Root Fossil

The Root Fossil (Japanese: ねっこのカセキ Root Fossil) is a Fossil introduced in Generation III that can be regenerated into Lileep. It is the counterpart of the Claw Fossil.

Root Fossil
ねっこのカセキ
Root Fossil
Bag Root Fossil Sprite.png
Root Fossil
Pokémon Global Link artwork
Introduced in Generation III
Pocket
Generation III Bag Key items pocket icon.png Key items
Generation IV Bag Items pocket icon.png Items
Generation V Bag Items pocket icon.png Items
Generation VI Bag Items pocket icon.png Items
Generation VII Bag Items pocket icon.png Items
Generation VIII Bag Treasures pocket icon.png Treasures
Fling
Power 100

In the core series games

Price

Games Cost Sell price
RSE N/A N/A
DPPtHGSS
BWB2W2
XYORAS
BDSP
N/A $500
SMUS N/A $3,500
UM $7,000 $3,500

Effect

If brought to the one of the following locations, the Root Fossil can be regenerated into a Lileep.

Games Location
RSE Devon Corporation in Rustboro City
DPPt Oreburgh Mining Museum
HGSS Pewter Museum of Science
BWB2W2 Nacrene Museum
XY Ambrette Town Fossil Lab
ORAS Devon Corporation in Rustboro City
SMUSUM Fossil Restoration Center on Route 8
BDSP Oreburgh Mining Museum

Generation III

In the Generation III games, the Root Fossil is a Key Item.

In Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen, the Root Fossil (as well as the Claw Fossil) is found in the game data, but it is not legitimately obtainable and has no effect. The player is unable to regenerate this fossil in the Cinnabar Lab.

Generation IV onward

From Generation IV onward, the Root Fossil is no longer a Key Item, and is a normal item. Therefore, multiples of them can be obtained, they can be held, and sent to other players via trading.

Description

Games Description
RSE A fossil of an ancient, seafloor-dwelling Pokémon.
FRLG A fossil of an ancient, seafloor-dwelling Pokémon. It appears to be part of a plant root.
DPPtHGSS
BWB2W2
A fossil of an ancient Pokémon that lived in the sea. It appears to be part of a plant root.
XYORAS
SMUSUM
BDSP
A fossil from a prehistoric Pokémon that once lived in the sea. It looks as if it could be part of a plant's root.

Acquisition

Games Finite methods Repeatable methods
RS Route 111 (choice between this and the Claw Fossil)
E Mirage Tower (choice between this and the Claw Fossil)
Desert Underpass (if not picked up at Mirage Tower)
DPPt Underground (after obtaining the National Pokédex)
HGSS Rock Smash (Cliff Cave, after obtaining the National Pokédex)SS
BW Twist Mountain (after obtaining the National Pokédex)
B2W2 Twist Mountain
Join Avenue (Antique Shop)
XY Rock Smash (Glittering Cave)X
ORAS Route 111 (choice between this and the Claw Fossil)
SM Trade
USUM Konikoni City (Olivia's jewelry shop)UM Poké Pelago (Isle Aphun: Rare-Treasure Hunting, Interesting-Item Hunting)
BDSP Grand Underground (after defeating or capturing DialgaBD/PalkiaSP)

Gallery

Sprites

     
Overworld sprite from
Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald
Underground sprite from
Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum
Grand Underground sprite from
Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl

In the anime

 
A Root Fossil in the anime

While the fossil itself has not yet physically appeared in the anime, an image of a Root Fossil was seen in Where's Armaldo?, when Professor Proctor explained Ash and his friends how he had restored several Lileep and Anorith back to life from Root and Claw Fossils.

In the TCG

 
Root Fossil in the TCG
Main article: Root Fossil (EX Sandstorm 92)

The Root Fossil was introduced as a Trainer card in the Pokémon Trading Card Game in the EX Sandstorm expansion, first released in the Japanese Miracle of the Desert expansion. Although it is a Trainer card, it is played as if it were a Colorless-type Basic Pokémon. However, Root Fossil can't be affected by any Special Conditions, can't retreat, and the player may choose to discard it at any time during their turn. Additionally, it allows the player to remove one damage counter from Root Fossil between turns. It can evolve into Lileep that evolve from a Root Fossil. During the EX Series, Knocking Out a Root Fossil was not rewarded with a Prize card (it still had to be discarded). This changed in the Diamond & Pearl Series with its reprint in the Legends Awakened expansion, to match the Fossil cards released in the previous expansion.

During the Black & White Series, the Plasma Blast expansion included the Item card Root Fossil Lileep. It allows players to look at the bottom seven cards of their deck, reveal a Lileep they find there, and put it onto their Bench. The other six cards are then shuffled back into the deck.

Root Fossils are also featured on Unidentified Fossil cards. These cards are played as if they were Basic Pokémon and can evolve into Lileep.

Trivia

In other languages

Language Title
Chinese Cantonese 根狀化石 Gānjohng Fasehk
Mandarin 根狀化石 Gēnzhuàng Huàshí *
樹根化石 Shùgēn Huàshí *
  Finnish Juurifossiili
  French Foss. Racine*
Fossile Racine*
  German Wurzelfossil
  Italian Radifossile
  Korean 뿌리화석 Ppuri Hwaseok
  Brazilian Portuguese Fóssil Raiz
  Russian Ископаемый Корень Iskopayemyy Koren'
  Spanish Fósil Raíz
  Vietnamese Hóa thạch rễ cây

See also


Pokémon Fossils
Item
HelixDomeOld AmberRootClawSkullArmor
CoverPlumeJawSailBirdFishDrakeDino
Pokémon
OmanyteOmastarKabutoKabutopsAerodactyl
LileepCradilyAnorithArmaldo
CranidosRampardosShieldonBastiodon
TirtougaCarracostaArchenArcheops
TyruntTyrantrumAmauraAurorus
DracozoltArctozoltDracovishArctovish


  This item article is part of Project ItemDex, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on all items.