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 Guides
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?

Singles Movesets for Arcanine

Choice Band Sweeper Moveset & Best Build

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

Assault Vest Moveset & Best Build

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

Physical Wall Moveset & Best Build

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

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

Weakness

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. Moveset & Best Build for Quagsire
Wash 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
Porygon2	Ranking: ★★★★★ ・Tanky and can take physical attacks. ・Tone down any of Arcanine's actions by paralyzing it. Moveset & Best Build for Porygon2
Tyranitar	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
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

Competitive Guides for Pokemon Sword and Shield

Competitive Pokemon Battle Guides
Tier List		Best Builds		Series 8 Tier List Contenders
Doubles Tier List		Team Building		Rental Teams

Best Builds for Returning Pokemon

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	Ditto	Raichu