Falinks, The Formation Pokémon. Five of them are troopers, and one is the brass. The brass's orders are absolute. The six of them work together as one Pokémon. Teamwork is also their battle strategy, and they constantly change their formation as they fight.
Overview
These adorable soldiers were a hit with the fans as an interesting Pokemon concept, but Falinks also stands as one of the few new Fighting-types introduced so far this gen. With access to a move that boost every stat, Falinks has potential as a late game cleaner with the trade off of not being able to switch out. This makes Falinks less flexible than most sweepers that can just boost to threaten teams, but it also makes it more durable than others due to its defenses getting a boost. However, Falinks lacks the moves and moreover stats to be a truly threatening game cleaner without good team support in higher tiers, and it needs to be played carefully. Regardless, Falinks is definitely one of the more unique Pokemon introduced this gen, even if its stats leave a bit to be desired.
Positives
No Retreat is a great boosting move and makes Falinks a reasonably bulky boosting sweeper.
Access to Swords Dance in combination with No Retreat is a nice complement to its offense, though it does come at the expense of coverage.
Negatives
Falinks has low stats overall and can make it hard to break teams with just No Retreat. Another issue is the fact that No Retreat can only be used once to boost, limiting its boosting potential overall.
Low base stats overall make Falinks hard to deal a lot of damage at +1, making it hard to break through walls that resist it.
Abilities
Defiant - Raises Attack by 2 stages when a stat is lowered - This is great and lets Falinks check Intimidate and Defog, making it nice on hazard offense teams. It also helps Falinks deal with its somewhat average Attack stat.
Battle Armor - Prevents critical hits - Alright ability, but this worse than Defiant in most instances. The only thing you'll see abusing critical hits is Togekiss which just beats Falinks anyway.
Movesets
No Retreat
-Close Combat
-No Retreat
-Rock Slide
-Throat Chop / Swords Dance
Item Attached: Life Orb
Ability: Defiant
EVs and Nature:
252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Speed
Jolly Nature
No Retreat is too nice of a boost to pass up, but it is more of a game ending tool as the inability to switch out makes it an all or nothing move. Close Combat is the primary move as after No Retreat your defenses return to normal, and generally speaking a strong 120 base power move is great. Rock Slide hits Flying- and Bug-types that resist Close Combat, such as Orbeetle and Butterfree. Last slot is open for Throat Chop for Psychic- and Ghost-types, namely Cofagrigus, or Swords Dance to threaten slower teams in the midgame. Falinks needs all the offense it can get so it needs a Jolly nature with maximum Attack and Speed investment to make the most of it with its middling stats. Defiant is also the best ability choice in order to provide offensive pressure on teams that use hazards. Life Orb is also the item choice to provide a further much-needed boost in damage.
Partners
Skuntank - Resisting Ghost types and applying pressure to them, Skuntank is a nice partner for Falinks. Skuntank also brings the benefit of baiting in bulkier threats such as Rhydon and Sandaconda that Falinks can boost on.
Appletun - Solid bulk means Appletun can act as a solid pivot for most teams and with access to Leech Seed, Appletun can force some good switches.
Countering Falinks
Cofagrigus - Bulky and access to Will-O-Wisp means Cofagrigus can pivot into Falinks with ease and threaten to hinder it with burns, while Falinks can't threaten much without Throat Chop and even then it's not much.
Cursola - Decent bulk means Cursola can pivot into Falinks constantly and then threaten powerful Choice Specs attacks then will deal big damage to most Pokemon in its tier range. However, Cursola's low HP means it cannot consistently do this and with Throat Chop, Falinks can threaten it reliably.
Locations in Games
Red/Blue/Yellow:
Not in game
Gold/Silver/Crystal:
Not in game
Ruby/Sapphire/Emerald:
Not in game
FireRed/LeafGreen:
Not in game
Colosseum/XD:
Not in game
Diamond/Pearl/Platinum:
Not in game
HeartGold/SoulSilver:
Not in game
Black/White:
Not in game
Black 2/White 2:
Not in game
X/Y:
Not in game
Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire:
Not in game
Sun/Moon:
Not in game
Ultra Sun/Ultra Moon:
Not in game
Let's Go, Pikachu!/Let's Go, Eevee!:
Not in game.
Sword/Shield:
Route 8, Lake of Outrage
Max Raid Battles: Dusty Bowl, North Lake Miloch, Rolling Fields, Stony Wilderness (Sword)
Max Raid Battles: Dusty Bowl, North Lake Miloch, Rolling Fields (Shield)
Anime Appearences
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Falinks has yet to make an appearance in the anime at times of writing
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