For Pokémon fans that believe in rock hard defense and determination, Rock-types are perfectly suited to fit their needs. Rock-type gym leaders from Brock to Gordie have all shown just how powerful they can be when raised by an expert trainer.
Personally, we think Jasmine made a mistake when she started training Steel-types as Rock-types have some serious grit. Still, not all Pokémon are created equal and that goes the same for even the rockier ones. Some simply stand out like boulders in a Pokéworld full of mere pebbles.
12 Nosepass
Nosepass is probably one the ugliest Pokémon out there or at a minimum one of the goofiest looking. It doesn't even have the distinguished mustache it gains when evolving into Probopass. With how easily outclassed it is even in Little Cup, the only trainer that will really use it is Roxanne, and let's be fair, gym leaders are meant to be defeated in the end. Still, if players enjoy a questionably adorkable rock type, it might be a fun fit for their teams.
11 Bonsly
Generation IV brought many exciting changes to the world of Pokémon but Bonsly really wasn't one of them. It wasn't exactly a powerhouse, there was no real reason to ever bring one into battle, and did we really need a baby form of Sudowoodo? The only reason fans might remember it exists is the adorable Bonsly Brock helped train in the anime series. It might be cute but cuteness is not the most important part of being a Rock-type.
10 Cranidos
Out of all the fossils out there, a Skull Fossil grants players with a Cranidos upon bringing it to be revived. It's the only Fossil Pokémon with a single typing outside of its evolved form and it does evolve earlier than any other fossilized friend as well. What makes this little guy special, however, is its wildly high base attack stat. It might be a bit of a glass cannon, but bringing a Cranidos out to do battle in the Little Cup can result in a win by a landslide (or should we say rock slide).
9 Roggenrola And Boldore
We know it's slightly cheating to combine two Pokémon on a ranking list, but these two were just too close to separate! Roggenrola and Boldore both saw the most screen time as Ash traveled the Unova region in the anime. His plucky Roggenrola fought in many battles, even evolving when Ash needed it most in a battle against Clay. When a Pokémon outright wins a Quake Badge despite a type disadvantage, it's hard to not show it some love.
8 Rolycoly
Rolycoly is just the perfect level of weird that makes a good Rock-type. It not only rolls around on a single wheel which gets rid of confusing things like Geodude floating (how does it do that) but is also the only Rock-type capable of having the ability Flash Fire.
Plus, Rolycoly is actually quite useful in the world of Pokémon. For many years every family had a Rolycoly in their homes to help heat it and Rolycoly are still used for fun outdoor activities to this day. Who wouldn't enjoy having a warm rock friend around the house to cuddle with on cold winter nights?
7 Rampardos
Rampardos may have a massive attack stat but it's unfortunately outclassed by many other Rock-types on the battlefield in the video games. In the Pokémon TCG however, Rampardos is a vital part of the latest Fossils Deck that has consistently taken strong placements in tournaments. Roark's Rampardos also proved that this fossil friend shouldn't be underestimated as it's shown taking down many of the opponents it faced.
6 Regirock
While Regirock looks brutally strong on the surface, it's actually one of the weakest Legendary Pokémon in the games. Still, Regirock holds more claims to fame than being one of the Legendary titans. It played an important role in Lucario and the Mystery of Mew and was used by the chief of the Battle Pyramid Brandon in battle. It gave Ash's Sceptile a serious beating, reminding everyone that even weaker legendaries should never be underestimated.
5 Rockruff
Who's a good boy? WHO'S A GOOD BOY?!? Ahem... Sorry, we couldn't help ourselves. Most Rock-types are literally made of solid stone so finally having a fluffy rock friend introduced in Pokémon Sun & Moon was an exciting development. This puppy Pokémon was one trainers were itching to get their paws on when they got into the game.
Rockruff wasn't just adorably fierce in the games either. Ash was lucky that Professor Kukui helped foster their relationship so much as he gained a loyal companion that helped him win many battles
4 Stonjourner
Stonjourner is exclusive to Pokémon Shield and it's reasonable that owners of Pokémon Sword might be jealous of that. Players can literally do battle with a living part of Stonehenge, how cool is that? No, seriously, all Stonjourners gather in a circle once a year. If Stonjourner is good enough to be used by Gordie, an obvious Rock-type expert, who can say it isn't an excellent battle companion?
3 Lycanroc
Lyranroc comes in three beautiful forms and is one of only two Pokémon with six potential abilities. It's also a beast both on the video game battlefield as well as the cardboard one. Lyranroc-GX from Guardians Rising was a staple in almost countless decks that placed high in tournaments for a long time.
Lycanroc also had a major presence in the anime with Ash, Gladion, and Olvia all having one. Even Professor Kukui has one if Pokémon Masters is to be believed. There's no doubt about it, Lycanroc is a Rock-type Pokémon any trainer would be happy to own.
2 Gigalith
Gigalith is by far the most successful pure Rock-type Pokémon that has ever graced the competitive scene. No other Pokémon on this list has placed at the regional, international, and even world tournaments like Gigalith has. Its intense bulk alongside Sand Stream makes it a formidable foe to take down and players who are unprepared will find themselves falling to it in battle. It is one of the few slower Pokémon that doesn't need Trick Room to function as well, really helping it to stand out.
1 Sudowoodo
Sudowoodo is such a good mimic that players have been mistaking it as a Grass-type for years! We'll confirm it here — Sudowoodo is a Rock-type. This arboreal ally quite literally stands in the way of players making progress in Pokemon Gold & Silver until players can defeat Whitney and get the Squirt Bottle. It also used to be quite rare, with only one appearing in Generation II and Generation III for players to even catch
Sudowoodo one of the most iconic Rock-types in the series. How many other Pokémon can say they were a part of Poké Floats? It might not be the strongest battler, but Sudowoodo makes an excellent companion down the rocky roads of the Pokémon world.