WhiteDMist
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I AM UNICORN!
[Overview]
[SET]
name: Physical Attacker
move 1: Flare Blitz
move 2: Wild Charge
move 3: Low Kick
move 4: Morning Sun / Baton Pass
item: Life Orb / Choice Band
ability: Flash Fire
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SDef / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
[Other Options]
- Fastest Fire-type in NU
- Has reliable recovery so isn't as easy to wear down as similar Fire-types
- It has average offensive power and a decent movepool
- Frail, so not difficult to KO
- Unable to boost its average power, so it faces competition from other Fire-types that can
[SET]
name: Physical Attacker
move 1: Flare Blitz
move 2: Wild Charge
move 3: Low Kick
move 4: Morning Sun / Baton Pass
item: Life Orb / Choice Band
ability: Flash Fire
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SDef / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
- This set makes use of Rapidash's higher physical attack and is a better fit on teams that carries Water-types that don't appreciate sun
- Flare Blitz is Rapidash's most powerful STAB move
- Wild Charge provides useful coverage against Water-types and Charizard
- Low Kick provides decent power against most Rock-types that can easily take Rapidash's other moves
- Morning Sun is the preferred option with Life Orb to mitigate residual damage and help play around Sucker Punch users
- Baton Pass is better with Choice Band to maintain momentum against its counters and scout
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
- Jolly is the preferred nature to outspeed key Pokemon such as Charizard, Jynx, and Simisear
- Life Orb is the preferred item since Rapidash is already frail and appreciates the ability to switch moves
- Choice Band is useful for the greater damage output, and works better with Baton Pass to prevent momentum loss
- Hidden Power Grass hits Golem, Carracosta, and Seimitoad hardest (and other 4x weak mons)
- Megahorn is a viable move for the last slow to hit bulky Psychic-types without Flare Blitz recoil
- Return hits Dragon-types hardest, but they are rare and it doesn't help Rapidash much otherwise
- Charcoal and Flame Plate are viable to boost the power of Flare Blitz without negative side effects
- This set still has trouble breaking through bulky Rock- and Water-types, so a Grass-type such as Exeggutor or Serperior can help deal with them
- Water-types such as Samurott or Gorebyss can also deal with Rock- and Water-types and help form a FWG core.
- Wartortle is a notable Water-type as it can use Rapid Spin to remove entry hazards that wear down Rapidash faster
- As Rapidash switches into Will-O-Wisp from Misdreavus and Weezing, physical attackers that appreciate their weakening are good teammates
- Sawk is notable as is can also scare away most entry hazard setters
[Other Options]
- A Sunny Day set with Solarbeam lets Rapidash break through some of its normal counters, but Rapidash is a bit too frail to set up safely and too weak to work on Sun teams
- Hypnosis can remove a counter, but is unreliable
- Hidden power Ice can hit Altaria hard, but isn't worth a moveslot otherwise
- Will-O-Wisp can cripple a physical attacker, but Rapidash generally prefers to simply attack
- Toxic can cripple physical walls such as Alomomola, but Rapidash has trouble finding a slot for it
- Rapidash can use a full special set with Fire Blast, Solarbeam, Sunny Day, and a Hidden Power; sadly Charizard and Simisear are far more powerful options
- Rapidash can use a Choice Scarf due to its high Speed, but it lacks power and prefers being able to switch moves.
- Substitute is an option to block status and make it harder to revenge kill, but Rapidash doesn't need to cut into its HP more that it already does
- Flame Charge and Agility are the only boosting moves it has, but they don't help improve Rapidash's average power
- Quick Attack provides priority, but it is very weak
- Flame Body can provide a useful burn against resisted physical attacks, but Rapidash prefers the possible power boost from Flash Fire more
- Dragon-types such as Altaria and Dragonair wall Rapdiash unless it carries Return or Hidden Power Ice
- The physical set is walled by Alomomola and physically defensive Seismitoad
- Regirock and Piloswine can check Rapidash as they can take any single move from it and retaliate with their super effective STAB moves
- Specially Defensive Regirock can even counter mixed Rapidash as it avoids the 2HKO from SolarBeam
- Gardevir can Trace Flash Fire and tank a Wild Charge or SolarBeam, and it KOs with Psychic
- Bulkier Water-types that can tank a Wild Charge or SolarBeam, such as Samurott and Wartortle, can check Rapidash
- Rapidash is frail, so anything faster with a decently powered neutral move can easily inflict a lot of damage to it, if not OHKO.
- Swellow, Tauros, and many Choice Scarf users such as Jynx or Primeape can all revenge kill Rapidash
- Priority from Kangaskhan and Basculin keep Rapidash in check. Be aware that Rapidash can play around Sucker Punch with Morning Sun and Sunny Day.
