Pokémon Red and Blue set so many standards for the series, and one of those was the inclusion of the interesting fossil Pokémon. Choosing between the helix fossil or the dome fossil was another tough choice on your road to becoming the very best, and unlike the starters, most players had no idea which Pokémon they would receive at the end of the process!
Well, thanks to some… dubious science, players can revive the awesome Kabuto or Omanyte, and almost every generation since has featured a couple of the classic creatures. But which are the very best? Luckily you don’t need any science to dig up the answers, as we’ve put together the ultimate guide to the best fossil Pokémon. Grab your shovels and let’s get pre-historic with it.
For even more great Pokémon guides, covering the latest and greatest with Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, Pokémon Legends: Arceus, and even Pokémon Go; check out our great guides like articles covering the best gen 1 pokémon, dog pokémon, cat pokémon, and gen 8 Pokémon.
Let’s dig into our best fossil Pokémon guide.
Fossil Pokémon
Omanyte
Based on an ammonite, a precursor to cephalopods like the nautilus or the cuttlefish, Omanyte has a distinctive spiral shell and an adorable blue body with tendrils ready to attack. The rock/water-type comes from the helix fossil, and while its evolution Omastar is also pretty great, this little guy just cinches it with the cute factor.
Aerodactyl
With a good chance of being the best fossil Pokémon ever created, Aerodactyl is based on the pterodactyl, and like its namesake, this Pokémon is a terror of the skies, combining rock/flying for an interesting type spread we’ve still very rarely seen ever since. While it might not be the strongest Pokémon out there, it did get a great power boost with the fearsome mega Aerodactyl, and the new form adds some jagged rocks to make this Pokémon even more terrifying than ever.
Bastiodon
I know a lot of people are in the Rampardos camp, and look I love the pachysaurus as well, but something about Bastiodon just makes this defensive powerhouse way more interesting. It’s based on the zuniceratops, and is the nearest Pokémon has ever gotten to giving us a Pokémon properly based on a triceratops; aka, the coolest dinosaur. It sports a whopping 168 physical defence and 138 special defence, as well as wielding rock/steel typing for some great defensive coverage. The plates on its face also form a castle, which is just rad. Bastiodon fans rise up!
Carracosta
To paraphrase an internet legend, I like turtles. Carracosta isn’t anything new, it’s one of many turtle Pokémon, and it also sports the same rock/water typing that we’ve seen a few times before, but it’s just a cool design and I’ve always preferred it to its generational counterpart Archen and Archeops. Sadly, slow and steady doesn’t win the race in Pokémon, and Carracosta is let down by a dismal 32 speed, even though it has an impressive 133 physical defence. It might fit on a weird trick room team, but outside of just being cool to look at, I can’t think of many reasons to put this shell-wearing pal in my team.
Tyrantrum
Just have a quick look at that and tell me it isn’t awesome. Holding the title of the second best Pokémon whose name starts with Tyran, Tyrantrum is a rock/dragon t-rex Pokémon that finally delivered on the dream of a pocket monster based on the infamous dino that invaded so many children’s nightmares after Jurassic Park. Sadly it’s got a few devastating weaknesses, as it’s weak to dragon, ice, and fairy among others, but it at least has a respectable 121 attack stat to play around with as well as access to ancient power, allowing lucky users to improve its attacks even more. A truly terrifying prospect.
Dracozolt
Look I’ve got a lot of issues with Pokémon Sword & Shield, but the spin they put on fossil Pokémon is truly genius. Instead of simply giving players fossils like before and picking a single Pokémon, Sword and Shield instead have four Pokémon that are the result of some serious science gone wrong. Different fossil parts have been mixed up, giving players the chance to create four ancient abominations, clearly pulled from different parts of various creatures.
Out of the four, Dracozolt just pips the post as the best, thanks to its really fun design with a tiny raptor-like body poking out of massive legs, and the fun electric/dragon-type pairing. While its stat spread leaves a lot to be desired, with the highest being a perfectly average 100 physical attack, none of the stats are particularly lacking, so with a bit of tweaking, this can be an interesting addition to your party. We’d love to see the true forms of these four Pokémon one day, perhaps in Pokémon Legends: Eternatus about fifteen years from now, aye?
Alright Poké pals, that’s all for now. If you disagree with our list then be sure to get in touch over at the Pocket Tactics Facebook page, but for even more great guides, be sure to head on over to our article covering the best gen 5 Pokémon next.
