Arcanine Movesets and Best Builds

Arcanine Movesets in Other Games
SV	SWSH

This is a guide to movesets and best builds for using Arcanine in competitive play for the games Pokemon Scarlet and Violet (SV). Read on for tips on the best Nature, EV spreads, Movesets, Tera Type, and Held Items to use with Arcanine, as well as its strengths and weakness.

Arcanine - Related Guides
Evolution and Learnset	Moveset for Ranked Battle	Tera Raid Build

Arcanine Base Stats, Type, Ability and Weakness

Paldea #214 Kitakami #79		Type
Arcanine
		Abilities
		Intimidate Flash Fire Justified (Hidden)
Weak to:
	(2x)
Damaged Normally By:	(1x)
Resists:	(0.5x)

What is Type Effectiveness?

Base Stats

Best Nature for Arcanine

What are Natures?

Singles Movesets for Arcanine

Intimidate Burn Arcanine Moveset & Best Build

Nature	Impish (+Def, -Sp.Atk)
EV Spread	HP 252 / Atk 4 / Def 252
Final Stat Values	HP 197 / Atk 131 / Def 145 / Sp.Def 100 / Spe 115
Ability	Intimidate
Tera Type
Held Item	Heavy-Duty Boots
Moveset	・ Flare Blitz ・ Morning Sun ・ Play Rough ・ Will-O-Wisp

Access to Intimidate and Will-O-Wisp allows Arcanine to check Physical Attackers that are common in the current metagame.

Flare Blitz allows Arcanine to deal decent damage despite being built defensively. Since most sweepers will opt to switch out when hit with Intimidate and Will-O-Wisp, Morning Sun allows Arcanine to heal some HP back and stay in combat longer.

Play Rough serves as Arcanine's coverage move against Dragon and Dark types, which are very prominent in ranked battles.

This build uses Fire Tera type to further boost the damage of Flare Blitz while also allowing it to still check Grass, Fire, Steel, and Fairy-types. Fairy Tera type is also a good option to give STAB to Play Rough.

Other Viable Moves

Key Damage Calculations

Damage Dealt by Arcanine
163 HP｜95 Def No Defensive EV Investment	Play Rough 94-112 (57.6 - 68.7%) Guaranteed 2-Hit KO
189 HP｜140 Def Defensive EV Investment: HP 112	Flare Blitz 128 - 152 (67.7 - 80.4%) Guaranteed 2-Hit KO
Damage Received by Arcanine
134 Atk Offensive EV Investment: 252 Atk Item: Choice Band	-1 Jet Punch 66 ~ 78 (33.5 ~ 39.5%) Guaranteed 3-Hit KO
182 Atk Offensive EV Investment: 252 Atk	-1 Earthquake 96 ~ 114 (48.7 ~ 57.8%) 90.2% Chance to 2-Hit KO

Extreme Speed Arcanine Moveset & Best Build

Nature	Adamant (+Atk, -Sp.Atk)
EV Spread	HP 252 / Atk 252 / Sp.Def 4
Final Stat Values	HP 197 / Atk 178 / Def 101 / Sp.Def 100 / Spe 115
Ability	Intimidate
Tera Type
Held Item	Life Orb
Moveset	・ Extreme Speed ・ Morning Sun ・ Play Rough ・ Flare Blitz

Access to Intimidate allows Arcanine to weaken opponents when switching in, allowing it to tank more hits from your opponent.

Extreme Speed acts as Arcanine's main damage move, allowing it to go first even without any Speed EV investments, thanks to its +2 Priority. Flare Blitz remains as Arcanine's Fire-type offensive move, just keep in mind that it will have recoil damage on top of Life Orb.

Play Rough acts as Arcanine's coverage moves against Fighting-types, which becomes more valuable once you Terastallize to Normal. Morning Sun allows Arcanine to heal off the residual damage from Life Orb and Flare Blitz, allowing you to stay alive longer.

This build uses Normal Tera type to further boost the damage of Extreme Speed, and taking only neutral damage from most types, with the exception of Fighting.

Other Viable Moves

Key Damage Calculations

Damage Dealt by Arcanine
151 HP｜90 Def No Defensive EV Investment	Extreme Speed 117 - 138 (77.4 - 91.3%) Guaranteed 2-Hit KO
167 HP｜110 Def No Defensive EV Investment	Extreme Speed 95 - 113 (56.8 - 67.6%) Guaranteed 2-Hit KO

Doubles Movesets for Arcanine

Bulky Support

Nature	Jolly (+Spe, -Sp.Atk)
EV Spread	52 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Def / 4 Sp. Def / 196 Spe
Final Stat Values	172 HP / 162 Atk / 101 Def / 101 Sp. Def / 154 Spe
Ability	Intimidate
Tera Type
Held Item	Safety Goggles
Moveset	・ Flare Blitz ・ Protect ・ Extreme Speed ・ Will-O-Wisp

Access to Intimidate and natural bulk make Arcanine a great choice for bulky attacker in Doubles. It's also a great Amoonguss check with Safety Goggles equipped and can threaten it with STAB Flare Blitz.

Extreme Speed is used for taking out low-HP threats as well as dealing decent neutral damage.

Will-O-Wisp gives this Arcanine build utility to take on opposing physical attackers that are easily crippled by burns, such as Garchomp, Iron Hands, and Roaring Moon.

Protect is great for turns where Arcanine is in danger of taking a Hydro Pump from much quicker Pokemon like Iron Bundle.

