OGLEMI REMINDER: DO CTRL + F FOR APOSTROPHES AFTER WRITING UP
k, so Arcanine needs some touching up.
RAWR
Oglemi's checklist:
- The Physically Defensive set needs a complete overhaul
- Physical and Special Choice can probably be thrown through QC and GP again
- RestTalk needs to be GP checked
- OC needs an overhaul/update
for reference:
set order when these go up:
- morning glory
- SpD
- physical attacker
- choice band
- attacking lead
- physically defensive
- RestTalk
- special attacker
[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: Flare Blitz
move 2: ExtremeSpeed
move 3: Thunder Fang
move 4: Morning Sun / Iron Head
item: Choice Band
nature: Jolly / Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>When donning a Choice Band, Arcanine's power increases to demi-godly levels. Provided you predict correctly, Arcanine is sure to cause major damage to the opponent's team, as hard counters to this set are few and far between. However, it is important to remember that one incorrect prediction can easily spell the end of this legendary dog, since this set lacks the ability to freely switch moves or heal with Morning Sun after being locked into an ineffective attack. In addition, Flare Blitz recoil and entry hazard damage can quickly add up, especially with Arcanine's weakness to Stealth Rock, so this set cannot be played recklessly.</p>
<p>Flare Blitz, packing a whopping 180 Base Power with STAB factored in, will easily obliterate any Pokemon who doesn't resist it and even some who do. ExtremeSpeed is one of the most powerful priority attacks available in the tier, making it a great move for cleaning up frail sweepers who would otherwise outspeed and KO Arcanine. Thunder Fang is Arcanine's best bet against Moltres and bulky Water-types such as Milotic and Azumarill, all of whom would otherwise switch in on Arcanine with impunity. Morning Sun rounds out the set as a sort of filler move, while providing a source of much-needed recovery. Although it might seem counterintuitive to use Morning Sun over a fourth attack on a Choice set, Arcanine actually has a decent amount of opportunities to recover his health, since many times opponents will switch out in fear of a strong Flare Blitz or ExtremeSpeed. However, keep in mind that Arcanine will be a sitting duck when using Morning Sun; as in all cases when using this set, prediction is imperative to success. Iron Head may be used as an alternative that hits Rock-types super effectively, but it's rather weak and won't even come close to 2HKOing Regirock or Rhyperior. Finally, Hidden Power Grass is useful for doing huge amounts of damage to Kabutops, Omastar, and Rhyperior, but it doesn't really fit in well on a Choice Band set.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>While it might seem sufficient to simply spam Flare Blitz to inflict copious amounts of carnage on your opponent's team, keep in mind that it will likely be the first move your opponent expects Arcanine to use. Thus, it might be a smart idea to double switch to a Pokemon who can take care of common switch-ins like Milotic or Rhyperior the first time Arcanine is out, such as Venusaur. Alternatively, Arcanine can use his coverage moves to catch these switch-ins off guard; Thunder Fang can nab the 2HKO on Milotic and other bulky Water-types with some hazard support, while Hidden Power Grass may be used to obliterate Rock-types like Rhyperior. After these threats are eliminated, cleaning up the rest of your opponent's team with Flare Blitz should be a breeze.</p>
<p>The EVs on this set are pretty straightforward, with Attack and Speed maxed out so that Arcanine can sweep better. Either nature can work fine, and it's important to keep in mind which speed tier Arcanine hits with each nature. If Arcanine is Jolly, he safely outpaces every Pokemon slower than Timid Rotom and ties with other base 95s like Leafeon and Houndoom. Meanwhile, an Adamant nature brings Arcanine down to only outpacing base 80s like Blaziken and Venusaur but provides a significant power kick. Thus, which nature Arcanine uses will usually come down to the rest of your team and which threats you need him to check.</p>
<p>Both of Arcanine's excellent abilities work fine on this set; the choice depends on how you plan to use him. Intimidate allows for an easier time switching in on weaker physical attackers, thus allowing Arcanine to act as somewhat of a defensive measure, while retaining his proficiency as an offensive powerhouse. However, Flash Fire can turn Arcanine's Flare Blitz into an unstoppable force if he gets the boost. While this is easier said than done, there are many opportunities to do so with Will-O-Wisp, Flamethrower, and Flare Blitz flying around the metagame.</p>
