, then trade to the current game via link cable.LATER APPEARANCEfrom Gold & SilverNot TradeableAppears in Gold & Silver via Walking · Route 7. Forward-only transfer — no path back to this game from a later one.LATER APPEARANCEfrom CrystalNot TradeableAppears in Crystal via Walking · Route 7. Forward-only transfer — no path back to this game from a later one.LATER APPEARANCEfrom PlatinumNot TradeableAppears in Platinum via Walking · Route 214. Forward-only transfer — no path back to this game from a later one.LATER APPEARANCENot TradeableAppears in HeartGold & SoulSilver via Walking · Route 7. Forward-only transfer — no path back to this game from a later one.LATER APPEARANCEfrom Black & WhiteNot TradeableAppears in Black & White via Swarm · Route 9 · Swarm active. Forward-only transfer — no path back to this game from a later one.LATER APPEARANCEfrom X & YNot TradeableAppears in X & Y via Walking · Route 10 · Yellow Flower. Forward-only transfer — no path back to this game from a later one.
- Step 2Houndoom ✓
How to Get Shiny Houndoom in Ruby & Sapphire
With no Hoenn encounter table to its name, Houndoom must arrive as a shiny by trade from a game where its family lives. See every game where Shiny Houndoom can be hunted
Houndoom Weakness
Water, Fighting, Ground, and Rock moves hit Houndoom for super-effective damage. The upside? Psychic-type moves can't touch it at all. With 6 resistances, the defensive profile is strong. Flash Fire grants an additional Fire immunity, reshaping the matchup chart. Houndoom's special bulk (base 80 Sp.Def) helps absorb special-type weaknesses, though physical moves exploit the lower Defense.
| Damage | Types |
|---|---|
| 2x (Weak) | Water, Fighting, Ground, Rock |
| 0.5x (Resist) | Fire, Grass, Ice, Ghost, Dark, Steel |
| 0x (Immune) | Psychic |
- Dark and Steel types added — Fairy does not exist yet
- Moves are Physical or Special based on type, not per move
What is Houndoom Weak Against
GoodBest Pokemon Against Houndoom
 Hariyama Fighting | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Houndoom View Hariyama builds →Focus Punch 2x226-267%KO Earthquake 2x101-119%KO Rock Tomb 2x51-60% Surf 2x29-34% | ||
 Blaziken FireFighting | B | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Torchic (Route 101 Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Houndoom View Blaziken builds →Focus Punch 2x226-267%KO Earthquake 2x101-119%KO Rock Tomb 2x51-60% | ||
 Breloom GrassFighting | B | |
 Heracross BugFighting | A | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Houndoom View Heracross builds →Focus Punch 2x235-277%KO Earthquake 2x104-123%KO Rock Tomb 2x52-62% | ||
 Machoke Fighting | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Houndoom View Machoke builds →Focus Punch 2x194-229%KO Earthquake 2x86-102%KO Rock Tomb 2x44-51% | ||
 Swampert WaterGround | S | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Mudkip (Route 101 Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Houndoom View Swampert builds →Earthquake 2x141-166%KO Focus Punch 2x140-165%KO Surf 2x75-89% Rock Tomb 2x48-56% | ||
 Walrein IceWater | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Spheal (Shoal Cave Surfing) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Houndoom View Walrein builds →Surf 2x83-98% Earthquake 2x72-85% Rock Tomb 2x37-44% Rock Smash 2x16-18% | ||
 Medicham FightingPsychic | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Houndoom View Medicham builds →Focus Punch 2x130-153%KO Rock Tomb 2x30-35% | ||
 Flygon GroundDragon | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Houndoom View Flygon builds →Earthquake 2x130-153%KO Rock Tomb 2x44-51% Rock Smash 2x18-21% | ||
 Rhydon GroundRock | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Houndoom View Rhydon builds →Earthquake 2x163-192%KO Focus Punch 2x162-191%KO Rock Tomb 2x83-98% Surf 2x31-37% | ||
 Regirock Rock | B | |
Obtain MethodRoute 111 Interact Encounter Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Houndoom View Regirock builds →Focus Punch 2x129-152%KO Earthquake 2x86-102%KO Ancient Power 2x79-93% | ||
 Donphan Ground | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Houndoom View Donphan builds →Earthquake 2x152-179%KO Rock Tomb 2x51-60% Rock Smash 2x21-25% | ||
 Ludicolo WaterGrass | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Houndoom View Ludicolo builds →Surf 2x79-93% Focus Punch 2x97-115%KO | ||
 Aggron SteelRock | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Houndoom View Aggron builds →Focus Punch 2x140-165%KO Earthquake 2x94-111%KO Rock Tomb 2x71-84% Surf 2x38-46% | ||
Houndoom Evolutions
Evolved from Houndour. Houndoom is the final form in this two-stage line. A massive partner pool for breeding via one egg group. Eggs take an average time to hatch. HP grew the most through evolution (+30 over Houndour), and Houndoom peaks at 500 total stats. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.
How to Evolve
Breeding
Breed with Houndoom to get Houndour eggs easily using 102 partners from the Field egg group. Notable egg moves include Beat Up, Counter, Fire Spin and 5 more.
RS Houndoom Best Moveset
MovePursuit traps Psychic and Ghost types switching out for double damage, and AbilityFlash Fire absorbs Fire attacks for immunity plus a Fire move boost. MoveFire Blast from 110 Sp. Atk and MoveCrunch for Dark TermStab. Held ItemLeftovers sustains. Fire immunity plus Dark locking on one frame.
Best Build
Houndoom best EVs are Sp. Atk and Speed
Special Attacker Moveset
- Pursuit
- Fire Blast
- Crunch
- Will O Wisp
Recommended Teammates
Moves List
Without breeding, Houndoom misses out on Beat Up and Counter. That's 8 egg moves adding depth that the base kit lacks. STAB comes from Overheat and Fire Blast, with Poison and Normal coverage and more rounding things out.
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
25 of 26 TMs are obtainable before the Elite Four
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
Base Stats
In a HOUNDOOM pack, the one with its horns raked sharply towards the back serves a leadership role. These POKéMON choose their leader by fighting amongst themselves.
Houndoom Ruby & Sapphire Guide
Houndoom isn't catchable in Ruby & Sapphire. Obtain one in Emerald, then trade it to Ruby & Sapphire.
Game Availability
Since debuting in Gold & Silver, Houndoom has appeared in 17 titles over 8 generations. Along the way, it received a Mega form in Generation 6, keeping it relevant across different competitive metas.
Click a game to view version-specific details
- Gen 1RB
Red & Blue - Gen 1Y
Yellow - Gen 2GSDebut
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 6ORASMega
Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire - Gen 7SM
Sun & Moon - Gen 7USUM
Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon - Gen 7Let's Go
Let's Go Pikachu & Eevee - Gen 8SwSh
Sword & Shield - Gen 8BDSP
Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl - Gen 8PLA
Legends: Arceus - Gen 9SV
Scarlet & Violet - Gen 9LZA
Legends: Z-A - Gen 10WW
Winds & Waves
Explore
Where to go next after Houndoom.
Keep playing · Ruby & SapphireRuby & Sapphire Tier ListThe best Pokemon ranked tier by tierSee Ruby & Sapphire Tier List