Every Fox Pokemon Guide

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Bethany Gerrish

Beth is a gamer that has grown up with the Pokémon series and despite being forced to become an adult, she loves to have a good regression session every now and again and play the classic Pokémon titles. When she's not playing Pokémon, you'll often find Beth playing Genshin Impact or finding a cool indie to pick up on sale!

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• Every Fox Pokemon Guide - August 10, 2022
• Every Pokemon Sheep Guide - June 28, 2022

If you’re anything like me, then any cute and cuddly Pokemon will be high up in your rankings, and let’s face it, fox Pokemon are just damn adorable. With so many to choose from and potentially more on the way in Generation nine, it can be hard to figure out which Fox Pokemon is the best for you and your team.

That’s why I’m here with every Fox Pokemon available for you to go through so you can decide which fox will become your beloved companion Pokemon. I’ll take you through some of the best builds and strategies for all of the final evolutions, as the odds are that’s how your little fox will be fully evolved as fast as possible if you’re battling with it, as well as where you can find these sneaky foxes so you can register them in your Pokedex.

With that, it’s time to grab some Pokeballs and twist your hat backward. We’re going fox hunting!

Bottom Line Up Front

If you’re looking for a Fox that can hold its own in battle, Alolan Ninetales is the way to go. Its high Speed and fantastic offensive capabilities trump even its Kanto Form, making Alolan Ninetales your go-to for any battle. If you want to build a fox team, then any of the fox Pokemon will serve you well, as even though some like Theivel are underwhelming, they can all become valuable members of any team.

If you were to ask me who my favorite fox Pokemon was, I’d politely ask you to stop. I have fond memories of all of these Pokemon. From loving Brocks Vulpix in the anime to finding a surprise shiny of Hisuian Zoura in Pokemon Legends Arceus, I’m too fond of these foxes to choose just one.

As a side note, I will only provide move sets for each line’s final evolutions. If you’re looking for moveset ideas, you’re more than likely going to want your Pokemon to be the strongest they can be!

Vulpix

• National Dex number: 37
• Type: Fire
• Abilities: Flash Fire
• Hidden Ability: Drought
• Evolves from: N/A
• Evolves into: Ninetales

Base Stats

• HP: 38
• Attack: 41
• Defense: 40
• Special Attack: 50
• Special Defense: 65
• Speed: 65

Vulpix is the first fox Pokemon to make an appearance in the franchise all the way back in Kanto, and if you’re going by Pokedex terms, it’s the only official Fox Pokemon. Also featuring heavily in the anime as Brock’s shoulder companion, Vulpix quickly won over the hearts of many. Although neither Vulpix nor its final evolution stage, Ninetales, are the strongest on this list, I would go as far as to say that they are some of the cutest foxes that GameFreak has provided us with.

Thankfully, Vulpix has appeared in every main series title of Pokemon to date, so it’s always an option for any team.

Ninetales

• National Dex number: 38
• Type: Fire
• Abilities: Flash Fire
• Hidden Ability: Drought
• Evolves from: Vulpix
• Evolves into: N/A

Base Stats

• HP: 73
• Attack: 76
• Defense: 75
• Special Attack: 81
• Special Defense: 100
• Speed: 100

Ninetales is the evolution of Vulpix, and although it isn’t one of the more competitively viable foxes, its beauty and elegance are enough to earn it a spot on anyone’s team.

Based on the Japanese Kitsune, a mythical fox in Japanese culture, it’s said that when a Kitsune gains its ninth tail, it will transform from a deep red color to a golden fox. See the resemblance? I love these little nuggets of folklore sprinkled in Pokemon games, and I think it is such a fantastic base idea for a Pokemon, which really paid off.

To get yourself a Ninetales, I’d recommend simply evolving a Vulpix. Even though you can catch a Ninetales already evolved in a few generations, I’d say it’s worth using a fire stone just to save you the effort of hunting for this tricky fox.

Specs Sweeper Ninetales

You’ll want to kit your Ninetales with some Choice Specs for this build. Though it only lets you use one move until you switch out, the boost to your special Attack will make you hit like a truck.

Train your EVs in Special Attack and Speed, with the remainder going into Special Defense to beef up your special Attack damage as much as possible, and when paired with the hidden ability Drought, your Ninetales will become a force to be reckoned with.

