Night Shade (move)

Night Shade ナイトヘッド Night Head

Battles Type  Ghost Category  Special PP  15 (max. 24) Power  Varies Accuracy  100% Priority  0 Does not make contact Affected by Protect Not affected by Magic Coat Not affected by Snatch Affected by King's Rock

Range Opponent Opponent Opponent Self Ally Ally Normal: May affect anyone adjacent to the user

Availability Introduced  Generation I Not a TM, TR, HM, or Move Tutor move.

Contests Condition  Smart Appeal  2 ♥♥ Jam  1 ♥ Startles Pokémon that made a same-type appeal.

Super Contests Condition  Smart Appeal  3 ♥♥♥ A basic performance using a move known by the Pokémon.

Contest Spectaculars Condition  Smart Appeal  0   Jamming  0

On Smogon's Movedex: Generation I Generation II Generation III Generation IV Generation V Generation VI Generation VII Generation VIII Generation IX

Night Shade (Japanese: ナイトヘッド Night Head) is a damage-dealing Ghost-type move introduced in Generation I. Prior to Generation II, it was the signature move of the Gastly evolutionary line.

Effect

Generation I

Night Shade inflicts damage equal to the user's level. Although Night Shade deals Ghost-type damage, its type does not alter the amount of damage it inflicts. Night Shade hits both Normal-type Pokémon and Psychic-type Pokémon, both of which have immunities to Ghost-type moves during Generation I.

Generation II and on

After Generation I, the type mechanics were altered so that Night Shade and all other Ghost-type moves hit Psychic-type Pokémon, leaving only Normal-type Pokémon immune to Night Shade. Night Shade will still inflict damage equal to the user's level.

Description

Games Description A Ghost-type attack. Highly accurate, it inflicts damage regardless of the target's type. A Ghost-type attack. Highly accurate, it always inflicts damage. The user's level equals damage HP. RSE Inflicts damage identical to the user's level. FRLG An attack with a mirage that inflicts damage matching the user’s level. The user makes the foe see a mirage. It inflicts damage matching the user’s level. The user makes the target see a frightening mirage. It inflicts damage matching the user's level.

Learnset

By leveling up

#	Pokémon		Type		Level
					I		II		III		IV		V		VI
092		Gastly	Ghost	Poison	--			21			21	16	15				15			'
093		Haunter	Ghost	Poison	--			21			21	16	15				15			'
094		Gengar	Ghost	Poison	--			21			21	16	15				15			'
167		Spinarak	Bug	Poison				17			17			15				15			15
168		Ariados	Bug	Poison				17			17			15				15			15
177		Natu	Psychic	Flying				10			10			6				6			6
178		Xatu	Psychic	Flying				--, 10			10			6				6			'
198		Murkrow	Dark	Flying				26			27			21				21			'
302		Sableye	Dark	Ghost							9			8				8			'
353		Shuppet	Ghost		Ghost							13			8				8	7	'
354		Banette	Ghost		Ghost							--, 13			--, 5				--, 5	--, 7	'
355		Duskull	Ghost		Ghost							--			--				--			'
356		Dusclops	Ghost		Ghost							--			--				--			'
386		Deoxys	Psychic		Psychic							5			9				9			'
477		Dusknoir	Ghost		Ghost										--				--			'
491		Darkrai	Dark		Dark										--						'
562		Yamask	Ghost		Ghost														13			'
563		Cofagrigus	Ghost		Ghost														13			'
592		Frillish	Water	Ghost														9			'
593		Jellicent	Water	Ghost														--			'
607		Litwick	Ghost	Fire														13			'
608		Lampent	Ghost	Fire														13			'
622		Golett	Ground	Ghost														35			35
623		Golurk	Ground	Ghost														35			'
Bold indicates a Pokémon gains STAB from this move. Italics indicates a Pokémon whose evolution or alternate form receives STAB from this move. A dash (−) indicates a Pokémon cannot learn the move by the designated method. An empty cell indicates a Pokémon that is unavailable in that game/generation.

