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The 20 Best Fire-Type Pokemon

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The 20 Best Fire-Type Pokemon

The Pokémon series’ predictability is the franchise’s greatest strength and one of its greatest weaknesses, with fans split on the issue of stagnation versus familiarity. Truthfully, the consistency across Pokémon generations and their games results in fans having reliable expectations for what they’ll experience, including the types of starters that they’ll have access to. Every Pokémon game gives players a choice between one of three starters, choosing their initial Pokémon based on whether they want to go with Grass, Water, or Fire-Type. When it comes to the series’ consistency, Fire-Type Pokémon are one of the most reliable choices for starters thanks to their power in the early-to-mid game and their relative growth potential into the late game and competitive play. The best of these Fire-Type Pokémon are so versatile as to remain a fixture in players’ teams until each game’s conclusion.

20. Magmortar

Pokemon artwork
  • Debut Game — Pokemon Platinum
  • Best Moves — Ember, Flame Wheel, Fire Punch, Lava Plume, Flamethrower, Fire Blast, Hyper Beam
  • Weaknesses — Ground, Rock, Water

While Magby would be introduced way back in Gen II courtesy of Pokémon Gold and Silver, it wouldn’t be until much later in Gen IV that its final evolution, Magmortar, would arrive and solidify the Pokémon’s place as one of the greatest Fire-Types in the franchise. Magmortar is an excellent Fire-Type Pokémon with impressive Special Attack stats that only falls a bit short of other Fire-Types due to its relative lack of defense. Essentially, Magmortar is the classic “Glass Cannon”, capable of dishing out large amounts of damage but far less effective at enduring it. That said, Magmortar’s decent Speed stats give it enough initiative to almost always attack first, and sometimes that’s all it takes to emerge victorious.

19. Ceruledge

Pokemon artwork
  • Debut Game — Pokemon Scarlet and Violet
  • Best Moves — Ember, Fire Spin, Flame Charge, Incinerate, Lava Plume, Bitter Blade, Flare Blitz
  • Weaknesses — Dark, Ghost, Ground, Rock, Water

Ceruledge is the Pokémon Violet-exclusive evolution of Charcadet, and it ends up being the superior version-exclusive evolution of the Fire-Type Pokémon thanks to the powerful Bitter Blade move. Bitter Blade is perhaps Ceruledge’s single best move, dealing plenty of damage (especially against Pokémon with Fire weakness) and healing Ceruledge for 50% of the damage it deals. It also doesn’t hurt that Ceruledge has some pretty amazing stats and access to plenty of other powerful Fire-Type moves, making this Fire and Dark-Type Pokémon one of the best in the Paldea region.

18. Talonflame

Pokemon artwork
  • Debut Game — Pokemon X and Y
  • Best Moves — Flame Charge, Flare Blitz, Ember, Brave Bird
  • Weaknesses — Electric, Rock, Water

Talonflame is the final evolution of the unassuming Fletching, transforming the Flying and Normal-Type Pokémon into a supremely powerful Fire-Type attacker that has some respectable stats as well. Its retention of the ability to use Flying-Type moves along with its roster of powerful Fiure-Type attacks makes Talonflame one of the many dual threats on this list, and its Speed and ability to Burn opponents on contact only add to the appeal of keeping the Pokémon in your bench. That said, Talonflame is exceedingly weak to Rock-Type moves, meaning players should only use the Pokémon in scenarios where such moves aren’t even a possibility.

17. Victini

Pokemon artwork
  • Debut Game — Pokemon Black and White
  • Best Moves — V-create, Flame Charge, Incinerate, Inferno, Searing Shot, Flare Blitz, Overheat
  • Weaknesses — Dark, Ghost, Ground, Rock, Water

Aside from it being an excellent Fire-Type for use in the base game, Victini is also one of the more popular Fire-Types used in competitive play thanks to its versatility and lack of guaranteed checks. Victini’s unique stat distribution (which sees the Pokémon have 100 points in each stat rather than excelling in any one) results in it being a “jack of all trades”, and its dual Psychic and Fire-Type moveset makes it stand out in comparison to other popular Fire-Type teammates. Though it might not look as fearsome as some of the other best Fire-Type Pokémon, don’t let Victini’s appearance fool you — it’s a force to be reckoned with on the battlefield.

