Let's talk about the underdog. In the high-speed, metal-clashing chaos of Beyblade X, everyone wants to talk about Dran Sword’s explosive power or Wizard Arrow’s stamina. But then there’s Rhino Horn. It’s small. It looks a bit weird. It’s the Beyblade equivalent of a brick wall on wheels. Honestly, when Rhino Horn 3-80S first dropped, a lot of people in the community just kind of looked at it and shrugged.
"Too light," they said.
"Too short," they claimed.
They were wrong. Well, mostly. While Rhino Horn 3-80S—specifically the UX-02 version or the original booster releases—doesn't have the massive diameter of something like Leon Claw, its compact nature is exactly why it’s a terrifying sleeper pick in competitive play. It’s a defense type that doesn’t play by the rules. It doesn't just sit there and take hits; it punishes them.
The Weird Anatomy of the Rhino Horn Blade
If you pick up a Rhino Horn blade, the first thing you notice is the weight distribution. It’s incredibly dense. Unlike Dran Dagger, which spreads its weight out to maximize centrifugal force, Rhino Horn keeps everything tight toward the center. Takara Tomy designed this thing with three distinct "horns" or protrusions. These aren't just for show. In Beyblade X, the "Xtreme Dash" mechanic means Beys are flying around at speeds we’ve never seen in the hobby before. When a massive attacker like Shark Edge comes screaming across the X-Line, it’s looking for a wide surface to catch.
Rhino Horn is a nightmare for those attackers because there’s nothing to grab onto. It’s a small target.
Think about it like trying to punch a marble versus trying to punch a plate. You’re going to break your hand on the marble. Because Rhino Horn is so compact, it has a high "recoil" resistance. It’s heavy for its size—usually clocking in around 32 to 33 grams for the blade alone. That might sound light compared to the newer 35g+ monsters, but density matters more than raw mass when you're talking about center-of-gravity stability.
Why the 3-80 Ratchet Actually Makes Sense Here
The 3-80 ratchet is often the "black sheep" of the Beyblade X parts list. Most competitive players swear by 60-height ratchets like 3-60 or 5-60 because they keep the Beyblade low to the ground, preventing "bursts" from underneath. So, why did Takara Tomy put an 80-height ratchet on a defense type?
It’s about the "over-hang" or lack thereof.
Because the Rhino Horn blade is so small, an 80-height ratchet is actually exposed. Usually, that’s a death sentence. But Rhino Horn uses this to its advantage by creating a "top-heavy" tilt. When Rhino Horn gets hit, it doesn't just slide; it wobbles in a way that absorbs the energy of the impact. It’s counter-intuitive. You’d think a taller Bey would be easier to topple. However, in the specific case of Rhino Horn, the 3-80 height allows it to deflect hits upward, often sending the opponent flying into the pocket while Rhino stays spinning in the center.
The Spike Bit: A Lesson in Friction
Then we have the Spike (S) bit. If you’ve been playing Beyblade since the Burst or Metal Fight eras, you know that "Sharp" tips are usually... well, they're kind of bad. They have zero life-after-death (LAD) and they tip over the second they lose speed.
The X version of the Spike bit is a bit different. It has a tiny, precise point that minimizes friction with the stadium floor. This gives Rhino Horn a surprisingly decent spin time for a Bey that isn't focused on stamina. But the real magic happens when it gets knocked off-balance. The wider base of the Spike bit acts as a secondary brake.
It’s a defensive "panic button."
When a Phoenix Wing hits you with enough force to move a mountain, Rhino Horn’s Spike bit digs in. It resists the movement. It’s not trying to outrun the opponent. It’s trying to outlast the collision. Honestly, watching a Rhino Horn survive a full-speed Xtreme Dash from a Cobalt Drake is one of the most satisfying things in the game. It just stands there. It says "no."
Breaking Down the Competitive "Anti-Meta" Strategy
If you want to win with Rhino Horn, you have to stop playing like a traditional defense user. You aren't just a wall. You are a counter-attacker.
Many players are starting to swap the stock 3-80S setup for something more aggressive. Throw a Low Flat (LF) or Taper (T) bit on the Rhino Horn blade, and suddenly you have a "Stationary Attacker." Because the blade is so dense, it hits like a truck. It doesn't need the speed of the X-Line to do damage. It just needs the opponent to run into it.
- The Weight Gap: Yes, newer Beys like Wizard Rod are heavier.
- The Size Advantage: Being smaller means you get underneath the contact points of taller, heavier Beys.
- The Burst Factor: Rhino Horn's internal locking mechanism is surprisingly tight, making it harder to burst than Dran Sword.
