Dark (type)

If you were looking for the moves known as Dark moves in Japanese, see Shadow move.

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Types

Normal

Fire

Fighting

Water

Flying

Grass

Poison

Electric

Ground

Psychic

Rock

Ice

Bug

Dragon

Ghost

Dark

Steel

Fairy

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Stellar

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The Dark type (Japanese: あくタイプ Evil type) is one of the eighteen types. Notable Trainers that specialize in Dark-type Pokémon are Karen of the Johto Elite Four, Sidney of the Hoenn Elite Four, and Grimsley of the Unova Elite Four. Notably, the Dark type is the only type that has never had a Pokémon Gym specialize in it, although it is a recurrent type used by villainous teams, and is used in the Elite Four. Prior to changes in Generation IV all Dark-type moves were physical, but they may now also be special depending on the attack. Dark-type Pokémon were added in Generation II.

Statistical averages

Overall

Stat
HP: 67.05
Attack: 89.64
Defense: 65.72
Sp.Atk: 70.69
Sp.Def: 63.62
Speed: 73.95
Total: 430.67

Fully evolved

Stat
HP: 76.61
Attack: 101.91
Defense: 78.35
Sp.Atk: 83.52
Sp.Def: 75.26
Speed: 80.22
Total: 495.87

Battle properties

Generation II-V

Offensive			Defensive
Power	Types		Power	Types
2×			½×
½×			2×
0×	None		0×

Generation VI-onward

Offensive			Defensive
Power	Types		Power	Types
2×			½×
½×			2×
0×	None		0×

Characteristics

Defense

Dark-type Pokémon are notable for the fact that they don't have any strong stat trends other than Attack (which is in and of itself modified by a few powerful outliers and slightly ironic as Dark was a special type, not a physical type), but usually have relatively poor defenses, with the exception of Umbreon, Spiritomb, Bisharp, Drapion, Scrafty, Mandibuzz and Tyranitar. On the plus side, Dark types have an immunity to Psychic-type moves.

Additionally, 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.

Meanwhile, a Psychic/Dark-type Pokémon, such as Inkay and Malamar, has no resistances while having a double weakness to Bug-type moves, a single weakness to Fairy-type moves and an immunity to Psychic.

Offense

Dark-type moves, when combating Psychic types, are especially useful due to their secondary effects; Crunch lowers Defense (an already low stat among Psychic types), Bite causes flinching, Feint Attack never misses, Night Slash has a high critical hit ratio while Pursuit hits Pokémon as they switch for double damage. Many Dark-type moves also involve stealing or deception, such as moves like: Thief, which steals an opponent's held item; Snatch, which steals the beneficial effects of an opponent's moves; and Foul Play, which uses a number of the opponent's offensive modifiers, such as Attack, to calculate damage.

Even though the Dark type was considered a special type prior to Generation IV, the three Dark-type moves that are currently special (Dark Pulse, Snarl and Night Daze) were introduced after Generation III, meaning that all Dark-type moves that were once special moves are now all physical moves, which helps many Dark types since most of them are physical attackers. Similar to the Ghost-type, Dark-type attacks work very well with Fairy-type attacks, as only two Pokémon resist said combination.

Contest properties

When used in Contests, Dark-type moves typically are of the Smart category, but can also fall in any of the other four Contest categories.

Pokémon

As of Generation VI, there are 45 Dark-type Pokémon or 6.1% of all Pokémon (counting forms and Mega Evolutions that change typing as different Pokémon), making it the 6th rarest type.

Pure Dark-type Pokémon

# Name 197 Umbreon 261 Poochyena 262 Mightyena 359 Absol 491 Darkrai 509 Purrloin 510 Liepard 570 Zorua 571 Zoroark

Pokéstar Studios opponents

# Name N/A Monster

Half Dark-type Pokémon

Primary Dark-type Pokémon

# Name Type 1 Type 2 198 Murkrow Dark Flying 215 Sneasel Dark Ice 228 Houndour Dark Fire 229 Houndoom Dark Fire 302 Sableye Dark Ghost 430 Honchkrow Dark Flying 461 Weavile Dark Ice 559 Scraggy Dark Fighting 560 Scrafty Dark Fighting 624 Pawniard Dark Steel 625 Bisharp Dark Steel 629 Vullaby Dark Flying 630 Mandibuzz Dark Flying 633 Deino Dark Dragon 634 Zweilous Dark Dragon 635 Hydreigon Dark Dragon 686 Inkay Dark Psychic 687 Malamar Dark Psychic 717 Yveltal Dark Flying

