Pokémon: The Most Powerful Rock Moves, Ranked
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Pokémon The Most Powerful Rock-Type Moves Ranked
While there is a smaller number than other Pokémon types, Rock-type moves can still be powerhouses. Here are the most powerful moves, ranked. In the world of , Rock-types are best known for their sturdy physical defense and natural bulk. They can also make great physical attackers who pack a punch, but the pool of Rock-type attacks is actually quite small compared to more prolific types, like Water and Normal. That being said, there are still a fair enough number of moves for Rock Pokemon to take advantage of that ever-glorious Same-Type Attack Bonus (STAB). Certain Rock moves are even considered essential for non-Rock Pokemon to carry on their move sets due to how perennially effective they've proven to be in competitive battling. Updated February 9th, 2022 by Quinton O'Connor: It can't be overstated just how handy several Rock-type moves continue to be in the online meta. Some, like Rock Slide, are obvious - you will encounter them left and right. Others, like Wide Guard and Rock Polish, are situational enough that many players haven't given them the chance they so richly deserve. Check out our updated list for more. THEGAMER VIDEO OF THE DAY Wide Guard
Wide Guard is a fantastic support move. It doesn't really work in Single Battles, but Wide Guard shows off its true power is in Double Battles (and even Triple Battles). Wide Guard will protect all Pokemon on the field from moves that hit more than one target. In Doubles (and Triples), these kinds of moves are quite common, with Earthquake being one of the best and most common moves in the game. Having protection to moves like this is fantastic due to its power to essentially negate an opposing Pokemon's attack. Rock Tomb
Rock Tomb is a decent Rock-type move with a solid accuracy of 95 and a passable base power of 60. Luckily, plenty of Rock-type Pokemon have a high Attack stat to turn that iffy 60 into something deceptively good. While the power behind Rock Tomb is nothing to write home about, it has the bonus effect of lowering the opposing Pokemon's Speed in the process. Not only is Speed a pivotal aspect of battling on its own, but since most Rock-types aren't exactly swift by design, a single successful application of Rock Tomb can help even the odds. Sandstorm
Ever since its introduction, weather has been a pretty big part of Pokemon. Every kind of Weather Condition has a team that goes with it, and sand is among the most prolific fo them all. Sandstorm is the move that sets up, as the name implies, the Sandstorm Weather Condition. Is Sandstorm a good move? Spending a turn on setup can be risky. But while Sandstorm is happening, all Pokemon lose a sixteenth of their health at the end of every turn (with exceptions made for Rock, Ground, and Steel-type Pokemon). It also boosts the Special Defense of all Rock-Type Pokemon. Plenty of as well, making it all the better. Accelerock
Accelerock has a rather low base power of only 40, and yet it's still one of the best Rock-type moves. Plenty of Pokemon would love to have Accelerock, however, only two Pokemon in the game can learn it, both being Lycanroc (one being the Midday Form and the other its Dusk Form). What makes Accelerock so good is that it's a Priority Move. Priority Moves are always guaranteed to go first (unless it goes up against another Priority Move in which case it's calculated as normal). This makes Acceleorck so good for closing out battles before the opposing Pokemon can turn the tables, especially when you're going up against an opponent with attacks your Rock-type friend is weak against. Meteor Beam
Rock-type moves are generally more focused on physical attacks, but Meteor Beam is one of the strongest special-based Rock-type moves in the game. The big, obvious downside for Meteor Beam is that it takes a turn to charge up. However, on the first turn, unlike other two-turn moves, it grants the user a boost to their Special Attack stat. The next turn, it will deal a devastating 120 base power, ramped up courtesy of the previous turn. Under the right conditions, this can lead to a full team sweep. Stealth Rock
While Stealth Rock is not an attack that deals direct damage to the opponent, it sets up a long-term trap that can slowly dwindle down the other team's health. After rocks are scattered around the opponent's side of the field, each Pokemon that is swapped in will suffer an injury. This is especially crucial in longer six-on-six battles where swapping out Pokemon happens most frequently. In addition, Pokemon who are defensively weak against Rock will suffer even more damage. For example, the upon entering the battlefield due to the advantage Rock-type moves have against both Fire- and Flying-type Pokemon. Rollout
