Donphan (Pokémon)

← #231: Phanpy

Pokémon

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Donphan ドンファン Donfan #232
Art by Ken Sugimori from FireRed and LeafGreen
Type Ground ' Unknown Unknown Blue-Striped Unknown Unknown Unknown Unknown Unknown Unknown Unknown Unknown	Category Armor Pokémon
Ability Sturdy Blue-Striped -----	Exp. at Lv. 100 1,000,000
Regional Pokédex numbers Kanto #— Johto #201 Hoenn #166 Sinnoh — Unova Not in any regional Pokédex
Regional Browser numbers Fiore R-035 Almia R— Oblivia R-210 N-086
Height 3'07″ Imperial 1.1 m Metric 3'07″/1.1 m Red-Striped 0'0"/0.0 m Blue-Striped 0'0"/0.0 m
Weight 264.6 lbs. Imperial 120.0 kg Metric 264.6 lbs./120.0 kg Red-Striped 0.0 lbs./0.0 kg Blue-Striped 0.0 lbs./0.0 kg
Dex color Gray	Catch rate 60 (7.8%)
Body style Blue-Striped	Footprint      Blue-Striped
Gender ratio Gender unknown Unknown 50% male, 50% female
Breeding Ground group 21 cycles (5355 minimum steps)
EV yield HP 0 Atk 1 Def 1 Sp.Atk 0 Sp.Def 0 Speed 0 Base Exp.: 189 Battle Exp.: 1891*
External links On Smogon Pokédex: Generation II Generation III Generation IV Generation V Generation VI Generation VII Generation VIII Generation IX Artwork on Bulbagarden Archives

Donphan (Japanese: ドンファン Donfan) is a Template:Type2 Pokémon.

It evolves from Phanpy starting at level 25.

Biology

Physiology

Donphan are light-gray elephant-like Pokémon. There is a thick, black band of hide that run down the length of Donphan's back and extends to the trunk, resembling a car tire. Donphan have four short legs with three claws with each leg having a black band around them. They also sport a pair of white tusks, and elongated ears held stiffly to Donphan's sides.

Gender differences

A female Donphan has shorter tusks than a male.

Special abilities

It has the ability to curl up into a ball and violently roll around like a wheel. Once it starts its rampage it will be almost unstoppable. These rolling tackles are strong enough to knock down a house. Its hide is also very tough. Regular attacks won't leave a scratch on it.

Behavior

Donphan travel in a herd that is lead by a single Donphan. The larger the tusks, the higher its rank in the herd will be. They are also prone on going on violent rampages by curling into a ball and rolling almost nonstop. During their breeding season, male Donphan compete for mates by rolling as well to show how tough they are. This rolling is known as the Love Dance. Donphan are also known to have a keen sense of smell, at least in the sense of being able to detect amberite, and will upraise their trunks into the air to smell for it.

Habitat

These Pokémon seem to prefer rough, mountainous terrain.

Diet

Main article: Pokémon food

It is herbivorous, depicted to feed on shrubs. It apparently has an affinity for the Passho Berry, as it is occasionally found with it.

In the anime

Two Donphan in the anime.

Major appearances

Ash's Donphan

In Reversing the Charges, Ash's Phanpy evolved into Donphan. It proved to be an excellent member of his team showing its strength in every battle.

Other

Donphan's first major role was in Roll On, Pokémon! A girl named Rochelle was using one to find amberite.

In Date Expectations, many Donphan were falling in love with a Template:Shiny2 Donphan.

Minor appearances

Donphan first made a brief appearance in the beginning of Mewtwo Strikes Back, under the ownership of Raymond. At the time, it was an unknown Pokémon.

Tyson used a Donphan during the Hoenn League.

In Pokémon Ranger and the Kidnapped Riolu! Part Two, Kellyn had a Donphan smash through the cave-ins that were caused by an Aggron that belonged to Pokémon Hunter J's client.

A Donphan also appeared in Battling the Generation Gap!.

Another Donphan appeared in Challenging a Towering Figure!.

Jimmy battles Ash with a Donphan in the beginning of Ruler of Illusions: Zoroark.

Pokédex entries

In the manga

Pokémon Adventures

A herd of Donphan were used by a thieving ruffian in Volume 8. In RS Saga, Wattson tells Sapphire to stop a rampaging Donphan in New Mauville. After a fierce battle, she finally caught it.

Pokédex entries

In the TCG

Main article: Donphan (TCG)

Game data

Pokédex entries

Game locations

In side games

Stats

Base stats

Pokéathlon stats

Type effectiveness

Learnset

By leveling up

|- style="text-align:center" | style="text-align:left" | ground | style="background:#915121" |  ground 

| style=" background:#FFF" | 4 | style=" background:#FFF" | 2 | style=" background:#FFF" | Donphan | style="display:none; background:#FFF" | {{{6}}} Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Movelist/note

By TM/HM

Template:Movelisttm Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Movelist/note

By breeding

Template:Eggmoves Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Eggmoves/note

By tutoring

Template:Tutor Template:Mtentry4 Template:Mtentry4 Template:Mtentry4 Template:Mtentry4 Template:Mtentry4 Template:Mtentry4 Template:Mtentry4 Template:Mtentry4 Template:Mtentry4 Template:Mtentry4 Template:Mtentry4 Template:Mtentry4

|- style="background:#B88E6F" | colspan="13" | Bold indicates a move that gets STAB
Italic indicates a move that gets STAB only from an evolution of this Pokémon
A colored initial indicates that the move is not available to be tutored in this game,
while a colored background indicates that the move is available. |} |}

Side game data

Pokémon Pinball  N/A  Not available		Pokémon Pinball RS    Acquisition: Evolve		Pokémon Trozei!    Rarity: Rare
Pokémon Mystery Dungeon Red Rescue Team and Blue Rescue Team File:MDP RT 232.png Body size: 1 Recruit rate: Evolve Friend Area: Safari Phrases 51%-100% HP The length of these tusks is a measure of my power! 26%-50% HP This won't do. My health has dwindled to half. 1%-25% HP I've had enough... My tusks are too heavy to move... Level up I've leveled up! My tusks seem to have thrust out more! Partner phrases 51%-100% HP <name>, my HP is between 51% and 100%. 26%-50% HP <name>, my HP is between 26% and 50%. 1%-25% HP <name>, my HP is between 1% and 25%. Level up I've leveled up! My tusks seem to have thrust out more!
Pokémon Mystery Dungeon Explorers of Time, Explorers of Darkness, and Explorers of Sky Body size: 1 Recruit rate: 0.5% IQ group: E
Pokémon Ranger Group:  Ground  Poké Assist: ( Ground ) Field move: (Tackle ×2) Loops: 10 Min. exp.: 60 Max. exp.: 85 Browser entry   Donphan rolls its body into a ball to charge. Its crash can shake things up!
Pokémon Ranger: Shadows of Almia Group:  Normal  Poké Assist: None Field move: None Browser entry   This Pokémon does not have a browser entry.
Pokémon Ranger: Guardian Signs Group: Poké Assist: Field move:  Ground  ( Ground ) Past ( Normal ) (Tackle ×3) Past (Electrify ×1) Browser entry   This Pokémon does not have a browser entry.
Pokémon Rumble N/A Not Available Defense Speed N/A Not Available Defense Speed			Pokémon Rumble Blast N/A Not Available Defense Speed N/A Not Available Defense Speed N/A Not Available Defense Speed N/A Not Available Defense Speed
PokéPark Wii: Pikachu's Adventure PokéPark Pad entry: This Pokémon has no PokéPark Pad entry.
PokéPark 2: Wonders Beyond Strong: {{{Park2strong}}} Weak: {{{Park2weak}}} PokéPark Pad entry: This Pokémon has no PokéPark Pad entry.
Pokémon Conquest HP: Move: {{{ConquestMove}}} Attack: Ability 1: {{{ConquestAbility1}}} Defense: Ability 2: {{{ConquestAbility2}}} Speed: Ability 3: {{{ConquestAbility3}}} Does not evolve. Range: 0 Perfect Links: {{{ConquestLink}}}

Evolution

Unevolved Phanpy  Ground

Level 25 →

First evolution Donphan  Ground

Sprites

Gen	Game
I	Red	Blue	Yellow		Red (Ja)	Green	Back
	This Pokémon did not appear during Generation I.
II	Gold	Silver	Crystal				Back
III	Ruby	Sapphire	Emerald		FireRed	LeafGreen	Back
IV	Diamond	Pearl	Platinum		HeartGold	SoulSilver	Back
V	Black	White	Black 2	White 2			Back

For other sprites and images, please see Donphan images on Bulbagarden Archives.

Trivia

• Donphan was the first evolved Generation II Pokémon seen in the anime, and the third Generation II Pokémon ever introduced, after Ho-Oh and Togepi. However, its name, and that of the move it used, Rollout, was not revealed in its debut. Its name was finally revealed when a promotional set of cards was released for Mewtwo Strikes Back.
• Donphan shares the same species name with Tyranitar. They are both known as Armor Pokémon.
• Donphan, along with its pre-evolution Phanpy, and also Seel and Shellder, are the only non-Ice type Pokémon that can learn Ice Shard. Seel and Shellder can learn it by leveling up, while it is an egg move for Phanpy. However, both Seel and Shellder evolve into dual-Ice types.
• In Crystal, Donphan could also learn Water Gun via breeding, reflecting elephant's propensity for hosing down their bodies with their trunks. However, the circumstances for its inability to do so in later games are the same as those of its pre-evolution.
• Donphan and Ursaring, along with their pre-evolutions, are the only Pokémon to swap version-exclusive status between localizations. While Phanpy and Donphan are found only in the Japanese Gold, they are not found in Gold in other languages, being found in the Silver Version of those languages instead, with Teddiursa and Ursaring getting the opposite treatment.
• Donphan is one of several Pokémon whose sprites were altered during translation of Pokémon Silver. In Donphan's case, the underside of his trunk was changed from striped gray, similar to a real trunk, to solid black.

Origin

It appears to have been based on an adult elephant, although it resembles the tire of an automobile when curled up or using its trademark Rollout attack.

Name origin

Phan obviously comes from elephant. Don- could mean a lord; a root word meaning teeth, referring to its tusks; or mastodon, a prehistoric elephant. Don- may have also been included to reflect Donphan's robust physique and great strength, especially in comparison to Phanpy.

In other languages

• German: Donphan
• French: Donphan
• Korean: 코리갑 Kkorigam
• Chinese (Taiwan): 頓甲 Dùn Jiǎ - May mean "Stamping armor". The character 頓 can mean to "stop", to "arrange", to "kowtow" or to "stamp (one's feet)". 頓 can also be just a transliteration of "Don" in its Japanese name.

Related articles

• Ash's Donphan

External links

← #231: Phanpy

Pokémon

#233: Porygon2 →

This Pokémon article is part of Project Pokédex, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on each Pokémon as a species.