Rock Pikmin

Rock Pikmin are a species of Pikmin appearing in, ,  and , with the special abilities of crush (on soft surfaces) and stab immunity and a different method of attacking. They resemble small polished rocks with Pikmin eyes and limbs, and have lavender buds and flowers like the Winged Pikmin. The main part of their bodies seem to be a dark gray texture of graphite that reflects light, whereas their stems, arms, and legs appear to be smooth and gray (the same color of the rock and darker in ). When Rock Pikmin are dismissed, their sprouts glow gray, oddily from Pikmin 4, they glow as a grayish cyan. Their ghosts are also shaped like small gray rocks with eyes. Just like all other types of Pikmin in Pikmin 3, Rock Pikmin have an Onion, which later in the story merges with the Master Onion, and are reproduced through collecting nutrients from pellets and corpses. In ''Hey! Pikmin'', like all other types, they are found in certain levels and go to the Pikmin Park after a level is done.

Traits and abilities
Rock Pikmin, like most Pikmin types, are immune to specific hazards, in this case crushing and stabbing. When crushed by a large object, they are simply driven into the ground and become partially buried temporarily. In, Rock Pikmin are only immune to crushing attacks when on soft surfaces such as dirt, and will crumble when crushed on hard surfaces. When a creature with a sharp proboscis tries to impale them, they are simply knocked back without taking damage. Rock Pikmin's immunity to crushing is absent entirely in.

Rock Pikmin have very hard exteriors, which allows them to smash through crystal walls, standalone crystals, and even the armor of larger animals (like the Armored Mawdad and the Peckish Aristocrab's claw). However, they do not sink in water and are thrown just as far as most Pikmin types, revealing that they do not weigh much.

This hardness causes Rock Pikmin to behave very differently in combat to other types. When thrown toward an enemy or obstacle, they will bounce off and roll backward. This deals a large amount of damage that depends on the creature, but it can be enough to defeat some smaller enemies, like Dwarf Bulborbs or Skutterchucks, in a single hit. Since they cannot latch onto enemies, they will repeatedly attack enemies and obstacles by charging head-on into them, rolling backward, and getting up again, doing less damage over time than other Pikmin types due to the lower attack rate, despite the fact that each hit done in this way causes 20 points of damage, more than any type per attack. In the original Pikmin 3, when Rock Pikmin are told to charge, they cause even less damage when they lunge, serving only 10 points of damage, but only on the first hit, as subsequent hits cause 20 damage again.

As such, the best way to attack with Rock Pikmin is to have leaders throw them, which causes more damage than a regular lunge, and to whistle them to get up from lying down faster. That said, if they are thrown at the root of a Burgeoning Spiderwort and not directly on its berries, are told to attack the Shaggy Long Legs' hair, or are attacking another Pikmin in Bingo Battle, they will cling on like the other Pikmin types, and they won't lunge (they will lunge when attacking a leader in Bingo Battle, though).

Discovery
In, the Rock Pikmin are discovered in the Garden of Hope and are the second type discovered. 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 defeating it, the player can use the newly discovered Pikmin species to free the Rock Onion from a large crystal. After propagating some more Rock Pikmin, they can be used to break down the crystal wall outside of the cave and free Brittany. At the end of the day, the Rock Onion will merge with the Red Onion. Interestingly, a few of the Rock Pikmin inside the Slurker will have a bud on top of their stem while others will have the usual leaf.

Required uses
Rock Pikmin are required to be used to complete the following tasks, and there are no glitches or exploits that allow other Pikmin types to do so.
 * Fruits
 * (Garden of Hope): A crystal wall directly blocks access to this fruit, and no bomb rocks are present in the area.
 * (Garden of Hope, inside the crystal): This fruit is encased in a crystal, and no bomb rocks are present in the area.
 * (Garden of Hope, near the fragments): Same as the Face Wrinkler.
 * Enemies
 * The crystal on the head must be destroyed to finish the first phase of the battle.
 * Other
 * Brittany: To rescue Brittany, a crystal wall must be destroyed with Rock Pikmin.
 * Northern section of the Garden of Hope: A crystal wall blocks this section of the area with 4 fruits and a boss, but since the wall is so close to the landing site, this wall will not be counted for the items it blocks.

