King’s Rock

There are three different ways to obtain King’s Rocks. The simplest method involves visiting Mossdeep City and speaking with an NPC standing outside Champion Steven’s house. If you answer “Yes” to his question he’ll give you a King’s Rock.

Alternatively you can use Thief to steal King’s Rocks from wild Hariyama, which can be found on Victory Road.

And finally, you can also obtain King’s Rocks from Pokémon with the Pickup ability in your party. They’ll need to be between levels 11-30, and the pickup chance for this specific item is only 1%.

Method 1 – Mossdeep City (One-time Only)

Northwest of the city’s Pokémon Center is Champion Steven’s house. Just outside his house is a Youngster holding a King’s Rock given by Steven; talk to the Youngster to get the item as a gift.

Here’s a step-by-step tutorial of where to find him:

Head west from the Pokémon Center in Mossdeep, then turn up to walk between both buildings.

Turn left towards Steven’s house where you’ll soon spot a Youngster. Talk to him and respond to his question with a “Yes” to obtain a King’s Rock.

Method 2 – Stealing from Wild Hariyama

King’s Rocks can also be obtained as a held item on wild Hariyama.

Wild Hariyama can be found inside Victory Road. Regardless of what floor you’re in, Hariyama appears at the same odds on every floor (15%).

When you encounter a Hariyama, there’s a 5% chance it will be holding a King’s Rock. To take the item, use a Pokémon that knows TM46 Thief.

And we even created a dedicated page with tips on how to optimally farm held items fast.

Method 3 – Pokémon with the Ability Pickup

For an alternative way to obtain King’s Rocks, you can also utilize Pokémon with the Pickup ability. Good choices include Zigzagoon and Linoone.

Here’s how it works:

After winning a battle, a Pokémon with the ability Pickup in your party has a 10% chance to find an item, as long as it’s not already holding one. This ability remains active even if the Pokémon didn’t take part in the battle or is fainted.

Only by keeping your Pickup user within a certain level range do you stand a chance to obtain a King’s Rock. Here are the chances of finding one based on your Pickup user’s level:

Uses

In Battle

The King’s Rock is a held item that provides all attacking moves a 10% chance of making the target flinch.

Flinching prevents the target from attacking if the holder moves first, so your Pokemon’s Speed is crucial. This item works exactly like the Razor Fang.

However, because the flinch chance is relatively low, the King’s Rock’s effect may not even trigger throughout an entire battle. Furthermore, it doesn’t enhance the flinch chance of existing flinch moves like Rock Slide or Iron Head. This makes the King’s Rock a less desirable choice in competitive battles.

Outside of Battle

The King’s Rock is also a held item that’s also classified as an Evolution Item. It’s used to evolve Poliwhirl and Slowpoke into Poliwhirl and Slowking, respectively.

Here’s a table summarizing the Pokémon that evolve via trading while holding a King’s Rock: