#0105 · Kanto · Generation 1

Marowak

Bone Keeper Pokémon · Ground-type

Marowak is a Ground-type Pokémon, the Bone Keeper Pokémon, number 105 (#0105) in the National Pokédex. It was introduced in Generation 1 and comes from the Kanto region. It is 1 m tall and weighs 45 kg.

Marowak is the Bone Keeper Pokémon, a Cubone that has overcome its grief and grown fierce, with its mother's skull now part of its head. It throws its bone like a boomerang, and in Alola it dances with a flaming bone as a Fire and Ghost type.

How to pronounce Marowak

Marowak is pronounced MAIR-oh-wak. The capital letters show the stressed syllable.

Listen to Marowak said out loud:

In Japanese it is ガラガラ (Garagara).

Hear every other name on the Pokémon pronunciation guide.

Lore

Biology

Marowak is 1 m tall and weighs 45 kg, with light brown skin, a cream underside and a short tail that carries a little spike near its end. The skull it once wore can no longer come off and has become part of its head.

Behaviour

Marowak is brave and violent where Cubone was timid, and the Pokédex says it goes after Mandibuzz, its natural enemy, as if avenging a parent. It has been seen tapping out messages on boulders with its bone, and the Pokédex counts close to 50 distinct rhythms.

Habitat

Its Pokédex habitat is Mountain, and Bulbapedia says it lives there to test its skills. It does not appear in Scarlet and Violet. In Legends: Z-A both forms appear in the Mega Dimension DLC's Hyperspace Lumiose.

Powers

Rock Head, Lightning Rod and the hidden Battle Armor are shared with Cubone. Marowak swings its bone with Bonemerang and Bone Rush. Alolan Marowak is a Fire and Ghost type, 1 m tall and 34 kg, with Cursed Body and a hidden Rock Head; Bulbapedia says it lights its bone with green flame made from its mother's spirit, and it learns Flame Wheel, Hex and Flare Blitz. Both forms have 110 base Defense.

Name origin

Marowak may combine 'bone marrow' and 'whack'. The Japanese name is Garagara (ガラガラ), a word for a loud, heavy rattle.

Design inspiration

Like Cubone, it is loosely dinosaur-like. Bulbapedia suggests Alolan Marowak may draw on Samoan fire knife dancing, the Polynesian idea of mana and the torch-carrying Nightmarchers of Hawaiian legend. These are fan readings.

Evolution notes

Marowak evolves from Cubone at level 28, and the Alolan form only if that level-up happens at night in Alola. Neither form evolves further.

In the games

Marowak runs a training dojo in Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time and Explorers of Darkness. In Sun and Moon, a Totem Alolan Marowak with Z-Power guards Kiawe's trial in Wela Volcano Park, and the reward is Firium Z.

In the anime

Kiawe's Alolan Marowak, caught in 'A Crowning Moment of Truth!', often battles outside its Poké Ball. In 'Bad To The Bone', Otoshi's Marowak left him when his Gym Badges were stolen, then came back to battle Team Rocket and win them back.

Fun facts

• Bulbapedia says no other known Pokémon can learn Shadow Bone besides Alolan Marowak.
• In the game data, Alolan Marowak is the only Ghost type in the Monster Egg Group.
• In the Red and Green beta its English name was Guardia, which Bulbapedia reads as Spanish for guardian.
• Older Pokédex entries whisper of a graveyard only for Marowak, which Bulbapedia says references the myth of the elephants' graveyard.

Sources: Bulbapedia: Marowak (Pokémon) · Serebii: Marowak (Scarlet/Violet Pokédex)

Base stats

• HP: 60
• Attack: 80
• Defense: 110
• Sp. Atk: 50
• Sp. Def: 80
• Speed: 45

Marowak’s base stat total is 425. Its highest stat is Defense.

Type matchups

What is Marowak weak to?

Marowak takes extra damage from Water (2×), Grass (2×), Ice (2×) moves.

It resists Poison (½×), Rock (½×).

It is immune to Electric moves.

Evolution

What does Marowak evolve from?

Marowak evolves from Cubone (Level 28; Alolan Marowak: Level 28, at night, in Alola).

Marowak is the final stage of its evolution family.

The whole family: Cubone, Marowak.

