Rapidash Mini-Discussion

[Arceus]

Rapidash: The Trojan Horse

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Serebii: Rapidash
Psypoke: Rapidash
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- Base Stats -
HP: 65 - Attack: 100 - Defense: 70 - Special Attack: 80 - Special Defense: 80 - Speed: 106

Introduction -
The new stat and moveset changes have greatly benefited Rapidash. Because of it's high Attack and low Special and Special Attack, it could not really take advantage of it's STAB until this generation. Even so, it's very flimsy and unlikely to stay in the battle for long, instead opting to go down in a flame of glory. Megahorn and Flare Blitz also help Rapidash dish out damage, and with it's quick Speed it can dash in quickly.

Suggested Moveset -
Rapidash (Jolly) @ Brightpowder
252 Atk // 252 Spd // 4 HP
- Flare Blitz
- Megahorn
- Double-Edge
- Hypnosis

Rapidash is not staying in for long. Hypnosis is if you feel that you have a good chance of putting your opponent down before they can hit you and it's mainly a filler move. Megahorn, Flare Blitz, and Double-Edge are meant for dishing out damage.

Note: Please don't bite, it's my first try.
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[Lou Cypher]

My eyes burn by seeing Brightpowder. Call me biassed but eh.

With Rapidash' stats, he might be better as a Bander/Scarfer. He hits hard enough for it and he got the speed.

 

[firewater]

Yeah, Brightpowder isn't the best thing for it- but it can sp.sweep with help....

Rapidash@ Choice Glasses
Timid/Modest
252 Spd, 252 Sp.ark, 6 hp
Overheat
Fire Blast/Flamethrower
HP Grass/Ice
Hypnosis

it's sad- but if I ever use Rapidash, this is what I'd use

 

[Pitcher]

If you go with a Physical set, Double Kick might be worth looking at. It is pretty weak at only 60 BP but it gives you better accuracy against Ttar and the ability to hit Heatran for SE.

 

[Edux]

Rapidash @ Expert Belt
Jolly Nature (+Spd, -SpA)
252 Atk // 232 Spd // 24 HP (Just enough speed to outspeed Jolly Chomp for the Hypnosis)
- Flare Blitz
- Megahorn
- Overheat / Double Kick (just for Heatran!)
- Hypnosis

Sounds cool for me, Overheat destroys Skarmory without the annoyin' recoil, you are doomed by Salamence and Gyarados anyway, but at least you can put them to sleep...

This is a bad Physical Infernape to be truth

 

[Turismo2029]

My lead pokemon is Rapidash, here's my set:

Rapidash @ Expert Belt
Jolly
252spd 252atk 6sp.atk
Overheat
Flare Blitz
Double Kick
Megahorn

Overheat is for Skarmory but no one leads with him so Overheat probably won't see much use, Flare Blitz is his main attack, Double Kick covers whatever Flare Blitz doesn't, and Megahorn is just there since it's powerful, if it's super-effective on something I'll use it. >_o

Considering Choice Band though, in which case Overheat will be replaced with Poison Jab, or Bounce, neither will see much use at all though.. maybe Double Edge?

 

[Aielyn]

I have an idea for a Rapidash set, I'd be interested to hear opinions...

Rapidash @ Salac Berry
Jolly
(Uncertain on EVs, probably 252 Spd, 252 Att, 6 HP)
Endure
Flare Blitz
Poison Jab
Natural Gift

The idea is that, if you're facing a faster pokemon that could OHKO, use Endure, it will trigger the Salac Berry, giving the speed boost necessary to get at least one hit in. Obviously, only use Flare Blitz in this situation if absolutely necessary (if you're facing a pokemon that is only weak to Flare Blitz out of the three, AND is faster than Rapidash and can OHKO Rapidash, switch immediately, unless you can confidently beat their other pokemon without Rapidash).

If the pokemon is slower, or won't be able to OHKO Rapidash, then you can use any of the other moves. Notably, Natural Gift with Salac Berry is Fighting type base power 80, which is useful against such pokemon as Tyranitar (although I don't know how effective it would be, I'd have to check). Poison Jab hits pokemon that are resistant to both Fighting and Fire for at least normal effectiveness, and has a 30% chance of poisoning.

One thing that may affect this, which I don't know, is the properties of Natural Gift when not holding a berry.

One reason I'm considering using Rapidash is because I was lucky enough to catch a shiny ponyta on LeafGreen just a week or so ago (this is also why I'm not choosing Double Kick over Natural Gift). Anyway, I'm really interested in the opinions of people with actual experience in competitive battling, because I'll be entering the competitive battling arena for the first time with Pokemon Pearl (which I get later this month, when it's released in Australia).

