Dark Type Pokemon
Dark type Pokemon are immune to Psychic attacks and completely block Prankster status moves. They resist Ghost and Dark, while offensive staples like Knock Off and Sucker Punch punish opposing teams.
How Dark Performs in Battle
See how Dark's Psychic immunity holds up, what attacks hit Dark super effectively, and how Dark moves hit on offense.
Dark Type Pokemon Weakness
- Fighting (2×): Attacks like Close Combat and Mach Punch hit Dark hard. You need physical bulk or a defensive switch to take them.
- Bug (2×): U-turn deals super-effective damage and lets opponents switch out. It punishes Dark Pokemon trying to switch in.
- Fairy (2×): Moves like Moonblast and Play Rough hit Dark types for double damage. Fairy was added in Gen 6 to balance Dark and Dragon.
Damage Negation
- 0× Psychic Immunity: Dark takes zero damage from Psychic attacks. Moves like Psychic and Psyshock do nothing.
- Ghost & Dark Resistance (0.5×): Dark takes half damage from Ghost and Dark moves. That softens blows from Shadow Ball and Knock Off.
- Prankster Immunity: Opponents with Prankster cannot hit Dark Pokemon with status moves. Moves like Taunt and Thunder Wave fail.
Offensive Coverage
- 2× Super-Effective: Dark moves deal double damage to Psychic and Ghost types. That makes Dark attacks great on almost any offensive set.
- Hits Every Type: No type is immune to Dark damage. Dark attacks hit 15 out of 18 types for neutral or super-effective damage.
- Resisted by 3 Types: Only Fighting, Dark, and Fairy resist Dark moves. Steel used to resist Dark, but lost that resistance in Gen 6.
Key Dark Type Battle Mechanics
Prankster status immunity, Psychic negation, and core battle mechanics.
Since Gen 7, opposing Pokemon with Prankster cannot hit Dark types with status moves. That blocks priority moves like Thunder Wave, Taunt, and Will-O-Wisp. Status moves from Pokemon without Prankster still hit normally.
From Gen 2 through Gen 5, Steel resisted Dark and Ghost moves. In Gen 6, Game Freak removed both resistances. Now Dark attacks hit Steel types for neutral damage, making Dark offense much stronger.
Dark type moves are built around disruption. Knock Off removes the target's held item and boosts its own damage. Sucker Punch attacks first if the foe is about to strike. Foul Play uses the opponent's Attack stat to calculate damage.
All 17 Dark Dual Type Combinations
Dark combines with all 17 other types. Review defensive immunities, key resistances, and 4× vulnerabilities across every pairing.
Obstagoon, Rattata Alola, Raticate Alola
Scraggy, Scrafty, Pangoro
Murkrow, Honchkrow, Vullaby
Stunky, Skuntank, Drapion
Sandile, Krokorok, Krookodile
Tyranitar, Tyranitar Mega
Lokix
Sableye, Spiritomb, Sableye Mega
Pawniard, Bisharp, Kingambit
Houndour, Houndoom, Incineroar
Carvanha, Sharpedo, Crawdaunt
Nuzleaf, Shiftry, Cacturne
Morpeko Full Belly, Morpeko Hangry
Inkay, Malamar, Hoopa Unbound
Sneasel, Weavile, Chien-Pao
Deino, Zweilous, Hydreigon
Impidimp, Morgrem, Grimmsnarl
Top 10 Strongest Dark Type Pokemon
Ranked by Base Stat Total (BST) for standard species. Yveltal and Hoopa Unbound lead at 680 BST, followed by Darkrai at 600 BST and seven species tied at 570 BST.
All Dark Type Pokemon List
Browse the complete list of Dark type Pokemon across all 99 official forms and 69 base species, with live search and stat filters.
Notable Dark Type Moves
Key physical, special, and status moves used across competitive and story battles.
| Move | Category | Power | Accuracy | Battle Effect & Utility |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kowtow Cleave | Physical | 85 | - | Kingambit's signature physical attack. It never misses, bypassing accuracy and evasion checks. |
| Knock Off | Physical | 65 | 100% | Knocks off the foe's held item. It gets a 1.5× power boost if the target is holding a removable item. |
| Sucker Punch | Physical | 70 | 100% | Strikes first with +1 priority. It only works if the target is preparing an attack. |
| Dark Pulse | Special | 80 | 100% | The go-to special Dark attack. It has 80 power and a 20% chance to flinch the target. |
| Foul Play | Physical | 95 | 100% | Calculates damage using the target's Attack stat instead of the user's. Great against high-attack physical threats. |
| Parting Shot | Status | - | 100% | Drops the target's Attack and Sp. Atk by one stage, then switches your Pokemon out. |
| Taunt | Status | - | 100% | Stops the target from using status moves for 3 turns. It shuts down recovery and setup attempts. |
Dark Type Battle Questions
Direct answers to the most common questions about Dark Pokemon.
Dark type Pokemon are weak to Fighting, Bug, and Fairy attacks. All three types deal 2x damage. Defensively, Dark Pokemon resist Ghost and Dark moves, and take zero damage from Psychic moves. If a Dark Pokemon shares a weakness with its second type, it takes 4x damage. For example, Rock/Dark takes 4x from Fighting, while Dragon/Dark takes 4x from Fairy.
Fighting, Bug, and Fairy attacks deal 2x super-effective damage against Dark Pokemon. On defense, Fighting, Dark, and Fairy types resist Dark attacks, taking half damage. When Dark Pokemon attack, their moves deal 2x damage to Psychic and Ghost types. No type is immune to Dark moves.
By base stats, the strongest standard Dark Pokemon is the Legendary Yveltal at 680 BST. Tyranitar and Darkrai follow at 600 BST. In competitive battles, Kingambit, Incineroar, Ting-Lu, and Chien-Pao are widely considered the best picks because of their great abilities and team synergy.
Major Dark type legendary Pokemon include Yveltal, Galarian Moltres, Urshifu (Single Strike), and the Treasures of Ruin: Ting-Lu, Chien-Pao, Wo-Chien, and Chi-Yu. Darkrai and Zarude are Mythical Pokemon. Roaring Moon and Iron Jugulis are Paradox Pokemon with legendary-tier stats.
For raid battles, Shadow Tyranitar, regular Tyranitar, Hydreigon, and Darkrai are top Dark attackers. For PvP battles, Yveltal, Zarude, and Mandibuzz are strong picks across Master League and Great League.
Dark Pokemon debuted in Pokemon Gold and Silver in Generation II. The original Dark Pokemon introduced in that generation are Umbreon, Tyranitar, Houndour, Houndoom, Sneasel, and Murkrow.
In the Pokemon TCG, Dark Pokemon are called Darkness type Pokemon and use Darkness Energy cards. Popular competitive cards include Darkrai, Roaring Moon ex, and Charizard ex (Darkness Tera) in both the physical card game and Pokemon TCG Pocket.