#0228 · Johto · Generation 2

Houndour

Dark Pokémon · Dark/Fire-type

Houndour is a Dark/Fire-type Pokémon, the Dark Pokémon, number 228 (#0228) in the National Pokédex. It was introduced in Generation 2 and comes from the Johto region. It is 0.6 m tall and weighs 10.8 kg.

Houndour is the Dark Pokémon, a black hellhound with a bone-like skull marking that hunts in tightly coordinated packs. It barks to tell packmates where it is and howls before dawn to claim territory, and the Pokédex says its teamwork is unparalleled.

How to pronounce Houndour

Houndour is pronounced HOWN-dowr. The capital letters show the stressed syllable.

Listen to Houndour said out loud:

In Japanese it is デルビル (Delvil).

Hear every other name on the Pokémon pronunciation guide.

Lore

Biology

Houndour is a small four-legged hound, 0.6 m tall and 10.8 kg, with short black fur, a red muzzle and belly, two fangs and white bands on its ankles. Rib-like ridges run along its back, and a stylised skull-like pattern sits on its forehead. It has three toes on each paw, with round red paw pads.

Behaviour

Houndour hunts as a coordinated pack and, the Pokédex says, uses barks only its packmates understand to track each other and corner prey. It howls before dawn to announce its territory. As a partner the Pokédex says it is loyal and obeys orders.

Habitat

Bulbapedia says it is usually found around rough terrain. In Scarlet and Violet it lives in South Province Area Four and Inlet Grotto, and in Legends: Z-A it is in Wild Zone 6 and Lysandre Labs.

Powers

Houndour has Early Bird or Flash Fire, with Unnerve hidden. It learns Ember, Bite, Fire Fang, Foul Play, Flamethrower and Crunch, and sets up with Nasty Plot. Its Special Attack of 80 is its best stat.

Name origin

Houndour may combine 'hound' and 'dour', meaning grim or severe. The Japanese name is Delvil (デルビル), which may be a corruption of 'devil'.

Design inspiration

Bulbapedia says it seems based on hellhounds and black dogs, and possibly Cerberus, with bones hinting at death and ankle bands like shackles. Its build resembles a Dobermann. These are fan readings.

Evolution notes

Houndour evolves into Houndoom at level 24.

In the games

Houndour first appeared in Gold and Silver. It is wild in Scarlet and Violet, including Kitakami in The Teal Mask, and appears in Legends: Z-A and again in the Mega Dimension DLC's Hyperspace Lumiose.

In the anime

A pack debuted in 'Hour of the Houndour', where a sick Houndour's pack stole food for it and Ash took it to a Pokémon Center. In 'The Search for Kleavor!' Friede battles a pack of Houndour and Houndoom.

Fun facts

• In the Spaceworld '97 demo it appears to be an earlier design called Debiru, part of a pure Fire-type line that evolved at level 35.
• Though a Johto Pokémon, Houndour is native to Kanto in Gold, Silver and Crystal.
• Bulbapedia says its base Defense is the lowest of any Fire type.

Sources: Bulbapedia: Houndour (Pokémon) · Serebii: Houndour (Scarlet/Violet Pokédex)

Base stats

• HP: 45
• Attack: 60
• Defense: 30
• Sp. Atk: 80
• Sp. Def: 50
• Speed: 65

Houndour’s base stat total is 330. Its highest stat is Sp. Atk.

Type matchups

What is Houndour weak to?

Houndour takes extra damage from Water (2×), Fighting (2×), Ground (2×), Rock (2×) moves.

It resists Fire (½×), Grass (½×), Ice (½×), Ghost (½×), Dark (½×), Steel (½×).

It is immune to Psychic moves.

Evolution

How does Houndour evolve?

Houndour evolves into Houndoom at level 24.

The whole family: Houndour, Houndoom.

Abilities

• Early Bird: Makes sleep pass twice as quickly.
• Flash Fire: Protects against Fire moves. Once one has been blocked, the Pokémon's own Fire moves inflict 1.5× damage until it leaves battle.
• Unnerve (hidden ability): Prevents opposing Pokémon from eating held Berries.