Near-required uses
The following tasks are intended to be completed with Rock Pikmin, but it is technically possible to complete them without Rock Pikmin, by using alternate strategies, exploits, or bomb rocks.
 * Fruits
 * This fruit is encased in a crystal. It is possible to destroy the crystal with bomb rocks.
 * (Twilight River): This fruit is encased in a crystal. It is possible to destroy the crystal with bomb rocks.
 * (Distant Tundra): This fruit is encased in a crystal. It is possible to destroy the crystal with bomb rocks.
 * This piece of fruit is located inside the Armored Mawdad. Although leaders can defeat the creature by punching it (even with its armor), using Rock Pikmin is much faster.
 * (Tropical Wilds): This fruit is inside a Calcified Crushblat, and while Grey Candypop Buds are nearby, it's possible to avoid using them.
 * (Distant Tundra): This fruit is in a section of the area behind a crystal wall. It's possible to enter the arena from above and use Winged Pikmin to carry the fruit, or to use bomb rocks to destroy the wall.
 * (Distant Tundra): This fruit is encased in a crystal. It is possible to destroy the crystal with bomb rocks.
 * Enemies
 * Rock Pikmin are needed to destroy the crystal armor, but the creature can be defeated if leaders punch it. Doing this is very slow.
 * Although the creature is covered in crystal, a bomb rock can destroy the crystal. Alternatively, Winged Pikmin can charge at its feet, removing the need to take out the crystal.
 * Obstacles
 * Crystal walls can be destroyed with bomb rocks, but it is much easier and more efficient to use Rock Pikmin.
 * Like crystal walls, it is much easier and more efficient to use Rock Pikmin instead of bomb rocks.

Recommended uses
Rock Pikmin are not required to complete the following tasks, but they are recommended as they make the task easier.
 * Fruits
 * (Garden of Hope): This fruit is held by a Peckish Aristocrab, so Rock Pikmin make it easier to obtain.
 * Enemies
 * This enemy's only attack is stabbing Pikmin, which Rock Pikmin are immune to.
 * The claw can be destroyed to make it unable to eat Pikmin, but this is not necessary. In Pikmin 4, the claw can be destroyed by any type, and Rock Pikmin are not more efficient at destroying it. They can, however, be used to charge the Peckish Aristocrab.
 * The crystal Elemental Plasms it releases can be destroyed by Rock Pikmin, but destroying them is not needed to win the fight. Its main attack, where it stabs and eats Pikmin, will not affect Rock Pikmin.
 * With Rock Pikmin, this enemy can be defeated with 2 quick throws, and the type is also immune from being crushed by the crystal nodules.
 * This enemy's only attack is crushing Pikmin, which Rock Pikmin are immune to.
 * Rock Pikmin are extremely helpful in this fight as they are immune to being crushed and they can climb up the Shaggy Long Legs.
 * Obstacles
 * Rock Pikmin are faster at destroying these walls than any other Pikmin type.

Discovery
In, the earliest Rock Pikmin can be found in the Kingdom of Beasts cave found in the Blossoming Arcadia on its second sublevel. They can be used to break the Crystal wall blocking the entrance to the next sublevel and the Ambiguous Goo. Additonally, Rock Pikmin can be found in the Frozen Inferno, Plunder Palace and the Cradle of the Beast. The Onion for the Rock Pikmin can be found in the Giant's Hearth, guarded by a Sovereign Bulblax.

Recommended

 * Enemies
 * Rock Pikmin are immune to being crushed by the Empress Bulblax's rolling.
 * The Emperor Bulblax jumps up to squash Pikmin when too many are on it, which Rock Pikmin are immune to.
 * Rock Pikmin are immune to being crushed by the Sovereign Bulblax's jump.
 * The boulders shot from the Lithopod crush all Pikmin except Rock Pikmin.
 * Like the previous Lithopod, Rock Pikmin are immune to the boulders.
 * Rock Pikmin are immune to being crushed under the Mama Sheargrub's jump.
 * The Joustmite attacks by stabbing with its proboscis, which Rock Pikmin are immune to.
 * The Flighty Joustmite also attacks with its proboscis which Rock Pikmin are immune to.
 * Rock Pikmin are immune to being crushed by the Baldy Long Legs' feet.
 * Rock Pikmin are also immune to being crushed by the Groovy Long Legs' feet, but not its panic hazard.
 * These enemies throw Crystal nodules which crush all Pikmin except Rock Pikmin.
 * One of its attacks involve slamming its trunk down which crushed all Pikmin except Rock Pikmin.
 * Rock Pikmin are only immune to being crushed by the non-fiery side of the Scorchcake, the fiery side will kill them.
 * Like it’s fiery counterpart, the non-electric side won’t crush Rock Pikmin but the electric side can.
 * Same as the previous two Shellcakes, the non-iced side won’t crush Rock Pikmin and the iced side will.
 * The spikes from the Porquillion are sharp and only Rock Pikmin are immune to them.
 * The Yellow Wollyhop can crush all Pikmin except the Rock Pikmin.
 * Like it’s yellow counterpart, only Rock Pikmin are immune to its attack.
 * Like it’s smaller counterpart, Rock Pikmin are the only type of Pikmin immune to its attack.
 * Rock Pikmin are immune to its spiked attack.
 * Rock Pikmin are immune to the Waterwraith's rollers.
 * Rock Pikmin are immune to being crushed by the enemy’s jump attack.


