As my first blog, it’s only fitting that I write about the combination of my two favorite hobbies – Pokémon and Dinosaurs. Six generations of fossil Pokémon have brought us to this point. Below, I’ll break down which [evolved] fossils rock my list and which ones should’ve stayed unrestored.

Before I get down to the nitty-gritty, it’s important to understand these notes:

These rankings are purely subjective.

That’s it, those are the notes. Let’s do this.

15. Arctovish

As much as I want to love Arctovish, it’s simply awful. You’ll find that I strongly dislike the gen 8 fossils, as they could have been something truly amazing. While it’s historically accurate that paleontologists mixed and matched fossils from various prehistoric creatures in the early days of dinosaur discovery, I find it unconvincing to add this non-fiction theme into the Galar region.

Aside from the fact that Arctovish can be a reliable competitive battler with its signature move – fishious rend, it brings little to nothing to the table.

14. Arctozolt

Choosing between Arctovish and Arctozolt is like choosing between the two most unathletic kids in your class for your dodgeball team. Arctozolt barely scrapes past Arctovish on my list, simply because it looks slightly more coherent. Arctozolt has a reliable STAB combination that can seriously do some damage in the main story-line, but in the end, its design is its ultimate downfall.

13. Dracozolt

Keeping the gen 8 train running is Dracozolt. It has the second-best shiny of the four Galar fossils and its typing is certainly unique. The dual typing of dragon and electric allows for Dracozolt to take down certain types that a normal dragon type would have difficulty with.

I don’t have many negative things to say about Dracozolt, however, the mismatched theme will never resonate well with me, which leaves it sitting at number 13.

12. Omastar

Around a quarter of the fossil Pokémon are based on aquatic arthropods. I find these prehistoric creatures fascinating, but Omastar is definitely the weakest of the bunch. With devastatingly low speed, Omastar is vulnerable to 1-hit KO’s.

Omastar has a beuatiful shiny and many internet users know it as lord helix, but this fossil is frankly too weak to make it higher into my rankings.

11. Cradily

When you don’t consider Cradily’s speed, it has a well-rounded stat line. It’s also important to note that it and Lileep are the only Pokémon with a grass/rock dual typing. This allows Cradily to damage a wider variety of opponents and learn unique moves.

In battle, Cradily’s main purposes are to set off stealth rock and tank some of the harder hitting attackers. In sapphire, ruby, and emerald, Cradily can be a beneficial addition to your team, however, future generations lack the need for this fossil.

10. Bastiodon

Bastiodon is a dependable tank, capable of withstanding numerous hits from your opponent. However, since its defense and special defense are so high, it has a dangerously low attack and speed stat. If you get backed into a corner or are stranded with just your Bastiodon, you will likely lose unless you have a super effective advantage or are using a trick room team.

Being the only fossil based on a ceratopsian certainly gives Bastiodon brownie points in my book, but its viability in competitive matches is too low for it to be ranked higher and it is of no help to defeat the almighty Cynthia.

9. Aurorus

Generation six brought us two of the coolest looking fossil Pokémon in the franchise – one of which, is Aurorus. Not only is it the sole Pokémon based on a Sauropod, but it also possesses a unique typing of rock and ice. When you add these factors into the fact that it has a gigantic, beautiful sail, this majestic long neck is the queen of ice types (sorry Froslass).

A common theme amongst fossils is that they lack speed, which is the main reason that they don’t get used often. This is the case for Aurorus, as its numerous weaknesses allow for it to be taken out rather quickly. If you really need an ice type for your Kalos team, Avalugg is equally bulky with fewer weaknesses.

8. Kabutops

There is little contrast between the skills of Kabutops and Omastar. The reason that I’m ranking Kabutops higher than Omastar is that the scythe-like hands and fierce personality of Kabutops is much more compelling than a tentacle monster.

The stat line of Kabutops shows little difference when compared to Omastar, however with faster speed, Kabutops is less vulnerable to 1-hit KO’s. I rarely use these two fossils when playing through Kanto-based games due to the amount of work it takes to get them battle-ready, therefore, neither will ever break the top 5 on my list.

7. Carracosta

Carracosta is based on the prehistoric giant turtle, Archelon, which takes us deeper into my subjectivity. Sea turtles are one of my favorite aquatic species, which is why I am ranking it so high on my list. The sheer mass of Archelon fascinates me and is a key factor for me when choosing the perfect gen 5 team.

As much as I can fangirl about prehistoric sea life, Carracosta has too many weaknesses and not enough speed to be a reliable party member. It lacks competitive value and isn’t much help in your quest to become a Unovan Pokémon master.

6. Aerodactyl

Aerodactyl is a beast. There’s not much more to it. With well-rounded stats and a killer speed stat, this pterosaur can do some serious damage in the Kanto region.

It’s also the only fossil that gets a mega-evolution, which makes it infinitely cooler than the rest of the fossils.

5. Dracovish

I’m surprised that I ended up liking this abhorred abomination so much. Not only does it have a fantastic shiny, but it wreaks havoc in raids and competitive battles. With the ability strong jaw and boosted speed EV’s, Dracovish is a force to be reckoned with. I would most definitely rank it higher if it didn’t have the mismatch theme.

4. Rampardos

When you take out legendaries and mega evolutions, Rampardos has the highest base attack of any Pokémon. Now combine that with a unique design based on a Pachycephalosaurus and we’ve got ourselves one heck of a Pokémon.

Rampardos certainly has some negative side effects, such as having low stats in nearly every category, but if you use beast throughout the Sinnoh region, you’ll be breezing through the gym challenge.

3. Tyrantrum

The fossil that everyone has been waiting for since generation one – Tyrantrum. A Tyrannosaurus Rex Pokémon has been years in the making, and boy did they not disappoint.

Tyrantrum possesses many characteristics of your average rock type. It has a solid HP stat, high attack, and high defense. However, while most other fossils lack these features, Tyrantrum also has an average speed and special defense stat, making it an incredibly well-rounded attacker.

2. Archeops

If anyone has made it this far into the list, you’re probably very confused about this choice, and are even more confused about the fact that the only Pokémon left is none other than Armaldo.

The design of Archeops is one of my favorites in the entire game. The main reason is because they nailed the historical accuracy of one of the most famous dinosaurs ever. Another reason is that Archeops has the highest average stat rating out of any of the fossils.

The ultimate downfall of Archeops is that its ability renders it incredibly vulnerable once its health reaches below 50%. When factoring in Archeops’s base stats and ability, it becomes a risky party member, however, due to my love for its design, I will always have this mon in my top three.

Armaldo

Let’s start with the facts. Armaldo has a solid stat line, with not much room for error, except for the low speed stat. It has a particular typing of rock and bug, which allows for it to counter unique typings that most rock attackers cannot, such as dark and grass.

Now let’s talk opinions. Armaldo has one of the best designs of any Pokémon. The armor, claws, eyes, head shape, and coloration make it one of the cutest, yet fierce Pokémon in the game.

Armaldo is not only my favorite fossil, but it’s my favorite Pokémon in general. I’d love to hear your thoughts and personal rankings on the fossils.