welp, all I see is nominations for tier shifts for mons that are in the list already, so time for some fresh air with a new nomination.
everyone's favorite legendary doggo!
no, not you
ew hell no, not you either
---
good boi :)
okay on a more serious note now, this may come as quite a surprise to all of you, but I truly feel like Arcanine could use a spot on the list.
to C-
In a meta full of strong physical attackers, a Pokémon that can shut several commons ones down completely and cripple a handful of others on switch-in, can prove itself very useful. Especially with common mons such as
and
, it's nice to have a proper answer to them. Even though 90 / 80 / 80 doesn't seem like amazing stats for a defensive-oriented Pokemon, having one of the best abilities in the game in Intimidate really does reasonably make up for it.
I'd like to quickly summarize what you will further be seeing in this post:
- The set it uses;
- What it is useful for, including calculations;
- Team(mate)s for it;
- Relevant replays and short additional descriptions;
- Overview of its two (/three) strong drawbacks, I will also talk about these earlier in this post;
- Final conclusion;
Set
Arcanine @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 248 HP / 200 Def / 60 Spe
Bold / Impish Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Will-O-Wisp
- Teleport
- Morning Sun
- Flamethrower / (Flare Blitz)
Will-O-Wisp is absolutely the move to go for over Toxic, since it strongly stimulates Arcanine's role as a physically defensive Pokemon by halving the target's physical move power. This works especially well in combination with Intimidate, which already lowers the targets Attack stat by one stage upon switchin. The additional great thing with Arcanine is, is that with its typing, it lures in Landorus-T, Tyranitar, Urshifu-R, Dragonite, Chomp, Pex and the Slowtwins, all of which hate being hit on the switch with a burn. Especially offensive variants of the former five of this list are truly crippled by this, as it forces them to either set up several SD's to compensate (which takes several turns) or simply lose its breaking power, making them easier handled by teammates. There is Aroma / HBell ofc, but I feel like it's not really that common in the metagame except on maybe stall or BO Dnite's.
Don't necessarily feel the need to elaborate on Teleport; great pivoting move gaining momentum and allowing safe switchins for frail, offensive teammates that really can't afford to take hits, whilst Arcanine can.
Morning Sun, whilst only having 8 PP, provides Arcanine with recovery in case it needs it to stay healthy throughout the game and ensures it can properly execute its role. This is one of its two (three) major drawbacks: 8 PP isn't great, but acceptable - the fact that Morning Sun is affected by weather is heavily detrimental, which in three of the four cases means it will only heal 25% of its health by using this move in rain, sand or hail. Obviously, sun is great for it, healing 2/3 instead, but yeah let's face it, sun is the least viable of the weathers and is barely used. On the contrary, rain (teams Arcanine really doesn't do well against at all for obvious reasons) is way more used, and I see sand/hail regularly as well. Thankfully, weather spam is not as common as it was back in generation 5 (all hail the frog).
Last slot is reserved for an offensive move. I definitely prefer Flamethrower because of it not having any recoil that would harm Arcanine's ability as a physically defensive mon, in addition to hitting physically defensive Pokemon like Melmetal, Buzzwole and Tangrowth much harder. It also avoids contact on Ferro and CorvSkarms Rocky Helmet and negates Iron Defense. Flare Blitz could be used for one that likes more breaking power and also being able to hit the (nowadays less common) egg for reasonable damage.
The EVs are obv. mostly invested in Defense to maximize Arcanine's defensive capabilities (fun fact: it avoids the 2HKO from scarf Lele's psyshock), whilst the Speed EVs allow it to reach a stat of 241, outspeeding several Pokémon around the 240 mark.
Set Usability
Arcanine is a proper Pokémon for checking some of the most threatening physical attackers in the metagame. This includes cleaners such as Weavile, Kartana, and Zeraora, but it also properly deals with other physically offensive Pokémon such as Melmetal, Rillaboom, Hawlucha, the odd Scizor, and even Bisharp (even though Defiant may leave you guessing otherwise).
Most of these defensive Pokémon lack any kind of proper defensive capabilities, but Arcanine has a respectable special Attack of 100 and Attack of 110, meaning it can also get rid of several other common defensive Pokémon, including Ferrothorn (let's face it, it's also everywhere), the metal birds (Corviknight / Skarmory), Tangrowth and Buzzwole. With this attack power and its 95 Speed stat, it also manages to check Magnezone.
