Statistics
|
Min- |
Min |
Max |
Max+ |
| HP |
105
|
- |
351 |
414 |
- |
| Atk |
130
|
266 |
296 |
359 |
394 |
| Def |
120
|
248 |
276 |
339 |
372 |
| SpA |
45
|
113 |
126 |
189 |
207 |
| SpD |
45
|
113 |
126 |
189 |
207 |
| Spe |
40
|
104 |
116 |
179 |
196 |
This Rhydon is hard to use, but it's amazing. If you hit the right thing on the switch, you will do a lot of damage. However, if you need Rhydon for its resistances, use a different set, as this one lacks Leftovers recovery. Focus Punch hurts Skarmory and Double-Edge is your 100% accurate option against Weezing. You will mainly use the other moves. Hidden Power Rock is an option here have a 100% accurate move for Fliers, because it actually does more damage on average than Rock Blast or Rock Slide, and, due to Rhydon's low Speed, Rock Slide won't be flinching much. Unlike the Swords Dancer, it doesn't particularly care about a Skarmory using Roar, so even that benefit is lost. Choice Band is good on Rhydon because when people see Rhydon, the immediate reaction is to switch to a Pokémon like Suicune, or a Flier like Zapdos if they predict Earthquake. These Pokémon are faster than Rhydon, and can easily OHKO it thanks to Rhydon's abysmal Special Defense and weakness to 2 of the 3 most common special attacking types, Water and Grass, and his immunity to Electric is countered by the fact that almost all Electrics use one of Hidden Power Ice, or worse, Grass. For this reason, Rhydon is often played as a hit-and-run Pokémon, so it rarely notices the ill effects of the Choice Band.
Rhydon creates 101 HP Substitutes, so Blissey and Miltank can't break them with Seismic Toss (watch out for Ice Beam or the occasional Earthquake, though). You can also outspeed Weezing if you want, and throw up a Substitute before it gets a chance to Will-O-Wisp you. Weezing cannot do anything to you with any of its attacks, and neither can Dusclops if you keep attacking it. Megahorn will clear Claydol and Celebi, but with a Swords Dance, Rock Slide can 2HKO Skarmory, perhaps even own it one on one with a lucky flinch.
Other Options
Roar works against Snorlax to an extent and so does Curse, but Swords Dance is generally preferred because Rhydon's typing is so poor defensively that it generally needs to just kill stuff as fast as it can. Counter is absolutely great against Fighting-types and Pokémon with Earthquake—it can survive at least one of these. You're going to be screwed when they play it safe and go to a special attacker, though.
EVs
Rhydon will need 404 HP for the 101 HP Substitutes, which is 212 EVs. If you have Substitute and want to outspeed Weezing, it needs at least 160 Speed (176 EVs). For the rest, just stack Attack EVs.
Opinion
Rhydon is hard to use, but can grant an enormous pay-off. People keep on harping on these weaknesses, but forget Rhydon's awesome attacking potential and resistance to Normal, Rock, and Flying, which are a must on every team. It does a great job on making Normals cry, it can work around Skarmory and Weezing, and it's immune to Thunder Wave. However, the high usage of bulky Water-types is a problem. Rhydon is best used with things like Body Slam Snorlax or Thunder Wave Blissey, or other Pokémon that can reliably Paralyze your opponent, as it allows the Choice Bander to actually stay in to 2HKO those Water-types who think they can wall you, and lets the Substitute version scout for Full Paralysis.
Counters
Milotic and Suicune are probably the best. Swampert can beat it, and if it doesn't have Megahorn, Celebi and Claydol trump it. Some versions are countered by Weezing and Skarmory. Prediction is your main bet, as Rhydon can do more than 40% to any Pokémon. However, when it has no Substitute, any special attack is going to do a nice number.
