Donphan is a light-gray elephant-like Pokémon. There is a thick, black band of hide that runs across the length of Donphan's back an extends to the trunk. Donphan has four short legs that each have a black band on it. They also sport a pair of white tusks.
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 Template:M2 are strong enough to knock down a house. Its hide is also very tough, normal 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 bigger 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.
Habitat
These Pokémon seem to prefer rough, mountianous terrain.
A herd of Donphan were used by a thieving ruffian in Template:PSV. In RS Saga, Wattson tells Sapphire to stop a rampaging Donphan in New Mauville. After a fierce battle, she finally caught it.
Donphan's favorite attack is curling its body into a ball, then charging at its foe while Template:M2 at high speed. Once it starts rolling, this Pokémon can't stop very easily.
If Donphan were to tackle with its hard body, even a house could be destroyed. Using its massive strength, the Pokémon helps clear rock and mud slides that block mountain trails.
A Donphan is so strong it can easily haul a dump truck. Its hide has toughened to a rock-hard state. An ordinary sort of attack won't even leave a scratch.
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Donphan was the first evolved Generation II Pokémon seen in the anime. However its name, nor that of the move it used, Rollout, wasn't revealed in its debut. Its name was finally revealed when a promotional set of cards was released for Pokémon: The First Movie.
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. Seel and Shellder do evolve into the part-Ice type Dewgong and Cloyster respectively though. Also, a Donphan with Ice Shard is considered to be the best counter for Garchomp.
Origin
It appears to have been based on an 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 meaning teeth, referring to its tusks, or mastodon, a prehistoric elephant.
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 Donphan images on Bulbagarden Archives.
