How Fossil Pokémon Work in Cobblemon
Fossil Pokémon are prehistoric species that can't be found in the wild — the only way to get them is to dig up fossil items from specific structures and revive them using the Resurrection Machine. There are 15 fossil items in Cobblemon, reviving into 18 different Pokémon (some Galarian fossils need two pieces combined).
The process has three stages: find a fossil structure, brush the suspicious blocks inside to get fossil items, then build and use the Resurrection Machine to grow a revived Pokémon over 12 minutes.
Step 1 — Finding Fossils
Fossil structures generate naturally across different biomes. Each structure type contains Suspicious Sand or Suspicious Gravel that you brush with a Brush (crafted from a feather, copper ingot, and stick) to uncover fossil items.
Here are the key structure types and the biomes where they spawn:
Also: Dome Fossil, Drake Fossil
Also: Claw, Cover, Helix
Also: Claw Fossil, Fish Fossil
Also: Cover, Fish Fossils
Also: Helix, Fish Fossils
Also: Bird Fossil
Also: Bird, Dino, Drake, Plume Fossils
Also: Armor, Drake Fossils
Also: Cover, Fish, Old Amber
All 15 Fossils — Complete Reference
Bold structures in the location column are guaranteed spawns for that fossil. Non-bold are possible but not certain.
| Fossil | Revives Into | Gen | Key Structures |
|---|---|---|---|
| Helix Fossil | Omanyte → Omastar | Gen 1 | Dripstone Oasis, Enhydro Agate, Eroded Pillar, Preserved Skeleton, Sandy Den |
| Dome Fossil | Kabuto → Kabutops | Gen 1 | Enhydro Agate, Hydrothermal Vents, Rooted Pit, Sunscorched Den |
| Old Amber | Aerodactyl | Gen 1 | Frozen Pond, Lush Den, Oak Tree, Spruce Tree |
| Root Fossil | Lileep → Cradily | Gen 3 | Birch Tree, Eroded Pillar, Mud Pit, Rooted Pit |
| Claw Fossil | Anorith → Armaldo | Gen 3 | Dripstone Oasis, Frozen Spike, Mossy Pond, Preserved Skeleton |
| Skull Fossil | Cranidos → Rampardos | Gen 4 | Eroded Pillar, Mud Pit, Powdered Deposit, Sandy Den |
| Armor Fossil | Shieldon → Bastiodon | Gen 4 | Eroded Pillar, Lush Den, Mud Pit, Powdered Deposit, Sandy Den, Sunscorched Den |
| Cover Fossil | Tirtouga → Carracosta | Gen 5 | Frozen Pond, Hydrothermal Vents, Preserved Skeleton, Submerged Spike, Underwater Fissure |
| Plume Fossil | Archen → Archeops | Gen 5 | Birch Tree, Powdered Deposit, Preserved Skeleton, Sunscorched Remains |
| Jaw Fossil | Tyrunt → Tyrantrum | Gen 6 | Eroded Pillar, Lush Den, Mud Pit, Sunscorched Den |
| Sail Fossil | Amaura → Aurorus | Gen 6 | Frozen Spike, Frozen Pond, Powdered Deposit, Preserved Skeleton |
| Fossilized Bird needs pair | Dracozolt (+ Drake) · Arctozolt (+ Dino) | Gen 8 | Birch Tree, Mossy Pond, Oak Tree, Powdered Deposit, Preserved Skeleton (sand), Suspicious Mound |
| Fossilized Dino needs pair | Arctovish (+ Fish) · Arctozolt (+ Bird) | Gen 8 | Frozen Pond, Frozen Spike, Oak Tree, Powdered Deposit, Preserved Skeleton (gravel) |
| Fossilized Drake needs pair | Dracovish (+ Fish) · Dracozolt (+ Bird) | Gen 8 | Birch Tree, Lush Den, Mud Pit, Preserved Skeleton (gravel), Rooted Pit, Sunscorched Remains |
| Fossilized Fish needs pair | Arctovish (+ Dino) · Dracovish (+ Drake) | Gen 8 | Dripstone Oasis, Enhydro Agate, Frozen Spike, Hydrothermal Vents, Submerged Impact |
Step 2 — Building the Resurrection Machine
The Resurrection Machine is a 3-block multiblock structure. All three components must be placed in the correct arrangement for the machine to activate — you'll hear an electrical sound when it's assembled correctly.
The three components
You need to craft all three blocks and place them in an L-shape: the Fossil Analyzer and Data Monitor sit side by side, with the Restoration Tank on top of one of them.
Crafting the Fossil Analyzer
Crafting the Restoration Tank
Step 3 — Filling with Organic Materials
Before the Resurrection Machine will start, the Restoration Tank must be filled with organic materials totalling a value of exactly 64. Different items contribute different amounts to this total.
Step 4 — The Revival Process
Right-click the Fossil Analyzer and insert your fossil item(s). For Galarian fossils (Bird, Dino, Drake, Fish), you need to place two compatible fossils — see the table above for which pairs combine into which Pokémon.
Right-click the Restoration Tank and add your organic materials until the total value reaches 64. You can mix and match any combination of materials. The tank also accepts items via hopper if you want to automate it.
Once both conditions are met, the machine activates automatically. An embryo will appear in the Restoration Tank and grow through 8 visible stages over 12 real-world minutes. You can watch it grow or go do something else.
When the embryo is fully grown, you have two options: right-click with a Poké Ball in your hand to add the Pokémon directly to your party in that ball, or break the Restoration Tank to release it as a wild Pokémon you'll need to catch normally. The second option lets other players catch it too, but only after a short delay for the original player.
All 18 Fossil Pokémon
These are all the Pokémon currently obtainable through the fossil system in Cobblemon v1.7.3.
Tips & Common Questions
Can I get shiny fossil Pokémon?
Yes — fossil Pokémon revived from the Resurrection Machine can be shiny, at the standard base rate. Right-clicking with a Poké Ball rather than breaking the tank means you can check the Pokémon's details before deciding whether to keep it.
Can I automate the Resurrection Machine?
Partially. The Restoration Tank accepts items via hopper, so you can automate filling it with organic materials. The Fossil Analyzer also accepts fossils via hopper. The actual triggering still requires both conditions to be met simultaneously, but you can set up a hopper input system to make refilling faster between runs.
What level do revived fossil Pokémon start at?
Fossil Pokémon are revived at level 1. They'll need levelling up before they can use most of their moveset effectively. The advantage is that starting from level 1 lets you shape their EV spread from scratch — see the IVs & EVs guide for how to do this efficiently.
Which fossil Pokémon are best for competitive?
Aerodactyl and Tyrantrum are the strongest picks for general competitive play. Dracovish is extremely powerful in formats where Fishious Rend speed-doubling is in play. Archeops has huge stats but the Defeatist ability is a significant drawback. For a full team-building breakdown, see the team builder guide.