Rock type
Pokémon.
Sandstorm enabler + Stealth Rock dominance — meta-shaping for 20+ years.
Rock stats
What defines the Rock type
Rock-type's biggest contribution to competitive Pokémon is Stealth Rock — a hazard that damages every switching Pokémon based on their Rock type matchup (12.5% normal, up to 50% for 4× Rock weak). Stealth Rock has been in 80%+ of OU teams since Gen 4 and is single-handedly responsible for Heavy-Duty Boots being the most-used item in modern competitive. Rock-types themselves include the meta-defining Tyranitar (Sand Stream + Stone Edge), Garganacl (Salt Cure / Purifying Salt), Diancie, Terrakion (Sacred Sword + Stone Edge), and Sandy Shocks.
Best Rock-type Pokémon
Top 12 by Base Stat Total across all generations
Tyranitar
Diancie
Iron Boulder
Regirock
Terrakion
Nihilego
Stakataka
Iron Thorns
Archeops
Rhyperior
Aggron
Probopass
Rock offensive analysis
Rock hits Fire, Ice, Flying, and Bug super-effective. Stone Edge (100 BP, 80% acc) is the staple physical Rock STAB; Power Gem (80 BP) is the special equivalent. Sand Force boosts Rock moves by 30% in sandstorm.
What Rock attacks hit super-effective
What resists Rock attacks
Strongest Rock moves
Top 11 attacking moves by base power (Gen 9)
| Move | Cat | BP | Acc | Effect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Head Smash | physical | 150 | 80 | The user attacks the target with a hazardous full-power headbutt. This also dama… |
| Stone Edge | physical | 100 | 80 | The user stabs the target with sharpened stones. This move has a heightened chan… |
| Power Gem | special | 80 | 100 | The user attacks with a ray of light that sparkles as if it were made of gemston… |
| Rock Slide | physical | 75 | 90 | Large boulders are hurled at opposing Pok�mon to inflict damage. This may also m… |
| Ancient Power | special | 60 | 100 | The user attacks with a prehistoric power. This may also boost all the user's st… |
| Rock Tomb | physical | 60 | 95 | The user hurls boulders at the target to inflict damage. This also lowers the ta… |
| Rock Throw | physical | 50 | 90 | The user picks up and throws a small rock at the target to inflict damage. |
| Smack Down | physical | 50 | 100 | The user throws a stone or similar projectile to attack the target. If the targe… |
| Salt Cure | physical | 40 | 100 | The user salt cures the target, inflicting damage every turn. Steel and Water ty… |
| Rollout | physical | 30 | 90 | The user continually rolls into the target over five turns. This attack becomes … |
| Rock Blast | physical | 25 | 90 | The user attacks by hurling hard rocks at the target. This move hits two to five… |
Rock defensive analysis
Rock resists Normal, Fire, Flying, and Poison. Weak to Water, Grass, Fighting, Ground, Steel (5 weaknesses — second-worst defensive type after Ice). Sandstorm gives Rock-types +50% Sp. Def — making Tyranitar an absurd special tank.
Rock's weaknesses, resistances, and immunities
Weak to (2×)
Resists (½×)
Best Rock dual-type combos
Rock / Steel
Examples: Aggron, Stakataka
10+ resists; Iron Defense + Body Press setup
Rock / Dark
Examples: Tyranitar
Sand Stream + Stone Edge + Crunch; banned to Ubers in earlier gens
Rock / Ground
Examples: Rhyperior, Hippowdon, Tyrantrum
Solid Rock / Sand Stream; Earthquake + Stone Edge
Rock / Fairy
Examples: Diancie
Rock STAB + Moonblast; Mega Diancie was Ubers-relevant
Rock type history & meta shifts
Rock was always offensive (Tyranitar, Aerodactyl, Rampardos) but the introduction of Stealth Rock in Gen 4 changed its competitive identity to 'hazard-setting backbone'. Garganacl (Gen 9) brought a new defensive Rock identity with Purifying Salt + Salt Cure + recovery.
Vibe in one line
Hazard-setting backbone (Stealth Rock); sandstorm enabler.