#0812 · Galar · Generation 8 · starter

Rillaboom

Drummer Pokémon · Grass-type

Rillaboom is a Grass-type Pokémon, the Drummer Pokémon, number 812 (#0812) in the National Pokédex. It was introduced in Generation 8 and comes from the Galar region. It is 2.1 m tall and weighs 90 kg.

Rillaboom is the Drummer Pokémon, a gentle Grass-type gorilla whose troop is led by its best drummer. A challenger has to beat the boss in a drumming battle, and the Pokédex says its Gigantamax form lays down beats that rattle the whole of Galar.

How to pronounce Rillaboom

Rillaboom is pronounced RIL-uh-boom. The capital letters show the stressed syllable.

Listen to Rillaboom said out loud:

In Japanese it is ゴリランダー (Gorirander).

Hear every other name on the Pokémon pronunciation guide.

Lore

Biology

Rillaboom is a brown gorilla, 2.1 m tall and 90 kg, with a thick bush of leafy green hair and a single vine between its eyes that curls like a music note. It carries two drumsticks in its leafy wrist cuffs, and a bass drum on its back, made from a tree stump with branch stumps that serve as extra drums. By drumming, the Pokédex says, it taps the power of that special stump, whose roots follow its direction in battle.

Behaviour

Rillaboom has a calm, gentle disposition and values harmony in its group. The Pokédex says it will not tolerate those who drum up discord, strictly disciplining offenders until they learn their lesson, and Bulbapedia notes it fiercely defends its allies. Per the Pokédex, when one Rillaboom challenges a troop's leader, a drumming battle decides who becomes the new boss.

Habitat

The Pokédex gives no habitat. In Scarlet and Violet it needs a trade in the base game, or can be evolved from Thwackey in The Indigo Disk.

Powers

Overgrow is its main Ability, and its hidden Grassy Surge fills the field with Grassy Terrain when it enters battle. Drum Beating is a Grass move only Rillaboom can learn, and it also uses Wood Hammer and Knock Off. Gigantamax Rillaboom fuses its upper body with an enlarged stump shaped like a full drum kit with four leafy arms holding drumsticks; only it can use G-Max Drum Solo, and Bulbapedia says its beat is said to carry across oceans and make anyone who hears it dance uncontrollably. With 100 HP and 85 Speed behind its Attack, it is a sturdy physical attacker.

Name origin

Rillaboom may combine 'gorilla' and 'boom'. The Japanese name is Gorirander (ゴリランダー), which may blend gorilla (gorira) with 乱打 randa ('battering'), and could also nod to the herb coriander.

Design inspiration

Rillaboom looks like a gorilla crossed with a drummer, most notably a taiko player, and gorillas really do beat their chests to show dominance. Bulbapedia thinks Gigantamax Rillaboom draws on modern rock drummers, and suggests a famous 2007 UK chocolate advert with a drumming gorilla may have influenced it. These are fan readings.

Evolution notes

Rillaboom evolves from Thwackey at level 35 and is the last stage of the Grookey line.

In the games

Rillaboom is the final stage of the Grass starter in Sword and Shield, with Gigantamax Rillaboom arriving in The Isle of Armor. Bulbapedia lists it as unobtainable in Legends: Z-A.

In the anime

Leon opens his Masters Eight match against Alain with a Rillaboom in 'Curtain Up! Fight the Fights!', and later uses it against Diantha and Ash. A Rillaboom also leads a group of Thwackey in 'A One-Stick Wonder!'.

Fun facts

• Bulbapedia says Rillaboom's base Attack of 125 is the highest of any fully evolved starter, though that leaves out Mega Evolutions.
• Among Generation VIII Grass types, poke.si's data shows Rillaboom is both the tallest and the heaviest.
• In the Pokémon Adventures manga, Henry's Thwackey evolves into Rillaboom in the chapter 'BAAM!! Incredible Evolution of the Three Pokémon' and later gains the ability to Gigantamax.

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

Base stats

• HP: 100
• Attack: 125
• Defense: 90
• Sp. Atk: 60
• Sp. Def: 70
• Speed: 85

Rillaboom’s base stat total is 530. Its highest stat is Attack.

Type matchups

What is Rillaboom weak to?

Rillaboom takes extra damage from Fire (2×), Ice (2×), Poison (2×), Flying (2×), Bug (2×) moves.

