Everyone in the Pokemon League surely must own or seen a Promo Arcanine by
now. If not, lets take a look at it.

Name: Arcanine
Card #: 6
Rarity: Promo
Color: Fire
HP: 70
Weakness: Water
Resistance: none
Retreat: 1
Species: Legendary
Level: 34
Pokemon #: 59
Attack: [2] Quick Attack (10+)
Flip a coin. If heads, this attack does 10 damage plus 20
more damage;
If tails, this attack does 10 damage.
Attack: [RR] Flames of Rage (40+)
Discard 2 R energy cards attached to Arcanine in order to
use this attack.
This attack does 40 damage plus 10 more damage for each
damage counter
on Arcanine.

Not bad, huh? Now lets look at the Base set Arcanine.

Name: Arcanine
Card #: 23/102
Rarity: Uncommon
Color: Fire
HP: 100
Weakness: Water
Resistance: none
Retreat: 3
Species: Legendary
Level: 45
Pokemon #: 59
Attack: [1RR] Flamethrower (50)
Discard 1 R energy card attached to Arcanine in order to use
this attack.
Attack: [2RR] Take Down (80)
Arcanine does 30 damage to itself.

Promo Arcanine has an average amount of HP for a stage 1 evolution. However
a 1 retreat cost is definitely good for such a large Pokemon. His first
attack (Quick Attack) is OK, but for one of the Legendary Pokemon I think
its a poor attack. Come on, Arcanine doesn't evolve from Eevee. His second
attack (Flames of Rage) is decent, but you have to discard 2 fire energy to
use this attack. Meaning, you can only use this attack every other turn.
When you can use this attack again (if you don't get ER'd) it will do 40
damage plus all the damage that Arcanine took in those two turns he was
waiting. If he isn't knocked out by that time, Flames of Rage is an
excellent attack for only two energy cards. If someone asked me which
Arcanine was better I would have to say, "Base set." If I played an Arcanine
deck I would want to use one that could guarantee a KO for me than just
maybe a KO. The Promo Arcanine is not a terrible card. I just wouldn't make
a deck relying on him as the main attacker, maybe for bench support.
If anyone has any comments or arguments feel free to email me.
~Alan Jenkins~
<mailto:alan@workexchange.com>