Hisuian Arcanine – The Fiery Legend of Ancient Hisui

Hisuian Arcanine is a dual Fire and Rock-type pokemon introduced in Pokemon Legends: Arceus. When you encounter this pokemon in the wild or evolve Hisuian Growlithe, it will be around level 36. Read on as we fully explore this powerful ancient variant – from stats and performance to how to obtain and use Hisuian Arcanine effectively in battle.

Overview – A Fierce Fire/Rock Type

As a Fire/Rock type, Hisuian Arcanine gains strengths against Bug, Ice, Fire, Flying and more. However, it also accumulates 4x weaknesses to Water, Fighting, Ground, and Steel moves which can really put it on the back foot in battle.

Making sure to have coverage moves like Wild Charge is crucial to hit back against these common attacking types. With the right moveset, Hisuian Arcanine can be a formidable force, but you’ll need to be cautious of its glaring weaknesses.

Evolution and Acquisition – Growlithe’s Fiery Evolution

Hisuian Arcanine evolves from Hisuian Growlithe when exposed to a Fire Stone. Growlithe can be found in the Obsidian Fieldlands, but obtaining that important Fire Stone requires completing a request for Ginter in Jubilife Village first.

Once you have the item, simply use it on Growlithe once it reaches level 36 and you’ll have yourself a Hisuian Arcanine ready for battle! I‘d recommend catching a high level Hisuian Growlithe and evolving it yourself – it‘s very rewarding to train and evolve your own pokemon.

Alternatively, you can take on Hisuian Arcanine as a Noble Pokemon at level 36 in PLA. Defeating it is no easy task, but gives you the chance to catch this powerful pokemon without evolving your own Growlithe.

Stats and Performance – A Fierce Fighter

Hisuian Arcanine has excellent base stats that outpace the original Arcanine in several areas:

• 130 Attack: Hits extremely hard with moves like Flare Blitz
• 95 Speed: Outpaces most unboosted pokemon
• 100 HP: Gives it good bulk to take hits

However, Hisuian Arcanine does lose out on the invaluable Intimidate ability which made Arcanine a top competitive pick over the years.

Here’s how Hisuian Arcanine stacks up against other notable Fire types:

Pokemon	HP	Atk	Def	SpA	SpD	Spe	Total
Hisuian Arcanine	100	130	80	95	80	95	580
Arcanine	90	110	80	100	80	95	555
Typhlosion	78	84	78	109	85	100	534
Magmortar	75	95	67	125	95	83	540

While its stats are excellent, Hisuian Arcanine faces competition as a Fire/Rock type from picks like Typhlosion and Magmortar who sport better movepools and abilities. With the right coverage however, Hisuian Arcanine can still devastate teams.

Moveset – Wild Charge and More

Hisuian Arcanine has access to a range of strong STAB and coverage moves:

• Flare Blitz: Excellent Fire STAB move with 130 power
• Wild Charge: Coverage to beat Water types that wall it
• Stone Edge: Strong Rock STAB that hits Ice types hard
• Play Rough: Handles Fighting and Dark types with ease
• Extreme Speed: Lets it pick off weakened foes

Having Wild Charge in particular is crucial to handle those 4x weak Water-types that Hisuian Arcanine struggles against. Stopping at the Move Shop to pick it up is highly recommended.

With its power and speed, Hisuian Arcanine can overwhelm opponents and even sweep teams once weakened pokemon and counters are removed. But watch out for those super effective attacks – they can quickly put you on the back foot if unprepared.

Shiny Hisuian Arcanine – A Rare Red Rogue

The shiny version of Hisuian Arcanine is highly coveted due to its dark red coloration – a very different look from the usual orange fur. Unfortunately, shiny Hisuian Growlithe is encountered extremely rarely, making farming for a shiny Hisuian Arcanine a lengthy process.

However, the payoff is worth it. Just imagine sending out your shiny pokemon with black legs, tail, and mane contrasting the deep red fur. It looks incredibly imposing, living up to its title as a mystic creature of ancient Hisui. If you’re lucky enough to find one, be sure to show it off!

