Arcanine (Analysis) [QC 3/3]

http://www.serebii.net/pokedex-bw/059.shtml

Arcanine
Type: Fire
Stats: 90/110/80/100/80/95

Status: QC Approved. Writing up for GP, but super busy.
QC Checks: 3/3 (Delta 2777, PK Gaming, Chou Toshio)

[Overview]

The shift to the 5th Generation brought a lot of changes to competitive battling. New threats emerged, old threats faded, and old pokemon were given new options. Arcanine received, during this shift, a few precise (but highly effective) additions to his movepool that have allowed it to once again be a top contender in UU with his solid stats across the board that allowing him massive variety in his movepool. Its physical sets have gotten even stronger with new moves in Close Combat and Wild Charge, allowing him to take out Chansey and Bulky-Waters, respectively. His ExtremeSpeed has been buffed, allowing him to now easily out speed other priority users. However, Arcanine still has disadvantages. It is hit by both Spikes and Toxic Spikes, as well as being hit for 25% by Stealth Rock. Also, 90 / 80 / 80 is only average bulk in the UU metagame. Fire typing is also not very good defensively, with weaknesses to common attacking types, and not a great set of resistances.

[Set]
name: Physical Attacker
move 1: Flare Blitz
move 2: ExtremeSpeed
move 3: Wild Charge / Close Combat
move 4: Morning Sun / Wild Charge
item: Life Orb / Choice Band
ability: Intimidate / Flash Fire
nature: Adamant / Jolly
evs: 72 HP / 252 Atk / 184 Spe

[Set Comments]

This set takes advantage of Arcanine's higher Attack stat (110) and the new toys given to him by the fifth generation. Flare Blitz is its STAB move of choice (no pun intended) and can seriously dent quite a few switch-ins. ExtremeSpeed allows Arcanine to be a potent revenge killer, and thanks to its +2 priority in the fifth generation, allow him to outspeed the common Sucker Punch. Wild Charge allows it to hit bulky waters hard, such Slowbro and Milotic, that would come in to tank your Flare Blitz, while Close Combat allows you to hit Rhyperior hard and murder Chansey. In the last slot, Morning Sun can be used alongside a Life Orb to help deal with the massive amounts of recoil you will be taking, even though its healing capabilities are seriously cut with weather (execpt in Sun, were it becomes more effective). Regarding the evs, they allow him to outspeed Heracross while the rest are dumped into HP.

- Flare Blitz for reliable STAB and a must have
- Close Combat is for Chansey and because Fighting is a great offensive type
- Wild Charge to deal with Bulky Waters
- ExtremeSpeed is a powerfull priority and is great with CB
- Morning Sun can be used to heal of residual damage (don't use it with the CB, though)
- The evs (Adamant nature) allow him to out speed Adamant Heracross while the rest are dumped
into HP to increase longetivity

[Addtional Comments]

- Hidden Power [Grass] could be used for Rhyperior and others like him
- You could use Crunch to deal with all the Psychic-types running around
- Flame Charge could be used to boost speed

[Set]
name: Morning Glory (Bulky Arcanine)
move 1: Flare Blitz
move 2: ExtremeSpeed / Wild Charge
move 3: Morning Sun
move 4: Toxic / Will-O-Wisp
item: Leftovers / Life Orb
ability: Intimidate
nature: Adamant
evs: 180 HP / 144 Atk / 184 Spe

[Set Comments]

- Great Victini check
- Flare Blitz for STAB
- ExtremeSpeed, because priority is awesome
- Wild Charge for bulky waters that would wall you otherwise (i.e. Empoleon) and because a lot of
pokemon in UU are weak to Electric
- Morning Sun for semi-reliable healing
- Toxic poisons bulky Waters whereas Will-O-Wisp burns Donphan and Rhyperior and co.

[Addtional Comments]

- Needs spin support and something to get rid of weather
- Intimidate can cause switches allowing you Burn / Toxic whatever comes in or give you a turn to heal
- Can go special and use moves like Lava Plume to avoid recoil, but change the Atk evs to SpeA ones
- Max special or physical bulk is a viable option

[Other Options]

- Howl to boost attack
- Sunny Day to power up his Fire attacks and Morning Sun
- You could run a special set with Solarbeam, Fire Blast or Overheat
- Bulldoze to cripple sweepers
- You could use Crunch to deal with all the Psychic-types running around
- Flame Charge could be used to boost speed

[Checks and Counters]

- Scarf Flygon can outspeed and OHKO with Earthquake and you can't hurt it without HP Ice
- Dusclops
- Stealth Rocks can be really dangerous

[Dream World]

- Justified is inferior to his other options

It doesn't need Max Speed with Adamant, it should just outpace adamant Heracross (176 Speed EVs I think). The rest can be dumped in HP.