I’d recommend running Fire Blast, Scorching Sands, Solar Beam, and Dark Pulse, as this will give you some more type coverage. Though the Choice Specs will limit what your Ninetales can do without switching out, the damage you can do is immense, especially with the STAB and Drought bonuses that using Fire Blast will provide.

Alolan Vulpix

• National Dex number: 37
• Type: Ice
• Abilities: Snow Cloak
• Hidden Ability: Snow Warning
• Evolves from: N/A
• Evolves into: Alolan Ninetales

Base Stats

• HP: 38
• Attack: 41
• Defense: 40
• Special Attack: 50
• Special Defense: 65
• Speed: 65

Alolan Vulpix was one of our first looks at new regional forms for Pokemon back in 2016 with the reveal of Pokemon Sun and Pokemon Moon and was an instant hit with Pokefans everywhere. Its adorable design and fresh take on a beloved classic made Alolan Vulpix very popular.

To this day, it remains one of my favorite regional forms that Gamefreak has given us. Alolan Vulpix was first made available in Generation Seven, and you can get one by trading in Sword and Shield and as a gift Pokemon in the Isle of Armour Expansion Pass.

Alolan Ninetales

• National Dex number: 38
• Type: Ice/Fairy
• Abilities: Snow Cloak
• Hidden Ability: Snow Warning
• Evolves from: Alolan Vulpix
• Evolves into: N/A

Base Stats

• HP: 73
• Attack: 67
• Defense: 75
• Special Attack: 81
• Special Defense: 100
• Speed: 109

Alolan Ninetales is the evolved form of Alolan Vulpix and gave Kantonian Ninetales a desperately needed fresh lick of paint when stepping onto the competitive scene. Alolan Ninetales is, in my opinion, the strongest fox on this list, and if you would like a fox to take you to the Elite Four and beyond, Alolan Ninetlaes may be your ticket.

Much like with Kantonian Ninetales, I’d recommend just evolving your Alolan Vulpix with an ice stone to get Alolan Ninetales, as this is your fastest route to having a powerful icy fox on your team.

Screener Alolan Ninetales

For this build, you’ll want to EV train your Alolan Ninetales to max out its HP and Speed, with your remaining four points going into Special Attack. This will make sure you can tank a hit and get a few good hits off yourself before needing to switch.

The hidden ability Snow Warning will set up hail, dishing out some chip damage every turn. you’ll also want to give your Alolan Ninetales a light clay to extend the duration of your Aurora Veil from five turns to eight. This will half all incoming damage as long as it hails, so this combo is a great setup for any team.

For moves, you want Aurora Veil to get the most out of your Snow Warning and Light clay, which along with Blizzard, Moonblast, and Freeze-dry, will ensure you can deal some serious damage.

Zorua

• National Dex number: 570
• Type: Dark
• Abilities: Illusion
• Hidden ability: N/A
• Evolves from: N/A
• Evolves into: Zoroark

Base Stats

• HP: 40
• Attack: 65
• Defense: 40
• Special Attack: 80
• Special Defense: 40
• Speed: 70

Zorua is absolutely adorable and possibly one of the more interesting foxes on this list gameplay-wise. Though it isn’t necessarily the most powerful fox, its ability Illusion can shapeshift into the Pokemon in the last slot of your party, giving you a chance to pull the wool over your opponent’s eyes, even if it is just for a brief moment.

Though you probably won’t be battling with your Zoura for long, Illusion is a fun little ability, especially on such a cute Pokemon. Zorua is available as a gift Pokemon in Generation five, in Castelia City in Black and White, and Driftveil City in Black 2 and White 2.

You can also find Zorua in max raid battles as well as in the Isle of Armor, making this little trickster relatively easy to find and add to your team.

Zoroark

• National Dex number: 571
• Type: Dark
• Abilities: Illusion
• Hidden ability: N/A
• Evolves from: Zorua
• Evolves into: N/A

Base Stats

• HP: 60
• Attack: 105
• Defense: 60
• Special Attack: 120
• Special Defense: 60
• Speed: 105

Zoroark is one of the coolest-looking foxes you can find in the Pokemon universe, so much so that it was the star of its own movie: Zoroark: Master of Illusions. I remember watching this as a kid and loving every second the cute Zorua and even cooler Zoroark were on screen.

If battles are your thing, Zoroark can be pretty hit or miss. It’s fast and can hit hard, and its ability means that opponents will have to think twice before using psychic attacks, but aside from that, there’s not much that makes Zoroark stand out. One of the best ways to play your Zoroark is with a Nasty Plot build, which I will talk about more a little later.

