Professor Kukui's Lycanroc

(Redirected from Kukui's Rockruff)
Professor Kukui's
Rockruff and Lycanroc

ククイ博士のイワンコ/ルガルガン Dr. Kukui's Iwanko/Lugarugan
Bag Poké Ball SV Sprite.png
SM Ending Screen 14.png
Kukui's Rockruff in the credits of Pokémon Sun and Moon
Debuts in Pokémon Sun and Moon
Caught at Unknown
Evolves in Pokémon Sun, Moon, Ultra Sun, and Ultra Moon
Gender Male (main story)[1]
Ability Vital Spirit (as a Rockruff)
Keen Eye (as a Lycanroc; main story)[2]
Current location With Professor Kukui
HOME744.png HOME745.png

Professor Kukui's Rockruff and Lycanroc (Japanese: ククイ博士のイワンコ/ルガルガン Dr. Kukui's Iwanko/Lugarugan) are a group of Pokémon under Professor Kukui's ownership that have appeared in the games, anime, and manga.

In the games

In the core series

Professor Kukui appears to own several Rockruff and Lycanroc in the games. He uses a Rockruff in Pokémon Sun, Moon, Ultra Sun, and Ultra Moon to help with the capture, Z-Move, and Battle Royal tutorials. He also uses a Midday Form Lycanroc in his battles against the player at the Pokémon League, a Midnight Form Lycanroc as the Masked Royal, and both forms in the Battle Tree in Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon. Another Rockruff can be seen in Professor Kukui's Lab.

Like many of his other Pokémon, he often uses his Rockruff to use attacks on himself to help study for his research. In the process, this causes either the Pokémon Research Lab or his clothes to get damaged. The lab needs to be repaired and Lillie has to sew Kukui's clothes back together often. An example of this can be seen when Lillie walks the player to the lab to receive their Pokédex. Rockruff is known to chew on Nebby's bed in Lillie's loft.

Pokémon Sun, Moon, Ultra Sun, and Ultra Moon
Capture tutorial
(Route 1)
Z-Move tutorial
(Route 2)
Battle Royal tutorial
(Battle Royal Dome)
 
Type:
Rock Unknown
Ability:
Unknown
Held item:
  None  
Rockruff Lv.7
Tackle
Normal Physical
Leer
Normal Status
Sand Attack
Ground Status
Bite
Dark Physical
 
Type:
Rock Unknown
Ability:
Unknown
Held item:
  Normalium Z
Rockruff Lv.19
Tackle
Normal Physical
Leer
Normal Status
Sand Attack
Ground Status
Bite
Dark Physical
 
Type:
Rock Unknown
Ability:
Vital Spirit
Held item:
  None  
Rockruff Lv.19/20
Rock Throw
Rock Physical
Bite
Dark Physical
Protect
Normal Status
  --  
   
Pokémon Sun, Moon, Ultra Sun, and Ultra Moon Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon
Battle Tree
Pokémon League Battle Royal Dome
Master Rank
 
Type:
Rock Unknown
Ability:
Keen Eye
Held item:
  None  
Lycanroc Lv.57/65/69
Stone Edge
Rock Physical
Accelerock
Rock Physical
Crunch
Dark Physical
Stealth Rock
Rock Status
 
Type:
Rock Unknown
Ability:
Keen Eye or Vital Spirit
Held item:
  Life Orb
Lycanroc/ Lv.50
Counter
Fighting Physical
Stone Edge
Rock Physical
Snarl
Dark Special
Protect
Normal Status
 
Type:
Rock Unknown
Ability:
Keen Eye or Sand Rush
Held item:
  Life Orb
Lycanroc/ Lv.50
Quick Attack
Normal Physical
Thunder Fang
Electric Physical
Accelerock
Rock Physical
Rock Slide
Rock Physical
 
Type:
Rock Unknown
Ability:
Keen Eye or Vital Spirit
Held item:
  Expert Belt
Lycanroc/ Lv.50
Sucker Punch
Dark Physical
Stone Edge
Rock Physical
Thunder Fang
Electric Physical
Fire Fang
Fire Physical

Spin-off games

Pokémon Masters EX

Main article: Kukui (Masters) → Lycanroc (Midday Form)

Professor Kukui's Midday Form Lycanroc forms a sync pair with him in Pokémon Masters EX. Professor Kukui and Lycanroc were first scoutable starting from January 30, 2020.

Sync Dex Trainer NDex Pokémon Type Weakness Role Base Potential Availability
#079   Kukui #0745   Lycanroc
Midday Form
Rock
 
Water
 
  ★★★★★☆EX Sync Pair Scout

In the anime

 
Lycanroc in the animated trailer

Main series

Main article: Ash's Lycanroc

Ash's Lycanroc originally debuted as a wild Rockruff that sprung up around Kukui's lab one day. Although it was under his care, being provided with food and shelter, it was never caught in a Poké Ball. In Rocking Clawmark Hill! Ash had caught the Pokémon under his ownership.

Pokémon Masters Animated Trailer

Professor Kukui's Lycanroc appeared alongside his Trainer in the Pokémon Masters Animated Trailer.

In the manga

Pokémon Adventures

 
As a Rockruff in Pokémon Adventures
 
Lycanroc in Pokémon Adventures

Rockruff first appeared in The Decision and the Tournament of Six, under the ownership of Professor Kukui. It was first used to battle Sun's Dollar at the Iki Town festival tournament. Initially, Rockruff had the advantage over Dollar due to Sun lacking the motivation to battle. Once Sun was given the proper motivation, he and Dollar easily defeated Rockruff, forcing Kukui to switch for Munchlax. Sometime later, it evolved into a Midday Form Lycanroc, and it was used to try and prevent a Celesteela and Guzzlord from reaching Hokulani Observatory, only to be defeated.

Moves used

 
Using Rock Throw as a Rockruff
Move First Used In
Rock Throw The Decision and the Tournament of Six
A shows that the move was used recently, unless all moves fit this case or there are fewer than five known moves.

In the TCG

A Rockruff belonging to Professor Kukui from the games also debuts as a full-art card in Silver Tempest.

The following is a list of cards featuring Rockruff.

Rockruff
Cards listed with a blue background are only legal to use in the current Expanded format.
Cards listed with a silver background are legal to use in both the current Standard and Expanded formats.
Card Type English
Expansion
Rarity # Japanese
Expansion
Rarity #
Rockruff   Silver Tempest   TG07/TG30 VMAX Climax   202/184
 


Gallery

For images of Rockruff and Lycanroc's anime counterpart, see Ash's Lycanroc.

Merchandise

 
Illustration by Fumie Kittaka for a GAME FREAK New Year 2017 greeting card and
as part of a Pokémon Center promotional event

Raw TCG artwork

For all images and products relating to this character in the TCG, see their TCG section.
 
Raw artwork drawn by Hideki Ishikawa
for the full art print of Rockruff for Silver Tempest

Game assets

 
With Professor Kukui and Professor Burnet in the credits of Pokémon Sun and Moon

References

  1. Lycanroc can be male or female in the Battle Tree or Battle Royal Dome.
  2. Lycanroc can have any Ability native to its given form in the Battle Tree or Battle Royal Dome.

Related articles

For more information on this Pokémon's species, see Rockruff and Lycanroc.