<p>Like any other offensively-oriented Pokemon, Arcanine appreciates entry hazard support. Qwilfish can switch in on Milotic with ease and proceed to set up multiple layers of Spikes, enabling Arcanine to get the 2HKO the next time he comes in. Likewise, Registeel takes little damage from any of Milotic's attacks and can set up Stealth Rock. Arcanine also detests entry hazards on his side of the field, since he will get worn down rather quickly with Stealth Rock stripping 25% of his health every time he comes in. Thus, Rapid Spinners like Kabutops, Donphan, and Blastoise all make fine partners for Arcanine. Finally, Pokemon who can eliminate Arcanine's few checks obviously pair well with him; Venusaur can OHKO any Water-type with his strong STAB attacks, while Milotic can wall Rock- and Ground-types and stall out opposing Milotic with Toxic.</p>
[SET]
name: Special Attacker
move 1: Fire Blast / Flamethrower
move 2: Hidden Power Grass / Hidden Power Electric
move 3: Morning Sun
move 4: Dragon Pulse / Overheat
item: Life Orb
nature: Modest / Timid
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Since most Arcanine sets take advantage of the doggie's excellent base 110 Attack stat, his perfectly usable base 100 Special Attack stat is often neglected. While it is true that Arcanine is better off utilizing a physical set most of the time, a special set is perfectly viable and can pose as a major offensive threat. Although other special Fire-type sweepers like Houndoom and Moltres somewhat outclass Arcanine in this role, Arcanine offers much better bulk and reliable recovery over the former and better abilities, a lesser weakness to Stealth Rock, and superior Speed over the latter.</p>
<p>Fire Blast is Arcanine's STAB attack of choice for this set; his lower Special Attack means that the high Base Power of Fire Blast is preferred over the reliability of Flamethrower. In the same vein, a Modest nature is listed as the main option because Arcanine could really use the power boost. The Hidden Power of choice provides excellent coverage alongside Arcanine's STAB move, hitting bulky Water-types super effectively. Hidden Power Grass gives Arcanine a way to OHKO Rhyperior and deal heavy damage to other Rock-types, whereas Hidden Power Electric covers Qwilfish and Moltres. Morning Sun is another necessity for this set, since entry hazards and Life Orb recoil are a pain to deal with without a source of reliable recovery. The last slot is mostly filler, but Dragon Pulse does have some uses, hitting Altaria super effectively and providing a solid attack that garners neutral coverage against Fire-types like Houndoom and opposing Arcanine who would otherwise easily wall or set up on this set. Alternatively, Overheat can be used for a burst of immediate power that boasts better accuracy than Fire Blast; just keep in mind that Arcanine will almost always have to switch out after using it.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Just as for the physical attacker, both abilities have their uses. Flash Fire can potentially turn Fire Blast into an extremely powerful attack that will incinerate all neutral targets, while Intimidate has more overall utility and lets Arcanine switch in more easily. Due to Arcanine's comparatively lower Special Attack stat, he will have some trouble breaking down the stronger special walls in the UU tier. Even with entry hazard support, it will be extremely hard to overcome dedicated walls like Milotic, Slowking, and Chansey. Thus, packing a physical wallbreaking partner for Arcanine is a great idea. Grass-types like Torterra, Leafeon, and Swords Dance Venusaur are perhaps the best options for this role, as they can easily break through bulky Water-types. Another option is to pair Arcanine with another Fire-type sweeper like Moltres or Houndoom; one sweeper can sacrifice himself to severely weaken their shared counters, paving the way for the other to clean up.</p>
<p>Choice Specs can work as the item here, but it is not recommended as the first option because it takes away much of Arcanine's utility without hitting hard enough to warrant locking Arcanine into one move. However, if you do choose to go this route, Arcanine will have a much better chance to 2HKO Milotic with Stealth Rock support with Hidden Power Grass and will easily do the same to Specially Defensive Arcanine with Hidden Power Rock. Overheat becomes a much more enticing option with Choice Specs, boasting huge amounts of power. Despite this, Choice Specs Arcanine lacks the raw power and priority of Choice Band Arcanine and is directly outclassed by Moltres, who can use the same set but with a stronger neutral option in Air Slash.</p>