Forms

• Alolan Marowak (Alolan form): Fire/Ghost-type, base stat total 425 (HP 60, Attack 80, Defense 110, Sp. Atk 50, Sp. Def 80, Speed 45). Abilities: Cursed Body, Lightning Rod, Rock Head (hidden).
• Totem Alolan Marowak (Totem): Fire/Ghost-type, base stat total 425 (HP 60, Attack 80, Defense 110, Sp. Atk 50, Sp. Def 80, Speed 45). Abilities: Cursed Body, Lightning Rod, Rock Head (hidden).

Abilities

• Rock Head: Protects against recoil damage.
• Lightning Rod: Redirects single-target Electric moves to this Pokémon where possible. Absorbs Electric moves, raising Special Attack one stage.
• Battle Armor (hidden ability): Protects against critical hits.

Moves

Moves Marowak learns by level up in Sword / Shield

TM moves (50)

Marowak can learn 50 moves from TMs in Sword / Shield: Mega Punch, Mega Kick, Fire Punch, Thunder Punch, Hyper Beam, Giga Impact, Dig, Screech, Rest, Rock Slide, Thief, Snore, Protect, Icy Wind, Attract, Sandstorm, Sunny Day, Facade, Swift, Brick Break, Rock Tomb, Fling, Round, Retaliate, Bulldoze, False Swipe, Brutal Swing, Stomping Tantrum, Swords Dance, Body Slam, Flamethrower, Ice Beam, Blizzard, Low Kick, Earthquake, Focus Energy, Fire Blast, Substitute, Outrage, Endure, Sleep Talk, Iron Tail, Uproar, Iron Defense, Focus Blast, Earth Power, Iron Head, Stone Edge, Stealth Rock, Throat Chop.

Egg moves (8), which Cubone can hatch knowing:Ancient Power, Belly Drum, Curse, Detect, Double Kick, Leer, Perish Song, Skull Bash.

Move tutor moves (1): Scorching Sands.

Breeding & training

• Gender: 50% male, 50% female.
• Egg groups: Monster.
• Egg cycles: 20 (steps to hatch, Scarlet/Violet: 2,560).
• Catch rate: 75 out of 255.
• Base friendship (Gen 8 onward): 50.
• Growth rate: Medium (1,000,000 experience points to reach level 100).
• Defeating it gives 2 Defense effort values.
• Base experience yield: 149.

Pokédex entries

When this Pokémon evolved, the skull of its mother fused to it. Marowak's temperament also turned vicious at the same time. (Shield)

This Pokémon overcame its sorrow to evolve a sturdy new body. Marowak faces its opponents bravely, using a bone as a weapon. (Sword)

Small and weak, this Pokémon is adept with its bone club. It has grown more vicious over the ages. (Yellow, Let’s Go, Pikachu!, Let’s Go, Eevee!)

They thump their bones rhythmically to communicate among themselves. There are nearly 50 different rhythmic patterns. (Ultra Moon)

It throws bones at Mandibuzz to knock it down. It's thought that Marowak is trying to avenge its parent. (Ultra Sun)

This Pokémon is out for vengeance on its natural enemy, Mandibuzz. It throws bones like boomerangs to try to take it down. (Moon)

Names around the world

Trivia

• Taller than 47% of all Pokémon (1 m).
• Heavier than 64% of all Pokémon (45 kg).
• Base stat total 425, ranked #553 of 1,025.
• One of 75 Ground-type Pokémon (counting dual types).
• One of 147 brown Pokémon.
• Number 105 of 151 Pokémon introduced in Generation 1 (Kanto).
• Part of an evolution family of 2 Pokémon.
• Can learn 68 different moves in Sword / Shield.
• Catch rate 75: about 9.8% per Poké Ball at full health.
• Has 2 alternate forms.
• Appears in 16 distinct Pokédex entries.

Sources and fact-checking

• Stats, types, abilities, moves, evolutions, forms and Pokédex entries: PokéAPI open game data.
• Lore: written by pokee.si in our own words, researched from Bulbapedia: Marowak (Pokémon), Serebii: Marowak (Scarlet/Violet Pokédex).
• Pronunciation (MAIR-oh-wak): it follows how the English anime, games or official videos say it.

Last checked: 19 October 2026. Every sentence of the lore was checked against Bulbapedia, Serebii and the game data.

Explore

Ground-type Pokémon · Kanto region guide · Rock Head ability · Lightning Rod ability · Battle Armor ability · Compare Marowak · Full Pokédex · Type chart · All moves

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Gen 1 Ground-type Pokémon · Gen 1 Pokémon list · Brown Pokémon list · Monster egg group · Pokémon that start with M · Dinosaur Pokémon

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