But if you look at that list, you’ll notice a common theme: they’re all starters or legendaries. There are a ton of other Fire-type Pokémon that get completely slept on, just because you get the best ones right when you start out – or they’re hanging out alone in a cave somewhere! So which forgotten Fire-types would also be a solid option to fill that flaming hole in your heart? Let’s find out.
15. Zen Mode Galarian-Darmanitan
Everyone who’s played Sword and Shield knows the destructive power of Galarian Darmanitan. There are very few Pokémon that can survive a hit from Darmanitan, due to its massive Attack stat and its ability Gorilla Tactics. But it’s an Ice-type! What’s it doing on this list? With Galarian Darmanitan’s other ability Zen Mode, it becomes the first ever Ice/Fire-type Pokémon. Not only that, but this thing’s already-fantastic Attack and Speed get even better, moving up to 160 and 135 respectively. Use Belly Drum to get there, and you’re looking at one of the strongest Pokémon in the game. Galarian Darmanitan with Gorilla Tactics is deservedly popular. But you’d be a fool to skip out on its Zen Mode counterpart. The only reason this angry snowman isn’t higher is because it’s already really good. People know about Galarian Darmanitan. But give its Zen Mode a chance!
14. Rotom-Heat
Rotom has one of the coolest gimmicks in all of Pokémon: a ghost that takes over different household appliances to achieve different dual-typings. And while Rotom-Wash attracts most of the attention, Rotom-Heat is just as viable. Rotom-Heat takes on a unique Fire/Electric typing that eliminates its 4x weakness to Ground-type attacks with the awesome ability Levitate. Plus it gets amazing coverage with Overheat, and a plethora of Electric-type attacks. All of this perfectly complements its awesome defensive and special stats, making Rotom-Heat one of the best Pokémon you could try using (either competitively or in-game). Not to mention that Rotom-Heat is literally a microwave wearing oven mitts. Adorable.
13. Moltres
Ok, I started off saying no legendaries. But I have got to break the rules for Moltres. Of the legendary birds, Moltres is always thought of as “the bad one.” And that’s really not fair! There have been a ton of changes that have really helped Moltres competitively. It got Mystical Fire to possibly help boost its already impressive 125 base Special Attack. And it got Scorching Sands, giving it some great Ground coverage. But the best thing to happen for Moltres is the addition of the Heavy-Duty Boots. This is an item that prevents entry hazards from damaging your Pokémon. This means that Stealth Rocks no longer takes away half of Moltres’ health. Yes, there are other Flying/Fire-types that stand out way more – like Charizard or Talonflame. But Moltres deserves to be thought of in the same regard.
12. Simisear
Simisear is one of the most hated Pokémon of all time. And I can see why. It’s not that great, and it’s pretty ugly to boot. However, it’s on this list because I learned a fun little fact in my research. Simisear is better than Rapidash. Yes, Rapidash is faster. Yes, Rapidash has a higher attack. Yes, Rapidash is an awesome flaming unicorn. But Simisear is actually a decent special attacker with good speed that gets Nasty Plot, a move that increases its Special Attack by 2. Simisear is also way more useful in the games, because you usually get access to it much earlier. A ton of people might hate Simisear, but you can’t deny its utility.
11. Flareon
Flareon is considered by many to be the weakest of all of the Eeveelutions due to its low Speed and Defense. However, it gets access to two great abilities, and awesome Attack and Special Defense. This makes Flareon a great choice in any Pokémon game. Its first ability is Flash Fire, giving Flareon immunity to Fire-type attacks. The second ability is Guts, which boosts Flareon’s attack when status’ed. Combine that with a Toxic Orb and you get a beastly 195 attack stat. Flareon also has great boosting options! Flame Charge can increase Flareon’s awful speed while dealing some STAB damage. And while Curse may slow Flareon down, it boosts Flareon’s bad Defense and awesome Attack by a single stage, making it even more of a powerhouse. Flareon may not be the best. But it is far from bad.
10. Magmortar
One of the best things to happen in the fourth generation was a bunch of forgotten Pokémon that didn’t have an evolution, got an evolution. Some were great, like Electivire. Some were not (Lickilicky). And some got forgotten, like Magmortar. Magmortar looks a lot like Magmar, but fatter. It got a little slower, a little bulkier, and a lot stronger with a 125 base Special Attack. It’s basically exactly what the Magmar line needed to remain relevant. Well, for Diamond and Pearl, at least.
9. Turtonator
As I learned from my ranking of underrated Water-types, Shell Smash is a heck of a move. But if you thought only Water Pokémon could use it, you’d be dead wrong. Turtonator is a defensive wall with awful speed and decent Special Attack. It has great coverage with Dragon and Fire typing, but once you use Shell Smash with a White Herb, you suddenly get a speedy powerhouse that can hit everything! But if that doesn’t do it for ya, you can also run some great defensive sets by using Rapid Spin and Turtonator’s signature move Shell Trap. Seriously, this big boy is much more versatile than it looks.
8. Centiskorch
Centiskorch is one of the awesome new additions in Sword and Shield. And while it’s easy to ignore a Pokémon with a x4 weakness to Rock-types, Centiskorch can more than hold its own. Centiskorch is already a Grass-type’s worst nightmare because of moves like Fire Lash and Leech Life. But it has no reason to be afraid of most Rock-types because of Power Whip, a Grass move with 120 base power. It can one-shot defensive walls like Golem and Rhyperior with ease. Plus, Centiskorch gets an awesome Gigantamax form that gives it access to the move G-Max Centiferno, which traps an opposing Pokémon (kinda like Fire Spin), but won’t release if the Pokémon switches out. This can be a perfect way to ensnare opposing Pokémon that you need to eliminate ASAP. Next time you play through Sword and Shield, give this little guy a shot.
