Rhyperior is a large, brownish-gray Pokémon with two horns: one on its nose, and another one above it. The upper horn is smaller on a female Rhyperior. It has a club-like tail and its hide is partially covered by orange, rocky plates. It has blade-like protrusions on its elbows and has holes in the palms of its hands which works as a cannon or a gun. Rhyperior can insert rocks and boulders into its arms through the holes in its hands and then fire them like bullets. However, it will occasionally insert and fire Geodude by accident. It also appears to have two thick, rectangular rocks above its eyes, resembling heavy eyebrows. Rhyperior lives far up in the mountains.
In the main series
Major appearances
A Rhyperior first appeared in the main series Challenging a Towering Figure!, under the ownership of Palmer in his battle against Ash. Using powerful attacks like Megahorn and its former signature move, Rock Wrecker, it battled and defeated Grotle, even though Grotle swallowed its own Energy Ball to power up its moves.
Another Rhyperior appeared in Piplup, Up and Away!, under the ownership of a Trainer.
A Rhyperior owned by Forrest appeared in SS025, where it was used to battle against Nurse Joy and her Latias. However, the Eon Pokémon defeated the Drill Pokémon.
A Rhyperior appeared in A Fork in the Road! A Parting of the Ways!, under the ownership of a Pokémon hunter. It managed to help capture Meowth, Pumpkaboo, and Inkay.
A Rhyperior appeared in Analysis Versus Passion!, under the ownership of Remo. Remo used his Rhyperior, nicknamed Rhypo in a battle against Alain's Charizard but was soon defeated.
Minor appearances
Rhyperior debuted in a brief cameo in the opening sequence of Giratina and the Sky Warrior, where it was one of Brendan's Pokémon.
A Rhyperior appeared in the opening sequence of Zoroark: Master of Illusions.
A Trainer's Rhyperior appeared in The Journalist from Another Region!, where it was entered into the Pokémon Sumo Tournament on Harvest Island; it was defeated by Ash's Pignite.
A soldier's Rhyperior appeared during a flashback in The Legend of X, Y, and Z!.
Pokédex entries
Episode
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Pokémon
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Source
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Entry
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XY063
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Rhyperior
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Serena's Pokédex
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Rhyperior, the Drill Pokémon. Rhyperior launches rocks or Geodude from holes in its palms. Its shell-like covering can withstand a volcano's eruptions.
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In Pokémon Generations
A Rhyperior appeared during a flashback in The Redemption as one of the many Pokémon fighting in the great war of Kalos, 3,000 years previously.
In the Pokémon Adventures manga
- Main article: Blue's Rhyperior
Sometime before Raising the Stakes with Rhyperior, Blue traded Silver his Rhydon after learning how to evolve him with a book written by Giovanni. He remained on Silver's team until sometime before Pinsir Glares, where he was returned to Blue.
In the Pokémon Diamond and Pearl Adventure! manga
In A Battle Of Wills, Saturn has a Rhyperior that he uses to battle Hareta at Lake Valor.
In the Pokémon + Nobunaga's Ambition ~ Ranse's Color Picture Scroll ~ manga
Shingen owns a Rhyperior.
In the Pocket Monsters Platinum: Aim to Be Battle King!! manga
An unknown Trainer used a Rhyperior in PBK3 where it fought against Shin and took out most of his team.
In the Pokémon Try Adventure manga
A Rhyperior appeared in TA07.
Origin
It appears to draw much of its inspiration from a rhinoceros, aspects of various dinosaurs (such as ceratopsids and Ankylosaurus) and a tank. Its overall appearance also resembles a miner.
Name origin
Rhyperior is a combination of rhinoceros and superior. Rhy may also derive from the igneous rock called rhyolite, alluding to Rhyperior's Ground/Rock type combination.
Dosidon may be a combination of 土 do (ground/soil), 怒 do (anger), or ど do (prefix that makes a noun sound stronger), サイ sai (rhinoceros), and don (Ancient Greek for tooth, commonly used in the names of dinosaurs).