Pokemon Sword and Shield

Arcanine - Moveset & Best Build for Ranked Battle

Arcanine .png

Arcanine Movesets in Other Games
Pokemon Scarlet LogoSV Pokemon SWSH LogoSWSH

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 Guides
Pokemon SWSH - Arcanine Evolution and LearnsetEvolution and Learnset Pokemon SWSH - Arcanine Best BuildBuild for Ranked Battle

Basic Information for Arcanine

Types and Abilities

Pokemon Type 1 Type 2
Pokemon Sword and Shield - Fire Type
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.

Arcanine Weaknesses and Resistances

Type
Takes 4x damage
-
Takes 2x damage
Pokemon Water Image Pokemon Ground Image Pokemon Rock Image
Takes 0.5x damage
Pokemon Fire Image Pokemon Grass Image Pokemon Ice Image Pokemon Bug Image Pokemon Steel Image Pokemon Fairy Image
Takes 1/4x damage
-
Takes 0x damage
-

What is Type Effectiveness?

Base Stats

HP Attack Defense Sp. Atk Sp. Def Speed
90 110 80 100 80 95

Best Nature for Arcanine

Best Natures
Jolly
(+Spd, -SpAtk)
Adamant
(+Atk, -SpAtk)

What are Natures?

Singles Movesets for Arcanine

Choice Band Sweeper Moveset & Best Build

Choice Band Sweeper Arcanine.png

Nature Jolly (+Spd, -SpAtk)
EV Spread Atk. 252 / Spd. 252 / HP 4
Final Stat Values HP 166 / Atk. 162 / Def. 100 / Sp.Def. 100 / Spd. 161
Ability Intimidate
Held Item Choice Band
Moveset Extreme Speed
Flare Blitz
Will-o-Wisp
Wild Charge

This build lets Arcanine hold Choice Band to take advantage of its high Attack stat. Against Pokemon that is not vulnerable to Fire-type moves, Arcanine can be Dynamaxed to temporarily opt out of Choice Band's one move lock.

About Arcananine's Held Item

If there are more concerns in being locked to one move with Choice Band, Charcoal can be an alternative item, although take note that it only boosts Fire-type moves. Life Orb can also be chosen when using Arcanine as the main attacker.

Other Viable Moves

Close Combat An alternate option for Will-o-Wisp or the Electric-type Move. Allows it to hit Rock and Dark types super effectively.
Play Rough A Fairy-type move used against Dragon-types.

Assault Vest Moveset & Best Build

Assault Vest Arcanine.png

Nature Jolly (+Spd, -SpAtk)
EV Spread HP 252 / Atk 76 / Spd 180
Final Stat Values HP 197 / Atk 140 / Def 100 / Sp.Def 100 / Spd 151
Ability Intimidate
Held Item Assault Vest
Moveset Extreme Speed
Flare Blitz
Close Combat
Wild Charge

This build allows Arcanine to receive either physical or special attacks with the help of Intimidate and Assault Vest. Close Combat and Wild Charge also lets it face Rock and Water-types.

About Arcanine's EV Spread

Giving 252 EV to Aracanine's HP further improves it durability. and works well with the effects of Intimidate and Assault Vest. In addition to that, it can withstand super-effective moves from most offensive Water-types like Wash Rotom or Gyarados.

Other Viable Moves

Play Rough A Fairy-type move used against Dragon-types.

Physical Wall Moveset & Best Build

Nature Bold (+Def, -Atk)
EV Spread HP 252 / Def. 252 / Spd. 4
Final Stat Values HP 197 / Def. 145 / Sp. Atk. 120 / Sp. Def. 100 / Spd. 116
Ability Intimidate
Held Item Sitrus Berry
Rocky Helmet
Leftovers
Moveset Will-O-Wisp
Morning Sun
Roar
Flamethrower

Lower the offensive power of opposing physical attackers with Will-O-Wisp and Intimidate, and let Arcanine attack with a STAB-boosted Flamethrower. To recover HP, use Morning Sun.

About Arcanine's Held Item

The suggested items aid in Arcanine's role as a physical wall. Sitrus Berry and Leftovers goes well with Morning Sun in terms of recovery. Meanwhile, Rocky Helmet can be held to punish those who still dare use physicall attacks on Arcanine.

Other Viable Moves

Protect Can be used to figure out what the opponent is planning to do. Recommended if using Leftovers.
Snarl Dark-type move that further lowers a physical attacker's offensive capabilities.
Dragon Pulse Dragon-type move that can be used as Max Wyrmwind when Dynamxed to lower an opposing Pokemon's Special Attack stat.

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

Arcanine
Weakness Pokemon Water Image Pokemon Ground Image Pokemon Rock Image

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
Pokemon SWSH - Quagsire ImageQuagsire Ranking: ★★★★★
・On top of being resistant to Fire, it's immune to Arcanine's Electric moves.
Moveset & Best Build for Quagsire
Pokemon SWSH - Wash Rotom ImageWash Rotom Ranking: ★★★★★
・Resists Fire and takes neutral damage from Electric.
・Can use Volt Switch to bail out when you expect a switch-in.
Moveset & Best Build for Wash Rotom
Pokemon SWSH - Porygon2 ImagePorygon2 Ranking: ★★★★★
・Tanky and can take physical attacks.
・Tone down any of Arcanine's actions by paralyzing it.
Moveset & Best Build for Porygon2
Pokemon SWSH - Tyranitar ImageTyranitar Ranking: ★★★★
・Can aim for a 1HKO with Stone Edge.
Must watch out for Close Combat.
Moveset & Best Build for Tyranitar

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
Pokemon SWSH - Arcanine ImageArcanine Pokemon SWSH - Hydreigon ImageHydreigon Pokemon SWSH - Tyranitar ImageTyranitar
Pokemon SWSH - Corviknight ImageCorviknight Pokemon SWSH - Mow Rotom ImageMow Rotom Pokemon SWSH - Mimikyu ImageMimikyu

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

Pokemon Sword and Shield - Best Builds for Ranked Battle

All Competitive Builds for Ranked Battle

Competitive Guides for Pokemon Sword and Shield

Competitive Pokemon Battle Guides
Pokemon SWSH - Tier ListTier List Pokemon SWSH - Best BuildsBest Builds Pokemon Sword and Shield - Ranked Battle Series 10 Contenders.pngSeries 10 List of Contenders
Pokemon SWSH - Doubles Tier ListDoubles Tier List Pokemon SWSH - Competitive Team BuildingTeam Building Pokemon SWSH - Rental TeamsRental Teams

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1 Anonymousover 1 year

What a great guide

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