As is the case with most of the final evolution stages, the easiest way of getting a Zoroark is through evolving a Zorua. You were able to get Zoroark through an event in Pokemon Black and White, but as Wifi link no longer exists for the older Pokemon games, you no longer have access to this.

You can occasionally encounter them on Route 20 and the Pokemon Village in Pokemon X and Y, as well as in Poni Grove in Pokemon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon. In Pokemon Sword and Shield, you can find Zoroark only in the Isle of Armor DLC, so if you want a Zoroark in your team as fast as possible, either evolving a Zorua or trading one over is going to be the best way forward.

Nasty Plot Special Sweeper

To start things off, you’ll want to EV train your Zoroark into Special Attack and Speed, with the remainder going into Special Defense. This will give a good boost to your already high Special Attack and bring up your Speed that little bit more, making you the fastest on the field the majority of the time.

A timid nature will raise your Speed further, at the cost of some Attack, but as you’ll be relying purely on Special moves, you won’t be needing your Attack stat anyway. You can use a Life Orb for even more damage, but I would go for a Focus Sash, allowing you to survive a turn in case your opponent still uses a super effective move against you. Even though you can hit hard, your HP isn’t great, making you vulnerable to one-hit KOs with the right moves.

For moves, you’ll want to start with Nasty Plot, which will raise your Special Attack sharply, followed by either Dark Pulse, Flamethrower, or Focus Blast depending on your opponent. This will mean that you can hit hard and fast, especially if your Illusion ability caught your opponent out on the first turn, giving you time to set up your Nasty Plot.

Hisuian Zorua

• National Dex number: 570
• Type: Normal / Ghost
• Abilities: Illusion (But not really)
• Hidden ability: N/A
• Evolves from: N/A
• Evolves into: Hisuian Zoroark

Base Stats

• HP: 35
• Attack: 60
• Defense: 40
• Special Attack: 85
• Special Defense: 40
• Speed: 70

The Hisuian forms, whilst amazing additions to this foxy lineup, is where the Pokemon formula gets flipped on its head. There are no abilities in Pokemon Legends Arceus, at least not in the traditional sense, which means no more in-battle trickery for Zoura or Zoroark.

EVs and IVs have also been kicked to the curb, being replaced by Effort Levels requiring Grit to increase them. This makes it very difficult to build a decent competitive level build for these Hisuian foxes. Funky game changes aside, I fell in love with Hisuian Zorua instantly. It’s so darn adorable looking, and I love the Normal and Ghost typing, something that we’ve never seen in the Pokemon franchise until now.

I also adore Hisuian Zorua’s Shiny form, with the blue being a fantastic callback to its Unovan Shiny equivalent. I have very fond memories of this Shiny, as my partner and I, in different games, both found a shiny Hisuain Zoroua in the same place in our first Massive Mass Outbreaks.

This is either a really weird coincidence, or it was a scripted shiny, and I’ve been blissfully unaware. If it’s the latter, keep it to yourself and let me live in ignorance. Whichever way you cut it, I love this little guy, and I’m really glad the powers that be at GameFreak chose Zorua for a Hisuian Form.

You probably will have noticed that even though I’ve already said that Pokemon Legends Arceus doesn’t use abilities, I’ve still listed that both Hisuian Zorua and Zoroark use Illusion. This is because many official sites list them as having it, and the fact that in an in-game cutscene, we can see a Hisuian Zorua transform into Mei’s Munchlax, implying that they can indeed still transform, even if the ability doesn’t work the same in battle anymore.

You can find a Hisuian Zorua for yourself in the ice caves in the Alabaster Icelands or in Outbreaks or Massive Mass Outbreaks.

Hisuian Zoroark

• National Dex number: 571
• Type: Normal/Ghost
• Abilities: Illusion (But not really)
• Hidden ability: N/A
• Evolves from: Hisuian Zorua
• Evolves into: N/A

Base Stats

• HP: 55
• Attack: 100
• Defense: 60
• Special Attack: 125
• Special Defense: 60
• Speed: 110

Hisuian Zoroark, like Hisuian Zorua, is one of my absolute favorites in Pokemon Legends Arceus. It has an amazing design, awesome typing, and a very cool shiny form. My Hisuin Zoroark also helped me in many major battles and was my go-to for berry or ore collecting, mostly because I just like looking at it.

