Virtually all ghost pokemon take on a different appearance from their living form, one sufficiently distinct that few can tell what kind of pokemon they were in life. Even in those which are known to be connected to a living species, such as Gengar and Clefable, there is no mistaking the living for the dead.

This is not the case with Vulpix. A trained Vulpix is a fire-type pokemon with no ghostly powers or techniques save Will-o-Wisp. This is because these are the only ones weak enough to be caught in the wild and because Vulpix live longer lives than their trainers in captivity. A flame burns hot inside the body of each living Vulpix which acts as the pokemon's life force; when it burns out or is doused by water or injury, the Vulpix becomes a ghost.

There is no safe way to tell the living Vulpix from the walking dead: one can attempt to determine it through provocation, but this typically results in a fatal Curse (if dead) or Flamethrower (if living) Consequently, estimates of what percentage of Vulpix today are alive vary wildly, from a twentieth to a half of the total Vulpix population. As ghosts they gain the ability to curse their enemies, summon apparitions, and shapeshift into small children.

It is said that if you take in an orphaned child and raise it with compassion and honor, it may turn out to not be a human child, but a ghost Vulpix. If this happens, you will be rewarded with good fortune and long life. Some believe this to be true to this day, but most consider it a tall tale invented by governments and clergy to facilitate the placement of orphaned children with loving families.