There wasn't a thread on this guy, so I thought it worth making one to highlight one of my new favorite LC Pokemon.
Growlithe
Fire 55/ 70/ 45/ 70/ 50/ 60 Intimidate/Flash Fire/Justice Heart
Justice Heart: Raises Attack when hit with a Dark-type move.
Level-Up Moves:
Flame Burst: A Fire-type attack that has 70 base power and does splash damage in doubles. Worthless in Singles.
Vengeance: Doubles in power if you come in after a Pokemon on your team has fainted. Pretty nichey, so not any real general use. It would be useful it it hit before a foe switched and had a type that could actually hit super-effectively, so it could be like a better Pursuit, but no.
Egg Moves:
TM/HM Moves:
Overview: Growlithe has an excellent movepool. It's stats allow it to move quickly and hit on either end of the spectrum. It's Special movepool is lacking, consisting only of Fire moves and Hidden Power, but it gets some AMAZING physical moves, like Flare Blitz, Wild Bolt and CLOSE COMBAT. It just got real.
Choice Scarf
EVs: 76 HP/196 Atk/196 Spe
Nature: Jolly/Adamant or Naive/Lonely
Ability: Intimidate/Flash Fire
Flare Blitz
Wild Bolt
Close Combat
Crunch/Overheat/HP Ice
Growlithe makes an excellent CS user, with 16 Speed using Jolly and a good 16 Atk (17 with Adamant, but the extra Speed is generally better). Growlithe has amazing coverage, and deals out an impressive amount of damage. Flare Blitz is a very powerful STAB move, dishing out punishing damage to anything that doesn't resist it. Wild Bolt covers bulky waters (Bar Chinchou), and Close Combat is generally awesome, letting it slam Rock, Steel and Normal types for enormous damage. The final move is up to preference. Crunch nails Ghosts, though may be superfluous with Wild Bolt hitting Puruiuru. Overheat can be used as a powerful Special STAB to hit a physical wall on the switch (Like Gligar), while HP Ice is just for Gligar. For the ability, Flash Fire is generally better unless you specifically need Intimidate for something (Like you're using Growlithe to check Zuruggu with Close Combat). Otherwise, use Flash Fire.
Agility
Growlithe w/ Life Orb
EVs: 196 Atk, 148 Def, 36 SpD, 116 Spe or 196 Atk, 196 SpA, 116 Spe
Nature: Adamant/Lonely
Intimidate/Flash Fire
Flare Blitz
Close Combat/Overheat
Wild Bolt/Crunch/Overheat/HP Ice
Agility
This set nets Growlithe 28 Spe and 17 Atk. You can run straight-up Phyiscal sets, or go for a mixed set. Growlithe is REALLY fast after an Agility, but picking moves for him can be hard. The first set grants you some decent bulk, while the second allows you to go all-out attacker. Evo Stone can be considered with the first set, but generally isn't as good. Flash Fire is generally the better ability to grant you a switch-in and a power boost, but Intimidate has it's merits for forcing switches and giving you time to set up. So basically, Intimidate with the bulky set and Flash Fire with the power set.
Mixed LO Attacker
Growlithe w/ Life Orb
Nature: Naive
Flash Fire
EVs: 196 Atk, 196 SpA, 116 Spe
Fire Blast/Overheat
Close Combat
Crunch/Nitro Charge
HP Ice or Grass/Wild Bolt/Morning Sun
This Growlithe splits it's EVs to allow it to beat many of it's common counters. HP Ice or Overheat on the switch does a number to Gligar, while Close Combat beats Munchlax. Morning Sun is a real boon to Growlithe, as it allows you to heal up before going on another rampage. It doesn't work as well against Sandstorm teams, obviously, so Vulpix support is necessary if you choose to run Morning Sun. Wild Bolt allows you to hit Waters not named Chinchou, who screws you every way with this set unless you hit it with HP Grass on the switch.
Howl
Growlithe w/ Life Orb
Nature: Jolly
Flash Fire
196 Atk, 196 Spe, 76 HP
Flare Blitz
Wild Bolt
Close Combat
Howl
Growlithe
Fire 55/ 70/ 45/ 70/ 50/ 60 Intimidate/Flash Fire/Justice Heart
Justice Heart: Raises Attack when hit with a Dark-type move.
Level-Up Moves:
Lv1: Bite, Lv1: Roar, Lv6: Ember, Lv9: Leer, Lv14: Odor Sleuth, Lv17: Helping Hand, Lv20: Flame Wheel, Lv25: Reversal, Lv28: Fire Fang, Lv31: Flame Burst, Lv34: Take Down, Lv39: Flamethrower, Lv42: Agility, Lv45: Crunch, Lv48: Vengeance, Lv51: Heat Wave, Lv56: Flare Blitz
Flame Burst: A Fire-type attack that has 70 base power and does splash damage in doubles. Worthless in Singles.
Vengeance: Doubles in power if you come in after a Pokemon on your team has fainted. Pretty nichey, so not any real general use. It would be useful it it hit before a foe switched and had a type that could actually hit super-effectively, so it could be like a better Pursuit, but no.
