|
-
Flash Fire
- Grants immunity to Fire and increases Fire's power 50% when hit by a Fire move.
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Run Away
- Increases chances of successfully escaping a random battle.
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Statistics
|
Min- |
Min |
Max |
Max+ |
| HP |
65
|
- |
271 |
334 |
- |
| Atk |
100
|
212 |
236 |
299 |
328 |
| Def |
70
|
158 |
176 |
239 |
262 |
| SpA |
80
|
176 |
196 |
259 |
284 |
| SpD |
80
|
176 |
196 |
259 |
284 |
| Spe |
105
|
221 |
246 |
309 |
339 |
This set makes use of Rapidash's biggest assets: Speed and the ability to induce status. Sleep a foe with Hypnosis, then burn the incoming Pokemon with Will-O-Wisp and proceed to hit what you can with Flare Blitz and Megahorn. Focus Sash should only be used if you plan on leading with Rapidash. It can ensure you survive an attack in order to sleep your opponent. Wide Lens helps to improve the accuracy of Megahorn, Hypnosis, and Will-O-Wisp to 93.5%, 77%, and 82.5% respectively and is worth considering if you're worried about a costly miss.
Rapidash has a fairly respectable base 80 Special Attack which allows it to function as a pretty decent mixed sweeper. Fire Blast and HP Grass help to take out common switches into Rapidash, scoring OHKOs on Steelix and doing a minimum of 89% to standard Aggron. HP Grass will OHKO Quagsire and Gastrodon while it will hit Blastoise for up to 45%. Hidden Power Electric is an alternative to Hidden Power Grass that will severely damage Pelipper and Mantine as well as hitting most Water types, however is generally inferior to Hidden Power Grass as Gastrodon and Quagsire are more common. Megahorn is there to take out the two common special walls Hypno and Grumpig; OHKOing both of them provided they switched into a prior attack or Stealth Rock. Hypnosis helps against threats the set cannot take out directly and is easily capable of placing your opponent in quite a predicament.
This set is viable with both Choice Band and Choice Scarf. In the generation transition Rapidash wasn’t given much in her physical movepool, so you'll most likely be trying to hammer a few things with Flare Blitz and Megahorn. Iron Tail helps against some Rock types, if it lands. The last slot is mostly filler. Return / Double-Edge is Rapidash's best option to hit Water and Flying types, Double Kick can break Substitutes and still does decent damage to the Rock and Steel types abundant in UU. Quick Attack is also an option in the last slot as it helps if you fear Flail / Reversal, however it is less useful if using Choice Scarf.
Baton Pass is available to Rapidash via purification in XD, and is incompatible with all of its Egg Moves. Depending on how you use this Rapidash, your held item will be diffrent. A pinch berry (Starf, Salac) is a good item choice if you want to pass or use one more boost. Focus Sash is a viable option if you plan on making Rapidash your starter, as it ensures you will always get off an Agility. If neither of those appeal to you, then Leftovers is always available.
Other Options
Rapidash can use Sunny Day and SolarBeam fairly effectively but requires a Special Attack boosting nature due to it having quite mediocre Special Attack. Double-Edge can be used over Return, but having another recoil attack alongside Flare Blitz can really hurt defensively.
EVs
Max Speed and Attack with a Jolly nature will work for most sets. The mixed set however requires a Mild nature as Rapidash’s Special Attack isn’t very high and it needs to make the most of it. Max Speed is also a must on that set, as it will allow Rapidash to still outspeed positive nature base 90 Pokemon.
Opinion
Very limited movepool, but Rapidash's Speed, ability to cripple foes with status, Baton Pass and mix sweep make it a decent choice for most UU teams.
Counters
Rapidash lacks the ability to seriously hurt most of its fellow Fire types, so if they've got an attack that's even neutral on her, they'll usually come out on top. Water types, especially the likes of Blastoise, Cloyster, Mantine and Pelipper also wall her physical sets effectively but need to watch out for the mixed set. Lanturn however walls that set well taking a maximum of 35% from Hidden Power Grass.