Line #18 FanonPokedex/Geodude


1	! Geodude Line
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3	!! Morphs [Oak Catalog #]
4	* Geodude [074]
5	* Graveler [075]
6	* Golem [076]
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8	Geodude, Graveler and Golem are arguably the best-known rock Pokemon and amongst the best-characterised by scientists, as well as being one of the more common lines of this type. Geodude looks essentially like a large, usually grey rock with two strong arms sticking out of the side, and is less than half a metre tall on average. Its dense, roughly-spherical body makes it potentially rather heavy for its size, but the weight of this Pokemon tends to vary a lot even when they are at a similar size (see Notable Biology below), though they are no lighter than 20 kilograms. They have no legs, and move by rolling or hauling themselves around using their arms, and their "face" is dominated by their large eyes and mouth. Graveler is markedly larger (now approaching a metre tall and no lighter than 100 kilograms), and comparatively heavier. Its arms, eyes and mouth have shrunk compared to a Geodude, but it now possesses a small pair of legs and an extra pair of arms. The final evolution, Golem, grows to about 1.4 metres tall, with some specimens being recorded to weigh over 700 kilograms. None have been recorded being lighter than 300 kilograms. The most physically different of the three Pokemon, Golem now has a distinct lizardlike head and more proportioned arms and legs (though its arms are still smaller than Geodude's in relation to its body.) It changes from grey to brown, and its rocky body develops into distinct scale-like segments. Golem are very rare in the wild, as an electromagnetic burst is required to trigger their transformation from Graveler, however, the trading machines produce energy in the same wavelengths which is how most trainers acquire a Golem.
9	A rare non-heritable mutation causes the shells of this species to take on a distinctly golden hue. They are prized by trainers, but due to their worse camouflage in their natural habitat, do not fare as well in the wild as their more common counterparts.
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11	!! Notable Biology
12	The skin of these Pokemon looks like rock, and this description is partially correct. Geodude, Graveler and Golem incorporate rock salts, silicates, and other rock and mineral components into their bodies from rocks that they eat. Their digestive system is capable of breaking down rocks and minerals into their components, which then get taken to the skin of the Pokemon via a specialised series of transport proteins present in the Pokemon's circulatory system before being reassembled by a suite of specialised polymeric enzymes and skin excretions, and in the case of a Golem can reach up to an inch thick. Their skin itself is composed of a rough layer of thick scale, which in itself provides plenty of protection. Underneath this rocky exterior, Geodude, Graveler and Golem are all organic and are subject to disease and injury, something that novice trainers may forget, given that they look like rock and eat rock. Depending on the exact region, the composition, weight and to a lesser extent colour of a Geodude, Graveler and Golem varies, entirely dependent on what rocks they eat. In areas with higher-density rocks and minerals, the Pokemon will end up heavier - a Geodude subsisting mainly on haematite for its shell will be heavier (and redder) than one subsisting on granite. They shed their rocky shell as they grow, and roughly once a year once they are a Golem. Once the shell is off their bodies, they typically eat it immediately to begin replacing their shell as soon as possible.
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14	Internally, these Pokemon have very strong muscles and bones to carry their great weight. Much of their body is muscle, with many organs being smaller than other Pokemon of their size. To compensate, they have anaerobic systems that use an alternate metabolic pathway to most other species that produces significantly more usable energy. They are also cold-blooded, and spend most of their time motionless to conserve energy except when very young. When they have to move, they can do so with surprising speed, but usually only over short distances. Geodude tend to be the most active of the line, having the least weight to support and the most thoroughly-developed internal organs, and they can often be seen hurling themselves up and down slopes when they are not staying still and pretending to be rocks. Graveler, despite gaining legs and a pair of extra arms when it evolves, is the most lethargic of the line and will tend to remain motionless in an area that sees a lot of Pokemon traffic. Graveler's limbs are all vestigial and are mostly used for coordination when it starts and stops rolling, and for moving food to its mouth. It shows crude multidexterity with its arms - it is able to use them all at the same time for tasks, but their limited movement range mean they cannot do much with them anyway. Golem gains distinct, fully-functioning arms and legs when Graveler evolves, and does not seem to need the second pair as these longer arms can do more work than two sets of vestigial arms. The distinct head that it develops also provides a couple of advantages. First, Golem's eyes are now in front of its body, rather than on its body, and are on the sides of its head, giving it a much wider field of vision. Second, having a distinct head allows the mouth and brain to be removed from the body, freeing up space and allowing the internal organs to develop a little more; as a result, Golem is a little more active than Graveler, and much better able to respond to changes in its environment.
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16	There are three noticeable subspecies from this line, and they all bear differences in their skin below the rock shell. One subspecies has skin with many evenly-spread anchor points for the rocky shell, allowing the Pokemon to use normally-dangerous attacks without any risk of hurting themselves, as the shock of impact is dissipated around their shell. Another is the opposite - it has very few anchor points. This instead causes impacts to not spread so much into the body, allowing them durability to survive almost any attack and continue functioning as the shell takes the majority of a powerful blow while it is intact, though it tends to fall apart more as a result. The shells of these Geodude, Graveler and Golem tend to require more replacement than the first variety if the Pokemon has to engage in a great deal of fighting. The third, rarer subtype develop an uneven, thinner rock shell. As a result, they need a little less energy to support their bulk, and the unusual angles in their shell can sometimes deflect attacks harmlessly, which is much more noticeable in a sandstorm when their shell cannot be accurately scanned for weaker or flat points.
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18	A drastically different type of Geodude and its evolutions can be found in the Alola region. Unlike its more common brethren, the Alola Geodude are not in fact Ground-types at all, but Rock/Electric types, an almost unique combination that is rarely seen elsewhere. Possibly related to the area's high volcanic and seismic activity, this line of Geodude posses electric abilities paired with the typical high defense of Rock-types. Intriguingly, Alola Golem possess a strange formation on their backs that functions as a natural rail cannon, allowing the Pokemon to fire iron-rich boulders at high speeds by propelling them with its own magnetic field, similar to the hand launchers used by [[FanonPokedex/{{Rhyhorn}} Rhyperior]].
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20	!! Habitat
21	These Pokemon are universally found in mountainous conditions and caves. Geodude are found in just about every cave in Kanto, Johto, Hoenn and Sinnoh. Graveler are also found in these caves, and are also found in Unova's Challenger's Cave, though they are not as common. As stated above, Golem are rare in the wild - while they have been seen in the wild at these locations, seeing one is unusual. This is assuming one even manages to see them as they are well-suited to their environments, naturally looking like any other large rock.
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23	!! Diet
24	Pokemon from this line are omnivorous [[ExtremeOmnivore and can eat almost anything]], though they generally take a long time to digest their food. Geodude, being more mobile and more inclined to live outside caves, are generally the most likely to eat plants. They tend to eat trees, branches and shrubs, eschewing leafy material. All three members of the line are ambush predators - Geodude tend to wait until the limb of a Pokemon or person passes nearby before grabbing it and attempting to crush it, while Graveler and Golem tend to charge at things that come within range, using powerful attacks to prevent the prey's escape.
25	All members of the line eat rocks, minerals and to a lesser extent, soil. During the first stages of life, a Geodude will eat huge amounts of rock. After their shell is developed, the Pokemon tend to only consume smaller amounts.
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27	!! Hazards
28	Geodude and Graveler are the most commonly-encountered members of this line. Geodude in particular can be very dangerous to inexperienced trainers, as they may well not have a Pokemon that can damage their hard shell. Furthermore, Geodude are the easiest member of the line to miss, and if stepped on nearby, they tend to react by violently swinging their arms at the offender. If this occurs on a mountain slope, the offender may well find themselves bouncing down the mountain. All three members of this line sometimes get from place to place by rolling down slopes, and if they pick up enough speed, they will flatten everything in their path. They also learn a number of powerful attacks that, while common to Rock/Ground types, Geodude (and to a lesser extent Graveler and Golem) learn them quite early. Finally, all three members of this line are capable of learning Selfdestruct and Explosion, and may well decide to use it if they feel seriously threatened. They can survive the blast, but other things often cannot. To make matters worse, some of them as outlined above are virtually guaranteed to survive strong attacks, so even if one does have access to a powerful attack for dealing with these Pokemon, they may remain conscious and detonate themselves anyway.
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30	Despite their strength and natural camouflage, Pokemon from this line are relatively easy for an experienced trainer to deal with. The most important thing to note is that while their physical toughness is incredible, their shells offer no protection against elemental attacks. Water and Grass Pokemon in particular can easily break apart the shell, but even fire attacks that do not rely on physical contact can do a lot of damage. The second thing to note about them is that they are generally unintelligent. Their response to danger is, "hit it until it stops moving", which one can use to their advantage - even if one may not have a Pokemon that it is well-suited for fighting Geodude or Graveler, by getting them to stay mobile and using cover that is bound to be present, you may be able to defeat them without too much trouble, though watch out for their tremor-making abilities. Finally, if you stay observant, you can spot the Pokemon and simply walk around them. It does take a lot of practice to spot these Pokemon, though.
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32	!! Courting and Childrearing
33	During winter, female Geodude, Graveler and Golem will dig a hole and lay a clutch of many small eggs, with Graveler and Golem having somewhat-larger clutches. They typically pick a spot near something edible, such as moss or near grasses. They cover this hole with earth, and the smell of the eggs attract male members of the species to fertilise them, who will bury them again. Newly-hatched Geodude mature quickly, eating a huge amount as they rapidly increase in size. Because their rocky shells have not fully developed, they are very vulnerable and many will not make it to adulthood, some being eaten by other members of their line. Once their shell develops and they become close to adult size, their activity levels plummet.
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35	!! Social Structure
36	Geodude and Graveler do not associate with each other, and Golem do not associate with either of those lines. Both Graveler and Golem sometimes eat Geodude, particularly the baby ones. Wild Golem, on the other hand, do tend to group together in pairs. Observations have shown them to communicate through subsonic vibrations, with researchers likening them to a pair of old men sitting around talking - for the most part it has been shown that what they seem to say seems to have virtually zero content.
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38	!! In Popular Culture
39	Geodude is probably the most well-known Rock-type Pokemon, and considered the quintessential example of what it is to be a Rock-type - slow, tough and dependable. For many trainers, this is the first Rock-type they see and catch, so the line has a large following. This Pokemon line has made appearances in more media than one can easily count, but regardless of what role they play in the story, they are almost always [[MightyGlacier strong, slow]] and [[DumbMuscle dim]].
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Context FanonPokedex / Geodude