Fossil Pokémon have been a staple of Pokémon games since the beginning of the series. These Pokémon are creatures that have been created from fossils that are millions of years old, effectively reviving extinct species in the Pokémon world. Each region brings its own fossils to the table, sometimes (but not always) mirroring real-life prehistoric counterparts. While the concept of Fossil Pokémon is an interesting one, they are oftentimes overlooked in favor of more powerful species. Many have found popularity, such as the ferocious Aerodactyl or Tyrantrum, but there are several Fossil Pokémon who are often overlooked.
While not always effective in battle, there are a wide variety of Fossil Pokémon in the National Pokedex. Some have gained popularity through community action, such as Omanyte and Omastar, who gained notoriety as “Lord Helix” through the Twitch Plays Pokémon phenomenon. One of the Fossils that has not gotten the attention it deserves is Carracosta. Based on its design, typing, move set, and lore, it is certainly one of the most underrated Fossil Pokémon in the series.
Hailing from Generation V, which is notable for being itself an underrated generation, it’s no surprise that Carracosta has been more or less forgotten. Retrievable from a Cover Fossil, Carracosta’s first form is Tirtouga. The small creature heavily resembles a turtle at first, making it slightly underwhelming compared to its rival, Archen. Despite its endearing appearance, Tirtouga evolves into the more intimidating Carracosta, an almost Godzilla-like beast capable of destroying its enemies.
Unova’s Carracosta Is The Most Underrated Fossil Pokémon
While Tirtouga’s design might be less intimidating, it and Carracosta have definitively prehistoric appearances. Water-typed Fossil Pokemon aren’t new, but Tirtouga and Carracosta are based on the prehistoric turtle Archeleon and its smaller cousin, Protostega. While these are less well-known than popular dinosaurs like Tyrannosaurus rex or the pterodactyl, veering from the more heavily used dinosaur designs ensured unique origins for this Fossil Pokémon. Creatures such as Tyrantrum, Aerodactyl, and Kabutops have appealing designs but have many lookalikes throughout different shows, manga, and video games. Carracosta’s uniqueness and demeanor make it the monster that opponents will never see coming.
With a Water-Rock dual typing, Carracosta is resistant to five different types, including Fire, Ice, Normal, and Poison. It is damaged normally by nine different types, including the series' newest type: Fairy. Carracosta’s greatest weakness is Grass-type Pokemon, which has 4x effectiveness against it. Despite these weaknesses, Carracosta’s various abilities work to counter their effectiveness against it. Carracosta can avoid being knocked out by a single move with Sturdy, including attacks from Pokémon with One-Hit KO moves. Solid Rock decreases the damage received by super-effective moves by 25%, regardless of its level of effectiveness. In addition to this, Carracosta has many powerful abilities that can be utilized in battle, and it can learn Shell Smash, Hydro Pump, Rock Slide, and Brine by leveling up.
While the classic Fossil Pokémon have great appeal, Carracosta is one of the unsung heroes of its type. Coming from a generation of underrated Pokémon, Carracosta stands out as a unique design of a prehistoric water-dwelling creature. Its move sets and abilities make it a formidable opponent in battle, capable of rivaling many more popular monsters. The next time Trainers are looking to add an extinct creature to their Pokémon team, Carracosta might be just the right choice.