For me, providing the “best possible” build for Hisuian Zoroark is really difficult, and I’d encourage you to mess around at the Move Tutor and find a build that you can work well with. To get you started, though, I’ll let you in on what build I had on my Hisuian Zoroark.

There is a very good chance that this isn’t the optimum Hisuian Zoroark build, but it served me very well in my adventures, so I’m sure it’ll give you a good basis to build your Zoroark to be better than mine ever was.

As we’ve established, Pokemon Legends Arceus made a lot of changes to how team building works, with held items, abilities, and EVs being a thing of the past, meaning we’ve had to find new ways to build up a strong team. With familiar moves now having different effects and having the ability to change your moveset on the fly, there are a lot of new things to sink your teeth into when it comes to building teams.

Following this, here is what I had on my Hisuian Zoroark throughout my Hisui Adventure:

We start with a Timid nature, which still raises your Speed and lowers your Attack, making you as fast as possible. There are no items or abilities to think about, and the only kind of training you need comes with the Grit items, which I pushed into Special Attack and Speed to give them a further boost.

For moves, I run Nasty Plot, which is even better in Pokemon Legends Arceus as it boots both of your offensive stats, which can help make up for your lowered Attack stat. I also use Shadow Ball for the same attack bonus (STAB) and for the chance to lower the target’s defensive stats.

Combined with Nasty Plot, this effectively gives you plus two on both your Special and Physical Attack stats. I also run Slash for STAB, which is why the extra Physical Attack bonuses are important, as it means you Slash will still hit pretty hard. Finally, I run Bitter Malice. I’m a sucker for a signature move, and they don’t get much cooler than with Bitter Malice.

This is a Special Attack Ghost move, meaning it benefits from STAB and your already high Special Attack. This move also has a chance to leave a target with Frostbite, halving an opponent’s Special Attack and making it take chip damage every turn. If this wasn’t good enough, the power of this move doubles if the target has a status condition, like Frostbite. How convenient!

I’ve had a lot of fun and seen a lot of success with this build, but I’m sure there are ways to improve it!

Fennekin

• National Dex number: 653
• Type: Fire
• Abilities: Blaze
• Hidden Ability: Magician
• Evolves from:
• Evolves into:

Base Stats

• HP: 40
• Attack: 45
• Defense: 40
• Special Attack: 62
• Special Defense: 60
• Speed: 60

Fennekin is by far the cutest starter in Generation 6, and if you’re like me, it was your starter of choice. Being based on the cute Fennec Fox and later growing up into an awesome-looking wizard makes Fennekin a great choice to take with you throughout your Kalos adventure. Of course, as with all starters, Fennkin is a gift Pokemon at the start of the game, and as of yet, there is no other way to get Fennekin in other games aside from trading.

Braixen

• National Dex number: 654
• Type: Fire
• Abilities: Blaze
• Hidden Ability: Magician
• Evolves from: Fennekin
• Evolves into: Delphox

Base Stats

• HP: 59
• Attack: 59
• Defense: 58
• Special Attack: 90
• Special Defense: 70
• Speed: 73

Braixen is the awkward teenager of the Fennekin line, but when comparing it to its other starter companions’ middle stages, Braixen definitely looks the best.

Evolving into Braixen at level 16 and then into Delphox at level 36 means you won’t be spending too long with your Braixen, but despite this, many people have a huge soft spot for the stick-wielding fox. The best way of getting a Braixen is through evolution, but they can be found in the Friend Safari in Pokemon X and Y.

Delphox

• National Dex number: 655
• Type: Fire / Psychic
• Abilities: Blaze
• Hidden Ability: Magician
• Evolves from: Braixen
• Evolves into: N/A

Base Stats

• HP: 75
• Attack: 69
• Defense: 72
• Special Attack: 114
• Special Defense: 100
• Speed: 104

Delphox is the final stage of the Generation six fire starter and my personal favorite of the bunch. My Delphox stayed on my team well beyond the Elite Four in Pokemon X, and I enjoyed the idea of the starters being based on fantasy RPG classes (though the idea of giving the starter trio “jobs” has worn on me over time).

Delphox isn’t necessarily the best of its trio or even amazing in its own regard, but it can definitely hold its own in battle and is worthy of a spot on anyone’s team. The only way to get Delphox in Pokemon X and Y is by evolving Braixen. You can catch Delphox through Island Scan on Saturdays in Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, but it’s going to be much easier to just trade one over.

