Darkrai (Japanese: ダークライ Darkrai) is a Dark-type Mythical Pokémon.
It is not known to evolve into or from any other Pokémon.
It was first officially revealed in February 2007.
It is a member of the lunar duo with Cresselia.
Biology
Darkrai is a black, shadow-like Pokémon. It has a small head with a white fog-like ghostly plume billowing from its head covering one of its bright blue eyes, with the portion on its face resembling hair. It also has a red spiky growth around its neck. It has skinny arms and long black tatters hanging from its shoulders. It also has black, claw-like hands. It has the slight appearance of an hourglass figure and appears to be wearing an old, ripped cloak. It normally does not have any sort of legs, but it is able to extend stilt-like appendages in their place. In self-defense, Darkrai can retract its head and white "plume" into the pit atop its torso fringed by the aforementioned red growth.
Darkrai is known to "inhabit" dreams and causes the target to have unending nightmares, which can be stopped if exposed to a Lunar Wing from Cresselia. However, the "unleashing of nightmares" is actually a defense mechanism, instead of an intentionally malicious act. It can become a shadow and escape danger or contact of humans. It is also capable of little human speech. In The Rise of Darkrai, it was shown its power was little of that of Dialga and Palkia. As seen in an anime episode, Darkrai does not only cause nightmares; it is also attracted to them. It can also go around objects it is attracted to several times, as seen in the mentioned episode and Pokémon Ranger: Shadows of Almia. Darkrai possibly feeds off dreams, characterized by its association with never-ending nightmares. Darkrai is the only known Pokémon that learns Dark Void.
In the anime
Major appearances
Darkrai starred in the first Diamond & Pearl series movie, The Rise of Darkrai as the hero of the movie, taking the task of holding off the fighting between Dialga and Palkia until Ash and Dawn could put the Oración disk in the Space-Time Tower music player to calm the two Legendary Pokémon down. It reappeared in a cameo in the end credits of Arceus and the Jewel of Life.
Other
Darkrai made its anime debut in Sleepless In Pre-Battle!. Unlike the Darkrai in the film, this Darkrai was causing nightmares, much like in the games. According to Officer Jenny, it comes at a certain time every year. In the episode, however, it came earlier due to it being lured by Team Rocket's machine that was causing nightmares. Cresselia is normally in the same place as Darkrai to stop it giving nightmares but due to Darkrai's early coming, the people in Canalave City had nightmares for several days. One night, it was concealing itself when Cresselia used its abilities to reveal it from the darkness. The two then battled and Darkrai hid itself once more in the shadows.
In League Unleashed!, a mysterious Trainer in the Lily of the Valley Conference was shown to have a Darkrai. In the following episode, Conway revealed that the Trainer, Tobias, had easily defeated eight Gym Leaders of the Sinnoh region using only Darkrai. In the Sinnoh League semi-finals, this Darkrai easily defeated Ash's Heracross, Torkoal, and Gible. However, it was defeated by Ash's Sceptile in The Semi-Final Frontier!.
A Darkrai appeared in the Pikachu short, Pikachu, What's This Key?.
A Darkrai appeared in XY097.
Minor appearances
Pokédex entries
In the manga
Darkrai in Pokémon Adventures
In The Rise of Darkrai manga
- Main article: Darkrai (M10)
Darkrai appeared in the manga adaptation of The Rise of Darkrai.
In the Pokémon Adventures manga
At the end of the FireRed & LeafGreen arc, Sird let out a beam of light from a Poké Ball upon seeing Deoxys leaving for space. Thinking that Sird was trying to retrieve Deoxys, Red, Blue, Green, Yellow, and Silver tried to stop her, and Mewtwo charged into the light of the Poké Ball. Within moments, the five Pokédex Holders were turned into stone, and a black shadow appeared in front of Sird. When Sird reappeared in front of her Team Galactic colleagues in the Diamond & Pearl arc and explained what happened, the black shadow was revealed to be Darkrai, though Sird still did not reveal its name.
Darkrai later reappeared in the Platinum arc, where it was revealed that Sird had released it into the Distortion World. It first faced its arch-rival Cresselia. Charon later took control of the Pokémon, and, along with Giratina and Heatran, used it in a battle against the other Sinnoh legendary Pokémon in the climax of the chapter. Darkrai was later freed from the control of Charon, and departed to parts unknown.
In the Pocket Monsters DP manga
A Darkrai appeared in The Illusory Pokémon Darkrai Appears!!.
In the TCG
- Main article: Darkrai (TCG)
Other appearances
Darkrai appears as a trophy.
