Physical
Sweeper
500High
105Fast
CTier

Rapidash's stats are solid on their own, but Flash Fire is what pushes it over the line. It absorbs Fire moves and powers up its own. Only weak to Water, Ground, and Rock. Known as the Fire Horse Pokemon.

Rapidash's built around mixed offense. Speed leads the charge, HP pays for it. Moderately hard to find, worth 2 Speed EVs. Follows a medium-fast 1M XP curve.

Base Stats
500High
HP65
C
Attack100
B
Defense70
C
Sp. Atk80
C
Sp. Def80
C
Speed105
B
Total500
Low <60
Avg 60-89
High 90-149
Top 150+
EV YieldDefeating Rapidash yields +2 Spe
HPAtkDefSpASpDSpe+2
Details
Catch60Challenging•Medium Fast1M XP•1.7m / 5'07"•95kg / 209.4 lbs•175Base XP
Pokedex Entries

It gallops at nearly 150 mph. With its mane blazing ferociously, it races as if it were an arrow.

Brilliant Diamond

It has astounding acceleration. From a standstill, it can reach top speed within 10 steps.

Shining Pearl

Rapidash Weakness

Avg

Type-wise, Rapidash takes extra damage from Water, Ground, and Rock. 6 resistances give it solid defensive coverage on top of that. Flash Fire grants an additional Fire immunity, reshaping the matchup chart. Rapidash leans offensive (base 100 Atk) rather than trying to tank its weaknesses.

4xCriticali
None
2xWeaki
WaterGroundRock
½xResisti
FireGrassIceBugSteelFairy
¼xResisti
None
0xImmunei
Fire
STAB (4)i
GrassIceBugSteel
3Weak
6Resist
1Immune
Scorei0
Stealth Rock25% on switch
SpikesGrounded — up to 25%
Toxic SpikesVulnerable
Abilities
Run AwayEnsures success fleeing from wild battles.
Flash FireProtects against fire moves. Once one has been blocked, the Pokémon's own Fire moves inflict 1.5× damage until it leaves battle.
Flame BodyHAHas a 30% chance of burning attacking Pokémon on contact.
Flash Fire grants Fire immunity

Rapidash is the evolved form of Ponyta. Breeding produces Ponyta eggs, and they're average hatch time. Evolving from Ponyta gave Rapidash the biggest boost in HP (+15), bringing the total to 500 stats.

How to Evolve

2 Forms
Ponyta
#077Ponyta
40
Level 40
Rapidash
#078Rapidash
Stat Comparison 2 Stages
Ponyta
Fire
Rapidash
Fire
HP
50
65+15
ATK
85
100+15
DEF
55
70+15
SP.ATK
65
80+15
SP.DEF
65
80+15
SPE
90
105+15
BST
410D-Tier
500C-Tier+90
ROLE
Balanced
Sweeper
TYPE
Physical
Physical
Breeding
Very Easy

Breed with Rapidash to get Ponyta eggs easily from the Ground egg group. Notable egg moves include Ally Switch, Charm, Double Kick and 8 more.

Egg Groups
Ground
Gender
♂50.0%♀50.0%
Hatch Time
20 cycles·5,140 steps
Quick~5 min with Flame Body
Egg Moves
11moves

Flare Blitz is the safe click most turns. Choice Band locks Rapidash into it but rewards with raw power at the cost of move flexibility. Jolly nature and max Attack and Speed EVs maximize that first hit. Flashfire helps on the margins.

Best Build

Physical Sweeper
Ability
Flashfire
Item
Choice BandPOWER
Nature
Jolly+SPE
EVs

Best Rapidash Moveset

  • Flare BlitzSTAB
  • High Horsepower
  • Wild Charge
  • MegahornCoverage

Recommended Teammates

Slowking
SlowkingDecent

Breeding's the move. Ally Switch and Charm give Rapidash options it can't learn any other way, and coverage across 7 types already covers a decent range on top of Overheat and Flare Blitz. The egg moves push it further.

Level-Up Moves

Lv 1
Ember
4010025Fire
Lv 1
Growl
—10040Normal
Lv 1
Megahorn
1208510Bug
Lv 1
Poison Jab
8010020Poison
Lv 1
Quick Attack+1
4010030Normal
Lv 1
Smart Strike
70—10Steel
Lv 1
Tackle
4010035Normal
Lv 1
Tail Whip
—10030Normal
Lv 15
Flame Charge
5010020Fire
Lv 20
Agility
——30Psychic
Lv 25
Flame Wheel
6010025Fire
Lv 30
Stomp
6510020Normal
Lv 35
Fire Spin
358515Fire
Lv 43
Take Down
908520Normal
Lv 49
Inferno
100505Fire
Lv 56
Fire Blast
110855Fire
Lv 63
Flare Blitz
12010015Fire

TM Moves

Src
TM45
Attract
—10015Normal
TM32
Double Team
——15Normal
TM58
Endure+4
——10Normal
TM42
Facade
7010020Normal
TM38
Fire Blast
110855Fire
TM35
Flamethrower
9010015Fire
TM68
Giga Impact
150905Normal
TM15
Hyper Beam
150905Normal
TM23
Iron Tail
1007515Steel
TM50
Overheat
130905Fire
TM84
Poison Jab
8010020Poison
TM17
Protect+4
——10Normal
TM44
Rest
——10Psychic
TM82
Sleep Talk
——10Normal
TM22
Solar Beam
12010010Grass
TM96
Strength
8010015Normal
TM90
Substitute
——10Normal
TM11
Sunny Day
——5Fire
TM87
Swagger
—8515Normal
TM75
Swords Dance
——20Normal
TM61
Will-O-Wisp
—8515Fire

Egg Moves

Src
Egg
Ally Switch+2
——15Psychic
Egg
Charm
—10020Fairy
Egg
Double Kick
3010030Fighting
Egg
Double-Edge
12010015Normal
Egg
Flame Wheel
6010025Fire
Egg
High Horsepower
959510Ground
Egg
Horn Drill
—305Normal
Egg
Hypnosis
—6020Psychic
Egg
Low Kick
—10020Fighting
Egg
Morning Sun
——5Normal
Egg
Thrash
12010010Normal

Tutor Moves

Rapidash can't learn any Tutor moves

No wild encounters for Rapidash. The 2-stage line runs through Ponyta, which you can catch at solid rates from the locations below. Evolve at level 40 once you've got the levels.

