Pokemon #229, Houndoom, Dark/Fire type, Dark Pokemon.
Houndoom is a dark, canine pokemon of the night that strikes fear into the hearts of friends and foes alike. It has a smooth, black body with four legs. It has an orange mouth and belly, and a black, devil-like tail. Its head is decorated with two curled, bone-like horns, and similar decorations resembling ribs are found arounds its neck and on its back. It also has two bone-like rings on each of its three-toed paws. A small skull-like decoration on its chest is a finishing touch.
Habitat: Houndoom may be rarely found leading packs of Houndour in volcanic regions, as well as the suburbs of Goldenrod City.
Diet: Houndoom has a strict diet of meat, which it hunts on its own or in a pack. It will also eat common pokemon food such as berries.
Biology: Houndoom’s howl is known to spread fear into the hearts of all that know it. When an alpha Houndoom howls, the rest of the pack is typically intimidated as a side-effect.
Houndoom has several toxins residing in its body, which are expelled when it breathes fire. As a result, Houndoom’s flame will permanently damage the target and the pain of the flame will never go away. Scientists have traced the effect of the toxins, and they were found to have a severely damaging effect on neurons. Due to the severity of the damage, the pain cannot be removed with a single medicine, and limb amputation is also pointless due to phantom pains. New developments in neuron transplantation have been shown to be an effective cure for the pain, but it should be noted that this is an expensive treatment. A pokemon that is damaged by this move can simply be cured in a Pokemon center to full recovery.
Although Houndoom is typically known to be a fierce and ruthless pokemon, especially in a pack, individual specimens were shown to have a protective attitude towards small, helpless pokemon. This behavior is shown more often in Houndoom which have a trainer, rather than wild specimens.
After a close bond has been forged with the trainer, Houndoom has the ability to Mega-Evolve using Houndoominite. Mega-Houndoom is covered in bone-like armor, which is shaped like two tusks on the side, and has two blade-like extensions pointing up and two pointing to the side of its neck. The bones on its back now fully resemble a spine, and the rings on its hind legs have vanished. Houndooms horns now have an upturned, demonic appearance. It’s tail has split into two. Formerly a night-dweller, Mega-Houndoom is now fully able to make use of the Sun’s energy, resulting in the ability Solar Power.
Pokemon League Commission notes:
Class B: Houndoom is a pokemon that is rarely found in the wild, and most of the wild pokemon have an alpha-role in packs of Houndour. Although sometimes local authorities may put out a bounty for catching the leader of a particularly troublesome pack of Houndour, catching of Houndoom is usually restricted to prevent escalation of pack quarrels. Lone Houndoom may be caught restrictedly.
