[OVERVIEW]
Rhydon's typing and raw power make it a major threat in the RBY Ubers metagame. Its STAB Earthquake is the most powerful unboosted physical attack without a downside 2HKOing Chansey and 3HKOing tier titans Mewtwo, Mew, and Snorlax. Rhydon is incredible at threatening paralyzed teams and is very difficult to switch into. It's no slouch defensively either; its typing lets it wall Zapdos and Jolteon as well as Mew and Snorlax that drop Earthquake. Rhydon is also immune to Thunder Wave, which makes it much harder to paralyze reliably. Its typing also gives it a Normal resistance, which allows it to absorb Explosion for other team members and switch into Hyper Beam to force a recharge turn while taking minimal damage. Rhydon's outstanding HP stat ensures its Substitute survives a Seismic Toss from Chansey, further improving its matchup against it.
Unfortunately, Rhydon is held back by it necessitating paralysis support to function effectively, as its abysmal Speed leaves it outpaced by all viable Pokemon except for Slowbro and Snorlax. This, by extension, means it despises being paralyzed itself; though it's immune to Thunder Wave, it can still be threatened with Stun Spore and Body Slam. Rhydon's low Speed, alongside its poor special bulk and weaknesses to common attacking types such as Ice and Ground, means it will have trouble in most one-on-one matchups without paralysis support. To further worsen this issue, Rhydon only has Rest for recovery, which forces it into passivity for two turns and invites in threats that can apply pressure on it or set up, such as Mewtwo and Slowbro.
Rhydon competes with Golem for a team slot due to Golem's access to the mighty Explosion, which also prevents slower Pokemon from recovering and gives opportunities for teammates to switch in. This isn't the only advantage it has to offer; it has slightly higher Speed and 2HKOes Rhydon with Earthquake, giving it the edge one-on-one. However, it lacks Rhydon's remarkable Attack stat, which prevents it from reaching key damage ranges that Rhydon can; for example, Golem 4HKOes Mewtwo, Mew, (AC) and Snorlax and is unlikely to 2HKO Chansey, while Rhydon 3HKOes the first three and always 2HKOes Chansey. Golem's Substitute is also unable to survive a Seismic Toss from Chansey. Moreover, Golem's worse physical bulk and lack of access to a Defense-lowering move make it inferior against Mew. Because of these problems, Rhydon is the superior choice on many competitive teams.
[SET]
name: Physical Attacker
Move 1: Earthquake
move 2: Body Slam
move 3: Substitute
move 4: Rock Slide / Leer / Rest
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========
Earthquake deals massive damage to anything that doesn't resist it. Body Slam lets Rhydon fish for valuable paralysis on switch-ins that are not Normal-type, including Exeggutor and Mewtwo. Substitute is Rhydon's primary utility move, allowing it to scout the opponent's choices. It can then take advantage of the free turn to pressure the foe with Earthquake or attempt to paralyze it with Body Slam. Caution is advised when doing this, however, as certain Pokemon, such as Exeggutor and Cloyster, can switch into Rhydon as it sets up Substitute and force it out using Sleep Powder, Stun Spore, and Clamp. Rhydon's gargantuan HP and Defense allow its Substitute to always survive a Seismic Toss from Chansey and survive a +6 Body Slam from Mew 79.5% of the time. Furthermore, it gives it the option to fish for full paralysis against Mewtwo, potentially giving Rhydon an opening to break through. However, Rhydon has to be careful not to overuse Substitute, as it values keeping its HP dearly. If Rhydon does become low on HP, its ability to switch into foes such as Mew and Chansey is severely compromised. Rock Slide OHKOes Jynx, Moltres, and Articuno, 2HKOes Lapras and Dragonite, 3HKOes Cloyster, and does more damage than other options to Exeggutor. Rock Slide also prevents Rhydon from being stalled out by Toxic Zapdos. It isn't mandatory, though—these Pokemon are rare save for Exeggutor and Jynx, so Rock Slide is often less useful than Rhydon's other moves. Rest allows Rhydon to stonewall Mew and Snorlax using only Normal-type attacks. It also lets Rhydon switch into Chansey without getting worn down over time and prevents it from being stalled out by Toxic Zapdos. However, Rest invites in threats such as Mewtwo and Slowbro, which easily set up on Rhydon.
