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Rhyhorn


Statbasemin-minmax max+
HP80N/A2427N/A
Att8513151819
Def9514161920
Sp.A30891213
Sp.D30891213
Spe25891213


SET 1
name: Rock Polish
move 1: Earthquake
move 2: Stone Edge
move 3: Megahorn
move 4: Rock Polish
item: Expert Belt/Life Orb
ability: Rock Head
nature: Jolly
evs: 236 Atk/236 Spd/36 SDef

SET COMMENTS

Little Cup has such little variation in stats that even a slow pokemon like Rhyhorn can outrun most unboosted pokemon after a single Rock Polish. This set reaches 26 after Rock Polish, Adamant reaches 24.

Earthquake and Stone Edge are STAB, and Megahorn puts a heavy impact into Baltoy and Bronzor, the only two eligible pokemon in Little Cup that resist the combination. Expert Belt gives extra damage on the 10 types the Ground/Rock/Bug combination covers, while Life Orb adds extra punch to every one of Rhyhorn's attacks at the cost of 2HP per attack.

SET 2
name: Choice
move 1: Earthquake
move 2: Stone Edge
move 3: Megahorn
move 4: Fire Fang
item: Choice Band
ability: Rock Head
nature: Jolly
evs: 236 Atk/236 Spd/36 SDef

SET COMMENTS

This set can 2HKO every single pokemon in Little Cup with one of its moves. At 13 Speed it isn't going to be going first much, but Fire Fang destroys its most solid general counter, Bronzor, to the tune of 64-72% from Fire Fang on Max/Max +Def Bronzor. Nothing switches into this safely, and anything slower gets pulverized by a either Earthquake or Stone Edge. This set is completely ridiculous with Stealth Rock support, converting even the unlikelist minimum damage scenarios into solid 2HKOs and generally ruining anything other than revenge killers from taking Rhyhorn down before it KOs something else.

OTHER OPTIONS

Rhyhorn's horrible defensive typing means its plethora of support moves are mostly worthless. It's too slow for Swords Dance or Curse to be effective. Fire Blast is generally inferior to Fire Fang because Megahorn covers Grass types. Double-Edge does not do anything significantly better than either Earthquake or Stone Edge, but it does have one thing Stone Edge and Megahorn lack: perfect accuracy. With Rock Head preventing recoil, it makes a reasonable filler. Counter could find use to send back opponent's Earthquakes, but is generally unwise. Ice Fang and Thunder Fang can surprise opposing Ground or Water types respectively, but are generally inferior. Rhyhorn can be a formidable force in Trick Room, where outspeeding it by convential means is ineffective. Curse might be effective in such an instance, but you're not likely to find a good timeframe to use it and be able to KO something with your other 3 moves.

EVs

236 Atk/236 Spe/36 SDef should serve most sets well. Rhyhorn's bad defensive typing means it should go all out offense. It gets 15 SDef on these spreads in Sandstorm, which goes well with the 24 HP and 16 Def it always has. When using Rhyhorn in Trick Room, shift your speed EVs to HP and give it a Brave nature. At 0 EVs and a -Nature, Rhyhorn has an awesome 6 speed.

OPINION

Rhyhorn is a very hit-or-miss pokemon. It has competent HP and defense, an awesome STAB combination, plus an extremely powerful movepool with great coverage, but low speed a horrendous defensive typing. It is the epitome of high-risk high-reward. What sets it apart from counterparts like Cranidos and Cubone is its Double STAB and insane movepool.

COUNTERS

Bronzor and Koffing effectively counter the Rock Polish set, but require prediction to beat Choice Band. Otherwise you need faster pokemon with good innate defense that are neutral to Rhyhorn's attacks like Cubone, Krabby, and Gligar. Faster Scarfers with Supereffective moves also beat the Rock Polish set, but should be wary that switching into anything other than Rock Polish is going to hurt. Focus Sash users can generally revenge kill it with a strong special move. Good examples are Gastly w/ Energy Ball, just about anything with HP Grass, and Cranidos with Earthquake. The best revenge killers are water types with Aqua Jet.