Dark (type)

Template:ElementalTypes Template:TypeNotice Some notable trainers of Dark-types include Karen of the Indigo Plateau Elite Four and Sidney of the Hoenn Elite Four. Notably, the Dark-type is the only type that has not had at least one Pokémon Gym dedicated to it.

Statistical averages

Overall

Fully evolved

Battle properties

Dark-type moves:

• Are super-effective against: Ghost, Psychic
• Are not very effective against: Dark, Fighting, Steel
• Have no effect against: None

Dark-type Pokémon:

• Resist: Dark, Ghost
• Are weak to: Bug, Fighting
• Have immunity to: Psychic

Characteristics

Dark-type Pokémon were added in Generation II.

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 and Tyranitar (the second is probably due to Template:T2). Just the same, Pokémon that are both Dark-type and Template:Type2 have no true weaknesses, as the resistances of the Dark-type cover the weaknesses of Ghost, and vice-versa. One of the greatest advantages of the Dark-type is that they are immune to Template:Type2s.

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, Faint Attack never misses, 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, and Snatch, which steals the beneficial effects of an opponent's moves.

Interestingly, despite the fact that in generations prior to Generation IV, all Dark-type moves were special moves, there is only one special Dark-type move in Generation IV (Dark Pulse), which itself was actually introduced in that generation, meaning all Dark-type moves from before are actually considered physical moves.

When used in contests, Dark-type moves typically become Smart-type, but can also be any of the other four Contest types.

In total, there are 23 Pokémon with the Dark-type.

Personality

Most Dark Pokémon in the anime appear to fall into one of two groups in terms of personality. The first group are michievous, sneaky Pokémon, who tend to be vengeful. For example, the Sneasel in Hail to the Chef, who got revenge on TRMeowth ([[{{{2}}} (move)|{{{2}}}]]) for some rude comments by sabotaging Meowth's food, or the Nuzleaf in Turning Over a Nuzleaf who played tricks on Ash and his friends. The second group are responsible, often solitary Pokémon, who feel obligated to protect someone or something. This is sometimes their own pre-evolution, as seen in Duels of the Jungle when a Weavile was trying to protect a group of Sneasel; or it can be people or a particular place, as seen with Darkrai (anime) in The Rise of Darkrai and Absol in Absol-ute Disaster. (Note: Protecting a place or certain people/Pokémon is also typical of Legendary Pokémon, of which Darkrai is one.)

Pokémon

Pure Dark-type Pokémon

# Name 197 Umbreon 261 Poochyena 262 Mightyena 359 Absol 491 Darkrai

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

Secondary Dark-type Pokémon

# Name Type 1 Type 2 248 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

Moves

Damage-dealing moves

Name Category Contest Power Accuracy PP Target Notes Assurance Beauty 50 100% 10 One foe If the target has already taken some damage in the same turn, this attack's power is doubled. Beat Up Smart 10 100% 10 One foe Does more damage the more Pokémon are in the user's party. Bite Tough 60 100% 25 One foe Has a 10% chance of causing the opponent to flinch. Crunch Tough 80 100% 15 One foe Has a 20% chance of lowering target's Defense. Dark Pulse Cool 80 100% 15 One foe Has a 20% chance of making the target flinch. Faint Attack Smart 60 —% 20 One foe Never misses. Fling Tough Varies 100% 10 One foe Throws held item, power and effects depend on held item. Knock Off Smart 20 100% 20 One foe Prevents the target from using its held item. Night Slash Beauty 70 100% 15 One foe Has a high critical hit ratio. Payback Cool 50 100% 10 One foe Power doubles if used after opponent attacks. Punishment Smart Varies 100% 5 One foe Power increases the more the target has powered up with stat changes. Pursuit Smart 40 100% 20 One foe Deals double damage if target is switching out of battle. Sucker Punch Smart 80 100% 5 One foe Attacks first. Fails if target is not preparing an attack. Thief Tough 40 100% 10 One foe Steals target's held item if user has no held item.

Non-damaging moves

Name Category Contest Power Accuracy PP Target Notes Dark Void Smart — 80% 10 Both foes Puts the target to sleep. Embargo Cute — 100% 15 One foe Prevents the target from using its held item. Also prevents Trainers from using items on it. Fake Tears Smart — 100% 20 One foe Sharply lowers the target's Special Defense. Flatter Smart — 100% 15 One foe Confuses the target. However, it also raises the target's Special Attack. Memento Tough — 100% 10 One foe The user faints. In return, it sharply lowers the target's Attack and Special Attack. Nasty Plot Cute — —% 20 User Sharply raises the user's Special Attack. Snatch Smart — —% 10 Reaction Steals the effects of any healing or status-changing move the target attempts to use. Switcheroo Cool — 100% 10 One foe The user trades held items with the target. Taunt Smart — 100% 20 One foe The target can only use attack moves for two to four turns. Torment Smart — 100% 15 One foe The target can't use the same move twice in a row.

Trivia

• Dark Void is the only Dark-type move that does not have 100% accuracy.
• There are no Dark-type moves with a base power greater than 80, making it the only elemental type without a single move with a base power of 100 or more.
• None of the main characters of the anime own a Dark-type Pokémon. However, Ash, James, and May own or have owned Pokémon that can evolve into a Dark-type—Ash had a Larvitar and has Corphish, James had a Cacnea, and May had an Eevee.
• Before Diamond and Pearl, damaging Dark-type moves were all considered special, but all damaging Dark-type moves that existed then became physical in Generation IV. There is currently only one special Dark-type move (excluding Hidden Power), and it was created in Generation IV: Dark Pulse.
• The Dark-type is the last of the 17 types to appear in National Pokédex order, at number 197. This is due to the fact that this type was introduced in Generation II, and the other new type introduced in that generation, Steel, was added as a secondary type to Magnemite and Magneton. If Magnemite and Magneton were not counted, Steel would be last as Umbreon, the first Dark-type, comes before Forretress, the next Steel-type.
• Dark-type is the only type not to have a gym that specializes in it. It does however, have Elite Four members that specialize in it.
• While holding the Dread Plate, Arceus's Judgment becomes the strongest Dark-type move and the only one to have a base power of more than 80.

In other languages

• Dutch: Duister
• French: Ténèbres
• German: Unlicht
• Hebrew: אפל affel
• Italian: Buio
• Japanese: あく (悪) aku
• Korean: 악 ak
• Spanish: Siniestro