By breeding

#	Pokémon		Type		Father
					II		III		IV		V		VI
163		Hoothoot	Normal	Flying
441		Chatot	Normal	Flying
577		Solosis	Psychic		Psychic
Bold indicates a Pokémon gains STAB from this move. Italics indicates a Pokémon whose evolution or alternate form receives STAB from this move. A dash (−) indicates a Pokémon cannot learn the move by the designated method. An empty cell indicates a Pokémon that is unavailable in that game/generation.

By Move Tutor

#	Pokémon		Type		Game
					FRLG	E	XD
151		Mew	Psychic		Psychic						✔
Bold indicates a Pokémon gains STAB from this move. Italics indicates a Pokémon whose evolution or alternate form receives STAB from this move.

By event

Generation II

#   Pokémon Type Obtained with 0163 Hoothoot Normal Flying Pokémon Center Mystery Egg #3 New York Pokémon Center Bold indicates a Pokémon which gets STAB from this move. Italic indicates a Pokémon whose evolution or alternate form gets STAB from this move.

Generation V

#   Pokémon Type Obtained with 0163 Hoothoot Normal Flying Dream World - Windswept Sky Bold indicates a Pokémon which gets STAB from this move. Italic indicates a Pokémon whose evolution or alternate form gets STAB from this move.

In the anime

Gengar Frillish Deoxys Solosis
The user fires a black beam at the opponent.
Pokémon	Method
User	First Used In		Notes
	Gengar fires a black or dark crimson beam, outlined in red, blue, or purple from its eyes or hands at the opponent. Sometimes, its eyes glow red.
A giant Gengar	The Ancient Puzzle of Pokémopolis		Debut
Drake's Gengar	Hello, Pummelo!		None
Morty's Gengar	A Ghost of a Chance		None
Gengar of Team Meanies	Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Team Go-Getters out of the Gate		None
Fantina's Gengar	Shield with a Twist!		None
	Gastly fires a light purple beam from its body at the opponent, or Gastly fires two black beams outlined in dark red from its eyes at the opponent.
Captain's Gastly	A Shipful of Shivers		None
Multiple wild Gastly	A Ghost of a Chance		None
Morty's Gastly	From Ghost to Ghost		None
	Haunter's eyes glow red, and it fires multiple black beams outlined in streaks of dark red from its eyes at the opponent.
Morty's Haunter	From Ghost to Ghost		None
Four wild Haunter	Hoenn Alone!		None
	Ariados's horn glows black and it fires a black beam streaked with dark red lines from its horn at the opponent, or Ariados shoots two black beams outlined in dark red from its eyes at the opponent.
Oakley's Ariados	Pokémon Heroes		None
Forrester Franklin's Ariados	All in a Day's Wurmple		None
	Sableye's eyes glow red and it fires two black beams outlined in dark red from them at the opponent.
A wild Sableye	Ready, Willing, and Sableye		None
	A black-purple energy with a blue outline covers Dusclops's eye and it releases it at the opponent as a beam.
Butler's Dusclops	Jirachi: Wish Maker		None
	Deoxys releases a black energy beam outlined in dark red at the opponent from the crystal on its chest.
Deoxys (Purple Crystal)	Destiny Deoxys		None
Deoxys (Green Crystal)	Destiny Deoxys		None
	Frillish's eyes become surrounded in a purple aura. The aura then becomes replaced with a bright pink glow and Frillish's body glows pale pink. Frillish then holds out its tentacles and waves both of them up and down in a fast-paced hypnotic pattern. It then releases multiple pink rings from the outline of its body at the opponent . When the opponent is hit by the rings, its body becomes outlined in light purple, damaging it.
Trip's Frillish	A Rival Battle for Club Champ!		None
	Yamask's eyes start to glow bright pink and its body glows pale purple. Then, it releases multiple crimson rings from its face at the opponent. The rings grow larger as they travel, and when the opponent gets hit by the crimson rings, its body becomes outlined in light purple, damaging it.
James's Yamask	The Dragon Master's Path!		None
	Solosis's eyes start to glow bright pink and its body turns pale purple. It then releases multiple crimson rings from its body at the opponent. When the rings hit the opponent, its body becomes surrounded in pale purple, damaging it.
Doyle's Solosis	Where Did You Go, Audino?		None
	Banette's eyes start to glow bright pink and its body turns pale purple. It then releases multiple crimson rings from its body at the opponent. When the rings hit the opponent, its body becomes surrounded in pale purple, damaging it.
A wild Banette	Celebrating the Hero's Comet!		None

