One of Pokemon Sword and Shield's New Pokemon Is All About the Pocket Sand

One of the new Pokemon in Pokemon Sword and Shield has a very strange way of attacking foes. Silicobra is a new Ground-type Pokemon that can be found at Route 6 outside of Hammerlocke City. Silicobra seems like a pretty harmless Pokemon, with tired-looking eyes and a timid expression. Silicobra's most prominent feature is its hood-like "neck pouch," which serves as the Pokemon's primary defense mechanism. Silicobra stores sand in its neck pouch and then sprays it from its nose when attacked. Silicobra's evolved form Sandaconda has even more sand ready for surprise attacks. It carries over 200 pounds of sand in its oversized neck pouch, which it continues to spray out of its nose when attacked.

This strange neck pouch/nostril attack serves several purposes. Silicobra and Sandaconda can potentially have the Ability Sand Spit, which causes a sandstorm to start up whenever its attacked. This is a new ability that's exclusive to the Silicobra line. Sandaconda also has a Gigantamax form, which causes its sand pouch to grow to enormous proportions. In fact, Sandacobra allegedly has over 1 million tons of sand blowing around it while its Gigantamaxed, which is probably enough to strip the flesh from any Pokemon. That's pretty terrifying and awful...although very much in line with what other Pokemon can do when Gigantamaxed.

Players can find Silicobra on Route 6 and Sandaconda on Route 8. They can also encounter both Pokemon (and Sandaconda's Gigantamaxed form) in Max Raid Battles in the Wild Area.

What do you think of these new Pokemon? Let us know in the comment section or find me on Twitter at @CHofferCBus to chat all things Pokemon!