With around 400 Pokémons available to catch in total, Paldea offers a wide range of all types for you to choose from. So, it can be a little overwhelming when picking who to catch for your team.
That’s why I’ve come up with a list of the 5 best Fire-type Pokémon in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet so that you can make sure you’re getting the best fit for your playthrough.
1. Skeledirge
First, we have a rather predictable pick in Skeledirge, the final evolution of the starter Pokémon for a Coco. It would always be good, given that it’s a starter, but I’ve been using one, and they’re genuinely brilliant.
Its base total is 530, excelling in special attack and physical defence. Its physical attack, special defence and speed are all pretty low, but it makes up for that with its 104 HP.
Trust me, this thing does not go down easily. What makes it even more sturdy, though, is its dual ghost typing, making it immune to normal and fighting attacks. The only slightly annoying thing is that it has great physical defence and is not special.
It’d be even better if those were flipped, but it’s only a minor thing I dislike. Skeledirge’s moveset whilst levelling up is also stellar, with it learning flamethrower at level 32 and shadow ball at level 38.
It also has two absolutely insane moves that complement its high special attack. Upon evolving, it also learns its signature move, Torch Song, which is 80 base damage and 100% accuracy. So, you have plenty of options in terms of attacks to choose from.
2. Ceruledge and Armarouge
Now we’ll move on to our next pick for trainers with either quaxly or sprigatito. Ceruledge and Armarouge easily claim a spot on our list as a dual entry as they’re the counterpart to each other with Ceruledge being available in Pokemon Viola and Armarouge being available in Pokemon Scarlet.
They have a base stat total of 525, so they are a little weaker than Skeledirge, but they make up for it with their stat splits. Ceruledge has an incredible 125 attack stat, with Armarouge having the same but forced special attack.
This makes them both elite offensive Pokemon in their own right. But that’s not all they’ve got more, as Ceruledge has a very respectable base 100 special defence, and Armarouge has the same but in physical defence.
The rest of their stats are somewhat mediocre, which I guess is understandable. They’re both incredible choices for any team and are easy to find, as the pre-evolution character is near enough everywhere around Paldea.
Once you find one, though, you will have to grind a little bit to evolve it as you’re required to collect 10 Sinister Chips, which you then have to give to an NPC in Zappa Piko, who will give you the respective armour that you need to evolve Charter.
If you need a fire type with a great second typing in either Ghost or Psychic, then you must use Ceruledge or Armarouge. They’re great in the game, and they also look fantastic.
3. Volcarona
Volcarona is a Pokémon you probably haven’t used much before Generation 9. It’s mainly because it is not widely available and evolving at the ridiculously high level of 59.
But this has all changed in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. Well, not the level it evolves, but just how easy it is to find. You can get a Larvesta as early as the Asado Desert, and with the constant full team XP share, it will fly up levels in no time.
Volcarona is also a great addition to your team, with a dual bug and fire type, which is much better than it sounds and a base stat total of a crazy 550. This is an absolute special tank with 135 special attacks and 105 special defence.
It also has good speed as well. So it could mop up if you say it up right. It only has three weaknesses to water, flying and a quad weakness to rock and it also resists six types, making it pretty bulky to take out.
What’s even cooler about Volcarona in Gen 9 is that it has a full paradox.
4. Iron Moth
However, the only one we’re concerned with is Iron Moth, which is exclusive to Pokemon Violet, and this is because it keeps its fire type, whereas its Scarlet version doesn’t. Iron Moth is a fire and poison type with a base stat total of 570, so 20 overall higher than Volcarona.
The stat differences aren’t huge, but the new poison typing adds two more resistances. Even though you can only catch one of these at the end of your playthrough, I still had to include it as it’s one of the best fire types.
So once you’re done in Paldea, make sure to pick one of these up and try it out; it won’t disappoint.
5. Chi-Yu
Chi-Yu is the first and only legendary on the list and is insanely powerful for such a small little guy. It originally had a 580 base stat total until patch 1.01, which was nerfed down to 570. But interestingly, the only stat affected was its insanely high 145 special attacks, which was reduced to 135.
As mentioned earlier, Chi-yu’s stat spread is similar to Volcarona’s, with 135 special attacks, 120 special defences, and 100 speed. So both are more than capable of filling the role of a special machine in your team.
With a dual typing of fire and dark, Chi-Yu is weak to 4 types and resistant to 5, so not the best, but that dark typing does make it completely immune to psychic attacks. It also learns many great moves via level-ups, such as dark poles, lava plumes and overheating. So this thing can hit seriously hard.
The only issue with Chi-Yu is that it’s pretty hard to obtain, and there’s only one. So you won’t get one until a little later in the game, but if you need a fire type for online battling, Chi-Yu should definitely be considered.
6. Arcanine
Last, we have an old-school favourite, one of the greatest Pokemon ever, Arcanine. Ever since generation 1, this thing has been a great member of any team with an unbelievable base that’s all of 555.
There isn’t anything that Arcanine can’t do. It’s pretty fast with its 95 base speed and hits very hard with its 110 physical attack and 100 special. But not only that, it has respectable stats in every other area, with 90 HP and 80 for both physical and special defense.
This makes Arcanine one of the safest options when planning a team, as it’s so versatile. Growlithe is also extremely easy to find early game, and all you need to do to evolve it is get a Firestone, which you can find either on the ground by picking up Pokeballs or Sparkles. And if you’ve beaten the third gym, you can simply buy one from Deli Bird Presence for 3000 Poker Dollars.
It is that easy. There’s a reason Arcanine is so beloved in the Pokemon community, and in Generation 9, it’s a very solid choice to be your Fire Type.
