Rock Pikmin

Rock Pikmin
Resistance	Brute force (e.g. crushing or impaling)
Attack strength	Strong (20 on lunge)
Mobility	Above average
Throw	Average
Digging speed	Unknown
Carrying capacity	1

Rock Pikmin are a species of Pikmin featured in Pikmin 3. They resemble small polished rocks with Pikmin eyes, limbs, and, just like the winged Pikmin, lavender flowers. The main part of their body seems to be a gray texture of graphite that reflects light, while the "skin" on their arms and legs appears to be smooth and gray. When Rock Pikmin are dismissed, their sprouts glow gray. Their ghosts are also shaped like small gray rocks with eyes. Just like all other types of Pikmin in Pikmin 3, Rock Pikmin share an Onion and are reproduced through collecting nutrients from pellets and corpses. Rock Pikmin are the second type of Pikmin Alph discovers in Pikmin 3, the first being Red Pikmin. 

Traits and abilities

File:Ss (2013-05-18 at 05.51.05).jpg

The Rock Pikmin showing their resistance to crushing.

To do: Get a source for the statement that says they carry stuff faster, and for the "critical hit" thump. Care to do so?

Rock Pikmin, like most Pikmin types, are immune to a specific hazard. These Pikmin, in particular, are immune to blunt force; when crushed by a large object, they are simply driven into the ground and become temporarily buried again. When a creature with a sharp proboscis tries to impale them, they are simply knocked back without taking damage.

Rock Pikmin have very hard exteriors, which allows them to smash through glass, crystals, ice, and even the armor of larger animals (like the Armored Mawdad and the Peckish Aristocrab's claw). However, they do not sink in water, revealing that they do not weigh much.

While Rock Pikmin are stronger in terms of durability, they weigh the same as a normal Pikmin, which means that, while they can be thrown normally, each one only counts for a single Pikmin while carrying items; although they carry objects faster than the average Pikmin due to their strength, much like White Pikmin.

Despite their increased strength, they do have a setback: Rock Pikmin cannot latch onto their targets like other Pikmin, and will instead bounce off and roll back. If left unoccupied, they will repeatedly attack enemies and obstacles by charging head-on into them, doing significantly less damage than other Pikmin types. After hitting something, they roll back and stay lying down for a bit, making their rate of attack atrocious. They can, however, be thrown by a leader to cause more damage than a regular strike, and can be whistled to get up from lying down faster. Rock Pikmin occasionally unleash a more powerful attack to targets they hit by causing a visual and audible "thump," which causes extra damage. However, this "thump," unlike Purple Pikmin, does not stun enemies, but it can cause certain enemies to recoil.

Discovery

File:CrystalOnion.png

The gray Onion encased in crystal.

The Rock Pikmin are discovered in the Garden of Hope, the second area in Pikmin 3. They are found in a cave located north of the landing site. Residing in this cave is a Medusal Slurker that contains 6 Rock Pikmin. After defeating it, the player can use the newly-discovered Pikmin species to free the gray Onion from a large crystal. After propagating enough Rock Pikmin, they can be used to break down the glass wall outside of the cave and free Brittany. At the end of the day, the gray Onion will merge with the red Onion.

Notes

Mission Mode tip

"Rock Pikmin are tough and can cause some serious damage if they land on a target!"

Gallery

• RockyFly.PNG

  Alph throwing Rock Pikmin at a glass wall to break it.

• Crystal Break.jpg

  Rock Pikmin breaking a large crystal.

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  The Medusal Slurker holding some Rock Pikmin.

• RockPikmin2.png

  Leaf, bud, and flower Rock Pikmin.

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  Artwork of the Rock Pikmin from the Official Nintendo Magazine.

• Rock Pikmin-Pikmin3.png

  Early concept art of the Rock Pikmin for Pikmin 3.

• Rock-Pikmin1.jpg

  Finding the Rock Pikmin at the E3 2012 demo.

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  Pikmin 3 artwork.

• Rock Pikmin 3 Artwork 01.jpg

  Pikmin 3 artwork.

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  Pikmin 3 artwork.

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  Pikmin 3 artwork.

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  Pikmin 3 artwork.

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  Pikmin 3 artwork.

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  Pikmin 3 artwork.

Trivia

• In the happy ending of the first Pikmin game, there are four black or gray Pikmin Onions flying above the planet's atmosphere. These could quite possibly be Rock Pikmin Onions, even though the Onions' appearance in Pikmin 3 has changed.
• In Pikmin Adventure, the Knuckle Seed resembles the ability of Rock Pikmin: a straight and strong impact shot.
• Rock Pikmin release "cracking" particle effects for when they hit breakable objects.
• The stem on a Rock Pikmin's head droops lower than on other Pikmin types.
• Rock Pikmin are the only main Pikmin type not to be utilized by Olimar in Super Smash Bros. for 3DS and Wii U in any way.
• As seen in this trailer, Rock Pikmin had 4 skins during the development of Pikmin 3. This feature isn't in the actual game.