Being a stone wall Pokémon doesn't necessarily mean being the biggest. After all, a large Pokémon with a lot of type weaknesses isn't going to be very effective, defensively. A Pokémon's moves, stats, and abilities are major factors in determining whether or not it is a stone wall.
If a Pokémon has an ability that lets it absorb damage, a move that can replenish its HP, and several immunities or resistances, it will make for an excellent stone wall. It may not be the fastest or the most offensive, but any well-rounded team surely needs a formidable wall.
Updated on Mar. 7th, 2022 by Claris Lam: With more Pokémon being introduced in each generation, there are also more options for great stone wall Pokémon. A stone wall Poké can be the difference between holding your own in battle or getting sweeped, so it's always valuable to know what's available.
15 Tangrowth Can Wrap Opponents Around Its Finger
Tangrowth's defense against physical attacks is high, at 125. Its Special Defense is much lower, at 50. Yet, Tangrowth counteracts this with its Regenerator Ability. Regenerator restores a third of its health after being switched out. Tangrowth can also learn Giga Drain, which has 75 power and restores up to 50% of the damage it deals with the target.
Equip Tangrowth with an Assault Vest and it would raise its Special Defense by 50%. It just wouldn't be able to select any status move except Me First.
14 The Right Setup Can Make Shuckle Almost Indestructible
The notorious damage sponge, Shuckle has the highest base Defense and Special Defense stats of all obtainable Pokémon. Unfortunately, it has a low base Attack and HP stats at 10 and 20. To counteract this, Shuckle can use the move Shell Smash. Shell Smash decreases Defense and Special Defense by one stage. In return for decreasing defense, it boosts Attack, Special Attack, and Speed by two stages.
Shuckle can also use Power Trick, which switches raw Attack and raw Defense stats. If trainers have it also use Rest to recover HP, and Toxic to do continuous damage, Shuckle can be a great stone wall.
13 Bastiodon Can Tank Many Physical And Special Attacks
Bastiodon is a great stone wall Pokémon since it has high Defense and Special Defense stats at 168 and 138 respectively. It is also completely immune to Poison-type attacks and is resistant to many other attack types, including Normal, Fairy, Dragon-types.
It is extra vulnerable to Fighting, Ground, and Water-type attacks, but it makes up for it with Sturdy ability. Sturdy enables Bastiodon to never be knocked out by one-hit KO attacks. Even if it got hit by a powerful Fighting, Ground, or Water-type move, it won't be knocked out too soon.
12 Amoonguss Can Absorb A Lot Of Punishment
Amoonguss boasts 114 for its base HP and using its Regenerator Ability it can absorb a lot of damage. At level 28 it can learn Giga Drain, which deals damage while restoring health.
It doesn't have any immunities but it is resistant to Fighting, Water, Grass, Electric, and Fairy. Its Clear Smog move resets stat levels while dealing damage. It can also learn Toxic to dish out heavy poison damage.
11 Ferrothorn Boasts Numerous Resistances & High Defense Stats
Ferrothorn is only weak to Fighting- and Fire-Types, is immune to Poison, and resistant to nine different types. Its base physical Defense of 131 and Special Defense of 116 helps buy time against a status-affected Pokémon. Its high defenses also give opportunities to heal injured party members.
The move Harden, which it knows from level 1, can make it even more to tough beat. Meanwhile, Ingrain can make it immune to moves like Whirlwind so that it can't be forced to switch out.
10 Venusaur Is Versatile & Has Good Defensive Typing
Venusaur has excellent defensive stats, is resistant to five different types, and has many recovery options. Its Synthesis is best used during the day, as it restores half of its maximum HP in harsh sunlight.
Venusaur can also use Giga Drain to inflict damage while regaining health. It also helps that Venusaur has many status-affecting moves. Toxic can badly poison targets. Meanwhile, Stun Spore and Sleep Powder are good for stalling opponents. Venasaur's bulk and moveset make it a great stone wall, and it has both Mega and Gigantamax forms.
9 Giratina Has High Defenses In Its Altered Forme
Giratina's Altered Forme gives it base Defense and Special Defense stats of 120 each. While in its Altered Forme, it's completely immune to Normal and Fighting-type attacks. Its base Defense and Special Defense stats are lowered to 100 when in its Origin Forme, but it also becomes completely immune to Ground-type attacks. Both Formes also have resistances to Poison, Bug, Fire, Water, Grass, and Electric-type attacks. Giratina's many resistances, along with its fairly high base stats, will help it last long in battle.
