Houndour's spread isn't flashy. Sp. Atk leads, Defense trails, 1 stats clear the bar. Common in the wild and worth 1 Sp. Atk EV, on a slow 1.25M XP grind.
It is smart enough to hunt in packs. It uses a variety of cries for communicating with others.
It uses different kinds of cries for communicating with others of its kind and for pursuing its prey.
Houndour is weak to Water, Fighting, Ground, and Rock. On the flip side, it's immune to Psychic-type moves entirely. 6 resistances give it solid defensive coverage on top of that. Flash Fire grants an additional Fire immunity, reshaping the matchup chart.
| Damage | Types |
|---|---|
| 2x (Weak) | Water, Fighting, Ground, Rock |
| 0.5x (Resist) | Fire, Grass, Ice, Ghost, Dark, Steel |
| 0x (Immune) | Psychic |
Greninja can KO Houndour with Surf (274-322%). Annihilape's Drain Punch also KOs at 189-222%.
 Greninja WaterDark | S | |
Recommended Build AbilityBattlebond ItemLife Orb NatureTimid Moves
Damage vs Houndour View Greninja builds →Dark Pulse61-71% Ice Beam45-54% Surf 2x274-322%KO U Turn55-65% | ||
 Dondozo Water | A | |
Recommended Build AbilityUnaware ItemLeftovers NatureImpish Moves View Dondozo builds →
| ||
 Annihilape FightingGhost | A | |
Recommended Build AbilityDefiant ItemSitrus Berry NatureJolly Moves
Damage vs Houndour View Annihilape builds →Drain Punch 2x189-222%KO | ||
 Glimmora RockPoison | A | |
Recommended Build AbilityToxicdebris ItemRed Card NatureTimid Moves
Damage vs Houndour View Glimmora builds →Power Gem 2x182-214%KO | ||
 Krookodile GroundDark | A | |
Recommended Build AbilityMoxie ItemChoice Scarf NatureJolly Moves
Damage vs Houndour View Krookodile builds →Earthquake 2x296-348%KO Knock Off48-57% Close Combat 2x236-278%KO | ||
Houndour evolves into Houndoom. It's a two-stage chain with the method shown below. A massive partner pool for breeding via one egg group. Eggs are average hatch time. Evolving adds up to 170 stat points total. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.
How to Evolve
Breeding
Breed Houndour easily with 278 breeding partners from the Ground egg group.
For an attacker, Houndour wants spread EVs and Life Orb. The Naive nature tilts toward fast mixed duty, and Flashfire contributes without taking a move slot.
Best Build
Houndour best EVs are Speed and Sp. Atk
Utility Moveset
- Dark Pulse
- Fire Blast
- Sucker Punch
- Flame Charge
Recommended Teammates
Utility Moveset
- Dark Pulse
- Fire Blast
- Sucker Punch
- Flame Charge
Recommended Teammates
No build content available for this Pokemon in Gen 8.
Try selecting a different game/generation filter, or check back later.
No build content available for this Pokemon in Gen 7.
Try selecting a different game/generation filter, or check back later.
Moves
TMs define Houndour's movepool. The natural moves cover basics with Overheat and Flare Blitz, but the real versatility comes from technical machines giving it coverage across 8 types. That's where the options open up.
Level-Up Moves
TM Moves
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
TMs define Houndour's movepool. The natural moves cover basics with Overheat and Flare Blitz, but the real versatility comes from technical machines giving it Normal and Ground coverage and more. That's where the options open up.
Egg moves make a real difference. Houndour gets Beat Up and Counter exclusively through breeding, filling gaps that TMs and level-up can't touch. Coverage across 8 types rounds out the picture alongside Overheat and Fire Blast.
Egg moves make a real difference. Houndour gets Beat Up and Counter exclusively through breeding, filling gaps that TMs and level-up can't touch. Coverage across 9 types rounds out the picture alongside Overheat and Fire Blast.
high spawn rates in early-game routes across 8 locations. Houndour's one of the easier catches on the list. Knock it out fast and save your time for harder targets.
Best Locations to Catch Houndour in Scarlet & Violet
You can catch Houndour through 8 walking encounters from Lv. 2-60, but availability differs between Violet and Scarlet. Some spots are exclusive to one version.
No wild encounters for Houndour in Legends: Z-A. It's available in Gold, Crystal, or Scarlet and can be transferred over. The details below show where to find it.
Houndour doesn't appear in Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl. Transfer it from Gold, Crystal, or Scarlet to add it to your collection. Check the source games below for encounter details.
No searching required for Houndour. You receive it at Poké Pelago from an NPC. No wild encounters exist in this game, so just head to the right spot when you're ready and it's yours.
Best Locations to Catch Houndour in Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon
Houndour evolves into Houndoom at level 24. One evolution, no branching. Solid jump from 330 BST.
Houndour evolves into Houndoom at level 24. Takes some grinding. Plan your team around the mid-game wait.
Houndour does the job early-game if you need a Dark/Fire type on your team. Evolve it into Houndoom before the later gyms and it holds up fine through the story.
Houndour shows up in 17 games, making it one of the more widely available Pokemon in the series. First catchable in Legends: Z-A, most recently in Gold & Silver and Crystal.
Houndour first appeared in Gold & Silver and has been available in 17 games across 9 generations. Obtainable through catching or hatching as a base form in most titles where it appears.
Click a game to view version-specific details
- Gen 1Y
Yellow - Gen 1RB
Red & Blue - Gen 2GSDebut
Gold & Silver - Gen 2C
Crystal - Gen 3RS
Ruby & Sapphire - Gen 3FRLG
FireRed & LeafGreen - Gen 3E
Emerald - Gen 4Pt
Platinum - Gen 4HGSS
HeartGold & SoulSilver - Gen 4DP
Diamond & Pearl - Gen 5BW
Black & White - Gen 5B2W2
Black 2 & White 2 - Gen 6XY
X & Y - Gen 6ORAS
Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire - Gen 7USUM
Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon - Gen 7SM
Sun & Moon - Gen 7LGPE
Let's Go Pikachu & Eevee - Gen 8SwSh
Sword & Shield - Gen 8PLA
Legends: Arceus - Gen 8BDSP
Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl - Gen 9SV
Scarlet & Violet - Gen 9LZA
Legends: Z-A - Gen 10WW
Winds & Waves