Rhydon works best late-game when faster Pokemon on the opposing team have either been KOed or paralyzed. Once this support is provided, Rhydon can switch into Pokemon it walls, such as Zapdos, or foes that does not majorly threaten it, such as Seismic Toss Chansey. Rhydon is not exclusively a late-game Pokemon, however—its mid-game utility is also a force to be reckoned with, as it can switch into the foes listed above and threaten paralysis on switch-ins with Body Slam. After Rhydon is first revealed, however, this can be quite predictable, and the opponent may switch these Pokemon out immediately rather than risk giving it free turns. Rhydon can also switch into a predicted Hyper Beam or Explosion, though it needs to be careful; Pokemon that carry these moves often have coverage for Rhydon. Finally, Rhydon can switch into Thunder Wave and recovery moves like Soft-Boiled and Rest. Substitute should be used carefully; Rhydon has no way to recover outside of Rest, and the HP reduction from using Substitute can put it into range of many threats after it's broken, such as Mewtwo's Ice Beam and a 2HKO from Exeggutor's Psychic. Rhydon should only use Substitute when it is more advantageous to set up one compared to just attacking, such as when the opponent is likely to sacrifice a Pokemon.
Bringing paralysis inducers alongside Rhydon is essential given its poor Speed. Starmie and Chansey are excellent teammates, as they take little damage from Ice-, Psychic-, and Water-type moves and possess the coverage to help against Pokemon that trouble Rhydon, like Exeggutor and Slowbro. Slowbro has an identical typing to Starmie and is more effective at luring in Mewtwo and enemy Starmie to paralyze them. In addition, it appreciates Rhydon's ability to block Electric moves and take Explosion, a move Slowbro often attracts. Zapdos is effective against Water-types and Exeggutor and stops Mew carrying only Earthquake in its tracks. However, both Rhydon and Slowbro are very slow, making them somewhat shaky partners. Cloyster can be serviceable partner to Rhydon alongside Thunder Wave Mew and Mewtwo, as Cloyster can cover many matchups Rhydon struggles into, such as Tauros, while Rhydon walls the Electric-types that Cloyster struggles against. However, Cloyster + Rhydon is extremely weak to unparalyzed Mewtwo. Exeggutor is another decent choice that packs Sleep Powder, useful resistances to Ground and Psychic, and Explosion to give Rhydon another opportunity to come in. Rhydon helps these Pokemon in return by stonewalling Zapdos and breaking through paralyzed Chansey, Mew, and Mewtwo. Though Tauros only has Body Slam for paralysis support, it boasts a great Speed stat, perfect coverage, and a considerable critical hit rate, and it tends to draw in and pressure Pokemon that cause difficulties for Rhydon, such as Mewtwo and Exeggutor. Rhydon makes a great partner to Mew with Earthquake as its sole attacking option, as Rhydon can switch into and wall Zapdos, which walls this Mew set, and Mew can spread paralysis across the opposing team, which Rhydon appreciates greatly.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Unfortunately, Rhydon has few other usable moves to its name, and they are difficult to fit on a moveset. Fire Blast is an arguable option thanks to its 30% burn chance, which lets Rhydon cripple Exeggutor and Mew on the switch. While Mew is able to use Swords Dance to remove the Attack penalty, boosting moves from Rhydon's teammates, such as Amnesia from Mewtwo, will reapply the stat drop, keeping its physical attacks ineffective for the rest of the game. However, Fire Blast is inconsistent, relies on its surprise factor to be successful, and carries the risk of burning foes such as Mewtwo and Starmie. Stomp's flinch chance can come in handy against paralyzed foes, as they will only have a 52.4% chance to move. However, it's unreliable, and even with Rhydon's mammoth Attack stat it's incredibly weak.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Exeggutor**: Exeggutor possesses solid bulk and a rare resistance to Ground-type moves alongside a neutrality to Rock, making it one of the best Rhydon switch-ins in the game. Once it's on the field, it can threaten Rhydon with paralysis and sleep—even if Rhydon is behind a Substitute—or deal major damage with Psychic. Rhydon can only 5HKO it in return with Body Slam or 4HKO it with Rock Slide. That being said, it can threaten paralysis on Exeggutor with the former, preventing it from reliably checking Rhydon later on.
