Arcanine

[Trust]

HP 90
Atk 110
Def 80
SpA 100
SpD 80
Spe 95​

I've created this thread because I want to discuss about Arcanine, the forgotten dog.

It's the pokemon with the best total stats out of the 600 group and legends. All its stats ar 80 or up, so it's quite usable IMO.

Its main problems are: it's a fire type, and with Stealth Rock everywhere, it suffers a lot. It need a better movepool, but in this gen it got a good improvement.

Now, I will put the typical sets:

Physical sweeper:
Arcanine @ Choice Band
EVs: 6 HP/252 Atk/252 Spd
Adamant nature
- Flare Blitz
- Extremespeed
- Thunder Fang
- Overheat / Iron Tail / Crunch

It's the classic Arcanine, and it can hurt a lot of things. The main problem is that it lacks a good move pool. In the fourth slot we can choose between Overheat (hurts physical walls like Donphan and Hippowdon), Iron Tail (hits Rock Types) and Crunch (only good for Starmie, Slowbro and Slowking, but in my opinion, it could work with ghosts, without damage recoil). Anyway, this is the most used one I think.

Special Sweeper:
Arcanine @ Choice Specs / Choice Scarf
EVs: 6 HP/252 Spd/252 SAtk
Modest / Timid nature
- Fire Blast / Flamethrower
- Dragon Pulse
- Hidden Power [Ground/Fight]
- Overheat / Extremespeed

It has less power than the physical one, but better coverage. With Fire Blast/Flamethrower and Dragon Pulse, only Heatran can wall you, but with HP Ground, this problem dissapears. Overheat/Extremespeed is a filler.

Howl set:
Arcanine @ Expert Belt / Life Orb / Leftovers
EVs: 78 HP/252 Atk/180 Spd
Adamant / Jolly nature
- Flare Blitz
- Extremespeed
- Thunder Fang
- Howl

Firstly, it sets up with Howl, secondly, you try to sweep. If you can get some Howls, you will be able to sweep something in the lategame, but Howl only raises the attack in a stage, so it's quite slow.

There is also a Mixed set, but in my opinion, it's a bit worse than the other three.

But now I will show the main set of this thread, the Agility Arcanine:
Arcanine @ Expert Belt / Leftovers / Life Orb
EVs: 216 HP/252 Atk/40 Spd
Adamant nature
- Flare Blitz
- Extremespeed
- Thunder Fang
- Agility

Here it is. In this set, you use Agility, and with neutral nature, and 40 EVs in speed, you can outspeed almost everything in the game with an Agility. Furthermore, with Flare Blitz, Extremespeed and Thunder Fang you have a decent coverage.

However, this set could be special too:
Arcanine @ Expert Belt / Leftovers / Life Orb
EVs: 216 HP/40 Spd/252 SAtk
Adamant nature
- Fire Blast / Flamethrower
- Dragon Pulse
- HP [Ground]
- Agility

It's the same as the above set, but with a special set. It has better coverage, but it's completely walled by Blissey.

The Agility set works better with Forretress in the same team. Forretress attracts Fire attacks. i.e. a choice Heatran come in to kill your Forretress with a fire attack, you switch in your Arcanine, then you have Flash Fire activated, and Heatran must switch. In this turn you use Agility, and now, Fire Blast/Flare Blitz will hurt a bit. Forretress also helps to remove SR.

I didn't do Damage Calcs, but Flash Fire + Flare Blitz should be quite dangerous, so Donphan and Hippowdon will have problems to switch in, but Heatran walls it. In the special one, Blissey and maybe Cresselia hurts him too. Anyway, Swampert and Rhyperior won't have problems.

 

[Fenikkusu]

Other than the agility set, you're pretty much rehashing the analysis (with the +2 random extra EVs that don't matter)
http://www.smogon.com/dp/pokemon/arcanine

 

[eric the espeon]

i dont see agility arcanine in the analysis

 

[Toothache]

Fenikkusu already said that eric. Way to read his post.

Also what is the point of this thread if you're just going over old ground?

 

[eric the espeon]

oh..... now i feel stupid
but he did say

the main set of this thread, the Agility Arcanine:

 

[cornflake]

It could work, but like Agility Lucario, the Specs/Bands hit harder and faster (off the bat).

 

[Fenikkusu]

If he's just posting a new set though and not posting calcs, then it should probably have gone in the creative movesets thread. The problem with agility, is that while it increases Arcanine's speed, it already has E-speed so it can outspeed any (non-ghost/rock/steel) threats already with no turn investment. Arcanine only has slightly above average attack stats with poor coverage, as opposed to say, Metagross who boasts a 135 attack and stronger coverage.

If we're looking at physical aspects, CB E-speed is much better than the agililty coverage, and the physical walls that are admitedly threatened by flashfire-blitz, are still being hit on their stronger defense.

To be honest, anything with a good priority move probably doesn't need to be statting up its speed and is better off boosting attack stats or going for better coverage/other support options.

 

[Kingdrom]

Arcanine is an awesome pokemon with a crazy base stat total, but really it lacks a movepool to use. Flare Blitz, Extremespeed, Overheat, Thunder Fang, Crunch, Dragon Pulse, and HP Ice/Grass are the best moves it has. It would die for Earthquake or even Stone Edge. The fire type doesn't do it any favors, so it can't really tank. The attack and speed are sufficient, but not great. Sure, Flash Fire and Intimidate help it switch in, but really the movepool is too lacking. Agility is a little superfluous for a pokemon with 95 base speed.

The only new set is with agility. I'm actually surprised that you didn't come up with a mixed agility set with hp grass/ice, flare blitz/overheat and extremespeed.

 

[taziathegreat]

I use a howlcanine but with jolly 252 speed and attack as my lead, it works wonders as alot of leads are forced to switch giving me that quick easy howl.

 

[Jumpman16]

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