Rock Pikmin

Rock Pikmin
Resistance	Weak Blunt Force Crushing
Attack strength	Above Average (15 Damage, 25 upon impact). Can break hard materials, such as Glass.
Mobility	Average
Throw	Normal
Digging speed	Unknown
Carrying capacity	1

Rock Pikmin are a species of Pikmin featured in Pikmin 3. They take on the form of small polished rocks with Pikmin eyes, limbs, and, just like the Winged Pikmin, they have lavender flowers. The main part of their body seems to be a grey texture of graphite that reflects light, while the 'skin' on their arms and legs appears to be smooth and gray. When Rock Pikmin are dismissed, their sprouts glow gray. Their ghosts are also shaped like small gray rocks with eyes. Just like all other types of Pikmin in Pikmin 3, Rock Pikmin share an Onion and are reproduced through collecting nutrients from Pellets and corpses.

Rock Pikmin are the second type of Pikmin Alph discovers in Pikmin 3, the first being Red Pikmin. 

Abilities

Rock Pikmin, like most Pikmin types, are immune to a specific hazard. These Pikmin, in particular, are immune to blunt force; when crushed by a large object, they are simply driven into the ground and become sprouts again. When a creature with a sharp proboscis tries to impale them, they are simply knocked back without taking damage.

Rock Pikmin also have very dense exteriors, which allows them to smash through glass, crystals, ice, and even the armor of larger animals (like the Armored Mawdad and the Peckish Aristocrab's claw). However, they are internally lighter, which prevents them from sinking, should they happen to fall into water.

While Rock Pikmin are stronger in terms of density, they weigh the same as a normal Pikmin, which means that, while they can be thrown normally, each one only counts for a single Pikmin while carrying items; although they carry objects faster than the average Pikmin due to their strength, much like White Pikmin..

Despite their increased strength, they do have a setback; Rock Pikmin cannot latch onto their targets like other Pikmin, and will instead bounce off and roll back. Instead, if left unoccupied, they will repeatedly attack enemies and obstacles by charging head-on into them. Rock Pikmin occasionally unleash a more powerful attack to targets they hit by causing a visual and audible "thump," which causes extra damage. However, this "thump," unlike Purple Pikmin, does not stun enemies, but it can cause certain enemies to recoil.

Discovery

The Rock Pikmin are discovered in the Garden of Hope, the second area in Pikmin 3. They are found in a cave located north of the landing site. Residing in this cave is a Medusal Slurker that contains 6 Rock Pikmin. After

File:Rock-Pikmin1.jpg

First discovering Rock Pikmin

defeating it, the player can use the newly-discovered Pikmin species to free the Gray Onion from a Large Crystal. After propogating enough Rock Pikmin, they can be used to break down the glass wall outside of the cave and free Brittany.

Notes

Mission Mode Tip

"Rock Pikmin are tough and can cause some serious damage if they land on a target!"

File:Pikmin 3 Demo Testing Properties of Rock Pikmin.

Video depicting Rock Pikmin's reactions to being crushed and drowning.

Trivia

• In the Happy Ending of the first Pikmin game, there were four Black/Grey Pikmin onions flying above the planet's atmosphere.
• In Pikmin Adventure, the Knuckle Seed resembles the ability of Rock Pikmin: a straight and strong impact shot.
• Rock Pikmin have "cracking" particle effects for when they hit breakable objects.
• The stem on a Rock Pikmin's head droops lower than on other Pikmin types.
• When other pikmin drop Bomb Rocks, they make what sounds like a "yell" and then retreat. But, when a Rock Pikmin drops a Bomb Rock, it sounds like they make a chuckling (or snickering) noise.

Gallery

• Rock Pikmins.jpg

  The cutscene in the demo that played when Rock Pikmin were encountered for the first time.

• Crystal Break.jpg

  Rock Pikmin breaking a Crystal Nodule.

• Pikmin3rock-1.jpg

  Miyamoto describing the Rock Pikmin.

• 

  Art of the Rock Pikmin from the Official Nintendo Magazine.

• Rock Pikmin-Pikmin3.png

  Official Art of the Rock Pikmin for Pikmin 3.

• Ss (2013-05-18 at 05.51.05).jpg

  Rock Pikmin after being squashed by a boulder. Notice how they become partially buried instead of being killed.

• 

  Leaf, Bud, and Flower Rock Pikmin.

• Miiverse img04.jpg

  In the background of this image, you can see the Gray Onion encased in a Crystal.