#0744 · Alola · Generation 7

Rockruff

Puppy Pokémon · Rock-type

Rockruff is a Rock-type Pokémon, the Puppy Pokémon, number 744 (#0744) in the National Pokédex. It was introduced in Generation 7 and comes from the Alola region. It is 0.5 m tall and weighs 9.2 kg.

Rockruff is the Puppy Pokémon, a friendly Rock type that greets people by rubbing the rocks on its neck against them, which hurts. The Pokédex calls it a good beginner Pokémon, yet it grows rougher as it matures and many Trainers struggle with it.

How to pronounce Rockruff

Rockruff is pronounced ROK-ruf. The capital letters show the stressed syllable.

Listen to Rockruff said out loud:

In Japanese it is イワンコ (Iwanko).

Hear every other name on the Pokémon pronunciation guide.

Lore

Biology

Rockruff is 0.5 m tall and weighs 9.2 kg. It is a light-brown pup with large blue eyes, button ears and a curled grey-white tail. A ruff of grey-white fur studded with pebbles circles its neck, and it strikes the ground with those stones to intimidate opponents. Bulbapedia says it never forgets a scent, and tales tell of it finding lost Trainers by following faint traces.

Behaviour

Rockruff has lived with people since long ago, and the Pokédex says it senses when its Trainer is down and stays close. It is friendly when young but grows rougher with age, and it is said to bite. Even so, it remembers its master's kindness. Wild Rockruff travel in packs until they evolve.

Habitat

The Pokédex gives no habitat. In Alola it is found at Ten Carat Hill, and in Scarlet and Violet across Paldea's provinces and Kitakami. It is not available in Legends: Z-A.

Powers

Its Abilities are Keen Eye and Vital Spirit, with hidden Steadfast. It uses Rock Throw, Rock Tomb, Bite and Crunch, and later learns Rock Slide, Stealth Rock and Stone Edge. Its best base stat is a modest 65 Attack.

Name origin

Rockruff may combine 'rock' with 'ruff' (a bark, or the fur around its neck), and perhaps 'ruffle' or 'rough'. The Japanese name is Iwanko (イワンコ), which may combine iwa ('rock'), wan (a dog's bark) and wanko ('doggy').

Design inspiration

Rockruff appears to be based on a spitz-type dog. Bulbapedia also suggests the Japanese wolf, linked in tradition to rocks and mountains, and the extinct Hawaiian poi dog. These are fan readings.

Evolution notes

Rockruff evolves into Lycanroc at level 25: Midday Form by day, Midnight Form at night, or Dusk Form in the evening for an Own Tempo Rockruff only. In Generation VII, Sun and Ultra Sun gave only Midday Form, and Moon and Ultra Moon only Midnight Form.

In the games

An Own Tempo Rockruff was a limited event gift in Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon from November 2017 to January 2018, then became obtainable in normal play from Generation VIII. Rockruff itself first appeared in Sun and Moon.

In the anime

Rockruff debuted in 'The Guardian's Challenge!' in Professor Kukui's care, and Ash caught it in 'Rocking Clawmark Hill!'.

Fun facts

• An Own Tempo Rockruff counts internally as a separate form, so it cannot be Wonder Traded, and in Scarlet and Violet its Pokédex number does not show in the Boxes.
• It shares the lowest base Defense of any Rock type with Cranidos.
• In the Pokémon Horizon manga, Akira's Rockruff can evolve into Lycanroc and then change back, thanks to a strange red stone on its neck.

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

Base stats

• HP: 45
• Attack: 65
• Defense: 40
• Sp. Atk: 30
• Sp. Def: 40
• Speed: 60

Rockruff’s base stat total is 280. Its highest stat is Attack.

Type matchups

What is Rockruff weak to?

Rockruff takes extra damage from Water (2×), Grass (2×), Fighting (2×), Ground (2×), Steel (2×) moves.

It resists Normal (½×), Fire (½×), Poison (½×), Flying (½×).

Evolution

How does Rockruff evolve?

