What it does
Inner Focus prevents the holder from flinching. That covers Fake Out outright, plus the secondary flinch chances on moves like Headbutt or Air Slash. You take the damage; you just don't stop.
In Champions doubles, Fake Out is one of the most common turn-one plays. It carries +1 priority, nearly always hits, and burns one of your Pokémon's turns completely. Inner Focus shuts that down cold — the holder enters and immediately does whatever it was going to do.
One thing Inner Focus does not do: it doesn't block Intimidate's Attack drop, and it doesn't protect against damage. If Incineroar uses Fake Out into your Inner Focus Lucario, the holder takes the hit and acts normally. Factor that chip into your HP calculations.
Who runs it
Lucario at 94% is the defining Inner Focus carrier in Champions. Its typing already invites a pile of attacks — Ground, Fire, Flying, and Fairy all threaten it — so the last thing it needs is to lose a turn to a flinch. Inner Focus lets it land Close Combat or Aura Sphere the turn it enters, before the opponent can set up around it.
Umbreon (92%) runs Inner Focus to protect its support role. Umbreon's job is controlling tempo for its partner — Fake Out robs it of exactly that. With Inner Focus it can Helping Hand, Yawn, or Wish on turn one as intended.
Alakazam (88%) is speed-dependent and frail. One wasted turn is often the difference between winning and losing that exchange. Inner Focus keeps its offensive output consistent from the moment it lands.
Oranguru (79%) uses Inner Focus to execute its turn-one support reliably, particularly when setting up field conditions or using Instruct.
Glalie (46%), Mudsdale (56%), Dragonite (15%), and Kangaskhan (2%) all pick Inner Focus situationally — usually in response to metagames heavy with Fake Out stacking.
How to use it
The core move is reading which opposing Pokémon carries Fake Out — Incineroar is the most common, but various fast Normal and Fighting types use it too — and positioning your Inner Focus Pokémon to deny that play.
In doubles, the opponent entering that turn usually has to split attention: use Fake Out to freeze one of your Pokémon, or attack normally. With Inner Focus, they lose the freeze option against your slot. That often forces them into a worse line.
Pair Inner Focus Pokémon with a partner that demands immediate answers — something that threatens heavy damage or sets up on turn one. When neither of your Pokémon can be flinched and both pressure the opponent, the opponent has to make a real decision instead of buying time.
Tips & strategy
Inner Focus has a soft deterrent value even before the battle starts. An opponent who knows you have an Inner Focus Pokémon in your back will sometimes avoid bringing their Fake Out user at all, changing their lead selection entirely. That's free information.
Don't treat Inner Focus as purely defensive. The strongest use is pairing it with a Pokémon that can be devastating on turn one — Inner Focus protects the setup of that first action. Think of it less as 'flinch immunity' and more as 'guaranteed first turn'.
Remember that damage from Fake Out still lands. Lucario and Alakazam are both frail; the chip matters. If you've taken a Fake Out hit and need to decide whether to stay in, factor the missing HP honestly — Inner Focus kept you in the game that turn, but your overall durability hasn't changed.