Rollout may come off as a weak move with a listed base power of only 30. However, it has the potential to be one of the strongest moves around thanks to its unique effect. When a Pokemon uses Rollout, they will be locked into it for five turns unless it is interrupted. Each time it hits, its power is doubled. By its third hit, Rollout will already be a threat for which to watch out. Additionally, the power of Rollout can be increased further with the help of Defense Curl. Ancient Power
As we've previously established, there are precious few special-based Rock-type moves in Pokemon. That alone puts Ancient Power in the "noteworthy" pile, but its slim chance to score some terrific perks puts it on the list regardless. Ancient Power's base power is only 60, but it can come in clutch if its effect comes into play on a 10 percent chance. That effect will raise all the user's stats by one stage, which may be more beneficial than the actual damage it puts out. Rock Blast
At first glance, Rock Blast appears to be one of the weakest Rock moves around with its base power listed at a pitiful 25. Upon further review, however, it is a multi-strike attack that can hit up to five times in a row. If Rock Blast happens to hit five times, it is practically a 125 base power move. Though there is only a 17 percent chance of that happening, Pokemon like Cinccino with the Ability, Skill Link, will hit five times guaranteed. Suddenly, some of the smallest and most adorable critters in the series can turn into real pests. Rock Slide
Rock Slide is one of the most commonly seen Rock-type moves in VGC battling due to a combination of its 75 base power, its ability to hit both opponents, and its 30 percent chance of flinching the foes. Thanks to that flinching potential, many trainers will opt to teach Rock Slide to non-Rock Pokemon such as Excadrill, Conkeldurr, and Landorus who can all make good use out of it as physical threats. Power Gem
Like Ancient Power, Power Gem hits on the special side. As a 100 percent accurate move with an admirable base power of 80 and no drawback, Power Gem is one of the most reliable and consistent options for Rock-types moves. However, because Power Gem is special rather than physical, very few Rock-types can actually make use out of this move. Ironically, non-Rock Pokemon might find more use out of it for coverage. Rock Polish
Speed isn't what Rock Pokemon tend to be known for, and on the surface, it might seem silly to waste a turn attempting to amend that. Stick to your strengths and all. But Rock Polish can be worth the wait. If your opponent needs a turn to set up their own strategy, or (better yet) they start the fight with something weak to Rock-types and need to switch out posthaste, they've effectively allowed you to shore up Rock's greatest weakness. That kind of turnabout is fair play, transforming Pokemon like Golem into rapid sweepers from thereon out. Diamond Storm
Diamond Storm is the signature move of the . On top of having a base power of 100, Diamond Storm also has a 50 percent chance of sharply raising Diancie's Defense. That boost goes hand in hand with Diancie's naturally high Defense stat, making it an even bulkier Rock-type than it already was. Such a stellar combination of raw output and high-probability assistance tends to get locked to specific species for a reason. Stone Edge
Stone Edge is another Rock move that is commonly found in VGC move sets. Compared to Rock Slide, Stone Edge has a higher base power of 100 at the price of 80 percent accuracy. It also has a higher chance of landing critical hits. This means that hard-hitting physical attackers like Tyranitar and Rhyperior will surely deal some serious damage, aso long as they hit their target. Rock Slide loses its luster quickly when accuracy reductions come into play, but under ordinary circumstances it's often called "the Fire-type slayer," a title that's as well-earned as it is terrifying. Rock Wrecker
Rock Wrecker has one of the . It acts as the Rock-type version of the classic Hyper Beam. This means that while Rock Wrecker's damage output is very high, the user will unfortunately have to waste a turn to recharge before moving again. That leaves the user extremely vulnerable, which is why Rock Wrecker is not commonly used in competitive battling. In the campaigns, however, it more than earns its name. Head Smash
Head Smash shares the highest base power of 150 with Rock Wrecker, although their drawbacks are very different. While Rock Wrecker requires recharging, Head Smash inflicts hefty recoil damage on the user. At the same time, Head Smash's recoil damage can be avoided by certain Rock-types like Aggron and Tyrantrum, who both carry the Ability called Rock Head. In that way, they can go all out on the damage without any repercussions. The perks therein are so great that you can be assured almost every Aggron and Tyrantrum you'll meet in the competitive scene will have this packaged into their arsenal.