Moves

Moves Houndour learns by level up in Scarlet / Violet

TM moves (48)

Houndour can learn 48 moves from TMs in Scarlet / Violet: Take Down, Mud-Slap, Scary Face, Protect, Fire Fang, Thunder Fang, Thief, Trailblaze, Fire Spin, Facade, Snarl, Mud Shot, Flame Charge, Endure, Sunny Day, Rain Dance, Foul Play, Psychic Fangs, Body Slam, Sleep Talk, Rest, Taunt, Dark Pulse, Substitute, Will-O-Wisp, Crunch, Shadow Ball, Hyper Voice, Heat Wave, Flamethrower, Helping Hand, Reversal, Nasty Plot, Fire Blast, Sludge Bomb, Overheat, Flare Blitz, Solar Beam, Tera Blast, Roar, Toxic, Spite, Super Fang, Burning Jealousy, Lash Out, Pain Split, Double-Edge, Temper Flare.

Egg moves (8):Counter, Destiny Bond, Feint, Fire Spin, Reversal, Spite, Sucker Punch, Thunder Fang.

Breeding & training

• Gender: 50% male, 50% female.
• Egg groups: Field.
• Egg cycles: 20 (steps to hatch, Scarlet/Violet: 2,560).
• Catch rate: 120 out of 255.
• Base friendship (Gen 8 onward): 35.
• Growth rate: Slow (1,250,000 experience points to reach level 100).
• Defeating it gives 1 Sp. Atk effort value.
• Base experience yield: 66.

Pokédex entries

They make repeated eerie howls before dawn to call attention to their pack. (Ultra Moon)

It cooperates with others skillfully. When it becomes your partner, it's very loyal to you as its Trainer and will obey your orders. (Ultra Sun)

Houndour hunt as a coordinated pack. They communicate with each other using a variety of cries to corner their prey. This Pokémon's remarkable teamwork is unparalleled. (Ruby, Sapphire, Omega Ruby, Alpha Sapphire)

To corner prey, they check each other's location using barks that only they can understand. (Silver, FireRed, SoulSilver, Y)

Around dawn, its ominous howl echoes through the area to announce that this is its territory. (Crystal, X)

It is smart enough to hunt in packs. It uses a variety of cries for communicating with others. (Platinum, Black, White, Black 2, White 2)

Names around the world

Trivia

• Lowest base stat total among Dark types in Gen 2: 330.
• Taller than 25% of all Pokémon (0.6 m).
• Heavier than 29% of all Pokémon (10.8 kg).
• Base stat total 330, ranked #741 of 1,025.
• One of 4 Pokémon that are both Dark and Fire.
• One of 51 black Pokémon.
• Number 77 of 100 Pokémon introduced in Generation 2 (Johto).
• Part of an evolution family of 2 Pokémon.
• Can learn 62 different moves in Scarlet / Violet.
• Catch rate 120: about 15.7% per Poké Ball at full health.
• Appears in 10 distinct Pokédex entries.

Sources and fact-checking

• Stats, types, abilities, moves, evolutions, forms and Pokédex entries: PokéAPI open game data.
• Lore: written by pokee.si in our own words, researched from Bulbapedia: Houndour (Pokémon), Serebii: Houndour (Scarlet/Violet Pokédex).
• Pronunciation (HOWN-dowr): it follows how the English anime, games or official videos say it.

Last checked: 19 October 2026. Every sentence of the lore was checked against Bulbapedia, Serebii and the game data.

Explore

Dark-type Pokémon · Fire-type Pokémon · Dark/Fire weaknesses and matchups · Johto region guide · Early Bird ability · Flash Fire ability · Unnerve ability · Compare Houndour · Full Pokédex · Type chart · All moves

Browse similar Pokémon

Gen 2 Dark-type Pokémon · Gen 2 Fire-type Pokémon · Gen 2 Pokémon list · Black Pokémon list · Field egg group · Pokémon that start with H · Dog Pokémon

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