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Rock-type Pocket Monsters have usually been pretty mediocre throughout the generations, but Pokemon Scarlet and Violet have several good options for competitive battles.
Both single and double battles are considered for this list, so something that excels in one category but not another will show up here.
Note: This article is subjective and solely reflects the opinions of the writer
Coalossal, Garganacl, and 3 other strong Rock-types and their best moves in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet
1) Iron Thorns
Paradox Pokemon tend to be fairly strong in Scarlet and Violet. Iron Thorns isn't overpowered by any means, but it's much better than weak Rock-type species like Sudowoodo, Stonjourner, and Klawf.
Iron Thorns has several good moves in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet. They are listed below:
- Dragon Dance: The user gets +1 Attack and +1 Speed
- Earthquake: Strong ground coverage
- Fire Punch: Good Fire coverage
- Ice Punch: Good Ice coverage
- Rock Blast: Strong STAB against Shed Tail, Substitute, and Focus Sash users
- Rock Slide: Powerful STAB in double battles may also flinch the target
- Stealth Rock: Sets up hazards on the enemies' side of the field, dealing damage based on type effectiveness when they switch in
- Stone Edge: Powerful STAB with an increased chance to crit
- Tera Blast: Strong option if you plan to Terastallize the user
- Thunder Wave: Paralyzes the target
- Volt Switch: Electric STAB that allows the user to switch out instantly
- Wild Charge: Strong Electric STAB with recoil
Iron Thorns shares many great moves with Tyranitar but has lower Sp. Atk, making mixed options less viable.
2) Coalossal
Although Coalossal is rather unimpressive in the singles metagame, this Pokemon has been monstrously powerful in VGC.
Some of its good moves in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are listed below:
- Earth Power: Strong Ground coverage that may lower the target's Sp. Def
- Fire Blast: Powerful Fire STAB that may burn the target
- Flamethrower: Strong Fire STAB that may burn the target
- Heat Wave: Strong Fire STAB for double battles
- Power Gem: Strong STAB
- Rock Blast: Strong STAB against Shed Tail, Substitute, and Focus Sash users
- Rock Slide: Powerful STAB in double battles may also flinch the target
- Solar Beam: Strong Grass coverage under harsh sunlight
- Stone Edge: Powerful STAB with an increased chance to crit
- Tera Blast: Strong option if you plan to Terastallize the user
If players want a strong Rock-type Pocket Monster for double battles, Coalossal is an excellent choice to consider.
3) Tyranitar
Paradox Pokemon aren't always better than their original counterparts. While Iron Thorns isn't necessarily bad, it lacks some traits that make Tyranitar great. For example, Tyranitar has better stats as well as Sand Stream, which is an ability that sets up a permanent Sandstorm.
Sandstorm boosts all Rock-types' Sp. Def by 50%. That's a very good trait to have, especially since it affects your teammates and does passive chip damage toward most types.
Some of Tyranitar's best moves in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are as follows:
- Crunch: Strong Dark STAB that may lower the target's Defence
- Dragon Dance: The user gets +1 Attack and +1 Speed
- Earthquake: Strong ground coverage
- Fire Punch: Good Fire coverage
- Ice Punch: Good Ice coverage
- Rock Blast: Strong STAB against Shed Tail, Substitute, and Focus Sash users
- Rock Slide: Powerful STAB in double battles may also flinch the target
- Stealth Rock: Sets up hazards on the enemies' side of the field, dealing damage based on type effectiveness when they switch in
- Stone Edge: Powerful STAB with an increased chance to crit
- Taunt: Prevents the target from using non-attacking moves
- Tera Blast: Strong option if you plan to Terastallize the user
- Thunder Punch: Good Electric coverage
- Thunder Wave: Paralyzes the target
It also helps that Tyranitar's 4x weakness is to Fighting-types rather than Ground-types like its Paradox counterpart (Earthquake is an incredibly common coverage move).
4) Garganacl
Garganacl has an excellent ability and movepool at its disposal. The creature's best ability is Purifying Salt, which prevents it from being affected by status ailments and halves the damage of all Ghost-type attacks.
Some of Garganacl's best moves in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are listed below:
- Body Press: Fighting coverage that uses the user's Defense stat for calculations
- Earthquake: Powerful ground coverage
- Recover: Recovers half the user's HP
- Rock Blast: Strong STAB against Shed Tail, Substitute, and Focus Sash users
- Rock Slide: Powerful STAB in double battles may also flinch the target\
- Stealth Rock: Sets up hazards on the enemies' side of the field, dealing damage based on type effectiveness when they switch in
- Salt Cure: Weak STAB that does damage to the target every turn, with Water and Steel-types receiving bonus damage
- Stone Edge: Powerful STAB with an increased chance to crit
- Tera Blast: Strong option if you plan to Terastallize the user
Salt Cure is unique to Garganacl. It is an excellent move that gives Garganacl a great niche in the current metagame.
5) Glimmora
Glimmora's Toxic Debris is a fantastic ability in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet. It essentially lets the user automatically spread Toxic Spikes when they are hit by any physical attack. No other Pokemon can do this in Scarlet and Violet.
Glimmora also has a beefy 130 Sp. Atk with plenty of good moves. Listed below are the best ones:
- Earth Power: Strong Ground coverage that may lower the target's Sp. Def
- Memento: Faints the user but gives the target -2 Attack and -2 Sp. Atk
- Mortal Spin: Weak Poison STAB that removes hazards from the user's side of the field
- Power Gem: Strong STAB
- Sludge Wave: Strong Poison STAB that may poison the target
- Spikes: A hazard that stacks up to three times, but it doesn't affect Flying-types or opponents with Levitate
- Stealth Rock: Sets up hazards on the enemies' side of the field, dealing damage based on type effectiveness when they switch in
- Tera Blast: Strong option if you plan to Terastallize the user
Glimmora is an excellent option for setting up hazards and removing them. Its Poison-type also allows it to absorb Toxic Spikes from opposing Glimmora.
