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, quadrupedal, fox-like Pokémon. It has a red-brown pelt with a cream-colored underbelly. It has brown eyes, large, pointed ears with dark brown insides, and a triangular dark brown nose. Its paws are slightly darker than the rest of its pelt and have light brown paw pads. On top of its head are three curled locks of orange fur with bangs, and it has orange tails with curled tips. It is most commonly seen with six tails. However, Vulpix is born with only a single, white tail that splits as Vulpix grows. The tails grow hot as it approaches evolution.
Vulpix is capable of manipulating fire to such precision as to create floating wisps of flame. These wisps are sometimes mistaken for ghosts by humans, but Vulpix uses them to assist in catching prey. Inside its body is a flame that never goes out. When the temperature outside increases, it will expel flames from its mouth to prevent its body from overheating. Vulpix is known to feign injury to escape from opponents too powerful for it to defeat. Vulpix can be found most commonly in grassy plains.
In the Alola region, Vulpix has adapted to snowy mountain peaks and developed a snowy white pelt. It has pale blue paws, blue eyes, and dark blue insides its ears. Its snout is more pronounced and pointed than that of non-Alolan Vulpix. The locks of hair on its head and its six tails are curlier and have a wispy appearance. Alolan Vulpix is believed to have arrived in the region at the same time as humans but moved to the snow-capped mountain to avoid other Pokémon. It can be found in small packs, called skulks, that are led and protected by Ninetales. Alolan Vulpix can expel breath as cold as -58°F (-50°C), which is capable of freezing anything. While it is not suited to warmer environments, its tail can produce ice to lower the surrounding temperature if needed. An old, local name for this Pokémon is "Keokeo", referring to its white pelt. Weavile is a natural predator of Alolan Vulpix.
In Mewtwo Strikes Back, a Vulpix was cloned from Brock's Vulpix. It then participated in the battle between the original Pokémon and the cloned Pokémon. Vulpix reappeared in Mewtwo Returns.
In Love, Pokémon Style, Macy has a Vulpix as her main Pokémon, though Macy doesn't use it in battle. Vulpix found itself captured by Team Rocket, but it was soon rescued by Ash.
An Alolan Vulpix appeared in a flashback in Getting a Jump on the Competition!, under the ownership of Cerah. By the events of that episode, it had evolved into an Alolan Ninetales.
Minor appearances
A Vulpix appeared as an image in the dubbed version of The Ultimate Test.
In a fantasy in Mystery on a Deserted Island!, Alexa told Ash and his friends that a Vulpix belonged to a Pirate. It was revealed that after the pirate disappeared, Vulpix stayed on the island where the treasure was hidden with the other Pokémon. It was revealed to have evolved into Ninetales afterwards.
Vulpix, Alola Form. The Fox Pokémon. An Ice type. Vulpix is covered in white fur and was discovered on Mount Lanakila. Its breath can reach a temperature of 60 below zero, freezing anything it touches. And that Vulpix? It's a Fire type. When carefully groomed, its six tails can be extremely beautiful.
Kiaraway, a Fire-type specialist, owns a female Vulpix. She is one of his most used Pokémon, first appearing with Cyndaquil in Vulpix and Cyndaquil. She is good friends with Coconut.
Flannery owns a Vulpix that debuted in Bravo, Vibrava. She used it to battle Shelly's Ludicolo. Although it ended up getting defeated, it managed to disable Ludicolo's main attack, Nature Power, by using Grudge just before fainting.
Both regular Vulpix and Alolan Vulpix appear as Pokémon summoned from the Poké Ball. They attack using Ember and Frost Breath, respectively, with the former move burning opposing fighters with pillars of fire, and the latter move freezing them. Both forms of Vulpix also appear as Spirits.
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.
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.
Alolan Vulpix can be seen as a parallel to Alolan Sandshrew. Both were initially introduced in Generation I and got Alolans in Pokémon Sun and Moon. Both Pokémon are Ice-types, with Vulpix being exclusive to Sun and Sandshrew being exclusive to Moon. Furthermore, both Pokémon evolve when exposed to an Ice Stone.
Vulpix is the only Pokémon with a base stat total of 299.
Vulpix and Ninetales share their category with the Fennekin evolutionary line, Nickit, and Thievul. They are all known as the Fox Pokémon.
Vulpix has the lowest base HP of all Fire-type Pokémon.
Alolan Vulpix is the only regional form with a specific name — Keokeo.
Origin
Vulpix may be based on a red fox and the 狐 kitsune of Japanese legend, which are said to have many tails, extremely long lifespans, and supernatural powers such as the ability to breathe fire. After reaching an advanced age, kitsune take on spirit forms, which may explain why Vulpix can learn various Ghost-type and Psychic-type moves.
Alolan Vulpix may be based on an Arctic fox, which grows a white coat of fur in the winter to camouflage in the snow.
Name origin
Vulpix may be a combination of vulpes (Latin for fox) and six.
Its Alolan name Keokeo may be derived from keʻokeʻo (Hawaiian for white).
Rokon may be a combination of 六 roku (six) and 恨 kon (grudge; from the curse its evolution may cast on its foes), こんこん kon kon (the sound foxes make), コンロ konro (gas stove; relating to its Fire type), or 狐 ko (an alternate reading of kitsune; Japanese for fox).
In other languages
Language
Title
Meaning
Japanese
ロコン Rokon
Possibly from 六 roku and 恨 kon, こんこん kon kon, コンロ konro, or 狐 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.