8 Chansey Has A Healthy Amount Of HP
Chansey's base HP stat alone makes it a stone wall. At 250, it's second only to Blissey, which isn't far away at 255. Chansey can garner the benefits of an Eviolite, a type of evolution stone that raises the Defense and Special Defense of Pokémon that are not fully evolved.
Blissey's stats are not that much better than Chansey's, so it makes sense to equip the latter with an Eviolite to get the defensive boost. Its Soft-Boiled move also means it can restore up to half its HP in battle.
7 Steelix Has High Physical Defense That Tanks Many Attacks
Steelix has a high base Defense of 200, but its Special Defense is much lower at 65. Yet, it does have many resistances to many attacks, like Dragon, and Fairy-type attacks. It also has immunity to Electric and Poison-type attacks. Steelix is only vulnerable to Fire, Fighting, Ground, and Water-type attacks. Steelix also has the chance of having the Sturdy ability. This will make it impossible for Steelix to get knocked out by one move alone. It also allows its trainer opportunities to heal it during the next turn. Sturdy, combined with Steelix's high base Defense, means that it can last long in battle.
6 Hippowdon Has The Makeup & Moves To Infuriate Opponents
Hippowdon has much bulk, thanks to having a base HP of 108 and Defense of 118. The move Slack Off recovers half of its HP. Meanwhile, Hippowdown can use Whirlwind in conjunction with Stealth Rock. The former forces the target to switch out and the latter deals damage to the Pokémon switching in.
By holding a Figy Berry, half of Hippowdon's HP will be restored when it drops down to a third. Since Hippowdon has an Impish Nature, it won't be confused after eating the berry.
5 Registeel Is A Powerful Regi With High Defenses
Registeel is one of the most powerful Regis existing so far. This is because it has high base Defense and Special Defense stats at 150 each. It is also completely immune to Poison-type attacks. Registeel also has resistance to ten other types of attacks, including Dragon and Psychic attacks. Registeel is only vulnerable to Fighting, Ground, and Fire attacks. But, its high base stats guarantee that it won't get knocked out too soon. It also has the Clear Body ability, which prevents others from lowering its stats. This means that trainers can't rely on lowering Registeel's defense to knock it out.
4 Suicune Has Natural Bulk & A Moveset To Complement It
Suicune has solid defensive typing and natural bulk, with base stats of 100 for HP and 115 for Defense and Special Defense. Calm Mind can raise its Special Attack and Special Defense by one stage each. The held item Leftovers would allow it to regain HP. Alternatively, trainers can give Suicune a Chesto Berry and teach it to use Rest to restore health and replace any non-volatile status conditions it's afflicted with.
3 Cresselia May Not Look It, But Is A Beast Of A Tank
Cresselia has impressive bulk, with 120 for base HP and Defense, and 130 for Special Defense. Moonlight restores its HP by half in harsh sunlight, and it can also learn Toxic to deal poison damage. Cresselia's Levitate Ability makes it immune to moves such as Toxic Spikes, Sticky Web, and Arena Trap.
Psycho Shift is Cresselia's ace in the hole, as it cures any non-volatile status conditions it may have. It also afflicts the target with those status conditions instead.
2 Eternatus Is Extremely Hard To Beat In Its Eternamax Form
Eternatus is hard to beat for several reasons. One of them is its high base Special Defense and Defense stats at 250 when it is in its Eternamax form. The battle is long enough with Zamzenta and Zacian's help. But, taking on Eternatus alone is near-impossible for anyone. Eternatus does have four weaknesses in Dragon, Ice, Psychic, and Ground-type Pokémon. Yet, its high base stats guarantee that it can tank many attacks. It also has a high base HP of 255 when in the Eternamax form.
1 Skarmory Is The Ultimate Flying Stone Wall
Skarmory's strength lies in its lack of weaknesses. It's only weak to Fire- and Electric-Types. Its immunities include Poison and Ground-Type attacks. It also boasts resistances to eight different types. Add to that a physical Defense of 140 and a Special Defense of 70 and it's going to be hard to defeat.
It can clear hazards with Defog and restore HP with Roost. It can also use Whirlwind to deal damage to opponents switching in. Skarmory has to be one of the best support Pokémon out there thanks to its useful moves and lack of weaknesses.