**Mewtwo**: Mewtwo outpaces Rhydon and 2HKOes it with Psychic and Ice Beam, while Rhydon can only 3HKO back with Earthquake. Mewtwo also has Recover to heal off any damage. Moreover, it packs Amnesia and a superb 25.39% critical hit rate, so Rhydon is at risk even if it is at full HP. Rhydon can try to paralyze Mewtwo as it switches in with Body Slam, making it easier for it and other physical attackers to pressure it. Afterwards, it can use Substitute to fish for a full paralysis turn and then apply pressure with Earthquake if it succeeds. A paralyzed Mewtwo is also much worse at switching into Rhydon.
**Paralysis**: Although Rhydon is difficult to paralyze reliably thanks to its Thunder Wave immunity, it can no longer outspeed paralyzed Pokemon after it is paralyzed itself, severely hindering its offensive potential. If Rhydon has Leer, it can outspeed faster paralyzed Pokemon via reapplying the paralysis Speed drop, giving it another option, but remaining unparalyzed is still preferable by far. Rhydon can be paralyzed by Stun Spore from Exeggutor and Victreebel or Body Slam from Pokemon like Mew and Snorlax.
**Ice-type Pokemon**: Cloyster, Articuno, and Lapras all outspeed Rhydon and OHKO it reliably with Blizzard except for Cloyster, which still manages to do so a third of the time. Lapras can use Sing, which bypasses Rhydon's Substitute and lets it try to put Rhydon or a switch-in to sleep, while Cloyster comes with Clamp, which destroys Rhydon's Substitute and prevents it from moving on the same turn. Rock Slide is a worry for these Pokemon—especially Articuno, which it OHKOes—but if Rhydon lacks it, they all make serviceable switch-ins, though they do not like being paralyzed by Body Slam. Jynx is another Pokemon that outspeeds and usually OHKOes Rhydon with Blizzard, but it's very difficult for it to switch in, as it is incredibly physically frail.
**Mew**: Mew has multiple effective moves against Rhydon at its disposal, 3HKOing it with Earthquake and the rare Psychic or 2HKOing it with the equally rare Ice Beam. It very frequently runs Swords Dance too, allowing it to 2HKO with Earthquake at +2 or OHKO it half the time at +4. Mew also has Soft-Boiled to remove any damage it takes in the process and Reflect to significantly reduce the effectiveness of Rhydon's attacking moves. However, it's not an ideal check; Rhydon can 3HKO Mew with Earthquake and is able to threaten it much more effectively if it is paralyzed.
**Tauros**: Tauros has a staggering 21.47% critical hit chance as well as coverage moves in Blizzard and Earthquake that 2HKO and 3HKO Rhydon respectively, but Rhydon does significant damage to it with Earthquake, which it has no way to heal off, so it's limited as an answer. If Tauros lacks Blizzard, it becomes a much worse switch-in to Rhydon, as it cannot switch in and wi without a critical hit.
**Starmie**: Most of the time, Rhydon will only 3HKO Starmie with Earthquake, and Starmie threatens it with an OHKO with Surf or a 2HKO with Blizzard backed by a 22.46% critical hit rate along with the chance to freeze. Starmie's access to Recover might make it seem like an appealing switch-in, but it runs the risk of being paralyzed by Body Slam, which badly cripples it.
**Reflect Snorlax**: The uncommon Reflect Snorlax is capable of 3HKOing Rhydon with Earthquake and breaking its Substitute with Self-Destruct, and it walls Rhydon fairly reliably after it sets up Reflect. Snorlax can also paralyze Rhydon with Body Slam, forcing it to use Rest to regain its Speed. Being outsped is a major problem for Snorlax, though; Rhydon 3HKOes it with Earthquake until it sets up. Another issue is that Rhydon can run Leer, which can negate Snorlax's Defense boost while it is sleeping. Even if it doesn't, Rhydon can potentially break through it if it gets a single critical hit, which it has many chances to fish for. Snorlax also has to be wary of giving Mewtwo free setup turns as it is sleeping.
