Today we shine the Spotlight on one of the O.G. Pokémon and it's new evolution!
Farfetch’d artwork by Ken Sugimori
Farfetch'd (Kamonegi in Japan), a Normal and Flying Type Pokémon, was part of the original 151 Pokémon! A duck monster that carries a green onion around with it all time, Farfetch'd's name and character are based on the Japanese proverb "Kamo negi", "a duck comes bearing onions" literally referring to an unlikely, convenient occurrence. An interpertation that would work in English is "A fool and his money are soon departed" The English name was chosen in an attempt to retain the pun. Me personally, I used to personify it as a ronin samurai duck with leek as its Excalibur.
In the Japanese Pocket Monsters Red and Green, and the international releases of Pokémon Red and Blue, players could search from the highest mountain of Kanto, to the southernmost island and never run into a wild Farfetch'd unless, perhaps they trigger some sort of unlikely. The only legitimate way to obtain a Farfetch'd in the original releases is by doing an in-game trade with an NPC: in Pocket Monsters Red and Green you must trade a Pidgey to obtain one; a Spearow in Pokemon Red and Blue. The legitimate Farfetch'd's name would be "DUX", the player is unable to change this Pokémon's name.
A Farfetch’d named “DUX”
In battle, Farfetch'd was decent for a time, but not a long term solution. Farfetch'd was pretty average-to-decent around the point in the game where you get them, but it's strength plateaus midway through the game. It made a decent Cut or Fly HM Slave. In truth, your Pidgey or Spearow would have grown up to be a more powerful Pokémon than Farfetch'd. The game developers pulled a prank on us: Farfetch'd is a Joke Character (like Dan in Street Fighter Alpha).
The lore of the anime mentioned that their "numbers are decreasing in the wild"; they're an endangered species due to being over-hunted for food. Yellow would also be the first game Farfetch'd could be caught in the wild.
Base Set Farfetch’d
In the early days of the Pokemon Trading Card Game, Farfetch'd was a decent substitute for the coveted Jungle Scyther card; being a Fighting-type resister that could be splashed into almost any deck.
For Pokemon Generation 2, Farfetch'd received a few boosts. The move False Swipe was added to its movepool, which made it a good tool for catching other Pokémon. Furthermore, wild Farfetch'd had a small chance of carrying a held-item: Stick which would increase its critical hit ratio (Farfetch'd imported from Pokemon Red, Green, Blue or Yellow would be holding a Bitter Berry)
A Farfetch’d causes the player trouble in Pokemon Gold
As part of Pokemon Gold, Silver and Crystal's plot, a Farfetch'd used by a lumberjack causes some trouble for the player and has to be returned to its owner.
For several Generations of Pokémon, Farfetch'd would be a side character that could be a useful tool for weakening Pokémon, but never taken seriously in a competitive context. In Generation 6, a Farfetch'd obtained early on in Pokemon X and Y is useful for WRECKING the first Gym. The way the Critical Hit formula works in Generation 6, if Farfetch'd is holding a Stick and uses a Critical Hit status buff move, the next attack is guaranteed to be a Critical Hit. And in Generation 7, its Attack stat was raised.
Sirfetch’d, Farfetch’d’s evolved form.
And now, after being around for 23+ years of gaming, Farfetch'd finally has an Evolution: Sirfetch'd (Negiganaito in Japan), the smug, yet noble knight duck, to be introduced in Pokemon Sword & Shield for the Nintendo Switch! I supposed Farfetch'd got some ideas from the title of the game: it trades in it's wings and its original typing for the Fighting type, an onion sword (twice as big as its body!) and a shield. Sirfetch'd is due to learn the attack "Meteor Assault" which is so powerful that it needs to recharge after it's used.
From a developer joke, to a utility tool and now a noble knight, Farfetch'd is no longer the troll character is used to be. Will its new evolution prove to the push that finally makes this Pokémon competitive?
