How To Find (& Catch) Galarian Rapidash In Pokémon Sword & Shield

Pokémon Sword & Shield take place in the UK-inspired Galar region, meaning players can find many Galarian versions of their favorite Pokémon running around, with exclusives for both versions of the game. One of the more popular Pokémon, the cotton-candy-colored Galarian Ponyta, and its evolution, Galarian Rapidash, are exclusive to Pokémon Shield. While players can find and catch Ponyta in one location the wild, the only way to get Galarian Rapidash is by catching a Ponyta and evolving it. Only the Galarian versions of Ponyta and Rapidash are available to Pokémon Sword & Shield, replacing their typical version.

Related: Pokémon Sword And Shield DLC Trailer Is A Galarian Nature Documentary

Galarian Rapidash is a Psychic and Fairy Type, while Galarian Ponyta is strictly a Psychic-type. Ponyta is weak against Bug, Ghost, and Dark-type moves, so players should choose a Pokémon of one of those types when going to catch one. Galarian Ponyta is fairly rare and only available in one place in the entire Galar region, so players may need to spend a little extra time to find one. Then, they must level it up to evolve it into Galarian Rapidash and add this Pokémon to their party. Here's how to evolve Galarian Ponyta into Galarian Rapidash in Pokémon Shield, and how to get either of these Pokémon in Pokémon Sword.

Find and Catch Galarian Ponyta in Pokémon Sword & Shield

To capture a Galarian Ponyta, players will need to head to Glimwood Tangle north of Route 6. Galarian Ponyta is found in the Non-Overworld, meaning the tall grasses, in all weather conditions, as a random encounter. There is a 10% chance of it spawning. Players may need to run or bike around the tall grasses for a little while before finding one.

To catch Galarian Ponyta, players should bring along a Bug, Ghost, or Dark-type Pokémon. Some good options include Tyranitar, Hydreigon, Golisopod, Dusknoir, and Umbreon. Players may need to use a few moves against the Galarian Ponyta they find to lower its health and catch it. Any Galarian Ponytas that appear in the wild tend to be around Level 34-36. It's always a good idea to use a specialty Pokéball for catching. Ultra balls tend to be players' top choice.

Evolve Galarian Ponyta into Galarian Rapidash in Pokémon Sword & Shield

To get a Galarian Rapidash, players will need to level up their Galarian Ponyta. Galarian Ponyta evolves automatically at Level 40 or above, so players should bring Ponyta in their party to earn the XP needed to level up. They can also try cooking curry or giving Ponyta EXP candy to help reach the necessary XP, especially if they are close to reaching Level 40 and need a small boost.

Players who opted for Pokémon Sword will need to have a friend who has Pokémon Shield if they want a Galarian Ponyta or Galarian Rapidash. A player with Pokémon Shield can trade one of these Pokémon to a player with Pokémon Sword, likely for a similar Pokémon Sword exclusive. This way, the trade remains fair and both players win.

Galarian Rapidash is immune to Dragon-type damage, so players going after Pokémon like Goodra or Haxorus should bring one along.

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Next: How to Find (& Catch) Nihilego in Pokémon Sword and Shield

Pokémon Sword & Shield is available for Nintendo Switch.