Houndour evolves into Houndoom at level 24 in the main series Pokémon games. This straightforward evolution requires no special items, trade conditions, or time-of-day restrictions—simply level your Houndour to 24, and it will evolve into its more powerful Dark/Fire-type form. For players using Pokémon GO, the evolution instead requires 50 Candy, following that game’s resource-based progression system. First introduced in Generation II with Pokémon Gold and Silver in 1999, Houndour (National Pokédex #228) established itself as one of the earliest Dark/Fire dual-type Pokémon available to trainers.
For example, if you catch a wild Houndour at level 20 in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, you only need to gain four levels through battles or experience items before it transforms into Houndoom. This relatively low evolution threshold makes Houndour accessible for trainers looking to add a Dark/Fire attacker to their team early in their journey. Beyond the basic evolution mechanics, Houndoom offers additional potential through Mega Evolution, which was introduced in Generation VI. This article covers the complete evolution line, where to find Houndour in recent games, how its stats and abilities change upon evolving, and what collectors should know about cards featuring this fiery canine across both its base and evolved forms.
Table of Contents
- How Does Houndour Evolve Into Houndoom?
- Understanding Houndour’s Dual Dark/Fire Typing
- Where to Find Houndour in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet
- Houndoom’s Mega Evolution Potential
- Houndour’s Base Stats and Ability Options
- Card Collecting Considerations for the Houndour Line
- The Future of Houndour in Upcoming Games
- Conclusion
How Does Houndour Evolve Into Houndoom?
The evolution from Houndour to Houndoom follows the classic level-up mechanic that has defined Pokémon since the original games. Once your Houndour reaches level 24, it will automatically attempt to evolve after any battle that triggers the level-up. You can cancel the evolution by pressing the B button if you want to keep Houndour in its base form longer, though most trainers prefer to let the evolution proceed for the stat increases. Compared to other Dark-type Pokémon introduced in Generation II, Houndour’s evolution level sits in a moderate range. Murkrow, for instance, requires a Dusk Stone to evolve into Honchkrow (a mechanic added later in Generation IV), while Sneasel needs to level up at night while holding a Razor Claw.
Houndour’s level 24 requirement with no additional conditions makes it one of the more straightforward evolutions among its Dark-type peers. In Pokémon GO, the evolution system works differently. Rather than levels, you accumulate Candy by catching Houndour, transferring duplicates to Professor Willow, or walking with Houndour as your buddy. Once you have 50 Houndour Candy, you can evolve it into Houndoom at any time regardless of the Pokémon’s CP or level. This means a newly caught Houndour with minimal investment can evolve immediately if you have the Candy stockpiled from previous catches.
Understanding Houndour’s Dual Dark/Fire Typing
Houndour’s Dark/Fire typing gives it a distinctive offensive and defensive profile that carries through to Houndoom. This combination provides resistance to Fire, Grass, Ice, Ghost, Dark, and Steel-type moves, while granting immunity to Psychic attacks. However, this typing comes with notable vulnerabilities to Ground, Fighting, Rock, and Water moves—four common attacking types that trainers should plan around. The dual typing creates interesting strategic considerations during the evolution process. A Houndour trained with moves like Flamethrower and Dark Pulse can cover multiple type matchups, making it useful against Grass, Bug, Ice, Steel, Ghost, and Psychic types.
However, if your team already has strong Fire or Dark coverage, evolving Houndour may be redundant. Trainers building competitive teams should evaluate whether Houndoom’s specific stat distribution and ability options justify a roster spot. One limitation worth noting is that both Houndour and Houndoom share identical type weaknesses. Evolution does not grant any new resistances or remove existing vulnerabilities, so a Houndour that struggles against a Water-type opponent will face the same problems as a Houndoom. The evolution improves your stats and movepool access but does not solve fundamental type disadvantage issues.
Where to Find Houndour in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet
In Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, Houndour spawns in South Province (Area Four) along cliffs and outside cave entrances, but only during nighttime hours. This time restriction is important—players searching during the day will not encounter wild Houndour in these locations regardless of how long they search. Adjusting your Nintendo Switch’s clock or simply waiting until in-game night falls resolves this issue. Houndour also appears in the caves along Poco Path, providing an alternative hunting ground for trainers early in their adventure.
The Poco Path location can be accessed relatively early in the game, making Houndour available before many other Dark or Fire types become catchable. For trainers planning to use Houndoom on their main story team, catching a Houndour in Poco Path and leveling it to 24 provides a solid mid-game attacker. A specific example: if you start playing Scarlet or Violet and reach South Province (Area Four) by your second or third hour of gameplay, you can catch a Houndour around level 15-20 depending on the spawn. With the experience share system active by default, that Houndour will likely evolve into Houndoom before you challenge the first major gym, giving you type coverage against Grass-type specialists without needing to grind extensively.
