Inner Focus

Inner Focus prevents the Pokemon from flinching. Moves like Fake Out, Air Slash, Iron Head, and other flinch-inducing attacks will still deal damage but cannot cause the target to lose its turn. This makes Inner Focus a direct counter to flinch-based strategies, particularly the common Fake Out lead in doubles formats.

Starting in Generation IX, Inner Focus received an important buff: it now also prevents the Pokemon from being affected by Intimidate. When an opposing Pokemon with Intimidate enters battle, a Pokemon with Inner Focus will not have its Attack lowered, and a message indicates that Inner Focus blocked the effect. This dual protection — against both flinching and Intimidate — significantly increased the ability's competitive value, especially in doubles where both Fake Out and Intimidate are extremely common. Introduced in Generation III, Inner Focus is found on 35 Pokemon including Lucario, Dragonite, Mienshao, and several Fighting-type Pokemon whose intense concentration is reflected in the ability's flavor.