Rapidash

Flash Fire
Grants immunity to Fire and increases Fire's power 50% when hit by a Fire move.
Run Away
Increases chances of successfully escaping a random battle.
Type Tier
Fire UU
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
Name Item Nature

Double Status

Leftovers / Focus Sash / Wide Lens Jolly
Moveset EVs
~ Hypnosis
~ Will-O-Wisp
~ Flare Blitz
~ Megahorn
252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe

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.

Name Item Nature

Mixed

Life Orb Mild
Moveset EVs
~ Hypnosis
~ Fire Blast
~ Hidden Power Grass
~ Megahorn
6 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe

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.

Name Item Nature

Choice Horse

Choice Band / Choice Scarf Jolly / Adamant
Moveset EVs
~ Flare Blitz
~ Megahorn
~ Iron Tail
~ Return / Double Kick
252 Atk / 252 Spe

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.

Name Item Nature

Baton Pass

Leftovers / Focus Sash Jolly
Moveset EVs
~ Agility
~ Baton Pass
~ Flare Blitz
~ Substitute
6 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe

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.