Secondary Dark-type Pokémon

# Name Type 1 Type 2 130 Gyarados* Water Dark 248 Tyranitar Rock Dark 274 Nuzleaf Grass Dark 275 Shiftry Grass Dark 318 Carvanha Water Dark 319 Sharpedo Water Dark 332 Cacturne Grass Dark 342 Crawdaunt Water Dark 434 Stunky Poison Dark 435 Skuntank Poison Dark 442 Spiritomb Ghost Dark 452 Drapion Poison Dark 551 Sandile Ground Dark 552 Krokorok Ground Dark 553 Krookodile Ground Dark 658 Greninja Water Dark 675 Pangoro Fighting Dark

Pokéstar Studios opponents

# Name Type 1 Type 2 N/A Brycen-man Dark Psychic N/A Majin Dark Ghost

Moves

Gen	Move	Category	Contest	Power	Accuracy	PP	Range	Description
IV	Assurance	Physical	Beauty	06060	100100%	1010 (max 16)	Normal	If the target has already taken some damage in the same turn, this attack's power is doubled.
II	Beat Up	Physical	Smart	VariesVaries	100100%	1010 (max 16)	Normal	The user gets all party Pokémon to attack the target. The more party Pokémon, the greater the number of attacks.
I	Bite	Physical	Tough	06060	100100%	2525 (max 40)	Normal	The target is bitten with viciously sharp fangs. It may make the target flinch.
II	Crunch	Physical	Tough	08080	100100%	1515 (max 24)	Normal	The user crunches up the target with sharp fangs. It may also lower the target's Defense stat.
IV	Dark Pulse	Special	Cool	08080	100100%	1515 (max 24)	Normal (long-range)	The user releases a horrible aura imbued with dark thoughts. It may also make the target flinch.
IV	Dark Void	Status	Smart	000—	08080%	1010 (max 16)	Many Others	Opposing Pokémon are dragged into a world of total darkness that makes them sleep.
IV	Embargo	Status	Cute	000—	100100%	1515 (max 24)	Normal	It prevents the target from using its held item. Its Trainer is also prevented from using items on it.
II	Feint Attack	Physical	Smart	06060	000—%	2020 (max 32)	Normal	The user approaches the target disarmingly, then throws a sucker punch. It hits without fail.
III	Fake Tears	Status	Smart	000—	100100%	2020 (max 32)	Normal	The user feigns crying to fluster the target, harshly lowering its Sp. Def stat.
III	Flatter	Status	Smart	000—	100100%	1515 (max 24)	Normal	Flattery is used to confuse the target. However, it also raises the target's Sp. Atk stat.
IV	Fling	Physical	Tough	VariesVaries	100100%	1010 (max 16)	Normal	The user flings its held item at the target to attack. Its power and effects depend on the item.
V	Foul Play	Physical		09595	100100%	1515 (max 24)	Normal	The user turns the target's power against it. The higher the target's Attack stat, the greater the damage.
V	Hone Claws	Status		000—	000—%	1515 (max 24)	Self	The user sharpens its claws to boost its Attack stat and accuracy.
III	Knock Off	Physical	Smart	06565	100100%	2020 (max 32)	Normal	The user slaps down the target's held item, preventing that item from being used in the battle.
III	Memento	Status	Tough	000—	000—%	1010 (max 16)	Normal	The user faints when using this move. In return, it harshly lowers the target's Attack and Sp. Atk.
IV	Nasty Plot	Status	Cute	000—	000—%	2020 (max 32)	Self	The user stimulates its brain by thinking bad thoughts. It sharply raises the user's Sp. Atk.
V	Night Daze	Special		08585	09595%	1010 (max 16)	Normal	The user lets loose a pitch-black shock wave at its target. It may also lower the target's accuracy.
IV	Night Slash	Physical	Beauty	07070	100100%	1515 (max 24)	Normal	The user slashes the target the instant an opportunity arises. Critical hits land more easily.
VI	Parting Shot	Status		000—	000—%	2020 (max 32)	Normal	With a parting threat, the user lowers the target's Attack and Sp. Atk stats. Then it switches with a party Pokémon.