**Dragonite**: Dragonite is unaffected by Earthquake and 2HKOes Rhydon with Blizzard. Rhydon can switch out, but this carries the risk of Dragonite setting up Agility and whittling down Rhydon's team with Wrap. Rhydon has noway to reliably cripple Dragonite as it sets up, as Rock Slide only 2HKOes it,and Body Slam only has a 30% chance to paralyze it. Rhydon does have space to mitigate Dragonite thanks to its Normal resistance—it can switch into Hyper Beam, forcing a recharge turn and letting it either deal major damage or attempt to land Body Slam paralysis, and it can switch into and out of Wrap to stall out its PP.
**Slowbro**: Slowbro's Surf OHKOes Rhydon, and it can paralyze a Pokemon on a predicted switch. However, it's outsped and 3HKOed by Rhydon's Earthquake more often than not. In addition, Slowbro relies on Rest for recovery, giving Rhydon opportunities to switch in and either force Slowbro out or KO it.
**Victreebel**: Victreebel's Razor Leaf is guaranteed to OHKO Rhydon, and it has fearsome status moves in its arsenal to cripple switch-ins as well as Wrap to let it pivot to a teammate for free. However, Rhydon has a 59.6% chance to 2HKO Victreebel with Earthquake and can also cripple it with Body Slam paralysis, making it a temporary and risky switch-in.
**Sandslash and Golem**: Although they are rare, both of these Pokemon outspeed Rhydon and 2HKO it with Earthquake. Sandslash has some room to switch in, as Rhydon can only 3HKO it in return. That being said, it doesn't appreciate taking damage, as doing so could jeopardize its ability to sweep. Golem has much more difficulty finding a time to come in, as its Ground weakness means Rhydon will 2HKO it.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/mikon.535276/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/enigami.233818/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/notverycake.625260/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/oiseau-bleu.431020/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/enigami.233818/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/gastlies.540559/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/sabelette.583793/
Rhydon's typing and raw power make it a major threat in the RBY Ubers metagame. Its STAB Earthquake is the most powerful unboosted physical attack without a downside 2HKOing Chansey and 3HKOing tier titans Mewtwo, Mew, and Snorlax. Rhydon is incredible at threatening paralyzed teams and is very difficult to switch into. It's no slouch defensively either; its typing lets it wall Zapdos and Jolteon as well as Mew and Snorlax that drop Earthquake. Rhydon is also immune to Thunder Wave, which makes it much harder to paralyze reliably. Its typing also gives it a Normal resistance, which allows it to absorb Explosion for other team members and switch into Hyper Beam to force a recharge turn while taking minimal damage. Rhydon's outstanding HP stat ensures its Substitute survives a Seismic Toss from Chansey, further improving its matchup against it.
Unfortunately, Rhydon is held back by it necessitating paralysis support to function effectively, as its abysmal Speed leaves it outpaced by all viable Pokemon except for Slowbro and Snorlax. This, by extension, means it despises being paralyzed itself; though it's immune to Thunder Wave, it can still be threatened with Stun Spore and Body Slam. Rhydon's low Speed, alongside its poor special bulk and weaknesses to common attacking types such as Ice and Ground, means it will have trouble in most one-on-one matchups without paralysis support. To further worsen this issue, Rhydon only has Rest for recovery, which forces it into passivity for two turns and invites in threats that can apply pressure on it or set up, such as Mewtwo and Slowbro.
Rhydon competes with Golem for a team slot due to Golem's access to the mighty Explosion, which also prevents slower Pokemon from recovering and gives opportunities for teammates to switch in. This isn't the only advantage it has to offer; it has slightly higher Speed and 2HKOes Rhydon with Earthquake, giving it the edge one-on-one. However, it lacks Rhydon's remarkable Attack stat, which prevents it from reaching key damage ranges that Rhydon can; for example, Golem 4HKOes Mewtwo, Mew, (AC) and Snorlax and is unlikely to 2HKO Chansey, while Rhydon 3HKOes the first three and always 2HKOes Chansey. Golem's Substitute is also unable to survive a Seismic Toss from Chansey. Moreover, Golem's worse physical bulk and lack of access to a Defense-lowering move make it inferior against Mew. Because of these problems, Rhydon is the superior choice on many competitive teams.
[SET]
name: Physical Attacker
Move 1: Earthquake
move 2: Body Slam
move 3: Substitute
move 4: Rock Slide / Leer / Rest
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========
Earthquake deals massive damage to anything that doesn't resist it. Body Slam lets Rhydon fish for valuable paralysis on switch-ins that are not Normal-type, including Exeggutor and Mewtwo. Substitute is Rhydon's primary utility move, allowing it to scout the opponent's choices. It can then take advantage of the free turn to pressure the foe with Earthquake or attempt to paralyze it with Body Slam. Caution is advised when doing this, however, as certain Pokemon, such as Exeggutor and Cloyster, can switch into Rhydon as it sets up Substitute and force it out using Sleep Powder, Stun Spore, and Clamp. Rhydon's gargantuan HP and Defense allow its Substitute to always survive a Seismic Toss from Chansey and survive a +6 Body Slam from Mew 79.5% of the time. Furthermore, it gives it the option to fish for full paralysis against Mewtwo, potentially giving Rhydon an opening to break through. However, Rhydon has to be careful not to overuse Substitute, as it values keeping its HP dearly. If Rhydon does become low on HP, its ability to switch into foes such as Mew and Chansey is severely compromised. Rock Slide OHKOes Jynx, Moltres, and Articuno, 2HKOes Lapras and Dragonite, 3HKOes Cloyster, and does more damage than other options to Exeggutor. Rock Slide also prevents Rhydon from being stalled out by Toxic Zapdos. It isn't mandatory, though—these Pokemon are rare save for Exeggutor and Jynx, so Rock Slide is often less useful than Rhydon's other moves. Rest allows Rhydon to stonewall Mew and Snorlax using only Normal-type attacks. It also lets Rhydon switch into Chansey without getting worn down over time and prevents it from being stalled out by Toxic Zapdos. However, Rest invites in threats such as Mewtwo and Slowbro, which easily set up on Rhydon.
Rhydon works best late-game when faster Pokemon on the opposing team have either been KOed or paralyzed. Once this support is provided, Rhydon can switch into Pokemon it walls, such as Zapdos, or foes that does not majorly threaten it, such as Seismic Toss Chansey. Rhydon is not exclusively a late-game Pokemon, however—its mid-game utility is also a force to be reckoned with, as it can switch into the foes listed above and threaten paralysis on switch-ins with Body Slam. After Rhydon is first revealed, however, this can be quite predictable, and the opponent may switch these Pokemon out immediately rather than risk giving it free turns. Rhydon can also switch into a predicted Hyper Beam or Explosion, though it needs to be careful; Pokemon that carry these moves often have coverage for Rhydon. Finally, Rhydon can switch into Thunder Wave and recovery moves like Soft-Boiled and Rest. Substitute should be used carefully; Rhydon has no way to recover outside of Rest, and the HP reduction from using Substitute can put it into range of many threats after it's broken, such as Mewtwo's Ice Beam and a 2HKO from Exeggutor's Psychic. Rhydon should only use Substitute when it is more advantageous to set up one compared to just attacking, such as when the opponent is likely to sacrifice a Pokemon.
