Rock Head (Ability)

If you were looking for the Rock Head Pokémon, see Bagon.

Rock Head いしあたま
Rock Head
Flavor text
Generation III
Prevents recoil damage.
Generation IV
Protects the Pokémon from recoil damage.
Generation V
Protects the Pokémon from recoil damage.
Generation VI
Protects the Pokémon from recoil damage.
Generation VII
Protects the Pokémon from recoil damage.
Generation VIII
Protects the Pokémon from recoil damage.
Generation IX
Protects the Pokémon from recoil damage.

Rock Head (Japanese: いしあたま Rock Head) is an Ability introduced in Generation III.

Effect

In battle

A Pokémon with Rock Head will not take recoil damage, except when using Struggle, Shadow RushColo, or Shadow End.

If a Pokémon with Rock Head uses a contact move with recoil on a target with either Lingering Aroma or Mummy, causing Rock Head to be replaced by the target's Ability, then the user will take recoil damage from this move.

Rock Head does not affect other kinds of damage, such as crash damage, damage from a Life Orb, or damage from a Jaboca or Rowap Berry. Rock Head does not prevent the user from fainting from using moves that cause the user to faint.

Affected moves

The table below lists the moves affected by Rock Head, as well as the Pokémon that can have Rock Head and learn those moves.

Move Type Cat. Pow. Acc. Learned by
Double-Edge  Normal  Physical 120 100            * *
 *         
{{{6}}}
Flare Blitz  Fire  Physical 120 100     {{{6}}}
Head Smash  Rock  Physical 150 80             {{{6}}}
Submission  Fighting  Physical 80 80  * {{{6}}}
Take Down  Normal  Physical 90 85       *      
      
{{{6}}}
Wood Hammer  Grass  Physical 120 100   {{{6}}}
Wave Crash  Water  Physical 120 100   {{{6}}}
Wild Charge  Electric  Physical 90 100    {{{6}}}

Although the following moves are affected by the Ability, they currently cannot be learned by any Pokémon with Rock Head. They may, however, be called via Metronome, Mirror Move, Copycat, or Mimic, or be used by a Pokémon that gained Rock Head by an Ability like Trace or Receiver or a move such as Skill Swap or Role Play.

Move Type Cat. Pow. Acc.
Brave Bird  Flying  Physical 120 100 {{{5}}} {{{6}}}
Head Charge  Normal  Physical 120 100 {{{5}}} {{{6}}}
Light of Ruin  Fairy  Special 140 90 {{{5}}} {{{6}}}
Volt Tackle  Electric  Physical 120 100 {{{5}}} {{{6}}}

Outside of battle

Rock Head has no effect outside of battle.

Pokémon with Rock Head

# Pokémon Types First Ability Second Ability Hidden Ability
0058   Growlithe
Hisuian Form
Fire Rock Intimidate Flash Fire Rock HeadGen IX+
0059   Arcanine
Hisuian Form
Fire Rock Intimidate Flash Fire Rock HeadGen IX+
0074   Geodude
Rock Ground Rock Head Sturdy Sand Veil
0075   Graveler
Rock Ground Rock Head Sturdy Sand Veil
0076   Golem
Rock Ground Rock Head Sturdy Sand Veil
0095   Onix
Rock Ground Rock Head Sturdy Weak Armor
0104   Cubone
Ground Ground Rock Head Lightning Rod Battle Armor
0105   Marowak
Ground Ground Rock Head Lightning Rod Battle Armor
0105   Marowak
Alolan Form
Fire Ghost Cursed Body Lightning Rod Rock Head
0111   Rhyhorn
Ground Rock Lightning Rod Rock Head Reckless
0112   Rhydon
Ground Rock Lightning Rod Rock Head Reckless
0142   Aerodactyl
Rock Flying Rock Head Pressure Unnerve
0185   Sudowoodo
Rock Rock Sturdy Rock Head Rattled
0208   Steelix
Steel Ground Rock Head Sturdy Sheer Force
0304   Aron
Steel Rock Sturdy Rock Head Heavy Metal
0305   Lairon
Steel Rock Sturdy Rock Head Heavy Metal
0306   Aggron
Steel Rock Sturdy Rock Head Heavy Metal
0369   Relicanth
Water Rock Swift Swim Rock Head Sturdy
0371   Bagon
Dragon Dragon Rock Head None Sheer Force
0372   Shelgon
Dragon Dragon Rock Head None Overcoat
0438   Bonsly
Rock Rock Sturdy Rock Head Rattled
0550   Basculin
Blue-Striped Form
Water Water Rock HeadB2W2+ Adaptability Mold Breaker
0697   Tyrantrum
Rock Dragon Strong Jaw None Rock Head
Please note that abilities marked with a superscript are only available in the stated generation or later.
  • For Generation III and IV games, ignore Hidden Abilities.

In other games

Description

Games Description
MDRB Prevents damage from the recoil of moves such as Take Down.
MDTDS Protects the Pokémon from the recoil damage of moves such as Take Down.
BSL とっしん などの はんどうのダメージを うけない
MDGtI Protects the Pokémon from recoil damage from certain moves.*
Recoil damage from certain moves won't hurt the Pokémon!*
SMD Recoil damage from certain moves won't hurt the Pokémon!
MDRTDX The Pokémon won't be hurt when it uses moves that cause recoil damage.


In the anime

 
Bonsly
 
Sudowoodo
 
Onix
 
Aggron
The Pokémon is protected from being affected by recoil damage.
Pokémon Method
User First Used In Notes
  Bonsly is not affected by the recoil damage inflicted by its own attack.
Brock's Bonsly From Cradle to Save Debut
Revealed in Wild in the Streets!
  Sudowoodo is not affected by the recoil damage inflicted by its own attack.
Brock's Sudowoodo Leave it to Brocko! Revealed in Wild in the Streets!
  Onix is not affected by the recoil damage inflicted by its own attack.
Roark's Onix Shapes of Things to Come! None
  Aggron is not affected by the recoil damage inflicted by its own attack.
Paul's Aggron Familiarity Breeds Strategy! None


In the manga

Pokémon Adventures


In other languages

Language Title
Chinese Cantonese 堅硬腦袋 Gīnngaahng Nóuhdoih *
石頭 Sehktàuh *
Mandarin 堅硬腦袋 / 坚硬脑袋 Jiānyìng Nǎodai *
石頭 Shítou *
  Dutch Steenkop
  Finnish Kivipää
  French Tête de Roc
  German Steinhaupt
  Indonesian Kepala Batu
  Italian Testadura
  Korean 돌머리 Dol Meori
  Polish Skalna Głowa
Portuguese   Brazil Cabeça de Pedra (DP015, DP186–present, TCG, manga)
Cabeça de Rocha (DP017)
  Portugal Cabeça de Rocha
  Romanian Capul de Piatră
Spanish   Latin America Cabeza de Roca
  Spain Cabeza Roca
  Thai หัวแข็ง
  Vietnamese Đầu đá


  This article is part of Project Moves and Abilities, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on two related aspects of the Pokémon games.