Arcanine (QC: 0/3)

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Deleted User 400951

Banned deucer.
[OVERVIEW]

  • Fire typing, decent bulk and Intimidate let it check some physical attackers such as Scizor and Cobalion.
  • Will-O-Wisp and Roar give it some utility.
  • Arcanine is easily worn down by hazards and other passive damage, especially Stealth Rock, which it is weak to.
  • This is exacerbated by Morning Sun not being a very good recovery move, only having 8 PP and becoming useless under sand and hail, which are common.
  • Arcanine has many common weaknesses to Waters, Rocks and Grounds like Terrakion, Rotom-Wash and Nidoking.
  • Most of what it should check just pivots out of it or has some way of dealing with it via coverage.
  • Offensively it is 100% outclassed by the plethora of other physical fire-type attackers like Infernape and Entei, which is faster and more versatile in the case of the former and far more powerful with a better STAB move with the latter.
  • Defensively, Moltres has a better typing, a better recovery move in Roost and more utility with Defog.
  • Don't use Arcanine as it doesn't really have a unique niche in the tier.

[SET]
name: Defensive
move 1: Flare Blitz
move 2: Wild Charge / Toxic
move 3: Will-O-Wisp / Toxic
move 4: Morning Sun
item: Leftovers
ability: Intimidate
nature: Impish
EVs: 248 HP / 200 Def / 60 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

  • Flare Blitz is Arcanine's main attack, and it hits a good amount of the tier decently hard due to Arcanine's decent attack stat even when uninvested. The recoil really sucks though.
  • Wild Charge allows it to hit the various bulky Water types such as Alomomola for good damage.
  • Will-O-Wisp allows it to cripple physical attackers like Scizor or Beedrill-Mega.
  • Toxic can be used for mons like Latias-Mega and Alomomola that don't care about anything else it throws out and don't take enough damage from Will-O-Wisp.
  • Morning Sun is its recovery move, though it only has 8 PP and is neutered by weather, making it not too reliable.
  • Flamethrower could be run over Flare Blitz if the recoil is too unappealing but it leaves Arcanine extremely passive. Run a Bold nature over Impish in this case.
Set Details
========

  • The EVs given maximize physical bulk, which in tandem with Intimidate, allow it to check mons like Scizor.
  • 60 Speed EVs are run to outspeed Timid Primarina and below.
  • You could run 100 Speed EVs to outrun Jolly Scizor but this cuts into Arcanine's bulk too much to be worth it.
  • Leftovers is used because it really hates passive damage considering how easily worn down it is by hazards, meaning that passive recovery is very helpful for it.

Usage Tips
========

  • Arcanine should be pivoted into physical attackers it checks like Scizor and Cobalion. From there, it should start spreading status or attacking.
  • It really hates hazards so try and get them off of the field before switching it in if possible.
  • Be sparing with Flare Blitz as the recoil is irritating.
  • Morning Sun has low PP so be sparing with it as well. Also be careful around sand and hail, as Morning Sun becomes virtually useless when these are up.
  • Try to avoid status. Toxic in particular ruins its walling abilities.
Team Options
========

  • Arcanine hates hazards so it need removers. Rapid Spin users like Tentacruel and Defog users like Latias-Mega and Empoleon get rid of hazards for it.
  • Grass types like Celebi appreciate how Arcanine checks bugs and steels like Scizor, Beedrill-Mega and Aggron-Mega and in turn handle water types.
  • Water types themselves also help in forcing out the various Rock and Ground types that threaten Arcanine. Combined with grasses, they form a good defensive core.
  • Arcanine is a physical wall and as such special walls like Blissey can form a good core. In particular, most water type attacks are special so these special walls are helpful in tanking them.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============

  • Arcanine is just 100% outclassed offensively by the other faster, stronger and more versatile Fire-type breakers like Infernape and Entiei, so in spite of having a large offensive move pool, don't run it offensively.
  • Roar allows it to stop set up sweepers and phaze foes, and ensures that Arcanine is not set up on by mons like Suicune.
  • Since a lot of its checks use U-Turn on it, Rocky Helmet could be used to punish them. Do keep in mind that considering how easily worn down it is, it really misses leftovers recovery.

Checks and Counters
===================

**Residual Damage**: Between hazards, Flare Blitz recoil and various hits, Arcanine is easily worn down, exacerbated by its poor recovery. Toxic in particular can really put it on a timer, and Stealth Rock chips off a huge 25% every time it switches in.

**Water-types**: Bulky waters such as Suicune and Alomomola pretty much come in for free, though they despise Toxic and must fear Wild Charge. Offensive waters such as Primarina, Sharpedo-Mega and Starmie easily force it out.

**Rock-types**: Aerodactyl-Mega, Terrakion and Nihilego threaten it with their STABs as well. The former two dislike burns, however. Rock type coverage present on mons like Stone Edge on Infernape and Entei can harm Arcanine quite a bit.

**Ground-types**: Grounds like Nidoking, Zygarde-10% and Gliscor can hit it quite hard with their super effective STABs. However, many of them, such as Mamoswine and Zygarde-10%, dislike burns. Gliscor gets a special mention for being immune to burns and Toxic due to normally being poisoned with Toxic Orb. Ground-type coverage like Earthquake on Altaria-Mega and boosted Sceptile-Mega suck for it too.

**Dragon-Types**: Almost none of the Dragon-types in the tier have any issue with Arcanine. Mons like Hydregion and Haxorus come in for free and force it out. Many, such as Facade Altria-Mega and Latias-Mega can just set up for free. Toxic can punish Latias-Mega, however, and Will-O-Wisp cripples Haxorus not holding a Lum Berry.

**Snorlax**: Snorlax just sets up all over it and wins.

**Weather**: While Hippowdon hates burns and toxic and Abomasnow-Mega cannot 1v1 Arcanine in any case, the two set up sand and hail, respectively, cutting Arcanine's recovery to near useless levels.
 
Last edited:
amcheck, i'd recommend waiting to implement any of this until a QC member checks over it

Overview
  • Extreme Speed probably isn't worth mentioning here, since you almost never see it (since Arcanine is outclassed offensively) and you need Roar to stop shit like Suicune from setting up on you for free. Put it in OO or something.
  • Mention a couple of examples of Rock, Ground, and Water types, such as Terrakion, Hippowdon, and Rotom-W.
  • Why is Arcanine outclassed offensively by Entei and Infernape?
  • Mention that Moltres has better utility too with Defog.
Moves
  • You are missing the line for Morning Sun.
  • Again I probably wouldn't mention Extreme Speed here, since Roar is way too important to not get set up on.
Set Details
  • There's no reason to not run 16 Speed EVs on defensive Arcanine, it barely cuts into its bulk and Scizor doesn't even care about Arcanine if it just outspeeds and U-turns on it.
Usage Tips
  • Mention that after you pivot into Scizor and Cobalion, start spreading status since it's the best thing Arcanine can do most of the time.
Team Options
  • In Grass-types, in addition to Scizor mention Mega Beedrill and Mega Aggron here as well.
Checks and Counters
  • Mention a couple of offensive Water-types here. Ones that immediately come to mind here are Mega Sharpedo, Primarina, and Starmie.
  • I'd put Rock-types over Ground-types, since they counter Arcanine harder because they actually resist Flare Blitz.
  • Drill Run from Beedrill does basically nothing (max of 33%), probably not worth mentioning.
Good job dude
 

Deleted User 400951

Banned deucer.
amcheck, i'd recommend waiting to implement any of this until a QC member checks over it

Overview
  • Extreme Speed probably isn't worth mentioning here, since you almost never see it (since Arcanine is outclassed offensively) and you need Roar to stop shit like Suicune from setting up on you for free. Put it in OO or something.
  • Mention a couple of examples of Rock, Ground, and Water types, such as Terrakion, Hippowdon, and Rotom-W.
  • Why is Arcanine outclassed offensively by Entei and Infernape?
  • Mention that Moltres has better utility too with Defog.
Moves
  • You are missing the line for Morning Sun.
  • Again I probably wouldn't mention Extreme Speed here, since Roar is way too important to not get set up on.
Set Details
  • There's no reason to not run 16 Speed EVs on defensive Arcanine, it barely cuts into its bulk and Scizor doesn't even care about Arcanine if it just outspeeds and U-turns on it.
Usage Tips
  • Mention that after you pivot into Scizor and Cobalion, start spreading status since it's the best thing Arcanine can do most of the time.
Team Options
  • In Grass-types, in addition to Scizor mention Mega Beedrill and Mega Aggron here as well.
Checks and Counters
  • Mention a couple of offensive Water-types here. Ones that immediately come to mind here are Mega Sharpedo, Primarina, and Starmie.
  • I'd put Rock-types over Ground-types, since they counter Arcanine harder because they actually resist Flare Blitz.
  • Drill Run from Beedrill does basically nothing (max of 33%), probably not worth mentioning.
Good job dude
I actually just went ahead and implemented these because I had considered most of these when writing it up but only to think "nah it's not an important point" or some shit. Thanks!
 
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