Is Rhyhorn a Good Pokémon in Pokémon GO? A Comprehensive Guide

The short answer? Rhyhorn itself is not a strong Pokémon in Pokémon GO, particularly when considering its performance in battles. However, its evolutionary line tells a different story. While Rhyhorn struggles due to significant weaknesses and low stats, its evolutions, Rhydon and especially Rhyperior, can be powerful assets to your team. Understanding Rhyhorn’s role as a stepping stone to these more capable forms is key to appreciating its value in the game. This article will delve deep into the pros and cons of Rhyhorn, exploring its viability in various aspects of Pokémon GO and addressing common questions to give you a complete picture.

Rhyhorn’s Weaknesses and Limitations

Double Weaknesses Plague Rhyhorn

Rhyhorn’s primary issue lies in its dual-typing as a Ground/Rock Pokémon. This combination saddles it with a double weakness to both Grass and Water-type attacks. These are two of the most common offensive types in Pokémon GO, making Rhyhorn incredibly vulnerable in battles. A single super-effective move from either type can quickly knock Rhyhorn out of the fight. This makes it practically unusable in Great League and Ultra League battles, where these types are prevalent.

Poor Stats and Limited Moveset

Beyond its type weaknesses, Rhyhorn’s stats are simply not impressive. Its Special Defense is abysmal, and while its physical defense is decent, the double weaknesses mean it rarely gets a chance to utilize it effectively. Rhyhorn’s speed is also very low, making it a prime target for opponents to attack first. To make matters worse, its available moves are not particularly powerful, limiting its offensive potential. It is ironic that this Pokémon can learn Surf, given its extreme susceptibility to Water-type attacks.

The Path to Potential: Rhydon and Rhyperior

Rhydon: A Step Up with Eviolite Potential

While Rhyhorn is weak, its evolution, Rhydon, offers a considerable improvement. Rhydon has better base stats, especially in health and defense, and access to more powerful moves. In some cases, and only in games outside of Pokemon GO, Rhydon is sometimes used effectively by having it hold an Eviolite, an item that boosts the defense and special defense of any Pokémon that can still evolve. If it had access to the Eviolite in Pokemon GO, Rhydon would become a more defensive version of Rhyperior. However, Rhydon is generally outclassed by its final evolution, Rhyperior, especially due to the moves it has access to.

Rhyperior: The Powerful Payoff

Rhyperior is where the Rhyhorn evolutionary line truly shines in Pokémon GO. This final evolution boasts significant improvements in all its stats, particularly Attack and HP. Rhyperior also has access to a better selection of moves, including powerful Rock-type moves like Rock Wrecker (a Community Day move), and powerful Ground-type attacks like Earthquake. This makes Rhyperior a formidable opponent in both Gym battles and Raids.

Rhyperior’s ability, Solid Rock (not in GO), which reduces super-effective damage, further enhances its battle prowess in other games, making it a significantly better battler than its previous forms. While Rhyperior’s weaknesses are still considerable (Fighting, Ice, Water, Steel, Grass, and other Ground types), its offensive capabilities and high HP mean that it can often secure wins even when facing unfavorable matchups.

Rhyhorn in Pokémon GO: Is it Worth Catching?

The Shiny Factor

One compelling reason to catch Rhyhorn is the chance to obtain a shiny Rhyhorn. Shiny Pokémon are highly sought after by collectors and are a great addition to any roster. This makes hunting for shiny Rhyhorn a worthwhile pursuit.

Investing in the Future

While Rhyhorn is not a strong Pokémon by itself, collecting them is a necessary step for acquiring Rhydon and, more importantly, Rhyperior. Players should consider catching as many Rhyhorn as possible, especially during events that boost their spawn rate, to gather enough candy to evolve them and power them up. Rhyperior is a powerful Pokémon and is worth the investment.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What are Rhyhorn’s best counters?