Egg Moves:
Body Slam
Crunch
Thrash
Fire Spin
Howl
Heat Wave
Double-Edge
Flare Blitz
Morning Sun
Covet
Iron Tail
Double Kick
Close Combat F*** YES!!!
Crunch
Thrash
Fire Spin
Howl
Heat Wave
Double-Edge
Flare Blitz
Morning Sun
Covet
Iron Tail
Double Kick
Close Combat F*** YES!!!
TM/HM Moves:
TM05 - Roar, TM06 - Toxic, TM10 - Hidden Power, TM11 - Sunny Day, TM17 - Protect, TM20 - Safeguard, TM21 - Frustration, TM27 - Return, TM28 - Dig, TM32 - Double Team, TM35 - Flamethower, TM38 - Fire Blast , TM40 - Aerial Ace, TM42 - Facade, TM43 - Nitro Charge, TM44 - Rest, TM45 - Attract, TM46 - Thief, TM48 - Troll, TM50 - Overheat, TM59 - Complete Burn, TM61 - Will-O-Wisp, TM67 - Get Even, TM87 - Swagger, TM90 - Substitute, TM93 - Wild Bolt, TM94 - Rock Smash, TM95 - Back Out, HM04 - Strength
Overview: Growlithe has an excellent movepool. It's stats allow it to move quickly and hit on either end of the spectrum. It's Special movepool is lacking, consisting only of Fire moves and Hidden Power, but it gets some AMAZING physical moves, like Flare Blitz, Wild Bolt and CLOSE COMBAT. It just got real.
Choice Scarf
EVs: 76 HP/196 Atk/196 Spe
Nature: Jolly/Adamant or Naive/Lonely
Ability: Intimidate/Flash Fire
Flare Blitz
Wild Bolt
Close Combat
Crunch/Overheat/HP Ice
Growlithe makes an excellent CS user, with 16 Speed using Jolly and a good 16 Atk (17 with Adamant, but the extra Speed is generally better). Growlithe has amazing coverage, and deals out an impressive amount of damage. Flare Blitz is a very powerful STAB move, dishing out punishing damage to anything that doesn't resist it. Wild Bolt covers bulky waters (Bar Chinchou), and Close Combat is generally awesome, letting it slam Rock, Steel and Normal types for enormous damage. The final move is up to preference. Crunch nails Ghosts, though may be superfluous with Wild Bolt hitting Puruiuru. Overheat can be used as a powerful Special STAB to hit a physical wall on the switch (Like Gligar), while HP Ice is just for Gligar. For the ability, Flash Fire is generally better unless you specifically need Intimidate for something (Like you're using Growlithe to check Zuruggu with Close Combat). Otherwise, use Flash Fire.
Agility
Growlithe w/ Life Orb
EVs: 196 Atk, 148 Def, 36 SpD, 116 Spe or 196 Atk, 196 SpA, 116 Spe
Nature: Adamant/Lonely
Intimidate/Flash Fire
Flare Blitz
Close Combat/Overheat
Wild Bolt/Crunch/Overheat/HP Ice
Agility
This set nets Growlithe 28 Spe and 17 Atk. You can run straight-up Phyiscal sets, or go for a mixed set. Growlithe is REALLY fast after an Agility, but picking moves for him can be hard. The first set grants you some decent bulk, while the second allows you to go all-out attacker. Evo Stone can be considered with the first set, but generally isn't as good. Flash Fire is generally the better ability to grant you a switch-in and a power boost, but Intimidate has it's merits for forcing switches and giving you time to set up. So basically, Intimidate with the bulky set and Flash Fire with the power set.
Mixed LO Attacker
Growlithe w/ Life Orb
Nature: Naive
Flash Fire
EVs: 196 Atk, 196 SpA, 116 Spe
Fire Blast/Overheat
Close Combat
Crunch/Nitro Charge
HP Ice or Grass/Wild Bolt/Morning Sun
This Growlithe splits it's EVs to allow it to beat many of it's common counters. HP Ice or Overheat on the switch does a number to Gligar, while Close Combat beats Munchlax. Morning Sun is a real boon to Growlithe, as it allows you to heal up before going on another rampage. It doesn't work as well against Sandstorm teams, obviously, so Vulpix support is necessary if you choose to run Morning Sun. Wild Bolt allows you to hit Waters not named Chinchou, who screws you every way with this set unless you hit it with HP Grass on the switch.
Howl
Growlithe w/ Life Orb
Nature: Jolly
Flash Fire
196 Atk, 196 Spe, 76 HP
Flare Blitz
Wild Bolt
Close Combat
Howl
Other Options: Nitro Charge works, but generally Agility is better since you get +2 Speed as opposed to +1. A Sub set might be nice, perhaps being Specially-based, but the fact that Growlithe runs recoil moves and having to split your EVs makes it seem unappealing. I might put it up anyway though.OHKOs 252/252 Missy at +1 with LO Flare Blitz, OHKOs 252/252 Duskull with SR and Flare Blitz, OHKOs Houndour with Espeed and SR, OHKO Chinchou with Close Combat.
As a bonus, ghosts even get less back from Pain Split, due to recoil. So they can't outstall Flare Blitz.