Introduced in generation four, with the Pokemon Diamond and Pearl games, Honchkrow is a dual type flying and dark Pokemon. It is the final evolution Murkrow and was introduced two generations after its base evolution. Honchkrow is classified by the Pokedex as the “Big Boss Pokemon” which may be a nod to its mobster design. This guide will showcase Honchkrow’s capabilities in battle, its appearances in the anime, as well as other general facts about Honchkrow.
About Honchkrow
As a generation four Pokemon, Honchkrow first appeared in the Diamond and Pearl season of the anime with the episode Lost Leader Strategy!. It was showcased as one of Paul’s Pokemon to introduce Murkrow’s new evolution line. Honchkrow will evolve from Murkrow when a Dusk Stone is used and this finishes out the two stage evolution line. The Pokedex states that Honchkrow can summon many Murkrow with a deep cry giving Honchkrow the nickname of “Summoner of Night”.
| First appearance in anime | Pokemon the Series: Diamond and Pearl Lost Leader Strategy! |
| First appearance in game | Pokemon Diamond and Pearl |
| Region | Sinnoh |
| Evolution | Final evolution of Murkrow, not known to evolve into any other Pokemon |
| 1st Evo level | Evolves when a Dusk Stone is used on Murkrow |
| 2nd Evo level | N/A |
| Pokedex Entry | If one utters a deep cry, many Murkrow gather quickly. For this, it is called "Summoner of Night." |
Honchkrow Base Stats
| HP | 100 |
| ATTACK | 125 |
| DEFENCE | 52 |
| SP. ATTACK | 105 |
| SP. DEFENCE | 52 |
| SPEED | 71 |
| TOTAL | 505 |
Appearance
Honchkrow is a dark blue, bird-like Pokemon with red feathers and a white plumage under its chin. It appears to be wearing a highwayman’s hat and the circle around its eye resembles a monocle. When Honchkrow’s wings are tucked it appears to be wearing formal attire and its tail has a cylindrical base which fans outward into a ruffle of red feathers. It carries an ominous air about it and conducts business like a mob boss. Honchkrow is fairly short at 2 feet and 11 inches, or 0.9 meters, tall.
Behavior
Throughout the anime, Honchkrow appears in a variety of sinister roles. It is typically harassing the protagonists of the show and is often used by the criminal organizations of the Pokemon universe. The Pokedex states that Honchkrow will utilize Murkrow as their posse and attempts to run a strict regime. A Honchkrow that feels betrayed or finds that a Murkrow has failed in offering food will oust the Murkrow for failing its boss.
Strengths and Weaknesses
Honchkrow has a good health pool along with a strong physical and special attack stat. Unfortunately, a lot of these stats are wasted as most players will opt for one or the other and the rest of Honchkrow’s stats are relatively mediocre. As a dual type flying/dark Pokemon, Honchkrow takes 2x damage from rock, electric, ice, and fairy type moves. It is immune to ground and psychic type moves, but is resistant against ghost, grass, and dark type moves.
Best Moveset
When Honchkrow was first released, it enjoyed being a middle tier Pokemon in competitive battle but it has fallen close to the bottom since. However, it is rare for an offensive Pokemon to be able to utilize a bulk of health and an offensive Pokemon with high bulk can often surprise other competitors. Consider running Brave Bird, Sucker Punch, Pursuit/Roost, and Superpower/Pursuit. Brave Bird benefits from STAB (Same Type Attack Bonus), Sucker Punch grants you some outplay potential while circumventing its slow speed stat while Pursuit/Roost are interchangeable as an offensive or defensive option respectively. Also Superpower/Pursuit can be used for type coverage or to catch your opponent while they are switching out respectively.
| Brave Bird | Sucker Punch |
| Pursuit/Roost | Superpower/Pursuit |
How to Catch Honchkrow in Pokemon Go
If you would like to obtain a Honchkrow in Pokemon Go, the easiest way to do so would be to first obtain a Murkrow to eventually evolve it. Like most final evolutions, the base evolution is a more common spawn to encounter in the wild which in this case is Murkrow. You can find Murkrow, in the wild, at a boosted rate near farmland, forests, wood and grassy areas, and during night time. It can also be hatched from 2 and 5 km eggs but while Honchkrow cannot be found in raid battles, Murkrow can encountered in tier one raids at Pokemon Gyms. You will need 100 candies and a Sinnoh Stone in order to evolve Murkrow into Honchkrow.
Trivia
- Honchkrow and Mismagius share many similar qualities. Both were introduced in generation four as a final evolution to their pre-evolutions which debuted in generation two, both require a Dusk Stone to evolve, and they are both exclusive to a different generation four game.
- The inspiration for Honchkrow’s design likely comes from crows with a bulkier appearance.
- The name Honchkrow is a combination of the words honcho (a leader or boss) and crow.
Explainer Video
FAQ
Is Honchkrow good?
Honchkrow has fallen off since its introduction in generation four. It used to be in the middle of competitive formats, but has since dropped down to the bottom of competitive tier lists. It’s slow speed prevents it from fulfilling an offensive Pokemon role and its low defense stats makes it difficult to use it as a defensive Pokemon.
Which is better, Staraptor or Honchkrow?
Both are comparable in their abilities but Staraptor has a more dedicated offensive role as well as a stronger speed stat. This makes Staraptor more consistent overall in an offensive role and Honchkrow has trouble competing. Unless you need a dark type Pokemon, Staraptor is more suited for the offensive flying type on your team.
Is there a Mega Honchkrow?
There is no Mega Honchkrow in the official Pokemon games. It is not likely that Honchkrow will receive a mega evolution in the future as the developers have been moving away from mega evolutions entirely. While Honchkrow would benefit from a mega evolution, it is likely that this Pokemon will remain close to the bottom, or at best the middle of the pack, in terms of viability.
Conclusion
Congratulations, you now know just about everything there is to know about this “Big Boss Pokemon”. While Honchkrow’s impact on competitive play was somewhat short-lived, it is still unique as a Pokemon that gave an evolution to an evolution line that needed it. While its statlines are not the strongest, it is rare to find a bulky flying type Pokemon. Run Honchkrow on your team if you want a bulky, offensive, flying and dark type Pokemon.