How to Obtain Rapidash in Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl

To get Rapidash, start by catching Ponyta through walking encounters at Lv. 13-29. The chain covers 1 catchable stage before reaching the final form.

  1. Ponyta
    Step 1Catch Ponyta
    Route 206
    Brilliant DiamondGrassLv.14-1645%EarlyRouteDay
    EFFORTLESS
    Route 206
    Shining PearlGrassLv.14-1645%EarlyRouteDay
    EFFORTLESS
    Route 206
    Brilliant DiamondGrassLv.14-1635%EarlyRouteMorning
    EFFORTLESS
    Route 206
    Shining PearlGrassLv.14-1635%EarlyRouteMorning
    EFFORTLESS
    Route 206
    Shining PearlGrassLv.14-1625%EarlyRouteNight
    EASY
    Route 206
    Brilliant DiamondGrassLv.14-1625%EarlyRouteNight
    EASY
    Route 211 - West
    Brilliant DiamondGrassLv.1310%EarlyRoute
    MODERATE
    Route 211 - West
    Shining PearlGrassLv.1310%EarlyRoute
    MODERATE
    Route 210 - South
    Shining PearlGrassLv.18-2050%MidRouteDay
    EFFORTLESS
    Route 210 - South
    Brilliant DiamondGrassLv.18-2050%MidRouteDay
    EFFORTLESS
    Route 215
    Brilliant DiamondGrassLv.21-2240%MidRouteDay
    EFFORTLESS
    Route 215
    Shining PearlGrassLv.21-2240%MidRouteDay
    EFFORTLESS
    Route 214
    Brilliant DiamondGrassLv.23-2435%MidRouteMorning/day
    EFFORTLESS
    Route 214
    Shining PearlGrassLv.23-2435%MidRouteMorning/day
    EFFORTLESS
    Route 210 - South
    Shining PearlGrassLv.18-2030%MidRouteMorning/night
    EFFORTLESS
    Route 210 - South
    Brilliant DiamondGrassLv.18-2030%MidRouteMorning/night
    EFFORTLESS
    Route 215
    Brilliant DiamondGrassLv.21-2230%MidRouteMorning
    EFFORTLESS
    Route 215
    Shining PearlGrassLv.21-2230%MidRouteMorning
    EFFORTLESS
    Route 214
    Brilliant DiamondGrassLv.23-2425%MidRouteNight
    EASY
    Route 214
    Shining PearlGrassLv.23-2425%MidRouteNight
    EASY
    Route 215
    Shining PearlGrassLv.2120%MidRouteNight
    EASY
    Route 215
    Brilliant DiamondGrassLv.2120%MidRouteNight
    EASY
    Route 211 - East
    Shining PearlGrassLv.26-2815%MidRouteMorning/day
    EASY
    Route 211 - East
    Brilliant DiamondGrassLv.26-2815%MidRouteMorning/day
    EASY
    Sandsear Cave
    Shining PearlGrassLv.25-29MidDesertRequires Strength
    Sandsear Cave
    Brilliant DiamondGrassLv.25-29MidDesertRequires Strength
    Typhlo Cavern
    Shining PearlGrassLv.25-29MidCaveRequires Strength
    Typhlo Cavern
    Brilliant DiamondGrassLv.25-29MidCaveRequires Strength
    Volcanic Cave
    Shining PearlGrassLv.25-29MidVolcanoRequires Strength
    Volcanic Cave
    Brilliant DiamondGrassLv.25-29MidVolcanoRequires Strength
    Route 211 - East
    Shining PearlGrassLv.27-285%MidRouteNight
    CHALLENGING
    Route 211 - East
    Brilliant DiamondGrassLv.27-285%MidRouteNight
    CHALLENGING
  2. Rapidash
    Step 2Rapidash ✓

  • Don't let Rapidash's 500 base stat total fool you. Flash Fire is what makes it tick — it punches way above its weight class. We rate it C-Tier as a sweeper.

  • Rapidash's biggest threats include Gyarados (Water), Rhydon (Ground), and Golem (Rock), all carrying super-effective STAB moves. Rapidash's base 105 Speed lets it outpace many threats and strike first, which matters more than trying to tank hits.

  • Ponyta evolves into Rapidash at level 40. Rapidash is the final evolution in a 3-stage line starting from Ponyta. At 500 BST, it's got solid stats to work with.

  • Run Flash Fire on Rapidash. It's the ability that defines how you build around it and the main reason it holds a competitive niche. Rapidash also gets Run Away and Flame Body, but they don't compare. With base 105 Speed, Flash Fire gives Rapidash an edge before opponents can react.

  • Rapidash fills the sweeper role. It's a physical attacker with base 100 Attack. Base 105 Speed lets it outrun most of the field. And it's enough bulk to take a hit or two.

  • Rapidash appears in 20 games, including Yellow, Red & Blue, and Gold & Silver.

Rapidash first appeared in Red & Blue and spans 20 games across 9 generations. It later gained a Galarian form in Generation 8, adding new dimensions to its competitive identity.