Plenty of franchises are able to endure for decades, yet Pokémon is a rare example of a property that actively grows more popular over time and has only added more projects and successful off-shoots to its intimidating legacy. Pokémon has figured out where to change and adapt over the years, and it’s typically only strengthened their series.
Each new entry in the series introduces some powerful and unique Pokémon, but Fossil Pokémon are a particularly rare breed of creature. There is some fascinating lore that accompanies these ancient Pokémon and makes them particularly interesting. There aren’t many of this special variety of Pokémon, but some of these prehistoric beasts can be quite dangerous.
10 Cradily Turns Prehistoric Foliage Into A Fearsome Fighter
Pokémon’s second generation takes a break from Fossil Pokémon, which makes their return in Generation III a satisfying surprise. Generation III requires more work than usual for its Fossil Pokémon, but it's worth the extra effort. Cradily is a Fossil Pokémon that draws inspiration from ancient sea lilies. This may not sound overly powerful, but Cradily is a rare combination of Rock and Grass-type Pokémon, which allows it an eclectic moveset, especially for a Fossil Pokémon. Cradily is also a big step up from its pre-evolved form Lileep and highlights how sea lilies can actually be dangerous.
9 Armaldo Is Proof That Ancient Bugs Should Not Be Underestimated
Anorith and Armaldo are the other Fossil Pokémon from out of Generation III's Hoenn region that complement Lileep and Cradily. This Fossil Pokémon bears a lot in common with a shrimp, but it becomes significantly more complex once it’s evolved. Armaldo is both a Rock and a Bug-type Pokémon. Bug Pokémon can often skew to the weaker side, but Armaldo is a smart way to give this type of Pokémon unprecedented power. Armaldo has an intimidating design that's even scarier when considering that it could be some prehistoric silverfish.
8 Rampardos Uses Its Hard Head To Get Out Its Aggression
Generation IV's Pokemon Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum take a more unconventional approach when it comes to the acquisition of its Fossil Pokémon that's linked to the player's Trainer ID. It was a controversial approach, especially since Generation IV contains some of the most interesting Fossil Pokémon to grace the series.
Rampardos evolves from Cranidos, which resemble traditional dinosaurs rather than something with a more esoteric connection to the past. Rampardos and Cranidos are known as Head-Butt Pokémon, so it should come as no surprise that Rampardos is uniquely equipped to deliver massive damage.
7 Bastiodon Is A Living Shield That Few Want To Challenge
Often the rare Pokémon in titles will represent opposite ends of the extreme, which is the case with the Fossil Pokémon out of Generation IV's Sinnoh region. Bastiodon and Shieldon have incredible defense and natural armor built into their tough exoskeletons. The Pokémon is a combination of Rock and Steel-types, which makes sense, but also allows it some unique attacks in addition to its enviable defense. Bastiodon is a ferocious beast that's a fine counterpart to Rampardos. It reflects a true dominant presence from prehistoric times and not just some odd fossil that's managed to persevere across millennia.
6 Carracosta Moves With Pure Confidence & Demands To Not Be Rushed
Tortoises are animals that have ties back to prehistoric times, and Generation V of the Pokémon series explores that territory with the Fossil Pokémon Tirtouga and its evolved form, Carracosta. There's a turtle design that's used as the framework for this Pokémon, but Carracosta legitimately looks like a Legendary Pokémon that would be at the center of a movie. Carracosta has a foreboding appearance, but it also benefits from a powerful combination of Rock- and Water-type Pokémon attacks. Everything about Carracosta makes it dangerous, and it acts as if it was the scourge of its time.
5 Archeops Has An Important History & A Strong Flying-Type Arsenal
Generation V’s Unova region introduces more impressive Fossil Pokémon that can be obtained within the Relic Castle and then awakened later. Archeops is the evolved form of the Fossil Pokémon, Archen, which is considered to be the very first Bird Pokémon.
As a result, Archeops is both a Rock and Flying-Type Pokémon and it's able to effectively use this combination of attacks to instill fear. Archeops looks like a dangerous mix between a Fossil and Legendary Pokémon, and it's still a volatile and unpredictable creature.
4 Aurorus Command Cool Temperatures To Assert Itself
There hasn't been an excess of Fossil Pokémon over the years, so each new generation ideally attempts to take the concept somewhere new. Generation VI experiments with a Rock and Ice-type Pokémon with prehistoric roots, and the end result is quite powerful. Aurorus is the evolved form of Amaura, two Fossil Pokémon with physiology that makes them ideal for extreme tundra temperatures. Aurorus might look gentle and similar to a brontosaurus, but it can defend itself when necessary, and its resilience to the cold gives it a natural advantage in harsh temperatures.
3 Tyrantrum Is The King Of Dinosaurs & Should Be Feared At All Costs
Fossil Pokémon have been around since the first Pokémon titles, but there are few examples of these rare Pokémon that directly emulate popular dinosaurs. Less can sometimes be more with Pokémon designs, but this makes Tyrantrum such a formidable and aggressive outlier. Generation VI’s Kalos region unearths Tyrunt, which in turn evolves into Tyrantrum. This Rock and Dragon-type Pokémon is essentially the Pokémon equivalent of a T-Rex. It’s the epitome of aggression, and it may seem like a cheap Pokémon to resort to, but there’s too much temptation behind this powerhouse of a Pokémon.
2 Fusion Fossils Dracozolt, Arctozolt, Dracovish, & Arctovish Have Bright Futures
The newest Pokémon titles, Sword and Shield, attempt to do something new with Fossil Pokémon. There are four different types of fossils that can be fused together to form four different Pokémon that feature a mix of Electric, Dragon, Water, and Ice types. This offers a newfound level of freedom to Fossil Pokémon, especially since these are the first non-Rock-type Fossil Pokémon. All of these Pokémon are exceptionally dangerous, but Dracozolt is slightly deadlier than Arctozolt, Dracovish, and Arctovish. However, a party that’s composed of all four Fusion Fossil Pokémon would do a lot of damage in the Galar region.
1 Mega Aerodactyl Turns A Classic Fossil Pokémon Into An Even Heavier Hitter
The core dynamics of Pokémon remain unchanged over time, but it’s been interesting to look at new concepts that have been incorporated in addition to the conventional evolutions that started the series. There are now Mega Evolutions and Gigantamax forms that give old Pokémon a new life and Generation VI gives Generation I’s major Fossil Pokémon, Aerodactyl, an upgraded form. Mega Aerodactyl is still a Rock and Flying-type Pokémon, but its stats are all significantly higher, and it just looks more frightening. Regular Aerodactyl is still a powerful Fossil Pokémon, but it’s hard to deny the strength of this version.