Stats & Training
Everything pushes toward mixed damage here. Arcanine's Attack does the work, Defense pays the price. But you're still getting 2 Attack EVs per KO. Moderately hard to find, on a slow 1.25M XP grind.
Its proud and regal appearance has captured the hearts of people since long ago.
Arcanine Weakness
Arcanine's Fire typing leaves it vulnerable to Water, Ground, and Rock. The Fire typing picks up 5 resistances to work with. Flash Fire grants an additional Fire immunity, reshaping the matchup chart. With 90 HP and balanced defenses, Arcanine can afford to eat a neutral hit or two.
| Damage | Types |
|---|---|
| 2x (Weak) | Water, Ground, Rock |
| 0.5x (Resist) | Fire, Grass, Ice, Bug, Steel |
- Fairy type does not exist — Dragon has fewer checks
- Physical / Special split now per-move (introduced Gen IV)
In Platinum, Azelf's Explosion hits Arcanine for 81-96%. Infernape's Close Combat hits Arcanine for 63-74%.
A | ||
Recommended Build AbilityLevitate ItemFocus Sash NatureJolly Moves
Damage vs Arcanine View Azelf builds →Explosion81-96% U Turn11-13% | ||
A | ||
Recommended Build AbilityBlaze ItemExpert Belt NatureJolly Moves
Damage vs Arcanine View Infernape builds →Close Combat63-74% U Turn12-15% Fire Blast21-24% | ||
B | ||
Recommended Build AbilityKeeneye ItemLeftovers NatureImpish Moves View Skarmory builds →
| ||
Swampert WaterGround | B | |
Recommended Build AbilityTorrent ItemLeftovers NatureRelaxed Moves
Damage vs Arcanine View Swampert builds →Earthquake 2x88-104%KO Ice Beam11-12% Waterfall 2x70-83% | ||
Platinum Evolution
Arcanine evolved from Growlithe's chain using an evolution item. It's a non-standard trigger, so check the details below. Breed this form to get Growlithe eggs (average hatch time). The evolution from Growlithe pushed Arcanine to 555 total stats. Attack saw the largest single gain at +40. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.
How to Evolve
Breeding
Breed with Arcanine to get Growlithe eggs easily using 131 partners from the Ground egg group. Notable egg moves include Body Slam, Crunch, Double-Edge and 6 more.
Platinum Arcanine Best Moveset
Intimidate helps Arcanine stick around while dealing real damage. Leftovers for passive recovery each turn, max Attack and Speed EVs for the right balance, and Extreme Speed as the main threat. Not the fastest, but it doesn't need to be.
Best Build
Arcanine best EVs are Attack and Speed
Physical Sweeper Moveset
- Extreme Speed
- Flare Blitz
- Crunch
- Thunder Fang
Recommended Teammates
Moves
You'll want to breed for Body Slam and Crunch on Arcanine. These egg moves aren't just nice to have. Combined with STAB from Overheat and Flare Blitz, they expand what Arcanine can actually threaten in practice.
Level-Up Moves
TM Moves
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
Reminder Moves
Transfer Moves
How to Get Arcanine in Platinum
No wild encounters for Arcanine. The 2-stage line runs through Growlithe, which you can catch at moderate rates from the locations below. Evolve through a special method once you've got the levels.
How to Obtain Arcanine in Platinum
Step 1Catch GrowlitheRoute 201Grass Lv.2 RouteRareEarlyDual-slot: FireRedRoute 202Grass Lv.2 RouteRareEarlyDual-slot: FireRed
Step 2Arcanine ✓
Arcanine Guide
In the Platinum meta, Arcanine already has 555 BST going for it, and Intimidate pushes the competitive value even higher. C-Tier attacker on our tier list. Extreme Speed with Leftovers is the standard set.
In Platinum, watch for Starmie (Water), Golem (Ground), and Aerodactyl (Rock) when using Arcanine. They all hit it super-effectively with STAB.
Arcanine gets Intimidate, Flash Fire, and Justified. But Intimidate is the one that matters. It's the centerpiece of every viable set. Build around that.
Arcanine is a physical attacker with base 110 Attack. Enough bulk to take a hit or two, too. Speed tells the real story. Base 95 Speed is workable. Faster than some, slower than many. Fits the attacker role.
For Platinum, Arcanine has answers, but so do you. Faster attackers outpace it. Anything with a super-effective STAB move and decent speed can revenge kill.
Game Availability
Available since Red & Blue, Arcanine appears in 21 games spanning 10 generations. Beyond its original form, it gained a Hisuian form in Generation 8.
Click a game to view version-specific details
- Gen 1Y
Yellow - Gen 1RBDebut

Red & Blue - Gen 2GS

Gold & Silver - Gen 2C
Crystal - Gen 3RS

Ruby & Sapphire - Gen 3FRLG

FireRed & LeafGreen - Gen 3E
Emerald - Gen 4Pt
Platinum - Gen 4HGSS

HeartGold & SoulSilver - Gen 4DP

Diamond & Pearl - Gen 5BW

Black & White - Gen 5B2W2

Black 2 & White 2 - Gen 6XY

X & Y - Gen 6ORAS

Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire - Gen 7USUM

Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon - Gen 7SM

Sun & Moon - Gen 7LGPE

Let's Go Pikachu & Eevee - Gen 8SwSh

Sword & Shield - Gen 8PLAHisuian
Legends: Arceus - Gen 8BDSP

Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl - Gen 9SV

Scarlet & Violet - Gen 9LZA
Legends: Z-A - Gen 10WW

Winds & Waves