<p>As with every other Arcanine set, successfully managing entry hazards is paramount for getting the most out of this set. Keeping Stealth Rock and Spikes off the field with a spinner, such as Donphan or Blastoise, makes Arcanine's job much easier by relieving him of the burden of taking huge chunks of health just by switching in. On the other hand, setting up your own entry hazards will greatly aid a potential Arcanine sweep. Omastar is a great candidate, since he can set up all three entry hazards while also luring Grass-types for Arcanine to switch in against.</p>
[SET]
name: Physically Defensive
move 1: Will-O-Wisp
move 2: Morning Sun
move 3: Flare Blitz
move 4: ExtremeSpeed
item: Leftovers
ability: Intimidate
nature: Impish
evs: 252 HP / 228 Def / 28 Spe
<p>While Arcanine's sweeping prowess is certainly his most appealing attribute, it would be foolish to underestimate his bulk and defensive capabilities. With decent HP and Defense stats and an excellent ability in Intimidate, Arcanine has all the necessary tools to shut down many of the powerful physical attackers in the tier. Even though Arcanine can take on a variety of different physical attackers, keep in mind that the UU environment is not especially friendly to physically defensive Fire-types due to the widespread use of Stealth Rock and the popularity of Water-, Rock-, and Ground-type physical attackers, such as Azumarill, Rhyperior, and Donphan, respectively.</p>
<p>Will-O-Wisp is the crux of this set, instantly crippling any physical sweeper who isn't a Fire-type or has the ability Guts. It is an especially effective move on Arcanine when you consider that some of the aforementioned physical attackers are among the most popular switch-ins to Arcanine. Thus, Arcanine will often catch Pokemon such as Kabutops, Feraligatr, and Rhyperior looking to switch in and wreak havoc off guard, instantly rendering them nearly useless for the remainder of the match. Morning Sun is another necessity, since Arcanine's HP will frequently need to be replenished after taking entry hazard damage and tanking attacks. Flare Blitz and ExtremeSpeed are the only two attacks Arcanine really needs, as Flare Blitz provides a reliable and powerful STAB attack that will still hurt many frail sweepers, while ExtremeSpeed serves as a useful priority move that can pick off faster foes.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The EVs are relatively simple, as almost all of them are poured into HP and Defense so that Arcanine becomes as physically bulky as possible. The 28 Speed EVs are thrown in to ensure Arcanine outpaces 252 Speed Jolly Torterra by one point, allowing him to KO or cripple Torterra with Flare Blitz or Will-O-Wisp before Torterra can act. Even though Arcanine can take quite a few hits before going down, he is by no means a dedicated physical tank who can take on any and all attackers. Strong super effective STAB attacks from the likes of Choice Band Azumarill, Choice Band Rhyperior, and Life Orb Kabutops will still threaten to KO Arcanine as long as Arcanine has not hit them with both Intimidate and Will-O-Wisp. Thus, it is advisable to pack Pokemon who can deal with these threats separately and leave Arcanine to deal with physical attackers who can only muster neutral or non-STAB super effective attacks against Arcanine, such as Scyther, Swords Dance Sceptile, and Leafeon.</p>
<p>Although the given moveset is probably the best combination of moves in terms of overall utility, there are some other options that can be used. Toxic may be used over ExtremeSpeed so that Arcanine isn't completely helpless against some of the bulkier Fire-type sweepers with access to reliable recovery, like Moltres and opposing Arcanine. Toxic also comes in handy against bulky Water-types, since they don't particularly mind being burned but are severely crippled by Toxic. If you want Arcanine to effectively wall some set up sweepers, then Roar can be used in the last slot to phaze them out.</p>
<p>Since this set is geared towards walling physical attackers, special walls make natural defensive complements. Chansey and Milotic are the most obvious choices for this role, as they are two of the sturdiest special sponges in the tier, easily taking on Moltres and other strong sweepers. Bulky variants of Qwilfish also pair up well with this set, as they can easily come in on most bulky Water-types and proceed to set up Spikes. Finally, Rapid Spin support is an absolute must, since Arcanine will need to switch in repeatedly to take hits. Donphan and Blastoise are two prominent spinners who work well with Arcanine.</p>
[SET]
