Ghost (type)

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The Ghost type (Japanese: ゴーストタイプ Ghost type) is one of the eighteen types. Notable Pokémon Trainers that specialize in Ghost-type Pokémon are Agatha of the Kanto Elite Four, Morty of Ecruteak City, Phoebe of the Hoenn Elite Four, Fantina of Hearthome City, and Shauntal of the Unova Elite Four. Prior to changes in Generation IV all Ghost-type moves were physical, but they may now also be special depending on the attack.

Statistical averages

Overall

Stat
HP: 64.21
Attack: 68.21
Defense: 73.86
Sp.Atk: 80.82
Sp.Def: 77.46
Speed: 62.18
Total: 426.75


Fully evolved

Stat
HP: 75.44
Attack: 82.25
Defense: 84.00
Sp.Atk: 89.69
Sp.Def: 86.38
Speed: 71.00
Total: 488.75


Battle properties

Generation I

Offensive Ghost Defensive
Power Types   Power Types
Ghost ½× Bug
Poison
½× None Ghost
Normal
Psychic
Fighting
Normal


Generation II-Generation V

Offensive Ghost Defensive
Power Types   Power Types
Ghost
Psychic
½× Bug
Poison
½× Dark
Steel
Dark
Ghost
Normal Fighting
Normal


Generation VI-onward

Offensive Ghost Defensive
Power Types   Power Types
Ghost
Psychic
½× Bug
Poison
½× Dark Dark
Ghost
Normal Fighting
Normal


Characteristics

The Ghost type is the smallest type in the game, with few additions in each new Pokémon game. They are also unique in the fact that they have a type-specific attack: Curse, which, other than being the only ???-type move before the type was removed in Generation V, works differently for Ghost-type Pokémon than it does for other Pokémon.

Offense

Ghost-type Pokémon are used mainly to inflict status effects, like confusion or paralysis. Most Ghost-type moves cause some sort of effect or a status ailment. They are a good type to use in Pokémon battling, because of their possession of all-around good attacks, such as Shadow Claw and Shadow Ball. Also, there is no Pokémon that resists a combination of Fighting- and Ghost-type moves, as the only combination capable of this (Normal/Ghost) has never materialized. Fairy and Ghost-type moves are also a similar proportion, as one of the two types resisted by Ghost is weak against Fairy-type moves, and the other no longer resists Ghost-type moves as of Generation VI, so only two Pokémon, both from the same evolutionary line, currently resist said combination.

Defense

Prior to Generation VI, Pokémon that are both Dark-type and Ghost-type have no weaknesses (excluding Fighting-type moves used under immunity-negating conditions such as Ring Target or Scrappy), as the resistances of the Dark type cover the weaknesses of Ghost, and vice-versa. In Generation VI, the Fairy type was introduced, which is super effective against Dark and not resisted by Ghost, so these Pokémon now have a weakness to Fairy.

As of Generation VI, Ghost-type Pokémon are immune to all trapping moves and abilities, including Magnet Pull and semi-trapping moves such as Fire Spin.

Contest properties

When used in Contests, Ghost-type moves typically become Smart moves, but some may be Cute or Tough moves.

Pokémon

As of Generation VI, there are 34 Ghost-type Pokémon or 4.7% of all Pokémon (counting forms and Mega Evolutions that change typing as different Pokémon), making it the rarest of the eighteen types, tied with Fairy.

Pure Ghost-type Pokémon

# Name
200 Misdreavus Misdreavus
353 Shuppet Shuppet
354 Banette Banette
355 Duskull Duskull
356 Dusclops Dusclops
429 Mismagius Mismagius
477 Dusknoir Dusknoir
562 Yamask Yamask
563 Cofagrigus Cofagrigus