 

[Turismo2029]

Natural Gift idea is good but will it make the berry disappear after it's been used?

If not.. definately be usin' that instead of double kick. >_o

 

[Footnote]

I have to say, I really like the creativity of your set. To answer your question, Natural Gift fails when used without a berry. You probably know this already, but Natural Gift also uses up the berry, so it's a one-shot move. However, that's not to say it's not worth it.

Is there any reason, besides accuracy, that you're taking Poison Jab over Megahorn?

This is really neither here nor there, but you sure are lucky that your shiny Rapidash is Jolly. Are its IVs any good? Anyway, welcome to the competitive battling scene!

 

[Turismo2029]

Well, I guess if you are playing with the no-doubles-of-pokemon clause thing then it's a great counter to Tyranitar.

I think I'm going to steal Natural Gift idea, since mine only has an Expert Belt since I didn't what else to put on it, and Double Kick is piss weak. >_o

How do I find out what berries do how much damage and of what type?

 

[Aielyn]

I have to say, I really like the creativity of your set. To answer your question, Natural Gift fails when used without a berry. You probably know this already, but Natural Gift also uses up the berry, so it's a one-shot move. However, that's not to say it's not worth it.

Is there any reason, besides accuracy, that you're taking Poison Jab over Megahorn?

This is really neither here nor there, but you sure are lucky that your shiny Rapidash is Jolly. Are its IVs any good? Anyway, welcome to the competitive battling scene!

I suspected as much, with regard to Natural Gift.

Poison Jab has three advantages over Megahorn. First, it has the 30% chance of poison, which is always a nice extra. Second, Megahorn is less accurate, which isn't something desirable on a Rapidash (you wouldn't want to Endure and Salac, only to miss when you use Megahorn). Third, if you use Megahorn, you have no move that is normal-effectiveness or better against five different type-pairings, most notably Dragon/Flying and Water/Flying.

As for my Shiny Ponyta, now that you mention it, I don't know what nature it has (I should check it - I didn't even think about it when typing this up... but I can't check it until later today, when I get home from University). As for the IVs, I'm also not 100% certain, but I don't think they're great - Looking at my IV list, the ponyta that I think is the shiny one (forgot to record which was which) has a 16-18 Att IV, and an 18-19 Spe IV. Not the best possible, but I'll tolerate it for the sake of having a shiny Rapidash - assuming a decent nature.

Oh, and I'm undecided on whether I prefer Jolly or Adamant, in general - Salac + Endure will mean that, even with a neutral speed nature, Rapidash will outspeed any pokemon that has +Speed nature except Speed Deoxys and Ninjask, unless they have boosts (either directly, or through Choice Scarf).

How do I find out what berries do how much damage and of what type?

here

 

[y2zipper]

I have limited Rapidash experience, but here are a couple of ideas...

Rapidash @ Choice Band
Ev's: 252 At, 252 Spd, 4 HP
Jolly
Flash Fire

Megahorn
Flare Blitz
Poison Jab
Facade

The first three are the three best physical attacks it learns, and Facade is there because it's good filler and it's a good choice if you get paralyzed or something.


Rapidash @ Persim Berry
Ev's: 252 At, 252 Spd, 4 HP
Jolly
Flash Fire

Overheat/Flare Blitz
Hypnosis
Thrash
Megahorn/Poison Jab

The attack choices I mention depend on the rest of your team. I would personally take Overheat and Megahorn. This set is good because you can hypnosis, and then predict your opponent's switch with megahorn, thrash, or overheat.

 

[Lou Cypher]

Well, I guess if you are playing with the no-doubles-of-pokemon clause thing then it's a great counter to Tyranitar.

And you would switch in Rapidash on Tyranitar? Quake and Stone Edge MURDER poor little Rapidashy, and it will take a huge chomp out of Crunch too. Only way you could use it is by trying to go for a revenge kill, but people will be suspicious when they see a Rapidash being sent in on Tyranitar and just switch to Swampert or so.

 

[Turismo2029]

I don't switch him in, I lead with Rapidash.. if they lead with TTar then I got no choice but to smash it otherwise it'll setup..

But, Rapidash would pwn TTar anyday with that Natural Gift thing.. I might go see if Double Kick would always score a OHKO anyway..

 

[Aielyn]

As for my Shiny Ponyta, now that you mention it, I don't know what nature it has (I should check it - I didn't even think about it when typing this up... but I can't check it until later today, when I get home from University). As for the IVs, I'm also not 100% certain, but I don't think they're great - Looking at my IV list, the ponyta that I think is the shiny one (forgot to record which was which) has a 16-18 Att IV, and an 18-19 Spe IV. Not the best possible, but I'll tolerate it for the sake of having a shiny Rapidash - assuming a decent nature.