IV	Payback	Physical	Cool	05050	100100%	1010 (max 16)	Normal	If the user moves after the target, this attack's power will be doubled.
IV	Punishment	Physical	Smart	VariesVaries	100100%	055 (max 8)	Normal	This attack's power increases the more the target has powered up with stat changes.
II	Pursuit	Physical	Smart	04040	100100%	2020 (max 32)	Normal	An attack move that inflicts double damage if used on a target that is switching out of battle.
V	Quash	Status		000—	100100%	1515 (max 24)	Normal	The user suppresses the target and makes its move go last.
V	Snarl	Special		05555	09595%	1515 (max 24)	Many Others	The user yells as if it is ranting about something, making the target's Sp. Atk stat decrease.
III	Snatch	Status	Smart	000—	000—%	1010 (max 16)	Self	The user steals the effects of any healing or stat-changing move the opponent attempts to use.
IV	Sucker Punch	Physical	Smart	08080	100100%	055 (max 8)	Normal	This move enables the user to attack first. It fails if the target is not readying an attack, however.
IV	Switcheroo	Status	Cool	000—	100100%	1010 (max 16)	Normal	The user trades held items with the target faster than the eye can follow.
III	Taunt	Status	Smart	000—	100100%	2020 (max 32)	Normal	The target is taunted into a rage that allows it to use only attack moves for three turns.
II	Thief	Physical	Tough	06060	100100%	2525 (max 40)	Normal	The user attacks and steals the target's held item simultaneously. It can't steal if the user holds an item.
VI	Topsy-Turvy	Status		000—	000—%	2020 (max 32)	Normal	All stat changes affecting the target turn topsy-turvy and become the opposite of what they were.
III	Torment	Status	Smart	000—	100100%	1515 (max 24)	Normal	The user torments and enrages the target, making it incapable of using the same move twice in a row.
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 Dark-type Pokémon of any generation, with 16, and Generation VI introduced the fewest (minus Generation I) Dark-type Pokémon, with five.
• Generation IV introduced the most Dark-type moves of any generation, with 11, and Generation VI introduced the fewest (minus Generation I) Dark-type moves, with two.
  • Neither of the moves introduced in Generation VI deal damage.
• In Generation II, the Dark type saw one retroactive type change in a move (Bite), but no change in a Pokémon. The opposite is true for the Steel type, which saw one retroactive type change in a Pokémon family (Magnemite and Magneton), but no change in a move.
• There has yet to be a Pokémon Gym that specializes in the Dark type.
  • The Fairy-type, introduced in Generation VI, received its own gym before Dark-type, introduced in Generation II.
• Like Ghost, there are no Pokémon with a type combination doubly vulnerable to Dark, though in Generation VI the move Trick-or-Treat can create such a combination in-battle if it is used on a Psychic-type.
• Despite Dark-type moves being exclusively special before the physical/special split, every Dark-type move introduced before the split was made a physical move.
• Dark is the only type not represented by a Pokémon (retroactive or otherwise) in the Kanto regional Pokédex, not counting Mega Gyarados. Consequently, it is the only type absent from a regional Pokédex.

In other languages

Language Title Japanese あく (悪) Aku Mandarin Chinese 惡 / 恶 È 邪惡 / 邪恶 Xié'è Danish Mørke Dutch Duister Donker Finnish Pimeys Pimeä French Ténèbres German Unlicht Greek Σκοταδιού Skotadiou Hebrew אופל Offel Indonesian Kegelapan Italian Buio Korean 악 Ak Norwegian Mørk Polish Mroczny Brazilian Portuguese Sombrio Noturno Romanian Întuneric Russian Тёмный Tyomnii Spanish Latin America Oscuridad Spain Siniestro Swedish Mörker Thai มืด or ความมืด