16. Rotom Heat

Pokemon artwork
  • Debut Game — Pokemon Platinum
  • Best Moves — Overheat
  • Weaknesses — Rock, Water

As the only dual Fire and Electric-Type Pokémon in the series, Rotom Heat stands out thanks to a virtual lack of any real weaknesses that other Fire-Type Pokémon share. That alone would make it one of the better Fire-Types in the series, but thankfully Rotom Heat has some other tricks up its sleeve aside from its excellent defense. Thanks to Rotom Heat’s access to Electric-Type moves, the Pokémon is one of the few Fire-Types that has reliable offensive options for use against Water-Type Pokémon, and its impressive Defense and Special Defense stats make it capable of withstanding powerful Water-Type moves long enough to dish out some punishment of its own.

15. Skeledirge

Pokemon artwork
  • Debut Game — Pokemon Scarlet and Violet
  • Best Moves — Ember, Torch Song, Incinerate, Flamethrower, Fire Blast, Overheat
  • Weaknesses — Dark, Ghost, Ground, Rock, Water

Fuecoco is arguably one of the best starter Pokémon in Scarlet and Violet thanks to how easily it lets players breeze through the first parts of the early game, and its evolutionary path only serves to solidify its place as one of the best Fire-Types in the series. Skeledirge, Fuecoco’s final evolution, is a powerhouse attacker with access to some excellent Fire and Ghost-Type moves, with plenty of them receiving Stat Bonuses to make them even more effective. Accordingly, Skeledirge’s impressive Special Attack stat results in many of its best moves being decisive actions in any battle it’s used in, and it might be the best of Scarlet and Violet‘s starters to carry into the endgame.

14. Infernape

Pokemon artwork
  • Debut Game — Pokemon Diamond and Pearl
  • Best Moves — Ember, Flame Wheel, Fire Spin, Flare Blitz, Raging Fury
  • Weaknesses — Fighting, Ground, Psychic, Water

Infernape’s presence as a longtime player favorite makes perfect sense given its excellent design and incredible utility in combat. This dual Fighting and Fire-Type Pokémon has a plethora of excellent (and versatile) moves at its disposal that are only further enhanced by its respectable Attack and Special Attack stats. And with the Nasty Plot move in its arsenal, Infernape can increase its Speed enough to outmaneuver and outlast even the sturdiest of defensive opponents, making it a great team member to have well into the endgame.

13. Moltres

Pokemon artwork
  • Debut Game — Pokemon Red and Blue
  • Best Moves — Ember, Incinerate, Heat Wave, Overheat, Sky Attack
  • Weaknesses — Electric, Rock, Water

Making its debut all the way back in Gen I as one of the original Legendary Pokémon, Moltres still stands tall (or is it flies high?) as one of the best Fire-Type Pokémon in the series more than 25 years later. Moltres’ strong suit is undeniably its impressive Attack and Special Attack stats, which result in all of its normal and special moves hitting incredibly hard and fast before opponents even have the chance to react. Aside from a handful of explorable weaknesses, Moltres is also a sturdy combatant that has a wider variety of resistances than most other Fire-Types.

12. Heatran

Pokemon artwork
  • Debut Game — Pokemon Diamond and Pearl
  • Best Moves — Fire Spin, Fire Fang, Lava Plume, Heat Wave, Magma Storm
  • Weaknesses — Fighting, Ground, Water

Heatran continues to be one of the most popular Fire-Type Pokémon used in competitive play, and for good reason. In addition to some incredibly powerful moves that can break down all but the most rock-solid defenses, Heatran’s own resistances can help it withstand attacks that might decimate other Fire-Types on our list. In particular, the Magma Storm move is an incredibly powerful attack that can dish out some truly staggering damage over multiple turns. Triggering Magma Storm and then using multiple turns to debuff and debilitate opponents while they take regular fire damage is just one of the many reasons to keep Heatran at the ready in Pokémon games where it makes an appearance.