Rockruff evolves into Lycanroc (Level 25, during the day or Level 25, at night or Level 25, at dusk). Dusk Form only comes from an Own Tempo Rockruff.

The whole family: Rockruff, Lycanroc.

Forms

• Own Tempo Rockruff (Forme): Rock-type, base stat total 280 (HP 45, Attack 65, Defense 40, Sp. Atk 30, Sp. Def 40, Speed 60). Ability: Own Tempo.

Abilities

• Keen Eye: Prevents accuracy from being lowered.
• Vital Spirit: Prevents sleep.
• Steadfast (hidden ability): Raises Speed one stage upon flinching.

Moves

Moves Rockruff learns by level up in Scarlet / Violet

TM moves (38)

Rockruff can learn 38 moves from TMs in Scarlet / Violet: Take Down, Charm, Mud-Slap, Scary Face, Protect, Fire Fang, Thunder Fang, Trailblaze, Facade, Bulldoze, Snarl, Rock Tomb, Endure, Sandstorm, Dig, Zen Headbutt, Psychic Fangs, Body Slam, Sleep Talk, Stomping Tantrum, Rest, Rock Slide, Taunt, Swords Dance, Iron Head, Substitute, Iron Defense, Crunch, Stealth Rock, Hyper Voice, Play Rough, Helping Hand, Earth Power, Stone Edge, Tera Blast, Roar, Double-Edge, Endeavor.

Egg moves (3):Endeavor, Last Resort, Thrash.

Breeding & training

• Gender: 50% male, 50% female.
• Egg groups: Field.
• Egg cycles: 15 (steps to hatch, Scarlet/Violet: 1,920).
• Catch rate: 190 out of 255.
• Base friendship (Gen 8 onward): 50.
• Growth rate: Medium (1,000,000 experience points to reach level 100).
• Defeating it gives 1 Attack effort value.
• Base experience yield: 56.

Pokédex entries

This Pokémon intimidates opponents by striking the ground with the rocks on its neck. The moment an opponent flinches, Rockruff attacks. (Shield)

This Pokémon can bond very strongly with its Trainer, but it also has a habit of biting. Raising a Rockruff for a long time can be challenging. (Sword)

When it rubs the rocks on its neck against you, that's proof of its love for you. However, the rocks are sharp, so the gesture is quite painful! (Ultra Moon)

As they develop, their disposition grows more violent and aggressive. Many Trainers find them too much to handle and abandon them. (Ultra Sun)

This Pokémon has lived with people since times long ago. It can sense when its Trainer is in the dumps and will stick close by its Trainer's side. (Moon)

It's considered to be a good Pokémon for beginners because of its friendliness, but its disposition grows rougher as it grows up. (Sun)

Names around the world

Trivia

• Lightest Rock type in Gen 7: 9.2 kg.
• Lowest base stat total among Rock types in Gen 7: 280.
• Taller than 19% of all Pokémon (0.5 m).
• Heavier than 26% of all Pokémon (9.2 kg).
• Base stat total 280, ranked #913 of 1,025.
• One of 74 Rock-type Pokémon (counting dual types).
• One of 147 brown Pokémon.
• Number 23 of 88 Pokémon introduced in Generation 7 (Alola).
• Part of an evolution family of 2 Pokémon.
• Can learn 47 different moves in Scarlet / Violet.
• Catch rate 190: about 24.8% per Poké Ball at full health.
• Has 1 alternate form.
• Appears in 6 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: Rockruff (Pokémon), Serebii: Rockruff (Scarlet/Violet Pokédex).
• Pronunciation (ROK-ruf): 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

Rock-type Pokémon · Alola region guide · Keen Eye ability · Vital Spirit ability · Steadfast ability · Compare Rockruff · Full Pokédex · Type chart · All moves

Browse similar Pokémon

Gen 7 Rock-type Pokémon · Gen 7 Pokémon list · Brown Pokémon list · Field egg group · Pokémon that start with R · Dog Pokémon

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