No, Donphan Unfortunately Cannot Evolve Into Great Tusk

I know it‘s disappointing to hear for fans of this bulky elephant-like Pokemon, but Donphan does not evolve into the spectacular Paradox form known as Great Tusk introduced in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet. While they share visual similarities and ground-type strengths, Great Tusk is very much its own separate creature that arrives on the scene through special means.

However, just because Donphan isn‘t getting an awesome new evolution doesn‘t mean we can‘t still appreciate the absolute beast that is Great Tusk! This Pokemon packs a real punch and flaunts some fantastic stats that help it hit as hard as its size would suggest.

In this comprehensive guide, we‘ll break down everything you need to know about Donphan‘s ancient ancestor and how it differs from its modern descendant. Time to go tusk to tusk!

At First Glance: Comparing Donphan and Great Tusk

Let‘s start with a quick overview of both elephant Pokemon before diving deeper:

As you can see, Great Tusk towers over Donphan and absolutely dwarfs it in weight as well. It gains a secondary Fighting type and some new abilities to further differentiate it. And the difference in signature moves demonstrates Great Tusk‘s dedication to pummeling opponents compared to Donphan focusing on defense by rolling into a ball.

Now let‘s analyze both of these wonderful creatures in full.

Donphan: The Modern Tusker

Introduced in Pokemon Gold and Silver, Donphan has been a staple defensive Ground-type for many generations. With well-rounded stats including a hefty Base 120 Defense, Donphan excels at absorbing hits and answering back with Earthquake. Sturdy and Sand Veil help further augment its natural bulk.

Donphan also gains access to priority Rapid Spin to clear hazards and reliably get Stealth Rock up. This enables it to function well as a supporting Pokemon on balanced team builds, clearing the way for offensive teammates to grab KOs. With such versatility on top of its sturdiness, it continues to see usage across battle formats today.

Great Tusk: Ancient Paradox Powerhouse

Debuting in Scarlet and Violet alongside other chronologically misplaced Pokemon, Great Tusk bursts onto the scene flaunting towering height and ridiculous muscle mass. Its tremendous Base 135 Attack backed by STAB Ground and Fighting type attacks ensures nothing withstands more than a hit or two from this prehistoric pulverizer.

The new ability Pack Hunt boosts damage when allied Pokemon use attack moves before Great Tusk, incentivizing team synergy to enable this beast to wreak complete havoc. Scrappy allows it to pummel Ghost types as well – nothing is safe! And Great Tusk‘s signature Prehistoric Smash harshly lowers Defense to render opponents ever more vulnerable to its onslaughts.

With phenomenal attacking prowess and plenty of HP to take hits when needed, Great Tusk assumes the role of wallbreaker and tank buster. Let‘s discuss optimal ways to employ this imposing creature.

Mastering the Prehistoric Pulverizer: Movesets and Team Support

Thanks to fantastic dual STAB options, Great Tusk can unleash supremely powerful attacks of both Ground and Fighting type. Here is an example set that enables it to smash through entire teams:

Great Tusk @ Choice Band
Ability: Pack Hunt
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature

• Earthquake
• Close Combat
• Play Rough
• Stone Edge

The Choice Band increases already formidable damage output, cementing OHKOs and 2HKOs on practically everything lacking resistance. Max Speed Investment with an Adamant nature enables Great Tusk to outpace many walls and tanks to prevent itself from being stalled out. Solid neutral coverage options shore up weaknesses while doubling down on STAB power.

With allies setting up Stealth Rock, paralyzing targets, and using attacks for Pack Hunt to activate, Great Tusk can easily pave the way for an offensive takeover. Pivot support from Flying types like Dragonite helps bring it in safely as well. Toxic Spikes aid in overwhelming stall teams too stubborn to fall quickly. And Healing Wish users like Florges offer the option to replenish Great Tusk for a late game cleanup sweep!

Matchup Musing: Viability and Niche

So how does Great Tusk stack up against other hard hitters? It faces competition as an offensive Ground type for sure. Excadrill, Garchomp, and even its descendant Donphan have greater Speed tiers. And Landorus-T has an even higher Base 145 Attack paired with Intimidate.

However, Great Tusk‘s unique secondary Fighting STAB and ability in Pack Hunt give it standout qualities. Taking neutral damage from Rock attacks that plague most Ground types offers nice utility as well. And while it has weaknesses to exploit, exceptional bulk allows Great Tusk to take a hit or two if needed while dishing out truckloads of pain!

I could honestly see more players adopt Great Tusk as the metagame continues evolving and they experiment with extraordinary new creatures offered in Scarlet and Violet. It carves out a nice damage dealing role and has the stats and movepool to make a big impact. Keep an eye out for this hard-hitting mammoth!

The Past and Future of Donphan

While Great Tusk snatches the spotlight for now, trusty ol‘ Donphan still has a place on teams needing a sturdy pivot focused on defense and support over raw power. They may fill differing battlefield jobs, but both Pokémon have appealing qualities that make them assets in battle.

Perhaps one day Donphan or its cute pre-evolution Phanpy will receive a new regional variant or evolution granting increased strength. But until then, they maintain their reputation as stalwart tanks ready to take hits. Great Tusk may dominate with force, but Donphan endures!

• No, unfortunately Donphan does not gain an awesome new evolution into the mighty Great Tusk
• Great Tusk is a standalone Paradox Pokémon exclusive to Scarlet set in ancient times
• It has much higher stats geared toward offense compared to Donphan‘s defense
• Unique qualities like Fighting type attacks and Pack Hunt make Great Tusk a dark horse threat
• While eclipsed for now, Donphan still fills an important supportive niche on teams

I hope this guide gave you some insight into both of these remarkable Ground-type creatures. Let me know what other Pokémon you‘d like to see covered in the comments! And if you haven‘t already, be sure to check out Great Tusk for yourself by picking up Pokémon Scarlet!