I've seen tournaments where players use Rhino Horn specifically to counter "Xtreme Dash" spam. If you know your opponent is going to use a fast bit like Flat or Gear Flat, Rhino Horn is your best friend. It occupies the center, stays low (if you swap the ratchet), and basically acts as a landmine.
Common Misconceptions About Rhino Horn
One thing that drives me crazy is when people say Rhino Horn is "unusable" because of its weight. Look, if you're comparing it to a 38-gram custom build, yeah, it's lighter. But Beyblade X isn't just about weight. It's about physics.
A lighter, more compact object is harder to "hook" with an attack point. If you look at the contact points on Rhino Horn, they are rounded and sloped. This is "deflection geometry." Instead of the metal-on-metal "thud" you get with Knight Shield, you get a "glance-off" effect with Rhino. The opponent's energy is redirected away from your Bey.
It’s basically the "Aikido" of Beyblade. You’re using their momentum against them.
Also, let's address the "it's too small" complaint. In the Xtreme Stadium, space is everything. A smaller Bey has more room to recover if it gets knocked toward the rails. Rhino Horn can often spin-back from the brink of a pocket simply because its radius is so small it doesn't catch the pocket's edge as easily as a wider Bey would.
📖 Related: The Weird Reality of You're Not Supposed To Be Here and Why It Matters
How to Fix the Stock Combo
If you're playing purely for fun, the stock 3-80S is fine. But if you're going to a local meet or a sanctioned BEYBLADE X tournament, you need to tweak it.
First, get rid of the 3-80. It's too risky against attackers that know how to aim low. Switch it to a 5-60 or 9-60. The 9-60 ratchet is particularly good because it adds a bit more weight and smooths out the circular perimeter, further reducing the chances of a burst.
Second, consider the Orb (O) or Ball (B) bit. The Spike bit is cool, but it lacks the stamina needed to win if the match goes long. A Rhino Horn on a Ball bit is a tank. It stays centered, it’s hard to knock over, and it has enough "roll" to survive those last few seconds of a spin-finish battle.
Real-World Performance: What the Data Says
While we don't have "official" win-rate stats from Takara Tomy, the community-led data from various Discord servers and regional tournaments shows a clear trend. Rhino Horn has a niche. It’s not a "Tier 0" Bey like Wizard Rod, but it’s a consistent "Tier 1.5" or "Tier 2" counter-pick.
In matchups against Dran Sword 3-60F, Rhino Horn actually holds a surprising 45-50% win rate when launched with a slight tilt (a "string launch" with a weak-to-medium pull). The goal isn't to over-power the attacker, but to let the attacker tire themselves out hitting your dense metal shell.
Against Hell Scythe, it struggles more because of the stamina difference. This is why your bit choice is so critical. You can't out-stamina a Scythe with a Spike bit. You just can't.
Taking Action: How to Use Rhino Horn Tomorrow
If you've got a Rhino Horn sitting in your collection and you haven't touched it since you unboxed it, it's time to pull it out.
Start by testing it against your heaviest attacker. Don't launch Rhino as hard as you can. Try a "controlled launch." Aim for the dead center. Watch how it reacts to hits. You’ll notice that it doesn't fly back as far as other Beys of its weight class. That's that density working for you.
Next, try the "weight-up" strategy. If you have any spare 9-60 ratchets from the newer booster packs, slap one on. Then, find a bit with high friction but good stability—like High Needle (HN) or even Point (P).
Rhino Horn is a technician's Beyblade. It’s not for the person who just wants to rip the cord and pray. It’s for the player who wants to study the opponent, see where they’re aiming, and put a tiny, indestructible pebble in their way.
Stop looking at the size. Start looking at the results. When that "too small" Bey knocks a 38g monster out of the park, you’ll finally get why the Rhino is one of the most underrated releases in the X era so far.
Next Steps for Your Collection:
- Test the Weight: Compare your Rhino Horn blade on a digital scale against a Knight Shield; notice how the Rhino packs similar mass into a 15% smaller footprint.
- Ratchet Swap: Immediately move to a 60-height ratchet (3-60 or 5-60) to hide the burst points that the stock 80-height leaves wide open.
- Practice the Center-Launch: Work on your "Power Level 3" launch to keep Rhino stationary; over-launching a defense type often leads to self-KOs in the Xtreme Stadium.
- Observe the Recoil: Watch how Rhino Horn "kicks" back at attackers—this is your primary win condition, so learn to position it where the opponent's X-Dash path is most vulnerable.