Why Donphan Belongs in Every 🦁 Safari Animals Collection
Discover the best Donphan Pokémon cards to collect. Cute picks, rare finds, set history, and binder layout tips in one guide.
2024-06-07
Popularity Rank: #310
Fan survey data
Blended rank from two r/pokemon "favourite Pokémon" surveys, weighted 60/40 toward the 2025 results (u/Jawnysparklez; u/mamamia1001 2019).
2025 survey: #440
2019 survey: #183
#310 / 1025
#0232
Donphan
Armor Pokémon
It has sharp, hard tusks and a rugged hide. Its TACKLE is strong enough to knock down a house.
Pokédex details
Height
1.1 m
Weight
120.0 kg
Base EXP
0
Capture rate
60 / 255
Generation
Gen II
Base happiness
70
Growth rate
Medium
Color
Gray
Habitat
Rough Terrain
Shape
Quadruped
Egg groups
Ground
Why collectors adore Donphan
The elevator pitch for Donphan: cute, recognizable, and worth a binder slot.
- A staple in our 🦁 Safari Animals crowd — Donphan is one of those picks collectors nod at immediately.
- Donphan has that "favourite since childhood" energy — you don't need lore to explain the appeal.
- Honestly? Some Pokémon are just plain likeable. They don't need a sales pitch.
Pokémon TCG cards
Recent cards featuring Donphan from the Trading Card Game, newest first.
Chaos Rising
Common
Fantastical Parade
Two Shiny
Secluded Springs
Two Diamond
Wisdom of Sea and Sky
Two Star
Wisdom of Sea and Sky
Two Star
Wisdom of Sea and Sky
Four Diamond
Triumphant Light
Two Diamond
Surging Sparks
Common
Paldean Fates
Uncommon
Silver Tempest
Uncommon
Celebrations: Classic Collection
Classic Collection
Vivid Voltage
Rare
Showing 12 of 27 loaded cards · card data from TCGdex with pokemontcg.io as backup · images via Scrydex when needed
How I'd build a Donphan spread
Spread layout for Donphan, TCG picks to anchor the page, and open artwork you can print for Michi-style scene pockets.
Cards to anchor your spread
TCG picks for collectors — pair these with a printed scene below.
Donphan #30 (Deoxys) by Yuka Morii is essential — her signature clay-art style gives Donphan an irresistibly handcrafted charm.
Donphan #73 (Celestial Storm) is a promo worth chasing — alternate art that stands out on any Donphan binder page.
Donphan #72 (Plasma Storm) is a fun addition for collectors — affordable and perfect for filling out a Donphan page.
Donphan #107 (Celebrations: Classic Collection) is a fun addition for collectors — affordable and perfect for filling out a Donphan page.
Species art references
Character renders for colour matching, pose ideas, and silhouette checks.
Official artwork
Match card holo colours and keep the species silhouette consistent across pockets.
HOME render
Modern pose reference when you want a cleaner, upright character layout.
Dream World vector
Simple line-and-fill shape — handy for tracing pocket placement before you print.
Shiny palette
Alternate colourway for accent pockets or shiny-themed spreads.
Art via PokéAPI/sprites (open source).
Donphan mini binder spread
A seeded two-page 3×3 binder mockup using Donphan chase cards and Michi Method scene art for display planning.
Left page
Deoxys
Uncommon
Celestial Storm
Uncommon
Plasma Storm
Uncommon
Celebrations: Classic Collection
Classic Collection
Chaos Rising
Common
Fantastical Parade
Two Shiny
Secluded Springs
Two Diamond
Right page
Wisdom of Sea and Sky
Two Star
Wisdom of Sea and Sky
Two Star
Wisdom of Sea and Sky
Four Diamond
Triumphant Light
Two Diamond
Surging Sparks
Common
Paldean Fates
Uncommon
Silver Tempest
Uncommon
Start with a background that echoes Donphan's ground, then place your chase holo in the top-left anchor slot. Secondary copies can step down in rarity toward the edges so the spread breathes in photos.
Michi Method scene examples
Illustration picks when dedicated scene art is not cached yet — card frames may still show.
Scene wallpaper — Donphan
Scene art via Wallhaven — Scene wallpaper — Donphan
Scene wallpaper — Donphan
Illustration by twitter.com
Scene art via Wallhaven — Scene wallpaper — Donphan
Find more scene art
Curated galleries and search links — we do not hotlink Pinterest or ArtStation results.
Pokémon and character names are trademarks of Nintendo / Creatures / GAME FREAK.
Additional tips
- Label one pocket "海外" / overseas and one domestic — pairing Donphan (ドンファン) with English prints reads like a travel diary spread.
- If you're building for 🦁 Safari Animals, repeat one motif (floral border, café table, neon sign) across three cards so the theme feels authored.
- Donphan's cheerful base temperament invites playful sticker sleeves or washi — don't force a grimdark layout unless the art demands it.
- Marketplaces still surface "donphan cards" — tag your inventory with species keywords collectors actually type, not just set codes.
Abilities, moves & metagame notes
Optional competitive context for Donphan. Display collectors can skip straight to the backstory below.
Base stats
In-game numbers for Donphan — useful context beside abilities and moves.
HP
90
Attack
120
Defense
120
Sp. Atk
60
Sp. Def
60
Speed
50
Total: 500
Players file Donphan around tier "UU" while Ability Sturdy (Prevents being KOed from full HP, leaving 1 HP instead. Protects against the one-hit KO…) shapes the fantasy — chase art that stages that payoff, not just the highest number on the slab.
- Hidden Ability Sand Veil is the deep-cut hunt — call it out when you sell or trade so buyers know you are curating, not flipping random holos.
- Stomping Tantrum — Power doubles if the user's last move failed. — Illustration Rares that stage that motion tend to outperform static portraits.
3D battle sprites
Animated Showdown-style models for Donphan — normal and shiny.
Sprites via Project Pokémon. Pokémon and character names are trademarks of Nintendo / Creatures / GAME FREAK.
Backstory & Lore
A short write-up on Donphan, weaving together Pokédex notes, species lore, and evolution context.
It has sharp, hard tusks and a rugged hide. Its TACKLE is strong enough to knock down a house.
The longer and bigger its tusks, the higher its rank in its herd. The tusks take long to grow.
Because this POKéMON's skin is so tough, a normal attack won't even leave a scratch on it.
A second dex beat (Diamond) frames Donphan as one that attacks by curling up, then rolling into its foe.. Rotating that line on a sticky note beside the page keeps the spread feeling lived-in.
Donphan shows up in Alpha Sapphire lore as if donphan were to tackle with its hard body, even a house could be destroyed.. When you shop for cards, look for illustrations that lean into that mood instead of generic portrait poses.
Name in other languages
Common localized names collectors may search for.
German
Donphan
Spanish
Donphan
French
Donphan
Italian
Donphan
Japanese
ドンファン
Japanese (Romaji)
Donfan
Korean
코리갑
Chinese (Simplified)
顿甲
Chinese (Traditional)
頓甲
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