Physical
Setup Sweeper
500High
105Fast
CTier

Rapidash doesn't stand out in any single area, but it gets the job done for in-game teams. Only weak to Water, Ground, and Rock. Been around since Gen 1. Known as the Fire Horse Pokemon. Flexible enough to run physical or special sets.

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

Very competitive, this POKéMON will chase anything that moves fast in the hopes of racing it.

Red / Blue

Rapidash Weakness

Avg

Type-wise, Rapidash takes extra damage from Water, Ground, and Rock. It resists 4 types, giving it decent defensive coverage. Rapidash leans offensive (base 100 Atk) rather than trying to tank its weaknesses.

Gen I Type Chart
  • Only 15 types exist — Dark, Steel, and Fairy are absent
  • Ghost has no effect on Psychic (a known bug, fixed in Gen II)
  • Special stat governs both offense and defense — no Sp.Atk / Sp.Def split
4xCriticali
None
2xWeaki
WaterGroundRock
½xResisti
FireGrassIceBug
¼xResisti
None
0xImmunei
None
STAB (3)i
GrassIceBug
3Weak
4Resist
0Immune
Scorei-2
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

Ponyta's chain leads to Rapidash (at level 40). A Fire type at 500 stats, sitting in the Undiscovered group. 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 not available · Introduced in Gen 2

Normal coverage keeps opponents guessing about Rapidash's real targets. An item provides extra utility while flexible EVs EVs and a nature nature handle the stat profile. An ability ties it together.

Best Build

Utility
Ability
Not in Gen 1
Item
Not in Gen 1
Nature
Not in Gen 1

Best Rapidash Moveset

  • Fire SpinSTAB
  • Body Slam
  • StompCoverage
  • Fire BlastSTAB

Recommended Teammates

Sandslash
SandslashDecent
Chansey
ChanseyDecent
Pinsir
PinsirDecent

TMs define Rapidash's movepool. The natural moves cover basics with Fire Blast and Ember, but the real versatility comes from technical machines giving it Normal coverage. That's where the options open up.

Level-Up Moves

Lv 1
Ember
4010025Fire
Lv 1
Growl
—10040Normal
Lv 1
Stomp
6510020Normal
Lv 1
Tail Whip
—10030Normal
Lv 30
Tail Whip
—10030Normal
Lv 32
Stomp
6510020Normal
Lv 35
Growl
—10040Normal
Lv 39
Fire Spin
357015Fire
Lv 47
Take Down
908520Normal
Lv 55
Agility
——30Psychic

TM Moves

Src
TM34
Bide+1
——10Normal
TM08
Body Slam
8510015Normal
TM32
Double Team
——15Normal
TM10
Double-Edge
12010015Normal
TM38
Fire Blast
120855Fire
TM07
Horn Drill
—305Normal
TM15
Hyper Beam
150905Normal
TM31
Mimic
——10Normal
TM20
Rage
2010020Normal
TM33
Reflect
——20Psychic
TM44
Rest
——10Psychic
TM40
Skull Bash
10010010Normal
TM50
Substitute
——10Normal
TM39
Swift
60—20Normal
TM09
Take Down
908520Normal
TM06
Toxic
—9010Poison

Egg Moves

Rapidash doesn't have any Egg moves

Tutor Moves

Rapidash can't learn any Tutor moves

Can't catch Rapidash directly. Start with Ponyta at solid rates from the locations below, then evolve at level 40. The 2-stage line from Ponyta to Rapidash is where the leveling time goes.

How to Obtain Rapidash in Red & Blue

The path to Rapidash starts with Ponyta at Lv. 28-36 via walking encounters. 1 catchable stage total, with locations listed for each one below.

  1. Ponyta
    Step 1Catch Ponyta
    Pokémon Mansion - 1F
    BlueGrassLv.28-34CommonMidBuilding
    EFFORTLESS
    Pokémon Mansion - 1F
    RedGrassLv.28-34CommonMidBuilding
    EFFORTLESS
    Pokémon Mansion - 2F
    BlueGrassLv.28-32CommonMidBuilding
    EFFORTLESS
    Pokémon Mansion - 2F
    RedGrassLv.28-32CommonMidBuilding
    EFFORTLESS
    Pokémon Mansion - 3F
    RedGrassLv.32-36CommonLateBuilding
    EFFORTLESS
    Pokémon Mansion - B1F
    RedGrassLv.32-34UncommonLateBuilding
    EASY
    Pokémon Mansion - B1F
    BlueGrassLv.32-34UncommonLateBuilding
    EASY
    Pokémon Mansion - 3F
    BlueGrassLv.32-36UncommonLateBuilding
    EASY
  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 setup 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.

  • Rapidash fills the setup 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.