[Overview]
<p>As the fastest Fire-type in the Neverused tier, Rapidash has its advantages. It has a strong STAB in Flare Blitz, though its power is average otherwise. Rapidash also has a decent movepool, including a reliable recovery move to mitigate recoil and entry hazard damage. Unfortunately, Rapidash is frail and doesn't find much opportunity to use non-attacking moves. Without a way to notably enhance its average attack power, it struggles to differentiate itself from its Fire-type brethren.</p>
[SET]
name: Physical Attacker
move 1: Flare Blitz
move 2: Wild Charge
move 3: Low Kick
move 4: Morning Sun / Baton Pass
item: Life Orb / Choice Band
ability: Flash Fire
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>This set makes maximum use of Rapidash's higher Attack stat, focusing on hitting the opponent's team as hard as possible. Flare Blitz is Rapidash's most powerful STAB move and is the move that will typically be used the most. Wild Charge provides coverage against opposing Water-types as well as Charizard. Low Kick allows Rapidash to significantly damage most opposing Rock-types. Morning Sun is preferred if Rapidash is wielding a Life Orb, as it helps mitigate recoil and entry hazard damage; it can also be useful for allowing Rapidash to work around Sucker Punch users. Baton Pass is preferred when Rapidash is holding a Choice Band, as it allows it to scout the opposing switch-in or escape from a check or counter.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Jolly is the best nature, as Rapidash prefers to outspeed as many Pokemon as possible, and it is necessary to allow Rapidash to Speed tie with threats such as Kadabra. Life Orb gives Rapidash a decent power boost while allowing it to switch moves, but as Rapidash is likely to use Flare Blitz most of the time, a Choice Band is also a good option to maximize its only average power. Hidden Power Grass is a viable option for the last move, as it allows Rapidash to hit 4x weak Pokemon such as Seismitoad and Golem harder than any of its other moves. Megahorn is a possible move to threaten Psychic-types without having to take recoil from Flare Blitz. Return is also a viable move to threaten opposing Dragon-types, but they are rare and the move doesn't help Rapidash much otherwise. Charcoal and Flame Plate are possible items to boost the power of Flare Blitz, but the lack of negative side effects does not make up for the noticeable decrease in power.</p>
<p>Even with Low Kick, this set still has trouble with Rock-types. Grass-type teammates, such as Serperior and Exeggutor, can handle Rock-types, as well as Water-types, very well. Water-types, such as Gorebyss and Samurott, can also deal with Rock-types and help form a Fire / Water / Grass core. Wartortle is a notable Water-type as it can use Rapid Spin to remove the entry hazards that wear down Rapidash. Rapidash enjoys switching into Will-O-Wisps from the likes of Misdreavus and Weezing, so physical attacking teammates that lure them out are good teammates. Choice Band Sawk is a notable option, as it can also threaten most Stealth Rock users as well as Rock-types.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>A mixed Sunny Day set with SolarBeam allows Rapidash to break through a few of its normal counters, but Rapidash is too frail to set up and attack. Hypnosis can cripple a counter, but the terrible accuracy makes it unreliable. Hidden Power Ice can hit Altaria extremely hard, but it isn't worth a moveslot otherwise. Will-O-Wisp can cripple physical attackers such as Regirock, but Rapidash is already lacking moveslots and prefers to attack most of the time. Likewise, Toxic can cripple Alomomola and other defensive Pokemon on the switch, but Rapidash has trouble finding room for it. Substitute is an option to block status and make Rapidash harder to revenge kill, but it doesn't want to cut into its HP any more than it does already. Rapidash can run a special attacking set with Sunny Day, Fire Blast, SolarBeam, and Hidden Power, but Charizard and Simisear are more powerful options. Choice Scarf Rapidash can be used due to its high Speed, but it lacks power. Flame Charge and Agility are the only boosting moves Rapidash has, but they do not improve its average power and there are better options to Baton Pass such boosts. Quick Attack provides priority, but is extremely weak. Finally, Rapidash can use its Flame Body ability to try and burn opponents, but it is far too frail and prefers the possible power boost from Flash Fire more.</p>
[Checks and Counters]
<p>Dragon-types such as Altaria and Dragonair wall Rapidash unless it carries Return or Hidden Power Ice. Rapidash is walled by Alomomola and physically defensive Seismitoad unless it carries Hidden Power Grass or SolarBeam. Regirock and Piloswine can check Rapidash as they can take any move from it and retaliate with their super effective STAB moves. Specially defensive Regirock can even counter the rare mixed Rapidash, as it avoids the 2HKO from SolarBeam. Gardevoir can Trace Flash Fire and tank a Wild Charge, then retaliate with Psychic. Bulkier Water-types that can tank a Wild Charge or SolarBeam, such as Samurott and Wartortle, can check Rapidash. Rapidash is frail, so anything faster with a decently powered neutral move can easily inflict a lot of damage to it, if not OHKO it completely. Swellow, Tauros, and many Choice Scarf users, such as Jynx or Primeape, can all revenge kill Rapidash. Priority from Kangaskhan and Basculin can keep Rapidash in check; be aware that Rapidash can play around Sucker Punch with Morning Sun and Baton Pass.</p>
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