[OVERVIEW]
Rapidash's high Speed gives it an extremely important role in the tier; it is the only viable Pokemon that outspeeds Fearow. This in conjunction with a powerful Fire Blast makes Rapidash the best Pokemon at revenge killing PU's most dangerous offensive threat, and it is often responsible for stopping what would otherwise be a Fearow sweep. Rapidash does more than check Fearow though; it is a fantastic lead thanks to its ability to fire off powerful attacks and threaten paralysis. Rapidash also has an excellent offensive profile; its Fire Blast 3HKOes every non-resistant Pokemon, while Body Slam and Hyper Beam coming off a strong base 100 Attack stat threaten every Fire-resistant Pokemon except Graveler and Omanyte. Rapidash's aforementioned fantastic Speed also means it has an incredibly high critical hit rate, and it is a fantastic Fire Spin user.
Rapidash's main weakness lies in its frailty. Although it is fantastic at revenge killing Fearow, it does not like switching in, since Double-Edge followed up by Hyper Beam is very likely to KO it. Rapidash's frailty is also exacerbated by Fire Blast's 85% accuracy, since one miss could result in Rapidash taking a ton of damage in return. Fire is also not the best defensive typing in PU, since it's weak to Earthquake from Nidoqueen and Machamp as well as Surf from Water-types. One Water-type in particular, Omanyte, completely walls Rapidash and forces it out. Rapidash also hates paralysis, since its high Speed is a huge part in what makes it so powerful. It also faces competition from Arcanine, which does not outspeed Fearow but is much bulkier. Despite these flaws, Rapidash's high Speed gives it a unique role in the tier that no other Pokemon can replicate, and this combined with its strong offensive profile make it one of the most important and dominant Pokemon in PU.
[SET]
name: Offensive
move 1: Fire Blast
move 2: Body Slam
move 3: Hyper Beam
move 4: Fire Spin / Stomp
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========
Fire Blast is Rapidash's strongest move, most notably having a 36.3% chance to 2HKO Fearow. Although these odds seem low, keep in mind Fearow is almost never at full HP due to Double-Edge recoil, meaning Fire Blast will almost always 2HKO also when factoring in Fire Blast's chance to burn and high critical hit rate. Fire Blast's chance to burn also lets Rapidash put up a fight against Earthquake users, such as Nidoqueen and Machamp. Body Slam is a way for Rapidash to fish for paralysis, and it in conjunction with Hyper Beam threatens every Fire-resistant Pokemon except for Graveler and Omanyte. For example, two Body Slams followed up by Hyper Beam can KO Dragonair, which is otherwise 5HKOed by Fire Blast. Fire Spin complements Rapidash's high Speed, but it is important not to use the move recklessly, as it is very inaccurate, and one miss could result in Rapidash taking paralysis or getting hit by a strong attack, neither of which it appreciates. Because of this, Fire Spin is generally recommended only as a pivoting move or when Rapidash is in a pinch. Fire Spin is also good in conjunction with burn from Fire Blast, as it can deal massive chip damage to foes such as Porygon and Omanyte. Rapidash can replace Fire Spin with Stomp to exploit paralysis, as a paralyzed Pokemon getting hit by Stomp has a 47.5% chance to either flinch or get fully paralyzed. Although this is notably less than Fire Spin's 70% accuracy, Stomp is much stronger, and unlike Fire Spin, which does nothing if it misses, Stomp still does damage if it doesn't flinch.
Rapidash is a crucial part of the lead metagame in PU. It's typically seen as a lead on teams that have a secondary check to Fearow, such as Omanyte and Arcanine, since having a backup Fearow check allows Rapidash to play more recklessly early. Since most common leads resist Fire, such as opposing Fire-types or Dragonair, Rapidash most often uses Body Slam, with Magmar being a notable exception —Rapidash should scout for Counter first. Rapidash can also use Fire Spin to pivot and give an ally a free switch, but this is risky due to the move's poor accuracy. Rapidash handles more unconventional leads, such as Fearow, Abra, and Pinsir quite well. It even does decently against Nidoqueen thanks to Fire Blast's burn chance.