Bringing paralysis inducers alongside Rhydon is essential given its poor Speed. Starmie and Chansey are excellent teammates, as they take little damage from Ice-, Psychic-, and Water-type moves and possess the coverage to help against Pokemon that trouble Rhydon, like Exeggutor and Slowbro. Slowbro has an identical typing to Starmie and is more effective at luring in Mewtwo and enemy Starmie to paralyze them. In addition, it appreciates Rhydon's ability to block Electric moves and take Explosion, a move Slowbro often attracts. Zapdos is effective against Water-types and Exeggutor and stops Mew carrying only Earthquake in its tracks. However, both Rhydon and Slowbro are very slow, making them somewhat shaky partners. Cloyster can be serviceable partner to Rhydon alongside Thunder Wave Mew and Mewtwo, as Cloyster can cover many matchups Rhydon struggles into, such as Tauros, while Rhydon walls the Electric-types that Cloyster struggles against. However, Cloyster + Rhydon is extremely weak to unparalyzed Mewtwo. Exeggutor is another decent choice that packs Sleep Powder, useful resistances to Ground and Psychic, and Explosion to give Rhydon another opportunity to come in. Rhydon helps these Pokemon in return by stonewalling Zapdos and breaking through paralyzed Chansey, Mew, and Mewtwo. Though Tauros only has Body Slam for paralysis support, it boasts a great Speed stat, perfect coverage, and a considerable critical hit rate, and it tends to draw in and pressure Pokemon that cause difficulties for Rhydon, such as Mewtwo and Exeggutor. Rhydon makes a great partner to Mew with Earthquake as its sole attacking option, as Rhydon can switch into and wall Zapdos, which walls this Mew set, and Mew can spread paralysis across the opposing team, which Rhydon appreciates greatly.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Unfortunately, Rhydon has few other usable moves to its name, and they are difficult to fit on a moveset. Fire Blast is an arguable option thanks to its 30% burn chance, which lets Rhydon cripple Exeggutor and Mew on the switch. While Mew is able to use Swords Dance to remove the Attack penalty, boosting moves from Rhydon's teammates, such as Amnesia from Mewtwo, will reapply the stat drop, keeping its physical attacks ineffective for the rest of the game. However, Fire Blast is inconsistent, relies on its surprise factor to be successful, and carries the risk of burning foes such as Mewtwo and Starmie. Stomp's flinch chance can come in handy against paralyzed foes, as they will only have a 52.4% chance to move. However, it's unreliable, and even with Rhydon's mammoth Attack stat it's incredibly weak.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Exeggutor**: Exeggutor possesses solid bulk and a rare resistance to Ground-type moves alongside a neutrality to Rock, making it one of the best Rhydon switch-ins in the game. Once it's on the field, it can threaten Rhydon with paralysis and sleep—even if Rhydon is behind a Substitute—or deal major damage with Psychic. Rhydon can only 5HKO it in return with Body Slam or 4HKO it with Rock Slide. That being said, it can threaten paralysis on Exeggutor with the former, preventing it from reliably checking Rhydon later on.
**Mewtwo**: Mewtwo outpaces Rhydon and 2HKOes it with Psychic and Ice Beam, while Rhydon can only 3HKO back with Earthquake. Mewtwo also has Recover to heal off any damage. Moreover, it packs Amnesia and a superb 25.39% critical hit rate, so Rhydon is at risk even if it is at full HP. Rhydon can try to paralyze Mewtwo as it switches in with Body Slam, making it easier for it and other physical attackers to pressure it. Afterwards, it can use Substitute to fish for a full paralysis turn and then apply pressure with Earthquake if it succeeds. A paralyzed Mewtwo is also much worse at switching into Rhydon.
**Paralysis**: Although Rhydon is difficult to paralyze reliably thanks to its Thunder Wave immunity, it can no longer outspeed paralyzed Pokemon after it is paralyzed itself, severely hindering its offensive potential. If Rhydon has Leer, it can outspeed faster paralyzed Pokemon via reapplying the paralysis Speed drop, giving it another option, but remaining unparalyzed is still preferable by far. Rhydon can be paralyzed by Stun Spore from Exeggutor and Victreebel or Body Slam from Pokemon like Mew and Snorlax.
**Ice-type Pokemon**: Cloyster, Articuno, and Lapras all outspeed Rhydon and OHKO it reliably with Blizzard except for Cloyster, which still manages to do so a third of the time. Lapras can use Sing, which bypasses Rhydon's Substitute and lets it try to put Rhydon or a switch-in to sleep, while Cloyster comes with Clamp, which destroys Rhydon's Substitute and prevents it from moving on the same turn. Rock Slide is a worry for these Pokemon—especially Articuno, which it OHKOes—but if Rhydon lacks it, they all make serviceable switch-ins, though they do not like being paralyzed by Body Slam. Jynx is another Pokemon that outspeeds and usually OHKOes Rhydon with Blizzard, but it's very difficult for it to switch in, as it is incredibly physically frail.