Houndoom’s Mega Evolution Potential
Houndoom gained the ability to Mega Evolve into Mega Houndoom starting in Generation VI with Pokémon X and Y. This temporary transformation requires Houndoom to hold the Houndoominite Mega Stone while a trainer possesses a Key Stone. During battle, activating Mega Evolution transforms Houndoom into a significantly more powerful form with boosted stats, particularly in Special Attack and Speed. The tradeoff with Mega Evolution involves opportunity cost. Only one Pokémon per battle can Mega Evolve, so choosing Mega Houndoom means forgoing Mega Evolution on other team members like Mega Charizard or Mega Gengar.
Competitive players must weigh whether Mega Houndoom’s specific stat boosts and ability (Solar Power, which increases Special Attack in harsh sunlight but drains HP) align with their team strategy better than alternative Mega options. In Pokémon GO, Mega Houndoom functions through the Mega Energy system rather than held items. Players collect Mega Houndoom Energy through specific raids and research tasks, then spend that energy to temporarily Mega Evolve their Houndoom. The first Mega Evolution costs the most energy, with subsequent transformations of the same Pokémon becoming cheaper over time. This system makes Mega Houndoom accessible to GO players without requiring rare item drops.
Houndour’s Base Stats and Ability Options
Before evolution, Houndour stands at 2 feet tall (0.6 meters) and weighs 23.8 pounds (10.8 kg), classified in the Pokédex as the “Dark Pokémon.” Its base stat total reflects a Pokémon designed for offense over defense, with higher Special Attack than physical Attack and modest Speed. These offensive stats improve substantially upon evolution, but Houndour’s defensive frailty remains a concern throughout its evolutionary line. Houndour can possess one of three abilities: Early Bird, Flash Fire, or the Hidden Ability Unnerve. Early Bird allows faster awakening from sleep status, useful against opponents relying on moves like Spore or Sleep Powder. Flash Fire grants immunity to Fire-type moves and boosts Houndour’s own Fire attacks when hit by one—an excellent ability for switching into predicted Fire attacks.
Unnerve prevents opponents from eating held berries, a niche but occasionally valuable effect in competitive formats. The ability choice often dictates how trainers use Houndour and Houndoom. Flash Fire users benefit from team compositions that can bait Fire attacks, creating switch-in opportunities. However, if your opponent recognizes the Flash Fire set, they will avoid using Fire moves entirely, negating the ability’s benefit. Early Bird sees less competitive use but proves helpful in casual play where sleep-inducing moves appear more frequently without strategic counters.
Card Collecting Considerations for the Houndour Line
For collectors focused on the Pokémon Trading Card Game, the Houndour evolutionary line spans multiple sets across every era since Neo Genesis, the first expansion to feature Generation II Pokémon. Early Houndour cards from the Neo series command premium prices among vintage collectors, particularly first edition prints in mint condition. The evolution into Houndoom appears across even more sets, including several holographic and ultra-rare variants.
Mega Houndoom EX cards from the XY era represent the high end of the evolution line’s collectible potential. These cards featured special Mega Evolution mechanics in the TCG and often included full-art or secret rare printings that collectors prize today. When evaluating Houndour line cards for purchase, condition grading proves especially important—the difference between a PSA 9 and PSA 10 can multiply a card’s value several times over.
The Future of Houndour in Upcoming Games
As Pokémon continues releasing new titles and updates, Houndour’s availability and competitive relevance may shift. The Pokémon has maintained consistent representation across generations since its 1999 debut, suggesting Game Freak views the Houndour line as a staple Dark/Fire option worth preserving in regional Pokédexes.
Whether future games introduce new evolution methods, regional variants, or additional Mega-style transformations remains speculation, but the evolutionary line’s popularity among fans makes it a likely candidate for continued support. Collectors and competitive players alike should monitor announcements for upcoming games and TCG sets. New card printings featuring Houndour or Houndoom could affect existing card values, while game mechanic changes might alter how trainers approach evolving and training this Dark/Fire duo.
Conclusion
Houndour’s evolution into Houndoom at level 24 represents one of the more accessible evolutionary paths among Dark-type Pokémon, requiring no special items or conditions beyond reaching the threshold level. The dual Dark/Fire typing provides useful offensive coverage and several resistances, though trainers must respect the four-type weakness spread that comes with this combination. Mega Evolution adds another layer of potential for Houndoom users willing to invest the Mega Stone slot.
For trainers in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, hunting Houndour at night in South Province or Poco Path offers an early-game opportunity to build toward a capable Houndoom. Collectors tracking the TCG market should note that both Houndour and Houndoom appear across numerous sets with varying rarity levels, from common prints to chase Mega Houndoom EX cards. Whether you are building a competitive team, completing a Pokédex, or assembling a card collection, understanding this evolution line’s mechanics and history helps inform your decisions.