This build uses Grass Tera type to remove Arcanine's weakness to Water and Ground, and also taking neutral from Rock.

This Arcanine build features the same moves as the Champion's team in the recently concluded 2023 European International Championships. It was used to great success by the champion, Paul Chua.

VGC Tournament Results: 2023 European International Championships

Other Viable Moves

Helping Hand Support Moveset & Best Build

Nature	Calm (+Sp.Def, -Atk)
EV Spread	HP 244 / Def 188 / Sp.Def 76
Final Stat Values	HP 196 / Def 124 / Sp.Atk 120 / Sp.Def 121 / Spe 115
Ability	Intimidate
Tera Type
Held Item	Sitrus Berry
Moveset	・ Helping Hand ・ Will-O-Wisp ・ Flamethrower ・ Morning Sun

Thanks to Arcanine's Intimidate Ability, it can also function as a bulky Helping Hand support lead. While its main role is to boost the power of its ally's moves, it can also provide some utility by burning opposing attackers with Will-O-Wisp.

Flamethrower is its main STAB move, while Morning Sun gives it a way to recover lost health. Since Morning Sun heals more during Sunny Day, this Arcanine build is a great fit for dedicated Sun Teams.

This build has Fairy Tera type so that Arcanine can handle Fighting, Dark, and Dragon-types better. However, it's best to only terastallize Arcanine as a last resort as the terastallizing is better done by your team's main attacker.

Other Viable Moves

How to Use Arcanine Effectively

A Versatile Pokemon in Doubles

Arcanine's great stat spread and ability to function as either an attacker or a support Pokemon make it a versatile and highly predictable Pokemon in the Doubles format.

As a result, it's easy to fit into most teams as you can EV train it to fill in the gaps of your current team's composition.

How to Build a Team with Arcanine

Sample Pivot Singles Team

Lead Attacker	Defensive Pivot	Special Sweeper
Meowscarada	Arcanine	Gengar

This team uses Meowscarada as a lead attacker, with its high speed stat, allowing it to scout your opponent's team, and access to U-Turn to safely switch into Arcanine.

The bulky Intimidate Arcanine build works as a good pivot, especially against Physical Sweepers that make use of setup moves, since Intimidate and Will-O-Wisp will most likely force them to switch out.

Sample Offensive Singles Team

Tank	Special Attacker	Physical Attacker
Corviknight	Wash Rotom	Arcanine

This team is a simpler team, with Corviknight as a lead tank, allowing you to use setup moves, or stall against the enemy while you wait for an opening for your attackers.

Arcanine can fill multiple roles according to how it's EV trained, and is easy to fit into both offensive-oriented and more balanced teams.

Sample Balanced Doubles Team

Lead Support	Bulky Attacker
Glimmora	Arcanine
Special Attacker	Redirection Support
Gholdengo	Amoonguss

Arcanine functions as this team's Bulky Attacker, with Glimmora providing support with entry hazards, while also spreading poison with Mortal Spin.

Gholdengo is this team's Special Attacker and provides additional coverage to the team, while Amoonguss provides redirection support with Rage Powder.

Sample Offensive Doubles Team

Lead Attacker	Lead Support
Hydreigon	Arcanine
Physical Attacker	Redirection Support
Tinkaton	Amoonguss

Hydreigon can forgo a boosting move for another coverage move thanks to Arcanine providing Helping Hand support, which boosts the power of its partner's moves. Arcanine's Intimidate Ability also ensures that Hydreigon can take a physical hit.

Tinkaton also appreciates Helping Hand from Arcanine to further boost the power of its Gigaton Hammer. Amoonguss serves as this team's redirection support and also has great defensive synergy with Arcanine.

Counters for Arcanine

Take Advantage of its Common Weaknesses

Despite its great natural bulk, Arcanine is plagued by very common weakness to Water, Ground, and Rock-types. Faster attackers, particularly special attackers can check and force out it with super effective moves.

Best Pokemon to Use

Pokemon	Description
Sandy Shocks	Ranking: ★★★★★ ・Faster and can threaten or KO less bulky variants with STAB Earth Power. ・Can inflict paralysis wiht Thunder Wave or Discharge.
Iron Bundle	Ranking: ★★★★ ・Faster and can threaten or KO less bulky variants with STAB Hydro Pump. ・Can set up Snowscape if Arcanine decides to switch out.
Hydreigon	Ranking: ★★★★ ・Choice Scarf variants can outspeed Arcanine and threaten with STAB Draco Meteor. ・Can use Arcanine as setup fodder and set up with Nasty Plot and threaten with Hydro Pump or Earth Power.

How to Get Arcanine's Morning Sun Egg Move

Arcanine learns Morning Sun as an egg move, so in order to get Morning Sun on Arcanine, first you need a Pokemon that knows the move. You will then need to make sure Arcanine has an empty move slot and give it a Mirror Herb.

Finally, set up a picnic with both Arcanine and the Pokemon that knows the egg move in your party and the move will be transferred to Arcanine (the other Pokemon still retains its moveset). Unlike previous generations, egg moves can now be transferred regardless of egg group, species or gender.
How to Learn and Transfer Egg Moves

Pokemon That Learn Morning Sun

Learn by Default

Necrozma

Learn by Level Up

Espeon	Solgaleo	Slither Wing	Iron Moth
Gouging Fire

Learn by Evolution

Learn by TM

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