[Set]
name: Morning Glory (Bulky Arcanine)
move 1: Flare Blitz
move 2: ExtremeSpeed
move 3: Morning Sun
move 4: Toxic / Will-O-Wisp
item: Life Orb / Leftovers
ability: Intimidate
nature: Adamant
evs: 120 HP / 152 Atk / 236 Spe

Bulky Arcanine is cool. Toxic poisons bulky Waters whereas Will-O-Wisp burns Donphan and Rhyperior and co. Needs spin support and probably something to get rid of weather.

Does Overheat gain any significant KOs that Fire Blast doesn't? Perhaps worth a mention if so.

Skeleton is up, feel free to give opinions and QC people can check it.

any particular reason you're running mixed at all? the only reason to use it is HP Grass for Rhyperior, but I don't see that mentioned anywhere.

Changed HP Grass to primary on the mixed set and mentioned Overheat in OO.

Wouldn't Flash Fire be an option for bulky Arcanine allowing it to switch in on Fire types and wall them ?

Intimidate has to much all around use and FF is to situational

Using 72 HP EVs instead of 80 on the first set gives you a better Life Orb number (339 HP instead of 341) and the extra EVs can easily go into Speed or one of the defensive stats. Just something to consider if you're like me and are obsessed with getting the best Life Orb and entry hazard numbers possible.

actually 339 hp is the best possible hp value, because it gives you 11 instead of 10 attacks with life orb, assuming no additional damage. so yes change that

[Set]
name: Physical Attacker
move 1: Flare Blitz
move 2: Close Combat
move 3: Wild Charge
move 4: ExtremeSpeed / Morning Sun
item: Life Orb / Choice Band
ability: Intimidate / Flash Fire
nature: Adamant / Jolly
evs: 80 HP / 252 Atk / 176 Spe

This should explain that you should use Flare Blitz + 3 of the 4 other moves. For example:

[Set]
name: Physical Attacker
move 1: Flare Blitz
move 2: ExtremeSpeed
move 3: Close Combat / Wild Charge
move 4: Morning Sun / Wild Charge

premboy95 said:

actually 339 hp is the best possible hp value, because it gives you 11 instead of 10 attacks with life orb, assuming no additional damage. so yes change that

Click to expand...

I can change it, but remember Flare Blitz is your primary attacking option and unless you're not using it, your not going to have 11 vs. 10 LO turns

Sorry for not catching these all at once:



[Set]
name: Morning Glory (Bulky Arcanine)
move 1: Flare Blitz
move 2: ExtremeSpeed / Wild Charge
move 3: Morning Sun
move 4: Toxic / Will-O-Wisp
item: Life Orb / Leftovers
ability: Intimidate
nature: Adamant
evs: 120 HP / 152 Atk / 236 Spe


This is the Gen 4 EV spread which was primarily to outpace Timid Venusaur......there are barely any base 80s in Gen 5 UU. I think maybe it should be reduced to 176 Spe, which beats Adamant 85s, or even 64 Speed which beats Abomasnow and Honchkrow. The rest can obviously be thrown into HP or Defense or SpD depending on what attacks Arcanine can now survive.

Changed

QC were you at?

I would change all spreads using 176 speed to 72 Hp / 252 Atk / 184 Spe, which allows Arcanine to outspeed Modest specs Rotom-H.

Alright, changed.

Why would you split EVs and go mixed? What does Fire Blast damage that Flare Blitz doesnt? HP grass can just be slashed or ACed on the physical attacker.

Dont forget an Other Options section!

Tossed the mixed set, and added OO section.

Choice band set faces competition from choice band entei. Entei has pretyy much metter bulk and better speed. Even has a itny bit higher attack. The only thing Arcanine has that Entei doesnt is its abilities. I nwould put that in the analysis somewhere. Oh and Close Combat

Add stuff like Crunch, Flame Charge, Overheat, Body Slam, Dragon Pulse in OO.

And if Justified hasn't been released yet (I don't even know myself), then add in the DW section.

Justified is released. Source here.

noted and changed/added

Thanks SJCrew. Then the DW section isn't needed. I'm sure it isn't as easy to use as his other two abilities, so outline it in OO or the overview.