Arcanine - Moveset & Best Build | Pokemon Sword Shield

Last Updated: August 21, 2022 10:59 PM

Find out how to breed Arcanine in Pokemon Sword and Shield! Learn about Arcanine's best competitive movesets, best builds, best nature, counters and the breeding process!!!

Table of Contents

Arcanine Best Moveset & Build
Best Moves
Best Items
Best Nature And EVs
Counters
Competitive Breeding Process

Arcanine Related Articles

Location & Stats

Competitive Build

Arcanine Moveset & Best Build

Total Base Stats	555
Type

Physical Attacker Build

Best Nature	Best Item
Jolly(Speed ↑ / Sp.Atk ↓)	Sitrus Berry
Best Ability
Intimidate Lowers your opponent's attack on entry.
Best Moveset
Flare Blitz / Extreme Speed / Wild Charge / Close Combat ▼Check Move Info Here
Best EV Spread
Attack 252, Speed 252, HP 4

Intimidate and Burn Opponents

Arcanine's Base Stats are well balanced with 110 Attack and 95 Speed. By using its Intimidate ability & Will-O-Wisp together, you can significantly lower the opponent's Attack. If you choose your opponents wisely, Arcanine can effectively act as a tank, especially when combined with a Sitrus Berry.

Great Move Coverage

Arcanine has access to many moves, which allows it to reliably strike at the opponent's weaknesses. Additionally, after whittling down an opponent's HP with a super effective move, you can use Extreme Speed to finish them off!

Assault Vest Build

Best Nature	Best Item
Jolly(Speed ↑ / Sp.Atk ↓)	Assault Vest
Best Ability
Intimidate Lowers your opponent's attack on entry.
Best Moveset
Flare Blitz / Extreme Speed / Wild Charge / Close Combat ▼Check Move Info Here
Best EV Spread
Attack 252, Speed 252, HP 4

Withstand Special and Physical Attacks

You can ensure Arcanine's survival against both types of attacks with this build. Intimidate will take care of physical attacks while the Assault Vest improves the Pokemon's Sp. Def.

Can Hold Its Own Against Its Weaknesses

Arcanine has moves which are super effective against Rock and Water type Pokemon, making it more than capable of surviving even in a disadvantageous position. Whittle down their HP and land the finishing blow with Extreme Speed.

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Arcanine - Best Moves

Physical Attacker Build and Assault Vest Build

Recommended Moves

Move/Type	Reason
Extreme Speed	High damaging move which always strikes first. Useful against opponents with high Speed.
Flare Blitz	120 power STAB physical attack with recoil. Hardest hitting attack.
Wild Charge	Strong Electric type attack. Can OHKO Gyarados.
Close Combat	Strong Fighting type attack. Can be used to counter rock type Pokemon. Can use Max Knuckle to increase Attack when Dynamaxed.

Other Viable Moves

Move	Traits
Will-o-Wisp	Inflicts a burn Attack significantly.
Play Rough	Good coverage move vs Dragon and Fighting types.
Crunch	Good type coverage, has a chance to make opponents flinch.

Arcanine - Best Item to Hold

Item	Traits
Sitrus Berry	Restores HP when dropping to low health. Useful in a pinch to stay alive.
Life Orb	Increases the damage of your move while HP decreases every time you attack. Risky due to the recoil on Flare Blitz.
Choice Band	Pokemon holding the Choice Band can only use one move but its attack increases.

Check Out Other Battle Items & Their Locations Here

Arcanine Counters

Recommended Pokemon To Counter Arcanine

Pokemon	Explanation
Seismitoad	Pros - Good for switching in while baiting a Wild Charge - Can one shot with Hydro Pump - If sent out first, can set up Stealth Rocks Cons - Takes a lot of damage from Flare Blitz
Rhyperior	Pros - Can one shot with Earthquake/Stone Edge - Resists most common Arcanine moves Cons - None
Wash Rotom	Pros - Can one shot with Hydro Pump (no Vest) Cons - Hard to switch into Arcanine (esp. with Assault Vest)
Toxapex	Pros - Scald is super effective - Can survive even Wild Charge Cons - Needs to watch out for Choice Band Wild Charge
Galarian Corsola	Pros - Strength Sap can wall Arcanine completely - Can survive Crunch Cons - Needs to watch out for Choice Band Crunch

How To Play Against Arcanine

Setting up rocks is key if you see an Arcanine on the enemy team. After that, swap in a physically defensive Pokemon that can take a Flare Blitz. Don't rely overly on Water types, as many Arcanine run Wild Charge.

Arcanine - Best Nature And EVs

Arcanine - Recommended Natures

Nature	Traits
Jolly	Spd↑ / Sp.Atk↓ Nature that compliments its Speed. Recommended if not using special moves.
Naive	Spd↑ / Sp.Def↓ Nature that compliments its Speed. Can utilize both its physical & special moves.
Adamant	Atk↑ / Sp.Atk↓ This Pokemon can in most cases attack before other Pokemon without boosting Speed.

Which Nature Would You Recommend?

Recommended Base Point (EV) Allocation

Stat	Base Point
Attack	252 points (max)
Speed	252 points (max)
HP	4 points

Boosting Speed and Attack with the Base Point is recommended. You may also allocate Sp. Attack instead of Attack if you prefer using special attack moves.

Check Out The EV (Base Point) Guide Here!

Arcanine - Competitive Breeding Process

Breeding Process Flow Chart

1	Catch Growlithe at the Lake of Outrage during Rainy weather
2	Hatch Eggs (breed with a Ditto) until you get a High IV Growlithe
3	Breed that Growlithe until you get one with a Adamant Nature
4	Put 252 EVs in Attack and Speed
5	Max out its Dynamax Level
6	Teach it Flare Blitz, Extreme Speed, Wild Charge and Will-o-Wisp
7	Equip a Sitrus Berry

>> Check Out Our Breeding Guide For More Info!

How To Get Growlithe

The first step to Breeding Arcanine will be to catch a wild Growlithe. The location of Growlithe differs according to which version you are playing. See the table below for the exact location.