Just a quick update - it turns out that my Shiny Ponyta isn't really suitable for battle... Att IV is 15-17, Spe IV is 5-7, and it has an impish nature. Oh, and its ability is Run Away, so it would have been a Pal Park gamble for the Flash Fire nature, anyway.

That said, I still like the moveset I came up with, at this stage. Double Kick would be an interesting move to breed onto a Rapidash, but I think Natural Gift is probably more worth using, given that Rapidash isn't really expected to keep attacking with fighting type, anyway. However, if you were going to go for a Double Kick Rapidash, I'd make it this way:
Rapidash @ Focus Sash
Adamant
252 Att 252 Def 6 SpDef
Agility
Fire Blitz
Poison Jab
Double Kick

The idea is that using Focus Sash and Agility gives a higher boost than Endure and Salac Berry, and since you're not using Natural Gift, it becomes the better arrangement. The strategy remains similar, except that, since the speed boost of Agility is double rather than 1.5, you don't need the extra Speed EVs or +Spe nature at all, which allows you to redistribute them for better chance at survival.

For instance, with this distribution (252 Def, 6 SpD), there is just under a 1 in 4 chance of surviving an EQ from a Tyranitar with a +Att nature (assuming 31 IVs all round), accounting for Sandstorm - which means that, if lucky, you may actually be able to take out Tyranitar with Rapidash with some luck (whereas before, Natural Gift 80 Fighting didn't take Tyranitar out, and Tyranitar would kill Rapidash on the same turn). Of course, this is assuming that Tyranitar doesn't have and choose a Rock type move (specifically, Rock Slide or Stone Edge - Rock Tomb and AncientPower are both easily survived).

 

[megamanac]

But then, if its a CBtar or DDtar (popular variations), you're screwed. CB stone edges/earthquakes both OHKO. TTar can survive the natural gift/double kick for one DD and OHKO you with any move it has.

 

[Murkrow]

Rapidash @ Focus Sash
Adamant
252 Att 252 Def 6 SpDef
Agility
Fire Blitz
Poison Jab
Double Kick

I don't think Flare Blitz and Focus Sash should be on the same moveset; they're practically mutually exclusive - if you Blitz first, Sash fails; if Sash activates, Blitz is suicide.

 

[Great Sage]

Why not just stick Life Orb on Rapidash; it's not like it's going to survive anything powerful anyway. Megahorn and Hypnosis are the only reasons one should use this over Infernape.

 

[Unownasofyet]

This thing is praying to the gods for Close Combat. if not then >_<. Duggy EVs to trap it and live and no Hypnosis that turn X_X. Or just Ryperior and EQ it to death (or the switch in). Sometimes I put Lum Berryon it or SE resist berries instead just for fun when I am short on Choice items.

 

[Aielyn]

I don't think Flare Blitz and Focus Sash should be on the same moveset; they're practically mutually exclusive - if you Blitz first, Sash fails; if Sash activates, Blitz is suicide.

As I already pointed out, Flare Blitz is only to be used after Sash activates if it will do significant damage and you can win from there without Rapidash. The sash is there so that Rapidash can get a hit in on pokemon that would otherwise kill it in one move. If you are going to need Rapidash later in the battle, and you're going to be hit with a OHKO attack, either use one of the other attacks, or switch.

This clearly isn't an easy pokemon to play - but if you play it right, it should be fairly effective.

Why not just stick Life Orb on Rapidash; it's not like it's going to survive anything powerful anyway. Megahorn and Hypnosis are the only reasons one should use this over Infernape.

I'm not so sure you would want Life Orb on Rapidash, as Rapidash really doesn't have the speed for it. If you were going to go for attack-boosting, I would say Choice Band would be the way to go, because then you get a 50% boost rather than a 30% boost, and Rapidash has a greater chance of surviving, that way.

 

[Easton]

As said, Rapidash isn't going to survive one hit, and with CB you only have the burden of predicting. So Life Orb does seem like the better option

 

[Aielyn]

As said, Rapidash isn't going to survive one hit, and with CB you only have the burden of predicting. So Life Orb does seem like the better option

If Rapidash isn't going to survive one hit, why would CB's locking of the move be a problem? Life Orb reduces Rapidash's chance of survival of a hit from something that isn't necessarily a OHKO, and isn't as good as CB if Rapidash is sure to be OHKOd if it doesn't faint the opponent, but gets to move first. So under what conditions is Life Orb preferable?