Trophy Information
A Pitch-Black Pokémon. It becomes active on nights of the new moon. This legendary Pokémon has the power to lull people to sleep and fill their heads with dreams. Proverbs say that Darkrai will make people have terrifying dreams on moonless nights. A Dark-type Pokémon, Darkrai uses the Dark Void move, along with Embargo, which stops foes from using held items.
Darkrai appears as a Poké Ball Pokémon. It puts fighters to sleep and damages them by using Dark Void.
Trophy information
NA: This Dark-type Pokémon can cause people and other Pokémon to experience nightmares. While it is floating in the air, it tucks its legs in so far, it looks like they vanish! In battle it will use a move called Dark Void, which sucks in surrounding opponents and puts them into a deep sleep.
PAl: A Pokémon shrouded in mystery, Darkrai has the ability to implant nightmares into the minds of both humans and Pokémon. It has legs, but seems to prefer to float in the air. Its favourite move in this game is Dark Void. When this attack hits something, it creates a vortex that sucks in fighters and puts them to sleep.
Game data
NPC appearances
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Spoilers end here.
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Pokédex entries
This Pokémon was unavailable prior to Generation IV.
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Generation IV
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Diamond
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It can lull people to sleep and make them dream. It is active during nights of the new moon.
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Pearl
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Folklore has it that on moonless nights, this Pokémon will make people see horrific nightmares.
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Platinum
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To protect itself, it afflicts those around it with nightmares. However, it means no harm.
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HeartGold
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It chases people and Pokémon from its territory by causing them to experience deep, nightmarish slumbers.
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SoulSilver
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Generation V
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Black
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To protect itself, it afflicts those around it with nightmares. However, it means no harm.
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White
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Black 2
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To protect itself, it afflicts those around it with nightmares. However, it means no harm.
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White 2
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Generation VI
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X
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It chases people and Pokémon from its territory by causing them to experience deep, nightmarish slumbers.
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Y
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It can lull people to sleep and make them dream. It is active during nights of the new moon.
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Omega Ruby
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It chases people and Pokémon from its territory by causing them to experience deep, nightmarish slumbers.
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Alpha Sapphire
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It can lull people to sleep and make them dream. It is active during nights of the new moon.
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Game locations
This Pokémon was unavailable prior to Generation IV.
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In side games
This Pokémon was unavailable prior to Generation IV.
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In events
Games
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Event
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Language/Region
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Location
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Level
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Distribution period
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Movie Darkrai
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Japanese
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Japan
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50
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July 14 to September 9, 2007
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Toys "R" Us Darkrai
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English
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United States
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50
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May 31 to June 1, 2008
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Nintendo World Store Darkrai
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English
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United States
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50
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June 1 to 30, 2008
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Alamos Darkrai
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French
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France
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50
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July 3 to 6, 2008
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Alamos Darkrai
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Italian
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Italy
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50
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July 12 to September 14, 2008
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Alamos Darkrai
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Spanish
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Spain
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50
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July 22 to August 24, 2008
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Alamos Darkrai
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English
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Europe
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50
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August 6 to 31, 2008
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Alamos Darkrai
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German
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Germany
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50
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September 6 to November 2, 2008
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Alamos Darkrai
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English
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Australia
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50
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October 30 to November 9, 2008
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Nintendo of Korea Darkrai
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Korean
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South Korea
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50
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November 8 to 9, 2008
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Winter Vacation Darkrai
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Japanese
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Japan
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50
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December 27, 2010 to January 10/11, 2011
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Home plus Darkrai
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Korean
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South Korea
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50
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September 3 to 25, 2011
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Winter 2011 Darkrai
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English
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Europe
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50
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November 14, 2011 to January 31, 2012
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Winter 2011 Darkrai
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German
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Europe
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50
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November 14, 2011 to January 31, 2012
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Winter 2011 Darkrai
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French
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Europe
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50
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November 14, 2011 to January 31, 2012
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Winter 2011 Darkrai
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Italian
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Europe
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50
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November 14, 2011 to January 31, 2012
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Winter 2011 Darkrai
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Spanish
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Europe
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50
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November 14, 2011 to January 31, 2012
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May 2012 Darkrai
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English
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Wi-Fi
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50
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May 9 to June 10, 2012
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Wonderland Darkrai
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Japanese region
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Online
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50
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April 19 to September 30, 2014
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Wonderland Darkrai
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Taiwanese region
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Online
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50
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August 7 to September 30, 2014
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Mysterious World Darkrai
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All
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South Korea
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50
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December 20, 2014 to January 18, 2015
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February 2015 Darkrai
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PAL region
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Online
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50
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February 13 to May 5, 2015
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In-game events
Held items
Stats
Base stats
Stat
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Range
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At Lv. 50
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At Lv. 100
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70
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130 - 177
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250 - 344
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90
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85 - 156
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166 - 306
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90
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85 - 156
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166 - 306
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135
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126 - 205
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247 - 405
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90
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85 - 156
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166 - 306
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125
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117 - 194
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229 - 383
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Total: 600
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Other Pokémon with this total
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- Minimum stats are calculated with 0 EVs, IVs of 0, and (if applicable) a hindering nature.
- Maximum stats are calculated with 252 EVs, IVs of 31, and (if applicable) a helpful nature.
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Pokéathlon stats
Type effectiveness
Under normal battle conditions in Generation IX, this Pokémon is:
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Learnset
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- Bold indicates a move that gets STAB when used by Darkrai
- Italic indicates a move that gets STAB only when used by an Evolution of Darkrai
- Click on the generation numbers at the top to see level-up moves from other generations
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- Bold indicates a move that gets STAB when used by Darkrai
- Italic indicates a move that gets STAB only when used by an Evolution of Darkrai
- Click on the generation numbers at the top to see TM moves from other generations
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- Moves marked with an asterisk (*) must be chain bred onto Darkrai in Generation VI
- Moves marked with a double dagger (‡) can only be bred from a Pokémon who learned the move in an earlier generation.
- Moves marked with a superscript game abbreviation can only be bred onto Darkrai in that game.
- Bold indicates a move that gets STAB when used by Darkrai
- Italic indicates a move that gets STAB only when used by an Evolution of Darkrai
- Click on the generation numbers at the top to see Egg moves from other generations
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- A black or white abbreviation in a colored box indicates that Darkrai can be tutored the move in that game
- A colored abbreviation in a white box indicates that Darkrai cannot be tutored the move in that game
- Bold indicates a move that gets STAB when used by Darkrai
- Italic indicates a move that gets STAB only when used by an Evolution of Darkrai
- Click on the generation numbers at the top to see Move Tutor moves from other generations
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- A superscript level indicates that Darkrai can learn this move normally in Generation VI
- Bold indicates a move that gets STAB when used by Darkrai
- Italic indicates a move that gets STAB only when used by an Evolution of Darkrai
- Click on the generation numbers at the top to see moves from other generations
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Side game data
Evolution
Sprites
This Pokémon was unavailable prior to Generation IV.
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Trivia
- Darkrai is tied with Weavile for the highest base Speed of all Dark-types.
- As of Generation V, Darkrai's EV yield (2 Sp. Atk, 1 Speed) is unique.
- Darkrai has two different portrait pictures in Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time and Explorers of Darkness, and Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky as well.
- Sailor Eldritch's son says "Dar... Dark... Is watching me..." in his sleep before the player cures his nightmare. It is assumed that he is talking about Darkrai, as it is known to give its victims horrific nightmares.
- If Darkrai was the cause of the sailor's son's nightmares, it can be assumed Darkrai is aware that the player cured the boy using Cresselia's Lunar Wing. When the player takes the Member Card to the Harbor Inn, the innkeeper (presumably an illusion created by Darkrai) states that he has been waiting for the player's arrival.
- In the early Japanese versions of Diamond and Pearl, Darkrai can be caught with the Surf glitch. However, this glitch was fixed in other language versions. Another glitch has been discovered that allows players of other language releases to reach Darkrai without the Member Card.
- This has been remedied in Pokémon Platinum, however, as Darkrai itself will not appear on the island without the event ticket.
Origin
Resembling a shadow, Darkrai's appearance suggests it is based on the concept of nightmares. It may have been inspired by the old Arabic myths about genies (or jinn) or the bogeyman. Darkrai could also be based on the concept of Morpheus, the Greek god responsible for shaping dreams. It may also have been based on Phobetor, an Oneiroi being the personification of nightmares.
Name origin
Darkrai is a combination of dark, and 暗い kurai (dark) or "rai" (Hindi for king).
In other languages
Language
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Title
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Meaning
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Japanese
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ダークライ Darkrai
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From dark and 暗い kurai (dark)
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French
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Darkrai
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Same as Japanese name
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Spanish
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Darkrai
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Same as Japanese name
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German
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Darkrai
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Same as Japanese name
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Italian
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Darkrai
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Same as Japanese name
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Korean
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다크라이 Dakeurai
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Transliteration of Japanese name
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Mandarin Chinese
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達克萊伊 Dá Kè Lái Yī
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Transliteration of Japanese name
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Cantonese Chinese
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達克萊伊 Daat Haak Loi Yi
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Transliteration of Japanese name
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Related articles
External links
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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.
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