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

Little can stand up to its psycho cut. Unleashed from this Pokémon’s horn, the move will punch a hole right through a thick metal sheet.

Sword

Brave and prideful, this Pokémon dashes airily through the forest, its steps aided by the psychic power stored in the fur on its fetlocks.

Shield

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 using 138 partners from the Ground egg group. Notable egg moves include Double Kick, Double-Edge, Horn Drill and 3 more.

Egg Groups
Ground
Gender
♂50.0%♀50.0%
Hatch Time
20 cycles·5,140 steps
Quick~5 min with Flame Body
Egg Moves
6moves
Breed With (best first)
raichupikachunidokinggolduckrhydonshiftryexploudquagsiremawilenidorinofarfetchdloudred
12 of 138·

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

Rillaboom
RillaboomDecent
Slowking
SlowkingDecent
Buzzwole
BuzzwoleDecent

Stall teams hate this. Rapidash can spread damage across 11 types, with Bug and Poison punishing common defensive pivots. STAB from Overheat and Flare Blitz keeps the pressure honest on everything else.

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
TR12
Agility
——30Psychic
TR83
Ally Switch+2
——15Psychic
TM31
Attract
—10015Normal
TR29
Baton Pass
——40Normal
TR01
Body Slam
8510015Normal
TM52
Bounce
85855Flying
TM29
Charm
—10020Fairy
TR87
Drill Run
809510Ground
TR26
Endure+4
——10Normal
TM39
Facade
7010020Normal
TR15
Fire Blast
110855Fire
TM13
Fire Spin
358515Fire
TR02
Flamethrower
9010015Fire
TR55
Flare Blitz
12010015Fire
TM09
Giga Impact
150905Normal
TR36
Heat Wave
959010Fire
TR94
High Horsepower
959510Ground
TM08
Hyper Beam
150905Normal
TR31
Iron Tail
1007515Steel
TR07
Low Kick
—10020Fighting
TR28
Megahorn
1208510Bug
TM92
Mystical Fire
7510010Fire
TR43
Overheat
130905Fire
TM02
Pay Day
4010020Normal
TR90
Play Rough
909010Fairy
TR57
Poison Jab
8010020Poison
TM25
Protect+4
——10Normal
TM21
Rest
——10Psychic
TM76
Round
6010015Normal
TR27
Sleep Talk
——10Normal
TM96
Smart Strike
70—10Steel
TM24
Snore
5010015Normal
TM11
Solar Beam
12010010Grass
TM12
Solar Blade
12510010Grass
TR20
Substitute
——10Normal
TM34
Sunny Day
——5Fire
TM40
Swift
60—20Normal
TM
Swords Dance
——20Normal
TR95
Throat Chop
8010015Dark
TR86
Wild Charge
9010015Electric
TM38
Will-O-Wisp
—8515Fire

Egg Moves

Src
Egg
Double Kick
3010030Fighting
Egg
Double-Edge
12010015Normal
Egg
Horn Drill
—305Normal
Egg
Hypnosis
—6020Psychic
Egg
Morning Sun
——5Normal
Egg
Thrash
12010010Normal

Tutor Moves

Src
Tutor
Scorching Sands
7010010Ground

Reminder Moves

Src
Rem
Smart Strike
70—10Steel

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

How to Obtain Rapidash in Sword & Shield

To get Rapidash, start by catching Ponyta through walking encounters at Lv. 34-65. The chain covers 1 catchable stage before reaching the final form.

  1. Ponyta
    Step 1Catch Ponyta
    Glimwood Tangle
    OverworldLv.34-3610%LateForestSnowstorm
    MODERATE
    Glimwood Tangle
    GrassLv.34-3610%LateForestAll Weather
    MODERATE
    Glimwood Tangle
    OverworldLv.34-3610%LateForestThunderstorm
    MODERATE
    Glimwood Tangle
    OverworldLv.34-3610%LateForestIntense Sun
    MODERATE
    Glimwood Tangle
    OverworldLv.34-3610%LateForestSnowing
    MODERATE
    Glimwood Tangle
    OverworldLv.34-3610%LateForestSandstorm
    MODERATE
    Glimwood Tangle
    OverworldLv.34-3610%LateForestRaining
    MODERATE
    Glimwood Tangle
    OverworldLv.34-3710%LateForestHeavy Fog
    MODERATE
    Glimwood Tangle
    OverworldLv.34-3610%LateForestOvercast
    MODERATE
    Glimwood Tangle
    OverworldLv.34-3610%LateForestNormal Weather
    MODERATE
    Old Cemetery
    OverworldLv.60-6510%PostHeavy Fog
    MODERATE
  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.