Calm Mind Set Up Sweeper

Being a wizard, you’re going to want to put as much Special Attack into your Delphox as you can, and as is common with the foxes, I’d recommend you try for a Timid nature, raising your Speed while sacrificing some Attack. Having an already pretty high Speed stat, this bonus will let you outspeed many of your opponents.

You’ll also want to EV train your Special Attack and Speed, with the remaining four points going into Special Defense. Thankfully, Blaze is actually better than Delphox’s Hidden Ability Magician. To me, the damage boost on low HP is better than the off chance of stealing an item as if you’re competitive-minded, you more than likely have already kitted your Delphox out with an item of its own.

I would recommend either a Colbur berry to reduce the damage of a supereffective Dark move or an item like Leftovers or Shellbell for some HP regen.

Now for moves, I’d recommend Calm mind to boost your Special Attack and Defense, Fire Blast and Psychic for STAB, and Grass Knot for some extra type coverage. Delphox is by no means the best Pokemon in a competitive environment, but it also isn’t the worst. If played right, you can dish out some serious damage with your wizard fox.

Nickit

• National Dex number: 827
• Type: Dark
• Abilities: Runaway, Unburden
• Hidden ability: Stakeout
• Evolves from: N/A
• Evolves into: Thievul

Base Stats

• HP:
• Attack:
• Defense:
• Special Attack:
• Special Defense:
• Speed:

Nickit is the best member of its family, and yes, I might be biased based on facial hair (more on that soon). It’s such a cute design and concept that I absolutely adore. Being available in the early game of Pokemon Sword and Shield means many people would likely have this little fox in their party, if only for a short period of time.

I think both Nickit and Thievul are outclassed by many of the other Dark types introduced in Pokemon Sword and Shield. Like the Galarian Zigzagoon line, for example, but Nickit can be a good base for any fox lover starting their Pokemon adventure in generation eight.

Thievul

• National Dex number: 828
• Type: Dark
• Abilities: Runaway, Unburden
• Hidden ability: Stakeout
• Evolves from: Nickit
• Evolves into: N/A

Base Stats

• HP: 70
• Attack: 58
• Defense: 58
• Special Attack: 87
• Special Defense: 92
• Speed: 90

Thievul may well be my least favorite fox Pokemon. I think Nickit is super cute, so I just don’t understand why Thievul had to grow a mustache and spoil it completely. I’m not sure if someone on the design team has a soft spot for Swiper from Dora the Explorer, but the goofy mustache really put me off of Theivul.

Couple this with its lackluster competitive stance, and unfortunately, you have a recipe for a forgettable Pokemon. This is such a shame because it has such an amazing Shiny form with the red parts changing into a silvery grey and the black turning into a wonderful deep navy blue, yes, even the mustache.

This essentially makes Thivul into a silver fox, which I absolutely love and, in my opinion, is the only saving grace of this Pokemon. Now, if only we can convince it to shave.

As I’ve said with Nickit, I do think that many other Dark types are just better than Thievul, but don’t let this stop you from having one on your team throughout your adventure! You can easily evolve your Nickit into Thievul at level 18, but you can also catch Thievul in many locations, such as routes seven and nine, Hammerlocke hills, Bridge Field, South Lake Miloch, and more.

If this mustachioed fox has won you over, then read on for a reliable build to ensure that no one will send you away chanting, Swiper, no Swiping!

Specs Sweeper Thievul

For this build, you’ll want to kit your Thievul out with some Choice Specs, which will boost your special Attack while limiting you to using only one move. Thievul’s Special stats are its highest, so that’s what we want to enhance as much as possible.

A Timid nature will also help by increasing your Speed at the cost of some Attack, which will allow you to outspeed a lot of opponents. In regards to EVs, you want to max out Special Attack and Speed, putting the rest into Special Defense.

This, coupled with the Stakeout ability, will let you deal a good chunk of damage, especially if the Pokemon you’re fighting was just switched in, as Stakeout allows you to deal double damage to a Pokemon who has just been brought into battle as a replacement.

For moves, you’ll want Dark Pulse, Psychic, Burning Jealousy, and Grass Knot. This gives you some type choices to play around your opponent, especially if you can get them to switch into a different Pokemon allowing you to deal double damage. Thievul can work really well given the time and effort, but there are still many better alternatives for your party.

FAQs