 * Other
 * These wall can be destroyed with the use of Bomb Rocks, but are more easily destroyed by Rock Pikmin.

Discovery
In, Rock Pikmin are first encountered in Crystal Tunnels. After getting his main path blocked by a Crystalline Crushblat, Olimar is forced to enter an alternate path that follows a vertical section, with several large sloped crystals that make him and his squad slowly fall downwards. When seeing his path completely blocked by a crystal wall, some Rock Pikmin at the other side spot him and, in a cutscene, break the crystal to help him continue, just before ultimately joining his team. Various other Rock Pikmin can be obtained throughout the area, and after getting to the end, all of them will migrate to the Pikmin Park, officially unlocking Rock Pikmin.

In Pikmin Bloom
In, Rock Pikmin are the seventh and final Pikmin type unlocked, at level 11. Their seedlings require a minimum of 5 carrying strength to be retrieved, along with 5000 steps to grow. In expeditions, they have a carrying strength of 3 and a time modifier of 1.25. In mushroom battles, they have a base attack power of 5 and are the only Pikmin that can battle Crystal Mushrooms.

Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U
Rock Pikmin are not a part of Olimar's moveset in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U, but they do appear as a trophy.


 * 3DS trophy:


 * Wii U trophy:

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
In, Rock Pikmin appears as a spirit and can be seen being freed in the True Ending cutscene. The Spirit can be unlocked from the Spirit Board, the Shop or from scanning the Pikmin Amiibo. Equipping the Spirit increases the fighter's weight.

Pikmin 3 impact
Rock Pikmin will deal a different amount of damage to objects, depending on what kind of attack they performed:
 * They deal 20 damage when lunging by themselves.
 * They cause 10 damage on a charge's first attack.
 * There is no set amount of damage when they are thrown, as the game only counts the total amount of direct Rock Pikmin impacts needed to kill a creature (refer to each enemy article's "Technical information" section for more information). When calculating their damage output throughout the different creatures in the game, they cause an average of about 57 damage.

Interestingly enough, when charging towards a gate, a Rock Pikmin will deal the same amount of damage as when thrown.

Trivia

 * In the happy ending of the first Pikmin game, there are four black or gray Pikmin Onions flying above the planet's atmosphere. These could quite possibly be Rock Pikmin Onions, even though the Onions' appearance in Pikmin 3 has changed.
 * In Pikmin Adventure, the Knuckle Seed resembles the ability of Rock Pikmin: a straight and strong impact shot.
 * Rock Pikmin release "cracking" particle effects for when they hit breakable objects.
 * The stem on a Rock Pikmin's head droops lower than on other Pikmin types.
 * As seen in this trailer, Rock Pikmin originally had four looks. In the final game, all Rock Pikmin look exactly the same.
 * Rock Pikmin make a different sound when eaten: there is a much more noticeable crunching sound. This is easy to hear in the Garden of Hope because a Bulborb is near the landing site.
 * Rock Pikmin glow bright red when they are on fire, unlike other Pikmin types. This, along with the color and shape of the Rock Pikmin, could imply their shell is made out of coal.
 * Even though they supposedly have a solid body, they still stretch and twist when plucked or when they shake off water.
 * After being thrown, Rock Pikmin bounce a little when landing, but this is not the case when they are thrown on a lily pad, an elevator platform, or a cardboard box. This is likely to stop them from falling off.
 * Rock Pikmin have bigger leaves, buds, and flowers than other Pikmin types. Purple Pikmin also have this quality.
 * Rock Pikmin are the only main Pikmin type to have fewer than 2 official plushes. Red Pikmin, Yellow Pikmin, and Blue Pikmin have 19 plushes, White Pikmin have 5, Purple Pikmin have 4 and Winged Pikmin have 2, as of July 2022.
 * Similar to Ice Pikmin, Rock Pikmin are referred to as parasitic. It is implied that they both belong to the same parasitic subset of Pikmin, known as "Hermikmin", which store their organs inside blocky, solid surfaces, although only this is only stated outright for Rock Pikmin. It would be inaccurate to label either of them as parasites however, as they simply use an inanimate object as a vessel—similar to their subset's namesake, the hermit crab—and do not rely on other organisms.
 * Rock Pikmin and objects associated with them are often referred to as being black or gray, but names used in-game are always preceded with the word "Rock". The only instance in any game that refers to a Rock Pikmin-related object by color is the Gray Seedlings in Pikmin Bloom.