7. Camerupt
Poor Camerupt. Your dual Fire and Ground typing means that any Water attack will immediately destroy you… But people don’t realize how good this guy is offensively. With a combination of Fire and Ground moves, Camerupt can hit almost half of all Pokémon for super effective damage. And with a high Attack and Special Attack, it can do this as a mixed attacker, really catching your opponents off guard. But the real joy comes with its mega evolution. Mega Camerupt is a strong, albeit slow, volcano camel. Its attack, special attack, defense, and special defense are all above 100. This means it can take hits while it dishes them out. And with Sheer Force, this means that all of Mega Camerupt’s Moves will hit even harder. Yes, a well-placed Surf will destroy this thing. But I genuinely think that Maxi wasn’t too far off with using this Pokémon all the time.
6. Salazzle
Salazzle is one of the many great Pokémon added in Sun and Moon. While the stats of this sultry salamander suggest that it’s a special sweeper (alliteration!), its unique ability is what really makes Salazzle stand out. Corrosion allows Salazzle to poison Steel-type Pokémon, which can be huge. While you wouldn’t leave her out against something like Aggron or Bastiodon, you can surprise them. If you predict your opponent switching Pokémon, or if they assume that you’re going to switch, this can completely catch them off guard and start moving the battle in your favor. Even without that, Salazzle is incredibly fast and hits really hard. She absolutely deserves your attention.
5. Alolan Marowak
Interacting with the ghost Marowak in Lavender Town is one of the greatest moments in all of the Pokémon games. What would it be like if you actually had a ghost Marowak? Well, you can finally find out with Alolan Marowak. Boasting a cool Ghost/Fire typing, Alolan Marowak is a terrifying physical attacker. While its stats make it look more like a defensive utility Pokémon, the unique item Thick Club doubles Marowak’s attack. This means moves like Shadow Bone, Bonemarang, and Flare Blitz hit really hard. But that’s not all! Alolan Marowak also has the ability Lightning Rod, meaning that it has 3 immunities! Combine this spectral fire dancer with Trick Room and your opponent won’t know what hit ‘em.
4. Magmar
Ever since Magmortar became a thing in generation 4, people have forgotten about Magmar. Even in the generation it debuted, Magmar was forgotten behind the likes of Arcanine, Rapidash, and Ninetales. However, if you happen to go with the fire duck with a butt on its forehead, you won’t be disappointed. First of all, it’s a little bit faster than its evolved counterpart. And even though its Special Attack isn’t nearly as high, a 100 base is still really good! Combine that with a Choice Specs and you have a fearsome Special Sweeper. If you’re playing through Pokémon Gold or Silver, Magmar is probably the best choice for a Fire-type if you didn’t already select Cyndaquil It’s a little slower than Rapidash, Arcanine, and Ninetales, but nothing matches its Special Attack.
3. Arcanine
Arcanine has always been a popular pup. Classified as the “legendary Pokémon”, the anime made Arcanine seem like one of the most dangerous Pokémon out there. But as we know, that’s not quite the case. When it debuted, Fire-type moves were only special. And Arcanine’s Special stat wasn’t that great at a mediocre 80. Plus its overall weak power and shallow movepool make Arcanine seem a lot less fearsome than it could be. However, Arcanine shines as a support Pokémon. With access to the ability Intimidate and moves like Snarl, Will-o-Wisp, and Teleport (seriously?), Arcanine can be the perfect Pokémon to make your team stand out.
2. Houndoom
From one doggo to another, Houndoom has always been in the shadow of Arcanine. However, it’s now the demon dog’s time to shine. Because Houndoom is an underrated beast! This hellhound has a decent 95 speed and a great 110 Special Attack. This obviously serves as a more specially-based Pokémon than Arcanine. But it also serves as a great answer to Psychic types. Boasting Fire Blast, Dark Pulse, and a boosting move in Nasty Plot, Houndoom is an absolute nightmare (to your opponents). But the thing that makes Houndoom truly great is its Mega Evolution. In that case, Houndoom’s decent Speed and Special Attack become incredible at 115 and 140, respectively. It’s fair to say Houndoom is a badass beast of a Pokémon, and deserves way more recognition than it gets.
1. Coalossal
Rock and Fire is often called the worst dual-typing. Because of this, trainers are quick to dismiss these Pokémon as useless. But they’d be wrong to sleep on Coalossal. Coalossal’s ability Steam Engine maxes out the user’s speed if it’s hit with a Water-type move. Combine this with a Weakness Policy, an item that boosts Attack and Special Attack when hit with a super effective move, and you suddenly have a terrifying sweeper. While this may seem dangerous due to Coalossal’s 4x weakness to Water, fret not! That’s what Gigantamax is for. This could potentially double your Pokémon’s HP, and it gives Coalossal access to the move G-Max Vocalith, which basically summons a Rock-type Fire Spin. By doing this, the living furnace becomes very dangerous, and has a ton of coverage with access to Rock, Fire, Ground, and Grass type moves. Execute this strategy on a doubles team with one of your own Pokémon knowing a weak Water move like Aqua Jet, and you’ll destroy the competition.