The best Pokémon Go Rhyhorn counters are Mega Swampert, Mega Sceptile, Kartana, Shadow Feraligatr, Shadow Porygon-Z & Shaymin – Sky. Any strong Grass or Water type will perform well against Rhyhorn.

2. Is Rhydon strong in Pokémon GO?

Rhydon is decent but typically outclassed by Rhyperior. Its best moveset is Mud-Slap and Earthquake, and it can deal reasonable damage in neutral weather. Its main appeal lies in its bulk, but it is vulnerable to Knock Off.

3. Is Rhydon better than Rhyperior in Pokémon GO?

Rhyperior is generally better than Rhydon in Pokémon GO. Rhydon has more bulk but lacks Rhyperior’s offensive power. Rhyperior’s access to stronger moves and better Attack stat make it the preferred choice for most players. Rhydon is a better defender and Rhyperior is better as an attacker.

4. What is Rhyhorn’s biggest weakness?

Rhyhorn’s biggest weakness is its double weakness to both Grass and Water type attacks. It is also weak to Ice, Fighting, and Ground.

5. How do you evolve Rhyhorn in Pokémon GO?

Rhyhorn evolves into Rhydon using 25 Rhyhorn Candy. Rhydon evolves into Rhyperior using 100 Rhyhorn Candy and a Sinnoh Stone.

6. When should I evolve my Rhydon?

You should evolve your Rhydon as soon as you have enough candy and a Sinnoh Stone. Rhyperior is a substantial upgrade over Rhydon. The only real reason to keep a Rhydon is for collection.

7. Is evolving Rhydon worth it?

Yes, evolving Rhydon into Rhyperior is absolutely worth it. Rhyperior is a much stronger Pokémon with better stats and access to more powerful moves.

8. How good is Rhyperior in Pokémon GO?

Rhyperior is a powerful Pokémon, particularly when armed with its Community Day move, Rock Wrecker. It is an excellent attacker in raids and Gym battles, despite its multiple weaknesses.

9. What are Rhyperior’s weaknesses?

Rhyperior has multiple weaknesses, including Fighting, Ice, Water, Steel, Grass, and other Ground-type attacks. However, it also has several resistances against Electric, Fire, Flying, Normal, Poison, and other Rock-type Pokemon.

10. What is Rhyhorn weak to?

Rhyhorn is primarily weak to Grass and Water-type attacks (4x weakness) due to its dual-typing. It is also weak to Fighting, Ice, and Ground types.

11. Why is Rhydon considered the first Pokémon?

Rhydon is considered the first Pokémon in the context of real-world design. It was the first Pokémon to be conceptualized and designed for the game.

12. How does Rhyperior compare to Tyranitar?

Tyranitar is often considered better than Rhyperior. It has a better typing and deals consistent damage. However, Rhyperior can be more powerful with its moveset. If a Larvitar (Tyranitar evolution) does not have access to a particular move like D-Dance, Rhyperior may be a better option.

13. How good is Porygon in Pokémon GO?

Porygon is a rare Pokemon, but its final evolution, Porygon-Z, is a strong Pokemon and is considered to be worth the trouble of evolving.

14. What Pokemon has the highest CP?

Currently, Slaking has the highest CP in Pokémon GO, with a maximum of 5010 CP. This is above even many legendary Pokémon.

15. What is the weakest Pokemon?

There are many weak Pokemon, but some of the notable ones include Shedinja, Wobbufett, Metapod, and Snom.

Conclusion

While Rhyhorn itself isn’t a strong Pokémon in Pokémon GO due to its double weaknesses and low stats, it serves as a critical link to the far more potent Rhydon and Rhyperior. By focusing on catching Rhyhorn and gathering enough candy to evolve them, players can unlock one of the most powerful Rock/Ground-type attackers in the game, Rhyperior. Its Community Day move, Rock Wrecker, makes it a considerable threat in many battles, making the journey from weak Rhyhorn to powerful Rhyperior a truly worthwhile investment for any dedicated Pokémon GO player.