RBY 4U (Under3U) Arcanine [GP Ready]

Arcanine
Type: Fire
Stats: 90 | 110 | 80 | 80 | 95

Introduction

Arcanine is one of the best leads in 4U and is a good pokemon in general. It outspeeds most of the tier with good physical and special power. It’s okay with taking paralysis since it means it can block sleep from Venomoth. It 2HKOs most leads (bar Blastoise and Omastar), meaning it forces them out easily. The problem is that switching into Arcanine isn’t too difficult, making it sometimes limited. It competes with the other 4U Fire type Rapidash that has access to Fire Spin, but Arcanine has better stats except speed. If you’re not interested in a move like Fire Spin, you have little reason not to run the dog.

Standard

Arcanine
- Fire Blast
- Body Slam
- Hyper Beam
- Rest / Agility

Set Details

Fire Blast is your most powerful STAB, hitting hard everything that doesn’t resist it. Body Slam is the most spammable physical attack that can also paralyse. Hyper Beam finishes off weakened pokemon that resist Fire moves, and notably OHKOs Abra. For the last moveslot, Rest can give longevity to Arcanine thanks to its good bulk and help it win Fire-types dittos, while Agility can be used to negate the speed drop from paralysis.

Other Options

Flamethrower provides an accurate STAB for fully reliable damage and extra PP. Reflect improves Arcanine’s match-up against other Fire types. Leer help Arcanine break Rest Arcanine, as well as unparalyzed Porygon and Staryu by softening their defense enough to outpace their recovery.

Checks and Counters

Blastoise and Omastar are the only leads who forces Arcanine out, and are also the best checks in general, notably Omastar. Switching out to one of them or Porygon if your lead has a bad match-up are your best options, though if Porygon gets burnt on the switch it can be in the range of another Fire Blast. Critical hits can happen too 18.9% of the time. Sometimes, your opponent will even immediately switch out to Venomoth to have an early sleep advantage. Slowpoke can come in and threaten to paralyze and set up but has to be careful of Arcanine’s power and crit rate. Paralysing it usually with Porygon, or Venomoth on a switch helps handling it. Nidoking can then pressure Arcanine but hates a potential burn from Fire Blast. Same goes with Nidoqueen of course. Chipping it with Venomoth by using Psychic here and there also is a good way of gradually taking it down.

 

I'd probably move flamethrower to a set mention or OO, I think Agility and Rest are both good uses of the slot but flamethrower is a bit of a waste (although I see the appeal and why one would run it)

Also doesn't arcanine 2HKO porygon or at least come close? So you wouldn't really use leer to help break it.

'Slowpoke can come in and threaten to paralyze'

great analysis