Flinch
Flinch (Japanese: ひるみ Flinch) is a transient status condition in which a Pokémon becomes unable to execute a move for one turn.
Effect
The flinch status is a one-turn status that prevents a Pokémon from executing a move. A Pokémon can flinch only if it is hit by another Pokémon's attacking move before using its move. Most moves that cause flinching are physical moves.
Pokémon with Inner Focus cannot flinch. If a Pokémon with Inner Focus is hit by a move that always causes flinching, the message "<Pokémon>'s Inner Focus prevents flinching!" (Generation III) or "<Pokémon> won't flinch because of its Inner Focus!" (Generation IV) appears. Due to flinching always occurring as an additional effect, having Shield Dust or holding a Covert Cloak also prevents the user from flinching. However, moves and Abilities that ignore Abilities can bypass these Abilities.
Pokémon with Steadfast gain Speed each time they flinch.
Dynamax Pokémon and Tera Raid Battle bosses are immune to flinching.
Generation II
A Pokémon holding a King's Rock has a 12% chance of causing a target to flinch when using certain moves.
If the Pokémon uses a multi-strike move, only the final strike has a chance of causing the target to flinch from King's Rock.
In this generation only, sleeping and frozen Pokémon cannot flinch when hit by moves that cause flinching (but can flinch via King's Rock), and are thus able to successfully execute Sleep Talk or Snore regardless.
Generations III and IV
A Pokémon holding a King's Rock or Razor Fang has a 10% chance of causing a target to flinch when using the moves affected by these items.
Each strike of a multi-strike move has an independent chance of causing the target to flinch from King's Rock or Razor Fang.
Generation V onward
A Pokémon with Stench has a 10% chance of making its target flinch when it uses an attacking move. This does not stack with King's Rock, Razor Fang, or moves that already have a chance to cause flinching.
Each strike of a multi-strike move has an independent chance of causing the target to flinch from Stench.
A Pokémon holding a King's Rock or Razor Fang has a 10% chance of causing a target to flinch when using any attacking move that does not already have a chance to cause flinching. The chance of flinching from King's Rock and Razor Fang is affected by Serene Grace and the rainbow created by Fire Pledge and Water Pledge.
Cause
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This section is incomplete. Please feel free to edit this section to add missing information and complete it. Reason: Items and Abilities |
Moves
The following moves may cause their targets to flinch, but only if the user of the moves hits first.
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In the spin-off games
Mystery Dungeon series
In the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon series, the Pokémon cannot use any regular attacks, special attacks, or orbs, but may throw items. If in the middle of a linked move, the rest of the linked move is skipped. Before Super Mystery Dungeon, it was referred to as Cringe.
Quash inflicts the Flinch status on the target as its sole effect in Mystery Dungeon.
In the anime
In I Politoed Ya So!, Misty's Politoed made Jessie's Arbok flinch with Headbutt.
In Shapes of Things to Come!, Paul's Chimchar flinched when Roark's Cranidos used Zen Headbutt on him, preventing him from carrying out Paul's order to use Dig.
In Chim - Charred!, Ash's Chimchar flinched when Paul's Ursaring used Secret Power on him on a rocky terrain.
In A Pyramiding Rage!, Paul's Magmar flinched when Brandon's Registeel hit it with Iron Head, preventing it from carrying out Paul's order to use Will-O-Wisp. This forced him to recall Magmar and send Nidoking out in its place.
In A Grand Fight for Winning!, during the finals of the Sinnoh Grand Festival, Dawn's Piplup was made to flinch when Zoey's Glameow hit him with Fake Out, preventing him from being able to use Hydro Pump.
In Caution: Icy Battle Conditions!, Ash's Krokorok flinched when Brycen's Vanillish hit him with Astonish.
In Pride of a Champion!, Diantha's Gourgeist flinched when Lance's Hydreigon scored a hit on it with Dark Pulse.
In Bewitch, Battle, and Bewilder!, Ash's Pikachu flinched when Cynthia's Togekiss hit him with Air Slash, the flinch chance getting boosted by Togekiss's Serene Grace. This prevented Pikachu from being able to use Electroweb and left him open to get hit by a Zen Headbutt. In the next episode, Togekiss attempted to also make Ash's Lucario flinch, but it resisted flinching thanks to it possessing Inner Focus.
In the manga
Pocket Monsters Platinum: Aim to Be Battle King!!
In PBK7, Shin's Tyrogue used Fake Out on Yū's Heatran, causing it to flinch.
Pokémon Adventures
Ruby & Sapphire arc
In The Beginning of the End with Kyogre & Groudon IX, Brawly's Hariyama used Fake Out to make Blaise's two Slugma flinch.
In Rayquaza Redemption I, Wally's Kecleon caused Norman's Slaking to flinch with Astonish.
Sword & Shield arc
In Gulp Gulp!! Pokémon, a wild Cramorant flinched after Hop had his Pincurchin use Zing Zap on it.
In the TCG
Flinching does not exist in the Pokémon Trading Card Game. However, the recurring attack Fake Out inflicts the Special Condition Paralyzed on a successful coin flip. This suggests that Flinching is replaced by Paralyzed in the TCG.
In other languages
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| Status conditions | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| BURNED | FROZEN | PARALYSIS | POISONED |
| ASLEEP | CONFUSION | FLINCHING | FAINTED |
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This game mechanic article is part of Project Games, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on the Pokémon games. |