Hisuian Arcanine in Competitive Pokemon

While often outclassed by other Fire or Rock types, Hisuian Arcanine has found a niche in competitive play thanks to its imposing power:

• In OU, it has carved out an offensive role with its speed and heavy hits. Wild Charge gives pivotal coverage to beat Water types like Toxapex.

• In UU, it has seen more widespread use with its STAB moves chunking the tier. It beats out Chandelure as the strongest Fire type in the tier.

• In VGC, Hisuian Arcanine has seen usage on hyper offensive teams. Next to a Ground type, it can overwhelm unprepared teams with its high damage output spread across two STAB types.

While not top tier competitively, Hisuian Arcanine‘s sheer power lets it succeed when supported well. Here are some sample teammates that have worked well with it in past metagames:

• Tapu Fini: Handles Ground and Fire types. Helps keep Arcanine healthy.

• Tangrowth: Checks Water and Fighting types. Can set up Tailwind.

• Kartana: Deals with Water types. Appreciates Arcanine‘s Fire attacks.

Hisuian Arcanine Trading Cards

Hisuian Arcanine has received powerful cards in the Pokemon TCG that capture its ferocious strength:

• Hisuian Arcanine V: Showcases the Raging Fire ability for big damage.

• Hisuian Arcanine VMAX: Can deal a monstrous 290 damage when fully powered up!

The artwork on these cards is fantastic as well, portraying Hisuian Arcanine as an imposing beast shrouded in flames. Both the V and VMAX will be highly desired by collectors thanks to the popularity of this Pokemon.

Hisuian Arcanine in Pokemon Go

In Pokemon Go, Hisuian Arcanine is set to be one of the strongest non-legendary pokemon. According to projections, it will excel in Master League thanks to:

• High CP ceiling to compete with legendaries and mega evolutions

• Wild Charge to crush Water types like Kyogre and Palkia

• Excellent bulk to withstand charged attacks

Trainers who manage to obtain a high IV Hisuian Arcanine will have a meta-defining pokemon for Master League battles. Make sure to use Elite TMs to get Wild Charge onto your pokemon!

FAQ

What are Hisuian Arcanine‘s weaknesses?

As a Fire/Rock type, Hisuian Arcanine takes 4x damage from Water, Ground, Fighting and Steel moves. Coverage like Wild Charge helps offset this.

What nature is best for Hisuian Arcanine?

Adamant or Jolly to boost its Attack and Speed are ideal. Watch out for natures that lower its defenses though.

Should I use Hisuian Arcanine over regular Arcanine?

It depends! Hisuian Arcanine hits harder but loses useful resistances. Consider the meta and your team‘s needs when choosing between them.

How does Hisuian Arcanine perform compared to other Fire types?

Very well! It eclipses pokemon like Magmortar and Chandelure as the strongest Fire type in lower tiers thanks to its stats and movepool.

Is Hisuian Arcanine worth using competitively?

Absolutely! While not top tier, it carves out roles on offensive teams in OU and UU thanks to its power and speed. Proper support helps it shine.

Conclusion

I hope this comprehensive guide has helped showcase why Hisuian Arcanine has quickly become a fan favorite pokemon from Legends: Arceus. With its new dual Fire/Rock typing, imposing stats, and savage moveset this ancient variant brings a fun new spin to the classic Arcanine formula.

While it faces stiff competition as a Fire and Rock type attacker, Hisuian Arcanine still finds success in competitive play thanks to its sheer power. And its unique red shiny form remains one of the most coveted Hisuian shinies to show off.

Whether unleashing it against your friends or sweating ranked matches, Hisuian Arcanine is sure to have a lasting impact as a standout addition from the Hisui region. This fiery beast evokes the savage mystique of ancient pokemon legends – and I can‘t wait to see how else it leaves its mark on the Pokemon world going forward!