Arcanine
QC: [2/3]
GP: [0/1]
[OVERVIEW]
* Arcanine's best niche is as a physically defensive Fire-type.
* 90 / 80 / 80 defenses with Intimidate let it tank a lot of neutral and resisted hits.
* 110 base Attack and access to Flare Blitz, Wild Charge, and priority mean that defensive Arcanine isn't entirely passive.
* A weakness to Stealth Rock (and, to a lesser extent, other entry hazards) holds it back as a defensive Pokemon.
[SET]
name: Defensive
move 1: Flare Blitz
move 2: Wild Charge / Toxic
move 3: Will-O-Wisp / Toxic
move 4: Morning Sun
item: Leftovers
ability: Intimidate
nature: Impish
evs: 248 HP / 200 Def / 60 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
* Flare Blitz provides a reliable STAB that hits hard even without investment, although the recoil can somewhat reduce Arcanine's bulk.
* Wild Charge prevents offensive Water-types like Starmie, Primarina, and Volcanion from coming in for free.
* Will-O-Wisp inflicts burn, which reduces the opposing Pokemon's attack and causes residual damage. Between burns from Will-O-Wisp and Intimidate, Arcanine is deceptively physically bulky.
* Toxic enables Arcanine to pressure physical walls, such as Swampert, Hippowdon, and Slowbro, that have little to fear from it otherwise. It also allows Arcanine to respond to Chandelure, which otherwise switches into this set with impunity, and prevents Bulk Up Conkeldurr from setting up freely.
* Morning Sun provides Arcanine with instant recovery.
Set Details
========
* 248 HP EVs maximize Arcanine's overall bulk.
* An investment of 60 Speed EVs allows Arcanine to outpace positive-natured Base 60s, such as Timid Primarina.
* An alternate spread of 248 HP / 96 Defense / 164 SpD with an Impish nature allows Arcanine to take on special attackers such as Nasty Plot Celebi more effectively, at the cost of both speed and physical bulk.
* Leftovers improves Arcanine's longevity and helps compensate for recoil damage from Flare Blitz and Wild Charge.
* Intimidate allows Arcanine to sponge physical hits more easily.
Usage Tips
========
* Arcanine should pivot into physical attackers such as Scizor, Conkeldurr, and Bewear, spread status, and recover off damage.
* Stealth Rock hinders Arcanine's ability to switch in and tank hits significantly.
* Morning Sun only has 8 PP and should be used carefully.
* Bulky Water-types wall Arcanine (although some do not appreciate Toxic). Teammates should be able to pressure them.
Team Options
========
* Arcanine should be used on more balanced and defensive teams.
* Arcanine benefits heavily from hazard control, since it is weak to Stealth Rock and susceptible to both Spikes and Toxic Spikes.
* Defensive Starmie synergizes well with Arcanine, can remove entry hazards with Rapid Spin, and can absorb status with Natural Cure. Arcanine can check Grass-type Pokemon such as Celebi and Tsareena that threaten Starmie, and Starmie can switch in on Water-type attacks aimed at Arcanine from Pokemon like Keldeo and Tentacruel.
* Latias can clear hazards with Defog and switch in on Water- and Ground-type Pokemon Arcanine fears, such as Hippowdon, Swampert, Nidoqueen, and Slowbro. In return, Arcanine can take Fairy- and Ice-type attacks directed at Latias by Pokemon like Ninetales-Alola and Klefki.
* Tsareena can come in on Water- and Ground-type attacks from Pokemon like Swampert, Hippowdon, and Zygarde-10%, clear hazards with Rapid Spin, and utilize Trop Kick to check physical attackers. Trop Kick, Intimidate, and burn make it very easy for the user to pivot around physical attackers.
* Mandibuzz can take on special attackers like Latias and Hydreigon, but shares a Rock-type weakness with Arcanine.
*Amoonguss checks Water-types and Clefable and can put a threatening Pokemon to sleep with Spore. In exchange, Arcanine can check Fire-types that Amoonguss loses to, like Entei and Infernape.
* Arcanine benefits from Wish and Cleric support. Pokemon such as Alomomola, Blissey, and Clefable can all keep Arcanine's HP topped off without forcing it to burn through its limited Morning Sun PP. Blissey and Clefable can also cure it of debilitating status such as Toxic poison.
* Fairy-types appreciate Arcanine's ability to switch in on Steel-types such as Scizor and Fire-types such as Entei and Darmanitan.
* Bulky Water-types such as Slowbro, Swampert, and Suicune can take on physical attackers that can hit Arcanine super effectively or boost their Attack high enough to break through Arcanine even after Intimidate. In return, Arcanine can check Grass-types that pressure bulky Water-types.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
* Offensive sets can take advantage of Arcanine's coverage moves, such as Close Combat and Wild Charge, but are outclassed by other offensive Fire-types.
* Extreme Speed allows Arcanine to pick off weakened or faster Pokemon.
* The defensive set can run Rocky Helmet to provide additional chip damage on physical attackers, but loses out on Leftovers recovery.
* A fully specially defensive set can take on special attackers, such as Celebi, Raikou, and Alakazam, more effectively, but its uninvested physical bulk isn't particularly impressive, even with Intimidate.
* Roar lets Arcanine phaze out threatening Pokemon and rack up hazard damage.
* Snarl allows Arcanine to take on special attackers more effectively.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Water-types**: Bulky Water-types such as Suicune, Swampert, and Slowbro take little damage from anything Arcanine can throw at them, with the exception of Toxic. Suicune and Slowbro can set up Calm Minds with impunity, while Swampert can take advantage of Arcanine to set up Stealth Rock. Tentacruel can set up Toxic Spikes or clear hazards. Offensive Water-types like Primarina or Keldeo care little for burn or Toxic poison and can threaten Arcanine out with super effective STAB moves.
**Special Dragon-types**: Latias and Hydreigon resist Arcanine's STAB moves, care little about burns, and can force it out with powerful STAB attacks. Latias can set up Calm Minds or stall Arcanine out of Morning Sun PP.
**Chandelure**: Chandelure is immune to every move the defensive set uses except Toxic and the rare Snarl and can snag a Flash Fire boost if it switches in on Flare Blitz or Will-O-Wisp.
**Defensive Rock-types and Ground-types**: Hippowdon and Gigalith can both switch in on Arcanine with ease, still win the 1v1 matchup when burned, and generate Sandstorm to reduce Morning Sun's recovery. Rhyperior resists Flare Blitz and Extreme Speed and can hit Arcanine super effectively with both of its STABs.
**Bulky Setup Sweepers**: Bulky setup sweepers like Reuniclus and Clefable that aren't bothered by status moves can freely accrue boosts while Arcanine fails to significantly damage them.
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