Falinks is a fighting-type Pokemon that was introduced in Pokemon Sword and Shield with it known for its appearance on Route 8, where they march through small caves and crevices in the overworld. Made up of six separate Pokemon, Falinks is based around traditional militaristic formations and that makes it stand out among fighting-type Pokemon.
About Falinks
| First appearance in anime | Pokemon the Movie: Secrets of the Jungle |
| First appearance in game | Sword and Shield |
| Region | Galar |
| Evolution | N/A |
| 1st Evo level | N/A |
| 2nd Evo level | N/A |
| Pokedex Entry | The six of them work together as one Pokémon. Teamwork is also their battle strategy, and they constantly change their formation as they fight. Five of them are troopers, and one is the brass. The brass's orders are absolute. |
Falinks Base stats
| HP | 65 |
| ATTACK | 100 |
| DEFENCE | 100 |
| SP. ATTACK | 70 |
| SP. DEFENCE | 60 |
| SPEED | 75 |
| TOTAL | 470 |
Appearance
Each Falinks is a formation of six individual Pokemon with five “troopers” and one “brass” leader that together resemble a caterpillar. Each individual Falinks trooper has a spherical black body with two stout, trunk-like legs and a golden, armored shell that covers a large portion of their body. This shell resembles a Spartan helmet with a red crest and an anterior horn alongside two horned plates that resemble shields on the lateral sides of the shell. Each of these shields feature a red, central horn surrounded by a white ring. These troopers also have blue, ovular eyes which have white pupils (these can be interpreted as glowing slightly in contrast with their dark body) with a small red horn on their back end that resembles a tail. The leading member of the Falinks formation, the “brass”, is larger than its five troopers. They have a larger helmet crest with an extendable horn supported by a golden anterior strut. The brass's golden shell extends to the ventral half of its body and it’s lateral shields can be adjusted and moved and are often chipped or nicked. When Falinks is in formation, the brass will hold its two shields in front of its face in order to protect itself.
Behavior
Falinks are known to march in a single file line led by the brass and the five troopers following their brass with complete faith in their leader. Furthermore, the brass's orders are considered absolute and the single file line of the Falinks gives it the appearance of a caterpillar. Falinks only occasionally breaks their formation to attack and then all six members rely on teamwork as their strategy to win battles and will change formations in order to better fight as a unit. They are considered genderless.
Falinks can fit into small holes, as shown in Route 8, where they march through small caves and crevices in the overworld. The brass's shields are often chipped or nicked due to the brass holding its two shields in front of its face as a protection method.
Strengths and Weaknesses
While Falinks does not have very high base stats, it has pretty well balanced stats with an especially high attack and defence. As a fighting-type Pokemon, Falinks is weak to flying, psychic, and fairy-type moves and is strong against rock, bug, and dark-type Pokemon.
Best moveset
First off, No Retreat allows Falinks to raise all of its stats by one, as well as trapping the opponent. Close Combat is the best STAB (same-type attack bonus) move for Falinks to use in order to deal heavy damage. Throat Chop and Zen Headbut both serve as coverage moves.
| No Retreat | Close Combat |
| Throat Chop | Zen Headbut |
How to catch Falinks in Pokemon Go?
Falinks is not yet available in Pokemon Go.
Trivia
- Falinks is the longest known fighting-type Pokemon
- Despite its special defense being its lowest stat, Falinks grants special defense EVs when beaten
- Falinks may be inspired by a group of soldiers in the phalanx formation, with each unit being lined up close together and covering all sides with their shields
- Individual Falinks units resemble Spartan helmets during the period of Ancient Rome
- Falinks resembles the admiral caterpillar
- The troopers and the brass may take inspiration from eusociality, a kind of social animal behavior characterized by the division of labor of the members of the colony
- Legio IX Hispana, also known as the 9th Roman Legion or the Lost Legion, is likely a source of inspiration for Falinks
- Falinks may be a combination of phalanx (military formation) and link (specifically a chain link)
FAQs
Does Falinks evolve?
Falinks does not evolve into any other Pokemon.
What is the weakness of Falinks?
As a fighting-type Pokemon, Falinks is weak to flying, psychic, and fairy-type moves and is strong against rock, bug, and dark-type Pokemon.
Is Falinks any good?
While Falinks has relatively low stats, the move, No Retreat allows Falinks to raise all of its stats by one, as well as trapping the opponent. This pair with Close Combat can be an effective and powerful combination.
Conclusion
Falinks stands out as one of the more unique designs in Pokemon Sword and Shield, and it serves as an interesting Pokemon for new competitive strategies, especially with the move, No Retreat. While Falinks does not have the highest stats the move, No Retreat raises all of Falinks stats by one, as well as trapping the opponent within the battle.
