#0566 · Unova · Generation 5 · fossil

Archen

First Bird Pokémon · Rock/Flying-type

Archen is a Rock/Flying-type Pokémon, the First Bird Pokémon, number 566 (#0566) in the National Pokédex. It was introduced in Generation 5 and comes from the Unova region. It is 0.5 m tall and weighs 9.5 kg.

Archen is the First Bird Pokémon, a Rock and Flying fossil that was once thought to be the forefather of every bird Pokémon, even though it cannot fly. It hops through the trees and glides down on its prey.

How to pronounce Archen

Archen is pronounced AR-ken. The capital letters show the stressed syllable.

Listen to Archen said out loud:

In Japanese it is アーケン.

Hear every other name on the Pokémon pronunciation guide.

Lore

Biology

Archen is a small, bipedal mix of reptile and bird, with a large red scaly head, blue and red neck feathers and untidy, sallow body feathers. Its clawed wings are blue and too small for flight, its legs are short and thin, and its twig-like tail ends in a diamond-shaped blue feather. It is 0.5 m tall and weighs 9.5 kg.

Behaviour

Archen roosts in trees and hops from branch to branch. The Sword Pokédex says it cannot fly but is very good at jumping, and the Moon entry says it could drop from tall treetops in a long glide to catch prey. In 'Archeops In The Modern World!' it turned out to dislike Pokémon food; instead it made a special plant grow by crying out, and it enjoyed that plant's berries.

Habitat

The Pokédex places it in treetops, and it exists today only through fossil revival. In Sword and Shield's Crown Tundra it is found at Giant's Foot. It is not available in Scarlet and Violet or Legends: Z-A.

Diet

The Shield Pokédex says it ate berries and bug Pokémon.

Powers

Archen's only Ability is Defeatist, which halves its Attack and Special Attack once its HP falls to half or less. It learns Rock Throw, Wing Attack, Dragon Breath, Ancient Power, U-turn and Dragon Claw. Base Attack of 112 is high for a first stage, but its Defense and Special Defense are only 45 each.

Name origin

Archen may blend Archaeopteryx with the geological eon Archean, or draw on only one of them. The Japanese name is アーケン, romanised Archen.

Design inspiration

Bulbapedia, citing Pokémon Fossil Museum material, says Archen is modelled on Archaeopteryx, a feathered dinosaur once thought to be the first bird, which fits its category, the First Bird Pokémon.

Evolution notes

Archen evolves into Archeops at level 37.

In the games

In Super Mystery Dungeon Archen is the Expedition Society's aerial explorer, despite being unable to fly. In Black and White, where it debuted, a Plume Fossil is revived at Nacrene Museum.

In the anime

Archen debuted in 'Archeops In The Modern World!', where Fennel and Professor Juniper revived a female one, and she evolved into an Archeops before the episode ended.

Fun facts

• Archen and Archeops share an Egg Group pair, Flying and Water 3, that no other Pokémon has.
• Bulbapedia says Archen and Archeops are the only Pokémon that can have Defeatist, and the only Fossil Pokémon with no Hidden Ability.
• Archen is the only Pokémon whose base stats add up to 401.

Sources: Bulbapedia: Archen (Pokémon) · Serebii: Archen (Sword/Shield Pokédex)

Base stats

• HP: 55
• Attack: 112
• Defense: 45
• Sp. Atk: 74
• Sp. Def: 45
• Speed: 70

Archen’s base stat total is 401. Its highest stat is Attack.

Type matchups

What is Archen weak to?

Archen takes extra damage from Water (2×), Electric (2×), Ice (2×), Rock (2×), Steel (2×) moves.

It resists Normal (½×), Fire (½×), Poison (½×), Flying (½×), Bug (½×).

It is immune to Ground moves.

Evolution

How does Archen evolve?

Archen evolves into Archeops at level 37.

The whole family: Archen, Archeops.

Abilities

• Defeatist: Halves Attack and Special Attack at 50% max HP or less.

Moves

Moves Archen learns by level up in Sword / Shield

TM moves (38)

Archen can learn 38 moves from TMs in Sword / Shield: Dig, Rest, Rock Slide, Snore, Protect, Scary Face, Steel Wing, Attract, Sandstorm, Facade, Swift, Rock Tomb, Bounce, Rock Blast, U-turn, Assurance, Shadow Claw, Round, Acrobatics, Bulldoze, Earthquake, Agility, Substitute, Endure, Sleep Talk, Iron Tail, Crunch, Uproar, Heat Wave, Taunt, Iron Defense, Dragon Claw, Dragon Pulse, Earth Power, Zen Headbutt, Stone Edge, Stealth Rock, Ally Switch.

Egg moves (6):Bite, Defog, Double Team, Head Smash, Knock Off, Switcheroo.

Move tutor moves (3): Dual Wingbeat, Lash Out, Meteor Beam.

Breeding & training

• Gender: 87.5% male, 12.5% female.
• Egg groups: Flying, Water 3.
• Egg cycles: 30 (steps to hatch, Scarlet/Violet: 3,840).
• Catch rate: 45 out of 255.
• Base friendship (Gen 8 onward): 50.
• Growth rate: Medium (1,000,000 experience points to reach level 100).
• Defeating it gives 1 Attack effort value.
• Base experience yield: 71.

Pokédex entries

Archen is said to be the ancestor of bird Pokémon. It lived in treetops, eating berries and bug Pokémon. (Shield)

This Pokémon was successfully restored from a fossil. As research suggested, Archen is unable to fly. But it's very good at jumping. (Sword)

Restored from a fossil, this ancient bird Pokémon has wings but can't yet fly. (Ultra Moon)

Once thought to be the ancestor of all bird Pokémon, some of the latest research suggests that may not be the case. (Ultra Sun)

To all appearances flightless, it was able to glide down from tall treetops to snag its prey. (Moon)

It is the ancestor of all bird Pokémon. Archen itself could not actually fly but moved by hopping from treetop to treetop. (Sun)

Names around the world

Trivia

• Lightest Rock type in Gen 5: 9.5 kg.
• Taller than 19% of all Pokémon (0.5 m).
• Heavier than 27% of all Pokémon (9.5 kg).
• Base stat total 401, ranked #632 of 1,025.
• One of 4 Pokémon that are both Rock and Flying.
• One of 88 yellow Pokémon.
• Number 73 of 156 Pokémon introduced in Generation 5 (Unova).
• Part of an evolution family of 2 Pokémon.
• Can learn 58 different moves in Sword / Shield.
• Catch rate 45: about 5.9% per Poké Ball at full health.
• Appears in 9 distinct Pokédex entries.

Sources and fact-checking

• Stats, types, abilities, moves, evolutions, forms and Pokédex entries: PokéAPI open game data.
• Lore: written by pokee.si in our own words, researched from Bulbapedia: Archen (Pokémon), Serebii: Archen (Sword/Shield Pokédex).
• Pronunciation (AR-ken): it follows how the English anime, games or official videos say it.

Last checked: 20 October 2026. Every sentence of the lore was checked against Bulbapedia, Serebii and the game data.

Explore

Rock-type Pokémon · Flying-type Pokémon · Rock/Flying weaknesses and matchups · Unova region guide · Defeatist ability · Compare Archen · Full Pokédex · Type chart · All moves

Browse similar Pokémon

Gen 5 Rock-type Pokémon · Gen 5 Flying-type Pokémon · Gen 5 Pokémon list · Yellow Pokémon list · Flying egg group · Water 3 egg group · Pokémon that start with A · Bird Pokémon · Dinosaur Pokémon

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