Gourgeist has four different forms: Small Variety, Medium Variety, Large Variety, and Jumbo Variety. Prior to Pokémon Legends: Z-A, these were instead named Small Size, Average Size, Large Size, and Super Size respectively.
Gourgeist is a ghostly gourd-like Pokémon that varies dramatically in size. Its body is a dark brown pumpkin with a glowing, yellow-orange face carved into the front and a pair of nubby legs. The face consists of two triangular eyes and a grinning mouth; on top of the mouth is a small, triangular cutout for a nose. Poking out of the top of the pumpkin is its slender brown-orange head, which has bright yellow eyes and a small mouth but no visible nose. Gourgeist has long, light pink hair with arm-like tendrils framing its face and bangs that usually cover one eye. On top of its head is a crescent-shaped tuft that is brown on top; this tuft resembles a pumpkin's stem. In the animated series, Gourgeist has shown the ability to retract its upper body into the pumpkin, giving it the appearance of a traditional jack-o'-lantern.
On the night of a new moon, Gourgeist wanders town streets while singing an eerie song. Those who hear its song will be cursed. It is also known to sing joyfully while observing prey it has entangled in its arms. As mentioned in the Sleep Style Dex, Gourgeist has been observed waving its hairlike arms from side to side, even while it sleeps. There are four different sleep styles it sleeps in: "Hugging Sleep", "Arm-Spreading Sleep", "Give-a-Fright Sleep", and "Atop-Belly Sleep".
Gourgeist has four separate forms: Small Variety, Medium Variety, Large Variety, and Jumbo Variety.
Gourgeist's four different sizes determine their target for who they take into the afterlife. Small Gourgeist prefer targeting adults by pretending to be children. The large Gourgeist prefer taking children by pretending to be adults. The Jumbo Gourgeist aren't picky and will target anyone.
Gourgeist skillfully uses its hairlike arms to enwrap its prey. It has been discovered waving its arms from left to right and even spreading its arms as if to surprise someone during its sleep.
Gourgeist have four different forms, each named after their respective size: Small Variety, Medium Variety, Large Variety, and Jumbo Variety. Prior to Pokémon Legends: Z-A, these were instead named Small Size, Average Size, Large Size, and Super Size respectively. The section refers to the forms by their previously used names, in line with the games they appear in.
Its size is maintained through Evolution from Pumpkaboo and cannot be changed. Gourgeist typically cannot be found in the wild, and its different forms can usually only be obtained by evolving Pumpkaboo, whose larger sizes are rarer to encounter. However, in Pokémon Sword and Shield, Average Size Gourgeist can be found in the wild, and Gourgeist can also be encountered in Dynamax Adventures.
Super Size Gourgeist have different, lower-pitched cries than the other forms, and were also the only Pokémon to have the XXL size designation in Pokémon GO prior to the addition of XXL and XXS sizes for all species. The different sizes of Gourgeist do not use different menu sprites, except in Pokémon HOME.
Previously, only Average Size and Super Size Gourgeist could have their Hidden AbilityInsomnia. Average Size can be obtained with its Hidden Ability from the Friend Safari, and Super Size could be obtained with its Hidden Ability from events. Since Version 1.2.0 of Pokémon Sword and Shield, all sizes can be obtained with their Hidden Abilities via Ability Patches.
Each form has different base stats. With each increase in size, its base HP stat increases by 10 points and its base Attack stat increases by 5 points while its base Speed stat decreases by 15 points. Consequently, its base stat total does not vary with size.
Gourgeist, the Pumpkin Pokémon, and the evolved form of Pumpkaboo. Gourgeist wander through town at the new moon, surrounding their prey with their arms which resemble hair.
Gourgeist appears to be based on bottle gourds and pumpkins, specifically the ones carved into jack-o'-lanterns for Halloween. Gourgeist's behavior of knocking on people's front doors before whisking them away may reference trick-or-treating. Its upper body may be based on the candles within jack-o'-lanterns themselves, with the curl resembling its wick and its hair-like extensions its dripping wax. Its ability to retract into and pop out of its pumpkin-like body may also be a reference to a jack-in-the-box.
Gourgeist's appearance may be inspired by depictions of Baba Yaga inside her flying mortar. Alternatively, it could have potential connections to the Japanese ghost story Yotsuya Kaidan, in which a woman transforms into a paper lantern yōkai with long hair.
Gourgeist's different forms are likely inspired by the large variety of sizes in pumpkins, the largest ones possibly being a reference to the agricultural tradition of growing incredibly large pumpkins.
Name origin
Gourgeist may be a combination of gourd and geist.
Pumpjin may be a combination of pumpkin and 神 shin (deity, spirit), 人 jin (man), or jinn.
This Pokémon article is part of Project Pokédex, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on each Pokémon species, as well as Pokémon groups and forms.
Jessie's Gourgeist flashing light from the holes in her body
Gourgeist appearing as a jack-o'-lantern
Miracle Seed (Super Size Gourgeist only, 100%)
For other sprites and images, please see Gourgeist images on the Bulbagarden Archives.
