Arcanine - Moveset & Best Build for Ranked Battle | Pokemon Sword and Shield

This is a strategy guide for using Arcanine in competitive play for the games Pokemon Sword and Shield. Read on for tips on the best Nature, EV spreads, Movesets, Builds, and Held Items to use with Arcanine, as well as its strengths and weak points.

Arcanine - Related Articles
Evolution and Learnset	Build for Ranked Battle

Basic Information for Arcanine

Types and Abilities

Pokemon	Type 1	Type 2
Arcanine
Abilities
Intimidate	Lowers the foe's Attack stat.
Flash Fire	It powers up Fire-type moves if it's hit by one.
Justified (Hidden)	Raises Attack when hit by a Dark-type move.

Type Defenses

	Type
Takes 4x damage	-
Takes 2x damage
Takes 0.5x damage
Takes 1/4x damage	-
Takes 0x damage	-

What is Type Effectiveness?

Base Stats

Best Nature for Arcanine

What are Natures?

Moveset & Best Build for Arcanine

Choice Band Sweeper Moveset & Best Build

Other Viable Moves

Assault Vest Moveset & Best Build

How to Use Arcanine Effectively

A Fire-type attacker with good balance

Arcanine has high Base Stats across the board, making it a powerful attacker who can also withstand attacks. It also learns powerful attacks from useful types, such as Play Rough, Close Combat and Wild Charge, allowing it deal hard-hitting super effective damage to a variety of types.

Counters for Arcanine

Use Pokemon with good Defense

Arcanine is typically used as a physical attacker, so it's easy to counter with a Rock, Dragon or Water-type Pokemon with high Defense. But since Arcanine is able to learn Wild Charge, Close Combat and Play Rough, it might bite back hard if you can't faint it in one or two turns.

Best Pokemon to Use

Pokemon	Description
Quagsire	Ranking: ★★★★★ ・On top of being resistant to Fire, it's immune to Arcanine's Electric moves
Wash Rotom	Ranking: ★★★★★ ・Resists Fire and takes neutral damage from Electric ・Can use Volt Switch to bail out when you expect a switch-in
Tyranitar	Ranking: ★★★★☆ ・Can aim for a 1HKO with Stone Edge ・Must watch out for Close Combat

Best Teams Featuring Arcanine

All our Best Teams are available for free rental, and usable in Ranked Battle with no EV Training necessary.
All Best Teams for Ranked Battle

Best Arcanine Team for Ranked Battle

Best Arcanine Team for Ranked Battle
Arcanine	Hydreigon	Tyranitar
Corviknight	Mow Rotom	Mimikyu

Born from one player's love of one Pokemon, Arcanine, this team takes advantage of Arcanine's already-high Base Stats, supported by Assault Vest to make it a powerful player both offensively and defensively.

In addition to Arcanine, this team features a host of other surprises, such as a Pressure Corviknight, a Special Attack-using Tyranitar, and a stall-ready Mimikyu, that might change your preconceptions about the competitive scene as a whole.
Best Arcanine Team for Ranked Battle

Related Links

All Competitive Builds for Ranked Battle

Movesets & Best Builds for The Crown Tundra Pokemon
Galarian Articuno	Galarian Zapdos	Galarian Moltres
Raikou	Entei	Suicune
Articuno	Zapdos	Moltres
Tornadus	Thundurus	Landorus
Tapu Koko	Tapu Lele	Tapu Bulu
Tapu Fini	Regieleki	Regidrago
Latios	Latias	Heatran
Cresselia	Glastrier	Spectrier
Nidoking	Swampert	Dragonite
Salamence	Garchomp	Metagross
Galarian Slowking	Nihilego	Naganadel
Pheromosa	Buzzwole	Celesteela
Kartana	Stakataka

Movesets & Best Builds for Isle of Armor Pokemon
Scizor	Kingdra	Magnezone
Volcarona	Chansey	Blissey
Talonflame	Azumarill	Galarian Slowbro
Porygon2	Urshifu Single-Strike Style	Urshifu Rapid-Strike Style
Slowbro	Alolan Marowak	Dragalge
Klefki	Lycanroc	Amoonguss
Poliwrath	Palossand	Mienshao
Starmie	Heracross	Comfey
Porygon-Z

Movesets & Best Builds for New Pokemon
Dragapult	Galarian Corsola	Toxtricity
Galarian Darmanitan	Corviknight	Dracovish
Grimmsnarl	Rillaboom	Duraludon
Cinderace	Alcremie	Dracozolt
Hatterene	Eiscue	Inteleon
Pincurchin	Frosmoth	Zacian
Sirfetch'd	Flapple	Coalossal
Centiskorch	Arctozolt	Zarude
Galarian Weezing

Movesets & Best Builds for Returning Pokemon
Mimikyu	Wash Rotom	Gyarados
Ferrothorn	Aegislash	Excadrill
Tyranitar	Hydreigon	Heat Rotom
Arcanine	Mamoswine	Toxapex
Togekiss	Cloyster	Durant
Snorlax	Charizard	Sylveon
Lucario	Hippowdon	Umbreon
Conkeldurr	Quagsire	Gastrodon
Lapras	Whimsicott	Rhyperior
Goodra	Haxorus	Glaceon
Mow Rotom	Type: Null	Gengar
Milotic	Gardevoir	Flygon
Chandelure	Lanturn	Torkoal
Bisharp	Seismitoad	Silvally
Butterfree	Primarina	Incineroar
Blastoise	Decidueye	Venusaur
Darmanitan	Alolan Ninetales	Gothitelle
Crawdaunt	Clefable	Reuniclus
Kommo-o	Terrakion	Cobalion
Virizion	Noivern	Fan Rotom
Toxicroak	Pelipper	Jellicent
Celebi	Clefairy	Hitmontop
Diggersby

Movesets & Best Builds for Gigantamax Pokemon
Gigantamax Grimmsnarl	Gigantamax Snorlax	Gigantamax Charizard

Competitive Pokemon Battle Guides
Tier List		Best Builds		Crown Tundra Tier List Contenders
Doubles Tier List		Team Building		Rental Teams