Poltergeist (move)

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  {{{priority}}} 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

Target Foe Foe Foe Self Ally Ally May affect anyone adjacent to the user

Availability Introduced  Generation VIII Move Tutor in The Isle of Armor

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.

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.

Generation IX

Poltergeist is programmed into Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, but cannot be selected in a battle as no available Pokémon can learn it. However, it can be called by Metronome.

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 Move Tutor

#	Pokémon		Types	Egg Groups		Game
						SwSh	SwSh EP	BDSP	LA
092		Gastly		Amorphous		Amorphous	✔
093		Haunter		Amorphous		Amorphous	✔
094		Gengar		Amorphous		Amorphous	✔
105		Marowak Alolan Form		Monster		Monster	✔
151		Mew		No Eggs Discovered		No Eggs Discovered	✔
292		Shedinja		Mineral		Mineral	✔
302		Sableye		Human-Like		Human-Like	✔
355		Duskull		Amorphous		Amorphous	✔
356		Dusclops		Amorphous		Amorphous	✔
442		Spiritomb		Amorphous		Amorphous	✔
477		Dusknoir		Amorphous		Amorphous	✔
478		Froslass		Fairy	Mineral	✔
479		Rotom		Amorphous		Amorphous	✔
487		Giratina		No Eggs Discovered		No Eggs Discovered	✔
562		Yamask		Mineral	Amorphous	✔
562		Yamask Galarian Form		Mineral	Amorphous	✔
563		Cofagrigus		Mineral	Amorphous	✔
592		Frillish		Amorphous		Amorphous	✔
593		Jellicent		Amorphous		Amorphous	✔
607		Litwick		Amorphous		Amorphous	✔
608		Lampent		Amorphous		Amorphous	✔
609		Chandelure		Amorphous		Amorphous	✔
622		Golett		Mineral		Mineral	✔
623		Golurk		Mineral		Mineral	✔
708		Phantump		Grass	Amorphous	✔
709		Trevenant		Grass	Amorphous	✔
710		Pumpkaboo		Amorphous		Amorphous	✔
711		Gourgeist		Amorphous		Amorphous	✔
724		Decidueye		Flying		Flying	✔
769		Sandygast		Amorphous		Amorphous	✔
770		Palossand		Amorphous		Amorphous	✔
781		Dhelmise		Mineral		Mineral	✔
792		Lunala		No Eggs Discovered		No Eggs Discovered	✔
802		Marshadow		No Eggs Discovered		No Eggs Discovered	✔
854		Sinistea		Mineral	Amorphous	✔
855		Polteageist		Mineral	Amorphous	✔
864		Cursola		Water 1	Water 3	✔
867		Runerigus		Mineral	Amorphous	✔
Bold indicates a Pokémon gains STAB from this move. Italics indicates a Pokémon whose evolution or alternate form receives STAB from this move.

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 140 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

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 Czech Poltergeist 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.