Rapidash's unique Speed tier and immense firepower mean it can fit into almost any kind of team. Since Rapidash is completely walled by Omanyte, Porygon is an amazing teammate, —it can repeatedly switch in to Omanyte, Recover off damage from its attacks, and threaten it with Thunderbolt. Porygon and Drowzeeare great paralysis absorbers and spreaders, meaning they can switch into Thunder Wave for Rapidash and then proceed to spread their own paralysis in return. Arcanine and Magmar are also good teammates, as they can work together overpower shared checks, such as opposing Fire- and Water-types. Arcanine is great at fighting off opposing Fire-types, while Magmar is notably the only Fire-type that can threaten Omanyte. Rapidash can be used as a lead and weaken these foes early, making it easier for another Fire-type to clean up later. Gastly is also a notable teammate, since it can switch into Omanyte fairly well and threaten it with Thunderbolt. It also forces Fearow to use Drill Peck against it, allowing Rapidash to switch directly into Fearow in dire situations, since it is much more likely to survive Hyper Beam after Drill Peck as opposed to Double-Edge.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Toxic can be used in conjunction with Fire Spin to increase the amount of damage each turn, but the unreliability of Fire Spin, the paralysis immunity Toxic provides, and the need to drop one of Rapidash's other moves make Toxic a move that is not recommended on Rapidash. Agility is an option to negate the Speed drop from paralysis, but since Rapidash is already the fastest Pokemon in the tier it doesn't have much other use. Reflect can be used to increase Rapidash's physical bulk, but it is largely outclassed by Arcanine in this role.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Water-types:** Omanyte is without a doubt Rapidash's biggest counter. Fire Blast and Body Slam do a maximum of 12.8% and 13.1% to Omanyte, while its Surf easily 2HKOes Rapidash. Rapidash's best method of handling Omanyte without team support is to burn it with Fire Blast as it switches in, then chip its HP with Fire Spin, using the 6.25% each turn from burn as its main source of damage. Seaking and the rare Slowpoke are able to switch into Rapidash and 2HKO with Surf as well, although their lack of a Normal resistance means they can be worn down by Body Slam and Hyper Beam. Although Staryu beats Rapidash one-on-one barring paralysis from Body Slam, its physical frailty gives it a much harder time switching in compared to other Water-types, as Hyper Beam can KO it from 68.8%.
**Paralysis:** Since Rapidash is reliant on its Speed, paralysis is devastating. Because of this, Rapidash is often forced out by Pokemon it would otherwise beat, such as Drowzee and Dragonair. Rapidash also has to watch out for Body Slam from opposing Fire-types, and it often ends up trading Body Slam paralysis with them.
**Earthquake Users:** Although they all have trouble switching in and fear burn, Nidoqueen, Machamp, Graveler, and Sandslash are all able to 2HKO Rapidash with Earthquake. In return, Rapidash 3HKOes Nidoqueen and Machamp, 4HKOes Graveler, and has a 38.2% chance to 2HKO Sandslash. Since all of these Pokemon are slow and fear burn, they prefer to deal with Rapidash once its paralyzed.
