Coalossal

It flies into a rage when it sees humans damaging a mine and reduces everything to ashes with its 1500 °C flames. In battle, the mound of coal on its back glows red-hot and scatters sparks capable of scorching everything around it. Its appearance combines a pile of coal, a forge, and the features of a large rock golem, with a sturdy body, short arms, and protrusions reminiscent of a colossal creature.

Although it has an intimidating presence, it remains calm outside battle. The Coal Pokémon category connects its design with Rolycoly and Carkol, its earlier forms. The line represents a progression from a mobile lump of coal to a creature that looks like a living mine.

The English name combines coal and colossal. Its Japanese name, Sekitanzan, combines 石炭, sekitan, “coal”, and 炭山, tanzan, “coal mountain or coal mine”. It evolves from Carkol upon reaching level 34 and completes the evolutionary line.

It is not a common choice for singles battles. Its 110 HP, 120 Defense, and 90 Special Defense let it take hits, but its 80 Attack, 80 Special Attack, and 30 Speed limit the pressure it can apply without support. The ability that defines its sets is Steam Engine: if it is hit by a Fire- or Water-type move, its Speed rises dramatically. In doubles, an ally can activate the effect and turn a very low stat into an immediate advantage.

Rock and Fire give it moves of both types with good coverage. Stone Edge, Flamethrower, and Stealth Rock cover different roles: physical damage, special damage, and pressure against switching. Flame Charge also helps improve its pace while attacking. Protect helps it gain turns when the opponent tries to take it out before Steam Engine comes into play.

Its problems are clear. Its weaknesses to Water and Ground are severe, and many opponents carry moves of those types. Its base Speed is poor without its ability active, while its Special Defense does not match the level of its physical Defense. Flame Body adds contact punishment, and Flash Fire strengthens Fire-type moves after it has been hit by one, but neither ability changes its game plan as much as Steam Engine.

In VGC21, it had a specific place on doubles teams that prepared Steam Engine’s activation and made use of its access to spread moves and its Gigantamax form. Outside that kind of strategy, it works best in a standard battle as a physical wall, a Stealth Rock setter, or an attacker that switches in against Fire-type moves.

It belongs to the Mineral Egg Group and has a 50% gender ratio for each sex. Its Eggs need 15 cycles to hatch, equivalent to approximately 4080 steps using the usual formula. The line shares its group with Carkol, so breeding starts with that species or with Rolycoly, depending on which specimen is wanted.

The evolution is straightforward: Rolycoly evolves into Carkol upon reaching level 18, and Carkol evolves into Coalossal upon reaching level 34. No item, specific move, or area condition is required. Once it reaches that stage, the species keeps its regular form or its Gigantamax Coalossal form when the game and the corresponding mechanic allow access to it.

Its catch rate is 45, a low figure that makes it difficult to catch with an ordinary Poké Ball if it has not been weakened first. When defeated, it yields 3 Defense as its effort value yield, which fits the physical role suggested by its stats.