**Mew**: Mew has multiple effective moves against Rhydon at its disposal, 3HKOing it with Earthquake and the rare Psychic or 2HKOing it with the equally rare Ice Beam. It very frequently runs Swords Dance too, allowing it to 2HKO with Earthquake at +2 or OHKO it half the time at +4. Mew also has Soft-Boiled to remove any damage it takes in the process and Reflect to significantly reduce the effectiveness of Rhydon's attacking moves. However, it's not an ideal check; Rhydon can 3HKO Mew with Earthquake and is able to threaten it much more effectively if it is paralyzed.
**Tauros**: Tauros has a staggering 21.47% critical hit chance as well as coverage moves in Blizzard and Earthquake that 2HKO and 3HKO Rhydon respectively, but Rhydon does significant damage to it with Earthquake, which it has no way to heal off, so it's limited as an answer. If Tauros lacks Blizzard, it becomes a much worse switch-in to Rhydon, as it cannot switch in and wi without a critical hit.
**Starmie**: Most of the time, Rhydon will only 3HKO Starmie with Earthquake, and Starmie threatens it with an OHKO with Surf or a 2HKO with Blizzard backed by a 22.46% critical hit rate along with the chance to freeze. Starmie's access to Recover might make it seem like an appealing switch-in, but it runs the risk of being paralyzed by Body Slam, which badly cripples it.
**Reflect Snorlax**: The uncommon Reflect Snorlax is capable of 3HKOing Rhydon with Earthquake and breaking its Substitute with Self-Destruct, and it walls Rhydon fairly reliably after it sets up Reflect. Snorlax can also paralyze Rhydon with Body Slam, forcing it to use Rest to regain its Speed. Being outsped is a major problem for Snorlax, though; Rhydon 3HKOes it with Earthquake until it sets up. Another issue is that Rhydon can run Leer, which can negate Snorlax's Defense boost while it is sleeping. Even if it doesn't, Rhydon can potentially break through it if it gets a single critical hit, which it has many chances to fish for. Snorlax also has to be wary of giving Mewtwo free setup turns as it is sleeping.
**Dragonite**: Dragonite is unaffected by Earthquake and 2HKOes Rhydon with Blizzard. Rhydon can switch out, but this carries the risk of Dragonite setting up Agility and whittling down Rhydon's team with Wrap. Rhydon has noway to reliably cripple Dragonite as it sets up, as Rock Slide only 2HKOes it,and Body Slam only has a 30% chance to paralyze it. Rhydon does have space to mitigate Dragonite thanks to its Normal resistance—it can switch into Hyper Beam, forcing a recharge turn and letting it either deal major damage or attempt to land Body Slam paralysis, and it can switch into and out of Wrap to stall out its PP.
**Slowbro**: Slowbro's Surf OHKOes Rhydon, and it can paralyze a Pokemon on a predicted switch. However, it's outsped and 3HKOed by Rhydon's Earthquake more often than not. In addition, Slowbro relies on Rest for recovery, giving Rhydon opportunities to switch in and either force Slowbro out or KO it.
**Victreebel**: Victreebel's Razor Leaf is guaranteed to OHKO Rhydon, and it has fearsome status moves in its arsenal to cripple switch-ins as well as Wrap to let it pivot to a teammate for free. However, Rhydon has a 59.6% chance to 2HKO Victreebel with Earthquake and can also cripple it with Body Slam paralysis, making it a temporary and risky switch-in.
**Sandslash and Golem**: Although they are rare, both of these Pokemon outspeed Rhydon and 2HKO it with Earthquake. Sandslash has some room to switch in, as Rhydon can only 3HKO it in return. That being said, it doesn't appreciate taking damage, as doing so could jeopardize its ability to sweep. Golem has much more difficulty finding a time to come in, as its Ground weakness means Rhydon will 2HKO it.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/mikon.535276/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/enigami.233818/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/notverycake.625260/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/oiseau-bleu.431020/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/enigami.233818/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/gastlies.540559/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/sabelette.583793/
Last edited:
