Arcanine
VGC Guide
Arcanine is one of the most underrated Intimidate support Pokémon in VGC: Intimidate lowers both opponents' Attack by one stage on entry, and Will-O-Wisp further reduces a burned target’s physical damage output by 50%. Combined, a burned Intimidated Pokémon deals only 33% of its original physical damage — dramatically extending the lifespan of bulky teammates.
Intimidate + Will-O-Wisp: Double Attack Suppression
Intimidate drops Attack by one stage (×0.67), then burn halves physical damage output to 50%. Combined, the target’s effective physical damage drops to only 33% of its original value (0.67 × 0.50 ≈ 0.33). Against physical threats like Iron Hands, Annihilape, or Incineroar, this suppression nearly eliminates their offensive threat and lets bulky teammates survive significantly longer.
Extreme Speed + Flare Blitz: Priority and Field Pivoting
Extreme Speed at priority +2 lets Arcanine finish off low-HP targets even after Tailwind expires. Flare Blitz provides high-power Fire STAB at 120 BP with recoil. Helping Hand amplifies the partner’s next move by ×1.5, making it a high-efficiency support option. Arcanine’s base 95 Speed lets it act first in most non-boosted environments, ensuring Intimidate triggers at the most critical moment.
EV Spreads
Team Partners
Koraidon sets sun, boosting Arcanine’s Fire moves by 50% (Flare Blitz in sun reaches effective 270 BP). Arcanine covers Koraidon’s fighting and dark weaknesses. Double Intimidate with Incineroar provides near-complete physical attack suppression across an entire game.
Gholdengo absorbs Fairy moves that Arcanine is neutral to, while Arcanine’s Fire STAB complements Gholdengo’s Ghost and Steel coverage. Gholdengo’s Good as Gold blocks status moves targeting itself, freeing Arcanine’s Will-O-Wisp for opponent physical threats.
Tornadus’ Flying type is immune to Earthquake friendly fire and sets Tailwind to boost Arcanine’s 95 Speed further. Thunder Wave from Tornadus combines with Arcanine’s Intimidate + Will-O-Wisp for a nearly complete physical attack suppression system.
After Arcanine suppresses physical attackers, Slowking or Slowbro provides special defense tanking. Arcanine handles physical attack suppression while Slowking handles special defense — forming a balanced defensive core that covers both damage types.
How to Counter Arcanine
Arcanine is 2× weak to Water moves. Rain team Surf, Water Spout, or Origin Pulse in rain easily OHKO. Kyogre and Palafin are particularly dangerous, as their Water moves are rain-boosted and Arcanine has no Water resistance.
Earthquake from Garchomp or Landorus-Therian hits Arcanine for 2× damage in doubles. Arcanine’s partner must be Flying-immune or hold Air Balloon to avoid friendly-fire Earthquake while Arcanine is on the field.
Pokémon with Flash Fire are completely immune to Arcanine’s Fire moves and gain a Fire power boost. Incineroar has Flash Fire and can switch into Flare Blitz freely, nullifying Arcanine’s main damage while setting up Intimidate in return.
Defiant raises Attack +2 when stats are lowered (Annihilape, Braviary), turning Arcanine’s Intimidate into a liability. Inner Focus prevents flinching but does not counter Intimidate directly. Teams with Defiant Pokémon must be respected carefully.