Introduced in generation three, with the Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire games, Poochyena is a monotype dark Pokemon. It is the base evolution of Mightyena and evolves upon reaching the level threshold. Poochyena is classified by the Pokedex as the “Bite Pokemon” which is a nod to its aggressive nature and indicates its general behavior. This guide will showcase Poochyena’s appearances in the anime, its capabilities in battle, as well as other general facts about Poochyena.
About Poochyena
As a generation three Pokemon, Poocheyna first appeared in the Ruby and Sapphire season of the anime with the episode Get the Show on the Road. This was a unique episode as it was the first episode of the Ruby and Sapphire season. It is a part of a two stage evolution line and will evolve into Mightyena at level 18. The Pokedex mentions Poochyena’s aggressive behavior, it will bite anything that moves and will eat anything that it can get its mouth on.
| First appearance in anime | Pokemon the Series: Ruby and Sapphire Get the Show on the Road |
| First appearance in game | Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire |
| Region | Hoenn |
| Evolution | Base evolution of Mightyena, not known to evolve from any other Pokemon |
| 1st Evo level | 18 |
| 2nd Evo level | N/A |
| Pokedex Entry | At first sight, Poochyena takes a bite at anything that moves. This Pokémon chases after prey until the victim becomes exhausted. However, it may turn tail if the prey strikes back. |
Poochyena Base Stats
| HP | 35 |
| ATTACK | 55 |
| DEFENCE | 35 |
| SP. ATTACK | 30 |
| SP. DEFENCE | 30 |
| SPEED | 35 |
| TOTAL | 225 |
Appearance
Poochyena resembles a wolf or hyena pup with a gray body that has black accents and small scruffs of fur all over its body. There is also a large bushy tail at Poochyena’s base with the black accents found around its face as well as on its paws. It has red eyes with white pupils and a yellow sclera with a few jagged fangs in its mouth. Poochyena is a small Pokemon at only 1 foot and 8 inches, or 0.5 meters, tall.
Behavior
Poochyena appeared in the first episode of the anime, but has typically played minor roles throughout the Ruby and Sapphire season. It is described as an omnivore by the Pokedex and will eat anything it can get its hands on. Poochyena will attempt to use intimidation tactics against its foes which goes hand in hand with its evolution’s ability Intimidate. It is also known to have a sharp sense of smell and can keep up a chase for a long time.
Strengths and Weaknesses
As a base evolution, Poochyena does not have particularly powerful base stats. It has a decent physical attack stat considering it is the first evolution in its line but as an early game Pokemon, it was designed to be non-threatening. As a monotype dark Pokemon, Poochyena is 2x weak to fighting, bug, and fairy type moves, is immune to psychic types and takes half damage from ghost and dark type moves.
Best Moveset
Poochyena is exclusively limited to LC (Little Cup) brackets of competitive play where all the Pokemon are at their base evolutions but even then Poochyena is still fairly mediocre. However, it can make good use of the ability Quick Feet along with Toxic Orb, as a held item. With a well set-up Poochyena, it can pose a serious threat to your opponents. Consider running Crunch, Play Rough, Facade, and Fire Fang/Howl. Crunch will benefit from STAB (Same Type Attack Bonus), Play Rough can function as type coverage, Facade seeks to capitalize off of Toxic Orb, Fire Fang can be another type coverage option while Howl can help you set up a sweep with Poochyena.
| Crunch | Play Rough |
| Facade | Fire Fang/Howl |
How to Catch Poochyena in Pokemon Go
If you would like to obtain a Poochyena in Pokemon Go, there are a few ways of obtaining one. As a base evolution Pokemon, it is fairly common to encounter in the wild and since Poochyena is a dark type, you can find them more frequently during nighttime. They have also hatched from 2, 5, and 7 km eggs in the past but hasn’t appeared as a raid boss. However, its evolution Mightyena has appeared as a tier two raid boss, so keep an eye out. Despite Poochyena not being available through every method of obtaining a Pokemon, it is fairly common and you should not have trouble obtaining a Poochyena with enough effort. You will need 50 Poochyena candies in order to evolve it into Mightyena.
Trivia
- Of all the dark type Pokemon in the franchise, Poochyena has the lowest base stat total.
- The inspiration for Poochyena’s design likely comes from wolves or hyenas. Their aptitude for biting could also be referencing Tasmanian devils.
- The name poochyena is a combination of the words pooch and hyena.
Video
FAQ
What is Poochyena’s Moveset?
Poochyena does not learn many moves naturally through leveling. Most of the moves that Poochyena learns through leveling are available through its final evolution regardless. If you would like an optimal moveset with Poochyena, consider abusing Facade’s high base power along with a Toxic Orb held item to ensure Facade’s 2x base power.
Is Poochyena a good Pokemon?
Poochyena requires a lot of setup in order to be considered a threat. However, any Pokemon with sufficient enough setup can be threatening but even then it is difficult to justify Poochyena in a competitive battle. If you would like to run Poochyena, ensure that it has enough support and time to set up if you want to succeed.
Is Poochyena a Hyena?
It is likely that Poochyena is based on wolf or hyena pups. Even Poochyena’s name includes hyena so it is a logical connection to make. Its behavior is more reminiscent of Tasmanian devils as they are both prone to biting.
Conclusion
Congratulations, you now know just about everything there is to know about this “Bite Pokemon”. While Poochyena and its evolution line has a limited impact on the competitive scene, it functions well as an early game Pokemon. Even if Poochyena is not the most powerful Pokemon, with enough time, it can perform well as an offensive Pokemon. Consider running Poochyena on your team if you want a straightforward offensive option.