name: RestTalk
move 1: Rest
move 2: Sleep Talk
move 3: Flare Blitz
move 4: Roar
item: Leftovers
ability: Intimidate
nature: Impish
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Arcanine can be a valuable asset to any team that requires an effective shuffler. His real selling point is his ability, Intimidate, which drops the opponent's Attack by one stage and helps your team deal with physical sweepers much more easily. Arcanine can force the opponent to reveal team members by utilizing Roar on Pokemon like Chansey, Registeel, Steelix, and Scyther as they switch out in fear of his STAB Fire-type moves, expelling the switch-in and revealing the opponent's best answer for Arcanine in general. This is the perfect opportunity to take advantage of entry hazards on the field, which chip away at the opponent's health slowly and wear them down for the sweepers on your team. Since Flare Blitz receives STAB and has 120 Base Power, it can scare away many foes, and Arcanine will find himself juggling the opponent's team the entire match if they don't pack enough strong Water-, Rock-, or Ground-type moves.</p>
<p>Rest is essential to the set because it allows Arcanine to heal off the damage after taking previous blows from the opponent. The key move in this set is Sleep Talk, which can surprise an opponent because it is usually the last thing they will find on an Arcanine. Sleep Talk can randomly fire off Flare Blitz or Roar, which can make the opponent think twice before they switch in their Arcanine counter. When selected by Sleep Talk, Roar also loses its negative priority, and thus can be used to phaze out an opposing Pokemon before it even has a chance to move. This 'sleep shuffling' strategy can be particularly effective against more defensive teams, which often don't have many Pokemon who can outspeed Arcanine. The EVs are straightforward: their main purpose is to maximize Arcanine's ability to take physical hits. The remaining 4 Speed EVs can be helpful to outspeed 0 Speed Drapion and other base 95s, such as Uxie.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Arcanine naturally forces plenty of switches due to his impressive attacking stats, both physically and specially. It is highly recommended that all three entry hazards are placed on the field to take advantage of this. Toxic Spikes can be critical to help deal with those pesky Water-types who effortlessly counter Arcanine.</p>
<p>Venusaur is the perfect partner for Arcanine, thanks to his ability to take both physical and special Water-type attacks well and strike back with a STAB Grass-type attack or Sleep Powder. He can come in on Slowbro (barring Psychic) and Milotic's attacks quite easily and will usually force them out. While they are switching, Venusaur can set up with Swords Dance or Leech Seed. Flash Fire users like Houndoom and Ninetales are a problem for Arcanine, as his Fire-type attacks will only give them more power. Since Houndoom and Ninetales are specially-based Pokemon, Chansey is your safest switch-in to cushion their attacks. Specially defensive Altaria also pairs up well with Arcanine, assuming you can provide Rapid Spin support, as it resists Water-type attacks, is immune to Ground-type attacks, and has a high Special Defense stat to complement Arcanine's focus on physical Defense.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>Arcanine doesn't have too many options other than the ones already listed or mentioned. Arcanine can be made into a Sunny Day sweeper, which allows him to abuse SolarBeam and Morning Sun to their fullest while gaining a buffer against Water-type attacks. However, this job is usually better left to the more powerful and bulkier Moltres. Howl is Arcanine's only method of boosting his Attack and can be used along with three attacks in order to sweep more easily. However, Howl is not particularly effective because Arcanine will suffer from a lack of reliable recovery while still not being powerful enough to muscle through threats like Rhyperior and Slowbro. Crunch can be squeezed into the physical sweeper sets to provide super effective coverage on Uxie and Mesprit, while also hitting Slowbro and Slowking harder than Thunder Fang would. Iron Tail hits Rhyperior and Regirock harder than any move bar Hidden Power Grass, but it is inaccurate. Overall, the aforementioned two attacks provide worse coverage than the recommended options, so they generally shouldn't be used. Finally, Agility could help Arcanine sweep against faster threats, but his already good Speed isn't usually what is stopping him from sweeping in the first place, especially with his access to ExtremeSpeed.</p>
k, so Arcanine needs some touching up.