**Fire-types:** Rapidash can switch into itself pretty well and trade attacks with the opposing Rapidash, and the winner will likely be paralyzed or at low HP. Arcanine with Reflect and Rest completely walls Rapidash barring critical hits, and even Arcanine without Rest still generally beats Rapidash thanks to its much greater physical bulk, boosted further by Reflect. Magmar often runs Counter, forcing Rapidash to use Fire Blast against it rather than Body Slam. Even if Magmar is not running Counter, simply the threat of the move will force Rapidash to predict. However, Rapidash generally beats Magmar if its already been confirmed to not carry Counter, although Magmar is still able to paralyze Rapidash with Body Slam.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/gastlies.540559/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/gangsta-spongebob.535530/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/sabelette.583793/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/sabelette.583793/
Rapidash's high Speed gives it an extremely important role in the tier; it is the only viable Pokemon that outspeeds Fearow. This in conjunction with a powerful Fire Blast makes Rapidash the best Pokemon at revenge killing PU's most dangerous offensive threat, and it is often responsible for stopping what would otherwise be a Fearow sweep. Rapidash does more than check Fearow though; it is a fantastic lead thanks to its ability to fire off powerful attacks and threaten paralysis. Rapidash also has an excellent offensive profile; its Fire Blast 3HKOes every non-resistant Pokemon, while Body Slam and Hyper Beam coming off a strong base 100 Attack stat threaten every Fire-resistant Pokemon except Graveler and Omanyte. Rapidash's aforementioned fantastic Speed also means it has an incredibly high critical hit rate, and it is a fantastic Fire Spin user.
Rapidash's main weakness lies in its frailty. Although it is fantastic at revenge killing Fearow, it does not like switching in, since Double-Edge followed up by Hyper Beam is very likely to KO it. Rapidash's frailty is also exacerbated by Fire Blast's 85% accuracy, since one miss could result in Rapidash taking a ton of damage in return. Fire is also not the best defensive typing in PU, since it's weak to Earthquake from Nidoqueen and Machamp as well as Surf from Water-types. One Water-type in particular, Omanyte, completely walls Rapidash and forces it out. Rapidash also hates paralysis, since its high Speed is a huge part in what makes it so powerful. It also faces competition from Arcanine, which does not outspeed Fearow but is much bulkier. Despite these flaws, Rapidash's high Speed gives it a unique role in the tier that no other Pokemon can replicate, and this combined with its strong offensive profile make it one of the most important and dominant Pokemon in PU.
[SET]
name: Offensive
move 1: Fire Blast
move 2: Body Slam
move 3: Hyper Beam
move 4: Fire Spin / Stomp
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========
Fire Blast is Rapidash's strongest move, most notably having a 36.3% chance to 2HKO Fearow. Although these odds seem low, keep in mind Fearow is almost never at full HP due to Double-Edge recoil, meaning Fire Blast will almost always 2HKO also when factoring in Fire Blast's chance to burn and high critical hit rate. Fire Blast's chance to burn also lets Rapidash put up a fight against Earthquake users, such as Nidoqueen and Machamp. Body Slam is a way for Rapidash to fish for paralysis, and it in conjunction with Hyper Beam threatens every Fire-resistant Pokemon except for Graveler and Omanyte. For example, two Body Slams followed up by Hyper Beam can KO Dragonair, which is otherwise 5HKOed by Fire Blast. Fire Spin complements Rapidash's high Speed, but it is important not to use the move recklessly, as it is very inaccurate, and one miss could result in Rapidash taking paralysis or getting hit by a strong attack, neither of which it appreciates. Because of this, Fire Spin is generally recommended only as a pivoting move or when Rapidash is in a pinch. Fire Spin is also good in conjunction with burn from Fire Blast, as it can deal massive chip damage to foes such as Porygon and Omanyte. Rapidash can replace Fire Spin with Stomp to exploit paralysis, as a paralyzed Pokemon getting hit by Stomp has a 47.5% chance to either flinch or get fully paralyzed. Although this is notably less than Fire Spin's 70% accuracy, Stomp is much stronger, and unlike Fire Spin, which does nothing if it misses, Stomp still does damage if it doesn't flinch.
Rapidash is a crucial part of the lead metagame in PU. It's typically seen as a lead on teams that have a secondary check to Fearow, such as Omanyte and Arcanine, since having a backup Fearow check allows Rapidash to play more recklessly early. Since most common leads resist Fire, such as opposing Fire-types or Dragonair, Rapidash most often uses Body Slam, with Magmar being a notable exception —Rapidash should scout for Counter first. Rapidash can also use Fire Spin to pivot and give an ally a free switch, but this is risky due to the move's poor accuracy. Rapidash handles more unconventional leads, such as Fearow, Abra, and Pinsir quite well. It even does decently against Nidoqueen thanks to Fire Blast's burn chance.
