Harmontu

Maaphix (basic stage) - Khersin (alt. stage one)

Harmontu's Phoenixdex Entry

Aaand I still know what you're thinking. "But Phoenix, that's not a sphinx, that's a gryphon! You liar >|"

Wrong! Harmontu is in fact a sphinx; it's just not the sort most people are familiar with, is all. The human-headed sphinxes everyone associates with Ancient Egypt are just one kind of sphinx, the androsphinx. Harmontu is a falcon-headed sphinx, or hieracosphinx. Any similarity to gryphons is, I assure you, purely coincidental. That, or either the Egyptians or the Persians have some explaining to do.

Give a level 35 (or higher) Maaphix a Beaked Mask (which doubles Maaphix's special attack) and raise it up a bit and you'll end up with this pretty bird. Not only are Harmontu quick and in possession of powerful attacks from both the physical and special ends of the spectrum, they also have the ability to start intensely hot sandstorms. That's part of where its name comes from, in fact—the harmattan, a scorching trade wind infamous for kicking up a hell of a lot of sand around the Sahara. Formidable foes indeed.

May try to revamp it one day so the pose isn't as stiff, but the design works and it's fine for now.

Pokémon is Nintendo's, Harmontu is mine, all comments about any confusion surrounding the distinction between a gryphon and a hieracosphinx are to be directed to either the Persians or the Ancient Egyptians because it isn't my fault you can't tell the difference.