In commemoration of Nintendo’s 135ᵗʰ anniversary, September 20 to 30 is NIWA Cross-Wiki Week. Click here for event details and the possibility to win a $20/€20 Nintendo eShop gift card. Please remember to follow the manual of style and code of conduct at all times. Check the Bulbagarden home page for up-to-date Pokémon news and discuss it on the forums or in the Bulbagarden Discord server.
Vulpix is a small, quadruped, fox-like Pokémon that has a red-brown pelt, brown, pupil-less eyes, hooded style ears with dark brown pinnae, and six orange tails. Vulpix also has what looks like orange bangs across its forehead as well as locks of fur. At birth, Vulpix has only one white tail, which apparently splits and grows more beautiful and warmer as it grows older. Vulpix has a cream underbelly, and brown feet with lighter-brown colored paw pads. Vulpix also has a flame inside its body that never goes out.
Gender differences
None.
Special abilities
Vulpix are able to wield Fire-type moves naturally, as well as learning a few Ghost-type moves such as Grudge and Confuse Ray. Their Ability, Flash Fire, prevents them from being harmed by Fire moves as well. They are one of very few species that undergo evolution with a Fire Stone.
Behavior
Vulpix usually have a friendly, if not spoiled, temperament. When the temperature outside increases, they will expel flames from their mouths to prevent their body from overheating because of the flame inside their bodies. In the wild, Vulpix will feign injury to escape from predators that are more powerful.
Vulpix can be found in grassy plains, near active volcanoes, or in shaded mountainous areas, as well as urban areas such as parks and in avenues, more commonly at night. Vulpix are also found in areas associated with death, such as Mt. Pyre. They are native to Kanto, Johto and Hoenn, with occasional sightings in Sinnoh, and with a small group living in an isolated part of the Unova region.
At the time of its birth, Vulpix has one white tail. The tail separates into six if this Pokémon receives plenty of love from its Trainer. The six tails become magnificently curled.
Inside Vulpix's body burns a flame that never goes out. During the daytime, when the temperatures rise, this Pokémon releases flames from its mouth to prevent its body from growing too hot.
Vulpix can be seen as a parallel to Growlithe. Both of them are Generation I Pokémon whose only evolutionary event utilizes a Fire Stone into their evolved forms. Vulpix is exclusive to Pokémon Blue/Green and LeafGreen while Growlithe is to Pokémon Red and FireRed, Growlithe has a 75% chance of being male while Vulpix has a 75% of being female, and they are both in the Field Egg Group. Additionally, both can have Flash Fire as their Ability, are based on canines (Growlithe being a dog, Vulpix being a fox), and both changed their alternate coloration to yellow in Generation III.
Vulpix and Ninetales are the only two Fire-type Pokémon species where females outnumber males.
In Generation V, Vulpix and its evolution, Ninetales, can have the Drought Ability through Dream World. This makes them the only non-legendary Pokémon to have this Ability. Previously the only Pokémon to have this Ability was Groudon.
Vulpix is the only Pokémon with a base stat total of 299.
Origin
Vulpix, like Ninetales, are based on foxes. However, in Japan there are certain legends concerning foxes, or kitsune, as they are known there. One such legend which relates to Vulpix the most is how many-tailed foxes can breathe fire, create illusions, and have extremely long lifespans. After living a long time, these creatures take on spirit forms, which may be the reason why these two related Pokémon can learn Ghost-type moves.
Name origin
Vulpix is a combination of vulpes (Latin for fox), vulcan, and six (referring to its six tails).
Rokon may be a combination of 六 roku (six) and 恨 kon (grudge), which refers to the curse that Vulpix and Ninetales may cast on their foes. This is also reflected in Vulpix, which learns Grudge. Kon may also refer to the Japanese onomatopoeia kon kon, which is the sound that foxes make. Furthermore, a コンロ konro is a gas burner stove. Also, an alternate reading of the Japanese word for fox, 狐 kitsune, is ko.
This Pokémon article is part of Project Pokédex, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on each Pokémon species, as well as Pokémon groups and forms.