Rapidash's unique Speed tier and immense firepower mean it can fit into almost any kind of team. Since Rapidash is completely walled by Omanyte, Porygon is an amazing teammate, —it can repeatedly switch in to Omanyte, Recover off damage from its attacks, and threaten it with Thunderbolt. Porygon and Drowzeeare great paralysis absorbers and spreaders, meaning they can switch into Thunder Wave for Rapidash and then proceed to spread their own paralysis in return. Arcanine and Magmar are also good teammates, as they can work together overpower shared checks, such as opposing Fire- and Water-types. Arcanine is great at fighting off opposing Fire-types, while Magmar is notably the only Fire-type that can threaten Omanyte. Rapidash can be used as a lead and weaken these foes early, making it easier for another Fire-type to clean up later. Gastly is also a notable teammate, since it can switch into Omanyte fairly well and threaten it with Thunderbolt. It also forces Fearow to use Drill Peck against it, allowing Rapidash to switch directly into Fearow in dire situations, since it is much more likely to survive Hyper Beam after Drill Peck as opposed to Double-Edge.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Toxic can be used in conjunction with Fire Spin to increase the amount of damage each turn, but the unreliability of Fire Spin, the paralysis immunity Toxic provides, and the need to drop one of Rapidash's other moves make Toxic a move that is not recommended on Rapidash. Agility is an option to negate the Speed drop from paralysis, but since Rapidash is already the fastest Pokemon in the tier it doesn't have much other use. Reflect can be used to increase Rapidash's physical bulk, but it is largely outclassed by Arcanine in this role.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Water-types:** Omanyte is without a doubt Rapidash's biggest counter. Fire Blast and Body Slam do a maximum of 12.8% and 13.1% to Omanyte, while its Surf easily 2HKOes Rapidash. Rapidash's best method of handling Omanyte without team support is to burn it with Fire Blast as it switches in, then chip its HP with Fire Spin, using the 6.25% each turn from burn as its main source of damage. Seaking and the rare Slowpoke are able to switch into Rapidash and 2HKO with Surf as well, although their lack of a Normal resistance means they can be worn down by Body Slam and Hyper Beam. Although Staryu beats Rapidash one-on-one barring paralysis from Body Slam, its physical frailty gives it a much harder time switching in compared to other Water-types, as Hyper Beam can KO it from 68.8%.
**Paralysis:** Since Rapidash is reliant on its Speed, paralysis is devastating. Because of this, Rapidash is often forced out by Pokemon it would otherwise beat, such as Drowzee and Dragonair. Rapidash also has to watch out for Body Slam from opposing Fire-types, and it often ends up trading Body Slam paralysis with them.
**Earthquake Users:** Although they all have trouble switching in and fear burn, Nidoqueen, Machamp, Graveler, and Sandslash are all able to 2HKO Rapidash with Earthquake. In return, Rapidash 3HKOes Nidoqueen and Machamp, 4HKOes Graveler, and has a 38.2% chance to 2HKO Sandslash. Since all of these Pokemon are slow and fear burn, they prefer to deal with Rapidash once its paralyzed.
**Fire-types:** Rapidash can switch into itself pretty well and trade attacks with the opposing Rapidash, and the winner will likely be paralyzed or at low HP. Arcanine with Reflect and Rest completely walls Rapidash barring critical hits, and even Arcanine without Rest still generally beats Rapidash thanks to its much greater physical bulk, boosted further by Reflect. Magmar often runs Counter, forcing Rapidash to use Fire Blast against it rather than Body Slam. Even if Magmar is not running Counter, simply the threat of the move will force Rapidash to predict. However, Rapidash generally beats Magmar if its already been confirmed to not carry Counter, although Magmar is still able to paralyze Rapidash with Body Slam.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/gastlies.540559/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/gangsta-spongebob.535530/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/sabelette.583793/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/sabelette.583793/
Last edited:
