It is not known to evolve into or from any other Pokémon.
Groudon possesses the ability to expand continents. In ancient times it came in conflict with Kyogre, a Pokémon with the ability to expand the oceans.
In Pokémon Ruby and Emerald Versions, Groudon is sought after by Team Magma as part of their plot to create more habitats for land Pokémon by lowering the sea level.
Groudon is the version mascot of Ruby, appearing on the boxart.
Groudon is modeled after the Earth's land, as shown by the rocky plates on its back. It is colored red, possibly a reference to its relation with volcanoes. Its massive, armored body is modeled after a behemoth, a creature of legends and religious texts (particularly the Bible) that ruled the land. However, the behemoth is usually depicted as a warthog/hippopotamus-like creature; in the same way that Kyogre is not based on traditional depictions of the leviathan, Groudon's design may be based on lizards or various dinosaurs, specifically a T-Rex, which could explain why it is biped. It has red armor plating with a gray belly and sharp white spikes running from its head down to its tail. It has three large sharp toenails on each foot.
Gender differences
Groudon is a genderless species.
Special abilities
Groudon emanates heat, evaporating surrounding water and causing constant bright sunlight similar to the effects of Sunny Day. The sunlight lasts even after Groudon has left the vicinity. It is thought to have been the creator of land in the Pokémon world. It can heat up the air around it to cause static charge, enabling it to use some electric moves.
Behavior
Slow, stoic, and heavy (2094 pounds--a little over a ton), this super-heavyweight created the land, according to Hoenn legend. It sleeps underground in magma chambers, and causes volcanoes to erupt when it awakens. It is said to appear before those with shining silver spirits.
Groudon sleeps miles below the ground (occasionally in deep, hot magma pockets), and is therefore nearly impossible to find in the wild without awakening it.
Awakening Groudon was the main mission of Team Magma, so they could expand the land. Groudon was finally awakened when Team Magma and Aqua formed a temporary truce to be able to go underwater. Wallace, Brawly, and Roxanne tried to stop the Pokémon's advance but failed due to the interventions of Mack, Courtney, and Tabitha. Eventually, it reaches its destination: Sootopolis City, to battle Kyogre, which it did for days on end until Ruby, with the aid of a reformed Courtney and his own, Rayquaza-controlling father, managed to quell it. Afterwards, it cut its ties with Kyogre and went to resume its slumber at the bottom of Mt. Chimney. It is shown afterwards that this restored the volcanic activities that Team Aqua had earlier annulled.
Groudon is obtainable as a Poké Ball Pokémon. Due to its tremendous size, it takes up a lot of the stage, making its attack almost inescapable. It uses Overheat to immolate itself in a fiery aura, causing anyone who comes into contact with it to be set on fire and sent flying.
Game data
NPC appearances
Pokémon Pinball: Ruby & Sapphire: Groudon is the focus of the second Bonus Field on the Ruby Field. Groudon will throw rocks down from the ceiling to add obstacles to the field and create an eruption to surround itself in pillars of fire. The rocks take three hits to break while the fire pillars take four hits to break. During this time, Groudon will also throw fire balls at the Poké Ball to stall it further. The eruption does break any rocks still on the field. Groudon must be hit 15 times in three minutes to win. After beating the round twice, Groudon will be captured.
Groudon has long been described in mythology as the Pokémon that raised lands and expanded continents. This Pokémon took to sleep after a cataclysmic battle with Kyogre.
Groudon has the power to scatter rain clouds and make water evaporate with light and heat. It came as a savior to people who had been suffering from terrible floods.
Although Groudon is seen to be bathing in magma, Groudon can be afflicted by a burn.
Groudon is one of two Pokémon that shares no types with other main series version mascots. The other is Venusaur.
On the DVD cover of Jirachi: Wish Maker, Groudon is depicted in a normal state. However, the the main storyline Groudon was not in a normal state at all, and was a fake or 'virus' Groudon
Groudon is most likely based on the Hebrew legends of Behemoth, the unconquerable primal master of the land. Its counterparts were Leviathan and Ziz. Just as Groudon is in conflict with Kyogre, it was said that at the end of time Behemoth and Leviathan would start a battle that would kill them both. Groudon's appearance also draws inspiration from the Tyrannosaurus and from various species of Ankylosauria such as Euoplocephalus.
Name origin
Groudon's name appears to be a combination of "ground" and "don", which is Spanish for lord—hence, lord of the ground. The suffix -don is also used in the names of many dinosaurs and large animals, and means "tooth". Groudon has large teeth, and also somewhat resembles a dinosaur. Although possibly a coincidence, its name also includes 土 do, ground, or "don", the Japanese onomatopoeia for a very loud crashing noise, which would be made by Groudon's feet when it walks.
This Pokémon article is part of Project Pokédex, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on each Pokémon species, as well as Pokémon groups and forms.
For other sprites and images, please see Groudon images on Bulbagarden Archives.
