When fans discuss their favorite Pokemon types it’s rare that the Rock-type comes up. Despite it reflecting a stoic and hardened nature, most trainers opt for creatures from the more popular typings. That’s a shame considering the Rock-type is home to some amazing creatures.
Like all Pokemon types, it also happens to be home to some real duds. From Pokemon Red & Blue to Pokemon Sword & Shield the series has plenty of Rock-type Pokemon worth capturing and training along with more than a handful that should be avoided at all costs.
8 Rolycoly (Galar)
With the Galar region being smaller that means that there weren’t too many new Pokemon of each respective type. Rolycoly is the base form of the premier Rock-type evolutionary line in the franchise. Since it is part of a 2-stage evolution that means that its base stats aren’t great at all.
From a game design perspective, this is done to allow the player to feel a true sense of progression and gives the Pokemon room to grow without it becoming too powerful. It’s all a balancing act and Rolycoly sadly has to be at the bottom supporting the better versions of itself.
7 Minior (Alola)
When looking at the concept behind Minior it’s neat that a Rock-type Pokemon can dazzle and become a glimmering meteor. The problem with the Alolan native creature is that one of its forms is clearly better than the other. Most trainers are unclear of why Minior has two forms and how they can acquire or experience each.
Humans don’t like to be confused so as a result, most people forget Minior exists and when thinking of their favorite Pokemon from Pokemon Sun & Moon it not only doesn’t make the cut, but most people have to be reminded that it’s part of the generation.
6 Binacle (Kalos)
Pokemon can be ugly, and some of them can be so ugly they’re cute. For Binacle, it isn’t rewarded with that treatment as it is simply a hideous Pokemon aesthetically. On top of not being visually appealing to look at it also has mostly below-average base stats across the board.
Since it is a Rock and Water-type it should come as no surprise that its best stat falls in the category of physical defense. This is a common reoccurring theme among Rock-types in every generation from Kanto to Galar and will continue for the foreseeable future.
5 Roggenrola (Unova)
Roggenrola has a name that people either love or hate. It not only fits its pure Rock-type existence but gives the creature a bit of automatic personality. As had been stated, a base form of a 2-stage evolutionary line is expected to have bad stats, but Roggenrola’s are terrible.
From a design perspective, it may be the most authentic Rock-type in the franchise as its special attack, special defense, and speed are all terribly low. Its physical traits and durability are its strength and its stats lean into that rather aggressively.
4 Shieldon (Sinnoh)
The Sinnoh region is pretty fortunate in that its worst Rock-types are some cool-looking fossil Pokemon with decent base stats. Both Shieldon and Cranidos share very similar stats, with the former’s strengths laying in defense and the latter’s is in attack power.
With most people opting for offensive Pokemon it felt necessary for Shieldon to claim this spot on the list over its offensive dinosaur counterpart. In many ways, Shieldon may be the best of the worst Rock-type Pokemon on this list regardless of region.
3 Lileep (Hoenn)
Lileep, a Grass and Rock-type Pokemon from the Hoenn region, feels more like an enemy ripped out of Final Fantasy than it does a Pokemon. Its design is based on sea vegetation and plants which explains why it feels so dark and mysterious.
Some trainers will overlook a bad design if the Pokemon is viable in battle, but without that, they can get left in the dust. It also seems like a huge oversight that a Pokemon can be released and all of the tentacles in its design resemble male genitalia, even down to the colorization of them.
2 Corsola (Johto)
Corsola is a perfect example of a Pokemon that had its value exponentially elevated thanks to a regional form. Not only did the Galar region give Corsola new typing and a new design, but it gave the Rock and Water-type something to evolve into.
That sadly isn’t the case for its original Johto native form and as a result, it lands as the worst Rock-type of the region. At the very least it’s a mostly pink Pokemon which benefits it more than one would think in terms of interest from prospective trainers.
1 Geodude (Kanto)
Though the franchise is 8 generations deep Geodude still happens to be one of the strangest Rock-type creatures. The Ground and Rock dual-type is essentially a boulder with a face that happens to have two human-like arms. It’s rather bizarre and becomes more and more off-putting the more one looks at it.
Its base stats outside of physical attack and defense are atrocious, but this is expected when a base Pokemon can evolve twice. Its Alolan form changed out its Ground-typing for Electric which makes the sentient boulder a bit more interesting in that regard.
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