Half Ghost-type Pokémon

Primary Ghost-type Pokémon

# Name Type 1 Type 2
092 Gastly Gastly Ghost Poison
093 Haunter Haunter Ghost Poison
094 Gengar Gengar Ghost Poison
425 Drifloon Drifloon Ghost Flying
426 Drifblim Drifblim Ghost Flying
442 Spiritomb Spiritomb Ghost Dark
487 Giratina Giratina Ghost Dragon
Giratina Ghost Dragon
607 Litwick Litwick Ghost Fire
608 Lampent Lampent Ghost Fire
609 Chandelure Chandelure Ghost Fire
708 Phantump Phantump Ghost Grass
709 Trevenant Trevenant Ghost Grass
710 Pumpkaboo Pumpkaboo Ghost Grass
711 Gourgeist Gourgeist Ghost Grass

Secondary Ghost-type Pokémon

# Name Type 1 Type 2
292 Shedinja Shedinja Bug Ghost
302 Sableye Sableye Dark Ghost
478 Froslass Froslass Ice Ghost
479 Rotom Rotom Electric Ghost
592 Frillish Frillish Water Ghost
593 Jellicent Jellicent Water Ghost
622 Golett Golett Ground Ghost
623 Golurk Golurk Ground Ghost
679 Honedge Honedge Steel Ghost
680 Doublade Doublade Steel Ghost
681 Aegislash Aegislash Steel Ghost

Pokéstar Studios opponents

# Name Type 1 Type 2
N/A Demon Majin Dark Ghost

Former Ghost-type Pokémon

All of Rotom's forms in Generation IV had the same typing as its Normal form, but they subsequently lost their Ghost typing in Generation V onward.

# Name Type 1 Type 2
479 Rotom Rotom* Electric Ghost
Rotom Electric Ghost
Rotom Electric Ghost
Rotom Electric Ghost
Rotom Electric Ghost

Moves

Gen Move Category Contest Power Accuracy PP Range Description
III Astonish Physical Smart 30 100% 15 (max 24)
     
     
Normal
The user attacks the target while shouting in a startling fashion. It may also make the target flinch.
I Confuse Ray Status Smart 100% 10 (max 16)
     
     
Normal
The target is exposed to a sinister ray that triggers confusion.
II Curse Status Tough % 10 (max 16)
     
     
Self
A move that works differently for the Ghost type than for all the other types.
II Destiny Bond Status Smart % 5 (max 8)
     
     
Self
When this move is used, if the user faints, the Pokémon that landed the knockout hit also faints.
III Grudge Status Tough % 5 (max 8)
     
     
Self
If the user faints, the user's grudge fully depletes the PP of the opponent's move that knocked it out.
V Hex Special 65 100% 10 (max 16)
     
     
Normal
This relentless attack does massive damage to a target affected by status problems.
I Lick Physical Tough 30 100% 30 (max 48)
     
     
Normal
The target is licked with a long tongue, causing damage. It may also leave the target with paralysis.
I Night Shade Special Smart Varies 100% 15 (max 24)
     
     
Normal
The user makes the target see a frightening mirage. It inflicts damage matching the user's level.
II Nightmare Status Smart 100% 15 (max 24)
     
     
Normal
A sleeping target sees a nightmare that inflicts some damage every turn.
IV Ominous Wind Special Smart 60 100% 5 (max 8)
     
     
Normal
The user blasts the target with a gust of repulsive wind. It may also raise all the user's stats at once.
VI Phantom Force Physical 90 100% 10 (max 16)
     
     
Normal
The user vanishes somewhere, then strikes the target on the next turn. This move hits even if the target protects itself.
II Shadow Ball Special Smart 80 100% 15 (max 24)
     
     
Normal
The user hurls a shadowy blob at the target. It may also lower the target's Sp. Def stat.
IV Shadow Claw Physical Cute 70 100% 15 (max 24)
     
     
Normal
The user slashes with a sharp claw made from shadows. Critical hits land more easily.
IV Shadow Force Physical Smart 120 100% 5 (max 8)
     
     
Normal
The user disappears, then strikes the target on the second turn. It hits even if the target protects itself.
III Shadow Punch Physical Smart 60 % 20 (max 32)
     
     
Normal
The user throws a punch from the shadows. The punch lands without fail
IV Shadow Sneak Physical Smart 40 100% 30 (max 48)
     
     
Normal
The user extends its shadow and attacks the target from behind. This move always goes first.
II Spite Status Smart 100% 10 (max 16)
     
     
Normal
The user unleashes its grudge on the move last used by the target by cutting 4 PP from it.
VI Trick-or-Treat Status 100% 20 (max 32)
     
     
Normal
The user takes the target trick-or-treating. This adds Ghost type to the target's type.
All details are accurate to Generation VII games. For details that have changed between generations, please see an individual move's page. Target data assumes user is in the lower left.