In the manga

In The Electric Tale of Pikachu manga

Haunter
The user raises its arms in the air and damages the foe.
Pokémon	Method
User	First Chapter Used In		Notes
	Gengar raises both of its arms in the air, firing an invisible blast of energy from its body and hitting the opponent.
Unknown Trainer's Gengar	Pikachu, I See You!		Debut
	Haunter's eyes glint and it releases a dark wave of spiritual energy from its body at the opponent.
Black Fog	Haunting my Dreams		None

In the Pokémon Adventures manga

Gengar
The user makes the foe see a mirage.
Pokémon	Method
User	First Chapter Used In		Notes
	Gengar fires a beam from its body at the opponent. When the beam hits them, it makes them hold their head in pain.
Al's Gengar	Holy Moltres		Debut
Agatha's Gengar	Electro Magneton		None

In other generations

Generation I	RBY	Generation I (Japanese)	Generation I (international)	Generation II	Generation II (Japanese)	Generation II (international)	Crystal	Generation III	Generation III (Japanese)	Generation III (international)	RS	FRLG	FRLGE	Generation IV	Generation IV (Japanese)	Generation IV (international)	PtHGSS	HGSS	Generation V	BW	B2W2	Generation V (Japanese)	Generation V (international)	Generation VI	XY	ORAS	Generation VII	SMUSUM	LGPE	Generation VIII	SwSh	BDSP	Legends: Arceus	Generation IX	Stadium (JP)	Stadium	Stadium 2	Colosseum	XD	Battle Revolution	Battrio	MD: Red and Blue	MD:Time, Darkness, andSky	MD: Blazing, Stormy, & Light Adventure Squad	MD: GTI	SMD	MD: RTDX	Rumble	Rumble Blast	Masters EX

																																			File:Night Shade Stadium.png
Generation I	RBY	Generation I (Japanese)	Generation I (international)	Generation II	Generation II (Japanese)	Generation II (international)	Crystal	Generation III	Generation III (Japanese)	Generation III (international)	RS	FRLG	FRLGE	Generation IV	Generation IV (Japanese)	Generation IV (international)	PtHGSS	HGSS	Generation V	BW	B2W2	Generation V (Japanese)	Generation V (international)	Generation VI	XY	ORAS	Generation VII	SMUSUM	LGPE	Generation VIII	SwSh	BDSP	Legends: Arceus	Generation IX	Stadium (JP)	Stadium	Stadium 2	Colosseum	XD	Battle Revolution	Battrio	MD: Red and Blue	MD:Time, Darkness, andSky	MD: Blazing, Stormy, & Light Adventure Squad	MD: GTI	SMD	MD: RTDX	Rumble	Rumble Blast	Masters EX

In other languages

Language Title Mandarin Chinese 黑夜詛咒 Hēiyè Zǔzhòu Danish Natskygge Dutch Nachtschaduw Finnish Yövarjo Varjomäjäys (AG014) French Ténèbres Ombre Nocturne German Nachtnebel Greek Νυχτερινό Σύνδρομο Indonesian Bayangan Malam Italian Ombra Nott. Korean 나이트헤드 Night Head Polish Mroczny Cień Brazilian Portuguese Sombra Noturna Romanian Umbra Nopții Serbian Noćna Senka Spanish Latin America Tinieblas Spain Tinieblas

Variations of the move Seismic Toss
Seismic Toss Night Shade

Set-damage moves
Sonic Boom • Dragon Rage

This article is part of Project Moves and Abilities, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on two related aspects of the Pokémon games.