#0963 · Paldea · Generation 9

Finizen

Dolphin Pokémon · Water-type

Finizen is a Water-type Pokémon, the Dolphin Pokémon, number 963 (#0963) in the National Pokédex. It was introduced in Generation 9 and comes from the Paldea region. It is 1.3 m tall and weighs 60.2 kg.

Finizen is the Dolphin Pokémon, a friendly Water type that plays with a ring of water on its tail and uses ultrasonic waves to read the moods of other creatures. It is the quiet first half of a line whose second stage transforms when its friends are in danger.

How to pronounce Finizen

Finizen is pronounced FIN-ih-zen. The capital letters show the stressed syllable.

Listen to Finizen said out loud:

In Japanese it is ナミイルカ (Namiiruka).

Hear every other name on the Pokémon pronunciation guide.

Lore

Biology

Finizen is a light blue dolphin, 1.3 m long and 60.2 kg, with a pale underbelly, wave patterns down its sides and a split tail fin. A ring of water floats around the base of its tail. The Pokédex says the ring is seawater blended with a gooey fluid that Finizen produces at its blowhole.

Behaviour

Finizen lives in groups called pods and plays with fellow Finizen using the water ring; Bulbapedia says the ring can come off the tail and grow in size. The Pokédex says it senses emotions with ultrasonic waves. It competes with Barraskewda for food, and Dragalge is a natural predator.

Habitat

The Pokédex gives no habitat. In Scarlet and Violet Finizen swims in the East, North, South and West Paldean Seas, and turns up in 3-star Tera Raid Battles.

Powers

Its only Ability, Water Veil, prevents burns. It fights with Water Gun, Aqua Jet and Dive, and later learns Aqua Tail and Hydro Pump. With base Speed 75 but base Attack 45 it is quick yet gentle.

Name origin

Finizen may combine 'fin', delfín (Spanish for 'dolphin') and 'citizen' or 'denizen'. The Japanese name is Namiiruka (ナミイルカ), which may blend nami ('wave' or 'ordinary') and iruka ('dolphin').

Design inspiration

Finizen seems modelled on dolphins, especially the bottlenose and striped dolphin. The water ring may refer to the bubble rings that real dolphins make and play with, and the sticky fluid may nod to popping boba, whose skin is made with seaweed-based alginate. These are fan readings.

Evolution notes

Finizen evolves into Palafin when levelled up from level 38 while connected to another player in a Union Circle group.

In the games

Finizen swims in all four Paldean Seas in Scarlet and Violet, where it debuted as number 291 in the Paldea Pokédex. It is not in either expansion and is not available in Legends: Z-A.

In the anime

Finizen debuted in Pokémon Horizons in the opening session of 'The Pendant That Starts It All (Part One)'. Several also appear in 'Transform! Hero of the Seas, Palafin'.

Fun facts

• Bulbapedia says Finizen is the only Pokémon that evolves through the Union Circle.
• Zero Form Palafin has exactly the same height, weight and cry as Finizen, and Bulbapedia notes they are the only known evolutionary relatives that share height and weight.
• Boomburst, a powerful sound-based move, is among Finizen's Egg Moves, which suits a dolphin that reads feelings through ultrasound.

Sources: Bulbapedia: Finizen (Pokémon) · Serebii: Finizen (Scarlet/Violet Pokédex)

Base stats

• HP: 70
• Attack: 45
• Defense: 40
• Sp. Atk: 45
• Sp. Def: 40
• Speed: 75

Finizen’s base stat total is 315. Its highest stat is Speed.

Type matchups

What is Finizen weak to?

Finizen takes extra damage from Electric (2×), Grass (2×) moves.

It resists Fire (½×), Water (½×), Ice (½×), Steel (½×).

Evolution

How does Finizen evolve?

Finizen evolves into Palafin at level 38. It only evolves while you are in a Union Circle with another player (multiplayer).

The whole family: Finizen, Palafin.

Abilities

• Water Veil: Prevents burns.

Moves

Moves Finizen learns by level up in Scarlet / Violet

TM moves (31)

Finizen can learn 31 moves from TMs in Scarlet / Violet: Take Down, Charm, Agility, Protect, Water Pulse, Acrobatics, Disarming Voice, Chilling Water, Facade, Swift, Icy Wind, Draining Kiss, Fling, Endure, Rain Dance, Zen Headbutt, Body Slam, Sleep Talk, Waterfall, Rest, Substitute, Liquidation, Encore, Surf, Helping Hand, Ice Beam, Hydro Pump, Blizzard, Tera Blast, Haze, Psych Up.

Egg moves (5):Boomburst, Bounce, Counter, Haze, Tickle.

Breeding & training

• Gender: 50% male, 50% female.
• Egg groups: Field, Water 2.
• Egg cycles: 40 (steps to hatch, Scarlet/Violet: 5,120).
• Catch rate: 200 out of 255.
• Base friendship (Gen 8 onward): 50.
• Growth rate: Slow (1,250,000 experience points to reach level 100).
• Defeating it gives 1 Speed effort value.
• Base experience yield: 63.

Pokédex entries

Its water ring is made from seawater mixed with a sticky fluid that Finizen secretes from its blowhole. (Violet)

It likes playing with others of its kind using the water ring on its tail. It uses ultrasonic waves to sense the emotions of other living creatures. (Scarlet)

Names around the world

Trivia

• Taller than 64% of all Pokémon (1.3 m).
• Heavier than 72% of all Pokémon (60.2 kg).
• Base stat total 315, ranked #793 of 1,025.
• One of 154 Water-type Pokémon (counting dual types).
• One of 170 blue Pokémon.
• Number 58 of 120 Pokémon introduced in Generation 9 (Paldea).
• Part of an evolution family of 2 Pokémon.
• Can learn 44 different moves in Scarlet / Violet.
• Catch rate 200: about 26.1% per Poké Ball at full health.
• Appears in 2 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: Finizen (Pokémon), Serebii: Finizen (Scarlet/Violet Pokédex).
• Pronunciation (FIN-ih-zen): no English source says it out loud, so it is our best guess from the parts of the name.

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

Explore

Water-type Pokémon · Paldea region guide · Water Veil ability · Compare Finizen · Full Pokédex · Type chart · All moves

Browse similar Pokémon

Gen 9 Water-type Pokémon · Gen 9 Pokémon list · Blue Pokémon list · Field egg group · Water 2 egg group · Pokémon that start with F · Whale and Dolphin Pokémon

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