Stats & Training
Attack and Defense carry most of Donphan's stat budget. Speed's the obvious dump stat. Moderately hard to find and yields 2 Attack and Defense EVs. Follows a medium-fast 1M XP curve.
It attacks by curling up, then rolling into its foe. It can blow apart a house in one hit.
Donphan Weakness
Donphan is weak to Water, Grass, and Ice. On the flip side, it's immune to Electric-type moves entirely. Donphan's physical bulk (base 120 Def) helps cushion physical weakness hits, but special attackers are the bigger threat.
| Damage | Types |
|---|---|
| 2x (Weak) | Water, Grass, Ice |
| 0.5x (Resist) | Poison, Rock |
| 0x (Immune) | Electric |
- Fairy type does not exist — Dragon has fewer checks
- Physical / Special split now per-move (introduced Gen IV)
In Platinum, Metagross's Explosion hits Donphan for 51-60%.
 | S | |
Recommended Build AbilityClearbody ItemLum Berry NatureAdamant Moves
Damage vs Donphan View Metagross builds →Earthquake21-24% Explosion51-60% | ||
 | A | |
Recommended Build AbilityLevitate ItemChoice Scarf NatureJolly Moves
Damage vs Donphan View Flygon builds →Earthquake23-27% Outrage27-32% U Turn11-13% | ||
 | B | |
Recommended Build AbilityPressure ItemFocus Sash NatureJolly Moves
Damage vs Donphan View Aerodactyl builds →Earthquake16-18% Stone Edge12-14% | ||
 | B | |
Recommended Build AbilityNatural Cure ItemLeftovers NatureBold Moves View Blissey builds →
| ||
 | C | |
Recommended Build AbilityMagnetpull ItemChoice Scarf NatureNaive Moves
Damage vs Donphan View Magneton builds →Flash Cannon49-57% Explosion20-23% | ||
Platinum Evolution
Evolved from Phanpy. Donphan is the final form in this two-stage line. A massive partner pool for breeding via one egg group. Eggs are average hatch time. Attack grew the most through evolution (+60 over Phanpy), and Donphan peaks at 500 total stats. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.
How to Evolve
Breeding
Breed with Donphan to get Phanpy eggs easily using 131 partners from the Ground egg group. Notable egg moves include Ancient Power, Body Slam, Counter and 5 more.
Platinum Donphan Best Moveset
Donphan's job is getting Stealth Rock up and staying on the field. Leftovers provides passive recovery each turn, Sturdy helps it stick around, and max HP and Defense EVs prioritize longevity.
Best Build
Donphan best EVs are HP and Defense
Hazard Setter Moveset
- Earthquake
- Rapid Spin
- Ice Shard
- Stealth Rock
Recommended Teammates
Moves
The TM pool is where it gets interesting. Coverage across 11 types means almost nothing walls Donphan cleanly, with Earthquake and Earth Power anchoring the STAB side. Matchup flexibility isn't a problem.
Level-Up Moves
TM Moves
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
Reminder Moves
Transfer Moves
How to Get Donphan in Platinum
Donphan doesn't appear wild. Catch Phanpy instead, it shows up at solid rates. Evolve it at level 25 to get Donphan. The 2-stage line is mapped in the step cards below.
How to Obtain Donphan in Platinum
Step 1Catch PhanpyRoute 207Grass Lv.18 RouteCommonMidSwarm active
Step 2Donphan ✓
Donphan Guide
For Platinum, we rate Donphan B-Tier: a solid option in Platinum for the right team. At 500 BST, it fits the wallbreaker role. Earthquake with Leftovers is the standard set.
Sturdy is the go-to ability for Donphan. It prevents being KOed from full HP, leaving 1 HP instead. Its hidden ability Sand Veil can work in specific setups.
Base 50 Speed is low. Priority moves or Trick Room are the way to go. On offense, Donphan is a physical attacker with base 120 Attack. Defensively? Enough bulk to take a hit or two. Best used as a wallbreaker.
For Platinum, the core moveset is Earthquake, Rapid Spin, Ice Shard, and Stealth Rock. Earthquake leads at 25% usage. Earthquake provides reliable STAB damage.
Game Availability
Available in 16 titles since its debut in Gold & Silver, Donphan spans 9 generations of Pokemon games. It's accessible through wild encounters in most mainline games.
Click a game to view version-specific details
- Gen 1Y
Yellow - Gen 1RB
Red & Blue - Gen 2GSDebut
Gold & Silver - Gen 2C
Crystal - Gen 3RS
Ruby & Sapphire - Gen 3FRLG
FireRed & LeafGreen - Gen 3E
Emerald - Gen 4Pt
Platinum - Gen 4HGSS
HeartGold & SoulSilver - Gen 4DP
Diamond & Pearl - Gen 5BW
Black & White - Gen 5B2W2
Black 2 & White 2 - Gen 6XY
X & Y - Gen 6ORAS
Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire - Gen 7USUM
Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon - Gen 7SM
Sun & Moon - Gen 7LGPE
Let's Go Pikachu & Eevee - Gen 8SwSh
Sword & Shield - Gen 8PLA
Legends: Arceus - Gen 8BDSP
Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl - Gen 9SV
Scarlet & Violet - Gen 9LZA
Legends: Z-A - Gen 10WW
Winds & Waves