Trivia

  • Generation V introduced the most Ghost-type Pokémon of any generation, with nine, and Generation II introduced the fewest Ghost-type Pokémon, with only one.
    • Conversely, Generation II introduced the most Ghost-type moves of any generation, with five, and Generation V introduced the fewest Ghost-type moves, with only one.
  • In Generation I, Ghost-type moves have no effect on Psychic-type Pokémon, though an abundance of evidence suggests that this may have been an error. Multiple sources mention that Ghost-type moves are super effective on Psychic-type Pokémon: official strategy guides published by Nintendo, two episodes of the anime (The Tower of Terror and Haunter versus Kadabra), and even the games themselves, where a Trainer in the Saffron Gym mentions that Psychic-type Pokémon "only fear Bugs and Ghosts" (though the reference to Ghost-type Pokémon was removed in Yellow). This was changed in Generation II to make Ghost moves actually be super effective against Psychic Pokémon.
  • There are no Ghost-type moves with an accuracy lower than 100%.
  • While the Ghost type has an immunity to Normal-type moves, several damaging moves that display as Normal can affect them, including Hidden Power (whose actual type varies) and Struggle.
  • There are no pure Ghost-type Pokémon that evolve into a dual-type Pokémon.
  • The only Ghost-type moves with more than 80 base power are Shadow Force and Phantom Force. Both moves take two turns to execute and hit even if the target is protecting itself.
    • Hex, however, will have a base power of 130 (100 in Generation V) if the target is inflicted with a status ailment.
  • Along with the Dark type, there are no Pokémon with a type combination doubly vulnerable to Ghost, though in generation VI the move Trick-or-Treat can be used to create such a combination (Psychic/Ghost) in-battle -- the only type combination to possess a double vulnerability to itself.
  • As of Generation VI, it is not possible for any Pokémon to possess a double resistance to Ghost. The only Pokémon to possess a double resistance in previous generations are Pawniard and Bisharp.
  • The Ghost type is the only type immune to two types: Normal and Fighting.
  • Offensively, the only difference between Dark and Ghost is that Dark type moves are not very effective on Fighting or Fairy and Ghost type moves don't affect Normal, while the other does normal damage to those types.
  • In Pokémon Mystery Dungeon, most Ghost-type Pokémon can naturally move through walls. While on a wall tile, they cannot be attacked but can attack their foes, and their Belly empties at a rate of 5 per turn.
  • In Pokémon Conquest, Ghost-type Pokémon which are not part-Flying or have Levitate are shown with an animation of physically passing through enemies, referencing the common belief ghosts in real life can pass through tangible objects. They cannot, however, in-game pass through with any other obstacle on the field.

In other languages

Language Title
Japan Flag.png Japanese ゴースト Ghost
Mandarin Chinese 幽靈 / 幽灵 Yōulíng
Denmark Flag.png Danish Spøgelses
The Netherlands Flag.png Dutch Geest
Spook
Finland Flag.png Finnish Kummitus
Aave
Haamu
France Flag.png French Spectre
Germany Flag.png German Geist
Greece Flag.png Greek Φάντασμα Fantasma
Israel Flag.png Hebrew רוח Ruach
Indonesia Flag.png Indonesian Hantu
Italy Flag.png Italian Spettro
South Korea Flag.png Korean 고스트 Ghost
Norway Flag.png Norwegian Spøkelse
Poland Flag.png Polish Duch
Brazil Flag.png Brazilian Portuguese Fantasma
Romania Flag.png Romanian Fantomă
Russia Flag.png Russian Призрачный Prizrachnyi
Spain Flag.png Spanish Fantasma
Sweden Flag.png Swedish Spöke
Thailand Flag.png Thai ผี or วิญญาณ