PS342

A Conk on Cranidos's Cranium (Japanese: VS ズガイドス VS Cranidos), titled VS Cranidos in the Chuang Yi translation, is the 342nd chapter of the Pokémon Adventures manga, and the fifth chapter of the .
It is subtitled Roark and Oreburgh Gym (Japanese: ヒョウタとクロガネジム Hyouta and the Kurogane Gym) in the VIZ Media translation and Roark and the Oreburgh Gym in the Chuang Yi translation.
==Plot==
 and are preparing to help train for its upcoming battle with Roark. In a flashback to the day before, Roark returns to the mines, and impresses his mining crew with the fossils he found. He explains that the reason he was late to work was because he was visiting his father in Canalave City, who had told him he had something urgent to tell him. Before Roark can elaborate, he notices Platinum. She asks to challenge him at his Gym, and the two make a plan to battle in two days.
Back in the present, Pearl enthuses over Piplup's strong-willed personality. Inspired by Piplup's passion for battle, Pearl becomes determined to help it become strong enough to win a Gym battle. He calls on Chimler to practice against Piplup, and after their battle, Platinum tells the others that while she has spent much time reading about battles, nothing compares to actually experiencing one. While wearing a cardboard mask of Roark's face, Diamond starts a practice battle against Platinum. Diamond and Pearl assign Platinum and Piplup a training regimen to help prepare for their upcoming match.
Meanwhile at Sandgem Town, Professor Rowan and Mr. Berlitz finish up packing for a conference in Canalave City. When Professor Rowan asks Mr. Berlitz about Platinum, he reveals that he isn't worried about her as she makes her way to Mt. Coronet. He is happy that his daughter has the opportunity to try new experiences, while also being protected by her bodyguards.
The next day, the group arrives at the Oreburgh Gym. A challenges Platinum to a battle, and Pearl attempts to give her advice when he senses that Platinum is going to have Piplup use against her opponent. As soon as he does so, a voice speaks through a statue and tells Diamond and Pearl that they are not permitted to coach Trainers during a Gym challenge. The two are thrown out, and Pearl orders Diamond to stand on his shoulders so that he can watch Platinum battle through a window. By the time Diamond has a view of Platinum, she has already defeated all of the other Trainers and made her way to Roark. 
Roark starts the match using his 's attack. Piplup takes a great deal of damage from the supereffective attack, and Roark substitutes Cranidos for to deliver the final blow. Before Onix can, Platinum switches Piplup for . Onix uses and , then a attack to knock out Ponyta. Platinum is forced to substitute Piplup back in, who takes even more damage from Stealth Rock. Unleashing a powerful attack against Onix, Piplup knocks it out.
Roark sends Cranidos back into the battle and has it use to prevent Piplup from hitting it. Through the window, Diamond and Pearl see that there doesn't seem to be any hope for Piplup to win the battle. Pearl threatens to fine her out of one million if she loses. They try to give her advice, but the voice through the statue yells at them. To secretly deliver advice for Platinum to utilize against Cranidos, Diamond and Pearl decide to hide a hint in their comedy routine. Platinum catches on, and when Roark has Cranidos use , Piplup uses and confuses Cranidos. Cranidos knocks itself out, making Platinum the winner. Roark gives Platinum the , and Piplup regains its confidence. 
As the three walk back to the hotel, Platinum asks Pearl how he knew that she was going to have Piplup use a Pound attack at the start of her first battle. Pearl figures that he learned that trick from his dad, who left when he was younger. Platinum smiles that her father would choose a bodyguard that came from a legacy of strong Trainers. She reveals to Pearl that she prepared a fine of one million in the event that she lost, but is glad that she doesn't have to use it. The information is so shocking to Pearl that it causes him to collapse. As Pearl staggers away from Diamond and Platinum, the two admire his strong-willed personality.
==Major events==
* starts training her .
* Roark battles against Platinum.
* Platinum defeats Roark and receives the .
===Debuts===
====Pokémon debuts====
==Characters==
===Humans===
* 
* 
* 
* Professor Rowan
* Roark
* Palmer (silhouette)
* Paka (fantasy)
* Uji (fantasy)
* (flashback)
* Mr. Berlitz
* (Chuang Yi: Mr. Foreman) (flashback)
* Roark's grandfather (flashback)
* 
* Miners (flashback)
===Pokémon===
* (; 's)
* (Tru/; 's)
* (Chatler/; 's)
* (Chimler/; 's)
* ()
* ()
* ()
* (Roark's)
* (Yellow/; 's) (flashback)
* ('s)
==Trivia==
* A snippet of this chapter was included in VIZ Media's .
===Errors===
* In the Chuang Yi version, the Pomeg Berry is incorrectly referred to as the Rowap Berry.
==In other languages==
de:VS. Koknodon
es:PMS342
fr:Chapitre 342 (Pocket Monsters Special)
it:LGA342
zh:宝可梦特别篇 第342话