As listed, here will be some relevant calculations against the Pokémon it is supposed to be used against:
* note: I accidentely used a spread of 252 / 198+ whilst making the calculations. The differences are neglectable however.
Defensive:
+1 252 Atk Life Orb Kartana Knock Off (97.5 BP) vs. 252 HP / 198+ Def Arcanine: 233-274 (60.6 - 71.3%) -- guaranteed 2HKO (Revenge OHKO or heal to weaken the damage, turning it into a 3HKO)
-1 252 Atk Kartana Knock Off (97.5 BP) vs. 252 HP / 198+ Def Arcanine: 79-94 (20.5 - 24.4%) -- guaranteed 5HKO
-1 252 Atk Choice Band Weavile Knock Off (97.5 BP) vs. 252 HP / 198+ Def Arcanine: 132-156 (34.3 - 40.6%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
-1 252 Atk Weavile Knock Off (65 BP) vs. 252 HP / 198+ Def Arcanine: 88-105 (22.9 - 27.3%) -- 54.7% chance to 4HKO
+1 252 Atk Weavile Knock Off (97.5 BP) vs. 252 HP / 198+ Def Arcanine: 196-232 (51 - 60.4%) -- guaranteed 2HKO (around 2% chance to KO with the second hit if no heal)
-1 252+ Atk Melmetal Earthquake vs. 252 HP / 198+ Def Arcanine: 152-180 (39.5 - 46.8%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
-1 168+ Atk Buzzwole Earthquake vs. 252 HP / 198+ Def Arcanine: 140-166 (36.4 - 43.2%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
-1 252+ Atk Choice Band Scizor Knock Off (97.5 BP) vs. 248 HP / 200+ Def Arcanine: 102-120 (26.6 - 31.3%) -- guaranteed 4HKO
-1 252+ Atk Choice Band Rillaboom Wood Hammer vs. 252 HP / 198+ Def Arcanine in Grassy Terrain: 119-141 (30.9 - 36.7%) -- guaranteed 4HKO after Grassy Terrain recovery
+1 252+ Atk Life Orb Rillaboom Superpower vs. 252 HP / 198+ Def Arcanine: 239-282 (62.2 - 73.4%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Grassy Terrain recovery
-1 252+ Atk Life Orb Rillaboom Superpower over 5 turns vs. 252 HP / 198+ Def Arcanine: 270-321 (70.3 - 83.5%) -- not a KO
-1 252 Atk Zeraora Plasma Fists vs. 252 HP / 198+ Def Arcanine: 87-103 (22.6 - 26.8%) -- 33.9% chance to 4HKO
fun thing it also heavily cripples phys leftovers Pult by switching in on DD, burning it, also being able to take the second hit, heal and pivot out:
+1 252 Atk Dragapult Dragon Darts (2 hits) vs. 252 HP / 196+ Def Arcanine: 204-242 (53.1 - 63%) -- approx. 2HKO
+1 252 Atk burned Dragapult Dragon Darts (2 hits) vs. 252 HP / 196+ Def Arcanine: 102-120 (26.5 - 31.2%) -- approx. 4HKO
not advisable though, band and lo also beat it.
Offensive
0 SpA Arcanine Flamethrower vs. 0 HP / 4 SpD Kartana: 924-1092 (356.7 - 421.6%) -- guaranteed OHKO (close call)
0 SpA Arcanine Flamethrower vs. 0 HP / 4 SpD Weavile: 222-264 (79 - 93.9%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
0 SpA Arcanine Flamethrower vs. 40 HP / 104 SpD Melmetal: 236-282 (56 - 66.9%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
0 SpA Arcanine Flamethrower vs. 128 HP / 252+ SpD Assault Vest Melmetal: 122-146 (27.5 - 32.9%) -- guaranteed 4HKO (rather weak, but it still wins)
0 SpA Arcanine Flamethrower vs. 4 HP / 0 SpD Magnezone: 212-252 (75.1 - 89.3%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
0 SpA Arcanine Flamethrower vs. 248 HP / 92 SpD Corviknight: 200-236 (50.1 - 59.1%) -- 75.4% chance to 2HKO after Leftovers recovery (Rocky Helmet is guaranteed 2HKO)
0 SpA Arcanine Flamethrower vs. 252 HP / 4 SpD Skarmory: 258-306 (77.2 - 91.6%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
0 SpA Arcanine Flamethrower vs. 252 HP / 4 SpD Ferrothorn: 340-408 (96.5 - 115.9%) -- 87.5% chance to OHKO
0 SpA Arcanine Flamethrower vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Ferrothorn: 256-304 (72.7 - 86.3%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
0 SpA Arcanine Flamethrower vs. 152 HP / 0 SpD Buzzwole: 320-380 (81.4 - 96.6%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
0 SpA Arcanine Flamethrower vs. 248 HP / 88 SpD Scizor: 420-496 (122.4 - 144.6%) -- guaranteed OHKO
0 SpA Arcanine Flamethrower vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD Rillaboom: 260-308 (76.2 - 90.3%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Grassy Terrain recovery
0 SpA Arcanine Flamethrower vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD Zeraora: 118-139 (37.2 - 43.8%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
Teams
I feel like Arcanine does well on BO teams that need a defensive answer to physical Ice/Steel/Grass types whilst also appreciating the momentum Arcanine creates to get the true attackers in properly. That being said, it does need a bit of support itself.
Defog or Spin is absolutely mandatory as your HDB will most likely be knocked off by opposing Weavile, Rillaboom and Kartana, mons you'll be willing to switch into. Arcanine is of course weak to Stealth Rock, and it really can't have 25% of its HP being lowered on switch in as it will lower the amount of Pokémon it checks. Rotom-Wash does this exceptionally well, considering it also covers Arcanine's type weaknesses in Ground and Water and can create momentum with VSwitch as well. Other Defoggers that provide momentum, such as Corviknight, can also fulfill this role well.
A specially defensive Pokémon that can switch in and take strong special attacks that Arcanine may struggle against (even though scarf Blace for example only 3HKOes - but Arcanine can't do much back), whilst also providing momentum, works excellent for it. Slowking and even Blissey are two good examples.
Replays:
Before I tilted due to my own poor plays, I was using Arcanine successfully around the 1600-1800 mark. Most of the replays are from games against similarly ranked players.
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen8ou-1510090848-8sfx3ttrq68ljw31ejpz7nce1k7wx1epw
In this replay Arcanine effectively burns Chomp on Scale Shot whilst they predicted me to switch because of Intimidate. Additionally, it handled phys Pult and picked off both Koko and Alolatales.
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen8ou-1510698285-8o1wzn98jq25tw26zy4h1usm6f3fyqopw
Here it effectively burned Shifu on switch-in, also properly handling Weavile.
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen8ou-1510737666-jtqf09ujy4nd90derp86ohavh26lt4gpw
Dealing with Zeraora (and Weavile, even though they forfeited) late game.
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen8ou-1511361549-vo2fxrwi2bzei95hpsi38tmf4ujmet1pw
Again late-game, beating Kartana and Buzzwole with a little bit help of Tangrowth. I should've been more careful not to let Arcanine get poisoned right here.
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen8ou-1512221030-9fp9l5wf23wvjmqkfhznbfq0cqi376dpw
Burning Lando-T on switch in, and also again late-game, dealing with Weavile, Zeraora, and defeating Corviknight.
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen8ou-1513322864-r5nqkl208atesnod7veu7frdtmnfig4pw
Burning Chomp, shitting on Zera, Rilla and Melm as well. Also don't judge my use of Rhydon this game, it was just for fun (maybe also why I lost many points!) :)
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen8ou-1515552490-xeggimvw0tnj0nf6j47wuadhn3wgd3tpw
playing around the Bisharp, late-game handling Rillaboom and Zeraora.
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen8ou-1516443446-0hs9fre0tixjrzng2nxm3di21dkvnfvpw
crippling / beating four mons again
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen8ou-1516620258-flmng5sc06ffyl2en1jn8g0nsczepwvpw
dealing with half the team again
Drawbacks
I've shortly pointed out Arcanine's main two / three (heavy) drawbacks:
- Stealth Rock weakness, of course you have HDB but you'll be switching into mons using Knock Off (so it requires Defog (or spin)! But synergizes well with several that do this)
- Morning Sun being weather affected (I feel like this is its strongest con. Thankfully weather isn't permanent. You're going to massively enjoy the occasional sun though).
- Morning Sun's 8 PP, but in practice for me it's usually been enough.
Conclusion
I truly feel like Arcanine has reasons to be used in the OU metagame for all the reasons I listed above. Intimidate, bulk, alright offensive presence for a defensive Pokemon, speed, decent recovery, and Teleport. I hope you'll consider testing it and enjoying it yourself, as I have definitely done so.
Thanks for reading and have a wonderful day!