Introduced in generation four, with the Pokemon Diamond and Pearl games, Rampardos is a monotype rock Pokemon. It evolves from Cranidos once it reaches the level threshold and Cranidos is resurrected from the Skull Fossil. Rampardos is classified by the Pokedex as the “Head Butt Pokemon” which indicates its preferred combat style. This guide will showcase Rampardos’s capabilities in battle, its appearances in the anime, as well as other general facts about Rampardos.
About Rampardos
As a generation four Pokemon, Rampardos first appeared in the Diamond and Pearl season of the anime in the episode Wild in the Streets!. It evolved in this episode to take down the Team Rocket trio’s nefarious plans. Rampardos will evolve from Cranidos once it reaches level 30 but to obtain a Cranidos, you will need to pick the Skull Fossil and resurrect it at the Oreburgh Mining Museum. The Pokedex states that Rampardos’s headbutt can shatter even the most durable items.
| First appearance in anime | Pokemon the Series: Diamond and Pearl Wild in the Streets! |
| First appearance in game | Pokemon Diamond and Pearl |
| Region | Sinnoh |
| Evolution | Evolves from Cranidos which is resurrected from a Skull Fossil |
| 1st Evo level | 30 |
| 2nd Evo level | N/A |
| Pokedex Entry | Its powerful headbutt has enough power to shatter even the most durable things upon impact. |
Rampardos Base Stats
| HP | 97 |
| ATTACK | 165 |
| DEFENCE | 60 |
| SP. ATTACK | 65 |
| SP. DEFENCE | 50 |
| SPEED | 58 |
| TOTAL | 495 |
Appearance
Rampardos is a large, gray, dinosaur-like Pokemon with spikes around its body and blue stripes around its legs, neck, and tail. On top of its head is a hard blue jewel that seems to be bolted there. It is a bipedal Pokemon that typically charges with its spiked and armored head. Rampardos’s two legs end in claws with three digits and it is a fairly tall Pokemon at 5 feet and 3 inches, or 1.6 meters, tall.
Behavior
Rampardos has not appeared often throughout the anime, so most of what we know about its behavior is through the Pokedex. In the anime, it is shown to have a fighting spirit and wants to make its trainer proud. The Pokedex mentions its physiological capabilities and the fact that its constant headbutting results in its brain never having the chance to grow. It also mentions that its skull is a foot thick which can prevent Rampardos from fainting after hitting something too hard.
Strengths and Weaknesses
Rampardos has one of the highest physical attack stats in the game but while its defensive stats are subpar and its speed stat makes it difficult to capitalize on its good offense, any hit from Rampardos will deal significant damage. It also has a high health pool to help it survive a hit which can sometimes offset its slow speed stat. As a monotype rock Pokemon, Rampardos takes 2x damage from fighting, ground, steel, water, and grass type moves. It is immune to no types, but will resist normal, flying, poison, and fire type moves.
Best Moveset
While Rampardos has one of the highest physical attack stats in the game, it is too frail and too slow to capitalize on its high potential. As such it has been near the bottom of competitive brackets and yet, it can still function as an offensive Pokemon although it requires a good match up. Consider running Stone Edge, Earthquake, Fire Punch, and Zen Headbutt. This moveset is with a Choice Scarf, as a held item, to help support its slow speed stat. Stone Edge benefits from STAB (Same Type Attack Bonus), but the rest of the moves are to ensure a wide range of type coverage. It does not need much set up to One Hit KO an opponent’s Pokemon so you will just want to pick the move that will deal super effective damage.
| Stone Edge | Earthquake |
| Fire Punch | Zen Headbutt |
How to Catch Rampardos in Pokemon Go
If you would like to obtain a Rampardos in Pokemon Go, the easiest way to do so would be to first obtain a Cranidos. Like most final evolutions, the base evolution is a more common spawn to encounter in the wild. Thus you can find Cranidos spawning, in the wild, at a boosted rate near quarries, farmlands, parking lots, cities, and other rocky areas. Cranidos can also be hatched from 5 and 7 km eggs but while Rampardos has not appeared as a raid boss in the past, you can find Cranidos as a tier one raid boss at Pokemon Gyms. You will need 50 candies to evolve Cranidos into Rampardos.
Trivia
- Rampardos has the highest base physical attack stat of all rock type Pokemon in the franchise.
- The inspiration for Rampardos’s design is likely based on the Pachycephalosauridae.
- The name Rampardos is a combination of the words rampart, ram, and hard with the -dos suffix coming from its pre evolution Cranidos.
Explainer Video
FAQ
Is Rampardos any good?
While Rampardos has the premier physical attack stat of all rock type Pokemon, it is not necessarily a good Pokemon. It suffers from a slow speed stat and it is oftentimes too frail to survive an attack from a well built Pokemon. However, if you can keep your Rampardos alive, it can sweep the enemy team with its high attack values.
What Dinosaur is Rampardos?
Rampardos is likely based on the Pachycephalosauridae that roamed the world around 85.8 to 65.5 million years ago. The ornament on its head and headbutting behavior seems to be closer linked to the Stygimoloch, which is part of the Pachycephalosauridae family.
What type is Rampardos?
Rampardos is a monotype rock Pokemon. It will take 2x damage from fighting, ground, steel, water, and grass type moves and resist normal, flying, poison, and fire type moves. As it is immune to no type of move, it is a straightforward Pokemon that can be used offensively as long as you remember its good match ups.
Conclusion
Congratulations, you now know just about everything there is to know about this “Head Butt Pokemon”. While Rampardos has not impacted competitive play to a large degree, it is still a powerful Pokemon in its own right. It has the highest base physical attack stat of all rock type Pokemon in the franchise and it can easily One Hit KO opposing Pokemon. If you can keep Rampardos alive, you can take down almost any Pokemon. Reserve a slot on your team for Rampardos if you want an all out offensive rock type Pokemon.
