Poltergeist (move)

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Not to be confused with Polteageist.

Poltergeist ポルターガイスト Poltergeist

Battles Type  Ghost Category  Physical PP  5 (max. 8) Power  110 Accuracy  90% Priority  0 Does not make contact Affected by Protect Not affected by Magic Coat Not affected by Snatch Affected by Mirror Move Affected by King's Rock

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

Availability Introduced  Generation VIII Move Tutor in The Isle of Armor TM198 in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet

Contests Condition  [[{{{category}}} (condition)|{{{category}}}]] Appeal  0   Jam  0

Super Contests Condition  [[{{{category}}} (condition)|{{{category}}}]] Appeal  0

Contest Spectaculars Condition  [[{{{category}}} (condition)|{{{category}}}]] Appeal  0   Jamming  0

On Smogon's Movedex: Generation VIII Generation IX

Poltergeist (Japanese: ポルターガイスト Poltergeist) is a damage-dealing Ghost-type move introduced in Generation VIII. It is TM198 in Generation IX.

Effect

Poltergeist deals damage if the target is holding an item, after displaying the message "[target] is about to be attacked by its [item]!" If used when the target is not holding an item, the move fails.

If used on a Pokémon weak to Ghost-type moves holding a Kasib Berry or a Weakness Policy, or a Pokémon holding a Red Card, Poltergeist will still do damage after the item has been consumed, but the item in question still takes effect.

Generation VIII

Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl

Poltergeist cannot be selected in a battle.

Description

Games Description SwShLA The user attacks the target by controlling the target's item. The move fails if the target doesn't have an item. BDSP This move can’t be used. It’s recommended that this move is forgotten. Once forgotten, this move can’t be remembered. SV The user attacks by controlling the target's item. This move fails if the target isn't holding an item.

Learnset

By TM/Move Tutor

#	Pokémon		Types	Egg Groups		Compatibility
						VIII	IX
						SwShIA Tutor	SV TM198
0092		Gastly		Amorphous		Amorphous	✔	✔
0093		Haunter		Amorphous		Amorphous	✔	✔
0094		Gengar		Amorphous		Amorphous	✔	✔
0105		Marowak Alolan Form		Monster		Monster	✔
0151		Mew		No Eggs Discovered		No Eggs Discovered	✔	✔
0157		Typhlosion Hisuian Form		Field		Field		✔
0200		Misdreavus		Amorphous		Amorphous		✔
0292		Shedinja		Mineral		Mineral	✔
0302		Sableye		Human-Like		Human-Like	✔	✔
0353		Shuppet		Amorphous		Amorphous		✔
0354		Banette		Amorphous		Amorphous		✔
0355		Duskull		Amorphous		Amorphous	✔	✔
0356		Dusclops		Amorphous		Amorphous	✔	✔
0429		Mismagius		Amorphous		Amorphous		✔
0442		Spiritomb		Amorphous		Amorphous	✔	✔
0477		Dusknoir		Amorphous		Amorphous	✔	✔
0478		Froslass		Fairy	Mineral	✔	✔
0479		Rotom All forms		Amorphous		Amorphous	✔	✔
0487		Giratina All forms		No Eggs Discovered		No Eggs Discovered	✔	✔
0562		Yamask		Mineral	Amorphous	✔
0562		Yamask Galarian Form		Mineral	Amorphous	✔
0563		Cofagrigus		Mineral	Amorphous	✔
0571		Zoroark Hisuian Form		Field		Field		✔
0592		Frillish All forms		Amorphous		Amorphous	✔
0593		Jellicent All forms		Amorphous		Amorphous	✔
0607		Litwick		Amorphous		Amorphous	✔	✔
0608		Lampent		Amorphous		Amorphous	✔	✔
0609		Chandelure		Amorphous		Amorphous	✔	✔
0622		Golett		Mineral		Mineral	✔	✔
0623		Golurk		Mineral		Mineral	✔	✔
0708		Phantump		Grass	Amorphous	✔	✔
0709		Trevenant		Grass	Amorphous	✔	✔
0710		Pumpkaboo All forms		Amorphous		Amorphous	✔
0711		Gourgeist All forms		Amorphous		Amorphous	✔
0724		Decidueye		Flying		Flying	✔	✔
0769		Sandygast		Amorphous		Amorphous	✔	✔
0770		Palossand		Amorphous		Amorphous	✔	✔
0781		Dhelmise		Mineral		Mineral	✔
0792		Lunala		No Eggs Discovered		No Eggs Discovered	✔	✔
0802		Marshadow		No Eggs Discovered		No Eggs Discovered	✔
0854		Sinistea All forms		Mineral	Amorphous	✔	✔
0855		Polteageist All forms		Mineral	Amorphous	✔	✔
0864		Cursola		Water 1	Water 3	✔
0867		Runerigus		Mineral	Amorphous	✔
0897		Spectrier		No Eggs Discovered		No Eggs Discovered		✔
0911		Skeledirge		Field		Field		✔
0937		Ceruledge		Human-Like		Human-Like		✔
0946		Bramblin		Grass		Grass		✔
0947		Brambleghast		Grass		Grass		✔
0954		Rabsca		Bug		Bug		✔
0971		Greavard		Field		Field		✔
0972		Houndstone		Field		Field		✔
0987		Flutter Mane		No Eggs Discovered		No Eggs Discovered		✔
1000		Gholdengo		No Eggs Discovered		No Eggs Discovered		✔
1012		Poltchageist All forms		Mineral	Amorphous		✔
1013		Sinistcha All forms		Mineral	Amorphous		✔
1015		Munkidori		No Eggs Discovered		No Eggs Discovered		✔
1025		Pecharunt		No Eggs Discovered		No Eggs Discovered		✔
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.

Special move

Generation IX

#	Pokémon		Types	Egg Groups		Obtained with
0608		Lampent		Amorphous		Amorphous	Wild Tera Pokémon - Infernal PassSVTM
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.

In other games

Pokémon GO

In Pokémon GO, Poltergeist is a Charged Attack that was made available on October 15, 2022.

Poltergeist
Charged Attack
Gyms & Raids Power 140 Energy cost 100 Duration 3.6 seconds Damage window 2.8-3.0 seconds
Trainer Battles Power 150 Energy cost 75 Secondary effect Effect chance %
Eligible Pokémon:
Standard eligibility By Elite Charged TM By GO Snapshot As Shadow Pokémon As Purified Pokémon Formerly eligible None

Updates

Trainer Battles

• September 1, 2023
  • Power: 140 → 150

In other generations

Core series games

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, and Sky	MD: Blazing, Stormy, & Light Adventure Squad	MD: GTI	SMD	MD: RTDX	Rumble	Rumble Blast	Masters EX

Trivia

• This move originated as a TCG attack.
• Poltergeist is the only Ghost-type move with an accuracy lower than 100%.

In other languages

Language Title Chinese Cantonese 靈騷 Lìhngsōu Mandarin 靈騷 / 灵骚 Língsāo French Esprit Frappeur German Poltergeist Italian Poltergeist Korean 폴터가이스트 Polteogaiseuteu Brazilian Portuguese Poltergeist Spanish Poltergeist

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.