'''Phione''' ([[List of Japanese Pokémon names|Japanese:]] '''フィオネ''' ''Phione'') is a {{type|Water}} {{OBP|Pokémon|species}} introduced in [[Generation IV]].
'''Phione''' ([[List of Japanese Pokémon names|Japanese:]] '''フィオネ''' ''Phione'') is a {{type|Water}} [[Mythical Pokémon]] introduced in [[Generation IV]].
It is not known to [[Evolution|evolve]] into or from any other Pokémon, but can be obtained by breeding {{p|Manaphy}} or another Phione with {{p|Ditto}}.
It is not known to [[Evolution|evolve]] into or from any other Pokémon, but can be obtained by breeding {{p|Manaphy}} or another Phione with {{p|Ditto}}.
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===Mythical status===
===Mythical status===
Phione's status as a [[Mythical Pokémon]] is disputed, with several pieces of evidence and even official statements often contradicting each other.
Phione's status as a [[Mythical Pokémon]] (or [[Legendary Pokémon]], before Mythical Pokémon were re-classified) has been contradicted in the past, with it occasionally being stated not to be Mythical or lacking traits shared by other Mythicals. [[Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver: Prima's Official Strategy Guide]] noted it as non-{{pkmn2|Legendary}}, as it can be obtained through hatching {{pkmn|Egg}}s. In {{g|Ranger: Guardian Signs}}, it is not classified as "rare" and can be found in the {{pkmn2|wild}}. The [[Pokémon Daisuki Club]]'s [http://www.pokemon.jp/special/mystery/column/02.html#column09 Mystery File] feature website omits Phione from its list of Mythical Pokémon. In the [[Pokémon Kids: Winter Fest]] badge collection, Phione has no special border and is obtained through standard bags. In the {{g|Bank}} Pokédex, Phione does not have a shiny background, though non-{{pkmn2|Special}} Legendary Pokémon share this trait as well. In {{g|Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time and Darkness}}, Phione's exclusive items can be found normally. [[Takara Tomy|TOMY]]'s 20th Anniversary plush set excludes Phione. In {{g|HOME}}, Phione was originally not treated as a Mythical Pokémon in regardings to [[trade|trading]], a persistent error from previous trade filters dating back to [[Generation V]], which similarly affected {{Shiny}} {{p|Keldeo}} and {{p|Victini}}.
====Evidence for====
[[File:Phione Mythical 2011 Style Guide.png|thumb|250px|Proof from the 2011 Style Guide]]
* [[Pokémon.com]]'s mailbag was [http://www.pokemon.com/#mailbag_02042008 once asked]{{dead link}} if Phione was Legendary. The official answer was initially no, but was quickly changed to yes; the whole mailbag section has since been taken down with the restructure of Pokémon.com.
* Phione is listed under the Mythical Pokémon section in the Pokémon 2011 Style Guide.
* Phione is listed as a Mythical Pokémon in the [[Pokémon Deluxe Essential Handbook]].
* Phione was a usable Pokémon in the [[n:Circle of Legends Wi-Fi competition announced|''Circle of Legends'' tournament]], in which only Legendary and Mythical Pokémon were allowed.
* Phione is banned from the [[2016 World Championships|2016 Video Game Championships]] due to being a Mythical Pokémon.
* Phione is listed as a Mythical Pokémon in a [http://www.nintendo.co.uk/News/2016/September/From-Mew-to-Magearna-discover-Mythical-Pokemon-in-our-feature-news-1138664.html September 2016 Nintendo feature story on Mythical Pokémon].
* In the [[Generation VII]] [[Global Trade System]], if the player chooses to exclude people seeking Mythical or Legendary Pokémon, people seeking Phione will not be displayed.
