Inner Focus (Ability)

Inner Focus (Japanese: せいしんりょく Force of Will) is an Ability introduced in Generation III.

Effect

In battle

Generations III to VII

Inner Focus prevents the Pokémon from flinching. However, Pokémon with this Ability can still flinch to a Pokémon with Mold Breaker, Teravolt, or Turboblaze.

While some descriptions state that the user flinches, Focus Punch failing due to taking damage is not flinching, so the move is unaffected by Inner Focus.

If the Pokémon 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) will appear.

Generation VIII onward

Inner Focus now also blocks Intimidate.

Outside of battle

Inner Focus has no effect outside of battle.

Pokémon with Inner Focus

#	Pokémon		Types		First Ability	Second Ability	Hidden Ability
0041		Zubat	Poison	Flying		None	Infiltrator
0042		Golbat	Poison	Flying		None	Infiltrator
0063		Abra	Psychic		Psychic	Synchronize		Magic Guard
0064		Kadabra	Psychic		Psychic	Synchronize		Magic Guard
0065		Alakazam	Psychic		Psychic	Synchronize		Magic Guard
0083		Farfetch'd	Normal	Flying	Keen Eye		Defiant
0096		Drowzee	Psychic		Psychic	Insomnia	ForewarnGen IV+
0097		Hypno	Psychic		Psychic	Insomnia	ForewarnGen IV+
0107		Hitmonchan	Fighting		Fighting	Keen Eye	Iron FistGen IV+
0115		Kangaskhan	Normal		Normal	Early Bird	ScrappyGen IV+
0149		Dragonite	Dragon	Flying		None	Multiscale
0169		Crobat	Poison	Flying		None	Infiltrator
0197		Umbreon	Dark		Dark	Synchronize	None
0203		Girafarig	Normal	Psychic		Early Bird	Sap Sipper
0215		Sneasel	Dark	Ice		Keen Eye	Pickpocket
0215		Sneasel Hisuian Form	Fighting	Poison		Keen Eye	PickpocketGen IX+
0243		Raikou	Electric		Electric	Pressure	None	Gen VII+
0244		Entei	Fire		Fire	Pressure	None	Gen VII+
0245		Suicune	Water		Water	Pressure	None	Gen VII+
0361		Snorunt	Ice		Ice		Ice BodyGen IV+	Moody
0362		Glalie	Ice		Ice		Ice BodyGen IV+	Moody
0447		Riolu	Fighting		Fighting	Steadfast		Prankster
0448		Lucario	Fighting	Steel	Steadfast		Justified
0475		Gallade Mega Gallade	Psychic	Fighting		None	None
0538		Throh	Fighting		Fighting	Guts		Mold Breaker
0539		Sawk	Fighting		Fighting	Sturdy		Mold Breaker
0554		Darumaka	Fire		Fire	Hustle	None
0554		Darumaka Galarian Form	Ice		Ice	Hustle	None
0619		Mienfoo	Fighting		Fighting		Regenerator	Reckless
0620		Mienshao	Fighting		Fighting		Regenerator	Reckless
0624		Pawniard	Dark	Steel	Defiant		Pressure
0625		Bisharp	Dark	Steel	Defiant		Pressure
0749		Mudbray	Ground		Ground	Own Tempo	Stamina
0750		Mudsdale	Ground		Ground	Own Tempo	Stamina
0765		Oranguru	Normal	Psychic		Telepathy	Symbiosis
0876		Indeedee Male	Psychic	Normal		Synchronize	Psychic Surge
0891		Kubfu	Fighting		Fighting		None	None
0979		Annihilape	Fighting	Ghost	Vital Spirit		Defiant
Please note that Abilities marked with a superscript are only available in the stated generation or later. For Generation III and IV games, ignore Hidden Abilities.

• In Generation V and VI, Raikou, Entei, and Suicune have Volt Absorb, Flash Fire, and Water Absorb, respectively, instead of Inner Focus as their Hidden Ability. However, it is impossible to obtain them with their Hidden Abilities in Generations V and VI.

In other games

Description

In animation

Pokémon animated series

Lucario
The Pokémon's intense focus prevents it from flinching.
Pokémon	Method
User	First Used In		Notes
	Lucario's incredible willpower protects it from flinching.
Ash's Lucario	Valor: A Strategic Part of Battling!		Debut

In the manga

Pokémon Adventures

• In Gotcha Where I Wantcha, Glalie, the rental Glalie that Noland used during his Battle Factory match against Emerald was revealed to have Inner Focus as its Ability by Emerald's Pokédex.
• Blue's Alakazam, Giovanni's Crobat, and Lysandre's Mienfoo were revealed to have Inner Focus as their Ability in the PokéSPedia data-book.
• Koga's Golbat, Janine's Crobat, Lance's Dragonite, Glacia's Glalie, Maylene's Riolu, and Marshal's Mienshao were revealed to have Inner Focus as their Ability.

In other languages

This article is part of Project Moves and Abilities, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on two related aspects of the Pokémon games.