Rock Pikmin: Difference between revisions

'''Rock Pikmin''' ({{j|岩ピクミン|Iwa Pikumin}}) are a species of [[Pikmin family|Pikmin]] appearing in {{p3}}, {{p4}}, {{hp}} and {{pb}}, with the special abilities of [[crush]] (on soft surfaces) and [[stab]] immunity and a different method of [[Combat|attacking]]. They resemble small polished rocks with Pikmin eyes and limbs, and have lavender [[Maturity|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. 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 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.

Rock Pikmin have very hard exteriors, which allows them to smash through [[crystal wall]]s, standalone [[crystal]]s, 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 [[throw]]n 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 towards an [[enemy]] or [[obstacle]], they will bounce off and roll backwards. This deals a large amount of damage that depends on the creature, but it can be enough to defeat some smaller enemies, like [[Dwarf Bulborb]]s or [[Skutterchuck]]s, in a single hit. Since they cannot latch onto enemies, they will repeatedly attack enemies and obstacles by charging head-on into them, rolling backwards, 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 [[leader]]s 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]]'s 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).

In {{p3}}, 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 [[Maturity|bud]] on top of their stem while others will have the usual leaf.

**{{icon|Scaly Custard|y}} ([[Garden of Hope]]): This fruit is held by a Peckish Aristocrab, and so Rock Pikmin allow it to be obtained more easily.

In {{hp}}, 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 [[crystal]]s 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 over the course of the area, and after getting to the end, all of them will migrate to the [[Pikmin Park]], officially unlocking Rock Pikmin.

In {{pb}}, Rock Pikmin are the seventh and final Pikmin type unlocked, at [[level]] 11. Their [[seedling]]s require a minimum of 5 carrying strength to be retrieved, along with 5000 steps to grow. In [[expedition]]s, they have a carrying strength of 3 and have a [[Expedition#Speed|time modifier]] of 1.25. In [[mushroom battle]]s, they have a base [[Mushroom battle#Attack power|attack power]] of 5 and are the only Pikmin that can battle Crystal Mushrooms.