* Phione is banned from the {{Gdis|Battle Frontier|IV}}, the [[Battle Subway]], the [[Pokémon World Tournament]], the [[Battle Maison]], and the [[Battle Tree]], a rule which typically applies only to Mythical Pokémon and [[Special Pokémon]]; the only non-Mythical Pokémon to have been event-only at one point, {{p|Zorua}} and {{p|Zoroark}}, were allowed in the Battle Subway, indicating Phione's battle facility ban may be due to it being Mythical.
** Phione is also banned from most online competitions and online battles.
* In the {{g|Mystery Dungeon series}}:
** In {{pkmn|Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time and Explorers of Darkness|Explorers of Time, Darkness}} and {{pkmn|Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky|Sky}}, Phione has a 100% recruit rate, is never battled, and the player is not allowed to recruit more than one to their team, all of which are traits otherwise only exhibited by Legendary and Mythical Pokémon.
** In {{pkmn|Super Mystery Dungeon}}, {{p|Hoopa}} is able to summon Phione as an ally. Only Legendary and Mythical Pokémon are able to be summoned in this way. Moreover, when Manaphy and Phione are first encountered at the [[Seafloor Ruins]], the game refers to them as "the Mythical Manaphy and Phione."
* In {{g|Rumble Blast}}, Phione can only be unlocked once a certain number of customers have shopped at the Toy Shop, a trait otherwise exclusive to Legendary and Mythical Pokémon.
* Phione was featured in Pokémon.com's [[n:Official Pokémon website announces Pokémon Power Bracket|2012 Pokémon Power Bracket]], a single-elimination tournament where all other Pokémon in the bracket were Legendary and Mythical Pokémon.
* Phione is not needed to obtain the [[diploma]], a trait otherwise exclusive to Mythical Pokémon.
** Likewise, in {{g|Legends: Arceus}}, it is not required to catch Phione in order to battle {{p|Arceus}}, nor does it count for Pokédex completion to obtain the [[Shiny Charm]], traits otherwise exclusive to Mythical Pokémon.
* Pokémon Legends: Arceus will display a warning when the player attempts to {{pkmn2|Released|release}} a Legendary Pokémon, Mythical Pokémon, or [[Shiny Pokémon]]; attempting to release Phione will generate the warning regardless of Shiny status.
* The {{g|GO}} [[regional Pokédex]] added in v2.0.0 of the mobile version of {{g|HOME}}, which includes all Pokémon in the [[National Pokédex]] except Mythical Pokémon, excludes Phione.
* In {{g|Scarlet and Violet}}, the game code defines Phione as a Mythical internally. It is currently unknown what this value is used for, as it is defined for all Mythical Pokémon, even Mythical species that [[List of Pokémon by availability|are not coded to exist]] in Scarlet and Violet, such as {{p|Celebi}}, {{p|Jirachi}}, {{p|Deoxys}}, etc.
* In [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pa08Y-fhfTI a YouTube video celebrating the number of Pokémon] after the release of [[Generation IX]], Phione is shown during the Mythical Pokémon portion.
====Evidence against====
* [[Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver: Prima's Official Strategy Guide]] states that Phione is not Legendary (a term used at the time to describe both Legendary and Mythical Pokémon) due to it being able to be obtained by hatching Eggs.
* In {{g|Ranger: Guardian Signs}}, all Mythical Pokémon are referred to as "rare," but Phione is not. It is also found normally in the wild.
* All Mythical Pokémon are listed in [[Pokémon Daisuki Club]]'s [http://www.pokemon.jp/special/mystery/column/02.html#column09 Mystery File] feature website, but Phione is missing.
* In the [[Pokémon Kids: Winter Fest]] badge collection all Legendary and Mythical Pokémon have special badge borders and are obtained exclusively through either opening Master pouches or clearing timed challenges. However, Phione has no special border and is obtained through standard bags in the same way all non-Legendary non-Mythical Pokémon are obtained.
* In the Pokédex of {{g|Bank}}, Phione does not have a shiny background, unlike other Mythical Pokémon. However, non-Special Legendary Pokémon similarly also do not have a shiny background.
