In Pokemon Legends: Arceus, the player is in the Hisui region, which is what the Sinnoh region was first named in the early days of the Pokemon world and will become a part of the Galaxy Expedition Team (or the Galaxy Team) as a member of the Survey Corps, which is tasked with studying every Pokemon in the Hisui region.
To be a successful member of the Survey Corps, the player must complete Hisui region’s first Pokedex, which is used to learn Pokemon, by catching every Pokemon in the region!
This guide will discuss everything you need to know about Ponyta!
Ponyta
Ponyta, the 23rd Pokemon in the Hisuian Pokedex, is a Fire-type Fire Horse Pokemon with a body that is colored cream and looks like that of, well, a horse, a pair of eyes that are colored brown, a pair of triangular ears with red insides, four long legs with each of them having a single, gray hoof, yellow and red-orange flames on its mane to its tail, and more flames on the upper part of its legs.
According to its Pokedex entry in the game, Ponyta lives in herds in the grasslands. Newborn Ponytas do not have their fiery manes yet but will eventually develop an hour after birth.
Basic Information
Ponyta is a Fire-type Pokemon which means it has a weakness to Ground-type, Rock-type, and Water-type moves (super effective) and a resistance to the Bug-type, Fairy-type, Fire-type, Grass-type, Ice-type, and Steel-type moves (not very effective).
Ponyta’s base stats are 50 HP, 85 Attack, 55 Defense, 65 Special Attack, 65 Special Defense, and 90 Speed for a total of 410.
Ponyta will evolve into a Rapidash when it reaches Level 40.
It’s important to note that Ponyta enjoys Springy Mushrooms, Hearty Grains, and Plump Beans, which would be useful if the player decided to feed it food to occupy it before catching it.
After a Ponyta is defeated or caught, the player will get a Spoiled Apricorn and a Rawst Berry.
Location
Ponyta can only be found in the following location:
In the Obsidian Fieldlands: in the Horseshoe Plains.
Ponyta can be found in the location mentioned at all times of the day but only when the weather is clear, cloudy, or with strong sunlight.
Additionally, Ponyta can be found in Massive Mass Outbreaks in the Obsidian Fieldlands and the Coronet Highlands.
Research Tasks
The following are the Research Tasks in Ponyta’s Pokedex entry:
| Multiplier | Research Task | Objectives |
| x2 | Number caught | 1/2/4/10/15 |
| x2 | Number of heavy specimens you have caught | 1/2/3/4/5 |
| Number defeated | 1/2/4/10/15 | |
| The number you have defeated with Water-type moves | 1/2/4/6/10 | |
| Times you have seen it use Ember | 1/3/6/12/25 | |
| Times you have given it food | 1/2/3/4/5 | |
| x2 | Investigated a sighting of an unusual Ponyta | 1 |
By completing an objective for a Research Task, the player can increase the Research Level of a Pokemon’s Pokedex entry. Completing a Research Task objective with an x2 multiplier, on the other hand, will raise two Research Levels. To complete a Pokemon’s Pokedex entry, the player must allow it to advance to Research Level 10.
To quickly complete Ponyta’s Pokedex entry, the player must catch four Ponyta, which ticks the first, second, and third objective of the “number caught” to raise the Research Level to 6 thanks to its x2 multiplier, then defeat two Ponyta using Water-type moves, which ticks the first and second objectives of the “Number defeated” and the “Number you have defeated with Water type moves” Research Tasks to add four more Research Levels, to reach Research Level 10.
Moves
Ponyta will be able to learn moves in one of two ways: through leveling up or through the Training Grounds.
Leveling Up
Ponyta may learn and master the following moves by leveling up:
| Move | Type | Learn Level | Master Level | Power | Accuracy | PP |
| Tackle | Normal-type | 1 | 9 | 40 | 100 | 30 |
| Ember | Fire-type | 5 | 14 | 40 | 100 | 25 |
| Double Hit | Normal-type | 9 | 18 | 0 | – | 10 |
| Flame Wheel | Fire-type | 15 | 25 | 60 | 100 | 20 |
| Hypnosis | Psychic type | 21 | 31 | 0 | 70 | 20 |
| Fire Blast | Fire-type | 29 | 40 | 100 | 85 | 5 |
| Double-Edge | Normal-type | 37 | 48 | 100 | 100 | 5 |
| Fire Blitz | Fire-type | 47 | 59 | 100 | 100 | 5 |
Training Grounds
Ponyta may learn these moves in the Training Ground, found in the northwestern part of Jubilife Village:
| Move | Type | Power | Accuracy | PP |
| Rest | Normal-type | 0 | – | 10 |
| Swift | Normal-type | 60 | – | 20 |
| Mystical Fire | Fire-type | 70 | 100 | 10 |
| Flamethrower | Fire-type | 80 | 100 | 10 |
| High Horsepower | Ground-type | 85 | 95 | 10 |
| Wild Charge | Electric-type | 85 | 100 | 10 |
| Iron Tail | Steel-type | 100 | 75 | 5 |
Relevant Requests
Ponyta is involved in Request 19, called “A Peculiar Ponyta,” Completing this request ticks the “Investigated a sighting of an unusual Ponyta” Research Task with a 2x multiplier.
Before the player can unlock this request, the player must first do the following: complete ‘The Frenzy of the Lord of the Woods’ mission (the seventh mission in the game), where the player must quell the frenzied Noble Kleavor and catch a Ponyta to add it to the player’s Pokedex.
After doing that, the player can now begin this request. To do that, go to the Galaxy Hall and head to Professor Laventon’s room, on the left of Captain Cyllene’s office, where the player will find a blackboard just behind Professor Laventon.
On this blackboard are a few requests that the player can take on. Press the A button to interact with the blackboard, and select the “A Peculiar Ponyta” request on the prompt. Then, just like that, the request has begun!
Once the request has started, exit the Galaxy Hall and go to the bridge west of Jubilife Village, where the player will find a man dressed in dark gray named Yota. Speak with Yota, and he will tell the player about a Ponyta that looks different from the other Ponyta in the Horseshoe Plains of the Obsidian Fieldlands. Then, he will ask the player to catch the strange-looking Ponyta for him and Professor Laventon.
After that, the player now has to catch the Ponyta that was mentioned. That “strange-looking” Ponyta is shiny Ponyta and is the only guaranteed shiny Pokemon the player can catch in the game.
To catch the shiny Pokemon, head to the Front Gate on the northeastern corner of Jubilife Village, the Obsidian Fieldlands, and the Horseshoe Plains (the northern part of the Obsidian Fieldlands).
A cutscene will play where the player will see a Ponyta with blue flames instead of red and yellow. Food works wonders as a lure and distraction, so the player can sneak up on it and throw a Poke Ball to catch it.
If it manages to escape the player’s Poke Ball, hide in the tall grass so that the Ponyta will not notice the player and flee.
If the Ponyta does manage to flee and disappear, return to Jubilife Village, then head back to its spot in the Obsidian Fieldlands, where it will spawn.
Once the shiny Ponyta is caught, return to Jubilife Village and head back to Yota, still on the bridge west of the village, to show him the shiny Ponyta.
Speak with Yota, and he will realize that there might be Pokemon of the same species but with a different color, just like this blue-flamed Ponyta.
After all that, the request is completed, and Yota will reward the player with five Razz Berries for their efforts.
Ponyta is a great Pokemon for missions, requests, and Arceus’ task for the player to catch ’em all!