It resists Water (½×), Electric (½×), Grass (½×), Ground (½×).

Evolution

What does Rillaboom evolve from?

Rillaboom evolves from Thwackey at level 35.

Rillaboom is the final stage of its evolution family.

The whole family: Grookey, Thwackey, Rillaboom.

• Grookey evolves into Thwackey at level 16.

Forms

• Gigantamax Rillaboom (Gigantamax): Grass-type, base stat total 530 (HP 100, Attack 125, Defense 90, Sp. Atk 60, Sp. Def 70, Speed 85). Abilities: Overgrow, Grassy Surge (hidden).

Abilities

• Overgrow: Strengthens Grass moves to inflict 1.5× damage at 1/3 max HP or less.
• Grassy Surge (hidden ability): When this Pokémon enters battle, it changes the terrain to Grassy Terrain.

Moves

Moves Rillaboom learns by level up in Scarlet / Violet

“Evo” means Rillaboom learns the move the moment it evolves: Drum Beating.

TM moves (55)

Rillaboom can learn 55 moves from TMs in Scarlet / Violet: Take Down, Scary Face, Protect, Low Kick, Acrobatics, Thief, Trailblaze, Facade, Bulldoze, Snarl, Swift, Magical Leaf, Mud Shot, Low Sweep, Fling, Endure, Sunny Day, Bullet Seed, False Swipe, Brick Break, U-turn, Bulk Up, Body Slam, Sleep Talk, Seed Bomb, Drain Punch, Grass Knot, Stomping Tantrum, Rest, Taunt, Swords Dance, Body Press, Substitute, Giga Drain, Hyper Voice, Energy Ball, Earth Power, Grassy Terrain, Grass Pledge, Earthquake, Giga Impact, Frenzy Plant, Focus Blast, Leaf Storm, Hyper Beam, Solar Beam, Tera Blast, Knock Off, High Horsepower, Solar Blade, Uproar, Focus Punch, Grassy Glide, Double-Edge, Endeavor.

Egg moves (6):Fake Out, Growth, Hammer Arm, Leech Seed, Strength, Worry Seed.

Breeding & training

• Gender: 87.5% male, 12.5% female.
• Egg groups: Field, Grass.
• Egg cycles: 20 (steps to hatch, Scarlet/Violet: 2,560).
• Catch rate: 45 out of 255.
• Base friendship (Gen 8 onward): 50.
• Growth rate: Medium Slow (1,059,860 experience points to reach level 100).
• Defeating it gives 3 Attack effort values.
• Base experience yield: 265.

Pokédex entries

The one with the best drumming techniques becomes the boss of the troop. It has a gentle disposition and values harmony among its group. (Shield)

By drumming, it taps into the power of its special tree stump. The roots of the stump follow its direction in battle. (Sword)

Names around the world

Trivia

• Heaviest Grass type in Gen 8: 90 kg.
• Tallest Grass type in Gen 8: 2.1 m.
• Highest Attack among Grass types in Gen 8: 125.
• Taller than 90% of all Pokémon (2.1 m).
• Heavier than 80% of all Pokémon (90 kg).
• Base stat total 530, ranked #163 of 1,025.
• Its best stat is Attack, ranked #65 of 1,025.
• One of 127 Grass-type Pokémon (counting dual types).
• One of 130 green Pokémon.
• Number 3 of 96 Pokémon introduced in Generation 8 (Galar).
• Part of an evolution family of 3 Pokémon.
• Can learn 72 different moves in Scarlet / Violet.
• Catch rate 45: about 5.9% per Poké Ball at full health.
• Has 1 alternate form.
• Appears in 2 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: Rillaboom (Pokémon), Serebii: Rillaboom (Scarlet/Violet Pokédex).
• Pronunciation (RIL-uh-boom): it follows how the English anime, games or official videos say it.

Last checked: 20 October 2026. Every sentence of the lore was checked against Bulbapedia, Serebii and the game data.

Explore

Grass-type Pokémon · Rillaboom vs Decidueye · Rillaboom vs Cinderace · Rillaboom vs Inteleon · Rillaboom vs Sceptile · Galar region guide · Overgrow ability · Grassy Surge ability · Compare Rillaboom · Full Pokédex · Type chart · All moves

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