* In {{g|Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time and Darkness}}, Phione has a whole set of exclusive items that are found normally (plus a fifth item that otherwise only appears for [[baby Pokémon]]) unlike other Legendary and Mythical Pokémon, which only have one each and are found behind locked chambers in specific dungeons.
* [[Takara Tomy|TOMY]] produced 20th Anniversary Pokémon plush toys that included all Mythical Pokémon from [[Generation I]] to [[Generation V]]. In that set, Phione was omitted.
====Other====
* Phione {{pkmn|Egg}}s can be received at {{pkmn|Day Care}}s and the {{pkmn|Nursery}}, and it can breed to produce another Phione. No other Legendary or Mythical Pokémon can breed to produce itself.
* The [[Pokémon Ultra Sun & Pokémon Ultra Moon: The Official Alola Region Strategy Guide]] has two separate pieces of conflicting information about Phione's Mythical status within itself. It lists Phione as Mythical but also states that Manaphy is the only Mythical Pokémon that can breed.
* In {{g|HOME}}, the player cannot trade Phione via the Wonder Box, [[Global Trade System]] or Room Trade, just like all Mythical Pokémon. Originally, even trades requesting Pokémon that could not be traded would be displayed when searching the GTS, but shortly after launch, the search was changed to not display these results. When requests for Pokémon that could not be traded were visible, even if the player chose to exclude people seeking Mythical or Legendary Pokémon, requests for Phione would still be displayed.
** It should be noted that the trade filters appear to be taken from previous trade systems, so HOME may not accurately reflect present day categories or restrictions. An example would be {{Shiny}} {{p|Keldeo}} and {{p|Victini}} being tradable despite being coded never to appear as Shiny, a persistent error in the trade filters that has appeared in every trade system from [[Generation V]] onward.
Phione is a blue Pokémon with a round head and a tiny body. Phione's head is crowned by a flotation sac with a long, ribbon-like antenna. Its mouth is small, and its eyes are large with blue sclerae and gray irises. Above its eyes are two blue, circular markings connected to the eyes by a thin black line. Its long, flipper-like arms have rounded tips. Phione has a red, oval gem on its chest and a single rudimentary foot spike.
Phione inflates the sac on its head to drift in the water and search for food. When the water grows warm, it will drift in packs with other members of its species. No matter how far it has drifted, it will always return to the place where it was born. Sometimes it will be seen with Manaphy, visiting the Hisui region on rare occasions. Against natural predators, it uses a defense mechanism that allows it to blend with ocean waters. Phione are known to hatch from eggs laid by Manaphy, although the relationship between the two species is still unknown.
Three Phione debuted in Hold the Phione! as residents of Chocovine Town. One of them became attracted to Dawn's Buneary and became jealous upon realizing that Buneary had feelings for Pikachu. This Phione was also temporarily captured by Team Rocket, but it managed to escape.
Phione, the Sea Drifter Pokémon. Phione lives in warm oceans. It inflates the flotation sac on its head, allowing it to float on the waves and look for food.
Can be seen floating offshore during seasons when the seas are warm. Its azure body blends in with the ocean waters—logic suggests this is a defense mechanism against natural predators.
Phione is probably based on sea angels, specifically clione. Clione are remarkably popular in Japanese documentaries, especially in Hokkaido, on which Sinnoh is based. This may also explain their appearance in Chocovine Town.
Manaphy's trait of only being able to produce Phione as offspring may be inspired by eusociality, a biological phenomenon which usually manifests in a colony of animals having a sole breeding female, or queen, tended to by her usually infertile offspring, or an example of a highly rare and unique mutations such albinism or polydactyly. Pokédex entries, however, suggests that Manaphy are born in cold waters and are easily affected by their environment, while Phione live in warms waters and come back to their place of birth.
Name origin
Phione may be a combination of Manaphy and Clione (genus of floating sea slugs).
This Pokémon article is part of Project Pokédex, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on each Pokémon species, as well as Pokémon groups and forms.