11. Volcarona

Pokemon artwork
  • Debut Game — Pokemon Black and White
  • Best Moves — Firey Dance, Ember, Flame Charge, Flare Blitz, Fire Spin, Flame Wheel, Heat Wave, Fire Blast
  • Weaknesses — Flying, Rock, Water

The dual Bug and Fire-Type Volcarona is one of the few Bug-Type Pokémon that is resistant to Fire-Type attacks. Its stat distribution and moveset only serve to further underline how valuable the Pokémon is as a team member. As the evolved form of Larvesta, Volcarona would make its debut as part of Gen V but not reach its full potential until Gen VIII. The introduction of Heavy Boots as a holdable item makes Volcarona virtually unstoppable, allowing it to check otherwise unstoppable opponents. After, Volcarona can put its high Attack and Special Attack stats to work using ultra-powerful Bug and Fire-Type moves.

10. Charizard

Pokemon artwork
  • Debut Game — Pokemon Red and Blue
  • Best Moves — Heat Wave, Ember, Fire Fang, Flamethrower, Fire Spin, Inferno, Flare Blitz
  • Weaknesses — Electric, Rock, Water

One of the most iconic and recognizable Pokémon in the franchise, Charizard has remained a fixture of the Pokémon series for more than a quarter-century. Aside from its excellent design, Charizard remains a fan favorite thanks to its powerful moves and evolutionary potential. The final evolution of Gen I starter Charmander, Charizard is powerful on its own but only increases to one of the best Fire-Types (and, truthfully, best Pokémon period) after its evolution into the Mega Charizard X and Y forms. Arguably, Mega Charizard Y is the superior form, with its high offensive capabilities and Speed. That said, even the regular form of Charizard is nothing to scoff at.

9. Entei

Pokemon artwork
  • Debut Game — Pokemon Gold and Silver
  • Best Moves — Ember, Sacred Fire, Flame Wheel, Fire Fang, Lava Plume, Fire Blast, Eruption
  • Weaknesses — Ground, Rock, Water

Entei is a Gen II Fire-Type powerhouse that remains one of the best Legendary Pokémon from that era. What separates Entei from a lot of other Fire-Types on this list is its presence as a monotype. Ultimately, if rounding out a team with a pure Fire-Type Pokémon, you could do much worse than Entei. In addition to its long list of powerful and effective moves, Entei has some impressive Attack and Speed stats that allow it to act first and hit hard before opponents can respond.

8. Incineroar

Pokemon artwork
  • Debut Game — Pokemon Sun and Moon
  • Best Moves — Ember, Fire Fang, Flamethrower, Thrash, Flare Blitz
  • Weaknesses — Fighting, Ground, Rock, Water

Like Skeledirge before it, Incineroar is the final evolution of one of its debut game’s starters, Litten. Litten starts off as being one of the better options in Pokémon Sun and Moon thanks to its ability to steamroll most opponents in the early game, and its evolution into Torracat and then Incineroar only serves to further highlight its potential. What Incineroar lacks in Speed it more than makes up for in Attack, resulting in many of the dual Dark and Fire-Type Pokémon’s best moves being capable of wiping out opponents in a single turn. And, if that weren’t enough, Incineroar’s use of Intimidate makes it a must-have for fights against multiple opponents.

7. Cinderace

Pokemon artwork
  • Debut Game — Pokemon Sword and Shield
  • Best Moves — Ember, Pyro Ball, Flame Charge, Double-Edge
  • Weaknesses — Ground, Rock, Water

Yet another final evolution of a Fire-Type starter, Cinderace is the ultimate form of Pokémon Sword and Shield‘s Scorbunny. Scorbunny, just like Fuecoco and Litten, is already a powerful starter that can easily carry players through the early game. Accordingly, its final evolution is an excellent choice for any mid-to-late game team composition in Pokémon Sword and Shield, further backed up by its excellent moveset. While some would readily choose other Fire-Types over the dual Fire and Fighting-Type Cinderace, the ultra-powerful Pyro Ball move makes it worth an inclusion all on its own.

6. Gouging Fire

Pokemon artwork
  • Debut Game — Pokemon Scarlet and Violet
  • Best Moves — Incinerate, Fire Fang, Fire Blast, Lava Plume, Outrage, Flare Blitz, Raging Fury
  • Weaknesses — Dragon, Ground, Rock

The Legendary Pokémon Gouging Fire is an ancient version of the already powerful Entei made all the more powerful thanks to its dual Fire and Dragon-Type classification. Traditionally one of the more powerful Dual-Typings in the franchise, Gouging Fire is no exception. Its incredibly high Attack and Defense stats result in the Pokémon being able to withstand just as much damage as it’s capable of dishing out, and a laundry list of incredible moves make it effective against just about every type of Pokémon and vulnerable to only a few select types.

