This was written before the Gallade & Alomomola ban, but should still hold up in other areas.
The Big Problem:
As the new month drops, we are once again met with Gallade, due to being the most voted Pokemon to be added in the DLC, and so, I wanted to make a short analysis on its best counter, and also other sets it can run.
Why use Rapidash Galar:
Rapidash Galar might seem a bit weird in a way, as it doesn't have the raw stat distribution you'd associate with walls like Dondozo, Ferrothorn and Alomomola, present in the tier, but all of these walls fall when faced with Sacred Sword or Leaf Blade. No matter what walls you look at, you'd easily be able to see how it doesn't work well for any of them.
How to use it:
Holding Boots to avoid Hazards, with 56 Evs and a Speed nature, Rapidash is able to outspeed Gallade, and with 252 HP and 192 Def Evs, it can tank even a Banded Leaf Blade. It has reliable recovery in Morning Sun and one shots Gallade with Play Rough using 8 Atk Evs. It also has options like Hypnosis to affect any would be counter and Baton Pass to pivot.
This set allows it to withstand the best Pokemon in the tier, and allows partners like Ferrothorn or Alomomola to run another item, not forcing them to use Chople and Rindo berries.
Rapidash-Galar isn't just a Gallade switch in bot however. Goodra, who's proven to be one of the most solid Pokemon in the tier, struggles at dealing damage to Rapidash as it can easily heal any attack taken, and threaten with Play Rough. It also tanks Double Shock from Pawmot and renders it useless as it can't damage it any further. It's ability Pastel Veil, also allows it to reliably switch into Toxic users and make progress through Hypnosis.
Special moves can also be considered, in specific, Mystical Fire, as Ferrothorn gets 2HKO'd by it and no longer serves as a switch into Play Rough.
What about offensive Rapidash?
An underrated set at the moment is Calm Mind, together with Stored Power, Mystical Fire and reliable recovery, making it hard to eliminate this Stored Power sweeper, and thanks to Pastel Veil, you can't use Toxic as a means of counterplay either. Additionally, players can also consider running Psychic Terrain with Expanding Force, as the Dark switch ins fear STAB Dazzling Gleam and Ferrothorn and Tinkaton fear Mystical Fire.
Although it suffers strong competition, it's fast speed allows Rapidash to have a niche as a Swords Dance attacker, breaking through Ferrothorn with Low Kick, and Tinkaton with High Horsepower, although both Dondozo and Alomomola can easily tank any hits.
Worth noting that offensive Rapidash appreciates max Speed stat to Speed tie with Pawmot.
Written by Msousa