Mid-stage Pokemon like Ponyta rarely see competitive play outside of special formats. It's a waypoint on the road to Rapidash, which is where the real potential kicks in. Sits at a decent but contested Speed tier. Only weak to Water, Ground, and Rock.
Everything pushes toward mixed damage here. Ponyta's Speed does the work, HP pays the price. But you're still getting 1 Speed EV per KO. Common in the wild, on a medium-fast 1M XP curve.
It is a weak runner immediately after birth. It gradually becomes faster by chasing after its parents.
Its hind legs, which have hooves that are harder than diamond, kick back at any presence it senses behind it.
Ponyta Weakness
AvgWater, Ground, and Rock-type moves hit Ponyta for super-effective damage. The Fire typing picks up 5 resistances to work with. Flash Fire grants an additional Fire immunity, reshaping the matchup chart.
- Fairy type does not exist — Dragon has fewer checks
- Physical / Special split now per-move (introduced Gen IV)
Ponyta is the base form in a two-stage line leading to Rapidash. Check the evolution method below. A massive partner pool for breeding via one egg group. Eggs are average hatch time. The evolved forms gain up to 90 total stats over Ponyta.
How to Evolve
Breed Ponyta easily with 131 breeding partners from the Ground egg group. Pass egg moves like Charm, Double Kick, Double-Edge and 5 more to offspring.
Best Build
No build content available for this Pokemon in Gen 4.
Try selecting a different game/generation filter, or check back later.
Without breeding, Ponyta misses out on Charm and Double Kick. That's 8 egg moves adding depth that the base kit lacks. STAB comes from Overheat and Flare Blitz, with Normal and Flying coverage and more rounding things out.
Level-Up Moves
TM Moves
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
Transfer Moves
Easy grab on Ponyta with high spawn rates across 10 locations in early-game routes. The sorted list below shows the full spread so you can pick the most convenient spot.
Best Locations
Which version you're playing matters for Ponyta. 10 walking spots at Lv. 6-42 spread across HeartGold and SoulSilver, and some routes only appear in one cartridge. Check the version badges below.
At 410 BST, Ponyta is firmly in pre-evolution territory. Evolve it into Rapidash before bringing it to any serious fight.
Watch for Starmie (Water), Golem (Ground), and Aerodactyl (Rock) when using Ponyta. They all hit it super-effectively with STAB.
Ponyta can evolve into Rapidash and Galarian Rapidash depending on the method. Ponyta is the base form in a 3-stage evolutionary line.
Ponyta gets Flash Fire, Run Away, and Flame Body. But Flash Fire is the one that matters — it's the centerpiece of every viable set. Build around that.
Ponyta is a physical attacker with base 85 Attack. But the speed tells the real story — base 90 Speed is workable — faster than some, slower than many.
Ponyta appears in 20 games, including Yellow, Red & Blue, and Gold & Silver.
Available since Red & Blue, Ponyta appears in 20 games spanning 9 generations. Beyond its original form, it gained a Galarian form in Generation 8.
- Gen IY
Yellow - Gen IRBDebut
Red & Blue - Gen IIGS
Gold & Silver - Gen IIC
Crystal - Gen IIIRS
Ruby & Sapphire - Gen IIIFRLG
FireRed & LeafGreen - Gen IIIE
Emerald - Gen IVPt
Platinum - Gen IVHGSS
HeartGold & SoulSilver - Gen IVDP
Diamond & Pearl - Gen VBW
Black & White - Gen VB2W2
Black 2 & White 2 - Gen VIXY
X & Y - Gen VIORAS
Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire - Gen VIIUSUM
Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon - Gen VIISM
Sun & Moon - Gen VIILGPE
Let's Go Pikachu & Eevee - Gen VIIISwShGalarian
Sword & Shield - Gen VIIIPLA
Legends: Arceus - Gen VIIIBDSP
Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl - Gen IXSV
Scarlet & Violet - Gen IXLZA
Legends: Z-A