5. Ogerpon Hearthflame Mask

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  • Debut Game — Pokemon Scarlet and Violet
  • Best Moves — Vine Whip, Horn Leech, Ivy Cudgel, Power Whip, Wood Hammer
  • Weaknesses — Flying, Poison, Rock

Like Gouging Fire, Ogerpon and its three mask-wearing variants were introduced as part of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet‘s The Teal Mask DLC. Regardless of its relative newness to the series, though, Ogerpon makes a great first impression as one of the best Fire-Types in the series thanks to its Hearthflame Mask variant. While wearing the Hearthflame Mask, Ogerpon is both one of the only Grass and Fire-Type Pokémon in the series, having a wide selection of resistances that make it virtually unstoppable except when facing off against a few select opponents.

4. Mega Blaziken

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  • Debut Game — Pokemon X and Y
  • Best Moves — Fire Punch, Ember, Flamethrower, Blaze Kick, Flame Charge, Flare Blitz, Brave Bird
  • Weaknesses — Flying, Ground, Psychic, Water

Depending on who you ask, the regular form of Blaziken is more than deserving of a spot on a list of best Fire-Type Pokémon. However, there’s little arguing against the inclusion of its superior Mega form, with Mega Blaziken taking the already great Pokémon to a whole new echelon of greatness. Regardless, Blaziken has one of the best innate abilities in the series, able to increase its own Speed by one level at the end of each turn. In battles with more than one opponent, Blaziken is a fantastic sweeper that can easily wipe out multiple Pokémon without them ever getting a chance to act, which is made all the more possible thanks to a great selection of Fire and Fighting-Type moves.

3. Reshiram

Pokemon artwork
  • Debut Game — Pokemon Black and White
  • Best Moves — Fire Fang, Flamethrower, Fusion Flare, Fire Blast, Outrage, Blue Flare
  • Weaknesses — Dragon, Ground, Rock

Like Gouging Fire, Reshiram is another of the Pokémon series’ incredibly powerful Fire/Dragon-Type Pokémon. Thanks to its offensive-typing and high Special Attack stats, some of its moves (in particular, Blue Flare) rank as some of the most powerful in the series, especially when combined with the Stat Bonus that Reshiram gets from using them. In general, Reshiram’s stats are some of the best of any Fire-Type Pokémon. With a 680 stat total and ultra-powerful moves that can melt through weaker Pokémon, Reshiram earns its Legendary distinction.

2. Ho-Oh

Pokemon artwork
  • Debut Game — Pokemon Gold and Silver
  • Best Moves — Sacred Fire, Fire Blast, Sky Attack, Overheat
  • Weaknesses — Electric, Rock, Water

Ho-Oh shares a lot in common with Reshiram, including the two having the same base stats. Where Ho-Oh beats out its Legendary Fire/Dragon-Type competitor, though, is with its ability to heal itself. Thanks to the Regenerator ability, Ho-Oh can restore a third of its health after it gets switched out, making it an excellent pinch hitter in some tough battles. Aside from its restorative capabilities and high Defense, Ho-Oh has some excellent moves that give it more utility and versatility than most other Fire-Types.

1. Primal Groudon

Pokemon artwork
  • Debut Game — Pokemon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire
  • Best Moves — Fire Blast, Solar Beam, Eruption
  • Weaknesses — Ground, Water

Primal Groudon is to Fire-Type Pokémon what Primal Kyogre is to Water-Types. Both Pokémon are Primal forms originating in Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, and both are the most powerful of their type in the series. Primal Groudon is an absolute powerhouse, capable of wielding some of the most destructive offensive moves in the series. Further, the Primordial form of Groudon also has the highest base stats of any Fire-Type in the franchise. Its dual-typing as a Fire/Ground-Type Pokémon also results in Primal Groudon having resistances other Fire-Types lack. Ultimately, Primal Groudon is the full package and a considerable threat to entire teams of Pokémon.

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