RAWR
Oglemi's checklist:
- The Physically Defensive set needs a complete overhaul
- Physical and Special Choice can probably be thrown through QC and GP again
- RestTalk needs to be GP checked
- OC needs an overhaul/update
for reference:
set order when these go up:
- morning glory
- SpD
- physical attacker
- choice band
- attacking lead
- physically defensive
- RestTalk
- special attacker
[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: Flare Blitz
move 2: ExtremeSpeed
move 3: Thunder Fang
move 4: Morning Sun / Iron Head
item: Choice Band
nature: Jolly / Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>When donning a Choice Band, Arcanine's power increases to demi-godly levels. Provided you predict correctly, Arcanine is sure to cause major damage to the opponent's team, as hard counters to this set are few and far between. However, it is important to remember that one incorrect prediction can easily spell the end of this legendary dog, since this set lacks the ability to freely switch moves or heal with Morning Sun after being locked into an ineffective attack. In addition, Flare Blitz recoil and entry hazard damage can quickly add up, especially with Arcanine's weakness to Stealth Rock, so this set cannot be played recklessly.</p>
<p>Flare Blitz, packing a whopping 180 Base Power with STAB factored in, will easily obliterate any Pokemon who doesn't resist it and even some who do. ExtremeSpeed is one of the most powerful priority attacks available in the tier, making it a great move for cleaning up frail sweepers who would otherwise outspeed and KO Arcanine. Thunder Fang is Arcanine's best bet against Moltres and bulky Water-types such as Milotic and Azumarill, all of whom would otherwise switch in on Arcanine with impunity. Morning Sun rounds out the set as a sort of filler move, while providing a source of much-needed recovery. Although it might seem counterintuitive to use Morning Sun over a fourth attack on a Choice set, Arcanine actually has a decent amount of opportunities to recover his health, since many times opponents will switch out in fear of a strong Flare Blitz or ExtremeSpeed. However, keep in mind that Arcanine will be a sitting duck when using Morning Sun; as in all cases when using this set, prediction is imperative to success. Iron Head may be used as an alternative that hits Rock-types super effectively, but it's rather weak and won't even come close to 2HKOing Regirock or Rhyperior. Finally, Hidden Power Grass is useful for doing huge amounts of damage to Kabutops, Omastar, and Rhyperior, but it doesn't really fit in well on a Choice Band set.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>While it might seem sufficient to simply spam Flare Blitz to inflict copious amounts of carnage on your opponent's team, keep in mind that it will likely be the first move your opponent expects Arcanine to use. Thus, it might be a smart idea to double switch to a Pokemon who can take care of common switch-ins like Milotic or Rhyperior the first time Arcanine is out, such as Venusaur. Alternatively, Arcanine can use his coverage moves to catch these switch-ins off guard; Thunder Fang can nab the 2HKO on Milotic and other bulky Water-types with some hazard support, while Hidden Power Grass may be used to obliterate Rock-types like Rhyperior. After these threats are eliminated, cleaning up the rest of your opponent's team with Flare Blitz should be a breeze.</p>
<p>The EVs on this set are pretty straightforward, with Attack and Speed maxed out so that Arcanine can sweep better. Either nature can work fine, and it's important to keep in mind which speed tier Arcanine hits with each nature. If Arcanine is Jolly, he safely outpaces every Pokemon slower than Timid Rotom and ties with other base 95s like Leafeon and Houndoom. Meanwhile, an Adamant nature brings Arcanine down to only outpacing base 80s like Blaziken and Venusaur but provides a significant power kick. Thus, which nature Arcanine uses will usually come down to the rest of your team and which threats you need him to check.</p>
<p>Both of Arcanine's excellent abilities work fine on this set; the choice depends on how you plan to use him. Intimidate allows for an easier time switching in on weaker physical attackers, thus allowing Arcanine to act as somewhat of a defensive measure, while retaining his proficiency as an offensive powerhouse. However, Flash Fire can turn Arcanine's Flare Blitz into an unstoppable force if he gets the boost. While this is easier said than done, there are many opportunities to do so with Will-O-Wisp, Flamethrower, and Flare Blitz flying around the metagame.</p>
<p>Like any other offensively-oriented Pokemon, Arcanine appreciates entry hazard support. Qwilfish can switch in on Milotic with ease and proceed to set up multiple layers of Spikes, enabling Arcanine to get the 2HKO the next time he comes in. Likewise, Registeel takes little damage from any of Milotic's attacks and can set up Stealth Rock. Arcanine also detests entry hazards on his side of the field, since he will get worn down rather quickly with Stealth Rock stripping 25% of his health every time he comes in. Thus, Rapid Spinners like Kabutops, Donphan, and Blastoise all make fine partners for Arcanine. Finally, Pokemon who can eliminate Arcanine's few checks obviously pair well with him; Venusaur can OHKO any Water-type with his strong STAB attacks, while Milotic can wall Rock- and Ground-types and stall out opposing Milotic with Toxic.</p>
[SET]
name: Special Attacker
move 1: Fire Blast / Flamethrower
move 2: Hidden Power Grass / Hidden Power Electric
move 3: Morning Sun
move 4: Dragon Pulse / Overheat
item: Life Orb
nature: Modest / Timid
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Since most Arcanine sets take advantage of the doggie's excellent base 110 Attack stat, his perfectly usable base 100 Special Attack stat is often neglected. While it is true that Arcanine is better off utilizing a physical set most of the time, a special set is perfectly viable and can pose as a major offensive threat. Although other special Fire-type sweepers like Houndoom and Moltres somewhat outclass Arcanine in this role, Arcanine offers much better bulk and reliable recovery over the former and better abilities, a lesser weakness to Stealth Rock, and superior Speed over the latter.</p>
<p>Fire Blast is Arcanine's STAB attack of choice for this set; his lower Special Attack means that the high Base Power of Fire Blast is preferred over the reliability of Flamethrower. In the same vein, a Modest nature is listed as the main option because Arcanine could really use the power boost. The Hidden Power of choice provides excellent coverage alongside Arcanine's STAB move, hitting bulky Water-types super effectively. Hidden Power Grass gives Arcanine a way to OHKO Rhyperior and deal heavy damage to other Rock-types, whereas Hidden Power Electric covers Qwilfish and Moltres. Morning Sun is another necessity for this set, since entry hazards and Life Orb recoil are a pain to deal with without a source of reliable recovery. The last slot is mostly filler, but Dragon Pulse does have some uses, hitting Altaria super effectively and providing a solid attack that garners neutral coverage against Fire-types like Houndoom and opposing Arcanine who would otherwise easily wall or set up on this set. Alternatively, Overheat can be used for a burst of immediate power that boasts better accuracy than Fire Blast; just keep in mind that Arcanine will almost always have to switch out after using it.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Just as for the physical attacker, both abilities have their uses. Flash Fire can potentially turn Fire Blast into an extremely powerful attack that will incinerate all neutral targets, while Intimidate has more overall utility and lets Arcanine switch in more easily. Due to Arcanine's comparatively lower Special Attack stat, he will have some trouble breaking down the stronger special walls in the UU tier. Even with entry hazard support, it will be extremely hard to overcome dedicated walls like Milotic, Slowking, and Chansey. Thus, packing a physical wallbreaking partner for Arcanine is a great idea. Grass-types like Torterra, Leafeon, and Swords Dance Venusaur are perhaps the best options for this role, as they can easily break through bulky Water-types. Another option is to pair Arcanine with another Fire-type sweeper like Moltres or Houndoom; one sweeper can sacrifice himself to severely weaken their shared counters, paving the way for the other to clean up.</p>
<p>Choice Specs can work as the item here, but it is not recommended as the first option because it takes away much of Arcanine's utility without hitting hard enough to warrant locking Arcanine into one move. However, if you do choose to go this route, Arcanine will have a much better chance to 2HKO Milotic with Stealth Rock support with Hidden Power Grass and will easily do the same to Specially Defensive Arcanine with Hidden Power Rock. Overheat becomes a much more enticing option with Choice Specs, boasting huge amounts of power. Despite this, Choice Specs Arcanine lacks the raw power and priority of Choice Band Arcanine and is directly outclassed by Moltres, who can use the same set but with a stronger neutral option in Air Slash.</p>
<p>As with every other Arcanine set, successfully managing entry hazards is paramount for getting the most out of this set. Keeping Stealth Rock and Spikes off the field with a spinner, such as Donphan or Blastoise, makes Arcanine's job much easier by relieving him of the burden of taking huge chunks of health just by switching in. On the other hand, setting up your own entry hazards will greatly aid a potential Arcanine sweep. Omastar is a great candidate, since he can set up all three entry hazards while also luring Grass-types for Arcanine to switch in against.</p>
[SET]
name: Physically Defensive
move 1: Will-O-Wisp
move 2: Morning Sun
move 3: Flare Blitz
move 4: ExtremeSpeed
item: Leftovers
ability: Intimidate
nature: Impish
evs: 252 HP / 228 Def / 28 Spe
<p>While Arcanine's sweeping prowess is certainly his most appealing attribute, it would be foolish to underestimate his bulk and defensive capabilities. With decent HP and Defense stats and an excellent ability in Intimidate, Arcanine has all the necessary tools to shut down many of the powerful physical attackers in the tier. Even though Arcanine can take on a variety of different physical attackers, keep in mind that the UU environment is not especially friendly to physically defensive Fire-types due to the widespread use of Stealth Rock and the popularity of Water-, Rock-, and Ground-type physical attackers, such as Azumarill, Rhyperior, and Donphan, respectively.</p>
<p>Will-O-Wisp is the crux of this set, instantly crippling any physical sweeper who isn't a Fire-type or has the ability Guts. It is an especially effective move on Arcanine when you consider that some of the aforementioned physical attackers are among the most popular switch-ins to Arcanine. Thus, Arcanine will often catch Pokemon such as Kabutops, Feraligatr, and Rhyperior looking to switch in and wreak havoc off guard, instantly rendering them nearly useless for the remainder of the match. Morning Sun is another necessity, since Arcanine's HP will frequently need to be replenished after taking entry hazard damage and tanking attacks. Flare Blitz and ExtremeSpeed are the only two attacks Arcanine really needs, as Flare Blitz provides a reliable and powerful STAB attack that will still hurt many frail sweepers, while ExtremeSpeed serves as a useful priority move that can pick off faster foes.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The EVs are relatively simple, as almost all of them are poured into HP and Defense so that Arcanine becomes as physically bulky as possible. The 28 Speed EVs are thrown in to ensure Arcanine outpaces 252 Speed Jolly Torterra by one point, allowing him to KO or cripple Torterra with Flare Blitz or Will-O-Wisp before Torterra can act. Even though Arcanine can take quite a few hits before going down, he is by no means a dedicated physical tank who can take on any and all attackers. Strong super effective STAB attacks from the likes of Choice Band Azumarill, Choice Band Rhyperior, and Life Orb Kabutops will still threaten to KO Arcanine as long as Arcanine has not hit them with both Intimidate and Will-O-Wisp. Thus, it is advisable to pack Pokemon who can deal with these threats separately and leave Arcanine to deal with physical attackers who can only muster neutral or non-STAB super effective attacks against Arcanine, such as Scyther, Swords Dance Sceptile, and Leafeon.</p>
<p>Although the given moveset is probably the best combination of moves in terms of overall utility, there are some other options that can be used. Toxic may be used over ExtremeSpeed so that Arcanine isn't completely helpless against some of the bulkier Fire-type sweepers with access to reliable recovery, like Moltres and opposing Arcanine. Toxic also comes in handy against bulky Water-types, since they don't particularly mind being burned but are severely crippled by Toxic. If you want Arcanine to effectively wall some set up sweepers, then Roar can be used in the last slot to phaze them out.</p>
<p>Since this set is geared towards walling physical attackers, special walls make natural defensive complements. Chansey and Milotic are the most obvious choices for this role, as they are two of the sturdiest special sponges in the tier, easily taking on Moltres and other strong sweepers. Bulky variants of Qwilfish also pair up well with this set, as they can easily come in on most bulky Water-types and proceed to set up Spikes. Finally, Rapid Spin support is an absolute must, since Arcanine will need to switch in repeatedly to take hits. Donphan and Blastoise are two prominent spinners who work well with Arcanine.</p>
[SET]
name: RestTalk
move 1: Rest
move 2: Sleep Talk
move 3: Flare Blitz
move 4: Roar
item: Leftovers
ability: Intimidate
nature: Impish
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Arcanine can be a valuable asset to any team that requires an effective shuffler. His real selling point is his ability, Intimidate, which drops the opponent's Attack by one stage and helps your team deal with physical sweepers much more easily. Arcanine can force the opponent to reveal team members by utilizing Roar on Pokemon like Chansey, Registeel, Steelix, and Scyther as they switch out in fear of his STAB Fire-type moves, expelling the switch-in and revealing the opponent's best answer for Arcanine in general. This is the perfect opportunity to take advantage of entry hazards on the field, which chip away at the opponent's health slowly and wear them down for the sweepers on your team. Since Flare Blitz receives STAB and has 120 Base Power, it can scare away many foes, and Arcanine will find himself juggling the opponent's team the entire match if they don't pack enough strong Water-, Rock-, or Ground-type moves.</p>
<p>Rest is essential to the set because it allows Arcanine to heal off the damage after taking previous blows from the opponent. The key move in this set is Sleep Talk, which can surprise an opponent because it is usually the last thing they will find on an Arcanine. Sleep Talk can randomly fire off Flare Blitz or Roar, which can make the opponent think twice before they switch in their Arcanine counter. When selected by Sleep Talk, Roar also loses its negative priority, and thus can be used to phaze out an opposing Pokemon before it even has a chance to move. This 'sleep shuffling' strategy can be particularly effective against more defensive teams, which often don't have many Pokemon who can outspeed Arcanine. The EVs are straightforward: their main purpose is to maximize Arcanine's ability to take physical hits. The remaining 4 Speed EVs can be helpful to outspeed 0 Speed Drapion and other base 95s, such as Uxie.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Arcanine naturally forces plenty of switches due to his impressive attacking stats, both physically and specially. It is highly recommended that all three entry hazards are placed on the field to take advantage of this. Toxic Spikes can be critical to help deal with those pesky Water-types who effortlessly counter Arcanine.</p>
<p>Venusaur is the perfect partner for Arcanine, thanks to his ability to take both physical and special Water-type attacks well and strike back with a STAB Grass-type attack or Sleep Powder. He can come in on Slowbro (barring Psychic) and Milotic's attacks quite easily and will usually force them out. While they are switching, Venusaur can set up with Swords Dance or Leech Seed. Flash Fire users like Houndoom and Ninetales are a problem for Arcanine, as his Fire-type attacks will only give them more power. Since Houndoom and Ninetales are specially-based Pokemon, Chansey is your safest switch-in to cushion their attacks. Specially defensive Altaria also pairs up well with Arcanine, assuming you can provide Rapid Spin support, as it resists Water-type attacks, is immune to Ground-type attacks, and has a high Special Defense stat to complement Arcanine's focus on physical Defense.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>Arcanine doesn't have too many options other than the ones already listed or mentioned. Arcanine can be made into a Sunny Day sweeper, which allows him to abuse SolarBeam and Morning Sun to their fullest while gaining a buffer against Water-type attacks. However, this job is usually better left to the more powerful and bulkier Moltres. Howl is Arcanine's only method of boosting his Attack and can be used along with three attacks in order to sweep more easily. However, Howl is not particularly effective because Arcanine will suffer from a lack of reliable recovery while still not being powerful enough to muscle through threats like Rhyperior and Slowbro. Crunch can be squeezed into the physical sweeper sets to provide super effective coverage on Uxie and Mesprit, while also hitting Slowbro and Slowking harder than Thunder Fang would. Iron Tail hits Rhyperior and Regirock harder than any move bar Hidden Power Grass, but it is inaccurate. Overall, the aforementioned two attacks provide worse coverage than the recommended options, so they generally shouldn't be used. Finally, Agility could help Arcanine sweep against faster threats, but his already good Speed isn't usually what is stopping him from sweeping in the first place, especially with his access to ExtremeSpeed.</p>
