Nosepass is a blue, angular, hard bipedal Pokémon that closely resembles the Easter Island Heads. Its bright red, triangular nose is highly magnetic and slightly resembles a 3D arrow. This nose functions as an electromagnet and always points north. It has arms and legs without any visible joints and small, circular holes on the undersides. Its arms resemble compass needles. It has similar circular holes on the sides of its head. Its eyes, covered by dark, somewhat mask-like markings, have the appearance of being closed.
Nosepass cannot go near others, since it would repel them with its magnetic nose. Its magnetism is stronger in cold seasons. To protect itself when in danger, it raises its magnetism and draws iron objects to its body. This technique is also used to capture prey, though it can pull natural enemies close too. Because it always points north, Nosepass has historically been used as a compass for travelers. Nosepass only moves a little over 3/8 of an inch each year, but can quickly spin its body into the ground like a drill during emergency situations. It lives in caves. Metang are natural predators of Nosepass.
In the original timeline of Arceus and the Jewel of Life, four Nosepass were used by Damos, who was under Hypnosis, to attack Arceus with Shock Wave. When Ash and his friends traveled to the past to prevent this, Marcus, the one responsible for hypnotizing Damos, managed to use the Nosepass again to attack Arceus.
Minor appearances
A Nosepass appeared in the opening sequence of Destiny Deoxys.
In Pokémon Adventures, Roxanne's main Pokémon is a Nosepass. It first appeared in Blowing Past Nosepass I. During her battle against Sapphire, she used Nosepass's Magnet Pull so that her Aron cannot be switched. She saves its Poké Ball inside a hollowed-out book. Later when fighting against Team Magma in Lilycove City, Nosepass uses its Block attack to stop Groudon from moving. Unfortunately, Roxanne allows Team Magma to knock Nosepass out to protect some civilians.
Nosepass's magnetic nose is always pointed to the north. If two of these Pokémon meet, they cannot turn their faces to each other when they are close because their magnetic noses repel one another.
Nosepass had been said to be completely unmoving, with its magnetic nose pointed due north. However, close observation has revealed that the Pokémon actually moves by a little over 3/8 of an inch every year.
Nosepass's magnetic nose is always pointed to the north. If two of these Pokémon meet, they cannot turn their faces to each other when they are close because their magnetic noses repel one another.
Nosepass had been said to be completely unmoving, with its magnetic nose pointed due north. However, close observation has revealed that the Pokémon actually moves by a little over 3/8 of an inch every year.
Once the people of Hisui discovered that its red nose always points north, they grew to rely on it greatly when traveling afar. The nose seems to work in a similar way to ancient compasses.
Nosepass is the only Pokémon with a base stat total of 375.
It is also the only Pokémon that can have Magnet Pull as its Ability, yet is not Electric-type or Steel-type.
It is also the only non-Electric-type Pokémon that evolves via a Thunder Stone, but does not gain the Electric typing.
In Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver, Nosepass is programmed to be able to learn Head Smash through breeding, but no other Pokémon in the Mineral Group can legitimately learn it to pass down as an Egg Move in those games. It was removed from Nosepass's Egg Move list in Generation V, but in more recent games, some Pokémon in the Mineral Egg Group have become able to pass it down.
Due to the censor that prevents Pokémon with offensive nicknames being traded on the GTS, an English language Nosepass cannot be traded on the GTS without a nickname in Pokémon Black and White.
When wild Nosepass appear as a symbol encounter, they always face north if not disturbed.
This behavior first appeared in Pokémon GO, in which its model will always face north when displayed on the overworld map. Normally, when a player enters then exits an encounter with a wild Pokémon, that Pokémon's model will turn facing the player. However, in Nosepass's case, it will turn back to face north after a few seconds.
Its nasal compass may be based on the expression "follow one's nose", meaning "to trust to one's instincts". Alternatively, it may be a pun on the English words "nose" (Japanese: ノーズ nōzu) and "north" (Japanese: ノース nōsu). It could also be based on the ethmoid bone that is located between the nasal cavity and the brain, and is known to give some species their sense of direction via magnetoreception.
Name origin
Nosepass may be a combination of nose or a corruption of north and compass. NOSE is also a mnemonic for the cardinal directions in French (nord, ouest, sud, est).